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. VII.

A confutation of the objection concerning witches confessions.

IT is Confessed (say some by the way of objection) even of these wo∣men themselves, that they do these and such other horrible things, a•• deserveth death, with all extremity, &c. Whereunto I answer, that whosoever considerately beholdeth their confessions, shall perceive all to be vain, idle, false, inconstant, and of no weight: except their con∣tempt and ignorance in religion; which is rather the fault of the negli∣gent pastor, than of the simple woman.

First,* 1.1 if their confession be made by compulsion, of force or authori∣ty, or by perswasion, and under colour of friend-ship, it is not to be regarded; because the extremity of threats and tortures provokes it; or the quality of fair word, and allurements constraines it. If it be volunta∣tary, many circumstances must be considered, to wit; whether she appeach not her selfe to overthrow her neighbour, which many times happeneth through their cankered and malicious melancholike humor: then; whe∣ther in that same malancholike mood and frantick humor, she desire not the abridgement of her own dayes. Which thing Aristotle saith doth of∣tentimes happen unto persons subject to malancholike passions: and (as Bodin and Sprenger say) to these old women called witches, which many times (as they affirme) refuse to live; threatning the judges, that if they may not be burned, they will lay hands upon themselves, and so make them guilty of their damnation.

I my self have known, that where such a one could not prevaile, to be accepted as a sufficient witnesse against himselfe, he presently went and threw himselfe into a pond of water, where he was drowned. But the law saith; Volenti mori non est habenda fides, that is; His word is not to be credited that is desirous to dy. Also sometimes (as else-where I have proved) they confesse that whereof they were never guilty; supposing that they did that which they did not, by meanes of certain circumstances. And as they sometimes confesse impossibilities, as that they fly in the air, transubstantiate themselves, raise tempests, transferre or remove corne, &c. so do they also (I say) confesse voluntarily, that which no man could prove, and that which no man would guesse, nor yet beleeve, except he were as mad as they; so as they bring death wilfully upon themselves: which argueth an unsound mind.

If they conf••sse that, which hath been indeed committed by them, as poysoning,* 1.2 or any other kind of murther, which falleth into the power of such persons to accomplish; I stand not to defend their cause. How∣beit, I would wish that even in that case there be not too rash credit gi∣ven, nor to hasty proceedings used against them: but that the causes, properties, and circumstances of every thing be duly considered, and di∣ligently examined. For you shall understand, that as sometimes they confesse they have murthered their neighbours with a wish, sometimes with a word, sometimes with a look, &c. so they confesse, that with

the delivering of an apple, or some such thing, to a woman with child, they have killed the child in the mothers wombe, when nothing was ad∣ded thereunto, which naturally could be noysome or hurtfull.

In like manner they confesse, that with a touch of their bare hand, they sometimes kill a man being in perfect health and strength of body; when all his garments are betwixt their hand and his flesh.

But if this their confession be examined by divinity, philosophy, phy∣sick, law or conscience, it will be found false and insufficient. First, fo•• that the working of miracles is ceased. Secondly, no reason can be yield∣ed for a thing so farre beyond all reason. Thirdly, no receipt can be o•• such efficacy, as when the same is touched with a bare hand, from whence the veines have passage through the body unto the heart, it should not an∣noy the poyson; and yet retain vertue and force enough, to pearce through so many garments and the very flesh incurable, to the place of death in another personr.* 1.3 Cui argumento (saith Bodin) nescio quid re∣sponderi possit. Fourthly, no law will admit such a confession; as yeeldeth unto impossibilities, against the which there is never any law provided; otherwise it would not serve a mans turne, to plead and prove that he w•••• at Berwick that day, that he is accused to have done a murther in Cant••••∣bury: for it might be said he was conveyed to Berwick, and back agai•• by inchantment. Fiftly, he is not by conscience to be executed, whic•• hath no sound mind nor perfect judgement.* 1.4 And yet forsooth we read that one mother Stile did kill one Saddocke with a touch on the shoul∣der, for not keeping promise with her for an old cloak, to make her•• safeguard; and that she was hanged for her labour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Confession compul∣sory; as by Hispanicall inquisition: Look Mal. malef. & Io. Bodin.

  Confession perswasory; as by flatte∣ry: Look Bry. Darcy against Vusu. Kempe. Iohn Bod. Mal. malef. L. absen••. de panis.

  L. 2. cum glos. de iis; qui ante senient. moa∣tui sunt, sibi necem con∣sciscente.
• * 1.2

  Absurdities in witches confessions.
• * 1.3

  I. Bod. de dae∣mono lib 2. cap. 8.
• * 1.4

  In a little pamphlet of the acts and hang∣ing of four witches, in anno. 1579.