ThiswasthelastexecutionthattookplaceinScotlandforwitchcraft。Thepenalstatuteswererepealedin1756，and，asinEngland，whipping，thepillory，orimprisonment，weredeclaredthefuturepunishmentsofallpretenderstomagicorwitchcraft。
　　Still，formanyyearsafterthis，thesuperstitionlingeredbothinEnglandandScotland，andinsomedistrictsisfarfrombeingextinctevenatthisday。Butbeforeweproceedtotraceitanyfurtherthantoitslegalextinction，wehaveyettoseethefrightfulhavocitmadeincontinentalEuropefromthecommencementoftheseventeenthtothemiddleoftheeighteenthcentury。France，Germany，andSwitzerlandwerethecountrieswhichsufferedmostfromtheepidemic。Thenumberofvictimsinthesecountriesduringthesixteenthcenturyhasalreadybeenmentioned；but，attheearlypartoftheseventeenth，thenumbersaresogreat，especiallyinGermany，thatweretheynottobefoundintheofficialrecordsofthetribunals，itwouldbealmostimpossibletobelievethatmankindcouldeverhavebeensomaddenedanddeluded。TousethewordsofthelearnedandindefatigableHorst，[ZauberBibliothek。Theil5。]“theworldseemedtobelikealargemadhouseforwitchesanddevilstoplaytheiranticsin。“Satanwasbelievedtobeateverybody’scall，toraisethewhirlwind，drawdownthelightning，blighttheproductionsoftheearth，ordestroythehealthandparalysethelimbsofman。Thisbelief，soinsultingtothemajestyandbeneficenceoftheCreator，wassharedbythemostpiousministersofreligion。ThosewhointheirmorningandeveningprayersacknowledgedtheonetrueGod，andpraisedhimfortheblessingsoftheseedtimeandtheharvest，wereconvincedthatfrailhumanitycouldenterintoacompactwiththespiritsofhelltosubverthislawsandthwartallhismercifulintentions。Successivepopes，fromInnocentVIII。downwards，promulgatedthisdegradingdoctrine，whichspreadsorapidlythatsocietyseemedtobedividedintotwogreatfactions，thebewitchingandthebewitched。
　　ThecommissionersnamedbyInnocentVIII。toprosecutethewitch-trialsinGermany，wereJacobSprenger，sonotoriousforhisworkondemonology，entitledthe“MalleusMaleficarum，“or“HammertoknockdownWitches，“HenryInstitoralearnedjurisconsult，andtheBishopofStrasburgh。Barnberg，Treves，Cologne，Paderborn，andWurzburg，werethechiefseatsofthecommissioners，who，duringtheirlivesalone，condemnedtothestake，onaverymoderatecalculation，upwardsofthreethousandvictims。Thenumberofwitchessoincreased，thatnewcommissionerswerecontinuallyappointedinGermany，France，andSwitzerland。InSpainandPortugaltheInquisitionalonetookcognizanceofthecrime。Itisimpossibletosearchtherecordsofthosedark，butnowhappilynonexistingtribunals；butthemindrecoilswithaffrighteventoformaguessofthemultitudeswhoperished。
　　Themodeoftrialintheothercountriesismoreeasilyascertained。Sprenger，inGermany，andBodinusandDelrio，inFrance，haveleftbuttooamplearecordoftheatrocitiescommittedinthemuch-abusednamesofjusticeandreligion。Bodinus，ofgreatreputeandauthorityintheseventeenthcentury，says，“Thetrialofthisoffencemustnotbeconductedlikeothercrimes。Whoeveradherestotheordinarycourseofjusticepervertsthespiritofthelaw，bothDivineandhuman。Hewhoisaccusedofsorceryshouldneverbeacquittedunlessthemaliceoftheprosecutorbeclearerthanthesun；
　　foritissodifficulttobringfullproofofthissecretcrime，thatoutofamillionofwitchesnotonewouldbeconvictediftheusualcoursewerefollowed！“HenriBoguet，awitch-finder，whostyledhimself“TheGrandJudgeofWitchesfortheTerritoryofSt。Claude，“
　　drewupacodefortheguidanceofallpersonsengagedinthewitch-trials，consistingofseventyarticles，quiteascruelasthecodeofBodinus。Inthisdocumentheaffirms，thatameresuspicionofwitchcraftjustifiestheimmediatearrestandtortureofthesuspectedperson。Iftheprisonermuttered，lookedontheground，anddidnotshedanytears，allthesewereproofspositiveofguilt！Inallcasesofwitchcraft，theevidenceofthechildoughttobetakenagainstitsparent；andpersonsofnotoriouslybadcharacter，althoughnottobebelievedupontheiroathsontheordinaryoccasionsofdisputethatmightarisebetweenmanandman，weretobebelieved，iftheysworethatanypersonhadbewitchedthem！Who，whenhehearsthatthisdiabolicaldoctrinewastheuniversallyreceivedopinionoftheecclesiasticalandcivilauthorities，canwonderthatthousandsuponthousandsofunhappypersonsshouldbebroughttothestake？thatCologneshouldformanyyearsburnitsthreehundredwitchesannually？
　　thedistrictofBarnbergitsfourhundred？Nuremberg，Geneva，Paris，Toulouse，Lyons，andothercities，theirtwohundred？
　　Afewofthesetrialsmaybecited，takingthemintheorderofpriority，astheyoccurredindifferentpartsoftheContinent。In1595anoldwomanresidinginavillagenearConstance，angryatnotbeinginvitedtosharethesportsofthecountrypeopleonadayofpublicrejoicing，washeardtomuttersomethingtoherself，andwasafterwardsseentoproceedthroughthefieldstowardsahill，whereshewaslostsightof。Aviolentthunderstormaroseabouttwohoursafterwards，whichwetthedancerstotheskin，anddidconsiderabledamagetotheplantations。Thiswoman，suspectedbeforeofwitchcraft，wasseizedandimprisoned，andaccusedofhavingraisedthestorm，byfillingaholewithwine，andstirringitaboutwithastick。Shewastorturedtillsheconfessed，andwasburnedalivethenextevening。
　　AboutthesametimetwosorcerersinToulousewereaccusedofhavingdraggedacrucifixaboutthestreetsatmidnight，stoppingattimestospituponandkickit，andutteringatintervalsanexorcismtoraisethedevil。Thenextdayahail-stormdidconsiderabledamagetothecrops，andagirl，thedaughterofashoemakerinthetown，rememberedtohaveheardinthenighttheexecrationsofthewizards。
　　Herstoryledtotheirarrest。Theusualmeanstoproduceconfessionwereresortedto。Thewizardsownedthattheycouldraisetempestswhenevertheypleased，andnamedseveralpersonswhopossessedsimilarpowers。Theywerehanged，andthenburnedinthemarket-place，andsevenofthepersonstheyhadmentionedsharedthesamefate。
　　HoppoandStadlin，twonotedwizardsofGermany，wereexecutedin1599。Theyimplicatedtwentyorthirtywitches，whowentaboutcausingwomentomiscarry，bringingdownthelightningofheaven，andmakingmaidensbringforthtoads。Tothislatterfactseveralgirlswerefoundtoswearmostpositively！Stadlinconfessedthathehadkilledseveninfantsinthewombofonewoman。
　　Bodinushighlypraisestheexertionsofawitchfinder，namedNider，inFrance，whoprosecutedsomanythathecouldnotcalculatethem。Someofthesewitchescould，byasingleword，causepeopletofalldowndead；othersmadewomengowithchildthreeyearsinsteadofninemonths；whileothers，bycertaininvocationsandceremonies，couldturnthefacesoftheirenemiesupsidedown，ortwistthemroundtotheirbacks。Althoughnowitnesswaseverprocuredwhosawpersonsinthishorriblestate，thewitchesconfessedthattheyhadthepower，andexercisedit。Nothingmorewaswantingtoinsurethestake。
　　AtAmsterdamacrazygirlconfessedthatshecouldcausesterilityincattle，andbewitchpigsandpoultrybymerelyrepeatingthemagicwordsTuriusundShuriusInturius！Shewashangedandburned。Anotherwomaninthesamecity，namedKornelisVanPurmerund，wasarrestedinconsequenceofsomedisclosurestheformerhadmade。Awitnesscameforwardandsworethatsheonedaylookedthroughthewindowofherhut，andsawKornelissittingbeforeafiremutteringsomethingtothedevil。Shewassureitwastothedevil，becausesheheardhimanswerher。Shortlyafterwardstwelveblackcatsascendedoutofthefloor，anddancedontheirhindlegsaroundthewitchforthespaceofabouthalfanhour。Theythenvanishedwithahorridnoise，andleavingadisagreeablesmellbehindthem。Shealsowashangedandburned。
　　AtBamberg，inBavaria，theexecutionsfromtheyear1610to1640
　　wereattherateofaboutahundredannually。Onewoman，suspectedofwitchcraft，wasseizedbecause，havingimmoderatelypraisedthebeautyofachild，ithadshortlyafterwardsfallenillanddied。Sheconfessedupontherackthatthedevilhadgivenherthepowertoworkeviluponthoseshehated，byspeakingwordsintheirpraise。Ifshesaidwithunwontedfervour，“Whatastrongman！““Whatalovelywoman！““Whatasweetchild！“thedevilunderstoodher，andafflictedthemwithdiseasesimmediately。Itisquiteunnecessarytostatetheendofthispoorcreature。Manywomenwereexecutedforcausingstrangesubstancestolodgeinthebodiesofthosewhooffendedthem。Bitsofwood，nails，hair，eggshells，bitsofglass，shredsoflinenandwoollencloth，pebbles，andevenhotcindersandknives，werethearticlesgenerallychosen。Thesewerebelievedtoremaininthebodytillthewitchesconfessedorwereexecuted，whentheywerevoidedfromthebowels，orbythemouth，nostrils，orears。Modernphysicianshaveoftenhadcasesofasimilardescriptionundertheircare，wheregirlshaveswallowedneedles，whichhavebeenvoidedonthearms，legs，andotherpartsofthebody。Butthescienceofthatdaycouldnotaccountforthesephenomenaotherwisethanbythepowerofthedevil；andeveryneedleswallowedbyaservantmaidcostanoldwomanherlife。Nay，ifnomorethanonesufferedinconsequence，thedistrictmightthinkitselffortunate。Thecommissionersseldomstoppedshortatonevictim。Therevelationsoftherackinmostcasesimplicatedhalfascore。
　　Ofalltherecordsofthewitch-trialspreservedforthewonderofsucceedingages，thatofWurzburg，from1627to1629，isthemostfrightful。Hauber，whohaspreservedthislistinhis“ActaetScriptaMagica，“says，inanoteattheend，thatitisfarfromcomplete，andthattherewereagreatmanyotherburningstoonumeroustospecify。
　　Thisrecord，whichrelatestothecityonly，andnottotheprovinceofWurzburg，containsthenamesofonehundredandfifty-sevenpersons，whowereburnedintwoyearsintwenty-nineburnings，averagingfromfivetosixatatime。Thelistcomprisesthreeplay-actors，fourinnkeepers，threecommoncouncilmenofWurzburg，fourteenvicarsofthecathedral，theburgomaster’slady，anapothecary’swifeanddaughter，twochoristersofthecathedral，GobelBabelintheprettiestgirlinthetown，andthewife，thetwolittlesons，andthedaughterofthecouncillorStolzenberg。Richandpoor，youngandold，sufferedalike。Attheseventhoftheserecordedburnings，thevictimsaredescribedasawanderingboy，twelveyearsofage，andfourstrangemenandwomen，foundsleepinginthemarket-place。Thirty-twoofthewholenumberappeartohavebeenvagrants，ofbothsexes，who，failingtogiveasatisfactoryaccountofthemselves，wereaccusedandfoundguiltyofwitchcraft。Thenumberofchildrenonthelistishorribletothinkupon。Thethirteenthandfourteenthburningscomprisedfourpersons，whoarestatedtohavebeenalittlemaidennineyearsofage，amaidenstillless，hersister，theirmother，andtheiraunt，aprettyyoungwomanoftwenty-four。Attheeighteenthburningthevictimsweretwoboysoftwelve，andagirloffifteen；atthenineteenth，theyoungheirofthenoblehouseofRotenhahn，agednine，andtwootherboys，oneagedten，andtheothertwelve。AmongotherentriesappearthenamesofBaunach，thefattest，andSteinacher，therichestburgherinWurzburg。
　　Whattendedtokeepupthedelusioninthisunhappycity，andindeedalloverEurope，wasthenumberofhypochondriacanddiseasedpersonswhocamevoluntarilyforward，andmadeconfessionofwitchcraft。