Discovery of Witches | Page 7

creatures such infinit power as is wrested out of Gods hand, and
attributed to witches: finallie, if you shall perceiue that I haue
faithfullie and trulie deliuered and set downe the condition and state of
the witch, and also of the witchmonger, and haue confuted by reason
and lawe, and by the word of God it selfe, all mine aduersaries
obiections and arguments: then let me haue your countenance against
them that maliciouslie oppose themselues against me.
"My greatest aduersaries are yoong ignorance and old custome. For
what follie soeuer tract of time hath fostered, it is so superstitiouslie
pursued of some, as though no error could be acquainted with custome.
But if the lawe of nations would ioine with such custome, to the
maintenance of ignorance, and to the suppressing of knowledge; the
ciuilest countrie in the world would soone become barbarous, &c. For
as knowledge and time discouereth errors, so dooth superstition and
ignorance in time breed them."
The passage which I next quote, is a further specimen of the impressive
and even eloquent earnestness with which he pleads his cause:--
"In the meane time, I would wish them to know that if neither the
estimation of Gods omnipotencie, nor the tenor of his word, nor the
doubtfulnes or rather the impossibilitie of the case, nor the small
proofes brought against them, nor the rigor executed vpon them, nor
the pitie that should be in a christian heart, nor yet their simplicitie,
impotencie, or age may suffice to suppresse the rage or rigor wherewith
they are oppressed; yet the consideration of their sex or kind ought to
mooue some mitigation of their punishment. For if nature (as Plinie

reporteth) haue taught a lion not to deale so roughlie with a woman as
with a man, bicause she is in bodie the weaker vessell, and in hart more
inclined to pitie (which Ieremie in his lamentations seemeth to
confirme) what should a man doo in this case, for whome a woman was
created as an helpe and comfort vnto him? In so much as, euen in the
lawe of nature, it is a greater offense to slea a woman than a man: not
bicause a man is not the more excellent creature, but bicause a woman
is the weaker vessell. And therefore among all modest and honest
persons it is thought a shame to offer violence or iniurie to a woman: in
which respect Virgil saith, _Nullum memorabile nomen foeminea in
poena est_.
"God that knoweth my heart is witnes, and you that read my booke
shall see, that my drift and purpose in this enterprise tendeth onelie to
these respects. First, that the glorie and power of God be not so
abridged and abased, as to be thrust into the hand or lip of a lewd old
woman: whereby the worke of the Creator should be attributed to the
power of a creature. Secondlie, that the religion of the gospell may be
seene to stand without such peeuish trumperie. Thirdlie, that lawfull
fauour and christian compassion be rather vsed towards these poore
soules, than rigor and extremitie. Bicause they, which are commonlie
accused of witchcraft, are the least sufficient of all other persons to
speake for themselues; as hauing the most base and simple education of
all others; the extremitie of their age giuing them leaue to dote, their
pouertie to beg, their wrongs to chide and threaten (as being void of
anie other waie of reuenge) their humor melancholicall to be full of
imaginations, from whence cheefelie proceedeth the vanitie of their
confessions; as that they can transforme themselues and others into
apes, owles, asses, dogs, cats, &c: that they can flie in the aire, kill
children with charmes, hinder the comming of butter, &c.
"And for so much as the mightie helpe themselues together, and the
poore widowes crie, though it reach to heauen, is scarse heard here
vpon earth: I thought good (according to my poore abilitie) to make
intercession, that some part of common rigor, and some points of hastie
iudgement may be aduised vpon. For the world is now at that stay (as
Brentius in a most godlie sermon in these words affirmeth) that euen as

when the heathen persecuted the christians, if anie were accused to
beleeue in Christ, the common people cried Ad leonem: so now, if anie
woman, be she neuer so honest, be accused of witchcraft, they crie Ad
ignem."]
[Footnote 19: In the intervening period between the publication of
Soot's work and the advertisement of Filmer, several books came out
on the subject of witchcraft. Amongst them it is right to notice "A
Dialogue concerning Witches and Witchcraft, by George Giffard,
Minister of God's Word in Maldon," 1593, 4to. This tract, which has
been reprinted by the Percy Society, is