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| | BOOKE I. The Discoverie Credulity |
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with witches (through distrust of gaines) that all is seene to be malice, follie, or
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avarice that hath beene practised against them. And whosoever shall search
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into this cause, or read the cheefe writers hereupon, shall find his words true.
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An objection | |
It will be objected, that we here in England are not now directed by the popes
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answered. | |
lawes; and so by consequence our witches not troubled or convented by the
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inquisitors Hæreticæ pravitatis. I answer, that in times past here in England, as in
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other nations, this order of discipline hath beene in force and use; although now
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some part of old rigor be qualified by two severall statutes made in the fift of
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Elizabeth, and xxxiii of Henrie the eight. Nevertheles the estimation of the
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omnipotencie of their words and charmes seemeth in those statutes to be some-
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what mainteined, as a matter hitherto generallie received; and not yet so looked
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into, as that it is refuted and decided. But how wiselie so ever the Parlement
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house hath dealt therin, or how mercifullie soever the prince beholdeth the
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cause: if a poore old woman, supposed to be a witch, be by the civill or canon
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lawe convented; I doubt, some canon will be found in force, not onelie to
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give scope to the tormentor, but also to the hangman, to exercise their offices
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upon hir. And most certaine it is, that in what point soever anie of these
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extremities, which I shall rehearse unto you, be mitigated, it is thorough the
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goodnesse of the Queenes Majestie, and hir excellent magistrates placed among
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us. For as touching the opinion of our writers therein in our age; yea in our
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owne countrie, you shall see it doth not onlie agree with forren crueltie, but
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surmounteth it farre. If you read a foolish pamphlet dedicated to the lord
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W. W. his | |
Darcy by W. W.> 1582. you shall see that he affirmeth, that all those tortures are
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booke, prin- | |
farre too light, and their rigor too mild; and that in that respect he impudentlie
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ted in Anno | |
exclameth against our magistrates, who suffer them to be but hanged, when
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Dom. 1582. | |
murtherers, & such malefactors be so used, which deserve not the hundreth
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part of their punishments. But if you will see more follie and lewdnes comprised
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in one lewd booke, I commend you to Ri. Ga. a Windsor man; who being a mad
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man hath written according to his frantike humor: the reading wherof may
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satisfie a wise man, how mad all these witchmoongers dealings be in this behalfe.
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CHAPTER IX.
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A conclusion of the first booke, wherein is fore-shewed the tyrannicall crueltie of witch-
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mongers and inquisitors, with a request to the reader to peruse the same.
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AND bicause it may appeare unto the world what trecherous and faithlesse
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dealing, what extreame and intollerable tyrannie, what grosse and fond
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absurdities, what unnaturall & uncivil discourtisie, what cancred and
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spitefull malice, what outragious and barbarous crueltie, what lewd and false
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packing, what cunning and craftie intercepting, what bald and peevish inter-
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pretations, what abhominable and divelish inventions, and what flat and plaine
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knaverie is practised against these old women; I will set downe the whole order
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of the inquisition, to the everlasting, inexcusable, and apparent shame of all
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witchmoongers. Neither will I insert anie private or doubtful dealings of theirs;
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or such as they can either denie to be usuall, or justlie cavill at; but such as are
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published and renewed in all ages, since the commensement of poperie estab-
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lished by lawes, practised by inquisitors, privileged by princes, commended by
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doctors, confirmed by popes, councels, decrees, and canons; and finallie be left
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of all witch moongers; to wit, by such as attribute to old women, and such like
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creatures, the power of the Creator. I praie you therefore, though it be tedious
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& intollerable (as you would be heard in your miserable calamities) so heare
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with compassion, their accusations, examinations, matters given in evidence,
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confessions, presumptions, interrogatories, conjurations, cautions, crimes,
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tortures and condemnations, devised and practised usuallie against them. |
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