Part 5 (1/2)
[Footnote c: _Tertul. in Apologet. Crinitus de doctrina Christiana lib. 9. cap. 8._]
First, they are by nature credulous, wanting experience, and therfore more easily deceiued.
Secondly, [d]they harbour in their breast a curious and inquisitiue desire to know such things as be not fitting and conuenient, and so are oftentimes intangled with the bare shew and visard of goodnesse. As the Lady of Rome, who was importune, and vehemently instant vpon her husband, to know what was debated of that day at the Councell Table. And when he could not be at rest, answered, The Priests had seene a Larke flying in the aire with a golden Helmet on his head, and holding a speare in his foot. Scarce she had this, but presently she told it to one of her maids: she to another of her fellowes, so that report was spread through the whole Citie, and went for currant vntill it receiued a checke: But all are not of this mould.
[Footnote d: _Binfeldius de confessionibus maleficorum. Peucerus de pr[e,]cipius diuinationum generibus in t.i.tulo de +theomanteia+ Martinus de Arles._]
Thirdly, their complection is softer, and from hence more easily receiue the impressions offered by the Diuell; as when they be instructed and gouerned by good Angels, they proue exceeding religious, and extraordinarily deuout; so consenting to the suggestions of euill spirits, become notoriously wicked, so that there is no mischiefe aboue that of a woman, _Eccles. 25. 13._ &c.
Fourthly, in them is a greater facility to fall, and therefore the Diuell at the first took that aduantage, and set vpon _Eue_ in _Adams_ absence, _Genes. 3. 3_.
Fifthly, this s.e.x, when it conceiueth wrath or hatred against any, is vnplacable, possessed with vnsatiable desire of reuenge, and transported with appet.i.te to right (as they thinke) the wrongs offered vnto them: and when their power herein answereth not their will, and are meditating with themselues how to effect their mischieuous proiects and designes, the Diuell[e] taketh the occasion, who knoweth in what manner to content exulcerated mindes, windeth himselfe into their hearts, offereth to teach them the meanes by which they may bring to pa.s.se that rancor which was nourished in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and offereth his helpe and furtherance herein.
[Footnote e: _Exemplum apud Binfeldium reperies de confessionibus maleficorum, pag. 32._]
Sixthly, they are of a slippery tongue, and full of words: and therefore if they know any such wicked practises, are not able to hold them, but communicate the same with their husbands, children, consorts, and inward acquaintance; who not consideratly weighing what the issue and end thereof may be, entertaine the same, and so the poyson is dispersed.
Thus _Dalilah_ discouered her husbands strength where it lay, vnto the Philistines; and procured his infamous and disastrous ouer-throw.
_Judg. 16. 18._
Hitherto in some Propositions I haue set downe the originall of witch-craft, and other such curious and vnlawfull Arts, the quality of the persons agents in the same, the power of the Diuell, and his confederates, the league of a.s.sociation which enterchangeably pa.s.seth betweene them, his a.s.suming a body, and framing a voice for the performance of that businesse; that women, and why, are most subiect to this h.e.l.lish practice.
Now the truth of all these shall appeare by exemplary proofes in the Narration following.
A true Narration of some of those _Witch-crafts which _Marie_ wife of_ Henry Smith Glouer did practise, and of the _hurts she hath done vnto sundry persons by the same:_ confirmed by her owne Confession, and from the publike _Records of the examination of diuers vpon their oaths: of her death, and execution for the same, which _was on the twelfth day of Ianuarie_ _last past._
_Marie_ wife of _Henrie Smith_, Glouer, possessed with a wrathfull indignation against some of her neighbours, in regard that they made gaine of their buying and selling Cheese, which shee (vsing the same trade) could not doe, or they better (at the least in her opinion) then she did, often times cursed them, and became incensed with vnruly pa.s.sions, armed with a setled resolution, to effect some mischieuous proiects and designes against them. The diuell who is skilfull, and reioyceth of such an occasion offered and knoweth how to stirre vp the euill affected humours of corrupt mindes (she becomming now a fitte subject, through this her distemper, to worke vpon, hauing the vnderstanding darkened with a cloude of pa.s.sionate, and reuengefull affections) appeared vnto her amiddes these discontentments, [Sidenote: Proposition 4.]
in the shape of a blacke man, and willed that the she should continue in her malice, enuy, hatred, banning and cursing; and then he would be reuenged for her vpon all those to whom she willed euill: [Sidenote: Proposition 5.]
and this promise was vttered in a lowe murmuring and hissing voyce: and at that present they entred tearmes of a compact, he requiring that she should forsake G.o.d, and depend vpon him: to which she condescended in expresse tearmes, renouncing G.o.d, and betaking herselfe vnto him. I am sparing by anie amplification to enlarge this, but doe barely and nakedly rehea.r.s.e the trueth, and number of her owne words vnto mee.
After this hee presented himselfe againe at sundry times, and that to this purpose (as may probably bee coniectured) to hold her still in his possession, who was not able, eyther to looke further into these subtilties, then the superficiall barke thereof, or not discouer the depth of his designements, and in other formes, as of a mist, and of a ball of fire, with some dispersed spangles of blacke; and at the last in prison (after the doome of iudegement, and sentence of condemnation was pa.s.sed against her) two seuerall times, in that figure as at the first: only at the last he seemed to haue a paire of horns vpon his head, and these as shee came downe from her chamber, being sent for to conferre with some learned and reuerend Diuines, by whose prayers and instructions she might be brought to the sight and confession of her grieuous offences, be regained and rescued out of his hands, brought to repentance, and the fauour of G.o.d, a.s.sured hope of mercie, and eternall life, and at these times he wished her to confesse nothing to any of them, but continue constant in her made promise, rely vpon him, and hee would saue her. This was too high a straine aboue his reach to haue made it good, and a note of his false descant, who hauing compa.s.sed this wretched woman, brought her to a shamefull and vntimely end; yet doing nothing herein contrary to his malicious purposes, for hee was a murtherer from the beginning, _Iohn 8. 44_. Now then, to descend to particulars, and the effects of this h.e.l.lish a.s.sociation made.
Being thus joyned and linked together in a reciprocall league, he beginneth to worke for her, in procuring the mischiefe of those whom she maligned, whereof these few acknowleged by her selfe, may yeeld some taste of more, though concealed.
-- _Her wicked practise against Iohn Orkton._
The first who tasted of the gall of her bitternes was _Iohn Orkton_ a Sailer, and a man of strong const.i.tution of body, who about some fiue yeares sithence, returning out of Holland in the Netherland, or low Countries beyond the Seas, hapened, for some misdemeanors committed by him to strike the sonne of this _Mary Smith_ (but in such sort as could not in reason bee offensiuely taken) who hearing his complaint, came forth into the streete, cursing and banning him therefore, as oftentimes shee did, dwelling in the next adioyning house, and wished in a most earnest and bitter manner, that his fingers might rotte off; wherevpon presently hee grew weake, distempered in stomacke, and could digest no meate, nor other nourishment receiued, and this discrasie or feeblenesse continued for the s.p.a.ce of three quarters of a yeare; which time expired, the fore-mentioned griefe fel downe from the stomacke into his hands and feete, so that his fingers did corrupt, and were cut off; as also his toes putrified & consumed in a very strange and admirable manner. Neuerthelesse, notwithstanding these calamities, so long as hee was able, went still to Sea, in the goods and s.h.i.+ppes of sundry Merchants (for it was his onely meanes of liuing) but neuer could make any prosperous voyage (as then other men did) eyther beneficiall to the Owners, or profitable to him selfe. Whereupon, not willing to bee hindrance to others, and procure no good for his owne maintenance by his labours, left that trade of life, and kept home, where his former griefe encreasing, sought to obtaine help and remedie by Chirurgery, and for this end went to Yarmouth, hoping to be cured by one there, who was accompted very skilfull: but no medicines applyed by the Rules of Arte and Experience, wrought any expected or hoped for effect: for both his hands and feete, which seemed in some measure euery euening to be healing, in the morning were found to haue gone backeward, and growne far worse then before: So that the Chirurgian perceiuing his labour to bee wholly frustrate, gaue ouer the cure, and the diseased patient still continueth in a most distressed and miserable estate, vnto the which hee was brought by the h.e.l.lish practises of this malitious woman, who long before openly in the streetes, (whenas yet the neighbours knew of no such thing) reioycing at the calamity, said, _Orkton_ now lyeth a rotting. And no maruell though she could tell that which herselfe had done, and her good maister would not suffer to be concealed, but that the testimony of her owne tongue should remayne as a record towardes her further detection and condemnation, who sought meanes of her voluntary accord to be reconciled with the wofull distressed party, but this was nothing else but to plaister ouer and disguise her former inhumane and barbarous actions, for no reliefe at all followed thereof: for oftentimes, as hath beene prooued, the diuells and witches his [Sidenote: Propositi 3.]
instruments doe cause such diseases, which neyther the one, nor the other can remoue againe. And this is not any vaporous imagination, but a most vndoubted trueth. For now this poore man continueth still in a lamentable estate, griefe, and paines encreasing, without hope of helpe, except G.o.d in the abundance of his tender mercies vouchsafe to grant comfort and deliuerance.
-- _Her Wicked practise against Elizabeth Hanc.o.c.ke_
The second person distressed, by this witch, was _Elizabeth Hanc.o.c.ke_, then widdow, now wife of _Iames Scot_: the maner, occasion, and proceeding of whose dealing against her was thus. She comming out of the towne from the shoppe of one _Simon Browne_ a Silkeman, vnto whom she had carried home some worke, which was by him put out vnto her; _Henry Smith_, as shee pa.s.sed by his doore, tooke her by the hand, and smilingly said, that his ducke (meaning his wife, this woman of whome we now speake) told him that shee had stolne her henne; which wordes she then pa.s.sed ouer, as onely spoken in merriment, and denying the same: in the meane time, as they were interchanging these words, shee came herselfe, and directly charged her with the henne, and wished that the bones thereof might sticke in her throat, when she should eate the same: which speech also she made no great reckoning of, supposing them to be but words of course, and might bee vttered in jeast. Neuerthelesse, afterward better considering of the same, conceiued much griefe, to bee counted one of so euill quality and disposition, and espying that hen for which she was accused, to sit vpon the hatch of her shoppe doore, went to her, and mooued with the indignity of that slaunder, and vniust imputation, told her in some pa.s.sion and angry manner, that it was a dishonest part thus to blemish the good name of her neighbors with so vntrue aspersions: whereupon, breaking foorth in some violence, she wished the pox to light vpon her, and named her prowde _Iinny_, prowde flurts, and shaking the hand, bade her go in, for she should repent it; and the same night, within three or foure houres after these curses and imprecations vttered, she was taken and pinched at the heart, and felt a sodaine weaknesse in all the parts of her body; yet her appet.i.te to meare nothing diminished, and so continued for the s.p.a.ce of three weekes; in which time, when she was any thing well, would come to the doore, and leane vpon the stall, whom this _Marie Smith_ seeing, did euer banne, adding the former curse, the poxe light vpon you, can you yet come to the doore? and at the end of these three weekes, beeing but very weake, came foorth as shee vsed to doe, to take the ayre, this mischieuous woman most bitterly cursed her againe, whereupon she went into the house, fell into such a torturing fit, and nipping at the heart, that she fainted, hardly recouerable for the s.p.a.ce of halfe an houre, and so grieuously racked and tormented through all parts of her body, as if the very flesh had beene torne from the bones, by the violent paine whereof she could not refraine, but tore the haire from off her head, and became as one distraught, bereaued of sence, and vnderstanding: And the same night the bed whereon she lay, was so tossed, and lifted vp and downe, both in her owne feeling, and in the sight of others then present beholders of her extreamities, by the s.p.a.ce of one houre or more, that she was therewith exceedingly terrified, & did thinke oftentimes in her sleepe, that she did see this _Marie Smith_ standing before her. And this fit continued sixteene houres, during which pa.s.sion _Edward Drake_ her father came to the Towne, touched with griefe for this torture of his daughter (as parents hearts are relenting and tender, and naturall compa.s.sion is soone stirred vp in them) tooke her vrine, went to one for his aduice (whose fact herein is no way iustifiable, and argued but a small measure of religion, and the knowledge of G.o.d in him) who first tolde vnto him the cause of his comming, that is, to seeke help for his daughter, and then added, that she was so farre spent, that if hee had stayed but one day longer, the woman who had wronged her, would haue spent her heart, and so become vnrecouerable, and thereupon shewed him her face in a Gla.s.se; and further, opened the beginning cause of falling out, which was for a hen, which before this, _Drake_ neyther knew nor heard of, and then gaue his counsell for remedy, which was the matter sought for & desired, & that was in this order. To make a cake with flower from the Bakers, & to mix the same instead of other liquor, with her own water, and bake it on the harth, wherof the one halfe was to be applyed and laid to the region of the heart, the other halfe to the back directly opposit; & further, gaue a box of ointment like triacle, which must be spread vpon that cake, and a powder to be cast vpon the same, and certaine words written in a paper, to be layd on the likewise with the other, adding this caueat, that if his daughter did not amend within six houres after the taking of these receits, then there was no health or recouery to be looked for: & further, wished silence to be kept herein, for the wom who had done this, would know any thing.
And being thus furnis.h.i.+ng with instructions, and returning home, as shee alighted from his horse to enter into that house where his daughter lay (being the next vnto _Mary Smiths_) shee then stood leaning ouer her shop window, whom hee knew to be that person, which was shewed vnto him, and she cursed him pa.s.sing by, and told his daughter that her Father had beene with a Wisard. And the next day following after they had put in practise the directions giuen, she affirmed to diuers of the neighbours, that _Drake_ the afflicted womans father, had beene to aske counsell, and made a Witch Cake, but shee would learne how they came to haue that knowledge: yet for the present she found helpe, and was freed from the languis.h.i.+ng and other conflicts wherewith she was a.s.saulted by the s.p.a.ce of sixe weekes.