Chap. VI.
ARGUMENT.
Of the tryall and punishment of Witches. What sorte of accusation ought to be admitted against them. What is the cause of the increasing so far of their number in this age.
PHILOMATHES.
Then to make an ende of our conference, since I see it drawes late, what forme of punishment thinke ye merites these Magicians and Witches? For I see that ye account them to be all alike guiltie?
EPI. They ought to be put to death according to the Law of God, the civill and imperial law, and municipall law of all Christian nations.
PHI. But what kinde of death I pray you?
EPI. It is commonly used by fire, but that is an indifferent thing to be used in every countrie, according to the Law or custome thereof.
PHI. But ought no sexe, age nor ranck to be exempted?
EPI. None at al (being so used by the lawful Magistrate) for it is the highest poynt of Idolatrie, wherein no exception is admitted by the law of God.
PHI. Then bairnes may not be spared?
EPI. Yea, not a haire the lesse of my conclusion. For they are
p.078 not that capable of reason as to practise such thinges. And for any being in company and not reveiling thereof, their lesse and ignorant age will no doubt excuse them.
PHI. I see ye condemne them all that are of the counsell of such craftes.
EPI. No doubt, for as I said, speaking of Magie, the consulters, trusters in, over-seers, interteiners or sturrers up of these craftes-folkes, are equallie guiltie with themselves that are the practisers.
PHI. Whether may the Prince then, or supreame Magistrate, spare or over-see any that are guiltie of that craft? upon som great respects knowen to him?
EPI. The Prince or Magistrate for further tryals cause, may continue the punishing of them such a certaine space as he thinkes convenient: but in the end to spare the life, and not to strike when God bids strike, and so severelie punish in so odious a fault & treason against God, it is not only unlawful, but doubtlesse no lesse sinne in that Magistrate, nor it was in SAULES sparing of AGAG. And so comparable to the sin of Witch-craft it selfe, as SAMUELL alleaged at that time.1. Sam. 15
PHI. Surely then, I think since this crime ought to be so severely punished. Judges ought to beware to condemne any, but such as they are sure are guiltie, neither should the clattering reporte of a carling serve in so weightie a case.
EPI. Judges ought indeede to beware whome they condemne: for it is as great a crime (as SALOMON sayeth,) To condemne the innocent, as to let the guiltie escape free;Pro. 17 neither ought the report of any one infamous person, be admitted for a sufficient proofe,p.079 which can stand of no law.
PHI. And what may a number then of guilty persons confessions, woork against one that is accused?
EPI. The assise must serve for interpretour of our law in that respect. But in my opinion, since in a mater of treason against the Prince, barnes or wives, or never so diffamed persons, may of our law serve for sufficient witnesses and proofes. I thinke surely that by a far greater reason, such witnesses may be sufficient in matters of high treason against God: for who but Witches can be prooves, and so witnesses of the doings of Witches.
PHI. Indeed, I trow they wil be loath to put any honest man upon their counsell. But what if they accuse folke to have bene present at their Imaginar conventiones in the spirite, when their bodies lyes sencelesse, as ye have said.
EPI. I think they are not a haire the lesse guiltie: for the Devill durst never have borrowed their shaddow or similitude to that turne, if their consent had not bene at it: and the consent in these turnes is death of the law.
PHI. Then SAMUEL was a Witch: For the Devill resembled his shape, and played his person in giving response to SAULE.
EPI. SAMUEL was dead aswell before that; and so none coulde slander him with medling in that unlawfull arte. For the cause why, as I take it, that God will not permit Sathan to use the shapes or similitudes of any innocent persones at such unlawful times,p.080 is that God wil not permit that any innocent persons shalbe slandered with that vile defection: for then the devil would find waies anew, to calumniate the best. And this we have in proofe by them that are carryed with the Phairie, who never see the shaddowes of any in that courte, but of them that thereafter are tryed to have bene brethren and sisters of that craft. And this was likewise proved by the confession of a young Lasse, troubled with spirites, laide on her by Witchcraft. That although shee saw the shapes of diuerse men & women troubling her, and naming the persons whom these shaddowes represents: yet never one of them are found to be innocent, but al clearely tried to be most guilty, & the most part of them confessing the same. And besides that, I think it hath ben seldome harde tell of, that any whome persones guiltie of that crime accused, as having knowen them to be their marrowes by eye-sight, and not by hear-say, but such as were so accused of Witch-craft, could not be clearely tryed upon them, were at the least publickly knowen to be of a very evil life & reputation: so jealous is God I say, of the fame of them that are innocent in such causes. And besides that; there are two other good helpes that may be used for their trial: the one is the finding of their marke, and the trying the insensiblenes thereof. The other is their fleeting on the water: for as in a secret murther, if the deade carcase be at any time thereafter handled by the murtherer, it wil gush out of bloud, as if the blud wer crying to the heaven for revenge of the murtherer, God having appoynted that secret super-naturall signe, for tryall of that secrete unnaturall crime,p.081 so it appeares that God hath appoynted (for a super-naturall signe of the monstruous impietie of the Witches) that the water shal refuse to receive them in her bosom, that have shaken off them the sacred Water of Baptisme, and wilfullie refused the benefite thereof: no not so much as their eyes are able to shed teares (thretten and torture them as ye please) while first they repent (God not permitting them to dissemble their obstinacie in so horrible a crime) albeit the women kinde especially, be able other-waies to shed teares at every light occasion when they will, yea, although it were dissemblingly like the Crocodiles.
PHI. Well, wee have made this conference to last as long as leasure would permit: and to conclude then, since I am to take my leave of you, I pray God to purgeA removal of something, in biological terms often of something from the body, or in political terms an often violent removal of a group of people. this Countrie of these divellishe practises: for they were never so rife in these partes, as they are now.
EPI. I pray God that so be to. But the causes ar over manifest, that makes them to be so rife. For the greate wickednesse of the people on the one parte, procures this horrible defection, whereby God justlie punisheth sinne, by a greater iniquitie. And on the other part, the consummation of the worlde, and our deliverance drawing neare, makes Sathan to rage the more in his instruments, knowing his kingdome to be so neare an ende. And so fare-well for this time.Reuel. 12
FINIS.