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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:43:29 -0700 |
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diff --git a/14015-h/14015-h.htm b/14015-h/14015-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aab9013 --- /dev/null +++ b/14015-h/14015-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,545 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Discovery of Witches, by Matthew Hopkins</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4 {text-align: center; } + HR { width: 65%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; } + HR.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + HR.short { width: 45%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + p.ctr {text-align:center;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + pre {font-size: 8pt;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14015 ***</div> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Discovery of Witches, by Matthew Hopkins</h1> +<center> +<table border=0 bgcolor="ccccff" cellpadding=10 width="70%"> + <tr> + <td> + Transcriber's Note:<br> + <br> + In Quer. 11, point 3, 'confession of a With' + corrected to 'confession of a Witch'. Note that + all are Queries with the exception of Quest. 13. + </td> + </tr> +</table> +</center> +<br> +<br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<br> +<h1>The<br /> +Discovery of Witches:</h1> + +<h2>In<br /> +Answer to severall QUERIES,<br /> +LATELY</h2> + +<h3><i>Delivered to the Judges of Assize for the<br /> +County of</i> NORFOLK.<br /> +<br /> +And now published<br /> +By MATTHEW HOPKINS, Witch-finder,<br /> +<br /> +FOR<br /> +The Benefit of the whole KINGDOME.</h3> + +<h4>M. DC. XLVII.</h4> + +<hr class="short"><br /> + +<p class="ctr"><b>EXOD. 22.18.<br /> +<i>Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.</i></b></p> + +<hr class="short"><br /> + + +<br /><br /> +<blockquote><p class="ctr">Certaine <i>Queries</i> answered, which have been and are likely to be +objected against MATTHEW HOPKINS, in his way of finding out <i>Witches</i>.</p></blockquote> +<br> +<br> +<hr class="short"><br /> + +<h2>Querie 1.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>That he must needs be the greatest Witch, Sorcerer, and Wizzard +himselfe, else hee could not doe it.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>If <i>Satan's</i> kingdome be divided against +it selfe, how shall it stand?</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Querie 2.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>If he never went so farre as is before +mentioned, yet for certaine he met with the +Devill, and cheated him of his Booke, wherein +were written all the Witches names in</i> England, <i>and if he looks on any +Witch, he can tell by her countenance what she is; so by this, his helpe +is from the Devill.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>If he had been too hard for the devill and got his +book, it had been to his great commendation, and no disgrace +at all: and for judgement in <i>Phisiognomie</i>, he hath no more +then any man else whatsoever.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 3.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>From whence then proceeded this his skill? was it from +his profound learning, or from much reading of learned Authors concerning +that subject?</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>From neither of both, but from experience, which +though it be meanly esteemed of, yet the surest and safest way to +judge by.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 4.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>I pray where was this experience gained? and why +gained by him and not by others?</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>The Discoverer never travelled far for it, but in <i>March</i> +1644 he had some seven or eight of that horrible sect of Witches +living in the Towne where he lived, a Towne in Essex called +<i>Maningtree</i>, with divers other adjacent Witches of other towns, +who every six weeks in the night (being alwayes on the Friday +night) had their meeting close by his house and had their severall +solemne sacrifices there offered to the <i>Devill</i>, one of which this +discoverer heard speaking to her <i>Imps</i> one night, and bid them +goe to another Witch, who was thereupon apprehended, and searched, +by women who had for many yeares knowne the Devills +marks, and found to have three teats about her, which honest +women have not: so upon command from the <i>Justice</i> they were +to keep her from sleep two or three nights, expecting in that time +to see her <i>familiars</i>, which the fourth night she called in by their +severall names, and told them what shapes, a quarter of an houre +before they came in, there being ten of us in the roome, the first +she called was</p> + +<p>1. <i>Holt</i>, who came in like a white kitling.</p> + +<p>2. <i>Jarmara</i>, who came in like a fat Spaniel without any legs at +all, she said she kept him fat, for she clapt her hand on her belly +and said he suckt good blood from her body.</p> + +<p>3. <i>Vinegar Tom</i>, who was like a long-legg'd Greyhound, with +an head like an Oxe, with a long taile and broad eyes, who when +this discoverer spoke to, and bade him goe to the place provided +for him and his Angels, immediately transformed himselfe into +the shape of a child of foure yeeres old without a head, and gave +halfe a dozen turnes about the house, and vanished at the doore.</p> + +<p>4. <i>Sack and Sugar</i>, like a black Rabbet.</p> + +<p>5. <i>Newes</i>, like a Polcat. All these vanished away in a little +time. Immediately after this Witch confessed severall other +Witches, from whom she had her <i>Imps</i>, and named to divers women +where their marks were, the number of their <i>Marks</i>, and +<i>Imps</i>, and <i>Imps</i> names, as <i>Elemanzer</i>, <i>Pyewacket</i>, <i>Peckin the Crown</i>, +<i>Grizzel</i>, <i>Greedigut</i>, <i>&c.</i> which no mortall could invent; and upon +their searches the same Markes were found, the same number, and +in the same place, and the like confessions from them of the same +Imps, (though they knew not that we were told before) and so +peached one another thereabouts that joyned together in the like +damnable practise that in our Hundred in <i>Essex</i>, 29. were condemned +at once, 4. brought 25. Miles to be hanged, where this +Discoverer lives, for sending the Devill like a Beare to kill him in +his garden, so by seeing diverse of the mens Papps, and trying +wayes with hundreds of them, he gained this experience, and for +ought he knowes any man else may find them as well as he and +his company, if they had the same skill and experience.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 5.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>Many poore People are condemned for having a Pap, or +Teat about them, whereas many People (especially antient People) are, +and have been a long time troubled with naturall wretts on severall +parts of their bodies and other naturall excressencies, as Hemerodes, +Piles, Childbearing, &c. and these shall be judged only by one man alone +and a woman, and so accused or acquitted.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>The parties so judging can justifie their skill to any, +and shew good reasons why such markes are not meerly naturall, +neither that they can happen by any such naturall cause as is before +expressed, and for further answer for their private judgements +alone, it is most false and untrue, for never was any man +tryed by search of his body, but commonly a dozen of the ablest +men in the parish or else where, were present, and most commonly +as many ancient skilfull matrons and midwives present +when the women are tryed, which marks not only he, and his +company attest to be very suspitious, but all beholders, the skilfulest +of them, doe not approve of them, but likewise assent that +such tokens cannot in their judgements proceed from any the above +mentioned Causes.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 6.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>It is a thing impossible for any or woman to judge +rightly on such marks, they are so neare to naturall excressencies +and they that finde them, durst not presently give Oath they were +drawne by evil spirits, till they have used unlawfull courses of torture +to make them say any thing for ease and quiet, as who would not do? +but I would know the reasons he speakes of, how, and whereby to discover +the one from the other, and so be satisfied in that.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>The reasons in breefe are three, which for the present +he judgeth to differ from naturall marks which are: </p> + +<p>1. He judgeth +by the unusualnes of the place where he findeth the teats in or on +their bodies being farre distant from any usuall place, from +whence such naturall markes proceed, as if a witch plead the +markes found are Emerods, if I finde them on the bottome of the +back-bone, shall I assent with him, knowing they are not neere +that veine, and so others by child-bearing, when it may be they +are in the contrary part?</p> + +<p>2. They are most commonly insensible, and feele neither pin, +needle, aule, &c. thrust through them.</p> + +<p>3. The often variations and mutations of these marks into severall +formes, confirmes the matter; as if a Witch hear a month +or two before that the <i>Witch-finder</i> (as they call him) is comming +they will, and have put out their Imps to others to suckle +them, even to their owne young and tender children; these upon +search are found to have dry skinnes and filmes only, and be close +to the flesh, keepe her 24. houres with a diligent eye, that none +of her Spirits come in any visible shape to suck her; the women +have seen the next day after her Teats extended out to their former +filling length, full of corruption ready to burst, and leaving +her alone then one quarter of an houre, and let the women go up +againe and shee will have them drawn by her Imps close againe: +<i>Probatum est.</i> Now for answer to their tortures in its due place.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 7.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>How can it possibly be that the Devill bring a spirit, and +wants no nutriment or sustentation, should desire to suck any blood? +and indeed as he is a spirit he cannot draw any such excressences, having +neither flesh nor bone, nor can be felt, &c.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Ans.</i></h3> <p>He seekes not their bloud, as if he could not subsist without +that nourishment, but he often repairs to them, and gets it, +the more to aggravate the Witches damnation, and to put her in +mind of her <i>Covenant</i>; and as he is a Spirit and Prince of the ayre, +he appeares to them in any shape whatsoever, which shape is occasioned +by him through joyning of condensed thickned aire together, +and many times doth assume shapes of many creatures; +but to create any thing he cannot do it, it is only proper to God: +But in this case of drawing out of these Teats, he doth really enter +into the body, reall, corporeall, substantiall creature, and forceth +that Creature (he working in it) to his desired ends, and useth +the organs of that body to speake withall to make his compact +up with the Witches, be the creature Cat, Rat, Mouse, +&c.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 8.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>When these Paps are fully discovered, yet that will not +serve sufficiently to convict them, but they must be tortured and kept +from sleep two or three nights, to distract them, and make them say any +thing; which is a way to tame a wilde Colt, or Hawke, &c.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Ans.</i></h3> <p>In the infancy of this discovery it was not only thought +fitting, but enjoyned in <i>Essex</i> and <i>Suffolke</i> by the Magistrates, +with this intention only, because they being kept awake would be +more the active to cal their imps in open view the sooner to their +helpe, which oftentimes have so happened; and never or seldome +did any Witch ever complaine in the time of their keeping for +want of rest, but after they had beat their heads together in the +Goale; and after this use was not allowed of by the judges and +other Magistrates, it was never since used, which is a yeare and a +halfe since, neither were any kept from sleep by any order or direction +since; but peradventure their own stubborne wills did not +let them sleep, though tendered and offered to them.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 9.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>Beside that unreasonable watching, they were extraordinarily +walked, till their feet were blistered, and so forced through that +cruelty to confesse, &c.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Ans.</i></h3> <p>It was in the same beginning of this discovery, and the +meaning of walking of them at the highest extent of cruelty, was +only they to walke about themselves the night they were watched, +only to keepe them waking: and the reason was this, when they +did lye or sit in a chaire, if they did offer to couch downe, then +the watchers were only to desire them to sit up and walke about, +for indeed when they be suffered so to couch, immediately comes +their Familiars into the room and scareth the watchers, and heartneth +on the Witch, though contrary to the true meaning of the +same instructions, diverse have been by rusticall People, (they hearing +them confess to be Witches) mis-used, spoiled, and abused, +diverse whereof have suffered for the same, but could never be +proved against this Discoverer to have a hand in it, or consent to +it; and hath likewise been un-used by him and others, ever since +the time they were kept from sleepe.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 10.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>But there hath been an abominable, inhumane, and unmercifull +tryall of these poore creatures, by tying them, and heaving +them into the water; a tryall not allowable by Law or conscience, and +I would faine know the reasons for that.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Ans.</i></h3> <p>It is not denyed but many were so served as had Papps, +and floated, others that had none were tryed with them and sunk, +but marke the reasons.</p> + +<p>For first the Divels policie is great, in perswading many to +come of their own accord to be tryed, perswading them their +marks are so close they shall not be found out, so as diverse have +come 10. or 12. Miles to be searched of their own accord, and +hanged for their labour, (as one <i>Meggs</i> a Baker did, who lived +within 7. Miles of <i>Norwich</i>, and was hanged at <i>Norwich</i> Assizes +for witchcraft) then when they find that the Devil tells them false +they reflect on him, and he (as 40. have confessed) adviseth them +to be sworne, and tels them they shall sinke and be cleared that +way, then when they be tryed that way and floate, they see the +Devill deceives them againe, and have so laid open his treacheries.</p> + +<p>2. It was never brought in against any of them at their tryals as +any evidence.</p> + +<p>3. King <i>James</i> in his <i>Demonology</i> saith, it is a certaine rule, for +(saith he) Witches deny their baptisme when they Covenant +with the Devill, water being the sole element thereof, and therefore +saith he, when they be heaved into the water, the water refuseth +to receive them into her bosome, (they being such Miscreants +to deny their baptisme) and suffers them to float, as the Froath +on the Sea, which the water will not recieve, but casts it up and +downe till it comes to the earthy element the shore, and there +leaves it to consume. </p> + +<p>4. Observe these generation of Witches, if they be at any time +abused by being called Whore, Theefe, &c, by any where they +live, they are the readiest to cry and wring their hands, and shed +tears in abundance & run with full and right sorrowfull acclamations +to some Justice of the Peace, and with many teares make +their complaints: but now behold their stupidity; nature or the +elements reflection from them, when they are accused for this horrible +and damnable sin of Witchcraft, they never alter or change +their countenances nor let one Teare fall. This by the way, +swimming (by able Divines whom I reverence) is condemned for +no way, and therefore of late hath, and for ever shall be left.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 11.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>Oh! but if this torturing Witch-catcher can by all or +any of these meanes wring out a word or two of confession from any of +these stupified, ignorant, unitelligible, poore silly creatures, (though +none heare it but himselfe) he will adde and put her in feare to confesse +telling her, else she shall be hanged; but if she doe, he will set her +at liberty, and so put a word into her mouth, and make such a silly +creature confesse she knowes not what.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>He is of a better conscience, and for your better understanding +of him, he doth thus uncase himselfe to all, add declares +what confessions (though made by a Witch against her selfe) he +allowes not of, and doth altogether account of no validity, or +worthy of credence to be given to it, and ever did so account it, +and ever likewise shall.</p> + +<p>1. He utterly denyes that confession of a Witch to be of any +validity, when it is drawn from her by any torture or violence +whatsoever; although after watching, walking, or swimming, diverse +have suffered, yet peradventure Magistrates with much care +and diligence did solely and fully examine them after sleepe, and +consideration sufficient.</p> + +<p>2. He utterly denyes that confession of a Witch, which is +drawn from her by flattery, viz. <i>if you will confess you shall go home, +you shall not go to the Goale, nor be hanged, &c.</i></p> + +<p>3. He utterly denyes that confession of a Witch, when she confesseth +any improbability, impossibility, as <i>flying in the ayre, riding +on a broom, &c.</i></p> + +<p>4. He utterly denyes a confession of a Witch, when it is interrogated +to her, and words put into her mouth, to be of any force +or effect: as to say to a silly (yet Witch wicked enough) <i>you have +foure Imps have you not</i>? She answers affirmatively, Yes: <i>did +they not suck you</i>? Yes, saith she: <i>Are not their names so, and so</i>? +Yes, saith shee; <i>Did not you send such an Impe to kill my child</i>? Yes +saith she, this being all her confession after this manner, it is by +him accompted nothing, and he earnestly doth desire that all Magistrates +and Jurors would a little more then ever they did examine +witnesses about the interrogated confessions.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 12.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>If all those confessions be denyed, I wonder what he +will make confession, for sure it is, all these wayes have been used and +took for good confessions, and many have suffered for them, and I know +not what, he will then make confession.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>Yes, in brief he will declare what confession of a Witch +is of validity and force in his judgement, to hang a Witch: when +a Witch is first found with teats, then sequestred from her house, +which is onely to keep her old associates from her, and so by +good counsell brought into a sad condition, by understanding of +the horribleness of her sin, and the judgements threatned against +her; and knowing the Devils malice and subtile circumventions, +is brought to remorse and sorrow for complying with Satan so +long, and disobeying Gods sacred Commands, doth then desire +to unfold her mind with much bitterness, and then without any of +the before-mentioned hard usages or questions put to her, doth of +her owne accord declare what was the occasion of the Devils appearing +to her, whether ignorance, pride, anger, malice, &c. was +predominant over her, she doth then declare what speech they +had, what likeness he was in, what voice be had, what familiars +he sent her, what number of spirits, what names they had, what +shape they were in, what imployment she set them about to severall +persons in severall places, (unknowne to the hearers) all +which mischiefes being proved to be done, at the same time she +confessed to the same parties for the same cause, and all effected, +is testimony enough again her for all her denyall.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>Quest. 13.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>How can any possibly beleeve that the Devill and the +Witch joyning together, should have such power, as the Witches confesse +to kill such such a man, child, horse, cow, the like; if we beleeve +they can doe what they will, then we derogate from Gods power, +who for certaine limits the Devill and the Witch; and I cannot beleeve +they have any power at all.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Answ.</i></h3> <p>God suffers the Devill many times to doe much hurt, +and the devill doth play many times the deluder and impostor +with these Witches, in perswading them that they are the cause +of such and such a murder wrought by him with their consents, +when and indeed neither he nor they had any hand in it, as thus: +We must needs argue, he is of a long standing, above 6000. yeers, +then he must needs be the best Scholar in all knowledges of arts +and tongues, & so have the best skill in <i>Physicke</i>, judgment in <i>Physiognomie</i>, +and knowledge of what disease is reigning or predominant +in this or that mans body, (and so for cattell too) by reason +of his long experience. This subtile tempter knowing such a man +lyable to some sudden disease, (as by experience I have found) +as <i>Plurisie</i>, <i>Imposthume</i>, &c. he resorts to divers Witches; if they +know the man, and seek to make a difference between the Witches +and the party, it may be by telling them he hath threatned to +have them very shortly searched, and so hanged for Witches, then +they all consult with <i>Satan</i> to save themselves, and <i>Satan</i> stands +ready prepared, with a <i>What will you have me doe for you, my deare +and nearest children, covenanted and compacted with me in my hellish +league, and sealed with your blood, my delicate firebrand-darlings</i>.</p> + +<div class="sidenote"><i>The Divells speech to the Witches.</i></div> + +<p>Oh thou (say they) that at the first didst promise to save us thy +servants from any of out deadly enemies discovery, and didst promise +to avenge and flay all those, we pleased, that did offend us; +Murther that wretch suddenly who threatens the down-fall of +your loyall subjects. He then promiseth to effect it. Next newes +is heard the partie is dead, he comes to the witch, and gets a world +of reverence, credence and respect for his power and activeness, +when and indeed the disease kills the party, not the Witch, nor the +Devill, (onely the Devill knew that such a disease was predominant) +and the witch aggravates her damnation by her familiarity +and consent to the Devill, and so comes likewise in compass of +the Lawes. This is Satans usuall impostring and deluding, but +not his constant course of proceeding, for he and the witch +doe mischiefe too much. But I would that Magistrates and Jurats +would a little examine witnesses when they heare witches +confess such and such a murder, whether the party had not long +time before, or at the time when the witch grew suspected, some +disease or other predominant, which might cause that issue or +effect of death.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>Quer. 14.</h2> + +<blockquote><p><i>All that the witch-finder doth is to fleece the country +of their money, and therefore rides and goes to townes to have imployment, +and promiseth them faire promises, and it may be doth nothing +for it, and possesseth many men that they have so many wizzards +and so many witches in their towne, and so hartens them on to entertaine +him.</i></p></blockquote> +<br /> + +<h3><i>Ans.</i></h3> <p>You doe him a great deale of wrong in every of these +particulars. For, first,</p> + +<p>1. He never went to any towne or place, but they rode, writ, +or sent often for him, and were (for ought he knew) glad of +him.</p> + +<p>2. He is a man that doth disclaime that ever he detected a +witch, or said, Thou art a witch; only after her tryall by search, +and their owne confessions, he as others may judge.</p> + +<p>3. Lastly, judge how he fleeceth the Country, and inriches +himselfe, by considering the vast summe he takes of every towne, +he demands but 20.s. a town, & doth sometimes ride 20. miles for +that, & hath no more for all his charges thither and back again (& +it may be stayes a weeke there) and finde there 3. or 4. witches, or +if it be but one, cheap enough, and this is the great summe he takes +to maintaine his Companie with 3. horses.</p> +<br /> + +<p><i>Judicet ullus.</i></p> + +<br /> +<br> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14015 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |