I. THERE _are_ Presumptions, _which do at least probably and
conjecturally note one to be a_ Witch. _These give occasion to
Examine, yet they are no sufficient Causes of Conviction._
II. _If any Man or Woman be notoriously defamed for a_ Witch, _this
yields a strong Suspition. Yet the Judge ought carefully to look, that
the Report be made by_ Men _of Honesty and Credit._
III. _If a_ Fellow-Witch, _or_ Magician, _give Testimony of any Person
to be a_ Witch; _this indeed is not sufficient for Condemnation; but it
is a fit Presumption to cause a straight Examination._
IV. _If after Cursing there follow Death, or at least some mischief:
for_ Witches _are wont to practise their mischievous Facts by Cursing
and Banning: This also is a sufficient matter of Examination, tho' not
of Conviction._
V. _If after Enmity, Quarrelling, or Threatning, a present mischief
does follow; that also is a great Presumption._
[15] VI. _If the Party suspected be the Son or Daughter, the
man-servant or maid-servant, the Familiar Friend, near Neighbor, or
old Companion, of a known and convicted Witch; this may be likewise a
Presumption; for Witchcraft is an Art that may be learned, and conveyed
from man to man._
VII. _Some add this for a Presumption: If the Party suspected be found
to have the Devil's mark; for it is commonly thought, when the Devil
makes his Covenant with them, he alwaies leaves his mark behind them,
whereby he knows them for his own:--a mark whereof no evident Reason in
Nature can be given._
VIII. _Lastly, If the party examined be Unconstant, or contrary to
himself, in his deliberate Answers, it argueth a Guilty Conscience,
which stops the freedom of Utterance. And yet there are causes of
Astonishment, which may befal the Good, as well as the Bad._
IX. _But then there is a_ Conviction, _discovering the_ Witch, _which
must proceed from just and sufficient proofs, and not from bare
presumptions._
X. _Scratching of the suspected party, and Recovery thereupon,
with several other such weak Proofs; as also, the fleeting of the
suspected Party, thrown upon the Water; these Proofs are so far from
being sufficient, that some of them are, after a sort, practices of
Witchcraft._
XI. _The Testimony of some Wizzard, tho' offering to shew the Witches
Face in a Glass: This, I grant, may be a good Presumption, to cause
a strait Examination; but a sufficient Proof of Conviction it cannot
be. If the Devil tell the Grand Jury, that the person in question is
a Witch, and offers withal to confirm the same by Oath, should the
Inquest receive his Oath or Accusation to condemn the man? Assuredly
no. And yet, that is as much as the Testimony of another Wizzard, who
only by the Devil's help reveals the Witch._
XII. _If a man, being dangerously sick, and like to dy, upon
Suspicion, will take it on his Death, that such an one hath bewitched
him, it is an Allegation of the same nature, which may move the Judge
to examine the Party, but it is of no moment for Conviction._
XIII. _Among the sufficient means of Conviction, the first is, the free
and voluntary Confession of the Crime, made by the party suspected
and accused, after Examination. I say not, that a bare confession is
sufficient, but a Confession after due Examination, taken upon pregnant
presumptions. What needs now more witness or further Enquiry?_
XIV. _There is a second sufficient Conviction, by the Testimony of two
Witnesses, of good and honest Report, avouching before the Magistrate,
upon their own Knowledge, the two things: either that the party accused
hath made a League with the Devil, or hath done some known practices
of witchcraft. And,_ all Arguments that do necessarily prove either of
these, _being brought by two sufficient Witnesses, are of force fully
to convince the party suspected._
XV. _If it can be proved, that the party suspected hath called upon
the_ Devil, _or desired his Help, this is a pregnant proof of a League
formerly made between them._
XVI. _If it can be proved, that the party hath entertained a Familiar
Spirit, and had Conference with it, in the likeness of some visible
Creatures; here is Evidence of witchcraft._
XVII. _If the witnesses affirm upon Oath, that the suspected person
hath done any action or work which necessarily infers a Covenant made,
as, that he hath used En-[16]chantments, divined things before they
come to pass, and that peremptorily, raised Tempests, caused the Form
of a dead man to appear; it proveth sufficiently, that he or she is a_
Witch.[72] This is the Substance of Mr. _Perkins_.
* * * * *
'Take next the Sum of Mr. _Gaules_[73] Judgment about the Detection
of Witches. 1. Some Tokens for the Trial of Witches are altogether
unwarrantable. Suchare the old Paganish Sign, the Witches _Long
Eyes;_ the Tradition of Witches not weeping; the casting of the
Witch into the Water, with Thumbs and Toes ty'd a-cross. And many
more such Marks, which if they are to know a Witch by, certainly
'tis no other Witch, but the User of them. 2. There are some Tokens
for the Trial of Witches, more probable, and yet not so certain as
to afford Conviction. Such are strong and long Suspicion: Suspected
Ancestors, some appearance of Fact, the Corps bleeding upon the
Witches touch, the Testimony of the Party bewitched, the supposed
Witches unusual Bodily marks, the Witches usual Cursing and Banning,
the Witches lewd and naughty kind of Life. 3. Some Signs there are
of a Witch, more certain and infallible. As, _firstly_, Declining of
Judicature, or faultering, faulty, unconstant, and contrary Answers,
upon judicial and deliberate examination. _Secondly_, When upon due
Enquiry into a person's Faith and Manners, there are found _all_ or
_most_ of the Causes which produce Witchcraft, namely, _God_ forsaking,
_Satan_ invading, particular _Sins_ disposing; and lastly, a compact
compleating all. _Thirdly_, The Witches free Confession, together with
full Evidence of the Fact. _Confession_ without _Fact_ may be a meer
Delusion, and _Fact_ without _Confession_ may be a meer Accident.
_4thly_, The semblable Gestures and Actions of suspected Witches, with
the comparable Expressions of Affections, which in all Witches have
been observ'd and found very much alike. _Fifthly_, The Testimony of
the Party bewitched, whether pining or dying, together with the joynt
Oaths of sufficient persons, that have seen certain prodigious Pranks
or Feats, wrought by the Party accused. 4. Among the most unhappy
circumstances to convict a Witch, one is, a maligning and oppugning the
Word, Work, and Worship of God, and by any extraordinary sign seeking
to seduce any from it. See _Deut._ 13. 1, 2, _Mat._ 24. 24. _Act._ 13.
8, 10. 2 _Tim._ 3. 8. Do but mark well the places, and for this very
Property (of thus opposing and perverting) they are all there concluded
arrant and absolute Witches. 5. It is not requisite, that so _palpable
Evidence of Conviction_ should here come in, as in other more sensible
matters; 'tis enough, if there be but so much _circumstantial_ Proof
or Evidence, as the Substance, Matter, and Nature of such an abstruse
Mystery of Iniquity will well admit. [_I suppose he means, that whereas
in other Crimes we look for more direct proofs, in this there is a
greater use of consequential ones._] 'But I could heartily wish, that
the Juries were empanell'd of the most eminent Physicians, Lawyers, and
Divines that a Country could afford. In the mean time 'tis not to be
called a Toleration, if Witches escape, where Conviction is wanting. To
this purpose our _Gaule_.'
I will transcribe a little from one Author more, 'tis the Judicious
_Bernard_ of _Batcomb_,[74] who in his _Guide to grand Jurymen_, after
he has mention'd several things that are shrewd Presumptions of a
Witch, proceeds to such things as are the _Convictions_ of such an
one. And he says, '_A witch in league with the_ Devil _is convicted
by_ [1][75] _these Evidences;_ I. By a witches _Mark;_ which is on
the Baser sort of Witches; and this, by the Devils either Sucking
or Touching of them. _Tertullian_ says, _It is the Devils custome
to mark his_. And note, That this mark is _Insensible_, and being
prick'd it will not Bleed. Sometimes, its like a _Teate;_ sometimes
but a _Blewish Spot;_ sometimes a _Red_ one; and sometimes the _flesh
Sunk:_ but the Witches do sometimes cover them. II. By the Witches
_Words_. As when they have been heard calling on, speaking to, or
Talking of their _Familiars;_ or, when they have been heard _Telling_
of _Hurt_ they have done to man or beast: Or when they have been heard
_Threatning_ of such Hurt; Or if they have been heard Relating their
_Transportations_. III. By the Witches _Deeds_. As when they have
been _seen_ with their Spirits, or seen secretly Feeding any of their
_Imps_. Or, when there can be found their Pictures, Poppets, and other
Hellish Compositions. IV. By the Witches _Extasies:_ With the Delight
whereof, Witches are so taken, that they will hardly conceal the same:
Or, however at some time or other, they may be found in them. V. By
one or more _Fellow-Witches_, Confessing their own Witchcraft, and
bearing Witness against others; if they can make good the Truth of
their Witness, and give sufficient proof of it. As, that they have seen
them with their Spirits or, that they have Received Spirits from them;
or that they can tell, when they used Witchery-Tricks to Do Harm; or,
that they told them what Harm they had done; or that they can show the
mark upon them; or, that they have been together in their Meetings; and
such like. VI. By some _Witness of God_ Himself, happening upon the
Execrable Curses of Witches upon themselves, Praying of God to show
some Token, if they be Guilty. VII. By the Witches own _Confession_, of
Giving their Souls to the Devil. It is no Rare thing, for Witches to
Confess.'
They are Considerable Things, which I have thus Recited; and yet it
must be with _Open Eyes_, kept upon _Open Rules_, that we are to follow
these things.
_S._ 8. But _Juries_ are not the only Instruments to be imploy'd
in such a Work; all _Christians_ are to be concerned with daily
and fervent _Prayers_, for the assisting of it. In the Days of
_Athanasius_, the Devils were found unable to stand before that
_Prayer_, however then used perhaps with too much of Ceremony, _Let God
Arise, Let his Enemies be scattered_. _Let them also that Hate Him,
flee before Him._
O that instead of letting our Hearts _Rise_ against one another, our
Prayers might _Rise_ unto an high pitch of Importunity, for such a
_Rising_ of the Lord! Especially, Let them that are _Suffering_ by
_Witchcraft_, be sure to _stay_ and _pray_, and _Beseech the Lord
thrice_, even as much as ever they can, before they complain of any
Neighbour for afflicting them. Let them also that are _accused_ of
_Witchcraft_, set themselves to _Fast_ and _Pray_, and so shake off the
_Dæmons_ that would like _Vipers_ fasten upon them; and get the _Waters
of Jealousie_ made profitable to them.
And Now, O _Thou Hope of_ New-England, _and the Saviour thereof in the
Time of Trouble; Do thou look mercifully down upon us, & Rescue us, out
of the Trouble which at this time do's threaten to swallow us up. Let
Satan be shortly bruised under our Feet, and Let the Covenanted Vassals
of Satan, which have Traiterously brought him in upon us, be Gloriously
Conquered, by thy Powerful and Gracious Presence in the midst of us.
Abhor us not, O God, but cleanse us, but heal us, but save us, for
the sake of thy Glory. Enwrapped in our Salvations. By thy Spirit,
Lift up a standard against our infernal adversaries, Let us quickly
find thee making of us glad, according to the Days wherein we have
been afflicted. Accept of all our Endeavours to glorify thee, in the
Fires that are upon us; and among the rest, Let these my poor and weak
essays, composed with what Tears, what Cares, what Prayers, thou_ only
_knowest, not want the Acceptance of the Lord._