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54)

The Devill never assists men to do supernaturall things un= desired; w^n Therefore such Like things shall be fortified against ye accused Party not by [Spectrs?] which are Devills in ye Shape of Persons [inserted: either] Living or dead, but by reall men or women who may be credited, it is proof Enough yt (that) such an one hath yt (that) Conver= sation and Correspondence is w^th ye Devill, as y^t (that) Hee, or Shee who= ever they be ought to be Exterminated from amongst men. This not w^th standing, I will add. It were better Ten suspected Witch^es should escape,y^n y^t one Innocent person should be Condemned It's an old saying & True; _[Praestat?] reum nocentem absolvi, qùã Ex prohibitis judicus & illegitima probatione Condemnan._ Tis better y^t a guilty person should go absolved, y^n y^t he should ^be w out sufficient ground of convicted be condemned. I had rather judge a witch to be an honest woman, y^n judge an honest Woman as a Witch The word of God directs men [not?] to proceed to y^e Execution of y^e [illegible - most?] capital Offenders, untill Such time as upon Searching dillige[n]tly _y^e matter is found to be a truth and the thing Certain._ Deut. 13:14 An [Inserted (P)] Acquaintance of mine at London in his description of New England declares, that as to their Religion, the People there are Like Mr Perkins. It is no dishonour to us if y^t be found true. I am sorry if any amongst us begin to slight so great a man, [crossed out^whom] ye most Learned in forraign Lands speake of with admiration on account of this polite & acute judgement. It is grave & good advise w^ch thee giveth in his _Discourse of wichcrafts_ (Chap. 7 Sect. 2) wherw^th I conclude. _I would therefore wish and advise all Jurors who give their verdict upon Life & death in Courts of Assizes to take good heed, if as they be diligent in Zeal for God's Glory and y^e good of his Church in detections of Witches by all sufficient and Lawfull meanes, so Likewise they would be carefull what they do & not to condemn any Party suspected upon bare Presumptions without sound & sufficient proofs, that they be not Guilty through their owne rashness of shedding Innocent Blood._ FINIS

[Text in left margin:]

(p) m[r] Morden. [in] his Geogr: [p.] 577.

(q) Voetius Biblioth: L: 2.

[(r)] Lætus in Compend. Hist.