I have premised thus much, because the most of the Authors that have treated about this knotty and thorny Subject of Witches and Witchcraft, have been as confused and immethodical as any. For whereas the learned Orator _Cicero_ tells us, that _omnis discursus à definitione debet proficisci_; and that it is also true, that what is not aptly and fitly defined or described, as far as the Subject will admit of, is never perfectly understood: yet have the most of these Authors (which are numerous) laid down no perfect description of a Witch or Witchcraft, nor explained fully what they meant by that name, notion, or conception. And therefore, lest I become guilty of the same fault, I shall lay down what the most considerable Authors that have treated of this Subject, do mean or intend by this word _Witch_, and _Witchcraft_, and shall fully explain in what notion or sense I either allow or deny them, and their actions, and that in this order, and in these Particulars following. [Sidenote: _Lib. 14. method. c. 9._] [Sidenote: _Ibid. c. 1._] 1. Though an argument taken _à denotatione nominis_ be of little weight or validity, and that the industrious and sharp-witted person _Galen_ doth seem to make little account of words, that is, in this respect, when we would only understand the nature of things, yet in another respect he concludeth thus: “_Verùm qui alterum docere volet quæ ipse tenet, huic prorsus nominibus propter res uti est opus._” Now the handling of Controversies is chiefly and principally to inform others, and teach them the truth, and to discover errours; therefore in this respect the explication and denotation of words is exceeding profitable and necessary: and so _Plato in Cratylo_ tells us: “_Nomen itaq; rerum, substantiam docendi discernendiq; instrumentum est._” And it being a manifest truth, that words are but the making forth of those notions that we have of things, and ought to be subjected to things, and not things to words: if our notions do not agree with the things themselves, then we have received false _Idola_ or images of them; but if we have conceived them aright, and do not express them fitly and congruously, then we shall hardly make others understand us aright, nor can clearly open unto them the doctrine that we would teach them.