them; at stated times of the day they suck her blood, through teats on different parts of her body: these on inspection appear red and raw. Feeding, suckling, or rewarding these imps, was by law declared felony.

There are, it is held, three sorts of witches. The first can hurt, but not help these, from their diabolical qualities, are called Black Witches. The second sort can help, but not hurt: these are unhappy persons, who, for the power of curing diseases, finding stolen goods, and doing other acts of utility, for which they take money, become bond-slaves to the Devil they are at continually enmity with the Black Witches, insomuch that one or the other fall a sacrifice to their wicked arts; these are commonly styled White Witches. The third sort are those who can both help and hurt: and as they seem a sort of mixture between white and black, and wanting a name, may, without any great impropriety, be named Grey Witches.

But to return to the common witch, which seems of the black sort; we do not find, that, in consequence of her wicked compact, she enjoys much of the good things of this world, but still continues in abject penury. Sometimes, indeed, she, in company with others of her sisterhood, are carried through the air on brooms, spits, &c. to distant meetings, or sabbaths, of witches; but for this they must anoint themselves with a certain magical ointment, given them by the devil.

Mr.

At these meetings they have feastings, music, and dancing; the Devil himself sometimes condescending to play on the pipe or cittern; and some of them have carnal copulation with him, the produce of which is toads and serpents; sometimes the devil, to oblige a male witch or wizard, of which there are some few, puts on the shape of a woman. Sinclair tells us, in his book, intituled, "The Invisible World," that one William Barton, who, with his wife, was burnt in Scotland for witchcraft, confessed that he lay with the devil in the shape of a gentlewoman, and had fifteen pounds of him in good money; but this he again denied before his execution. His wife confessed that the devil went before them to a dancing, in the shape of a dog, playing upon a pair of pipes; and, coming down the hill back again, he carried the candle in his bottom, under his tail, which played, ey wig wag, wig wag: that, she said, was almost all the pleasure she ever had. Generally, before the assembly

breaks up, they all have the honour of saluting Satan's posteriors, who, for that ceremony, usually appears under the figure of a he-goat, though, in Scotland, it was performed when he appeared under the human form. In their way to and from these meetings, they sometimes sing or repeat certain barbarous words; in going, they use these words-tout, tout a tout, tout tought, throughout and about; in returning, rentum tormentum. In Scotland it was confessed and deposed, that, at some of these meetings, the Devil got up into the pulpit, and preached a sermon in a voice hough and gustie; and afterwards caused the witches to open several graves, out of which they took part of the body, the joints of the fingers and toes, with some of the winding sheet; this was to prepare a powder for magical uses.

It now and then happens that Satan, being out of humour, or for diversion, beats the witches black and blue, with the spits and brooms, the vehicles of their transportation, and plays them divers other unlucky tricks. Any one repeating the name of God, instantly puts the whole assembly to flight. Here likewise the devil distributes apples, dishes, spoons, or other trifles, to those witches who desire to torment any particular person; these they present to them, and thereby ob tain a power over them.

When a witch wishes to destroy any one to whom she bears an ill-will, she and her sister witches make an image of wax, which, with many ceremonies, is baptized by the devil, and named after the person meant to be injured; after which they stick thorns into it, and set it before a fire; and, as the wax melts by the heat, so the body of the person represented decays by sickness, with great torture, having the sensation of thorns stuck into his or her flesh.

On some occasions, witches content themselves with a less cruel revenge, and only oblige the objects of their anger to swallow pins, crooked nails, dirt, cinders, and trash of all sorts, which they invisibly convey to them, or send them by their imps. Frequently they shew their spite, by drying up cows, and killing oxen; which last they have particular power to do, because, as the apostle says, "Doth God take care of my oxen?" 1 Cor. ix. 9. For any slight offence, they prevent butter from coming in the churn, or beer from working.

Witches, in vexing persons, sometimes send a number of

evil spirits into them: these, as they (that is, the spirits) have informed several exorcists, are also of different ranks and degrees. In one Sarah Williams were these; Killico, Hob, and a third anonymous; Coronell Portorichio, Frateretto, Fliberdiggibbet, Hoberdidance, Tocobatto, and Lusty Jolly Jenkin, Puffe and Purre, Lustie Dickie, Cornerd Cappe, Nurre, Molken, Wilken, Helemodion, and Kellicocum. Besides these, there were in others, Captain Pippen, Captain Philpot, Captain Maho, and Captain Soforce; these were all leaders. There were also sometimes, with these Captains, divers private spirits; as in a Mr. Trayford there were, Hilco, Smalkin, Hillio, Hiachto, and Lustie Huff Cap; all these may be found in a book intituled, "Egregious Popish Impostures," &c. practised by Edmunds, alias Weston, a Jesuit, &c. published in 1603, p. 49, 50.

One Mother Samuel, the Witch of Warbois, had nine spirits that belonged to her and her family; two of their names are forgotten, but those of the other seven were, Pluck, Hardname, Catch-three of the name of Smack, who were cousins -and one called Blew. These spirits used to converse freely with the children of Mr. Throgmorton, whose house they troubled. The following was a dialogue which passed between the eldest daughter, a girl of about seventeen, and one of the Smacks, whom she supposed in love with her."From whence came you, Mr. Smack, and what news do you bring?" The spirit answered, that "he came from fighting."-"From fighting," said she, with whom I pray you?" The spirit answered, "With Pluck."-" Where did you fight, I pray?" said she. The spirit answered, "In his old dame's back-house,"-which is an old house standing in Mother Samuel's yard; and they fought with great cowl staves this last night." And who got the mastery, I pray you?" says she. He answered, "that he broke Pluck's head."-Said she, "I would that he had broke your neck also." Saith the spirit, "is that all the thanks I shall have for my labour?"" Why," saith she, "do you look for thanks at my hand? I would you were all hanged up, one against another, and dame and all, for you are all naught: but it is no matter," said she; "I do not well to curse you, for God, I trust, will defend me from you all.”—So he departed, and bade farewell.-Soon after she sees Pluck coming with his head hanging down; and he told her again

of the battle, and how his head was broke. When he was gone, Catch, she said, came limping with a broken leg; and, after him, Blew brought his arm in a string: but they threatened that, when they should be well, they would join together, and be revenged of Smack. Next time that Smack came, she told him of their design; but he set them at light; he bragged that he could beat two of them himself, and his cousin Smack would be on his side.'

I will not tire the reader with any more of this miserable nonsense; but what can we think of a court of judicature that would permit such stuff to be repeated before them as evidence? Nevertheless this, and such like, was deemed sufficient to condemn a man, his wife, and daughter, who were all executed. The old woman, it is said, confessed her guilt, but it is likewise believed, she was, at that time, from the vexation and experiments she had undergone by way of trial, rendered insane.

Frequently witches, in vexing the parties troubled, were visible to them only; and when they have struck at them with a knife, or other weapon, the wiches have been found to have received a hurt in the part where their apparitions were struck.

Scratching or pricking a witch, so as to draw blood of her, prevents her having any power over the person who does it, provided it is done before any spell has taken place; and it may be done by proxy, for one's child, provided, at the time, it is said to be done on the child's account, or for its sake.

Witches, perhaps for the sake of air and exercise, or to vex the 'squire, justice, or parson of the village wherein they reside, often transform themselves into hares, and lead the hounds and huntsmen a long and fruitless chase: though this is sometimes attended with danger to themselves, as appears from the account of the trial of Julian Cox, published by Glanvil, wherein it was deposed by the huntsman, that, having chased a hare till it was fairly run down, he stepped before the hounds to take it up, when, to his great amazement, instead of a hare, he found old Julian! breathless, and grovelling on the earth, with her globes upwards; for so he termed her backside.

There are various experiments and trials for discovering a witch. One, by weighing her against the church Bible,

which, if she is guilty, will preponderate; another, by making her attempt to say the Lord's Prayer; this no witch is able to repeat entirely, but will omit some part or sentence thereof. It is remarkable, that all witches do not hesitate at the same place, some leave out one part and some another.

Teats, through which the imps suck, are indubitable marks of a witch; these, as has been before observed, are always raw, and also insensible; and, if squeezed, sometimes yield a drop of blood.

A witch cannot weep more than three tears, and that only out of the left eye: this want of tears was, by the witchfinders, and even by some judges, considered as a very substantial proof of guilt,

Swimming a witch, is another kind of popular ordeal generally practised: for this she must be stripped naked, and cross bound, the right thumb to the left toe, and the left thumb to the right toe; thus prepared, she is thrown into a pond or river, in which, if guilty, she cannot sink; for haying, by her compact with the Devil, renounced the benefit of the water of baptism, that element, in its turn, renounces her, and refuses to receive her into its bosom.

Sir Robert Filmer mentions two others by fire; the first, by burning the thatch of the house of the suspected witch; the other, burning any animal supposed to be bewitched by her, as a hog or ox; these, it was held, would force a witch to confess.

The trial by the stool, was another method used for the discovery of witches; it was thus managed; having taken the suspected witch, she is placed in the middle of a room, upon a stool or table, cross-legged, or in some other uneasy posture; to which if she submits not, she is then bound with cords; there is she watched, and kept without meat or sleep for the space of twenty-four hours, (for, they say, within that time they shall see her imp come and suck.) A little hole is likewise made in the door, for imps to come in at ; and lest it should come in some less discernible shape, they that watch are taught to be ever and anon sweeping the room, and if they see any spiders or flies, to kill them; and if they cannot kill them, then they may be sure they are imps.

If witches, under examination or torture, will not confess, all their apparel must be changed, and every hair of their body shaven off with a sharp razor, lest they secrete magical