Satyrical essayes characters and others. Or Accurate and quick descriptions, fitted to the life of their subiects. Iohn Stephens

CHARAC. XX. A Witch

IS the Diuels Hostesse: he takes house-roome and dyet of her; and yet she paies the reckoning: guilty thoughts, and a particular malice of some one person, makes her conceiue detestation of all: her policy of sequestration, to a∣void iealousie of neighbours, de∣tects her envious spirit: for the melancholy darknesse of her low cottage is a maine coniecture of infernals: her name alone (being once mounted) makes discourse enough for the whole parish: if not for all hamlets within sixe miles of the market. She receiues wages in her owne coine: for she becomes as well the obiect of e∣very mans malice, as the foun∣taine

of malice towards every man. The torments therefore of hot Iron, and mercilesse scratch∣ing nails, be long thought vpon, and much threatned (by the fe∣males) before attempted. Meane time shee tolerates defiance through the wrathfull spittle of matrons, in stead of fuell, or maintenance to her damnable intentions: she is therefore the ignorant cause of many Witches besides her selfe: for ceremoni∣ous avoidāce brings the true title to many, although they hartily scorne the name of Witches. Her actions may wel seeme to betray her high birth and pedigree: for she doth quickly apprehend a wrong before it be mentioned: and (like a great family) takes no satisfaction which doth not infinitely countervaile the a∣buse: children therefore cannot

smile vpon her without the ha∣zard of a perpetuall wry-mouth: a very Noble-mans request may be denied more safely then her petitions for small Beere: and a great Ladies, or Queenes name may be lesse doubtfully derided. Her prayers and Amen, be a charme & a curse: her con∣templations and soules-delight be other mens mischiefe: her portion and suters be her soule, and a succubus: her highest ado∣rations be Yew-trees, dampish Church-yards, & a faire Moone∣light: her best preservatiues be odde numbers, and mightie Te∣tragrammaton: these provoca∣tiues to her lust with Divels, breedes her contempt of Man; whilst she (like one sprung from the Antipodes) enioyes her best noone about midnight: and (to make the comparison hold) is

troden vnder foot by a publicke & general hatred: she is nothing, if not a Pythagorean; for she maintaines the transmigration of spirits: these doe vphold the market of bargain & sale among them; which affoords all sorts of cattell at a cheaper rate then Bankes his horse, and better in∣structed: but (like a prodigall) she is out-reached, by thinking earnest is a payment; because the day is protracted. Her affecti∣ons be besotted in affectation of her science; Shee would not else delight in Toades, Mice, or spin∣ning Cats without diuersity: It is probable she was begotten by some Mounte-bank, or Wor∣ding Poet, for she consists of as many fearefull sounds without s••ience, and vtters them to as many delusiue purposes: Shee is a cunning Statuary: and frames

many idols: these she doth wor∣ship no otherwise then with greedy scorne: and yet she is a deepe Idolater: implication is enough with her, to bespeake any mans picture, without his entreaty: for if it appeares that he can prouoke her, it implyes likewise that he desires to be re∣membred by her; and images be a certaine memoriall. Shee seldome liues long enough to attaine the Mysterie of Oynt∣ments, herbs, charmes, or In∣cantations perfectly: for age is most incident to this corrupti∣on, and destiny preuents her. But howsoeuer she be past child∣bearing, yet she giues sucke till the latest minute of fiue-score and vpwards. If she out-liues hempe, a wooden halter is strong enough: vnlesse she saues a labour.