Thewitchalightedatthedoor；andtakinghimbythehand，ledhiminside。Therehesawsevenoldwomen，pullingatsevenhalterswhichhungfromtheroof。Astheypulled，largepiecesofmeat，lumpsofbutter，loavesofbread，basinsofmilk，hotpuddings，blackpuddings，andotherruraldainties，fellfromthehaltersontothefloor。Whileengagedinthischarmtheymadesuchuglyfaces，andlookedsofiendish，thathewasquitefrightened。Aftertheyhadpulled，inthismannerenoughforanamplefeast，theyset-to，andshowed，whatevermightbesaidofthewayinwhichtheirsupperwasprocured，thattheirepicurismwasalittlemorerefinedthanthatoftheScottishwitches，who，accordingtoGellieDuncan’sconfession，feastedupondeadmen’sfleshintheoldkirkofBerwick。Theboyadded，thatassoonassupperwasready，manyotherwitchescametopartakeofit，severalofwhomhenamed。Inconsequenceofthisstory，manypersonswerearrested，andtheboyRobinsonwasledaboutfromchurchtochurch，inorderthathemightpointouttotheofficers，bywhomhewasaccompanied，thehagshehadseeninthebarn。Altogetherabouttwentypersonswerethrownintoprison；eightofthemwerecondemnedtodie，includingMotherDickenson，uponthisevidencealone，andexecutedaccordingly。Amongthewretcheswhoconcoctedthisnotablestory，notonewaseverbroughttojusticeforhisperjury；andRobinson，thefather，gainedconsiderablesumsbythreateningpersonswhowererichenoughtobuyoffexposure。
　　Amongtheillweedswhichflourishedamidthelongdissensionsofthecivilwar，MatthewHopkins，thewitch-finder，standseminentinhissphere。Thisvulgarfellowresided，intheyear1644，atthetownofManningtree，inEssex，andmadehimselfveryconspicuousindiscoveringthedevil’smarksuponseveralunhappywitches。Thecredithegainedbyhisskillinthisinstanceseemstohaveinspiredhimtorenewedexertions。Inthecourseofaveryshorttime，wheneverawitchwasspokenofinEssex，MatthewHopkinswassuretobepresent，aidingthejudgeswithhisknowledgeof“suchcattle，“ashecalledthem。Ashisreputationincreased，heassumedthetitleof“WitchfinderGeneral，“andtravelledthroughthecountiesofNorfolk，Essex，Huntingdon，andSussex，forthesolepurposeoffindingoutwitches。Inoneyearhebroughtsixtypoorcreaturestothestake。Thetesthecommonlyadoptedwasthatofswimming，sohighlyrecommendedbyKingJamesinhis“Demonologie。“Thehandsandfeetofthesuspectedpersonsweretiedtogethercrosswise，thethumboftherighthandtothetoeoftheleftfoot，andviceversa。Theywerethenwrappedupinalargesheetorblanket，andlaidupontheirbacksinapondorriver。Iftheysank，theirfriendsandrelativeshadthepoorconsolationofknowingtheywereinnocent，buttherewasanendofthem:iftheyfloated，which，whenlaidcarefullyonthewaterwasgenerallythecase，therewasalsoanendofthem；fortheyweredeemedguiltyofwitchcraft，andburnedaccordingly。
　　AnothertestwastomakethemrepeattheLord’sprayerandcreed。
　　Itwasaffirmedthatnowitchcoulddosocorrectly。Ifshemissedaword，orevenpronouncedoneincoherently，whichinhertrepidation，itwasmostprobableshewould，shewasaccountedguilty。Itwasthoughtthatwitchescouldnotweepmorethanthreetears，andthoseonlyfromthelefteye。Thustheconsciousinnocenceofmanypersons，whichgavethemfortitudetobearunmeritedtorturewithoutflinching，wasconstruedbytheirunmercifultormentorsintoproofsofguilt。InsomedistrictsthetestresortedtowastoweightheculpritagainstthechurchBible。IfthesuspectedwitchprovedheavierthantheBible，shewassetatliberty。Thismodewasfartoohumaneforthewitch-findersbyprofession。Hopkinsalwaysmaintainedthatthemostlegitimatemodeswereprickingandswimming。
　　Hopkinsusedtotravelthroughhiscountieslikeamanofconsideration，attendedbyhistwoassistants，alwaysputtingupatthechiefinnoftheplace，andalwaysatthecostoftheauthorities。
　　Hischargesweretwentyshillingsatown，hisexpensesoflivingwhilethere，andhiscarriagethitherandback。Thisheclaimedwhetherhefoundwitchesornot。Ifhefoundany，heclaimedtwentyshillingsaheadinadditionwhentheywerebroughttoexecution。Foraboutthreeyearshecarriedonthisinfamoustrade，successmakinghimsoinsolentandrapacious，thathighandlowbecamehisenemies。TheRev。
　　Mr。Gaul，aclergymanofHoughton，inHuntingdonshire，wroteapamphletimpugninghispretensions，andaccusinghimofbeingacommonnuisance。HopkinsrepliedinanangrylettertothefunctionariesofHoughton，statinghisintentiontovisittheirtown；butdesiringtoknowwhetheritaffordedmanysuchsticklersforwitchcraftasMr。
　　Gaul，andwhethertheywerewillingtoreceiveandentertainhimwiththecustomaryhospitality，ifhesofarhonouredthem。Headded，bywayofthreat，thatincasehedidnotreceiveasatisfactoryreply，“Hewouldwaivetheirshirealtogether，andbetakehimselftosuchplaceswherehemightdoandpunish，notonlywithoutcontrol，butwiththanksandrecompence。“TheauthoritiesofHoughtonwerenotmuchalarmedathisawfulthreatoflettingthemalone。Theyverywiselytooknonoticeeitherofhimorhisletter。
　　Mr。GauldescribesinhispamphletoneofthemodesemployedbyHopkins，whichwassuretoswellhisrevenuesveryconsiderably。Itwasaproofevenmoreatrociousthantheswimming。Hesays，thatthe“Witch-finderGeneral“usedtotakethesuspectedwitchandplaceherinthemiddleofaroom，uponastoolortable，cross-legged，orinsomeotheruneasyposture。Ifsherefusedtositinthismanner，shewasboundwithstrongcords。Hopkinsthenplacedpersonstowatchherforfour-and-twentyhours，duringwhichtimeshewastobekeptwithoutmeatordrink。Itwassupposedthatoneofherimpswouldcomeduringthatinterval，andsuckherblood。Astheimpmightcomeintheshapeofawasp，amoth，afly，orotherinsect，aholewasmadeinthedoororwindowtoletitenter。Thewatcherswereorderedtokeepasharplook-out，andendeavourtokillanyinsectthatappearedintheroom。Ifanyflyescaped，andtheycouldnotkillit，thewomanwasguilty；theflywasherimp，andshewassentencedtobeburned，andtwentyshillingswentintothepocketsofMasterHopkins。Inthismannerhemadeoneoldwomanconfess，becausefourflieshadappearedintheroom，thatshewasattendedbyfourimps，named“Ilemazar，“
　　“Pye-wackett，““Peck-in-the-crown，“and“Grizel-Greedigut。“
　　Itisconsolingtothinkthatthisimpostorperishedinhisownsnare。Mr。Gaul’sexposureandhisownrapacityweakenedhisinfluenceamongthemagistrates；andthepopulace，whobegantofindthatnoteventhemostvirtuousandinnocentweresecurefromhispersecution，lookeduponhimwithundisguisedaversion。Hewasbesetbyamob，atavillageinSuffolk，andaccusedofbeinghimselfawizard。Anoldreproachwasbroughtagainsthim，thathehad，bymeansofsorcery，cheatedthedeviloutofacertainmemorandum-book，inwhichhe，Satan，hadenteredthenamesofallthewitchesinEngland。“Thus，“
　　saidthepopulace，“youfindoutwitches，notbyGod’said，butbythedevil’s。“Invainhedeniedhisguilt。Thepopulacelongedtoputhimtohisowntest。Hewasspeedilystripped，andhisthumbsandtoestiedtogether。Hewasthenplacedinablanket，andcastintoapond。
　　Somesaythathefloated；andthathewastakenout，tried，andexecuteduponnootherproofofhisguilt。Othersassertthathewasdrowned。Thismuchispositive，thattherewasanendofhim。Asnojudicialentryofhistrialandexecutionistobefoundinanyregister，itappearsmostprobablethatheexpiredbythehandsofthemob。Butlerhasimmortalizedthisscampinthefollowinglinesofhis“Hudibras:“——
　　“HathnotthispresentParliamentAliegertothedevilsent，Fullyempower’dtotreataboutFindingrevoltedwitchesout？
　　AndhashenotwithinayearHang’dthreescoreoftheminoneshire？
　　Someonlyfornotbeingdrown’d，AndsomeforsittingabovegroundWholedaysandnightsupontheirbreeches，Andfeelingpain，werehang’dforwitches；
　　AndsomeforputtingknavishtricksUpongreengeeseorturkeychicks；
　　OrpigsthatsuddenlydeceasedOfgriefsunnatural，asheguess’d；
　　Whoprovedhimselfatlengthawitch，Andmadearodforhisownbreech。“
　　InScotlandalsowitch-findingbecameatrade。Theywereknownunderthedesignationof“commonprickers，“and，likeHopkins，receivedafeeforeachwitchtheydiscovered。AtthetrialofJanetPeaston，in1646，themagistratesofDalkeith“causedJohnKincaid，ofTranent，thecommonpricker，toexercisehiscraftuponher。Hefoundtwomarksofthedevil’smaking；forshecouldnotfeelthepinwhenitwasputintoeitherofthesaidmarks，nordidthemarksbleedwhenthepinwastakenoutagain。Whenshewasaskedwhereshethoughtthepinswereputinher，shepointedtoapartofherbodydistantfromtherealplace。Theywerepinsofthreeinchesinlength。“[Pitcairn’s“RecordsofJusticiary。“]
　　Thesecommonprickersbecameatlastsonumerous，thattheywereconsiderednuisances。Thejudgesrefusedtotaketheirevidence，andin1678theprivycouncilofScotlandcondescendedtohearthecomplaintofanhonestwoman，whohadbeenindecentlyexposedbyoneofthem，andexpressedtheiropinionthatcommonprickerswerecommoncheats。
　　Butsuchanopinionwasnotformedinhighplacesbeforehundredsofinnocentpersonshadfallenvictims。TheParliamentshadencouragedthedelusionbothinEnglandandScotland；and，byarmingthesefellowswithasortofauthority，hadinamannerforcedthemagistratesandministerstoreceivetheirevidence。Thefateofonepooroldgentleman，whofellavictimtotheartsofHopkinsin1646，deservestoberecorded。Mr。Louis，avenerableclergyman，upwardsofseventyyearsofage，andwhohadbeenrectorofFramlingham，inSuffolk，forfiftyyears，excitedsuspicionthathewasawizard。
　　Beingaviolentroyalist，hewaslikelytomeetwithnosympathyatthattime；andevenhisownparishioners，whomhehadservedsolongandsofaithfully，turnedtheirbacksuponhimassoonashewasaccused。PlacedunderthehandsofHopkins，whoknewsowellhowtobringtherefractorytoconfession，theoldman，thelightofwhoseintellecthadbecomesomewhatdimmedfromage，confessedthathewasawizard。Hesaidhehadtwoimps，thatcontinuallyexcitedhimtodoevil；andthatoneday，whenhewaswalkingonthesea-coast，oneofthempromptedhimtoexpressawishthataship，whosesailswerejustvisibleinthedistance，mightsink。Heconsented，andsawthevesselsinkbeforehiseyes。Hewas，uponthisconfession，triedandcondemned。Onhistrialtheflameofreasonburnedupasbrightlyasever。Hedeniedallthathadbeenallegedagainsthim，andcross-examinedHopkinswithgreattactandseverity。Afterhiscondemnation，hebeggedthatthefuneralserviceofthechurchmightbereadforhim。Therequestwasrefused，andherepeateditforhimselffrommemory，ashewasledtothescaffold。
　　ApoorwomaninScotlandwasexecuteduponevidenceevenlessstrongthanthis。JohnBain，acommonpricker，sworethat，ashepassedherdoor，heheardhertalkingtothedevil。Shesaidindefence，thatitwasafoolishpracticeshehadoftalkingtoherself，andseveralofherneighbourscorroboratedherstatement；buttheevidenceoftheprickerwasreceived。Hesworethatnoneevertalkedtothemselveswhowerenotwitches。Thedevil’smarkbeingfounduponher，theadditionaltestimonyofherguiltwasdeemedconclusive，andshewas“convictandbrynt。“
　　Fromtheyear1652to1682，thesetrialsdiminishedannuallyinnumber，andacquittalswerebynomeanssorareastheyhadbeen。Todoubtinwitchcraftwasnolongerdangerous。Beforecountryjustices，condemnationsonthemostabsurdevidencestillcontinued，butwhenthejudgesofthelandhadtochargethejury，theytookamorehumaneandphilosophicalview。Bydegrees，theeducatedclassescomprised，inthosedays，withinverynarrowlimits，openlyexpressedtheirunbeliefofmodernwitchcraft，althoughtheywerenotboldenoughtodenyitsexistencealtogether。Betweenthemandthebelieversintheolddoctrinefierceargumentsensued，andthescepticsweredesignatedSadducees。Toconvincethem，thelearnedandReverendJosephGlanvilwrotehiswell-knownwork，“SadducismusTriumphatus，“and“TheCollectionofRelations；“thefirstpartintendedasaphilosophicalinquiryintowitchcraft，andthepowerofthedevil“toassumeamortalshape；“thelattercontainingwhatheconsideredamultitudeofwell-authenticatedmoderninstances。