A Treatise of Witchcraft | Page 4

c: _Iustinus in Epitome Trogi Pompeij. lib. 1._]
[Footnote d: _Lactantius de origine erroris. lib. 2. cap. 17_. And citeth
the testimony of _Sibilla Erithræa_ for proofe hereof. _Gratianus
Decretorum part. 2. causa 26 quæst. 2. Canone sine saluatore, &
inuentas esse has artes_ +pros ap..ên eleeinôn anthrôpôn tôn rhadiôs
hupokleptomenôn eis tauta hupo tou diabolou.+ _affirmat Cedrenus in
historiæ compendio._]
[Footnote e: _Probationes ex quibus legitim[~u] est Iudicia fieri, tres
necessariæ planè dici & indubitatæ possunt 1ª veritas notorij &
permanentia facti. 2ª confessio voluntaria eius qui reus factus est, atque
peractus. 3ª certorum testium firmorumque testimonium: his & 4ª addi
potest violentæ præsumptiones de Rodinus de D[e,]monomania lib. 4.
cap. 2.3.4._]

[Footnote f: The Oracles of the Pagans in all places of the world, wh[~e]
CHRIST was borne, were silenced, and the Diuell became mute: so that
_Augustus C[e,]sar_ demanding of Apollo by his messengers, sent to
Delphos, had this answer returned, +pais hebraios keletai+ &c. in sence
thus much, _An Hebrue Childe commandeth me to leaue this place, and
returne againe to hell._ From hence therefore you must depart from our
Altars, without resolution of any questions propounded. _Eusebius de
præparatione Euangelica, lib. 5. cap. 8. Theodoretus de Græcorum
affectionum curatione qui est de oraculis +meta tên tou sôtêros hêmôn
epiphaneian apedrasan hoi tênde tên exapatên tois anthrôpois
prospherontes+, Vide & Suidam in Augusto, & Athanasium de
incarnatione verbi._]
[Footnote g: _De hac ligatione & solutione Diaboli plenissimè August.
de Ciuitate Dei, lib. 20 cap. 8._]

_The first Proposition._
It is a _Quære_, though needlesse, whether there be any Witches: for
they[a] haue some Proctors who plead a nullitie in this case, perswade
themselues, and would induce others to be of the same minde, that
there be no Witches at all: but a sort of melancholique, aged, and
ignorant Women, deluded in their imagination; and acknowledge such
things to be effected by them, which are vnpossible, vnlikely, and they
neuer did; and therefore Magistrates who inflict any punishment vpon
them, be vnmercifull and cruell Butchers. Yet by the way, and their
good leaue, who take vpon them this Apology, all who are conuented
vpon these vnlawfull action, are not strucken in yeares; but some euen
in the flower of their youth be nuzled vp in the same, and convicted to
be practisers thereof; neither be they ouerflowed with a blacke
melancholique humor, dazeling the phantasie, but haue their
vnderstandings cleere, and wits as quicke as other: Neither yet be they
all women, though for the most part that sexe be inclinable thereunto:
(as shall afterward be shewed, and the causes thereof) but men also on
whose behalfe no exception can be laid, why any should demurre either
of their offence or punishment for the same. Wherefore for this point,

and confirmation of the affirmatiue, wee haue sundry pregnant and
euident proofes.
[Footnote a: _Wierus de magor[~u] infamium p[oe]nis lib 6. cap. 17.18
19 20 21 22 23 24 &. 27. & de Lamijs lib 3. cap 7. & de lamiarum
impotentia._ But this position commeth from another as dangerous,
euen Infidelity denying that there be any Diuel, but in opinion; which
was the doctrine of Aristotle, and the Peripatetique Philpsophers.
_Pomponatius de incarnationibus Binfeldius de confessionibus
maleficorum_]
First testimonies Diuine and Humane: Diuine of God himselfe in his
word,[b] left for our instruction in all dogmaticall truth, reproofe and
confutation of falshood in opinions, correction for the reforming of
misdemeaners in conuersation, doctrine for the guidance of euery estate
Politicall, Ecclesiasticall, Oeconomicall. _2. Timoth. 3. 16._ Therefore
expressely, _Thou shalt not suffer a Witch, to liue, Exod. 22. 18._[c]
but to bee executed in the same day wherein she is conuicted, and this
was a custome obserued by the ancient Fathers. And _Deuteronomy 18.
10.11._ there is a blacke Bill set downe[d], and registred of sundry
kinds of these slaues of Sathan, all condemned, and God addeth in the
same place the reasons of this his seuere and sharpe iudgement against
them. First, because they are an abhomination vnto him. Secondly, he
determineth vtterly to destroy all such, and giueth his people the
Israelites an example thereof in the Canaanites, whom their Land
spewed out. Thirdly, for that he requireth all who belong vnto him, to
be pure, vndefiled and holy, not stained with impieties, for they are
bound vnto him by couenant in obedience. Fourthly such were the
Heathen, strangers from God, blinded in their dark vnderstanding,
without sauing knowledge, with whom the Israelites, a chosen and
peculiar nation, enioying his lawes and statutes, must haue no
familiarity. Further, the woman of Endor acknowledgeth herselfe to be
one of the rank. _1. Sam. 28. 9_. And Iesabel, mother of Iehoram, is in
plaine tearmes stiled a Witch. _2. King. 9. 22._ who is [e]supposed to
haue brought