andoneofthem，whowasasillycreature，toldme，undersecrecy，thatshehadnotconfessedbecauseshewasguilty，butbeingapoorcreaturewhowroughtforhermeat，andbeingdefamedforawitch，sheknewsheshouldstarve；fornopersonthereafterwouldeithergivehermeatorlodging，andthatallmenwouldbeatherandsetdogsather；
　　andthat，therefore，shedesiredtobeoutoftheworld；whereuponsheweptmostbitterly，anduponherkneescalledGodtowitnesstowhatshesaid。“SirGeorge，thoughnotwhollyelevatedabovetheprejudicesofhisageuponthissubject，wasclearsightedenoughtoseethedangertosocietyoftheundueencouragementgiventothewitch-prosecutions。Hewasconvincedthatthree-fourthsofthemwereunjustandunfounded。Hesays，intheworkalreadyquoted，thatthepersonswhowereingeneralaccusedofthiscrime，werepoorignorantmenandwomen，whodidnotunderstandthenatureoftheaccusation，andwhomistooktheirownsuperstitiousfearsforwitchcraft。Onepoorwretch，aweaver，confessedthathewasawarlock，and，beingaskedwhy，hereplied，because“hehadseenthedevildancing，likeafly，aboutthecandle！“Asimplewoman，who，becauseshewascalledawitch，believedthatshewas，askedthejudgeuponthebench，whetherapersonmightbeawitchandnotknowit？SirGeorgeadds，thatallthesupposedcriminalsweresubjectedtoseveretortureinprisonfromtheirgaolers，whothoughttheydidGodgoodservicebyvexingandtormentingthem；“andIknow，“saysthishumaneandenlightenedmagistrate，“thatthisusagewasthegroundofalltheirconfession；
　　andalbeit，thepoormiscreantscannotprovethisusage，theactorsinitbeingtheonlywitnesses，yetthejudgeshouldbejealousofit，asthatwhichdidatfirstelicittheconfession，andforfearofwhichtheydarenotretractit。“Anotherauthor，[“Satan’sInvisibleWorlddiscovered，“bytheRev。G。Sinclair。]alsoafirmbelieverinwitchcraft，givesastillmorelamentableinstanceofawomanwhopreferredexecutionasawitchtoliveonundertheimputation。Thiswoman，whoknewthatthreeothersweretobestrangledandburnedonanearlyday，sentfortheministeroftheparish，andconfessedthatshehadsoldhersoultoSatan。“Whereuponbeingcalledbeforethejudges，shewascondemnedtodiewiththerest。Beingcarriedforthtotheplaceofexecution，sheremainedsilentduringthefirst，second，andthirdprayer，andthen，perceivingthatthereremainednomorebuttoriseandgotothestake，sheliftedupherbody，and，withaloudvoice，criedout，“Nowallyouthatseemethisday，knowthatIamnowtodieasawitch，bymyownconfession，andIfreeallmen，especiallytheministersandmagistrates，oftheguiltofmyblood。I
　　takeitwhollyuponmyself。Mybloodbeuponmyownhead。And，asI
　　mustmakeanswertotheGodofheavenpresently，IdeclareIamasfreeofwitchcraftasanychild。But，beingdelatedbyamaliciouswoman，andputinprisonunderthenameofawitch，disownedbymyhusbandandfriends，andseeingnogroundofhopeofevercomingoutagain，Imadeupthatconfessiontodestroymyownlife，beingwearyofit，andchoosingrathertodiethantolive。“Asaproofofthesingularobstinacyandblindnessofthebelieversinwitches，itmaybestated，thattheministerwhorelatesthisstoryonlysawinthedyingspeechoftheunhappywomananadditionalproofthatshewasawitch。Trueindeedisit，that“nonearesoblindasthosewhowillnotsee。“
　　Itistime，however，toreturntoJamesVI，whoisfairlyentitledtosharewithPopeInnocent，Sprenger，Bodinus，andMatthewHopkinsthegloryortheodiumofbeingatthesametimeachiefenemyandchiefencouragerofwitchcraft。Towardsthecloseofthesixteenthcentury，manylearnedmen，bothontheContinentandintheislesofBritain，hadendeavouredtodisabusethepublicmindonthissubject。
　　ThemostcelebratedwereWierusinGermany，Pietrod’AponeinItaly，andReginaldScotinEngland。TheirworksexcitedtheattentionofthezealousJames，who，mindfuloftheinvoluntarycomplimentwhichhismeritshadextortedfromthedevil，wasambitioustodeserveitbystillcontinuing“hisgreatestenemie。“Intheyear1597hepublished，inEdinburgh，hisfamoustreatiseonDemonology。Itsdesignmaybegatheredfromthefollowingpassageintheintroduction。“Thefearfulabounding，“saystheKing，“atthistime，andinthiscountry，ofthesedetestableslavesofthedevil，thewitches，orenchanters，hathmovedme，belovedreader，todespatchinpostthisfollowingtreatiseofmine，notinanywise，asIprotest，toserveforashowofmineownlearningandingeneingenuity，butonlymovedofconsciencetopressthereby，sofarasIcan，toresolvethedoubtingheartsofmany；boththatsuchassaultsofSatanaremostcertainlypractised，andthattheinstrumentthereofmeritsmostseverelytobepunished，againstthedamnableopinionsoftwo，principallyinourage，whereoftheone，calledScot，anEnglishman，isnotashamed，inpublicprint，todenythattherecanbesuchthingaswitchcraft，andsomaintainstheolderroroftheSadducees，indenyingofspirits。Theother，calledWierus，aGermanphysician，setsoutapublicapologyforallthesecrafts-folks，wherebyprocuringforthemimpunity，heplainlybetrayshimselftohavebeenoneofthatprofession。“Inotherpartsofthistreatise，whichtheauthorhadputintotheformofadialogueto“makeitmorepleasantandfacile，“hesays，“Witchesoughttobeputtodeath，accordingtothelawofGod，thecivilandimperiallaw，andthemunicipallawofallChristiannations:yea，tosparethelife，andnotstrikewhomGodbidsstrike，andsoseverelypunishinsoodiousatreasonagainstGod，isnotonlyunlawful，butdoubtlessasgreatasininthemagistrate，aswasSaul’ssparingAgag。“Hesaysalso，thatthecrimeissoabominable，thatitmaybeprovedbyevidencewhichwouldnotbereceivedagainstanyotheroffenders，——
　　youngchildren，whoknewnotthenatureofanoath，andpersonsofaninfamouscharacter，beingsufficientwitnessesagainstthem；butlesttheinnocentshouldbeaccusedofacrimesodifficulttobeacquittedof，herecommendsthatinallcasestheordealshouldberesortedto。
　　Hesays，“Twogoodhelpsmaybeused:theoneis，thefindingoftheirmark，andthetryingtheinsensiblenessthereof；theotheristheirfloatingonthewater；for，asinasecretmurther，ifthedeadcarcassbeatanytimethereafterhandledbythemurtherer，itwillgushoutofblood，asifthebloodwerecryingtoHeavenforrevengeofthemurtherer，Godhavingappointedthatsecretsupernaturalsignfortrialofthatsecretunnaturalcrime；sothatitappearsthatGodhathappointedforasupernaturalsignofthemonstrousimpietyofwitchesthatthewatershallrefusetoreceivetheminherbosom，thathaveshakenoffthemthesacredwaterofbaptism，andwilfullyrefusedthebenefitthereof；no，notsomuchastheireyesareabletoshedtearsthreatenandtorturethemasyouplease，whilefirsttheyrepentGodnotpermittingthemtodissembletheirobstinacyinsohorribleacrime。Albeit，thewomenkindespecially，beableotherwisetoshedtearsateverylightoccasion，whentheywill；yea，althoughitweredissembling，likethecrocodiles。“
　　Whensuchdoctrinesasthesewereopenlypromulgatedbythehighestauthorityintherealm，andwho，inpromulgatingthem，flattered，butdidnotforcethepublicopinion，itisnotsurprisingthatthesaddelusionshouldhaveincreasedandmultiplied，untiltheraceofwizardsandwitchesreplenishedtheearth。Thereputationwhichhelostbybeingafraidofanakedsword，hemorethanregainedbyhiscourageincombatingthedevil。TheKirkshoweditselfamostzealouscoadjutor，especiallyduringthosehalcyondayswhenitwasnotatissuewiththeKinguponothermattersofdoctrineandprerogative。
　　OnhisaccessiontothethroneofEngland，in1603，Jamescameamongstapeoplewhohadheardwithadmirationofhisgloriousdeedsagainstthewitches。Hehimselfleftnopartofhisancientprejudicesbehindhim，andhisadventwasthesignalforthepersecutiontoburstforthinEnglandwithafuryequaltothatinScotland。IthadlanguishedalittleduringthelatteryearsofthereignofElizabeth；
　　buttheveryfirstParliamentofKingJamesbroughtforwardthesubject。Jameswasflatteredbytheirpromptitude，andtheactpassedin1604。OnthesecondreadingintheHouseofLords，thebillpassedintoacommittee，inwhichweretwelvebishops。Byitwasenacted，“Thatifanypersonshalluse，practise，orexerciseanyconjurationofanywickedorevilspirit，orshallconsult，covenantwith，orfeedanysuchspirit，thefirstoffencetobeimprisonmentforayearandstandinginthepilloryonceaquarter；thesecondoffencetobedeath。“
　　Theminorpunishmentseemsbutrarelytohavebeeninflicted。
　　Everyrecordthathasbeenpreserved，mentionsthatthewitcheswerehangedandburned，orburnedwithoutthepreviousstrangling，“aliveandquick。“DuringthewholeofJames’sreign，amidthecivilwarsofhissuccessor，theswayoftheLongParliament，theusurpationofCromwell，andthereignofCharlesII，therewasnoabatementofthepersecution。Ifatanytimeitragedwithlessvirulence，itwaswhenCromwellandtheIndependentsweremasters。Dr。ZacharyGrey，theeditorofaneditionof“Hudibras，“informsus，inanotetothatwork，thathehimselfperusedalistofthreethousandwitcheswhowereexecutedinthetimeoftheLongParliamentalone。Duringthefirsteightyyearsoftheseventeenthcentury，thenumberexecutedhasbeenestimatedatfivehundredannually，makingthefrightfultotaloffortythousand。Someofthesecasesdeservetobecited。Thegreatmajorityresemblecloselythosealreadymentioned，buttwoorthreeofthemletinanewlightuponthepopularsuperstition。
　　Everyonehasheardofthe“Lancashirewitches，“aphrasenowusedtocomplimenttheladiesofthatcountyfortheirbewitchingbeauty；
　　butitisnoteveryonewhohasheardthestoryinwhichitoriginated。Avillainousboy，namedRobinson，wasthechiefactorinthetragedy。Heconfessed，manyyearsafterwards，thathehadbeensubornedbyhisfatherandotherpersonstogivefalseevidenceagainsttheunhappywitcheswhomhebroughttothestake。Thetimeofthisfamoustrialwasabouttheyear1634。ThisboyRobinson，whosefatherwasawood-cutter，residingonthebordersofPendleForest，inLancashire，spreadabroadmanyrumoursagainstoneMotherDickenson，whomheaccusedofbeingawitch。Theserumourscomingtotheearsofthelocalmagistracy，theboywassentfor，andstrictlyexamined。Hetoldthefollowingextraordinarystory，withouthesitationorprevarication，andapparentlyinsoopenandhonestamanner，thatnoonewhoheardhimdoubtedthetruthofit:——Hesaid，thatashewasroamingaboutinoneofthegladesoftheforest，amusinghimselfbygatheringblackberries，hesawtwogreyhoundsbeforehim，whichhethoughtatthetimebelongedtosomegentlemanoftheneighbourhood。
　　Beingfondofsport，heproposedtohaveacourse，andaharebeingstarted，heincitedthehoundstorun。Neitherofthemwouldstir。
　　Angryatthebeasts，heseizedholdofaswitch，withwhichhewasabouttopunishthem，whenoneofthemsuddenlystartedupintheformofawoman，andtheother，ofalittleboy。HeatoncerecognisedthewomantobethewitchMotherDickenson。Sheofferedhimsomemoneytoinducehimtosellhissoultothedevil；butherefused。Uponthisshetookabridleoutofherpocket，and，shakingitovertheheadoftheotherlittleboy，hewasinstantlyturnedintoahorse。MotherDickensonthenseizedhiminherarms，spranguponthehorse；and，placinghimbeforeher，rodewiththeswiftnessofthewindoverforests，fields，bogs，andrivers，untiltheycametoalargebarn。