I heare how he doth vse me In trueth husband my stomacke did so rise against her that I coulde haue found in my heart to haue flowen vpon her and scratched her but that I feared she would be too strong for me It is a lustie olde queane I wished that the good wife R. had bene with me I pray you good husbande let me intreat you to goe to that same good woman you may ride thither in halfe a day Sam. Wife I pray theé be content I haue intreated this mine olde friend to reason with M. B. for he tels mee that we be in a verie foule errour M. B. I suppose so farre as my learning and capacitie doe extend that small reasoning may serue The worde of God doeth shew plainlie that there be witches commaundeth they should be put to death Experience hath taught too too manie what harmes they doe And if anie haue the gift to minister help against them shall we refuse it Shall we not drinke when we are a thirst Shall wee not warme vs when wee are a colde It is pitie that anie man should open his mouth anie way to defend them their impietie is so great Dan. For my part I go not about to defend witches I denie not but that the deuill worketh by them And that they ought to be put to death We ought also to seeke remedie against them but as I told my friend the deuil doth bewitch men by meanes of these witches and lead them from God euen to follow himself to offer sacrifice vnto him to worship him to obey his wil to commit manie grieuous sinnes and to be drowned in manifold errours M. B. If you haue this meaning that witches and sorcerers ar bewitched by the deuil that they forsake God and follow him that they worship and obey him and doe sacrifice vnto him and commit manie hainous sinnes I agreé with you for I tak it they euen vow themselues to the deuill or els he would not be so readie to doe them seruice But if you mean that such as seek remedie against them wold haue them rooted out be so seduced and mis-led by the deuill as you speake I say your speach is rash and foolish for they that be earnest against witches be earnest against the deuil they defie the deuil they seek to resist him and to roote out his instruments Now if you were a man that had any learning you should seé that contraries cannot be in the same subiect at one instant in the same part and in the same respect how then can a man hate the deuill defie the deuill and his workes and yet follow him at one time Dan. I know that witches and coniurers are seduced and become the vassals of Satan they be his seruants and not he theirs as you speake But I mean indeed that multitudes are seduced and led from God to follow the deuil by means of witches coniurers yea I speak it of those not which are caried of a godlie zeale but of a blinde rage and mad furie against them If I speake this rashlie and foolishlie as you say and your self learned as you boast and I vnlearned I shall be the more easilie ouerthrowne But I speake so truly and can so well iustifie all that I haue said by the word of God that your learning and best skill shall not be able to disprooue the same Your logicke at the first doth faile you Not that contraries can be in the same subiect at the same instant in the same part and in the same respect But herein you are vtterly blinde and deceiued that you name contraries and take it that the first of them as namelie to hate the deuill to defie him and his workes are in them when as indeed they are in them but in imagination For if men say and think they defie the deuill and his workes and through blindnes and infidelitie are euen bewitched and seduced to followe the deuill and to do his will doth their speach and blinde imagination make the things indeed to be in them What if a poore begger woman say and thinke that she is a Queéne is she therfore no begger begging still her bread or is she rid of her lice M. B. Nay if you iudge I haue done If men be earnest against the deuill and defie him and all his workes are you to iudge of their conscience and to say they defie him but in imagination and follow him and worship him in deede is not God alone the iudge ouer mens hearts Againe do you compare those that are in their right mind with such as be mad or out of their wits Dan. I knowe that God alone is the searcher of the heart touching the thinges which lie hid in secrete But where things are open and manifest the tree is known by the fruits so far as we may goe As if a man professe the faith of Iesus Christ soundlie in all pointes according to the word of God and doth frame his life thereafter in doing good workes it is verie wicked for anie man to iudge of him that he is an hypocrite and that he doth all of vaine glorie And yet it may be that the Lord who discerneth the secrete intents of the heart seeth indeed that he is but an hypocrite On the contrarie parte where a man professeth in wordes that he doeth defie the deuill and all his workes and yet when it commeth to the triall of Gods word hee is found to be seduced and wrapped in blinde errours of the deuill in infidelitie and euill works in which he fulfilleth the will of Satan and honoureth him in the place of God Shal we say that this is a good man because of his words and imagination that he defieth the deuill and his works Wo be to them that cal good euil and euil good Esa. 5. We may say they are in bad case except they repent and turne from following Satan But yet I say that a faithful man may erre in some of these thinges through weaknesse of faith and through ignorance And therefore here men may not be too rash in iudgment And now wheras you find fault that I make comparison between such as be mad and those that be in their right mind it is your ignorāce which do not consider that ther be two kinds of madnes or being out of their right mind the one for matters of this worlde the other for thinges spirituall and heauenlie There bee which are in their wittes for this worlde which touching spirituall things are as farre awrie in their imaginations as the poore beggar which thinketh she is a goodlie queene Doth not the holie Apostle say that because men receiue not the loue of the truth God wil send them strong delusion to beleeue lies 2. Thess. 2. And what is that but that Satan shall seduce illude and bewitch their minds to make them beleeue that they worshippe and follow God when they worship and follow him M. B Doe
Dan. I doe verilie thinke that manie of the people are so perswaded but what reason is there for it Doeth God by his Spirit tell where the thing is which is lost or stollen Is it an Angell from heauen or the soule of some man that is dead which appeareth in the Chrystall or in the glasse and sheweth the image of the partie which hath stollen or that is a witch M. B. I had rather heare what you thinke touching these things than shew what I haue thought Dan. The deuils did make the heathen people beleéue that they were goddes and so procured that they shoulde worship them with diuine worship Through their craftines they had many wayes to establish this they conueied themselues into images and out of them gaue answeres when they wer demanded herein they vsed great craft for whereas they could not tell what should fall out they framed the oracle in such sort as it was doubtfull and might be taken both waies and so looke which part it fell out on that seemed and was taken to be the meaning of the gods If they did know how things would fal out indeéd as they did know sundry things touching the kingdomes and monarchies of the world by the writings of the Prophetes and diuers things by coniectures as the deuill could tell Saul he should be slaine because he saw God had cast him off and the hearts of the Israelits fainted and the Philistims were full of courage those they would tell plainelie Also they did conuey themselues into the bodies of men and women and vtter thinges which seémed very diuine such as I am perswaded were the Prophetisses the Sibylles among the heathen Such was the maide at Philippos which is mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles which brought great gain vnto her maisters by deuining out of whom Paule cast the deuill This maide could tell of things lost of things stollen and such like and great resort there was vnto her as men had neede or desired to see the strangenesse of the matter M. B. Let me interrupt you a litle The deuill can not be in all places at once how could he then remaining in the maide tell what was done in places farre off howe can the deuill tel where the thing lost or stollen is which is not only farre off but hidden how can he shewe the image of the thiefe or witch Can he sit and behold all thinges a farre off and in secrete Dan. We may not ascribe vnto Deuils that they can be in all places at once or sit in one place and beholde all things done a farre off But they ioyne together in this speciall worke to set vp their kingdome and to drawe the people after them to seéke helpe at their handes and so to worship them Some of them be in one place and some in another and from all places doe stir vp the faithlesse people to run for helpe to those cunning men and then they make the relation for they goe thither also they know the thiefe whome they mooued to the theft and can make resemblance of his face and apparell they can tell where things be that are hid hauing had a finger in the matter And thus one spirite as it doeth seéme telleth things spoken and done farre off but it is otherwise there be manie that doe it which resort from all the places where the things are done M. B. I am satisfied touching this point You were shewing howe the deuils did deale among the heathen out of the Idols and out of men and women Dan. Yea and they haue subtillie wound themselues in againe among Christians For vsing witches as their instruments they make them beléeue that they doe manie harmes sent by them which they do not and whereas they haue power giuen them by God to afflict they will seeme to doe it at the wrath and displeasure of the witch she must send him the matter must one way or other appeare eyther he will séeme euen compelled by force of such as do adiure him to confesse that such a woman or such a man sent him or els the witch must confesse so much Then the people deuise how they may be safe against the witch there is running to the wisardes to learne what they should doe to withstand the furie of the witch that she send not to them or if she haue sent how they may expell her spirit and keép her from sending him againe this is it which the deuill would haue for now he vttereth all his wares he teacheth by these cunning men and women many horrible abhominations and foule abuses of the name of God by which they are made beleeue that they haue remedie against the deuils sent by the witches and that they are cured from their harmes M. B. I doe not seé how any man can indeéd iustifie or maintaine that the spirits which appeare vnto them in the Christall or in the glasse or water or that any way do speake and shewe matters vnto them be holy Angels or the soules of excellent men as of Moses Samuel Dauid and others though I haue heard that the cunning men take them to be such and thinke they deale by them against deuils Dan. It is no matter what Satans vassals are made to beleeue by his subtil sleights it is most abhominable for any Christian man euer to let it enter into his thought that they doe any thing by the power or wisdome of the holie Ghost by any Angel or good spirit or that they doe any thing against the deuill which worke by the intelligence which they haue from euill spirits therfore hold this that they seeke vnto deuils which run vnto those southsayers M. B. I am perswaded indeed that they seek vnto deuils but I would see some reason for it out of Gods word Dan. Touching all spirituall matters as to be armed with power against deuils and to know how to auoid the daungers which they bring we are no where to seeke and to learne but of our most blessed Lorde God And of him we cannot learn but by his holy word for in it he hath opened vnto vs all his whole will And therefore where the Lorde commaundeth the people of Israell by Moses Deut. 18. that they should not when they came into the land learn to do according to the abhominations of those heathen reckoning vp sundry kinds of such as were Satans instruments which he vsed to seduce the multitude by deuinations by obseruing of times by augurie by iuglings with the helpe of the deuill by vsing familiar Spirits spirits of deuination and seéking to the dead he setteth downe also the remedie shewing first that he woulde cast out those nations because they harkened vnto the southsayers and deuiners pronouncing that euerie one which doth those things is an abhomination to the Lorde willing his people that they should not harken to such but that they should hearken vnto him And then Moses saith A Prophet shall the Lord thy
to hire them nor to send them to hurte eyther man or beaste but I seé mine owne follie and that onlie God giueth the power vnto the deuils to afflict and trie the godly and to vexe torment and plague the wicked and that they shall do this though all the witches in the world were hanged I know they neéde none to cherish them or to set them a worke Dan. But did you not feare if all suspected should be hanged then some guiltles persons might be put to death As you seé manie that haue bene executed as witches haue taken it vpon their death that they were innocent M. B. I will tel you my thought touching that point which was this The witches raise tempestes and hurte corne and fruites vpon the treés the witches bring the pestilence among men and murraine among cattell the witches send their spirits and make men lame kill their children and their cattell their spirits cannot bee taken heede of nor kept out with doores and wals as theéues and murtherers but come in when they bee sent and doe so many harmes for this cause I thought it a marueilous good worke to put all suspected to death though some of them were innocent that so sure worke might be made to haue not one left Dan. Did you not thinke it a fearfull thinge to shead innocent blood M. B. Yea but I thought it much better that some should be put to death wrongfully than to leaue any one witch which might kill and destroy many Dan. Then I perceiue that this was the reason which did perswade you that it was very good to put all to death that were suspected although it might fall out that some of them were innocent to auoyde greater inconuenience and that is if some few witches should escape which might plague and kill many Better a few should be put wrongfully to death then many should bee tormented and killed or lamed by the deuilles But are you still of that mind M. B. No verily For you haue put me in minde that the wicked spirits receiue their power to plague both mē and beasts only from God They seéke about they watch when and where hee will giue them leaue to touch where God will trie the faith and patience of the iust by him as he did in Iob he sendeth him if he will be sent by a witch it is but vnder a collour shee giueth him not the power hee would touch though she were not Where God will strike and plague the wicked by him he giueth him leaue it is not the anger of the witch that bringeth it but their owne wickednes whereby they haue prouoked God to displeasure and so giue this enemy power ouer them Dan. Then so long as these two thinges stand that God by Satan will afflict in some sort and trie his children as you alleage he did Iob and that he will vse him as his executioner to plague and torment the wicked as he sent an euill spirite to vexe king Saule so long the harmes done by wicked spirites shall not cease although all the witches and coniurers in the worlde were hanged vp Looke then to the causes if wee will remooue the effects As if thou feare God and Satan afflict thee stand fast in faith and patience and waite vpon God for thy deliuerance If thou endure temptation thou art blessed and shalt be crowned Iam. 1. ver 12. If thy sinnes haue prouoked God and the enemie doth touch thy body or thy goods fall downe and humble thy selfe with fasting and prayer intreat the Lord to turne away his displeasure looke not vpon the witch lay not the cause where it is not seéke not help at the hands of deuils be not a disciple of witches to commit thinges abhominable by polluting the name of God and honouring Satan nor thirst not after the blood which is innocent as it falleth out in many M. B. I doe assent vnto al this and surely it is a great fault to shead innocent blood Dan. We may learne in the holie scriptures that the sheading of innocent blood is a verie horrible thing in the eies of almightie God and a very grieuous thing it is to haue a land polluted with innocent blood and that is one special cause why Satan dealeth by witches for he laboureth to wrappe in many guiltlesse persons vpon suspitions he suggesteth by his helping witches that ther be many hurting witches in all townes and villages that so hee may set the multitude in a rage 〈…〉 to suspect vpon euery likelihood that he can deuise or make shewe of And thus whole Iuries must become guiltie of innocent hlood by condemning as guiltie and that vpon their solemne oath such as be suspected vpon vaine surmises and imaginations and illusions rising from blindnes and infidelitie and feare of Satan which is in the ignorant sort M. B. If you take it that this is one craft of Satan to bring manie to be guiltie of innocent blood and euen vpon their oathes which is horrible what wold you haue the iudges and Iuries to doe when any are arraigned of suspition to be witches Dan. What would I haue them doe I would wish them to bee most warie and circumspect that they bee not guilty of innocent blood And that is to condemne none but vpon sure ground and infallible proofe because presumptions shall not warrant or excuse them before God if guiltlesse blood be shead M. B. It falleth out sometimes when a theefe is arraigned or a murtherer that direct euidence faileth and yet such circumstances are brought as doe euen enforce the Iurie in their conscience to find them guiltie It seemeth that this holdeth chiefly about witches because their dealing is close and secrete and it is also thought that the deuill hath so great power ouer them that he will not suffer them to confesse Dan. You bring two reasons to prooue that in conuicting witches likelihoods and presumptions ought to be of force more than about theéues or murtherers The first because their dealing is secrete the other because the deuil will not let them confesse Indeéde men imagining that witches do worke strange mischiefes burne in desire to haue them hanged as hoping the◠to be freé and then vpon such perswasions as you mention they suppose it is a very good worke to put to death all which are suspected But touching theeues and murtherers let men take heéde how they deale vpon presumptions vnles they be very strong for we seé that Iuries sometimes doe condemne such as be guiltlesse which is an hard thing especiallie being vpon their oath And in witches aboue all other the proofes had neéd to be strong because there is greater sleight of Satan to pursue the guiltles vnto death than in the other Here is speciall care and wisdome to be vsed And so likewise for their confessing Satan doth gaine more by their confession than by their deniall and therefore rather bewrayeth them himselfe and forceth them to confession oftener
proofe She denieth but the things which fall out doe manifest her to be naught Dan. You must shew the things and thereby it will appeare M. B. She fell out or els at the least seémed to be displeased with one and he had an hogge died suddainlie An other thought she was displeased with him and his horse fell sicke A third could not sit vpon his stoole at worke And within nine or ten yeares space diuers others One saw the deuill bigger than a cat with great eies An other was haunted with a spirite An other brewing the drinke would not worke in the fatte An other sawe a thing in her house as big as a lambe playing in the window Another in her grieuous torment saw the woman stand by her all the night whom she suspected to bewitch her and diuers such like which were too long to recken vp If she were not a witch how should all these fall out so fit Dan. I haue shewed already that where Satan hath a witch to deale by hee bringeth it about that in all such things as he hath power giuen him of God he will seéme to do nothing but requested and sent by the witch In those things which fall out in sicknesses lamenes death vpon naturall causes he worketh in such sort as that he maketh the witch beleéue she doeth them And this hee coueteth to haue breake forth by her confession Now where he hath no witch to deale by he gaineth exceedingly if hee can worke in the minds of any a strong suspition of any man or woman For if it be once begun hee pursueth it with all his power and cunning If one bee visited with grieuous torment of sicknes and be so ignorant and voide of the faith in Gods prouidence that he imagine the deuill doeth it at the sending by a witch the deuill will delude him and make him beleéue that the witch standeth by him The man or woman suspected cannot come there Who then worketh that illusion but Satan Another is affrayde of the deuill to be sent vnto him by that partie whome he suspecteth to be a witch and thus through want of faith in God giueth the deuill the more power ouer him either to hurt or to appeare vnto him For Satan haunteth all men continuallie seéking all occasions and neédeth not to be sent by man or woman They be exceéding blind which will reason thus an euill spirit came and appeared vnto me after I had angred such a woman therfore she sent him Satan if he haue power to doe harme or knowe where somewhat will follow is hee not cunning to make the party which shall receiue the harme to fall out with some that hee may suspect and so the harme may seém to come from that partie Againe in feare in the darke men take some litle cat or dog to be an vglie deuill As not long since a rugged water Spaniell hauing a chaine came to a mans doore that had a saut Bytch and some espied him in the darke and said it was a thing as big as a colt and had eyes as great as saucers Hereupon some came to charge him and did charge him in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to tell what he was The dogge at the last told them for he spake in his language said bowgh and thereby they did know what he was If he do knowe where harmes do follow vpon naturall causes in men or beasts he laboureth either to make them offended and to fall out with the partie that is suspected or at the least to perswade thē of such displeasure conceiued that the harms may seéme to come from the same If he do torment indeéd hauing power to possesse the bodie he will not sticke to lie and to say such a woman sent him M. B. And doeth it not fall out sometimes that as he saith such a woman sent him so the woman vpon examination confesseth so much Dan. Yea but I speak where he hath no witch to deale by but pursueth the innocent with suspition vpon suspition that men may be guilty of innocent blood Hee telleth the trueth sometimes to the end hee may be credited when he doth lie For let no man be so simple as to thinke that he will euer tell trueth but for some wicked purpose M. B. Yet this of all the rest seémeth most strange vnto me how so many things should fall out as it seémeth after the displeasure of a suspected person and some of them such as apparantly are done by Satan as in drinke not working or in creame when butter will not come and yet the party suspected is not a witch Dan. Oh sir the sleights of Satan in compassing such matters be marueilous I knowe it is taken as they say to be dead sure that the party is a witch if sundry such shewes of matters do concurre But how easie a thing is it for crafty deuils to compasse such matters M. B. Then you doe not thinke that common fame is sufficient to warrant the conscience of the Iuror to condemne any Dan. Experience doeth teach howe heady much people are in iudging men or women to be witches vpon euerie surmise And the power imagined to bee in witches which breédeth a feare in many causeth them to bee credulous Many go so farre that if they can intice children to accuse their parents they thinke it a good worke M. B. You say the testimony of the deuill is not to beé taken although it be manifest that he doth many times tell the trueth because when he speaketh the trueth hee doeth it of a bad purpose And you hold it the testimony of the deuil not only which he speaketh when anie charge him but also which the cunning men women giue in as much as they can say nothing but vpon his word Moreouer vnles I mistake you the testimony of a witch in many things at her death is not as you say any other than the testimonie of the deuil because the deuill hath deceiued her and made her beleéue things which were nothing so Besides al this you wil haue likelihoods and suspitions to be of no waight nor common fame and opinion to mooue the conscience of a Iurie because Satan is exceéding subtill in all these Then how shall a Iurie finde a witch What proofes will you haue Dan. Men are vpon their oath to deale it doth touch life if they doe finde any guiltie of witchcraft This is a most waightie matter whereupon it followeth that there must be eyther due proofe by sufficient witnesses or els the confession of the witch For if the testimony be such as may be false as al that commeth from deuils is to be suspected or if it be but vpon rumors and likelihoods in which there may be exceéding sleights of Satan as for the most parte there be how can that Iury answere before God which vpon their oath are not sure but that so proceéding they may condemne