IX. Is the Cafe of Richard Dugdale, who by fome is called the Surey Damoniac, by others the Surey Impoftor. In this is feen the Va- nity of Diffenters, in pretending to caft out Devils. Tho' the Gafe might have refted, if X. Is the Cafe of Jane Wenham of Walkern, in Hertfordshire. In this is fbeton how impoffi- ble it is for the most innocent Perfons to defend themselves against fuch fantaftick Evidence, if it be allow'd of as legal Proof. In this Chap- ter is fhewn, that our Royal Society in Eng- land, having been the first of that fort that bath been founded in Europe, for difcovering bath been the first in thefe latter 'Ages, that cleard it felf of fuch Superftitions. 136 ture, and fhews what kind of Withcrafts they were that are Spoken of there. 3. William Somers, thought to be difpoffefs'd In this is feen bow forward Witnesses are to XVI. Clofes the Difcourfe with a Fudgment of what the Author thinks he bath fully prov'd in this Matter, and what he ftill leaves open to Time and farther Experience. And gives the . A DIALOGUE BETWIXT A CLERGY MAN, a Scotch ADVOCATE, and an English JURY-MAN. Clerg A CHAP I. GOOD Morning to you, Neigh bour. Are all well at Home, that you are here this Fore noon ? Fur. Thanks be to God, we are in good Health: But I am come at this Time to defire your Opinion and Advice, and therefore I chofe the Morning, in hope to find B you you moft at Leisure. You know how much Difcourfe there hath been about the poor Woman, who hath suffered a great deal already, and is now in Goal upon Sufpicion of Witchcraft. Now I received a Summons laft Night to ferve upon the Jury that is to try her. But tho I never in my Life refufed to ferve my Country as well as I have been able, yet I have a great Mind to stay at Home now, and defire fome Friend to excuse me. Clerg. I would not advife that; fince the Law of the Nation puts the Judgment upon you, and with due Care you may preferve your Innocence: For if the Cafe be not very plain, fave Life. Fur. But I am pretty fure, that the Cafe will not be plain. For I have heard already, perhaps as much as I fhall at the Time of Tryal; and for my Life I know not what Judgment to make of it. I happened once to hear two very Learned and Good Men difcourfe juft fuch a Cafe, and instead of clearing the Point, they difputed themselves into a Paffion: And therefore, if you do advise me to appear in fo difficult a Cafe, pray let me know a little what you have met with about thefe dark Matters. Clerg. You could not have come to me at a better Time, for my Friend that is here with me, lives in Scotland, and hath been Advocate in the Tryals of Witches; and as I hope our happy Union of Interests and Counfels will be a Means of improving one another in all useful Notions, as far as either of us have had the Opportunity of feeing farther than the other in any Cafe, I am glad of this Occafion, that you may have my Friend's Opinion as well as Mine. And therefore you fhall put to us as many Doubts as you have upon you: And for Argument's fake, I will make the best I can of the Poor Woman's Cafe, and Mr. Advocate fhall urge the Case against her. Fur. Jur. The firft Thing they tell of her, is, That the afflicted Perfon falls into Fits, as foon as the Woman is brought into the Room where she is. Clerg. But did the fall into any fuch Fits before common Fame, or fome Accident or Fancy, had given this Poor Woman this frightful Character of a Witch? If not, her Fits may proceed only from her own Imagination: For an ill grounded Fear hath the fame Effect upon the Imagination, that a Fear hath which is reasonable. I once knew fome Young Gentlewomen dress up a Poft like an Apparition, and put it where one of their Play-fellows was to come, and it threw her into Fits, that kept her fenfelefs for a great while, and might as well have kill'd her. Now if fome foolish Young Woman, by lying Stories, or otherwise, is made as fearful of this Poor Creature, as that Girl was of a Spirit, is it any wonder, that the falls into Fits when the fees her? Adv. I allow this, if fhe fees her: But many afflicted Perfons fall into Fits, when the fuppofed Witch hath been brought in, fo as the Party hath not feen her. Clerg. But perhaps they expected her, and perceived her coming by the Countenances, or Whispers of the Company. But if not by that way, I would ask you, What is the Reason why fome Perfons fall into an Agony, if there be a Cat in the Room, tho' they do not fee her? Adv. Some Scent or Secret Communication of Spirits, that are the Common Ground of all fuch Antipathies. Clerg. And when fome Poor Old Creature, through Poverty, and old Age, and bad Diet, and want of convenient Linnen, is grown Nafty, may the not have fome Rank Unfavoury Smell, that may grow to an Antipathy against thofe that have fall'n into Fits by their Fear at the Sight of her? Pliny, and many others alfo fuppofe thefe ill Scents may be to the B 2 Degree |