The Young-students-library containing extracts and abridgments of the most valuable books printed in England, and in the forreign journals, from the year sixty five, to this time : to which is added a new essay upon all sorts of learning ... / by the Athenian Society ; also, a large alphabetical table, comprehending the contents of this volume, and of all the Athenian Mercuries and supplements, etc., printed in the year 1691.

Tractatus duo singulares de Exami∣ne Sagarum, &c. Two Singular Treatises of the Tryal of Witches cast upon cold Water, in which, the Be∣ginning of this Tryal, its nature and truth is curiously sought into, and di∣vers Questions out of the Writings of Divines, Physicians, and Philoso∣phers, are most Learnedly and Plea∣santly resolved. At Francfort and Lipsia, at the Costs of Henry Greut∣zius, 1686, in 4to.

THE first of the two Treatises that is given us here, was made by one of the Magistrates of Bonn in the Country of Cologne, to justifie the Practice of some Judges of Germany, who for a long time make use of the proof of Water, when they have a mind to try if a Woman is a Witch. All her Cloaths are taken off, her right Hand is tied to her left Foot, and the left Hand with the right Foot; then she is cast into Water, and if she doth not sink under water she is believed guilty, and is burned. Great Wits which examine but by halves what they deny, are not in∣cumbred with this Objection, they say, that they are all Chimeras, and that there must be no belief given to such Stories: but those that penetrate into things with an extream exactness before they affirm or deny them, are incomparably more irre∣solute upon a fact so strange as this; on the one hand they have difficulty to compre∣hend why this proof availeth 'not but in certain places, and why if it be certain, all the Tribunals of the World do not make use of it when they have occasion. Besides, their knowing that the proof of a hot Iron, that of boyling Water, and some others made use of in times past in divers places to discover where the unjustice or justice of an accusation subsists, and that they have been condemned by the Church, be∣cause without doubt they perceived there was illusion in all this, and that Knaveries were intermixed, which often times did op∣press Innocence, and justified Criminals. However it is, our Author pretends that this Tryal of Witches is lawful. His name is Rickius, and speaks very bad Latine. Perhaps he was a better Citizen than a Wit.

He at first proposeth to himself a great number of Objections which usually are made against the practice he maintaineth, and which are for the most part weakness it self. The best of all is, that God must not be tempted, and that this is to tempt him, to commit the decision of a Process to a most Signal Miracle of his Providence. But this Objection would not be conside∣rable, if we were assured that the proof whereof we speak hath never fail'd; for we should have reason to believe in that case, God hath established the immersion of People Confederate with the Devil, as an occasional cause of the discovery of this Plot, in engaging himself to hinder the natural effect of heaviness. An Experience constantly reiterated would be a revelation significative enough of this Institution of God, so that without tempting him we might have recourse to it when it would be necessary. There are an hundred ex∣amples in Scripture which shew that God hath not disapproved that Signs should be required of him and Prodigies, to be well assured of a matter, and we must hold as undoubtful, that the Church would never have condemned the proofs of Hot iron, if they had not strong Reasons of doubting that they were a good Warrant of Justice or Unjustice. The Objection that is founded upon the Supposition that it is the Devil who holds Witches Suspended upon the Surface of the Water, is miserable, for it is against all the light of a good Reason, that the Devil should employ his Forces to be∣tray Creatures which are the most devoted unto him, and to make Judges Triumph over his Subjects who have a Design to send them into the fire. It is, say they, because God forceth there Proud Spirits to Act against their proper interest: But be∣sides that, they say this without forming a distinct Idea of the manner wherewith these Spirits may be forced to produce cer∣tain Actions; Who seeth but a constraint of this nature ought not to hinder Magistrates to verifie by the Experience of Water if a Woman be a Witch, seeing that whether God Acteth therein by his immediate Ver∣tue, or forces the Devils to work this Pro∣digie, it is still his wise and admirable Providence which would make use of this means to teach Judges what they know not? These Two Objections, which are the best of all, being ruined, it seems that the only means to refute this practice is to make the foundation of these Proofs sus∣picious of falshood; but as the Author strives only against those that agree with him in the fact, there is nothing to be fear∣ed on that side.

We must do him this justice that he is not of those who have precipitately recourse to the Essay of Immersion; he will have men recourse to it but upon very probable Indices of Sorcerie; and he gives thereupon very good Counsels to the Judges, chiefly exhorting them to take heed that the Hangman acquit himself faithfully of his duty, for without it there would happen great abuses in this matter, because the persons which are cast into the water be∣ing sometimes very innocent, do not swim, and then the Hangman ought to be active to draw them out, for fear they should be drowned. But if he is too hasty he may save the guilty, because there are Witches which being immediately descended a little under water, would soon come up again of themselves, and would manifest there∣by their crime, whilest they pass for inno∣cent if the Hangman doth not give them time to come up again. It may also be that a Woman which weigheth not much, may have motions which swell up some Muscels to form a perfect Equilibrium be∣twixt her weight and that of the water. The Emotion and Tonick movement of the Muscels would perhaps soon cease, and then this Woman would sink and would justifie herself. But if she be judged accord∣ing to the effect of the Equilibrium where she is in at the first Moment, she is lost with all her Innocence. There are then many things to be observed, and apparent∣ly it is one of the best difficulties that may be made against this proof. The Author hath heard say, that there are certain Countries where the Women who are sus∣pected of Witchcraft, are weighed in a Ballance, and saith, they have experienced that Witches of the greatest and thickest Stature weigh no more than about 15 pounds.

He brings several proofs of his sentiment which are good enough, considering the quality of the matter. This is not the less convincing that the Judges must not be re∣fused this Essay of the Immersion, seeing it is so difficult to assure themselves of the truth by the Testimony of the Accomplices; for saith he, a Witch that accuseth another, Grounds very often but upon that She ima∣gineth to have seen her at the Caterwaul∣ing or meeting of Witches. And what as∣surance can one take upon such imaginati∣on which might have been deluded by the evil Spirit, as the Author shews in the fourth Chapter? Besides, it being known by the Deposition of several of these Wretches, that Witches of quality walk nor dance at that Assignation but in a mask, whence it followeth, that they are known but by their Mien, and Stature; and other signs very suspicious. A strange thing is that in the Books of Pagans where so much is spoken of Witchcrafts, no Women are found which are thought to go to the Assignation. Is not it because the Devil changes customs and manners according to the diversity of times and places? The Author answers very largely to the objections of his Adversaries; but sometimes he saith things which have not the least solidity, as when he supposes that the Water of all the Elements is subject to the Devils power, and where uncertain facts may be best discovered, be∣cause of the Exorcisms and Consecrations whereof Water is commonly the Subject in the Administration of Baptism. He finisheth his Book with a very devout O∣ration which he believes the Judges ought to make to God before they make use of the Proof.

The Author of the Treatises is called Herman Neuwalds; he refutes a Letter which is seen here, and which was written at Langow in the County of Lippa the 4th. October 1583, by Adolphus Scribanius, who assures, that a few days before he had seen Women accused of Witchcraft cast three times into the Water in presence of a mul∣titude of People, which sunk no more than a bit of Wood. He cites divers Au∣thors which have spoken of this proof, and after having expounded this Phenomen, in supposing that as soon as a person makes agreement with the Devil, he is so posses∣sed with him, that he contracts a great lightness by the habitation of a Being so light and volatil, as he concludes he is, that the use of this proof is very lawful.

The Treatise which refutes this Letter is curious enough: many things are re∣lated there touching the Origin, Practice and Abrogation of the proofs by a hot Iron, by cold Water, hot Water, &c. In it also are related several Traditions of the Com∣mon People which regard the mark of Wizards, the Feast of Loup-Garous of Livonia, and divers superstitious means or Ma∣gick to discover Wizards, and to Divine; The pretended lightness communicated to Witches by the Volatility of the Spirit which possesseth their body: And tho' it's maintained against the Physician Wier, that these Women are worthy the utmost pu∣nishment, yet the Tryal of Immersion is not approved of any other besides him.

It were to be desired that now there are great Philosophers in the World, some one would give a good Treatise upon Witchcrafts. It's supposed as a constant Principle that as soon as Wizards and Ma∣gicians have been seized by the Authority of Justice, the Devil cannot do the least thing for their deliverance, and yet in o∣ther occasions he makes a hundred Actions more difficult than the breaking open a door. They are constrained to admit of a hundred other silly qualities. Men should pro∣foundly reason upon all this: And seeing this Age is the true time of Systems, some∣thing should be found out touching the Commerce which may be betwixt the De∣vil and Man. There is no Philosophy more proper for that than that of Mr. Descartes, chiefly because men have so well disputed on the occasional causes. It seem∣eth

that hitherto the question of Witch∣crafts hath only been treated by Judgments either too incredulous or too credulous. Both of 'em are very unfit to succeed in this, since they are commonly guilty of the same defect, which is, to determine or deny, or to believe without searching in∣to things. There never were People more bold to deny Extraordinary Facts than the wretched Spinozists. Yet they are very ill grounded, seeing there is scarcely any thing whereof their Hypotheses do not engage them to hold the Possibility. I do nevertheless grant that the Discovery which is made from time to time of seve∣ral sorts of Knaveries, is for them as well as for others a Reason of uncertainty. There hath of late hapned an Accident at Campen, in the Over-Issels, which will not be unacceptable to give an Account of here.

It is that in the Month of December 1685, a Boy of 13 Years shewed by great con∣torsions of Body and Sinews that he was fu∣riously Tormented. They even would say, that he emitted Nails, Needles and Pins by Urine, and all that was shewn in a Glass wherein he had Piss'd in presence of those which kept him. He accused a Woman which had given him a Root to have bewitched him: Several believed it, and being moved for him, with a great Compassion Recommended him to God by Ardent Prayers. Others not believing that in this there was reason enough to accuse the Woman of Witchcraft, imagi∣ned notwithstanding that the Devil did put these strange Bodies into the Glass where the Boy pissed. Notwithstanding the People were so moved that if the pru∣dence of the Magistrates had not interven'd this Woman had been in great danger. In fine, they ceased to say that this Boy emitted Pins, at any other time but only towards the end of the Month of Ianuary; he bethought himself of another thing, which was to cast Stools and vomit Hairs, bits of Scales, and other things of this kind. The Wisest, who were far from thinking that there was any Magick in it, concluded it to be a pure Artifice, and the Magistrate applied himself so well to find it out, some∣times in Threatning this Boy, sometimes in making him promises; at last he declared that his Father and Mother-in-Law had made him learn all this Play of a Vaga∣bond Woman who asked but 100 pence for such a secret: He gave the Magistrates the Spectacle of his Vomits, of his Con∣vulsions, and of the Activity with which he would make Pins, &c. fall in the Glass which he was to piss in. His Father and Mother in Law, which had a Reputation of Piety, were brought before the Judges; but because there was not found where withal to convince 'em that they were Partners in the fraud, and that the Boy had declared he had unjustly accused them, they were absolved, and the Son was con∣demned to be whipt by his Father.

This Accident puts me in mind of one which is related in the Iournal of the Learn∣ed; of the 11th. September 1682. They were some young Women that were of the Neighbourhood of Thoulouse which vomited Pins and Ribbands, and that suffered other Accidents so singular that they were taken to be possessed, and they were endeavour∣ed to be cured by Exorcisms: But the able Physicians which the Parliament en∣joined to observe well the matter, declar∣ed these Phenomens might be expounded by Principles purely Natural; and they were not a little confirmed in this opinion, when they observed that feigned Exor∣cisms produced upon these Persons the effects as the true ones. The difference that is betwixt them and the little Boy at Campen, is, that the latter did thro' Malice what the first did by a Hypocondriack Malady.

He that Inform'd us of the Affair of the little Boy is an Advocate of Zceol, Named Mr. Nuis, who hath published in Dutch a very considerable Treatise of Geometry. He Entituleth it, Gebruyk Uan Het Re∣ctangulum Catholicum Geometrico-Astro∣nomicum, &c. Te Zwolle, by Gerard Tide∣man 1686, in 4••o. in Amsterdam at Waes∣bergs. He hath divided it into Three Parts: He shews in the First the Geometrical use of this new Instrument, and briefly touches what hath been said by others on the use of the Compass, and of the Rule of proportion. He also speaks of Trigo∣nometry of Draughts, and of the use of this Instrument to measure the Visual Angles, Height, Draughts and Distances. In the Second he Treats of Solar Dyals, and gives a new general Method to Trace the Hora∣ry Circles, the Azimuths, the Almucan∣taraths, the Signs of the Zodiack, upon all sorts of Surfaces, and that in Three manners, one by Rule and Compass, and the Two others by this new Instrument. Besides its probableness, here is shewn how to find the Declination, Inclination and the Reclination of Draughts. All this is maintained by Mathematical Demonstra∣tions. The Third speaks of Spherick Tri∣gonometry, and of the Astronomical Pro∣blems which are thereby resolved, and of the Construction of an Universal Clock comprehended in this Instrument, and fit to find the Hours and Azymuths by the Sun and Principal Stars in all places of the World where the Elevation of the Pole passeth not the 65 Degree. The Appen∣dix contains the Resolving several Problems of Astronomy by Rule and Compass on the Principles of Dyalling. The same Au∣thor hath pubished a small Work in 4to where he Geometrically sheweth why the Currant of Water makes the Beds of Ri∣vers, or where they run sometimes higher and somtimes lower; and why the means employed hitherto for the Rhine on Issel have not been successful. He Composed this Book upon occasion of the Works, that were prepared for the use the Fort of

Scenck, and Entituled it, Redenen Mid∣delen Uan Uerdieping en Uerzanding de Rivieren en Havens op een Meet∣hundinge Maniere betoogt en aan ge∣wesen.

Notes

• Where Witches are turned into Wolves.