But I thinke no mans forehead is so brasen, that will stand Proctor, and
plead guiltlesse for these sort of people, who deuote themselues wholly
to the Diuell, though neuer so closely, and with great and cautelous
secresie: and no doubt God therefore was reuenged of the Templars, and
their detestable wickednesse practised in darknesse and obscurity, who
all[q] perished, as it were, in a moment for the same; of which at the
full we may be informed in our owne ancient histories.
[Footnote q: _Anno Domini_ 1312. whose order began 1123. _Thomas
Walsingham_ in the life of K. _Edward_ the 2^d, in his English
history, an in his _Hypodigma Neustri[e,]_.]
Fifthly, they doe solicite others to be of their profession (which is
one clause of that contract made betweene them and the Diuell) and
consecrate their childen vnto him: and against this, there is an
especiall caution put in _Deuteronomy 13. 6.9.10._
Sixtly, they deserue death as inhumane and barbarous tyrants, for
lingringly _vt sentiant se mori_, that they may feele how they doe decay
by degrees, seek the vtter ouerthrow of those whom they doe maligne: and
as a further appendix to this, oftentimes by the helpe of their grand
teacher, sowe discord betweene husband and wife, sollicite maydens, yea
enforce both them, and married women to vncleane, and vnlawfull lusts,
and heerein implore the helpe of the diuell, to accomplish their
malicious designes, which trangression is capitall.
Seuenthly, the exercise of this act or vanity is punishable by death,
although it be practised but onely in sport and ieast, which appeare
thus, because God hath seriously forbidden (and vnder no lesse
forfeiture of life it self) to aske counsell of a Soothsayer or
Coniurer; if this then be a crime of such nature, in those, who it may
bee heerein thought not to doe euill, ther is no reason to induce any to
thinke that hee will spare the wilfull, and purposed authors thereof,
and Magitians, who worke onely iuggling trickes, and illusions, and
fore-tell some future things, as yet vnknowne vntill they doe so fall
out, are not freed from the sentence condemnatorie, much more then those
who willingly, and vpon premeditated malice, murther or impaire the life
and good estate of other, deserue to stand paralell with them. And there
can no reson be yielded of this so sharp a censure, but onely because
they haue learned, and accordingly exercise vnlawfull arts, for
whosoeuer endeuoureth to bring that thing to passe, by pretending
naturall meanes, which exceedeth the power of Nature, and is now
thereunto enabled eyther by God, or the ministery of good Angells at his
appoyntment, hee must of necessity haue this faculty communicated by
some combination and inter league with the diuell.
Eightly, the Iudge or ciuil Magistrate is bound by vertue of that
office, and superioritie he sustaineth in the common-wealth, to purge
and free that place, in, and ouer which he hath command, of all
malefactors, which if he doe neglect, then is a double offender, against
the Law both of Iustice and Charity; for hee is obliged by duety to
foresee (so much as in him lyeth) that the publike state should be
secured, which it concerneth to haue offenders punished, otherwise hee
maketh himselfe partner with them in their outrages and offences, and
standeth answerable for those damages sustained by the whole bodie of
the people in generall, or vndergone by any particular of the same, for
sparing of the wicked[r] is hurting the good, and hee that doth not
represse and forbid euill (when it is in his power) doth countenance and
maintaine it.
[Footnote r: _Pythagoras apud Stobæum._]
Much more might be added, and many examples produced, to manifest, how
in all Nations these odious company of witches, and the like haue euer
beene accounted detestable; and for their impious deedes requited with
neuer dying shame, aud vtter confusion, and iustly by law executed; for
among the Romans, Mathematitians,[s] and Magitians by the Decree of the
Senate were expelled out of all Italy: and amongst these _Pituanus_ was
throwne downe from the rock _Tarpeius_, and crushed apeeces. _Martius_
by the Consuls put to death with the sound of a Trumpet without the gate
_Exquilina_: _Publicia_ and _Licinia_ women,[t] and seauenty more
witches hanged. The [u]speedy judgement of the Athenians, witnesse of
their hatred against these kinde of malefactors, is much commended, who
without any other solemnity of proceeding at the onely accusation of a
Maide, without delay put one _Lemnia_ a witch to death: and it is
memorable which _Ammianus[x] Marcellinus_ hath left in record, that one
_Hilarius_, because hee committed his sonne yong, and not of mature
yeares, to be taught and instructed vnto a Coniurer, was adjudged to
die, and escaping from the hands of the executioner, who had negligently
bound him, drawne by force out of the next church of the Christians to
which hee fled as vnto a Sanctuary, and executed.
[Footnote s: _Tacitus annalium li. 2. & consule Lipsium in suis ad
eum cõmentarijs._]
[Footnote t: _Valerius Maximus li. 6. ca 3. Remigius Dæmonolog.
l. 3. c. *_]
[Footnote u: _Demosthenes orat. 1. contra Aristogitonem._]
[Footnote x: _Libr. 16._ not farre from the beginning.]
The end of [y]_Varasolo_, a famous Inchantresse in Hungarie is
dreadfull, who for her sundry witcheries was cast into prison, and there
constrayned through extremity of hunger, to reare off and eate the flesh
of her owne legges and armes, and at the last, impatient of further
delay, there murthered herselfe, and shortned the span of her life.
[Footnote y: _Bonfinius rerum Hungaricarum decadis 2. libr. 2._]
But here I stay my hand, take it from the table, and the rather,
because much hath already beene spoken to this purpose. Wherefore, for
conclusion, I shut vp this whole Treatise with a remarkeable speech of a
noble [z]King; Let the streight rigor of law bee inflicted vpon all,
both practisers and partakers with wisards, by putting any confidence in
them; for it is vngodly for man to be remisse and fauourable vnto those
whom diuine piety, and our duety to God will not suffer vnpunished. For
what folly were it to forsake the Creator and Giuer of life, and to
follow the author of death? this dishonest fact, vnbeseeming, and
vtterly repugnant to the credite and reputation of a Iudge, be farre
from him. Let none countenance that which the Lawes doe condemne, for
all are by the Regall Edicts to bee punished with death, who intermeddle
with such forbidden and vnlawfull Artes.
[Footnote z: _Allaricus apud Cassiodorum li. 9 epist. 18. in qua
edictum illius:_ and _Cornelius Agrippa_, sometime more then well
acquainted with this Art, doth retract his owne books written of
secret philosophy, & in plaine tearms and expresly giues his
iudgement, that all these lewd women (for this title may include
the whole rabble of this blacke Guard) with _Iannes_ and
_Iambres_, and _Simon Magus_, are to be tormented with endlesse
paines in eternall fire. _Cornelius Agrippa De vanitate
Scientiarum ca. 48._]
_FINIS._
* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
[Typographic Errors and Anomalies:
"Witchcraft" / "Witch-craft"
The word occurs nine times with a hyphen, four times without, and
three times at line breaks. The three line-break occurrences have
been rendered here with hyphen. Capitalization is similarly varied.
Dæmonomania, lib. 2 cap. *
Irenæus contra hereses. lib. * cap. 9.
Aug de Ciuit. Dei, lib. * cap. 35
Remigius Dæmonolog. // l. 3. c. *
These text citations are either missing or illegible.
_Introduction_
--and voluntarily acknowledged after conference had with me
_text reads_ wit hme
_First Proposition_
Footnote a:
dangerous
_text reads_ dangerons
Footnote n:
...ta phrarmaka
_so in text_
Footnote hh:
Cicero ... de orato primo
_text reads_ de de
_Third Proposition_
Footnote a:
Iaquerius flagelli Hereticorum fascinariorum
_text reads_ fafcinariorum
Footnote e:
Ioh. Nider in præceptorio, præcepto 1. cap. 11.
_text reads_ ...præcepto 1. ca. p11.
Footnote f:
Weirus de præstigijs dæmonum
_so in original: elsewhere spelled_ Wierus
--that it not onely sufficed the thirst of his distressed Souldiers
_text reads_ dstiressed
--and altogether / incredible, as of _Ericus_
_text reads_ incredible (as of _with no close parenthesis_
--would seeme to be meere fictions
_text reads_ fictious
--But through the cooperation of the Diuell
_text reads_ thorugh
Footnote aa:
Iaquerius in flagello hereticorum fascinariorum
_text reads_ fafcinariorum
_Fourth Proposition_
--both _de esse_, and _de posse_, that there may be
_text reads_ that that
Footnote g:
Godelmannus de magia ... lib. 1. cap. 2. xº.8.9.10 &c.
_number illegible_
_Fifth Proposition_
Footnote e:
Multa exempl[e,] habet Bodinus
_so in original_
_Sixt(h) Proposition_
--the continuance, and the effect
_text reads_ coutinuance
Footnote g:
Ceolcenus
_so in original: misreading of handwritten "Cedrenus"?_
_Seventh Proposition_
--who commaunded that _Epicharis_
_text reads_ commannded
_spellings "command" and "commaund" are equally common in text_
Footnote a:
In Perkei ababboth.
_so in original_
--such things as be not fitting and conuenient
_text reads_ couenient
--vnto the Philistines
_catchword on previous page has "-stims"_
--Hitherto in some Propositions I haue set downe
_text reads_ Popositions
_Narrative of Mary Smith_
--being sent for to conferre with some learned and reuerend Diuines
_text reads_ Diuiues
--warrant a* foule sinne among Christians
_illegible letter: possibly "as foule sinne"
_Eight(h) Proposition_
--he had direction for the fit time and oportunity
_text reads_ opoortunity
_word occurs only once elsewhere; it is spelled "oportunity"_
Footnote aa:
Aquinas in summa secundæ quest. 96. articulo 4.
_text reads_ secundæ secundæ
--but either to signifie and expresse the conceits of the minde
_text reads_ bnt either
--As when _Paul_ reasoned before _F[oe]lix_ and _Drusilla_ his wife
_so in original: normal form of the name and word is "felix"_
Footnote hh:
Aug. confessionum
_text reads_ confessinum
_Ninth Proposition_
--then my God will do this and that for me
_text reads_ this aud that
[o], [p]
_footnote locations are conjectural: references missing from
text_]
[Problems in Text Citation and Greek Transcription:
_The html version of this text addresses these problems in greater
detail, and includes screen images of the more illegible passages._
_Preface_
Footnote d:
inuentas esse has artes +pros ap..ên eleeinôn anthrôpôn tôn rhadiôs
hupokleptomenôn eis tauta hupo tou diabolou.+ affirmat Cedrenus in
historiæ compendio.
_Reading unclear: +eleeinôn+ may be +helesin ôn+. The original
text was unavailable to me._
_First Proposition_
Footnote f:
eam aut[~e] +pentekên+ vocat Balsamon
_Correct form is +penthektên+_
Footnote t:
+kathaper empsuchou sômatos tôn spheôn exairetheisôn akreionas to
holon: houtôs ex historias ean arês tên alêtheian, to kataloipomenon
autês, anateles gignetai diêgêma+
_A more recent text (the 1893 Teubner) has +tôn opseôn
exairetheisôn achreioutai+ in place of +tôn spheôn exairetheisôn
akreionas+ and +anôpheles+ in place of +anateles+_
Footnote u:
+Kaionos idiotês eutheia+
_Reading unclear: +Kaiones+ may be meant for a contraction of
+kai aiones+. The original text was unavailable to me._
_Third Proposition_
Footnote m:
hippomenes fætæ semina legit equæ.
_A more recent text (the 1898 Teubner) has "hippomanes fetæ
semina legit equæ."_
Footnote u:
Nubilaque iudico...
_Modern texts such as the 1907 Teubner give VII. 202 as
"Nubilaque indico..." The word "iudico" does not fit the metre,
and may be typographic error._
+ouranothen katagontes...+
_The wording was reconstructed with the aid of the Loeb text,
which had no significant incompatible points_
_Fourth Proposition_
Footnote f:
...enormiter instigante si eius ob*quijs & arti magica obligauit...
_Reading unclear: may be abbreviation for 'obsequiis' or
'obloquiis'. The text could not be identified._
_Fifth Proposition_
Footnote i:
Hesiodus +ergôn kai hêmerôn+ lib. 1. D[e,]monas ait esse
+aera essamenous+.
_The text cited, Hesiod's _Works and Days_, is not divided into
books. The words occur in l. 125, bracketed in the Loeb edition._
Footnote s:
Sophocles in Trachinijs vocat +drun poluglôsson+, quia ut eius
Scholiastes interpretatur...
_The words occur in l. 1168. The scholia were unavailable to me._
_Eighth Proposition_
Footnote t:
Stromateon libr. 1. gestauit +duo daktôlious gegoêteumenous ouk
apothanô de homôs dolophonêtheis kai toi prosêmênantos tou psophou.+
_Reading unclear. The text (Clement of Alexandria, _Stromata_
bk. 1) was unavailable to me._
Footnote u:
Odissea 19. vulnus Vlyssis +Autolukou philoi paides dêsan
epistamenôs epaoidê de haima kelainon echethon.+
_The passage occurs at 19.455-458. The words are differently
arranged but are essentially the same._
Footnote gg:
+arxamenos legein ho kikerôn huperphuôs ekoinei+
_Plutarchus in Cicerone_
_A more recent text (the 191 Loeb) has +huperphuôs ekinei+.
The last word is largely illegible; +ekoinei+ is the best
guess._ ]