Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.

CHAP. XVI.

Charmes to carry water in a sive, to know what is spoken of us be∣hind our backs, for bleere eyes, to make seeds to grow well, of i∣mages made of wax, to be rid of a witch, to hang her up, notable authorities against waxen images, a story bewraying the knavery of waxen images.

LEonardus Vairus saith, that there was a prayer extant, whereby might be carried in a sive, water, or other liquor: I think it was clam clay; which a crow taught a maid, that was promised a cake of so great quanti∣ty, as might be kneaded of so much floure, as she could wet with the wa∣ter that she brought in a sive, and by that meanes she clamd it with clay, and brought in so much water, as whereby she had a great cake, and so beguiled her sisters, &c. And this tale I heard among my grandams maides, whereby I can decipher this witchcraft. Item, by the tingling of the eare, men heretofore could tell what was spoken of them. If any see a scorpion, and say this word (Bud) he shall not be stung or bitten therewith. These two Greek letters Π and A written in a paper, and hung about ones neck, preserve the party from bleereyednesse. Cummin or hempseed sowen with cursing and opprobrious words grow the faster and the better. Berosus Anianus maketh witchcraft of great antiquity: for he saith, that Cham touching his fathers naked member uttered a charme, whereby his father became emasculated or deprived of the powers generative.

A charme teaching how to hurt whom you list with images of wax, &c.

MAke an image in his name, whom you would hurt or kill, of new virgine wax; under the right arme-poke whereof place a swallows heart, and the liver under the left; then hang about the neck thereof a new thred in a new needle pricked into the member which you would have hurt, with the rehearsall of certain words: which for the avoiding of foolish superstition and credulity in this behalf is to be omitted. And if they were inserted, I dare undertake▪ they would do no harme, were it not to make fooles, and catch gudgins. Otherwise; Some∣times these images are made of brasse, and then the hand is placed where the foot should be, and the foot where the hand, and the face down∣ward. Otherwise; For a greater mischiefe, the like image is made in the forme of a man or woman, upon whose head is written the certain name of the party; and on his or her ribs these words, Ailif, casyl, zaze, hit,

mel meltat; then the same must be buried. Otherwise; In the dominio•• of Mars, two images must be prepared, one of wax, the other of the earth of a dead man; each image must have in his hand a sword where∣with a man hath been slain, and that he must be slain may have his head thrust through with a foin. In both must be written certain peculiar chara∣cters, and then must they be hid in a certain place. Otherwise; To obtain a womans love, an image must be made in the hour of Venus, of virgine wax, in the name of the beloved, whereupon a character is written, and is warmed at a fire, and in doing thereof the name of some Angell must be mentioned. To be utterly rid of the witch, and to hang her up by the haire, you must prepare an image of the earth of a dead 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be baptized in another mans name, whereon the name, with a cha∣racter, must be written: then must it be perfumed with a rotten bone, and then these psalmes read backward; Domine Dominus noster, Dominus illuminatio mea, Domine exaudi orationem meam, Deus laudem meam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tacueris; and then bury it, first in one place, and afterwards in another. Howbit, it is written in the 21. article of the determination of Paris, th•••• to affirme that images of brasse, lead, gold, of white or red wax, or of any other stuffe, conjured, baptized, consecrated, or rather execrated through these magical arts at certaine daies, have wonderful vertue••, or such as are avowed in their bookes or assertions, is error in faith, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 philosophy, and true astronomy; yea it is concluded in the 22. article of that councell, that it is as great an error to believe those things, as to do them.

But concerning these images, it is certain that they are much feare•• among the people, and much used among cousening witches, as party appeareth in this discourse of mine else-where, and as partly you may see by the contents of this story following. Not long sithence, a young maid∣en (dwelling at New Romny here in Kent) being the daughter of one ••. L. Stuppeny (late Jurat of the same town but dead before the execution hereof) and afterwards the wife of Thom. Eps (who is at this instant Ma••or of Romny) was visited with sicknesse, whose mother and father in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 being abused with credulity concerning witches supernatural power, re∣paired to a famous witch called mother Baker, dwelling not farre from thence at a place called Stonstreet, who, according to witches couse••ing custome, asked whether they mistrusted not some bad neighbour, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whom they answered that indeed they doubted a woman neer unto them (and yet the same was of the honester and wiser sort of her neighbour, reputed a good creature.) Neverthelesse the witch told them that these was great cause of their suspition: for the same, said she, is the very part•• that wrought the maidens destruction, by making a heart of wax, & pri••••∣ing the same with pins and needles; affirming also that the same neighbor of hers had bestowed the same in some secret corner of the house. This being beleeved, the house was searched by credible persons, but nothing could be found. The witch or wise woman being certified hereof, con∣tinued her assertion, and would needs go to the house where she her∣self (as she affirmed) would certainly find it. When she came thither, she used her cunning, as it chanced, to her own confusion, or at least∣wise

to her detection: for herein she did, as some of the wiser sort mi∣strusted that she would do, laying down privily such an image, as she had before described, in a corner, which by others had been most dili∣gently searched and looked into, and by that meanes her cousenage was notably bewrayed. And I would wish that all witchmongers might pay for their lewd repaire to inchanters, and consultation with witches, and such as have familiar spirits, as some of these did, and that by the order of the high Commissioners, which partly for respect of neighbourhood, and partly for other considerations, I leave unspoken of.

Notes

• L. Vairus lib. fascin. 1. cap. 5. Oratio Tusca vestalis.
• Of the word (Bud) and the Greek letters. Π & A
• The practiser of these chams must have skill in the planeta∣ry motions, or else he may go sho the goose.
• A proved sto∣ry concerning the premisses.