The displaying of supposed witchcraft : $b Wherein is affirmed that there are many sorts of deceivers and impostors, and divers persons under a passive delusion of melancholy and fancy. But that there is a corporeal league made betwixt the devil and the witch, or that he sucks on the witches body, has carnal copulation, or that witches are turned into cats, dogs, raise tempests, or the like, is utterly denied and disproved. Wherein also is handled, the existence of angels and spirits, the truth Webster, John
Religion
The displaying of supposed witchcraft : $b Wherein is affirmed that there are many sorts of deceivers and impostors, and divers persons under a passive delusion of melancholy and fancy. But that there is a corporeal league made betwixt the devil and the witch, or that he sucks on the witches body, has carnal copulation, or that witches are turned into cats, dogs, raise tempests, or the like, is utterly denied and disproved. Wherein also is handled, the existence of angels and spirits, the truth
Webster, John
Witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Early works to 1800
I my self also have seen a young man about 16 or 17 years of age, who
having learned at School, and having no great mind to his Book, fell
into an Ague; in the declination of which he seemed to be taken with
convulsion-fits, and afterwards to fall into Trances, and at the last to
speak (as with another small voice) in his Breast or Throat, and
pretended to declare unto those that were by, what sinful and knavish
tricks they had formerly acted, or what others were doing in remote
places and rooms. So that presently his Father and the Family with the
neighbourhood were perswaded that he was possest, and that it was a
spirit that spoke in him, which was soon heightned by Popish reports all
over the Countrey. But there being a Gentleman of great note and
understanding his Kinsman caused him to be sent over unto me, to have
mine opinion whether it were a natural distemper or not. The Father and
the Boy with an old cunning Woman (the made creature to cry up the
certainty of his possession, and the verity of a spirit speaking in him)
came unto me, who all appeared to my judgment and best reason fit
persons to act any designed Imposture. The Father having been one that
had lived profusely, and spent the most of his means, being sufficiently
prophane and irreligious: The Boy by his face appearing to be of a
melancholy complexion, and of a subtile and crafty disposition; the
Woman cunning, who would have forced me to believe whatsoever he
related, thinking to impose upon me as she had done upon others. I
presently judged it to be neither natural disease, nor supernatural
distemper, but only knavery and Imposture, and so made the Woman silent,
and told her she was a cheater, and deserved due punishment, and that
what she told, were the most of them lies of her own inventing; and told
the Father and the Son that I could soon cast forth all the Devils that
he was possessed with; but then I must have him in mine own custody, and
none of them to come near him nor to speak with him. A long time I
expected to have seen him in one of his fits, but his Devil was too
timerous of my stern countenance and rough carriage. Well after they
three had consulted together, the Lad by no means could be gotten to
stay with me, no not for that night, nor be prevailed with again to be
brought into my presence; but away they went the Lad riding behind his
Father, and when about a quarter of a mile from the Town the Father
turned the Horse to come back again unto me, the Lad leapt from off the
Horse, and run away crying from the Townwards as fast as he could. They
went that night to a Popish House where were concourse of people
sufficient, and many tales told of the Divinations of the spirit in the
Boy, but not one word either of me or against me. Soon after the
Gentleman that was of kin to the Boy came over, and I gave him
satisfaction that it was a contrived cheat, and after he returned, he
would have prevailed with them to have sent the Boy to me, but by no
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