Part 5 (2/2)
After this, being married vnto _Iames Scot_, a great Cat which kept with this Witch (of whose infernall both purposes and practises wee now speake) frequented their house; and vpon doing some scathe, her husband moued therwith, thrust it twice through with his sword: which notwithstanding those wounds receiued, ran away: then he stroke it with all his force vpon the head with a great pike staffe, yet could not kill her; but shee leapt after this vpward almost a yard from the boords of that chamber where she now was, and crept downe: which hee perceiuing, willed his lad (a boy of foureteene yeares) to dragge her to the muck-hill, but was not able; and therefore put her into a sacke, and being in the same, still moued and stirred. Whereupon they put her out againe, and cast her vnder a paire of staires, purposing in the morning, to get more helpe, and carry her away; but then could not be found, though all the doores that night were locked, and neuer heard what afterward became thereof.
Not long after, this Witch came forth with a Birchin broome, and threatned to lay it vpon the head of _Elizabeth Scot_, and defiled her cloathes therewith, as she swept the street before her shop doore, and that in the sight of her husband, who not digesting this indignity offered vnto his wife, threatned that if she had any such fits, as she endured being a Widow before marriage, hee would hang her. At this she clapped her hands, and said hee killed her Cat. And within two or three dayes after this enterchange of words betweene them, his wife was perplexed with the like paine and griefe at her heart, as formerly she had beene; and that for two dayes and a night: wherefore her husband went to this wrathfull and malicious person, a.s.suring that if his wife did not amend, hee would accuse her to the Magistirate, and cause the [a]rigor of the law to be executed vpon her, which is due to such malefactors. These things were done some three yeares sithence. The party troubled yet liueth, but in no confirmed health, nor perfect soundnesse of body.
[Footnote a: _Witches can by no meanes bee so easily brought to recall the mischiefe they haue done, as by threats and stripes.
Remigius in Daemonolatria, lib 3. c. 3._]
_Her wicked practises against Cicely Balye._
A third subiect whereupon this wrathfull womans anger wrought, was _Cicely Balye_, then seruant to _Robert Coulton_, now wife of _William Vaux_, who sweeping the street before her maisters doore vpon a Sat.u.r.day in the euening, _Mary Smith_ began to pick a quarrell about the manner of sweeping, and said vnto her she was a great fat-tail'd sow, but that fatnesse should shortly be pulled downe and abated. And the next night being Sunday immediatly following, a Cat came vnto her, sate vpon her breast, with which she was grieuously tormented, and so oppressed, that she could not without great difficulty draw her breath, and at the same instant did perfectly see the said _Mary_ in the chamber where she lay, who (as she conceiued) set that Cat vpon her, and immediatly after fell sicke, languished, and grew exceeding leane; and so continued for the s.p.a.ce of halfe a yeare together, during the whole continuance in her maisters seruice; vntill departing from him, she dwelt with one Mistres _Garoway_, and then began to bee amended in her health, and recouer of her former pining sicknesse: for this Witch had said, that so long as she dwelt neere her, she should not be well, but grow from euill to worse.
Thus euery light trifle (for what can be lesse then sweeping of a lttle dust awry?) can minister matter to set on fire a wrathfull indignation, and inflame it vnto desired reuenge, the Diuell being willing to apprehend and take hold vpon such an occasion, that so he might do some pleasing office to his bond-slaue, whom she adored in submisse manner, vpon her knees, with strange gestures, vttering many mumuring, broken, and imperfect speeches, as this _Cicely_ did both heare and see, there being no other part.i.tion between the chamber wherein shee performed these rites, and the house of her maister with whom she then dwelt, but only a thin seeling of boord, through a cranny or rift of whereof she looked, listned attentiuely vnto her words, and beheld diligently her behauiour, and might haue seene and heard much more, but that she was with the present spectacle so affrighted, that she hastened downe in much feare and distemper.
_Her wicked practise against Edmund Newton._
The fourth endammaged by this Hagge, was one _Edmund Newton_: the discontentment did arise from this ground; Because hee had bought seuerall bargaines of Holland cheese, and sold them againe, by which she thought her benefit to be somewhat impaired, vsing the like kinde of trading. The manner of her dealing with him was in this sort. At euery seuerall time buying Cheese he was grieously afflicted, being thrice, and at the last either she or a spirit in her likenesse did appeare vnto him, and whisked about his face (as he lay in bed) a wet cloath of very loathsome sauour; after which hee did see one cloathed in russet with a little bush beard, who told him hee was sent to looke vpon his fore legge, and would heale it; but rising to shew the same perceiuing hee had clouen feet, refused that offer, who then (these being no vaine conceits, or phantasies, but well aduised and diligently considered obseruances) suddenly vanished out of sight. After this she sent her Impes, a Toad, and Crabs crawling about the house, which was a shoppe planchered with boords, where his seruants (hee being a Shooemaker) did worke: one of which tooke that toad, put it into the fire, where it made a groaning noyse for one quarter of an houre before it was consumed; during which time _Mary Smith_ who sent it, did endure, (as was reported) torturing paines, testifying the felt griefe by her out-cryes then made.
The sicknesse which he first sustained, was in manner of a madnesse or phrensie, yet with some interposed release of extremity: so that for thirteene or foureteene weekes together hee would be of perfect memory, other times distracted and depriued of all sence. Also the ioynts and parts of his body were benummed, besides other pains and greifes from which hee is not yet freed, but continueth in great weakenesse, disabled to performe any labour, whereby hee may get sufficient and competent maintenance. And by the councel of some, sending for this woman by whom hee was wronged, that he might scratch her (for this hath gone as currant, and may plead prescription for warrant a* foule sinne among Christians to thinke one Witch-craft can driue out another) his nailes turned like feathers, hauing no strength to lay his hands vpon her.
And it is not improbable but that she had dealt no better with others then these aboue mentioned. For M^r _Thomas Yonges_ of London, Fishmonger, reported vnto me, that after the demand of a debt due vnto M^r _Iohn Mason_, Silkeman of the same Citie, whose Widow hee married, from _Henry Smith_ Glouer her husband, some execrations and curses being wished vnto him, within three or foure dayes (being then gone to Yarmouth in Norfolke vpon necessary businesse) there fell sicke, and was tortured with exceeding and ma.s.sacring griefes, which by no meanes (hauing vsed the aduise of sundry learned and experienced Physitians in Norwich) could in any part be mitigated, and so extraordinarily vexed thirteene moneths, was constrained to go on Crutches, not being able to feed himselfe, and amended not before this mischieuous woman was committed to prison (accused for other wickednesses of the like kinde) at which time (so neere as he could conjecture) he then receiued some release of his former paines, though at the present when hee made this relation, which was at Candlemas last past, had not perfectly recouered his wonted strength: for his left hand remained lame, and without vse.
But thus much by the way onely, omitting how before this accident a great Water-dogge ranne ouer his bed, the doore of the chamber where he lay being shut, no such one knowne (for carefull enquiry was made) either to haue been in that houfe where hee lodged, or in the whole Towne at any time.
I doe not insist vpon this, because shee did not nominate him or any other vnto vs, but onely those foure already expressed: and for the wrongs done to them, she craued mercy at G.o.ds hands, as for all other her sins, and in particular for that of Witch-craft, renounced the Diuell, embraced the mercies of G.o.d purchased by the obedience of Iesus Christ, and professed that her hope was onely by his suffering and pa.s.sion to bee saued. And all these, that is to say, her former grieuous offences committed against G.o.d, and his people, her defiance of the Diuell, and reposing all confidence of saluation in Christ Iesus alone, and his merits, she in particular maner confessed openly at the place of execution, in the audience of mult.i.tudes of people gathered together (as is vsuall at such times) to be beholders of her death. And made there also profession of her faith, and hope of a better life hereafter; and the meanes whereby she trusted to obtaine the same, as before, hath beene specified. And being asked, if she would be contented to haue a Psalm sung, answered willingly that she desired the same, and appointed it herselfe, _The Lamentation of a Sinner_, whose beginning is, _Lord turne not away thy face, &c_. And after the ending thereof thus finished her life: So that in the iudgement of charity we are to conceiue the best, and thinke shee resteth in peace, notwithstanding her heynous transgressions formerly committed: for there is no maladay incurable to the Almighty Physitian, _Esay 1. 18_ _Ezech. 33. 11_. Therefore _Caine_ did iniury to G.o.d, when conuicted of the barbarous and vnnaturall murther of his righteous brother, cryed out tht his sinne was greater then could be forgiuen, _Gen. 4. 13_ for _G.o.ds_ mercy is greater then mans misery can be. And euen for the like vnto this very fact, we haue a booke case, already adiudged, and ouer-ruled in those _Ephesians_, who brought their coniuring bookes, sacrificed them in the fire, aestimated at the [b]value of nine hundred pounds of our money, repented of their[c] sinnes, and obtained mercy, _Acts 19. vers. 19_.
[Footnote b: _Bud[e,]us de a.s.se. lib. 5._]
[Footnote c: The Ephesians were infamous for their Magicall practises, _Appollonius_ professing the same in the Citie, so that it grewe into a prouerb, +grammata Ephesia+ the Ephesian letters, which were certaine Characters and wordes, by vertue whereof they obtained good successe in all businesse, victory against others, euasion and escape from dangers; and as we reade in _Suidas_, a Milesian armed with these letters, ouer-came thirty Champions in the games of _Olimpus_, but being remoued by the Magistrate, hauing intelligence thereof, himselfe was subdued. Of these see _Athen[e,]us Deipnosophiston lib. 12._ _Hesichius_ in his _Lexicon._ _Plutarchus quaestionum conuiualium, lib 7. cap. 5_.]
-- _The eight Proposition, and first consequent._
Now then from this premised narration, these two corrollaries or consequents do necessarily follow.
It is not lawfull for any Christian to consult with a witch or wisard, or goe to them for helpe. G.o.d himselfe, whose commandement is and must be the rule of our life & direction hath forbidden it, _Leuit. 19. 31._ and _20. 6._ _Deuter. 18. 10.11_. And the Imperiall lawes, haue beene in this case verie respectiue.[a] Therefore, _Leo_ the Emperour straitly enioyneth, that none should resort vnto them, and stileth their aduice nothing but meere impostures and deceit; and in the [b]Decrees collected by _Gratian_, the teachers of the people are seriously exhorted to admonish them, that magicall arts and inchantments cannot heale any infirmity: and that they bee the dangerous snares, and subtilties of that ancient enemy of mankind, by which he indeuoureth to entangle them[c]: and these so streight and seuere prohibitions are not without iust and weighty cause. For,
[Footnote a: _Cod lib. 9. t.i.tulo 18. L. nullus & L. Nemo._]
[Footnote b: _Gratia.n.u.s decretorum parte 2. caus. 26. qu. 7._]
[Footnote c: _Danaeus in dialogo de sortiarijs cap. 6._]
First, wee must haue no commerce or dealing with the diuell, eyther directly and immediately, or mediately and indirectly; for we ought to haue our recourse to G.o.d alone in all distresses, and this is that which _Eliah_ spake with great indignation vnto the messengers of _Ahaziah_, who went to enquire of _Baal-zelub_, for the recouerie of their Lords health, _2. King. 1. 3_.[d] So that wee must not seeke to Sathan, or any of his ministers. For none can serue two maisters, _Matt. 6. 24_. But as religious _Iehosaphat_, when we know not what to doe, then lift vp our eyes to heauen, _2 Chron. 20. 12_.
[Footnote d: _Martinus de Arles in tractatu de superst.i.tionibus.
Iohannes Gerson de erroribus circa artem magicam articulo 5._]
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