‘This done the diuell beginneth to be more bold with hir, telling hir plainelie, that all this will not serue his turne; and therefore requireth homage at hir hands: yea, he also telleth hir, that she must grant him both hir bodie and soule to be tormented in everlasting fire, which she yeeldeth unto. Then he chargeth her, to procure as many men, women and children also, as she can, to enter into this societie. Then he teacheth them to make ointments of the bowels and members of children, whereby they ride in the aire, and accomplish all their desires. So as, if there be anie children unbaptised, or not garded with the signe of the crosse, or orisons; then the witches may and doo catch them from their mothers sides in the night, or out of their cradles, or otherwise kill them with their ceremonies; and, after buriall, steale them out of their graves, and seeth them in a caldron, untill their flesh be made potable. Of the thickest whereof they make ointments, whereby they ride in the aire; but the thinner potion they put into flaggons, whereof whosoever drinketh, observing certeine ceremonies, immediatlie becommeth a maister, or rather, a mistresse in that practise and facultie.’ [Illustration] [Illustration] But there were other hell broths used by witches, as we may see by the accompanying illustration from Molitor’s ‘Die Hexen’ (1489?), in which a cock and serpent form part of the ingredients of the broth, which is being brewed during a violent hailstorm. In ‘The Witch: a Tragi-comedie,’ by Thomas Middleton, we have good notices of the component parts of these mixtures: ‘HECCAT. Goe feed the vessell for the second houre. STADLIN. Where be the magical herbes? HEC. They’re downe his throate. His mouth cramb’d full; his eares, and nosthrills stufft. I thrust in Eleoselinum--lately Aconitum, frondes populeus, and soote, Then Sium, Acharum, Volgaro too, Dentaphillon, the blood of a flitter-mouse,[30] Solanum somnificum, et oleum.’ [Illustration] We all know the Witches scene in ‘Macbeth,’ but few are probably aware to what extent Shakespeare was indebted to this play of Middleton’s for its telling effect and language. ‘HECCAT. Give me some lizard’s braine: quickly, _Firestone_. Where’s grannam Stadlin, and all the rest o’ th’ sisters? FIRESTONE. All at hand, forsooth. HEC. Give me Marmaritin; some Bear-Breech; when? FIRE. Heer’s Bear-breech, and lizard’s braine, forsooth. HEC. Into the vessell; And fetch three ounces of the red-haired girle I kill’d last midnight. FIRE. Whereabouts, sweet Mother? HEC. Hip; hip or flanck. Where is the Acopus? FIRE. You shall have Acopus, forsooth. HEC. Stir, stir about; whilst I begin to charme. A CHARME SONG, ABOUT A VESSEL.