Chapter 19

There is newly Published a Book (mentioned in the _Acta Eruditorum_) wherein the Author [39](_Wiechard Valvassor_) relates, that a _Venetian_ Jew instructed him (only he would not attend his Instructions) how to make a Magical Glass which should represent any Person or thing according as he should desire. If a Magician by an Inchanted Glass can do this, he may as well by the help of a Daemon cause false _Idaeas_ of Persons and Things to be impressed on the Imaginations of bewitched Persons; the Blood and Spirits of a Man, that is bitten with a Mad-Dog, are so envenomed, as that strange Impressions are thereby made on his Imagination: let him be brought into a Room where there is a Looking-Glass, and he will (if put upon it) not only say but swear that he sees a Dog, tho' in truth there is no Dog it may be within 20 Miles of him; and is it not then possible for the Dogs of Hell to poyson the Imaginations of miserable Creatures, so as that they shall believe and swear that such Persons hurt them as never did so? I have heard of an Inchanted Pin, that has caused the Condemnation and Death of many scores of innocent Persons. There was a notorious _Witchfinder_ in _Scotland_, that undertook by a Pin, to make an infallible Discovery of suspected Persons, whether they were Witches or not, if when the Pin was run an Inch or two into the Body of the accused Party no Blood appeared, nor any sense of Pain, then he declared them to be Witches; by means hereof my Author tells me no less then 300 persons were Condemned for Witches in that Kingdom. This Bloody Jugler after he had done enough in _Scotland_, came to the Town of _Berwick_ upon _Tweed_; an honest Man now living in _New-England_ assureth me, that he saw the Man thrust a great Brass Pin two Inches into the Body of one, that some would in that way try whether there was Witchcraft in the Case or no: the accused Party was not in the least sensible of what was done, and therefore in danger of receiving the Punishment justly due for Witchcraft; only it so happened, that Collonel _Fenwick_ (that worthy Gentleman, who many years since lived in _New-England_) was then the Military Governour in that Town; he sent for the Mayor and Magistrates advising them to be careful and cautious in their proceedings; for he told them, it might be an Inchanted Pin, which the Witchfinder made use of: Whereupon the Magistrates of the place ordered that he should make his Experiment with some other Pin as they should appoint: But that he would by no means be induced unto, which was a sufficient Discovery of the Knavery and Witchery of the Witchfinder. There is a strange Diabolical Energy goeth along with _Incantations_. If _Balak_ had not known that he would not have sent for _Balaam_, to see whether he could inchant the Children of _Israel_. The Scripture intimates that Inchantments will keep a Serpent from biting, _Eccles. 10.11._ A Witch in _Sweedland_ confessed, that the Devil gave her a wooden Knife; and that if she did but touch any living thing with that Knife, it would die immediately: And that there is a wonderful Power of the Devil attending things inchanted, we have confirmed by a prodigious Instance in Major _Weir_, a _Scotch_ Man: That wretched Man was a perfect Prodigy; a Man of great Parts; esteemed a Saint, yet lived in secret Uncleanness with his own Sister for thirty four Years together: After his wickedness was discovered, he did not seem to be troubled at any of his Crimes, excepting that he had caused a poor Woman to be publickly whipped, because she reported that she had seen him committing Bestiality; which thing was true, only the Woman could not prove it. This horrid Creature, if he had his _Inchanted Staff_ in his Hand could pray to admiration, and do extraordinary things, as is more amply related in the Postscript to Mr. _Sinclares_ his Book before mentioned: But if he had not his Inchanted Rod to lean upon, he could not transform himself into an Angel of Light: But by all these things we may conclude, that it is not impossible, but that a guilty Conjurer, that so he may render himself the less suspected, may by his Magical Art and Inchantment, cause innocent Persons to be represented as afflicting those whom the Devil and himself are the Tormentors of.

Arg. 5. _The Truth we affirm is so evident, as that many Learned and Judicious Men have freely subscribed unto it._

The memorable Relation of the Devils assuming the shape of an innocent Citizen in _Zurick_, is in the Judgment of that great Divine _Lud Lavater_, of weighty Consideration: And he declares, that he does therefore mention it, that so Judges might be cautelous in their Proceedings in Cases of this nature, inasmuch as the Devil does often in that way intangle innocent Persons, and bring them into great Troubles. His Words are, [40]_Hanc Historiam ideo recito, ut Judices, in hujusmodi, Casibus cauti sint: Diabolus enim hac via saepe innocentibus insidiatur._ He confirms what he saith by reciting a Passage out of _Alertus Granzius_, who writes that the Devil was seen in the shape of a Nobleman to come out of the Empress's Chamber: But to clear her Innocency, she (according to the superstitious _Ordeals_ then in fashion) walked blindfold over a great many of glowing hot Irons without touching any of them. _Voetius_ in his [41]Disputation of _Spectres_ proposeth that Question, whether the Devil may not untruly personate a Godly Man, and answers in the Affirmative: And withal adds, that it is a sufficient Argument (_ad hominem_) to answer the Papists with their own Histories, which give Instances of Satan's appearing in the Figure of Saints, nay of Christ himself. And in his Discourse concerning the _Operations of Daemons_[42] he has the like _Problem_, whether the Devil may not possibly put on the shape of a true Believer, a real Saint, not only of such as are dead, but still living, and answers, _Quidni?_ Why not? It is true Popish _Casuists_[43] do generally incline to the Negative in this Question: Nevertheless, the Instance of _Germanus_, who saw a Company of honest People represented by the Devil, as if they had been feasting together, when they were really asleep in their Beds, does a little puzzle them, so as that they are necessitated to take up with this Conclusion, [44]_That by an extraordinary Permission of God, innocent Persons may be represented by Satan in the Nocturnal Conventicles of Witches:_ And if so, much more as afflicting bewitched Persons. _Delrio_ giveth an account of an innocent Monk, whose Reputation was indangered by a _Daemon's_ appearing in his shape. He writes more like a Divine than Jesuits use to do, when he saith that, [45]_It is not absolutely to be denied, but that the Devils may exhibite the Forms of innocent Persons, if God permit it, who when he does permit it, usually by some Providence discovers the Fraud of the Devils, that so the Innocent may be vindicated, or if not, it is to bring them to repentance for some Sin, or to try their Patience._ It is rare to see such Words dropping from the Pen of a Jesuit: As for Protestant Writers, I cannot call to mind one of any Note, that does deny the Possibility of the Affirmative, in the Question before us. Dr. _Henkelius_ has lately [46]published a learned and elaborate Discourse concerning the right Method of curing such as are obsessed with _Cacodaemons_, in which he asserts, that _Satan may possibly assume the Form of innocent and pious Persons, that so he might thereby destroy their Reputations, and expose them to undue Punishments._ As for our _English_ Divines, there are not many greater _Casuists_ than Mr. _Perkins_; nor do I know any one that has written on the Case of Witchcraft with more Judgment and Clearness of Understanding: He has these Words,[47] "If a Man being dangerously sick and like to die upon suspicion, will take it on his death, that such an one has bewitched him, it is an allegation which may move the Judge to examine the Party, but it is of no moment for Conviction." The like is asserted by [48]Mr. _Cooper_, Mr. _Bernard_, (once a famous Minister at _Batcomb_ in _Somerset_) his Book called _A Guide to Grand Jury-men in Cases of Witchcraft_, is a solid and wise Treatise. What his Judgment was in the Case now under debate, we may see, _pag._ 209, 210. where his Words are these; "An Apparation of the Party suspected, whom the Afflicted in their Fits seem to see, is a great suspicion; yet this is but a presumption, tho' a strong one, because these Apparitions are wrought by the Devil, who can represent to the Phansie such as the Parties use to fear, in which his representation he may well lye as in his other Witness: For if the Devil can represent to the Witch a seeming _Samuel_, saying, I see Gods ascending out of the Earth, to beguile _Saul_, may we not think he can represent a common ordinary Person, Man or Woman unregenerate, tho' no Witch to the Phansie of vain Persons, to deceive them and others that will give Credit to the Devil." Thus Mr. _Bernard_.

As for the Judgment of the Elders in _New-England_, so far as I can learn, they do generally concur with Mr. _Perkins_, and Mr. _Bernard_. This I know, that at a Meeting of Ministers at _Cambridge_, _August 1. 1692._ where were present seven elders besides the President of the _Colledge_, the Question then discoursed on, was, _Whether the Devil may not sometimes have a Permission to represent an innocent Person as tormenting such as are under Diabolical Molestations?_ The Answer which they all concurred in, was in these words, _viz._ _That the Devil may sometimes have a Permission to represent an innocent Person as tormenting such as are under Diabolical Molestations; but that such things are rare and extraordinary, especially when such Matters come before Civil Judicatures:_ And that some of the most eminent Ministers in the Land, who were not at that Meeting are of the same Judgment, I am assured: And I am also sure, that in Cases of this nature the _Priest's Lips should keep Knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his Mouth_, _Mal. 2.7._

Arg. 6. _Our own Experience has confirmed the Truth of what we affirm._

I have in another Book given an account concerning _Elizabeth Knap_ of _Groton_, who complained that a Woman as eminent for Piety as any in that Town, did appear to her, and afflict her: But afterwards she was satisfied that that Person never did her any harm, but that the Devil abused them both. About two Years ago, a bewitched Person in _Chelmsford_ in her Fits, complained that a worthy good Man, a near Relation of hers did afflict her: So did she likewise complain of another Person in that town of known integrity and Piety.

I have my self known several of whom I ought to think that they are now in Heaven, considering that they were of good Conversation, and reputed Pious by those that had the greatest Intimacy with them, of whom nevertheless, some complained that their Shapes appeared to them, and threatned them: Nor is this answered by saying, we do not know but those Persons might be Witches: We are bound by the Rule of Charity to think otherwise: And they that censure any, meerly because such a sad Affliction as their being falsly represented by Satan has befallen them, do not do as they would be done by. I bless the Lord, it was never the portion allotted to me, nor to any Relation of mine to be thus abused: But no Man knoweth what may happen to him, since _there be just Men unto whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Wicked_, _Eccles. 8.14._ But what needs more to be said, since there is one amongst our selves whom no Man that knows him, can think him to be a Wizzard, whom yet some bewitched Persons complained of, that they are in his Shape tormented: And the Devils have of late accused some eminent Persons.

It is an awful thing which the Lord has done to convince some amongst us of their Error: This then I declare and testifie, that to take away the Life of any one, meerly because a _Spectre_ or Devil, in a bewitched or possessed Person does accuse them, will bring the Guilt of innocent Blood on the Land, where such a thing shall be done: Mercy forbid that it should, (and I trust that as it has not it never will be so) in _New-England_. What does such an Evidence amount unto more than this: Either such an one did afflict such an one, or the Devil in his likeness, or his Eyes were bewitched.

The things which have been mentioned make way for, and bring us unto the second Case, which is to come under our Consideration, _viz._

_If one bewitched is struck down at the Look or cast of the Eye of another, and after that recovered again by a Touch from the same Person, Is not this an infallible Proof, that the Person suspected and complained of is in League with the Devil?_

_Answer;_ It must be owned that by such things as these Witchcrafts and Witches have been discovered more than once or twice: And that an ill Fame, or other Circumstances attending the suspected Party, this may be a Ground for Examination; but this alone does not afford sufficient Matter for Conviction: As _Spectres_ or _Devils_ appearing in the Shapes of Men that have been murdered, declaring that they were murdered by such Persons and in such a place, may give just occasion to the Magistrate for Enquiry into the Matter: One great Witch-Advocate[49] confesseth, that by this means Murders have been brought to light; yet that alone, if other Circumstances did not concur, would not by the Law of God take away the Life of any Man. If my Reader pleaseth, he shall hear what old Mr. _Bernard_ of _Batcomb_ saith to a Case not unlike to this, and the former: His Words are these,[50] 'The naming of the suspected in their Fits, and also where they have been, and what they have done here or there, as Mr. _Throgmorton's_ Children could do, and that often and ever found true; this is a great Presumption: yet is this but a Presumption, because this is only the Devils Testimony, who can lie, and that more often than speak Truth. Christ would not allow his Witness of him in a point most true; nor St. _Paul_ in the due Praises of him and _Sylas_; his Witness then may not be received as sufficient in case of ones Life: He may accuse an Innocent, as I shewed before in Mr. _Edmund's_ giving over his Practice to find Stollen Goods; and Satan we read would accuse _Job_ to God himself to be an Hypocrite, and to be ready to be a Blasphemer, and he is called the Accuser of the Brethren. Albeit, I cannot deny but this has very often proved true, yet seeing the Devil is such an one as you heard, Christian Men should not take his Witness, to give in Verdict upon Oath, and so swear that the Devil has therein spoken the Truth; be it far from good men to confirm any Word of the Devil by Oath, if it be not an evident Truth without the Devil's Testimony, who in speaking the Truth, has a lying Intent, and speaks some Truths of things done, which may be found to be so, that he may wrap with them some pernicious Lye, which cannot be tried to be true, but must rest upon his own testimony to ensnare the Blood of the Innocent.' Thus Mr. _Bernard_ resolved the Case above sixty Years ago; and truly in my Opinion like a Wise and Orthodox Divine, what he says, reacheth both this and the former Case. Dr. _Cotta_ (a Learned Physician) in his Book, about _The Tryal of Witchcraft, shewing the true and right Method of the Discovery, with a Confutation of Erroneous ways_ (which Book he dedicates to the Right Honourable Sir _Edward Cook_, Lord Chief Justice of _England_,)[51] He discourses concerning _Exploration of Witches by the touch of the Witch curing the touched bewitched_, and sheweth the Fallibility and Vanity of that way of Tryal, tho' he had often seen Persons bewitched in that way immediately delivered from the present Fit or Agony which was upon them: But he taketh it to be a Diabolical Miracle. He argueth thus,[52] 'No Man can doubt but that the Vertue wherewith this touch was indued, is supernatural: If it be so, How can man to whom nothing is simply possible that is not natural be justly reputed an Agent therein? If he cannot be esteemed in himself any possible or true Agent, then it remaineth that he can only be interested therein as an Accessary in Consent, or as a Servant unto a Superior Power: If that Superior Power be the Devil, the least reasonable doubt, whether the Devil alone, or with the Consent or Contract of the suspected Person has produced that wonderful effect; with what Religion or Reason can any Man incline rather to credit the Devil's mouth in the Bewitched, than to pity the Accused, and believe them against the subtility of a deceitful Devil: If the Devil by Divine Permission may cause supernatural Concomitances and Consequences to attend the natural Actions of Men without their allowance, as is manifest in possessed Persons, how is it reasonable and just that the Impositions of the Devil should be imputed unto any Man: And (saith he) God forbid that the Devil's Signs and Wonders, nay his Truths should become any legal Allegations or Evidences in Law. We may therefore conclude it unjust, that the forenamed miraculous Effect by the Devil wrought and imputed by the Bewitched, should be esteemed an infallible mark against any Man, as therefore convinced for that the Devil and the Bewitched have so decyphered him!' Thus that Learned Man. But to the Case in hand, I have several things to offer.

1. _It is possible that the Persons in Question may be possessed with Cacodaemons:_ That bewitched Persons are many times really possessed with evil Spirits, is most certain. And as Mr. _Perkins_ observes, no Man can prove but that Witchcraft might be the Cause of many of those Possessions, which we read of in the Gospel: And that Devils have been immitted into the Bodies of miserable Creatures by Magicians and Witches, Histories and Experience do abundantly testifie. _Hierom_[53] relates concerning a certain Virgin, that a young Man, whose Amours she despised, prevailed with a Magician to send an evil Spirit into her, by means whereof she was strangely besotted. 'Tis reported[54] of _Simon Magus_, that after he had used an Hellish Sacrifice, to be revenged of some that had called him a great Witch, he caused infernal Spirits to enter into them. Many confessing Witches have acknowledged, that they were the Cause of such and such Persons being possessed of evil Angels, as [55]_Thyraeus_ and others have observed: Now no Credit ought to be given to what _Daemons_ in such as are by them obsessed shall say. Our Saviour by his own unerring Example has taught us not to receive the Devil's Testimony in any thing. The Papists are justly condemned for bringing Diabolical Testimony to confirm the Principles of their Religion. _Peter Cotton_ the Jesuite[56] enquired of the Devil in a possessed Person, what was the clearest Scripture to prove Purgatory. At the time when _Luther_ died, all the possessed People in the _Netherlands_ were quiet: The Devils in them, said the Reason was, because _Luther_[57] had been a great Friend of theirs, and they owed him that respect as to go as far as _Germany_ to attend his Funeral. Another time when there was a talk of some Ministers of the Reformed Religion, the Devils in the Obsessed laughed and said, they were not at all afraid of them, for the _Calvinists_ and they were very good Friends. The Jesuits insult with these Testimonies as if they were Divine Oracles: But the Father of Lyes is never to be believed: He will utter twenty great truths to make way for one lye: He will accuse twenty Witches, if he can but thereby bring one innocent Person into trouble: He mixeth Truths with Lyes, that so those truths giving credit unto lyes, Men may believe both, and so be deceived: And whereas some say, that the Persons in question are only bewitched and not possessed, let it be considered that possessed Persons are called _Energumens_ from #ERGOMAI# _Agitor_: They whose Bodies are preternaturally agitated, so as to be in danger of being thrown into the Fire, or into the Water, though they may be bewitched, are undoubtedly possessed with _Daemons_, _Mark 9.22, 25._ Learned Men[58] give it as a most certain sign of Possession, when the afflicted Party can see and hear that which no one else can discern any thing of, and when they can discover [59]secret things, _Acts 6.16._ past, or future, [60]as a possessed Person in _Germany_ foretold the War which broke out in the Year, 1546. And when the Limbs of miserable Creatures, are bent and disjointed so as could not possible be without a Luxation of Joints, were it not done by a preternatural Hand, and yet no hurt raised thereby that argueth Possession. Also, when Persons are by the Devil cast into Fits, in the which they speak of things, that afterwards they have no remembrance of,[61] or, if they are by cruel Devils tortured, so as to cause horrendous Clamours in the distressed Sufferers, that's another sign of Obsession by evil Spirits: If all these things concur in the Persons concerning where the Question is, we may conclude them to be _Daemoniacks_: And if so, no _Juror_ can with a safe Conscience look on the Testimony of such, as sufficient to take away the Life of any Man.

2. _Falling down by the cast of an Eye proceeds not from a natural, but an arbitrary Cause;_[62] not from any Poyson in the Eye of the Witch, but from the Agency of some _Daemon_: The opinion of Fascination by the Eye is an old Fable, and (saith Mr. _Perkins_) as fond as old. _Pliny_[63] speaks of a People that killed folks by looking on them; and he adds, that they had two Apples in each Eye: and _Tully_ writes of women who had two Apples in one Eye that always did mischief with their meer looks; so _Ovid_, _Pupula duplex fulminat._ And _Plutarch_[64] writes that some persons have such a Poyson in their Eyes, as that their Friends and Familiars are Fascinated thereby; nay he speaks of one that Bewitched himself sick by looking on his own Face in a Glass: Others write of Fascination by a meer Prolation of Words; and for ought I know, there may be as much Witchery in the Tongue as there is in the Eye. _Sennertus_[65] has discovered the Superstition of these Fancies; Sight does not proceed from an Emission of Rays from the Eye, but by a reception of the visible Species; and if it be (as Philosophers conclude) an innocent Action and not an Emission of optick Spirits, so that sight as such, does receive something from the Object, and not act upon it, the Notion of Fascination by the Eye is unphilosophical: It is true, that sore Eyes will affect those that look upon them, _Dum spectant Oculi Laesos, Leduntur & ipsi_, for which a natural Reason is easily to be assigned; but if the Witches Eyes are thus infected with a natural Contagion, Whence is it, that only Bewitched Persons are hurt thereby? If the vulgar Error concerning the _Basilisks_ killing with the Look of his Poysonful Eye were a Truth, whatever person that Serpent cast his Eye upon would be poysoned. So if Witches had a physical Venom in their Eyes, others as well as Fascinated Persons would be sensible thereof; there is as much Truth in this fancy of Physical Venom in the Eye of a Witch, as there is in what _Pliny_[66] and others relate concerning the _Thibians_, _viz._ that they have two Apples in one Eye, and the Effigies of an Horse in the other Eye; and that they are a people that cannot be drowned.

3. _As for that which concerns the Bewitched Persons being recovered out of their Agonies by the Touch of the suspected Party, it is various and fallible._