.NDI.MjIzNjQ

scape. Yea many superstitious and magicall Experiments have been used to try witches by: Of this sort is the scratching the witch; the _ southing the urine of the bewitched person, or making a Witch Cake of that [crossed out: that] urine. [crossed out: & that tryall] [line scratched out - illegible -ing- illegible] [line scratched out - illegible] and that of stick = ing an [scratched out: Awle [Naile?]] under the seat of the Suspected [crossed out: per] party, yea, and

[scratched out] and that tryal of putting their hands into scalding water to see if it will not hurt them

[partial line:] have these things [partial line:] against it. 1st. It has bin [been] 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 France 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 Germ[a-] ny have dissapproved of this way of Purgation. 2ly. The Devill is in it. All superstition is for him. And where [crossed out word] 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. For if a witch cannot be drowned; this must proceed eitheer fro[m] Some Natural Cause, w ch it doth not; for it is against Nature for humane.