Wonders of the Invisible World, and A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New England Witches — 09. Enchantments Encountered, Part 7

S.

VII.

I was going to make one Venture more; that is, to offer some safe Rules, for the finding out of the Witches, which are at this day our accursed Troublers: but this were a Venture too _Presumptuous_ and _Icarian_ for me to make; I leave that unto those Excellent and Judicious Persons, with whom I am not worthy to be numbred: All that I shall do, shall be to lay before my Readers, a brief _Synopsis_ of what has been written on that Subject, by a Triumvirate of as Eminent Persons as have ever handled it.

I will begin with, AN ABSTRACT OF MR.

PERKINS'S WAY FOR

THE DISCOVERY OF WITCHES.

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 strait 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.

_ 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 dye, upon Suspicion, will take it on his Death, that such a 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, these two things: either that the party accused hath made a League with the Devil, or hath done some known practice 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 Enchantments, 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+.

_ This is the Substance of Mr. _Perkins_.

Take next the Sum of Mr. _Gaules_ Judgment about the Detection of Witches.

'1. Some Tokens for the Trial of Witches, are altogether unwarrantable.

Such are 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_, 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 these Evidences;_ I. By a witches _Mark_; which is upon 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 _Daemons_ 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.

_