The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery.

CHAP. XLVI.

A pleasant Miracle wrought by a Popish Priest.

WHat time the Waldenses Heresies began to spring, certain wicked men, being upheld and maintained by Diabolical vertue, shewed certain signs and wonders, whereby they strengthened and con∣firmed their Heresies, and perverted in Faith many faithful men; for they walked on the water and were not drowned. But a certain Catholick Priest seeing the same, and knowing that true signs could not be joyned with false do∣ctrine, brought the body of our Lord, with the Pix, to the Water, where they shewed their power and vertue to the people, and said, in the hearing of all that were present, I conjure thee O Devil, by him, whom I carry in my hands, that thou exercise not these great Visions and Phantasies by these men, to the drown∣ing of this people. Notwithstanding these words, when they walked still on the water, as they did before, the Priest in a rage threw the body of our Lord, with the Pix, into the River, and by and by; so soon as the Sacrament touched the Ele∣ment, the Phantasie gave place to the Verity; and they being proved and made false, did sink like lead to the bottom, and were drowned; the Pix with the Sacrament immediately was taken away by an Angel. The Priest seeing all these things, was very glad of the Miracle, but for the loss of the Sacrament he was very pensive, passing away the whole night in tears and mourning: in the morning he found the Pix with the Sacrament upon the Altar.

Notes

• In speculo ex∣emplorum, dist. 6. ex lib exem∣plorum, Caesaris, exempi. 69. Memoramdum it is confessed in Popery that true Miracles cannot be joyned with false Doctrin; Ergo, neither Papist, Witch, nor Conjuror can work mi∣racles.