A Collection of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft and the Second Sight Part 2

From the _Daemonologie_ we have made copious extracts, that our readers may have an idea of the days of '_langsyne_,' when there was plenty of _diels_, _witches_, _fairies_, _and water kelpies_, all over the country. Those, therefore, who are anxious to know how affairs are managed in the '_kingdom of darkness_,' and can rely on the word of a king for the truth of it, will be here amply gratified.

So, courteous reader, I bid thee farewell,

The EDITOR.

EXTRACTS

FROM

KING JAMES'S DAEMONOLOGIE,

CONCERNING

_SORCERY AND WITCHCRAFT_.

_The First Entresse and Prentis.h.i.+p of them that give themselves to Witchcraft._

The persons that give themselves to witchcraft, are of two sorts, rich and of better accompt, poore and of baser degree. These two degrees answere to the pa.s.sions in them, which the divell uses as meanes to entice them to his service; for such of them as are in great miserie and povertie, he allures to follow him, by promising unto them great riches and worldly commoditie. Such as though rich, yet burne in a desperate desire of revenge, he allures them by promises to get their turne satisfied to their hearts contentment. It is to be noted now, that that olde and craftie enemie of ours a.s.sailes none, though touched with any of these two extremities, except he first finde an entresse ready for him, either by the great ignorance of the person he deales with, joyned with an evill life, or else by their carelessnesse and contempt of G.o.d. And finding them in an utter despaire, he prepares the way by feeding them craftely in their humour, and filling them further and further with despaire, while hee finde the time proper to discover himself unto them. At which time, either upon their walking solitarie in the fieldes, or else lying pausing in their bed, but alwaies without the company of any other, hee, either by a voyce, or in likenesse of a man, inquires of them what troubles them, and promiseth them a suddaine and certaine way of remedie, upon condition, on the other part, that they follow his advise, and doe such things as he will require of them.

Their mindes being prepared beforehand, they easily agree unto that demand of his, and syne sets another tryist where they may meete againe. At which time, before hee proceede any further with them, hee first perswades them to addict themselves to his service, which being easily obtained, he then discovers what he is unto them, makes them to renounce their G.o.d and baptisme directly, and gives them his marke upon some secret place of their bodie, which remaines soare unhealed while his next meeting with them, and thereafter ever insensible, howsoever it be nipped or p.r.i.c.ked by any, as is daily prooved, to give them a proofe thereby, that as in that doing he could hurt and heale them, so all their ill and well doing thereafter must depend upon him; and, besides that, the intolerable dolour that they feele in that place where he hath marked them, serves to waken them, and not to let them rest, while their next meeting againe; fearing lest otherwaies they might either forget him, being as new prentises, and not well enough founded yet in that fiendly follie; or else remembering of that horrible promise they made him at their last meeting, they might skunner at the same, and presse to call it backe.

At their third meetinge, hee makes a shew to be carefull to performe his promises, either by teaching them waies how to get themselves revenged, if they be of that sort, or else by teaching them lessons how by most vile and unlawfull meanes they may obtaine gaine and worldly commoditie, if they be of the other sort.

_The Witches actions divided into two parts--The actions proper to their own persons--The forme of their Conventions and adoring of their Master._

Their actions may be divided into two parts; the actions of their owne persons, and the actions proceeding from them towards any other; and this division being well understood, will easily resolve what is possible to them to doe. For although all that they confesse is no lie upon their part, yet doubtlesly, in my opinion, a part of it is not indeede according as they take it to be, for the divell illudes the senses of these schollers of his in many things.

To the effect that they may performe such services of their false master as he employs them in, the devill, as G.o.d's ape, counterfeits in his servants this service and forme of adoration that G.o.d prescribed and made his servants to practise; for as the servants of G.o.d publikely use to conveene for serving of him, so makes he them in great numbers to conveene (though publikely they dare not), for his service. As none conveenes to the adoration and wors.h.i.+pping of G.o.d, except they be marked with his seale, the sacrament of baptisme; so none serves Satan, and conveenes to the adoring of him, that are not marked with that marke whereof I alreadie spake. As the minister sent by G.o.d teacheth plainely at the time of their publike conventions, how to serve him in spirit and trewth, so that unclean spirit, in his owne person, teacheth his disciples at the time of their conveening, how to worke all kind of mischiefe, and craves coumpt of all their horrible and detestable proceedings pa.s.sed for advancement of his service: Yea, that hee may the more vilely counterfeit and scorne G.o.d, he oft times makes his slaves to conveene in these very places which are destinate and ordained for the conveening of the servants of G.o.d, (I meane by churches.) But this farre which I have yet said, I not onely take it to be trew in their opinions, but even so to be indeed; for the forme that he used in counterfeiting G.o.d amongst the Gentiles, makes me so to think; as G.o.d spake by his oracles, spake he not so by his? As G.o.d had as well bloodie sacrifices, as others without blood, had not he the like? As G.o.d had churches sanctified to his service, with altars, priests, sacrifices, ceremonies, and prayers, had he not the like polluted to his service? As G.o.d gave responses by _Urim_ and _Thummim_, gave he not his responses by the intralles of beasts, by the singing of fowles, and by their actions in the aire? As G.o.d by visions, dreames, and extasies, revealed what was to come, and what was his will unto his servants, used hee not the like meanes to forewarne his slaves of things to come? Yea, even as G.o.d loved cleanenesse, hated vice and impuritie, and appointed punishments therefore, used he not the like, (though falsly I grant, and but in eschewing the lesse inconvenience, to draw them upon a greater), yet dissimulated he not, I say, so farre as to appoint his priests to keepe their bodies cleane and undefiled, before their asking responses of him? And fained he not G.o.d, to be a protectour of every vertue, and a just revenger of the contrarie? This reason then mooves me, that as he is that same divell, and as crafty now as he was then, so will he not spare as pertly in these actions that I have spoken of concerning the witches' persons; but further, witches oft times confesse, not only his conveening in the church with them, but his occupying of the pulpit: Yea, their forme of adoration to be the kissing of his hinder parts, which, though it seeme ridiculous, yet may it likewise be trew, seeing we reade that in Calicute he appeared in forme of a goat-bucke, hath publikely that unhonest homage done unto him by every one of the people. So ambitious is he, and greedy of honour, (which procured his fall) that he will even imitate G.o.d in that part where it is said, that Moyses could see but the _hinder parts of G.o.d for the brightnesse of his glory_.

_What are the wayes possible whereby the Witches may transport themselves to places farre distant?--And what are impossible and meere illusions of Satan?_

PHI.--But by what way say they, or thinke yee it possible, they can come to these unlawfull conventions?[7]

[7] The Daemonologie is written by way of dialogue, in which Philomathes and Epistemon reason the matter.

EPI.--There is the thing which I esteeme their senses to be deluded in, and though they lie not in confessing of it, because they thinke it to be trew, yet not to be so in substance or effect; for they say, that by divers meanes they may conveene, either to the adoring of their master, or to the putting in practise any service of his committed unto their charge; one way is naturall, which is naturall riding, going, or sailing, at what houre their master comes and advertises them; and this way may be easily beleeved; another way is somewhat more strange, and yet it is possible to bee trew, which is, by being caried by the force of the spirit, which is their conducter, either above the earth, or above the sea, swiftly to the place where they are to meet; which I am perswaded to bee likewise possible, in respect, that as Habakkuk was carried by the angel in that forme to the den where Daniel lay, so I thinke the divell will be readie to imitate G.o.d as well in that as in other things; which is much more possible to him to doe, being a spirit, then to a mighty wind, being but a naturall meteore to transport from one place to another a solide body, as is commonly and daily seene in practise; but in this violent forme they cannot be caried but a short bounds, agreeing with the s.p.a.ce that they may retain their breath, for if it were longer, their breath could not remain unextinguished, their body being caried in such a violent and forcible manner; as by example, if one fall off a small height, his life is but in perill, according to the hard or soft lighting; but if one fall from an high and stay rocke, his breath will be forcibly banished from the body before he can win to the earth, as is oft seene by experience; and in this transporting they say themselves, that they are invisible to any other, except amongst themselves, which may also be possible in my opinion; for if the devill may forme what kinde of impressions he pleases in the aire, why may he not farre easilier thicken and obscure so the aire that is next about them, by contracting it straite together, that the beames of any other man's eyes cannot pierce throw the same to see them? But the third way of their comming to their conventions is that wherein I thinke them deluded; for some of them say, that being transformed in the likenesse of a little beast or foule, they will come and pierce through whatsoever house or church, though all ordinarie pa.s.sages be closed, by whatsoever open the aire may enter in at; and some say, that their bodies lying still, as in an extasie, their spirits will be ravished out of their bodies, and caried to such places; and for verifying thereof, will give evident tokens, as well by witnesses that have seene their body lying senseless in the mean time, as by naming persons with whom they met, and giving tokens what purpose was amongst them, whom otherwise they could not have known; for this forme of journeying they affirme to use most, when they are transported from one countrey to another.

PHI.--But the reasons that moove me to thinke that these are meere illusions, are these--first, for them that are transformed in likenesse of beasts or foules, can enter through so narrow pa.s.sages, although I may easily beleeve that the divell could by his workmans.h.i.+p upon the aire, make them appeare to be in such formes, either to themselves, or to others; yet how can he contract a solide body within so little room? I think it is directly contrary to itselfe; for to be made so little, and yet not diminished; to be so straitly drawn together, and yet feele no paine, I thinke it is so contrary to the qualitie of a naturall bodie, and so like to the little transubstantiate G.o.d in the Papists ma.s.se, that I can never beleeve it. So to have a quant.i.tie, is so proper to a solide body, that as all philosophers conclude, it cannot be any more without one, then a spirit can have one; for when Peter came out of the prison, and the doores all locked, it was not by any contracting of his body in so little roome, but by the giving place of the doore, though unespied by the gaylors; and yet is there no comparison, when this is done, betwixt the power of G.o.d and of the divel. As to their forme of extasie and spirituall transporting, it is certaine the soules going out of the body, is the onely definition of naturall death; and who are once dead, G.o.d forbid we should thinke that it should lie in the power of all the divels in h.e.l.l to restore them to their life again, although he can put his owne spirit in a dead body, for that is the office properly belonging to G.o.d; and, besides that, the soule once parting from the body, cannot wander any longer in the world, but to the owne resting place must it goe immediately, abiding the conjunction of the body again at the latter day. And what Christ or the prophets did miraculously in this case, it can in no Christian man's opinion be made common with the divel. As for any tokens that they give for proving of this, it is very possible to the divel's craft to perswade them to these meanes; for he being a spirit, may he not so ravish their thoughts, and dull their senses, that their body lying as dead, he may object to their spirits, as it were in a dreame, and represent such formes of persons, of places, and other circ.u.mstances, as he pleases to illude them with? Yea, that he may deceive them with the greater efficacie, may he not, at the same instant, by fellow angels of his, illude such other persons so in that same fas.h.i.+on, with whom hee makes them to beleeve that they mette, that all their reports and tokens, though severally examined, may every one agree with another? And that whatsoever actions, either in hurting men or beasts, or whatsoever other thing that they falsly imagine at that time to have done, may by himselfe or his marrowes at that same time be done indeed; so as if they would give for a token of their being ravished at the death of such a person within so short a s.p.a.ce thereafter, whom they beleeve to have poisoned or witched at that instant, might he not at that same houre have smitten that same person, by the permission of G.o.d, to the farther deceiving of them, and to moove others to beleeve them? And this is surely the likelyest way, and most according to reason, which my judgement can finde out in this and whatsoever other unnatural points of their confession.

_Witches actions towards others--Why there are more Women of that Craft then Men--What things are possible to them to effectuate by the power of their Master--What is the surest remedy of the harmes done by them._

PHI.--FORSOOTH your opinion in this seems to cary most reason with it; and since ye have ended then the actions belonging properly to their owne persons, say forward now to their actions used towards others.

EPI.--In their actions used towards others, three things ought to be considered; first, the manner of their consulting thereupon; next, their part as instruments; and, last, their master's part, who puts the same in execution. As to their consultations thereupon, they use them oftest in the churches, where they conveene for adoring; at which time their master enquiring at them what they would be at, every one of them propones unto him what wicked turne they would have done, either for obtaining of riches, or for revenging them upon any whom they have malice at; who granting their demaund, as no doubt willingly he will, since it is to doe evill, hee teacheth them the meanes whereby they may doe the same. As for little trifling turnes that women have adoe with, he causeth them to joynt dead corpses, and to make powders thereof, mixing such other things thereamongst as he gives unto them.

PHI.--But before ye goe further, permit me, I pray you, to interrupt you one word, which ye have put me in memorie of by speaking of women; What can be the cause that there are twentie women given to that craft where there is one man?

EPI.--The reason is easie, for as that s.e.xe is frailer than man is, so is it easier to be intrapped in these grosse snares of the divell, as was over-well prooved to be trew, by the serpent's deceiving of Eve at the beginning, which makes him the homelier with that s.e.xe sensine.

PHI.--Returne now where ye left.

EPI.--To some others at these times he teacheth how to make pictures of waxe or clay, that by the roasting thereof, the persons that they beare the name of may be continually melted or dried away by continuall sicknesse. To some he gives such stones or pouders as will helpe to cure or cast on diseases; and to some hee teacheth kindes of uncouth poysons, which mediciners understand not; not that any of these meanes which he teacheth them (except the poysons, which are composed of things naturall), can of themselves helpe any thing to these turnes that they are employed in, but onely being G.o.d's ape, as well in that, as in all other things. Even as G.o.d by his sacraments, which are earthly of themselves, workes a heavenly effect, though no waves by any cooperation in them; and as Christ by clay and spettle wrought together, _opened the eyes of the blinde man_, suppose there was no vertue in that which he outwardly applied, so the divel will have his outward meanes to be shewes as it were of his doing, which hath no part or cooperation in his turnes with him, how farre that ever the ignorants be abused in the contrarie. And as to the effects of these two former parts, TO WIT, the consultations and the outward meanes, they are so wonderfull, as I dare not alledge any of them without joyning a sufficient reason of the possibilitie thereof; for leaving all the small trifles among wives, and to speake of the princ.i.p.all points of their craft, for the common trifles thereof, they can doe without converting well enough by themselves, these princ.i.p.all points, I say, are these--they can make men or women to love or hate other, which may be very possible to the divel to effectuate, seeing he being a subtile spirit, knowes well enough how to perswade the corrupted affection of them whom G.o.d will permit him to deal with,--they can lay the sicknesse of one upon another, which likewise is very possible unto him; for since by G.o.d's permission he laide sicknesse upon Job, why may he not farre easilier lay it upon any other? For as an old pract.i.tian, hee knowes well enough what humour domines most in any of us, and as a spirit he can subtillie waken up the same, making it peccant, or to abound, as hee thinkes meet, for troubling of us, when G.o.d will so permit him. And for the taking off of it, no doubt he will be glad to relieve such of present paine as he may thinke by these meanes to perswade to be catched in his everlasting snares and fetters. They can bewitch and take the life of men or women, by roasting of the pictures, as I spake of before, which likewise is verie possible to their master to performe; for although that instrument of waxe have no vertue in that turne doing, yet may he not very well, even by the same measure that his conjured slaves melts that waxe at the fire, may he not, I say, at these same times, subtily as a spirit, so weaken and scatter the spirits of life of the patient, as may make him on the one part, for faintnesse, to sweat out the humour of his bodie, and on the other part, for the not concurrence of these spirits, which causes his digestion, so debilitate his stomacke, that this humour radicall continually, sweating out on the one part, and no new good sucke being put in the place thereof, for lacke of digestion on the other, he at last shall vanish away, even as his picture will doe at the fire? And that knavish and cunning workeman, by troubling him onely at sometimes, makes a proportion so neere betwixt the working of the one and the other, that both shall end as it were at one time. They can raise stormes and tempests in the aire, either upon sea or land, though not universally, but in such a particular place and prescribed bounds, as G.o.d will permit them so to trouble. Which likewise is very easy to be discerned from any other naturall tempests that are meteores, in respect of the sudden and violent raising thereof, together with the short induring of the same. And this is likewise very possible to their master to doe, hee having such affinitie with the aire, as being a spirit, and having such power of the forming and mooving thereof; for in the Scripture, that stile of the _prince of the aire_, is given unto him. They can make folkes to become phrenticque or maniacque, which likewise is very possible to their master to doe, since they are but naturall sicknesses, and so he may lay on these kindes as well as any others. They can make spirits either to follow and trouble persons, or haunt certaine houses, and affray oftentimes the inhabitants, as hath been knowne to be done by our witches at this time. And likewise, they can make some to bee possessed with spirits, and so to become very demoniacques; and this last sort is very possible likewise to the divel their master to doe, since he may easily send his owne angels to trouble in what forme he pleases any whom G.o.d will permit him so to use.

PHI.--But will G.o.d permit these wicked instruments, by the power of the devill their master, to trouble by any of these meanes any that beleeve in him?

EPI.--No doubt, for there are three kindes of folkes whom G.o.d will permit so to be tempted or troubled; the wicked for their horrible sinnes, to punish them in the like measure; the G.o.dly that are sleeping in any great sinnes or infirmities, and weaknesse in faith, to waken them up the faster by such an uncouth forme; and even some of the best, that their patience may be tried before the world, as Job's was. For why may not G.o.d use any kinde of extraordinarie punishment, when it pleases him, as well as the ordinarie rods of sicknesse or other adversities?

PHI.--Who then may be free from these devilish practises?

EPI.--No man ought to presume so farre as to promise any impunitie to himselfe; for G.o.d hath before all beginnings, preordinated as well the particular sorts of plagues, as of benefites, for every man, which in the owne time he ordaines them to be visited with; and yet ought we not to be the more afraide for that, of any thing that the divell and his wicked instruments can doe against us, for we daily fight against the divell in a hundreth other wayes; and therefore, as a valiant captaine affraies no more being at the combate, nor stayes from his purpose for the rummis.h.i.+ng shot of a canon, nor the small clacke of a pistolet, suppose he be not certaine what may light upon him; even so ought we boldly to goe forward in fighting against the divell, without any great terrour for these his rarest weapons, nor for the ordinary, whereof we have daily the proofe.

PHI.--Is it not lawfull then, by the helpe of some other witch, to cure the disease that is casten on by that craft?

EPI.--No wayes lawfull, for it is an axiome of theologie, that we are not to doe evil, that good maie come of it.

PHI.--How then may these diseases be lawfully cured?

EPI.--Only by earnest prayer unto G.o.d, by amendment of their lives, and by sharpe pursuing every one, according to his calling of these instruments of Satan, whose punishment to the death will be a salutarie sacrifice for the patient. And this is not onely the lawfull way, but likewise the most sure; for by the devil's meanes _can never the devill be casten out_, as Christ sayth; and when such a cure is used, it may well serve for a short time, but at the last it will doubtlesly tend to the utter perdition of the patient, both in body and soule.

_What sort of Folkes are least or most subject to receive harm by Witchcraft--What power they have to harme the Magistrate, and upon what respects they have any power in prison--And to what end may or will the Devill appeare to them therein--Upon what respects the Devill appeares in sundry shapes to sundry of them at any time._

PHI.--But who dare take upon him to punish them, if no man can be sure to be free from their unnatural invasions?

EPI.--Wee ought not the more of that restraine from vertue, that the way whereby we clime thereunto be straight and perillous; but, besides that, as there is no kinde of persons so subject to receive harme of them, as these that are of infirme and weake faith, so have they so small power over none, as over such as zealously and earnestly pursue them.

PHI.--Then they are like the pest which smites these sickarest that flies it farthest?

EPI.--It is even so with them, for neither is it able to them to use any false cure upon a patient, except the patient first beleeve in their power, and so hazard the tinsell of his owne soule, nor yet can they have lesse power to hurt any, nor such as contemne most their doings, so being it comes of faith, and not of any vaine arrogancie in themselves.

PHI.--But what is their power against the Magistrate?

EPI.--Lesse or greater, according as he deales with them; for if hee be slothfull towards them, G.o.d is very able to make them instruments to waken and punish his sloth; but if he be the contrary, hee, according to the just law of G.o.d, and allowable law of all nations, will be diligent in examining and punis.h.i.+ng of them, G.o.d will not permit their master to trouble or hinder so good a worke.

PHI.--But fra they be once in hands and firmance, have they any further power in their craft?

EPI.--That is according to the forme of their detention; if they be but apprehended and deteined by any private person, upon other private respects, their power no doubt, either in escaping, or in doing hurt, is no lesse nor ever it was before; but if, on the other part, their apprehending and detention be by the lawfull magistrate, upon the just respects of their guiltinesse in that craft, their power is then no greater than before that ever they medled with their master; for where G.o.d begins justly to strike by his lawfull lieutenants, it is not in the devil's power to defraud or bereave him of the office, or effect of his powerful and revenging scepter.

PHI.--But will never their master come to visite them fra they be once apprehended and put in firmance?

EPI.--That is according to the estate that these miserable wretches are in, for if they be obstinate in still denying, he will not spare, when hee findes time to speake with them, either if he finde them in any comfort, to fill them more and more with the vaine hope of some manner of reliefe, or else if he finde them in a deepe despaire, by all meanes to augment the same, and to perswade them by some extraordinarie meanes to put themselves downe, which very commonly they doe; but if they be penitent and confesse, G.o.d will not permit him to trouble them any more with his presence and allurements.