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Wrist which he saw, but could not catch; and the likeness of a Blackmore Child did appear from under the Rugg and Blanket, where the Man lay, and it would rise up, fall down, nod & slip under the clothes when they endeavoured to clasp it, never speaking any thing.

Neither were there many Words spoken by Satan all this time, only once having put out their Light, they heard a scraping on the Boards, and then a Piping and Drumming on them, which was followed with a Voice, singing Revenge! Revenge! Sweet is Revengel And they being well terrified with it, called upon God; the issue of which was, that suddenly with a mournful Note, there were six times over uttered such expressions as Alas! Alas! me knock no more! me knock no more! and now all ceased.

PROBATION OF WITCHES BY COLD WATER

There is another Case of Conscience which may here be enquired into, viz. Whether it be lawful to bind persons suspected for Witches, and so cast them into the Water, in order to making a discovery of their innocency or guiltiness; so as that if they keep above the Water, they shall be deemed as confœderate with the Devil, but if they sink they are to be acquitted from the crime of Witchcraft. As for this way of purgation it cannot be denied but that some learned men have indulged it. King JAMES approveth of it, in his Discourse of Witch-craft B. 3. Chap. 6. supposing that the water refuseth to receive Witches into its Bosom, because they have perfidiously violated their Covenant with God, confirmed by Water in Baptism. Kornmannus and Scribonius do upon the same ground justifie this way of tryal. But a worthy Casuist of our own, giveth a judicious Reply to this supposal, viz. that all Water is not the Water of Baptism, but that only which is used in the very act of Baptism. Moreover, according to this notion the Proba would serve only for such persons as have been Baptized. Wierus and Bodinus have written against this Experiment. So hath Hemmingius; who saith, that it is both superstitious and ridiculous. Likewise, that Learned Physitian John Heurnius has published a Treatise, which he calls, Responsum ad supremam curiam Hollandiæ, nullum esse æquæ innatationem lamiarum indicium. That Book I have not seen, but I find it mentioned in Meursius his Athena Batava. Amongst English Authors, Dr. Cott hath endeavoured to shew the unlawfulness of using such a practice. Also

Mr. Perkins is so far from approving of this probation by cold water, as that he rather inclines to think that the persons who put it in practice are themselves after a sort practisers of Witch-craft. That most Learned, Judicious, and Holy Man, Gisbertus Voetius in his forementioned Exercitation de Magia, P. 573. endeavours to evince that the custom of trying Witches by casting them into the Water is unlawful, a Tempting of God, and indirect Magic. And that it is utterly unlawful, I am by the following Reasons, convinced:

1. This practice has no Foundation in nature, nor in Scripture. If the Water will bear none but Witches, this must need proceed either from some natural or some supernatural cause. No natural cause is or can be assigned why the bodies of such persons should swim rather than of any other. The Bodies of Witches have not lost their natural Properties, they have weight in them as well as others. Moral changes and viceousness of mind, make no alteration as to these natural proprieties which are inseparable from the body. Whereas some pretend that the Bodies of Witches are possessed with the Devil, and on that account are uncapable of sinking under the water; Malderus his reply is rational, viz. that the Allegation has no solidity in it, witness the Gadarens Hoggs, which were no sooner possessed with the Devil but they ran into the Water, and there perished. But if the experiment be supernatural, it must either be Divine or Diabolical. It is not divine; for the Scripture does no where appoint any such course to be taken to find out whether persons are in league with the Devil or no. It remains then that the experiment is Diabolical. If it be said, that the Devil has made a compact with Wizards, that they shall not be drowned, and by that means that Covenant is discovered; the Reply is, we may not in the least build upon the Devils word. By this Objection the matter is ultimately resolved into a Diabolical Faith. And shall that cast the scale, when the lives of men are concerned? Suppose the Devil saith these persons are Witches, must the Judge therefore condemn them? 2. Experience hath proved this to be a fallacious way of trying Witches, therefore it ought not to be practised. Thereby guilty persons may happen to be acquitted, and the innocent to be condemned. The Devil may have power to cause supernatation on the water in a person that never made any compact with him. And many times known and convicted Wizards have sunk under the

water when thrown thereon.

In the Bohemian History mention is made of several Witches, who being tried by cold water were as much subject to submersion as any other persons. Delrio reports the like of another Witch. And Godelmannus speaks of six Witches in whom this way of trial failed. Malderus saith It has been known that the very same persons being often brought to this probation by Water, did at one time swim and another time sink; and this difference has sometimes hapned according to the different persons making the experiment upon them; in which respect one might with greater reason conclude that the persons who used the experiment were Witches, then that the persons tried were so.

3. This way of purgation is to be accounted of, like other provocations or appeals to the Judgement of God, invented by men: such as Camp-fight, Explorations by hot water, &c. In former times it hath been customary (and I suppose tis so still among the Norwegians) that the suspected party was to put his hand into scalding water, and if he received no hurt thereby then he was reputed innocent; but if otherwise, judged as guilty. Also, the trial by fire Ordeal has been used in our Nation in times of Darkness. Thus Emma the Mother of King Edward the Confessor, was led barefoot and blindfold over certain hot irons, and not hapning to touch any of them, was judged innocent of the crime which some suspected her as guilty of. And Kunegund Wife to the Emperour Henry II. being accused of Adultery, to clear her self, did in a great and honourable Assembly take up seven glowing irons one after another with her bare hand, and had no harm thereby. These bloody kind of Experiments are now generally banished out of the World. It is pity the Ordeal by cold water is not exploded with the other.

4. This vulgar probation (as it useth to be called) was first taken up in times of Superstition, being (as before was hinted of other Magical Impostures) propagated from Pagans to Papists, who would (as may be gathered from Bernards 66 Serm. in Cantica) sometimes bring those that were under suspicion for Heresie unto their Purgation in this way. We know that our Ancestors, the old Pagan Saxons had amongst them four sorts of Ordeal (i.e. Trial or Judgement as the Saxon word signifies) whereby when sufficient proof was wanting, they sought (according as the Prince of darkness had instructed them) to find out the truth concerning suspected persons, one of which

Ordeals was this, the persons surmised to be guilty, having Cords tied under their Arms, were thrown with it into some River, to see whether they would sink or swim. So that this Probation was not originally confined to Witches, but others supposed to be Criminals were thus to be tried: but in some Countries they thought meet thus to examine none but those who have been suspected for familiarity with the Devil. That this custom was in its first rise superstitious is evident from the Ceremonies of old used about it. For the Proba is not canonical, except the person be cast into the Water with his right hand tied to his left foot. Also, by the Principle which some approvers of this Experiment alledge to confirm their fansies; their Principle is, Nihil quod per Necromantian fit, potest in aqua fallere aspectum intuentium. Hence William of Malmsbury, Lib. 2. P. 67. tells a fabulous Story (though he relates it not as such) of a Traveller in Italy that was by a Witch transformed into an Asse, but retaining his humane understanding would do such feats of activity, as one that had no more wit than an Asse could not do; so that he was sold for a great price; but breaking his Halter he ran into the Water, and thence was instantly unbewitched, and turned into a Man again. This is as true as Lucian's Relation about his own being by Witchcraft transformed into an Asse; and I suppose both are as true as that cold water will discover who are Witches. It is to be lamented, that Protestants should in these days of light, either practise or plead for so Superstitious an Invention, since Papists themselves have of later times been ashamed of it. Verstegan in his Antiquities, Lib. 3. P. 53. speaking of the trials by Ordeal, and of this by cold water in particular, has these words; These aforesaid kinas of Ordeals, the Saxons long after their Christianity continued: but seeing they had their beginnings in Paganism and were not thought fit to be continued amongst Christians; at the last by a Decree of Pope Stephen II. they were abolished. Thus he. Yea, this kind of trial by Water, was put down in Paris A. D. 1594. by the supream Court there. Some learned Papists have ingenuously acknowledged that such Probations are Superstitious. It is confessed that they are so by Tyraus, Binsfeldius, Delrio, and by Malderus de magia, Tract. 10. Cap. 8. Dub. II. who saith, that they who shall practise this Superstition, and pass a judgement of Death upon any persons on this account, will (without repentance) be found guilty of Murder before God.

COTTON MATHER

FROM

THE WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD

THE TRIAL OF BRIDGET BISHOP: ALIAS, OLIVER.

AT THE COURT OF OYER AND TERMINER HELD AT SALEM. JUNE 2. 1692. I. She was Indicted for Bewitching of several persons in the Neighbourhood, the Indictment being drawn up, according to the Form in such Cases Usual. And pleading, Not Guilty, there were brought in several persons, who had long undergone many kinds of Miseries, which were preternaturally Inflicted, and generally ascribed unto an horrible Witchcraft. There was little Occasion to prove the Witchcraft; it being Evident and Notorious to all Beholders. Now to fix the Witchcraft on the Prisoner at the Bar, the first thing used was, the Testimony of the Bewitched; whereof, several Testify'd, That the Shape of the Prisoner did oftentimes very grievously pinch them, choak them, Bite them, & Afflict them; urging them to write their Names in a Book, which the said Spectre called, Ours. One of them did further Testify, that it was the Shape of this Prisoner, with another, which one Day took her from her Wheel, and carrying her to the River side, threatned there to Drown her, if she did not Sign to the Book mentioned: which yet she refused. Others of them did also Testify, that the said Shape, did in her Threats, brag to them, that she had been the Death of sundry persons, then by her Named; that she had Ridden a man, then likewise Named. Another Testify'd, the Apparition of Ghosts unto the Spectre of Bishop, crying out, You Murdered us! About the Truth whereof, there was in the matter of Fact, but too much Suspicion.

II. It was Testify'd, That at the Examination of the Prisoner, before the Magistrates, the Bewitched were extreamly Tortured. If she did but cast her Eyes on them, they were presently struck down; and this in such a manner as there could be no Collusion in the Business. But upon the Touch of her Hand upon them, when they lay in their Swoons, they would immediately Revive; and not upon the Touch of any ones else. Moreover, upon some Special Actions of her Body, as the shaking of her Head, or the Turning of her Eyes, they presently and painfully fell into the like postures. And many

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