Chap. VI.
ARGUMENT.
What sorte of folkes are least or most subject to receive harme by Witchcraft. What power they have to harme the Magistrate, and upon what respectes they have any power in prison: and to what end may or will the Devill appeare to them therein. Upon what respectes the Devill appeires in sundry shapes to sundry of them at any time.
PHILOMATHES.
But who dare take upon him to punish them, if no man can be sure to be free from their unnaturall invasiones?
EPI. We ought not the more of that restraine from vertue, that the way wherby we climbe thereunto be straight and perrilous. But besides that, as there is no kinde of persones so subject to receive harme of them, as these that are of infirme and weake faith (which is the best buckler against such invasiones) so have they so smal power over none, as over such as zealouslie and earnestlie persewes them, without sparing for anie worldlie respect.
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PHI. Then they are like the Pest, which smites these sickarest, that flies it farthest, and apprehends deepliest the perrell thereof.
EPI. It is even so with them: for neither is it able to them to use anie false cure upon a patient, except the patient first beleeve in their power, and so hazard the tinsell of his owne soule, nor yet can they have lesse power to hurte anie, nor such as contemnes most their doinges, so being it comes of faith, and not of anie vaine arrogancie in themselves.
PHI. But what is their power against the Magistrate?
EPI. Lesse or greater, according as he deales with them. For if he be slouthfull towardes them, God is verie able to make them instrumentes to waken & punish his slouth. But if he be the contrarie, he according to the just law of God, and allowable law of all Nationes, will be diligent in examining and punishing of them: GOD will not permit their master to trouble or hinder so good a woorke.
PHI. But fra they be once in handes and firmance, have they anie further power in their craft?
EPI. That is according to the forme of their detention. If they be but apprehended and deteined by anie private person, upon other private respectes, their power no doubt either in escaping, or in doing hurte, is no lesse nor ever it was before.p.051 But if on the other parte, their apprehending and detention be by the lawfull Magistrate, upon the just respectes of their guiltinesse in that craft, their power is then no greater then before that ever they medled with their master. For where God beginnes justlie to strike by his lawfull Lieutennentes, it is not in the Devilles power to defraude or bereave him of the office, or effect of his powerfull and revenging Scepter.
PHI. But will never their master come to visite them, fra they be once apprehended and put in firmance?
EPI. That is according to the estaite that these miserable wretches are in: for if they be obstinate in still denying, he will not spare, when he findes time to speake with them, either if he finde them in anie comfort, to fill them more and more with the vaine hope of some maner of reliefe: or else if hee finde them in a deepe dispaire, by all meanes to augment the same, and to perswade them by some extraordinarie meanes to put themselves downe, which verie commonlie they doe. But if they be penitent and confesse, God will not permit him to trouble them anie more with his presence and allurementes.
PHI. It is not good using his counsell I see then. But I woulde earnestlie know when he appeares to them in Prison, what formes uses he then to take?
EPI. Divers formes, even as he uses to do at other times unto them. For as I told you, speking of Magie, he appeares to thatp.052 kinde of craftes-men ordinarily in an forme, according as they agree upon it amongst themselves: or if they be but prentises, according to the qualitie of their circles or conjurationes: yet to these capped creatures, he appeares as he pleases, and as he findes meetest for their humors. For even at their publick conventiones, he appeares to divers of them in divers formes, as we have found by the difference of their confessiones in that point: for he deluding them with vaine impressiones in the aire, makes himselfe to seeme more terrible to the grosser sorte, that they maie thereby be moved to feare and reverence him the more: and les monstrous and uncouthlike againe to the craftier sorte, least otherwaies they might sturre and skunner at his uglinesse.
PHI. How can he then be felt, as they confesse they have done him, if his bodie be but of aire?
EPI. I heare little of that amongst their confessiones, yet may he make himselfe palpable, either by assuming any dead bodie, and using the ministrie thereof, or else by deluding as wel their sence of feeling as seeing; which is not impossible to him to doe, since all our senses, as we are so weake, and even by ordinarie sicknesses will be often times deluded.
PHI. But I would speere one worde further yet, concerning his appearing to them in prison, which is this. May any other that chances to be present at that time in the prison, see him as well as they.p.053
EPI. Some-times they will, and some-times not, as it pleases God.