ve y P(j(oPI£{9)
1 hat the Compacts n Can ract (
I C with 'Devils and all Infcrwd Spirits or P miliarr, are but Erroneous Nov hies amI ImJoinary Conception .
.Alfo diftove,i}~~) How far their Power e:tendcrh in ,. min.} ormen in , Con(uming) or Curing the bodies of Men, Women, CI i1 fen) or Alim Is, . by Charms, Philtres, Periapts, Penrac1 s) Cur(cs, and Conjur iaw. WHEREI'N..,
LIJ(Ell
SE
l~he Unchrifiian I)ractices and InhLrn n
Searc!)ers and Wttch~tY)'ers upon Aged, Melc!J1clJolly) an t p rfl.t" 1'S people, in extorting Confeffions by ~rerro ~ and TOltur s , and in deviling falfl Marks and Symptoms, are n .aLly DC:l:Cted.
I
.And the Knavery ofJttglers, (onjurers,C1)armers,Sooth/czytrJ)Fg tre~C 'Dreamers) Ah1JY11lifts and rp1Jilterers; with m. ny at ler thin that, have long lain hidden, fully Opened and D ciphered. u !!ALL
llc,'s 4
WHICl!
Are very necdfary to be l'l1own for the undeceiving of Judges, Juflic $, and Jrm;rs ,before they pars Sentence upon Poo:, 1iferable a I. n"ranr • cop c; who are frequenly Arralgnt ,Condep11,e f, an E.~ ... rre, f ;: I, deh
1 J{ SIX TEE '}{
'By
REG I N A L D
[B
00
S
J.
, •
Ir
l':;'~ r
f.
K S.
C 0 T
Efql ire.
Whereunto is added
An excellent Difcollrfe of the :J\(gtttre
DE V
DC
'C
o F Land S I l:{ T JV 0
fJ3
0 0 I( S :
~·he .Fi~ft y the aforefaid Author:
1 ceon added in this Third Editi:.m, CIS Succ aneous to tl e form r, and ~onducing to the compleating 0 the H IJolt: V rk. : \\llth NilJe ChApters at the beginning oftLe Fi{tem:!J Bcol: of the DIS C 0 V ERr. w
L 'f{ D 0 J){: Printed for .Andre))) Clark.:J and are to be [old t n . the CoJdm-Btll in AlderJi.tteJlra!,
I
665.
(
I
o the Honorable, mine efpecial good ord,
Sir '1(9qE~. rfJV1'A:J\(lf/OO'D Knight, Lord Chief Baron of Her ~ .A
7EST IE S
Coure of the Exchequer. ~.t§~~e.
~ N-fo-much as I kno)v that your Lordfhip
is by nature wholly inclined,and in purp0fe earneftly bent, to relieve the Poor; and that not only with Hofpitall~p and Alms, but by divers other devifes and 1va)'es tending to their comr;rt: having (as it were) framed and ret your felf to the be~ and maintozance of their Eftate, as appeareth by your charge and tralJel in that behalf. 'h\"reas ana you have a fptcial care for the Jupportil1g of their right , and redreOing of their 1Prol~s, as neither dl1Jpifing their Cdla:: mity, nor yet forgettin::, their Complaint; leeking all nuans for their amendment) and for the reformation of their difOrders, even as a very Father to the Poor. Finally, for that I am a poor member of that ConmlOll~)vealth, \Vh re your Lordfhip i a principal per/on; I thought this my trLlvd, in the bglJalj of the pooy, the tiled, and the fimple, might be very fitly COffin ended unto you i for a 1veak. hottle reguireth a jlrong flay. In which refpeCt 1 give God thanks, that hath railed up unto me fa mighty a fl iL11d for tlJem as your Lord/hip is, \ ho in our LaTvs have [uch kno"ftJledge, in GOl1 frnment f"uch tlifCre. tion, in there Cau.~s [uch experience, and in the Common.,vcaltb fuch authority i and never the Ids vouchfafe t defend to the cOllfideration ofthek bare and inferior matters, \ hi h miniHe more care and trouble, than lVorldly eJlimatlOll. And infoll1uch as your LordÂŁhip .Anol etl r rather excrcifeth the office ofa Judge, whore paIt it i t hear ~ irh otlrtefie, and to determine with equity; it cannOt but be apparen unto you, that when jJtmifhment exce deth th f"dult, it i ther to be thought vengeance than corrcElioll. In 'J rhi h r r I know you fpend mote time and era 1 in tl co 111 11i 1l an ( a)
r (ormM;oll
The EptjlLe 'Dedicatory. reformation, than in- the jub1Je'fton 2nd co;ifufio!, of Offenders, as being ell pleafed to augment your 0\ 11 pn1'ate pams, to the end you may diminifh their pubLick (mart. For in truth) tL)at [ommonllrvealth remaineth in rvo[ul ft u, where (etters and blltars bear more /TPay than merc) and due compaDioll. Howbeit, It is natural to unnatural people, and pe uliar unto Witchmongers, to pur/rte the poor, to (/cwfe tle ftmple, and t kill the innoce7lt; fupplying in rigor and malice towards others) that which they themfel es want in proof and d{cretion, or . the other in offence or occafion. But as a crutL heart and an honeft mind do feldom meet and fud together in a difh; [0 a diftreet and merciful Magi/irate, and a bappy Common,1lJealtlJ cannot be feparatedafunder. How much then are we bound to God who hath given us a fl1!een, that of Juflice is not only the ery perfett image and patern, but aHa of Mercy and Clemency (under God) the meer fountain and body it felf? Inlomuch as the which hunt 11Jojl after blood in thefe dayes, ha e lealt authority to fhed it. Moreover, ftth I fee that in cafes wher nit) might be 110ifOme) and ptmifhment »Jhole(ome to the C0l1l111on. ealt/), there no refpe8 ofperjon can mo1Je you) no aut/Jorit} can I a[h you, no fear) no threats can diluntJOu in performing the dttty ofJuJiice. In that refpect again, J find your Lontfhtp a fit p r[on to judge and look. upon this prefent Treatij'"e. Wherein I will bring before you, as it were to the bar,tTvo forts of moI1: arrogant and "iJick.ed people; the fidt, challenging to tbemfeh1es; the kcond, attributing unto others, That POTv~r which only appertaineth to ~~~:: 11. God: who only is the CreatfJr of all things, who only fearchcth liB:. 5. tbe heArt and reins, who only knorVttlJ our im.t~inatio Hand L~~\;: thoughts, who only openeth alljecrets, tvho only) orkah rrre,1t ~f~·7::~:;~. '»Jonders) who only hath power to raifi up ana ca(l do 'ho fl Jcrcm. &5' only m~k.eth thundr?r,lightnin%, rain, temp ,,f}.. , and rcP r.1illetl tl Cl Job 5. 36. Sa~. 17.. at his plea/ure., who only ftndeth life and dc.ltl, Jicklll/s and healtl·) ~ ~{~~:~: ~ealtb and 1170; who neither gt1Je nor lendetl I is glory to any Jral. 5· t e Zac. lCJ. & 14- crea ur •
11, \
~~O:.4 7· Ifai. 47.· s.
An~ therefore, that which grieveth me to the bottom of my heart, IS,that thefe WitdmJOllgers cannot be content to "Wrcft out of Gods hand his Almighty Pm; er, and kctp it tbcmJel1Jes or lea1Je it with a Witch: but that, when b drift of ar tmlt'llt the are made to llty dolJn the bucklers, th y yield th m up to the l)e'Vil, or at the leafl pray aide ofhim, as thou h th r illS fall n1 n
-mens It1'£>s an
li e f Flflle Dcd:(ato))'. 11Etio"
ere committed into his lJ,vul, and tha he {at at the Jio ", to "(tide and do"eEl the courfe of the vh Ie orId; imputIng lint him po)ver and , bi'i~y en ugh to do as lreat thmg. and as flra1Jge "lvi/rades, as e r ~11 in di9' . But the Dottors of this fupenlatural doff, tJll', Jav 10metimes, That the Wttch doth all tlJeft tlJingJ bY)lertu olla Charmr; [ometimes, that a Spiritual; fometime , that d Corporal I el'll doth accompllfh it; fometimes they fay, that the Devt! dotl) hut make ~/;e ~Vlteh btlie)Je jhe doth that '»JJ)ich he himfelf hath ltJroug/;t; lome-imes, that tlJe Devil feemetl) to do t!J.1t by compulfion, which I:e dotl} mo(l lVi/lingly: Finally, the Writers hereupon are fo eloquent, and full of variety, thac fometimes they write) that the Devil doth all thi; by God's permifSion only; fometimes) by hiJ licence; [ometimes, by his appointr: ment: fo as (in effcC1 :lnd trutlJ) not the Devil) but the higb and mighy King of I(ings, and Lord of lofts, even God him/elf, !hould this way be made obedimt and fervile to obey and per.form the l1Jill and commandement of a malicious old Witc!J, and • miraculoujly to a·nG.ver her appetite, as well in every trifling lJanity, as in mofllJorrible executions; as the revenger of a doting old \Vomans imagined )vrongs, to the deflruElion ofmany innocent children, and as a fupporter of her prtfSions) to the 111ldo~ ingofmany a poorfottl. And I fee not, but a Witc!J nuy as ell inchant when {he )vill, as a lyer may lye whey he lift; and fo !honld we poOefs nothing, but by a \X'irches licence and permifSion. t
1
. And now forfooth it is brought to this poi71t)that all Dt'vils, which were WOnt to be /piritttal, may at their plf/a!ure become corporal J and to {hew themfeIves familiarly to Witcbes and Conjurors, and to none other, and by them only may be mad tamt, and kept in a box)&c. So as a malicious old lVomall m y command her Devil to pl(/~He her neighbor; and he is ajJllElt I in manner and form as £he defireth. But then cometh no. ther WItch) and !he biddeth her De)il f- elp, and he bcttlctl} th . fame party. So as they make it a kingdonu divld d in it fi if, and therefore I trult, it will not long endure, but will !hortly b", overtbrolPll) according to the lPor,{s ofour Sa iour) Omnf rc _ nUm in {e di)lifum deJolabitl4r; Every kiJ~gdom dl)'idcd ill it j If fhall be deja la te. And although lome faYil at tfle DeVIl i1 tf.., fl//tcLes ill 'WIl 'nt
(a2)
t
---------
1 be Epiftle '£ cd,tatory.
tobrillg her ptlrpofcs and pra8ices to pafl : yet ad ers Ey, t a pJe is J.,u mftr1lltlell t , to e.-ewte his pleafil1'e in t11'1)' tl mg, and tl e efore to be exe(1'ted. Burthen (methinks) fhe fhoul b i J rioufly dealt withal, and put to death for t1notben o/fe, ce: for aEllow are not judged by injlrtt111wtal cattfes; neith r doth t~ e end and pttrpofe ot that which is done, dfpen 11 on he 111 an illjtnmzwt. Finally, if the '\ irch do it not, :\ hy fho 1 t e itch die tor it? Bur they fay, that H'itcJ:es are perfivade nd tlJinK, tbat tbey do indeed tbofe mifebiefs; and ba1'e a lVill to p rform tbat JvlJicb the Ve1Jll committ tb) and cl at therefore tl are 'Jl1ortJJ) to die. By which realon every we {hOt: d be l. ( U ) that wifheth evil to his neigbbour ;&c. But 'f he n,ill {h be puni/hed by man, according to the offine,: g; God, e fhould be driven by thoufands at once to t e IIallg] te oule or butcbery: For, }vbo!oevcr loatheth correE I II / all drc. Provo 5' who fhould efeape e.-eetttion, if this lotl{o-J/lPlc(s I ray 1 1 extend (Q deatb by the ivil La1l/)! Al(o, tile rc -trd of Ii tl death: Howbeit, everyone that jimzetlJ, is not t be p t to deatb by the Magiflrate. .dut, my Lord,it {hall be pOled in my book, and your LordpJip {hall try it to be true" as re at /)ome,in your native countreY,as aHa <tbroade in your jeveral cir. cults, that (befides them that be Vemficte, \\-hic a e in foners) there will be found among our Witdcs only cwo the one fort being fuch by impttttZtlOll, as [G tho 19h ofby t ers (and thefe are abufed, and not abukrs) the ot iT y ace 'Pt lEi , as being )villing fo to be accotmted,and thele be eer Lo/en ,... ' 111ftl11P. ) c.tp. Calvin treating of thefe Magicians, calleth thein (of ners 8 felt. 6. • If. t IJetr . '1Jug l'mg k"'laCKS 1 l b Item upon 109, TI)ilt t hey uJe Oll Yto ametJe or a u ~ v<ut. cd8 people, or elfefor Fame; but he might rath r h. 'e faid for J.ib. de l.tmiis, ErajlTM himiClf, being a princip l 1)'riter'1 tl e l l plg. ~ WItches ormzipouncy, is forced to confers, that tl r Gr e WJ)Id., V4.)tfclj/J., ~d..W1.r../lI., are motlcommolly put for Illt} on, paCKing) co(enage,fraud, Knavery, 11 deceit: and i [,1 h r ven to fay J 1 hat in ancient time/I e LeiJlUCd wei ]l t [<) b ckr not to Jce that the promifes o{l.1agicia 1 and Inc1 liters 1 ere and nothing dfe but Knavery, colm and II I s ~ bl ; yet defendeth he their jl)ill'r ill tI C tHl', th If tr 1 ien I < of Corn or grals from one field to ~mot!Jtr c .:. But as raflTM di(agreeth herci.n with him{l·lf. t hi [ric fo IS th re no agreement among any of th fe r ( r l1t 1 I
J
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11
be tpiftle 1)e It atmy.
in cruelties, abfllrditles, and impo/jibilit. nd th fe (lilY Lord) that fall into f( l1lallifrji contradiBioJlf) nd im filch abfurd affil'erations, are not of the inferiour /0 t Writers; neither are they all Papifts, but m nOt eh account as whole names gi e more credit to their cauf', then t leir ')l1riti~g;s. n whore behalf I amJorry, and partly for rev r nce fttpprejs their fondeft errors and fouleft abfurdities; dealing {pe~ dally with them that moil: comend in cruelty, Tohoft f et are ',fl. ~9' 7· {1lJi{t to p7ed blood; Stri1Jing, (as le[tU the fon 0 ira,h faith ) k:~~t 1.~:' f· and hafting las Solomon thelan ofDa1Jid faith) to pour out t17e ~c~;.;, 11. ; : : blood of the ImlOcellt: whore heat againil: thefe poor wretches ~f;\rl;~' cannot be allayed with any other liquor then blood; and there. fore I fear that under their lvillgs will be found the blood of the fouls ofthe poor, at t at day) when the Lord {haH ray, Depart from meye blood.thirfty men. And becaure I know your Lordfhip will tak no cormfil againfr innocent blood, bUt rather fupprefs them that leek tim" bre their 1 a ids therein, I have made choice to open their cale to you, and to lay their miftrable calamity before your feet; following herein the advice of that learned man "'relltit£5 \ ho II E .• 'J faith, Si quir admolluent Jgiflratmn, ne ill mifiras illM l;wli r- J cHIM (f)Jiat, cum e~go arbztrol' di)Jinitm excit tum· th~ is,!f lIl) admollifh the Magiftrate llot to deal too hardly 1vith t/;cjl: mijeraMe '»JretcIJes, that are called TVitches, 1 think.. h m ct.. ~Qf)tl infini111 nt railed up for tIJis pta'pof: by God him/elf. But it will perchance be raid by WttclmlOllgers; to wit, by [uch as attribute to IVitches the po'Wer Which pp rtaineth to God only, That 1 ha)Je made chotce of )our L01 d[btp to be a PaJron to tbu my 13ook, becauJe 1 think )'Ot/, !a1,our mine opinions, and by tbat meam mtry the more freely prtbll/h any lTor 0 can eit ,of mine 0)011, 1lJhicb fhould rather be 1lJ~rranted by Jour Lor lb' i Authority, then by the Word of god, or by fiffiCil'7 t ar rr Ul1 c But I protefJ the cOlltr~})', and by thde pr rent I rm rme 1 prote8ion, and defptJe all friend/hip rh t might r r t h 1 t wards the J;{pprefSillg or (upplanting of Truth : kno\ rin ale that Jour LordJhip is far rOlTI allo i}Jm~ n illjm) don unt Man; n1uch mor an enemy to then1 that bout t -lIP a ]lour God, or to embeazel the title of his im71lortJI lor. ut becau[e I know you to be PC} (picuotls and able t red n into the deptb and bDtto11le of Cmifes and are n t t b I
I
•
The Epijlle
d.cator)'.
away with the l.'ttin per{1 afirm or I' pcrjli.ttrm either of ,Man, Cuftom Time or MullltHd~, bUE mo\'ed wIth the authority of 1 rutb ~nly: I crave }'our cotmtcnance herein, even fo far forth, and no further, then the law of God, the la\ of lXature, the law ofthis Land, and the rule of ~flron fllall require. either do I treat for there poor people any otherwile, but [0, as ith one hand you may jttftain the good, and with the otherJ11ppre{i the e)Jil: wherein you {hall be thought a Father to Orpban;, an AdlJ ocate to Wido)Vs, a guide to the 'Blmd, a tay to the Lmne, a Comf"rt and Countenance to the bonef/, a Scourge and Terror to the Wicked. Thus far I have been bold to uk your Lordfhips plttitnce) being offended with my felf,that I could not in bre)Jity utter Cuch matter as 1 have delivered amply; whereby ([ confers) occafion of tedwuJYleJs might be Ininiftred, \J ere it n,ot that Jour great gra)Jity joyned with your fingular couf/aney in rtAdlng and judging be means of the contrary. And 1 w~fh even with all my heart, that I could make people COllcet)Je the fubJ ana of my 1lJriting, and not tntfeonfter any part of m meallillg. Then doubtlefS would I per[wade my fel , t:l t the crmzpany of Witcl:mlOngers ,&c b~lng once decreakd, the number alro of Wttc1'eJ, &c. would Coon be dimlnUhed. But true be the words ofthe Poet,
Haudquaquam poteris fOrtirier omnilt felsui Ndmque altis dt)Ji bello poUtre dedertmt, Huic {altandt artem, )Joce huic cythardque ca71enJi: fJ{urfum al,i inferuit [agax in peBore magnm Jupiter iugenium, &c. And therefore as doubtful to pre)Jail by pcr[U1ading, though 1have reaJon and common fenfe on my fide; I rell: upon eameft "禄Jilhmg, namely,To aU pelpie an abjolute truJl ill God the CreMor, and not in Cretltures ,'llJhich u to mak.e fie~J our anne路 that God may 7Ja)Je hu dut honour, 'JPbtCb by tbe tmdutifullllfS of 1~mry is turned ;nto dtfhollour, and leis catJ.fe of offence and errcr g,)Jell by COmttlOll recfllled e)Jtl txample. And to your Lordfl1ip, I \J ifh, as inerc afl ofHonour,jo continuance of good health and happy da es. Your Lordfhips to be command d
e inald cot.