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That way of discovering witches by tying their hands | That way of discovering witches by tying their hands | ||
& feet & casting them on ye water to try whether | & feet & casting them on ye water to try whether | ||
they will | they will Sinke or Swim; I did publiquely bare my | ||
Testimony against this Superstition in a Booke printed | Testimony against this Superstition in a Booke printed | ||
at Boston Eight yeares Past. I heare of Late some | at Boston Eight yeares Past. I heare yt of Late some | ||
amongst us have bin playing | amongst us have bin playing wth this diaboliall Inven- | ||
tion. It is to be Lamented, | tion. It is to be Lamented, yt in such a Land of uprightnesse | ||
as New-England once was, a | as New-England once was, a practice w[hi]ch Protestant Writers | ||
generally Condemn as Sinfull, & w | generally Condemn as Sinfull, & w[hi]ch ye more Sober and | ||
Learnedmen amongst Papists themselves have not only | |||
judged unlawfull, but (to Expresse it in their owne Termes) | judged unlawfull, but (to Expresse it in their owne Termes) | ||
to be no lesse | to be no lesse then a Mortall Sin, Should be Ever heard of. | ||
Were it not that ye Coming of Christ [scratched out] to judge | |||
the Earth Draweth neer, I should think | the Earth Draweth neer, I should think yt such practices | ||
are an unhappy Omen, yt ye | are an unhappy Omen, yt ye Devill & Pagans will get these | ||
Darke Territories into their Possession againe. But yt | Darke Territories into their Possession againe. But yt | ||
I may not be thought to have no Reason for my Calling ye | I may not be thought to have no Reason for my Calling ye | ||
Impleaded Experiment into Question, I have these things | |||
further to alledge against it. 1st. It has bin rejected Long | further to alledge against it. 1st. It has bin rejected Long | ||
agoe by Christian Nations as a thing Superstitious & Diabolicall. | agoe by Christian Nations as a thing Superstitious & Diabolicall. | ||
In Italy & in Spain it is wholly Dissusd ^(a) & in ye Low Countryes & in | In Italy & in Spain it is wholly Dissusd ^(a) & in ye Low Countryes & in | ||
ffrance where ye Judges are men of Learning. In Some parts | ffrance where ye Judges are men of Learning. In Some parts | ||
of Germany, | of Germany, old Paganish Customes are observed more then in | ||
other Countries Neverthelesse, all ye ^(b) Academies throughout Germa | other Countries, Neverthelesse, all ye ^(b) Academies throughout Germa | ||
ny have disapproved of this way of Purgation. | ny have disapproved of this way of Purgation. | ||
2ly. The Devill is in it. All Superstition is | 2ly. The Devill is in it. All Superstition is for him. And where | ||
^secret things or | ^secret things or Latent Crimes are discovered by Super- | ||
stitious practices, Some Compact & | stitious practices, Some Compact & Com[m]unio[n] with ye Devill | ||
is ye Cause of it, as Austin ^(c) hath truly Intimated. ffor if a | is ye Cause of it, as Austin ^(c) hath truly Intimated. ffor if a Witch | ||
can not be drowned | can not be drowned; this must proceed eitheer fro[m] Some Natural Cause, w^ch | ||
it doth not; for it is against Nature for humane | it doth not; for it is against Nature for humane | ||
Latest revision as of 15:49, 19 July 2017
45 That way of discovering witches by tying their hands & feet & casting them on ye water to try whether they will Sinke or Swim; I did publiquely bare my Testimony against this Superstition in a Booke printed at Boston Eight yeares Past. I heare yt of Late some amongst us have bin playing wth this diaboliall Inven- tion. It is to be Lamented, yt in such a Land of uprightnesse as New-England once was, a practice w[hi]ch Protestant Writers generally Condemn as Sinfull, & w[hi]ch ye more Sober and Learnedmen amongst Papists themselves have not only judged unlawfull, but (to Expresse it in their owne Termes) to be no lesse then a Mortall Sin, Should be Ever heard of. Were it not that ye Coming of Christ [scratched out] to judge the Earth Draweth neer, I should think yt such practices are an unhappy Omen, yt ye Devill & Pagans will get these Darke Territories into their Possession againe. But yt I may not be thought to have no Reason for my Calling ye Impleaded Experiment into Question, I have these things further to alledge against it. 1st. It has bin rejected Long agoe by Christian Nations as a thing Superstitious & Diabolicall. In Italy & in Spain it is wholly Dissusd ^(a) & in ye Low Countryes & in ffrance where ye Judges are men of Learning. In Some parts of Germany, old Paganish Customes are observed more then in other Countries, Neverthelesse, all ye ^(b) Academies throughout Germa ny have disapproved of this way of Purgation. 2ly. The Devill is in it. All Superstition is for him. And where ^secret things or Latent Crimes are discovered by Super- stitious practices, Some Compact & Com[m]unio[n] with ye Devill is ye Cause of it, as Austin ^(c) hath truly Intimated. ffor if a Witch can not be drowned; this must proceed eitheer fro[m] Some Natural Cause, w^ch it doth not; for it is against Nature for humane
[Margin notes:] (a) Delrio disquis. Magic p. 642
(b) Malderus de Magia^ Cap. 10 Dub:11
(c) De Doctr. Christian: L2. Cap. 20. 22.