Witches Bodin relateth that one Trescalanus a notorious Witch in Charles the 9. dayes hauing his life giuen to discouer others told the King that there were in his Kingdome aboue 300000. Also the same Bodinu telleth vs that there had beene executed in Loraine while one man Remingius was Gouernour there nine hundred Witches Sixtly and lastly wee may reade in the Admirable History of a Magician set out by Papists and dedicated to the Q. Regent of France that the Diuell called Verrine iustified most of the superstitious and idolatrous practices in that Church 〈…〉 Innocation of Saints and Angels with the rest Is it not likely then that there the Diuel can haue power ouer the Professors of that Religion which he so well liketh and approueth of This is euident in this something that so many Priests Religious men and religious women of their orders haue beene found to be Witches as Bodinns hath lese recorded to posterities in his Daemonomania Thus wee see the sorts which principally may be insnared by Satan to turne Witches CHAP. III. Before the Diuell come to sollicite to Witchcraft hee sindeth some preparednesse in such parties to giue him hope to preuaile THe miserable man or woman which becommeth a Witch maketh way for the Diuel to set vpon them to make them such Hee goeth thither where he is either sure or well hopeth of entertainment Mat. 12.44 48. He therefore watcheth the time when he may best offer his seruice vnto them The preparednesse besides that which is common as impenitencie prophanesse vnconscionablenesse and irrespect to the power of Religion are distempered passions and violence of affections vaine curiosities I company through which occasions he taketh aduantage and worketh to haue his will As for example When any fall into a passionate sorrow accompanied with solitarinesse for some losse as did a woman for the death of her child in which sorrowfull melancholy moode the Diuell offered himselfe to comfort her So at that time to others also in the time of a great death extremely pinched and in desperate cases hee appeared and at length wonne the former woman and these to become Witches for which they were afterwards being found out confessing how they so became such condemned and executed When a man is impatient of pouerty and wil needs be rich euen against Gods prouidence heere is preparation for a Diuell As wee may reade of a young man thus affected to whom the Diuell offered himselfe to supply his wants and to fulfill his desire if hee would become his to which he yeelded and wrote a band with his owne bloud for the ratification When one is inraged with anger plotting reuenge heere is worke for the Diuell Thus hee tooke hold of one Mary Smith of Lynne and brought her to be a Witch and to make a league with him When one is familiar with such aâ— are Witches Thus one Alice Nutter a rich woman in Lancashire was seduced and one Alison Dâ—uire and Anne Câ—â—ttoâ— which they confessed and were executed for their murthers and Witchcrafts When any are addicted to the reading and study of dangerous bookes inticing to the practice of hidden Mysteries of Magicke and Inchantments Thus was 〈◊〉 Gâ—â—fredâ— a Priest catched and became a Witch a very Diuell incarness in the height of villanies for his pride and teacheries Thus by these and other like meanes which may bee gathered from the confessions of Witches they prepare themselues for Satans temptations to draw them to Witchcraft CHAP. IV. Of Satans appearing in some uisible shape to those that he inticeth to Witchcraft WHen the Diuell hath once perceiued a man or womans preparednesse hee taketh his sit time to discouer himselfe in some visible forme to be seene of them That hee can take a shape it 's not to be doubted For 1. Hee appeared in a forme like Samuel to Saul 1. Sam. 28. And Diuines doe thinke that the seruants that came so immediately one vpon another to bring Iob heauy tidings were Diuels Iob I. and it is held that he appeared to Christ visibly Matth. 4. 2. Histories make mention of his visible appearing and such as doe write de spectris de bonis malis Angelis affirme as much 3. Witches generally confesse it as we may reade in the relations of those many in Lancashire those in Northhampton and Bedfordshire and in all other places Now these appeare not in one but in varietie of shapes and formes as in the shape of a Man or Woman or a Boy of a browne and white Dogge of a Foale of a spotted Bitch of a Hare Moale Cat Kitling Rat dunne Chicken or Owle of a Toade or Crab of these haue I read in the narrations of Witches to which more may be added for no doubt he can if God permit take any forme vpon him for his aduantage to deceiue though some write that he cannot take the forme of a Doue or Lambe Wee may in reading finde that hee varyeth in his appearances according to the nature quality and condition of the persons to whom hee presents himselfe To base fordid filthy nasty and blockish more beast-like then Christian people hee commeth in the baser formes and more abhorred shapes to some of them in the shape of Toads as you haue heard to be loathed euen of nature it selfe if they had not lost it But to a Faustus in a religious persons habit to Gaufredy a Priest one of some learning and wealth he appeareth in some humane shape like a gallant fellow and so vnto others for hee fashioneth himselfe so as hee knoweth to bee best liked to whom hee commeth to shew himselfe to make them his CHAP. V. Of the league betweene the Diuell and the Witch with the sealing and confirmation WHen the Diuell hath once appeared vnto them hee leaueth them not till he get them to make an expresse league with him This he procuteth of some sometimes at the first comming sometimes of others not before the second or third comming for all yeeld not so readily to this alike but howsoeuer hee is so importunate for this that he at length preuaileth withall to make them yeeld The league on the man or womans part is to giue their soules to him which hee most commonly asketh as Witches haue confessed and to renounce God as hath beene also acknowledged by Gaufredy and others sometimes the Diuell asketh not onely the soule as he asketh it oâ— the sottish sort which care not for it so they may thinke their bodies safe but hee also asketh the whole person and sometime his goods spirituall and temporall as the Diuell dealt with Gaufredy as he plainâ—ly confessed before he was burnt who gaue himselfe body and soule and all to Lucifer The Couenant on the Diuels part is his promise to helpe the poore to foode the sicke to health the refâ—ll to bee 〈…〉 the curious to knowledge the ambitious to honour as hee did the
and indeede with a lowd and shrill inarticulate sound of two sillables Ipha Ipha 2. Shee had diuers tortures of her mouth and face with staring and rowling her eyes sprawling and tumbling vpon the ground grating and gnashing of her teeth 3. Sometimes shee fell into a deadly trance therein continuing the space of a day representing the shape and image of death without all sense and motion sauing breathing and her pulse neither was she moued with pinching or the like 4. When shee came out of the same she would as if fearefully affrighted cast her eyes looking backward then on either side and ouer her head as seeing something and then her eyes would be staring open and her mouth gaping wide with her hands armes strongly stretched out aboue her head with a generall starknesse and stâ—ffenesse 5. When shee was out of her fits and seemed to sleepe and slumber then her imagination ledde her hands to diuers actions and mâ—tions arguing folly and defect of reason with her hands onely feeling without the help of any other sense she would dresse and aâ—tire the heads of such women as were by her so strong was her imagination to leade her feeling These and other particulars are mentioned yet the causes naturall and naâ—urall meanes were vsed by him and at lengâ—h by the benefit of the Baths she was cured Another story he records of a poore boy of â—ichley in Northamptonshire who was suddâ—nly surprised with a vehement conuuâ—sion drawing his head and heeles violently backward carrying his whole body into a roundnesse tumbling vp and downe with much paine and inward groaning The pâ—rents held him bewitched and therefore sent for a wise woman who played her witchery trickâ—s but could doe nothing The Doctor shewed the naturall cause to be Worms which in some time after the Boy did void and was perfectly well In another book of his called thâ— tâ—yall of Witchcraft chap. 2. pag. 15 16 17. he makâ—th mention of diuers sorts of persons tormented with diseases witâ— their terrible accidents and afflictions to the body of men women and children the reason whereof could not bee discerned till after death but their bodies being opened the reasons in nature were very euident in sight Amongst the rest one story he relates to shew the pestilent euil of seeking to a white Witch and Wizard of a Gentlewoman strangely afflâ—cted with varietie of strange tormenting diseases together and being almost cured it was by a Wizard whispered and thereupon beleeued that shee was meerely bewitched which supposed Witches were thereupon attached accused arraigned found guilty and executed and yet saith he in true reason and iudicious discerning it is as cleere as the brightest day that no accident befalling her was other then naturall An accursed crediting then of a Wizard vniustly occasioned the taking away of the liues of these so suspected But thogh the diseases ceased for some sixe yeeres yet some of her fits returned againe in the seuenth yeere following and continued longer vpon her then the other and now if they will beleeue a Wizard againe they must goe conceit other Witches and hang them too But now to leaue diseases it is good to obserue the force of Fancie and Feare whereby may bee found Witches But where only in a foolish sconce as he speaketh And to shew this hee instanceth the force thereof in two women going to a Physicion one after another To the one hee said shee was like to bee vexed with the Sciatica whereof he saw the apparant signes which shee affirmed neuer to haue had the motion of in all her life now the same night returning home shee was painefully and grieuously afflicted with it To the other comming some two or three dayes after besides the paine she made knowne hee by signes told her of the Crampe which she before sensibly neuer had felt yet that night also it came to her Now the first party knowing how it hapned to her selfe and hearing the like of her neighbour presently concluded that shee surely was bewitched by the Physician But after her husband an vnderstanding man to satisfie his wiues minde being impatient during her paines had gone and returned from the Physician shee was altered in her opinion and then prayed her husband to go once more to aske him forgiuenesse and if hee so would then should shee be well and indeed so her imagination wrought that at her husbands returne shee met him at the doore and told him that she was well How did a lusty young man at the Assiâ—es presently faint in reading a conference of two spiâ—â—ts whilest the suspected Witch was at the Barre meerely vpon feare to be in danger to be bewitched as was euidâ—nt by hiâ— words saying O thou Rogue wilt thou bewitch me too Feare and imagâ—nation make many Witches among countrey people being superstitiously addicted and led with foolish obseruations and imaginarie signes of good and bad lucke Therefore seeing there may be such naturall causes truely alledged for those things which seemed to be inflâ—cted by Satan and the prouocation of Witches I. Let such as suspect themselues to bee bewitched consider whether the cause of their vâ—xation be not naturall and enquirâ— not of a diuellish Wâ—zard but of learned and iudicious Physicians to know their disease lest they suspect their neighbours vniustly and for a iuâ—t punishâ—ent God giue them ouer into the hands of those that they doe feare So likewise should they in the losse of their cattel looke to the naâ—urall causes of their death â—or a beast and horse may die suddenly and not be bewitched as an horse of one Master Dorington in Huntingtonshire suddenly falling downe dead was opened there was found in his heart a strange worme round together like a Toade but being spred had 50. branches and was seuenteene inches long II. The Gentlemen of the Grand-Iury in case of Witchcraft when coÌ„plaints are made should 1. Be â—â—quisitiue of the grounds leading the Complainant why he thinketh himselfe or any of his to be bewitched whether it bee not rather from his owne feare then from any other cause or whether the affliction bee not from some naturall cause 2. To inquire whether hee hath taken aduice of some learned Physicians and hath also vsed their best helpes for remedie before they enter into consideration of the practices of Witcherie because vnlesse the Witchcraft be very cleere they may bee much mistaken and better it were till the truth appeare to write an Ignoramus then vpon oath to set down Billa vera and so thrust an intricate case vpon a Iury of simple men who proceed too often vpon relations of â—eere presumptions and these sometimes very weake ones too to take away mens liues It is vndoubtedly true that there is a very great likenesse and also a deceiueable likenesse betweene some diseases naturall and those that be really and truely supernaturall comming by the Dâ—uell and Witchery and therefore neede the iudgement of some
forenamed Popes and the satisfying of lust to the lecherous as he did to Gaufredy to whom the diuell gaue a seedule signed by himselfe comprehending the vertue and power of his breath to inflame any woman or maid with lust if he could but breathe on them This league is vttered either by word of mouth of such as cannot write or in writing by others and that by their owne bloud so did Faustus also the young mâ—n spoken of by Master Fox so haue others done as Bodin relateth and haue subscribed the band with their owne hands thus many haue confessed And Bodinus deliuereth it for a most certain truth that such as exercise the Art of Witchcraft of what kinde so euer if the Diuell haue visibly appeared do make an expresse league with Satan This league being thus made and sealed hee hath a sacrifice offered vnto him of some of others some as of their ordinary Witches hee desireth to sucke bloud for hee will haue his Couenant sealed with bloud one way or other He sucketh in diuers parts of the body as on the crowne of the head as the boyes of Bradley on the brests vnder the paps as Alison Deâ—ices on the thighes as Mother Suttons and Mary her daughters vnder the right eare as Ioane Willimots vnder the left flanke as Hellen Greenes the necke as Philip Flowers in the secret parts as Margaret Flowers the chinne as Mother Samuels of Warboys Thus the diuels chuse their sucking places as they please which they doe as some haue confessed at the change or full of the Moone or when they are set on worke by the Witches Besides this sucking they leaue markes vpon them sometimes like a blue spot as it was on Alizon Deuice or like a little teate as it was on Mother Sutton and her daughter of Milton Milles in Bedfordshire These markes are not onely nor alwayes in the sucking place for the marke was not on Mother Samuels chinne of Warboys but they bee often in other very hidden places as vnder the eye-browes within the lips vnder arme-pits on the right shoulders thigh flanke in the secret parts and seate Now after all these assurances made betweene them that Satan may claime them for his owne then commeth he to be familiar with them All haue not one familiar spirit but some haue moe then others Some indeed haue but one as old Denob dike some haue two as Chattox Ionne Flower Willimot some three as one Arthur Bill some nine as Mother Samuels of Warboys To these they giue names such as I haue read of are these Mephastophilus Lucifer Little Lord Fimodes Dauid Inde Little Robin Smacke Lightfoote Non-such Lunch Make-shift Swart Pluck Blue Catch White Callico Hard name Tibb Hiff Ball Puss Rutterkin Dick Prettie Griffet and Iacke And they meet together to Christen the spirits as they speake when they giue the spirit a name By these familiar spirits they doe what they doe these they aske counsell of they send abroad to 〈◊〉 their desires if God giue leaue and they doe verily thinke that they haue these spirits at command vpon the making of this damnable and most abominable league to doe whatsoeuer they please to serthem about CHAP. VI. That such an expresse league is made with the Diuell why hee inticeth his vnto it and how it is possible that any Christian should so bee ouertaken to yeeld thereunto THough some may question the truth of this compact as if such a thing could bee gained at any mans hands that knoweth what a Diuell is euen mans mortall and irreconcileable enemy yet is this a certaine truth 1. From varietie of Scripture in Psal. 58.5 the words are to be read thus The mutterer ioyning societies cunningly that is the Witch with spirits 2. From the Hebrew word Chabor an Inchanter Deut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18.11 Isal. 47.9 12. which signifieth one ioyned to another in league and societie Now what other can that be with whom the Inchanter is in league but the Diuell 3. From the confession of Witches generally Cyprian whether the ancient Father or no I am not certaine for some affirme some question it confidently from his owne knowledge auerreth is that all make the league as he once did when he practised art Magicke The story of Faustus confirmeth it and all the relations of Witches with vs as before is noted in the other Chapter 4. And lastly the markes found vpon Witches and also the bloudy bonds sometime doe strengthen the truth-hereof For the young mans bond of whom Master Fox speaketh was thrown into the Assembly gathered together in prayer for his deliuerie from Satan If any arke why Satan so laboureth for this Couenant I answer It may be I. To anger the Lord in imitating him as hâ—e labours to doe in all things but yet therein to oppose him for as God maketh a Couenant with his so will the diuell with his as God hath his seaâ—e of his Couenant so will the diuell haue his markes as God confirmeth his by bloud so will the Diuell haue bloud to ratifie the Couenant which he and his make 2. To increase the sinne of the Witches to make them desperately wicked without hope of mercy when they shall remember how they haue renounced God and 〈◊〉 themselues to the diuell and thereby haue prouoked the iust wraâ—h of God to their vtter damâ—â—tion which is that which Satan herein labours for 3. To make them hereby surely his owne without starting backe if possibly it may be 4. To beguile them the more cunningly when hereby hee maketh them beleeue that as they are his so now hee is theirs at euery call to be commanded and to doe what they would haue him to doe according to their lusts This conceit pleaseth them greatly by this they grow proud in heart that they haue spirits at command to tell them things to teach them cures to reuenge their wrong to worke feare of themselues in others to haue in many things their wils and desires by these are they so fast tyed as they alwayes hold on this hellish trade euen to death except the Lord preuent some with his more speciall grace If any wonder how it may be possible that any reasonable soule endued with any knowledge of God and of the nature of a Diuell should thus be enthralled let him weigh these things 1. That man hath lost the image of God in which he was created and is wholly polluted with sinne and corruption 2. That hereby he is become of very neere kinne vnto the Diuell euen his owne babe 3. That being his child he will doe his fathers lusts and that no doubt in one thing as well as in another for men loue darknesse more then the light yea and naturally are giuen to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse so captiuated are they to their lusts 4. That man giuen ouer to his vnruly
another time one cloathed in russet with a bush beard speaking to him So also Toads and Crabs crawling about his house after which hee was tormented So Master Auerie whom before I haue mentioned saw as hee rode in his Coach homeward a vision and forthwith his Coach-horses fell downe dead One Master Engersmen in Bedfordshire driuing a Cart of corne to Bedford saw a great blacke Sow grasing which went along with them at length the horses brake their carriage and ranne away to Bedford so at the returning backe they saw the same Sow and had the like violent course of horses the chiefe man afterwards by a stroake of a Beetle vpon his brest fell into a trance suddenly and was in his senses distracted and continued for a long time in extasies and grieuous perplexitie To these may bee added what formerly is written of the signes of such as the Diuell tormenteth for what hee can doe without the association of a Witch that can he doe when hee is willed by the Witch to doe his worke And thus much briefely for these signes of persons bewitched CHAP. XIII What those things be which Witches doe by which they doe set their spirits on worke to doe mischiefe and by which they are said to bewitch THough as you haue heard Witches doe not the harme themselues yet doe they that which the spirit will haue them to doe before hee will worke the mischiefe Hee sets them on puts into their hearts euill thoughts hee inflameth them with rancor yea and appeareth visibly speaking to them counselling and vrging them to doe this and that before hee doth the hurt they agree and so the Witch sendeth him who is ready inough to goe of himselfe but he will not in cases of Witchcraft That which the Witches doe are aâ— Watch-words and Signes that the Diuell may know as it were when where and vpon whom to doe mischiefe The meanes which they vse are diuers and many by which as we commonly speake they bewitch man or beast By cursing and banning and bitter imprecations this is very vsuall with such and the Diuell encourageth them thereto as he did one Mary Smith of Linne the effect whereof fell on Iohn Orkton whose fingers she wished might rot off when he was strong and well and so they did and his toes too afterward By threatnings with curses as Chattox the Lancashire Witch did one Hugh Moore Anne Nutter and others who dyed thereupon By Charms Spels the words whereof being repeated the Diuâ—ll will doe hurt Bodin mentioneth how a maide could get no butter when a boy repeated a verse till he was made to pronounce it backward againe By a Charme did Gaufredy bewitch one Louyse Chapeau into whom the Diuell entred By certaine formes of words like prayers vsing the name of God and the Lord Iesus or the Virgin Mary whom they call our Lady seeming hereby to call vpon them for a blessing they vse these as a Watchword for their spirits as when they say Here is a good horse God saue him c. By praising and by words of commendations this Bodinus confirmeth by many testimonies and P. de Loyer de spectris who citeth Au. Gellius his Noctes Atticae for the same wherevpon the Italians hearing any to praise others very much say Di gratia no gli diate mal d'ochio By their lookes if with an intent to hurt thus could one Gamaliel Greete do into whom whilst he was swearing a spirit like a white Mouse entred as Ioane Willimot the Leicestershire Witch confessed before authoritie Bodinus also mentioneth this kinde of hurting and Virgil in this verse Nescio quis oculis teneros mihi fascinat Agnos By their breath as a Witch in the Diocesse of Constance who blowing infected the whole body of a man with Leprosie so did Gaufredy bewitch with his breath By touching with the hand or finger as Ellen Greene one of the Leicestershire Witches touched one Iohn Patshets wife and her child in the Midwiues armes and then sent her spirits to witch them to death For the spirit Dandy said to the Lancashire Witch Iames Deuice wheÌ„ hee went to one Duckworths house Thou hast touched him and therfore haue I power ouer him A Witch touched but the brests of a woman that gaue sucke and dâ—yed vp her milke this Danaeus witnesseth Mary Sutton a Bedfordshire Witch did but touch the necke of one Mr Engâ—rs seruants onely with her finger and he was presently after her departure miserably vexed By making pictures of Waxe and Clay of those which they would bewitch and either roast them or bury them that as they consume so wil the parties a notable story hereof is in Boëtius of one King Duffe a Scottish King which is recorded fully in the Chron. of Scotland The Lancashire Witch Chattox and some others were much exercised in this diuellish practice as their confessions in their examinations doe witnes Ioane Flower which bewitched the Earle of Rutlands children would curse the Lo Rosse and take feathers and bloud boile them together vsing many diuellish speeches and gestures as her daughter Philip confessed By tying of certaine knots as Saint Ierome testifieth in vita Hilarionis By sacrifices as Balaam attempted and as a woman before-named did offer a Cocke and another a Beetle as Serres in the French Chronicle witnesseth in Henry the 4. dayes or some the very paring of nailes or but a piece of a girdle as a spirit asked of the forenamed Ioane Flower By getting something of those whom they meane to bewitch So the Witch Flower got the right hand gloue of the Lord Rosses which shee first rub'd on the backe of her spirit Rutterkin then put it into hote boyling water after taking it out pricking it often and wished that the Lord Rosse might neuer thriue There was a Boy at Bradley which a spirit in forâ—e of a Toade called Bun which spirit as he confessed told him that to kil a mans horse which he rode to the water hee must get the Owner to giue him something as Bread Cheese or what else before hee could kill him By the Witches giuing something as inchanted powder oyntment hearbs yea or apples or strawberries bread cheese drinke this hath beene found true many times By these and no doubt many other wayes they worke to effect their wils and do bewitch others CHAP. XIV Who they be that are most subiect to be hurt by these bad Witches and of the remedies against Witchcraft THough God may try his dearest children this way yet it is very seldome and vpon their goods rather then vpon their bodies yet sometimes it hath beene found that they haue preuailed to the taking away of the life of some who haue been reputed religious Such as vsually most commonly are plagued by them are 1. Carnall Gospellers such as professe religionâ— without the power of religion Newâ—rals Time-seruers
and such haue they now by which after the league made they worke all their mischiefes Now the Witch thus in league and familiarity with the Deuill is conuicted by these Euidences 1. By a Witches marke which is vpon these baser sort of witches and this by sucking or otherwise by the Deuils touching experieÌ„ce proueth the truth of this and innumerable instances are brought for examples Tertullian found this true saith It is the Deuils custome to marke his God hath his marke for his Ezek. 9. Reu. 7. 14. The Beast will haue his marke Re. 13. who is the Deuils Lieutenant so the Deuil himselfe will haue his marke see the relations of Witches the witnes of many learned meÌ„ writing of Witches and witchcraft Therfore where this marke is there is a league and a familiar spirit Search diligently therefore for it in euery place and lest one bee deceiued by a naturall marke note this from that This is insensible and being pricked will not bleede When the mark therefore is found try it but so as the Witch perceiue it not seeming as not to haue found it and then let one pricke in some other places another in the meane space there it s somtimes like a little teate somtimes but a blewish spot sometimes red spots like a fleabiting somtimes the flesh is sunke in and hollow as a famous witch confessed who also said that Witches couer theÌ„ and some haue confessed that they haue bin taken away but saith that VVitch they grow againe and come to their old forme And therefore though this marke be not found at first yet it may at length once searching therefore must not serue for some out of fear some other for fauour make a negligent search It is fit therefore searchers should be sworne to search and search very diligently in such a case of life and death and for the detection of so great an height of impâ—ety II. By Witches words as when shee or he hath bene heard to call vpon their spirits or to speake to them or to talke of them to any inticing them to receiue such Familiars offering one and counselling to doe something to get one Also when they haue beene heard telling of the killing of some man or beast or of the hurting of them or when they haue not onely threatned reuenge vpon any or their cattell but haue foretold particularly what shal happen to such an one and the same sound true and their boasting afterwards thereof Furthermore if they haue beene heard to speake of their transportation from home to certaine places of their meetings with others there of which transportations stories make mention and also the relations of the Lancashire Witches meeting at Malkin Tower some 20. together and were carried by spirits in lâ—kenesse of Foales as those Witches confested These speeches are to be inquired after who can witnes them for they proue the league and familiarity with the diuell III. By the Witches deeds as when any haue seen them with their spirits or seene to feede some creatures secretly or where thâ— Witch hath put such with the smell of the place which as very learned men doe auoâ—câ— is found true by experiâ—nce wâ—ll stinke detestably Aâ—â—o when it can be found that they haue made Pictures as the Lancashiâ—â— Witches did hellish compositions or any such Witchery Arts as is before mentioned cha 13. Moreouer when they giue any thing to any man or other creature which immediately causeth either paines or death IV. By the Witches extasies which some of them haue been found in of which Peter de Loyer in his book de spectris giueth liuely instances with which the delight hereof Witches are so taken as they will hardly conceale the same but will tell it to one or other and if they do not it cannot be but at one time or other they will be found therein V. By some one or moe fellow Witches confessing their owne witchcraft bearing witnesse against others so as they can make good the truth of their witnesse and giue sufficient proofe thereof as that they haue seene them with their spirits or that they haue receiued spirits from them that they can tell when they vsed Witcherie tricks to do harme or that they told to do harme or that they had done or that they can shew the marke vpon them or that they haue bin together in their meetings and such like as the Lancashire Witches gaue testimony one against another of these things VI. By some witnesse of God himselfe hapning vpon the execrable curses of Witches vpon theÌ„selues praying God to shew some token if they be guilty as fell vpon Mother Samuel the Warboys Witch who by bitter curses vpon her selfe seeking to cleare her selfe wishing some signe to be shewed if she were guilty presently her chinne did bleed the very place where her spirits did sucke as afterwards shâ—e confested So one Iâ—nnâ—t Prâ—stâ— a Yorkâ—hâ—re 〈◊〉 was brought to the 〈…〉 one M. Lister bewitched by her to death which shee no sooner did touch but the corps bled fresh bloud Such an euidence sometimes though not alwaies is giuen from God when he is so pleased to detect such malefactors guilty of bloud VII By the Witches owne confession of giuing their soules to the diuell and of the spirits which they haue and how they came by them If any thinke that it is almost impossible to make Witches confessâ— thus much they are deceiued for I find by Histories exceeding many to haue confessed and in our owne Relations of arraigned and condemned Witches wherein I finde how a Witch hath confessed the fact to the afflicted being brought vnto him and charged with bewitching him as Alizon Deuice did to Iohn Law So to the afflicted friends as did Mother Samuel to M. Throgmorton Some to Iustices when they were examined as did the Lancashire and Rutland Witches Some to the Iudges so freely as made the Iudges and the Iustices to admire thereat as they did at Lancaster Some in terrour of conscience truely apprehending the fearefulnesse of their league made as did one Magdalen a French Gentlewoman seduced by Lewis Gaufredy who also himselfe at length made a large conâ—ession before his death We see therefore that Witches may be brought to confesse their Witchcraft And thus much for the sound euidences more then presumptions vpon which they may bee found guilty and iustly be condemned and put to death CHAP. XIX Of the maner of examining Witches THere is required great diligence wisedome and circumspection in the examination of a Witch It were fit and necessarie for such as be in authoritie and haue Witches brought before them that they should bee men in some sort well seene in treatises of witchcraft to know how to proceed vnderstandingly in detecting them â—o be able to iudge wheÌ„ the witnesses speak to the point That which the witnesses speake in this case may be reduced to three heads 1.