up the evill affected humours of corrupt mindes (she becomming now a fit subiect, through this her distemper, to worke upon, having the understanding darkened with a cloude of passionate, and revengefull affections) appeared unto her amiddes these discontentments, in the shape of a blacke man, and willed that she should continue in her malice, envy, hatred, banning and cursing; and then he would be revenged for her upon all those to whom she wished evill: and this promise was uttered in a lowe murmuring and hissing voyce and at that present they entered tearmes of a compact, be requiring that she should forsake God, and depend upon him: to which she condescended in expresse tearmes, renouncing God, and betaking herselfe unto him. I am sparing by anie amplification to enlarge this, but doe barely and nakedly rehearse the trueth, and number of her owne words unto mee. After this hee presented himselfe againe at sundry times, and it is with us enacted by statute 9 Geo. 2. c. 5. | that no prosecution shall for the future be carried on against any person for conjuration, witchcraft, sorcery, or inchantment. But the misdemeanor of persons pretending to use witchcraft, tell fortunes, or discover stolen goods, by skill in the occult sciences, is still deservedly punished with a year's imprisonment, and standing four times in the pillory." See 4 Bl. Comm. p. 60.

"The law against witches," says Selden, (Table Talk)" does not prove there be any, but it punishes the malice of those people that use such means to take away men's lives. If one should profess that by turning his hat thrice and crying Buz, he could take away a man's life (though in truth he could do no such thing) yet this were a just law made by the state that whosoever should turn his hat thrice and cry Buz with an intention to take away a man's life, shall be put to death."

Some curious particulars of Obe, or Obi, the witchcraft of negroes in the West Indies, are to be found in Edwards's Hist b. 4, c. 3. Mr. Barrington, Obs. on st. 20 II. 6, thinks "such a law as that suggested by Selden, may be declared to be not only ridiculous and futile, but highly unjust." Among other matter relating to witchcraft, he meations, from Grey's notes on Hudibras, that Hopkins, the noted witch-fiuder, hanged sixty suspected witches in one year; and that thirty thousand had been burned within an hundred and fifty years. He also mentions from Etoile, that, in the year 1572, there were supposed to be in France thirty thousand persons addicted to necromaney. And he speaks of an able pamphlet, written by sir Robert Filmer, entitled, "An Advertisement to the Jurymen of England touching witches." King James in his Dæmonologia says, that he was "moved to write that work, by the fearful abounding, at this time in this country, of those detestable slaves of the devil, the witches or enchaunters." Howell, in two letters, one dated Feb. 3, 1646,

that to this purpose (as may probably bee conlectured) to hold her still in his possession, who was not able, eyther to look further into these subtilties, then the superficiall barke thereof, or not discover the depth of his designements, and in other formes, as of a mist, and of a ball of fire, with some dispersed spangles of. blacke; and at the last in prison (after the doome of judgement, and sentence of condemnation was passed against her) two severall times, in that figure as at the first: only at the last he seemed to have a paire of horns upon his head, as she came downe from ber chamber, being sent for to conferre with some learned and reverend divines, by whose prayers and instructions she might be brought to the sight and confession of her grievous offences, be regained and rescued out of his hands, brought to repentance, and the favour of God, assured hope of mercie, and eternall life, and at these times he wished her to conthe other Feb. 20, 1617, says, that in two years there were indicted in Suffolk, and Essex, between 200 and 300 witches, of whom more than half were executed." In 1659 was published, from an original MS. which had belonged to sir Robert Cotton, "A true relation of Dr. Dee's actions with Spirits, &c." It is stuffed with the strangest fancies, that a disordered imagination could conceive. His familiars not only predict matters, relative to those about whom he consults them, but instruct him in their own natures and conduct, Thus we learn that "Trithemius is wrong, when he asserts, that no good angel would ever appear formá muliebri." Of the morality and piety of these spirits, the following specimen is uttered in the name of the Deity: "adulterizans propter me in sempiternum benedicetur, et premio atlicietur cœlesti." Yet to this book the learned Dr. Meric Casaubon, published a copious preface, in which he affirms the truth and sincerity of all the matters, related in it to have happened, but asserts, that the author mistook false lying spirits, for angels of light. Dr. Johnson's opinions concerning the agency of spirits, and the arguments, which he eployed in support of them, are recorded by Hawkins and Boswell. In addition to the very frequent convictions for extorting money, under pretence of telling fortunes, recovering lost or stolen goods, &c. by skill in the occult sciences, the case of Rex v. Mary Bateman, York Spring Assizes, 1809, has just now afforded a very remarkable proof, that a disposition to give credit to the power of witches is by no means extinct in this country. Sir Francis Bacon was a member of the house of commons when the st. 1 Jac. 1. c. 12, was enacted. It is not likely he opposed it, considering the trash he wrote about witches. See 8vo. Edition, 1803, Bacon's works, pp. 27, 46, 62, 69. This act originated in the Upper House, where the committee to which it was referred, contained 12 bishops. 1 Cobb, Parl. liist. 1018. Coke was Attorney General.

fesse nothing to any of them, but continue constant in her made promise, rely upon him, and hee would save her. This was too high a straine above his reach to have made it good, and a note of his false descant, who having compassed this wretched woman, brought her to a shamefull and untimely end; yet doing nothing herein contrary to his malicious purposes, for hee was a murtherer from the beginning, John 8, 44. Now then, to descend to particulars, and the effects of this hellish association made. Being thus ioyned and linked together in a reciprocall league, he beginneth to worke for her, in procuring the mischiefe of those whom she maligned, whereof these few acknowledged by herselfe, may yeeld some taste of more, though concealed.

Her wicked practice against John Orkton. The first who tasted of the gall of her bitterness was Iohn Orkton a sailer, and a man of strong constitution of body, who about some five yeares sithence, returning out of Holland in the Netherland, or Low Countries beyond the seas, happened, for some misdemeanors committed by him to strike the sonne of this Mary Smith (but in such sort as could not in reason bee offensively taken) who hearing his complaint, came foorth into the streete, cursing and banning him therefore, as oftentimes shee did, dwelling in the next adjoyning house, and wished in a most earnest and bitter manner, that his fingers might rotte off; whereupon presently hee grew weake, distempered in stomacke, and could digest no mente, nor other nourishment received, and this discrasie or feeblenesse continued for the space of three quarters of a yeare; which time expired, the forementioned griefe fel downe from the stomacke into his hands and feete, so that his fingers did corrupt, and were cut off; as also his toes putrified and consumed in a very strange and admirable manner Neverthelesse, notwithstanding these calamities, so long as hee was able, went still to sea, in the goods and shippes of sundry merchants (for it was his onely meanes of liuing) but never could make any prosperous voyage (as then other men did) eytber beneficiall to the owners, or profitable to himselfe. Whereupon, not willing to bee hindrance to others, and procure no good for his own maintenance by his labours, he left that trade of life, and kept home, where his former griefe encreasing, sought to obtaine help and remedie by chirurgery, and for this end went to Yarmouth, hoping to be cured by one there, who was accompted very skillfull: but no medicines applyed by the rules of arte and experience, wrought any expected or hoped for effect: for both his handes and feete, which seemed in some measure every evening to be healing, in the morning were found to have gone backward, and growne far worse then before so that the chirurgian perceiving his labour to bee wholly frustrate, gave over the cure, and the diseased patient still continueth in a most distressed, ind miserable estate, unto the which hee was

brought by the hellish practises of this malitious woman, who long before openly in the streetes, (when as yet the neighbours knew of no such thing) reioycing at the calamity, said, Orketon now lyeth a rotting. And no marvell though she could tell that which herselfe bad done, and her good maister would not suffer to be concealed, but that the testimony of her owne tongue should remane as a record towardes her further detection and condemnation, who sought meanes of her voluntary accord to be reconciled with the wofull distressed party, but this was nothing else but to plaister over and disguise her former inhumane and barbarous actions, for no reliefe at all followed thereof for oftentimes, as hath been procured, the divells and witches his instruments doe cause such diseases, which neyther the one, nor the other can remove againe. And this is not any vaporous imagination, but a most undoubted trueth. For now this poor man continueth still in a lamentable estate, griefe, and paines encreasing, without hope of helpe, except God in the abundance of his tender mercies vouchsafe to grant comfort and deliverance.

Her wicked practice against Elizabeth Hancocke.

The second person distressed, by this witch, was Elizabeth Hancocke, then widdow, now wife of Iames Scot: the maner, occasion, and proceeding of whose dealing against her was thus. She comming out of the towne from the shoppe of one Simon Browne a silkeman, unto whom she had carried home some worke, which was by him put out unto her; Henry Smith, as shee passed by his doore, tooke her by the hand, and smilingly said, that his ducke (meaning his wife, this woman of whom we now speake) tolde him that shee had stolne her henne; which wordes shee then passed over, as onely spoken in merriment, and denying the same in the meane time, as they were interchanging these words, shee came herselfe, and directly charged her with the henne, and wished that the bones thereof might sticke in her throat, when she should eate the same : which speech also she made no great reckoning of, supposing them to be but words of course, and might bee uttered in jest. Neverthelesse, afterward better considering of the same, conceived much griefe, to bee counted one of so evill quality and disposition, and espying that hen for which she was accused, to sit upon the hatch of her shoppe doore, went to her, and mooved with the indignity of that slaunder, and unjust imputation, told her in some passion and angry manner, that it was a dishonest part thus to blemish the good name of her neighbors with so untrue aspersions: whereupon, breaking foorth in some violence, she wished the pox to light upon her, and named her prowde linny, prowde flurts, and shaking the hand, bade her go in, for she should repent it; and the same night, within three or foure houres after these curses and imprecations

:

uttered, she was taken and pinched at the heart, and felt a sodaine weaknesse in all the parts of her body; yet her appetite to meate nothing diminished, and so continued for the space of three weekes; in which time, when she was any thing well, would come to the doore, and leane upon the stall, whom this Marie Smith seeing, did ever banne, adding the former curse, the poxe light upon you, can you yet come to the doore? and at the end of these three weekes, beeing but very weake, came foorth as shee used to doe, to take the ayre, this mischievous woman most bitterly cursed her againe, whereupon she went into the house, fell into such a torturing fit, and nipping at the heart, that she fainted, hardly recoverable for the space of halfe an houre, and so grievously racked and tormented through all parts of her body, as if the very flesh had beene torne from the bones, by the violent paine whereof she could not refraine, but tore the haire from off her head, and became as one distraught, bereaved of sence, and understanding and the same night the bed whereon she lay, was so tossed, and lifted up and downe, both in her owne feeling, and in the sight of others, then present beholders of her extreamities, by the space of one houre or more, that she was therewith exceedingly terrified, and did thinke oftentimes in her sleepe, that she did see this Marie Smith standing before her. And this fit continued sixteene houres, during which passion Edward Drake her father came to the towne, touched with griefe for this torture of his daughter (as parents hearts are relenting and tender, and naturall compassion is soone stirred up in them) tooke her urine, went to one for his advice (whose fact herein is no way justifiable, and argued but a small measure of religion, and the knowledge of God in him) who first tolde unto him the cause of his comming, that is, to seeke help for his daughter, and then added, that she was so farre spent, that if hee had stayed but one day longer, the woman who had wronged her, would have spent her heart, and so become unrecoverable, and thereupon shewed him her face in a glasse; and further, opened the beginning cause of falling out, which was for a hen, which before this, Drake neither knew nor heard of, and then gave his counsell for remedy, which was the matter sought for and desired, and that was in this order. To make a cake with flower from the bakers, and to mix the same instead of other liquor, with her owne water, and bake it on the harth, whereof the one half was to be applyed and laid to the region of the heart, the other halfe to the back directly opposit; and further, gave a box of ointment like triacle, which must be spread upon that cake, and a powder to be cast upon the same, and certaine words written in a paper, to be layd on likewise with the other, adding this caveat, that if his daughter did not amend within six houres after the taking of these receits, then there was no health or recovery to be looked for: and further, wished silence to be kept herein, for

the woman who had done this, would know any thing.

And being thus furnished with instructions, and returning home, as hee alighted from his horse to enter into that house where his daughter lay (being the next unto Mary Smiths) shee then stood leaning over her shop window, whom hee knew to be that person, which was shewed unto him, and she cursed him passing by, and told his daughter that her father had beene with a wisard. And the next day fol lowing after they had put in practice the direc tions given, she affirmed to divers of the neighbours, that Drake the afflicted womans father, had beene to aske counsell, and made a witch cake, but shee would learne how they came to have that knowledge: yet for the present she found helpe, and was freed from the languishing and other conflicts wherewith she was assaulted by the space of sixe weekes.

After this, being married unto James Scot, a great cat which kept with this witch (of whose infernall both purposes and practises wee now speake) frequented their house; and upon doing some scathe, her husband moved therwith, thrust it twice through with his sword: which notwithstanding those wounds received, ran away: then he stroke it with all his force upon the head with a great pike staffe, yet could not kill her; but shee leapt after this upward almost a yard from the boords of that chamber where she now was, and crept downe: which hee perceiving, willed his lad (a boy of foureteene yeares) to dragge her to the muckhill, but was not able; and therefore put her into a sacke, and being in the same, she still moved and stirred. Whereupon they put her out againe, and cast her under a paire of staires, purposing in the morning, to get more helpe, and carry her away; but then she could not be found, though all the doores that night were locked, and they never heard what afterward became thereof.

Not long after, this witch came forth with a birchin broome, and threatened to lay it upon the head of Elizabeth Scot, and defiled her cloathes therewith, as she swept the street before her shop doore, and that in the sight of her husband, who not digesting this indignity offered unto his wife, threatened that if she had any such fits, as she endured being a widow before marriage, hee would hang her. At this she clapped her hands, and said hee killed her cat. And within two or three dayes after this interchange of words betweene them, his wife was perplexed with the like paine and griefe at her heart, as formerly shee had beene; and that for two dayes and a night: wherefore her husband went to this wrathfull and malicious person, assuring that if his wife did not amend, hee would accuse her to the magistrate, and cause the rigor of the law to be executed upon her, which is due to such malefactors. These things were done some three yeares sithence. The party troubled yet liveth, but in no confirmed health, nor perfect soundness of body.