EPI. I think they are not a haire the lesse guiltie: For the Deuill durst
neuer haue 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 SAMVEL was a Witch: For the Deuill resembled his shape, and
played his person in giuing response to SAVLE.
EPI. SAMVEL was dead aswell before that; and so none coulde slander him
with medling in that vnlawfull arte. For the cause why, as I take it, that
God will not permit Sathan to vse the shapes or similitudes of any
innocent persones at such vnlawful times, is that God wil not permit that
any innocent persons shalbe slandered with that vile defection: for then
the deuil would find waies anew, to calumniate the best. And this we haue
in proofe by them that are carryed with the _Phairie_, who neuer see the
shaddowes of any in that courte, but of them that thereafter are tryed to
haue bene brethren and sisters of that craft. And this was likewise proued
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
neuer 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 hauing 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 vpon them, were at the least
publickly knowen to be of a very euil life & reputation: so iealous 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 vsed 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
heauen for reuenge of the murtherer, God hauing appoynted that secret
super-naturall signe, for tryall of that secrete vnnaturall crime, 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 receiue
them in her bosom, that haue 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 euery light occasion when they will, yea,
although it were dissemblingly like the _Crocodiles_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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