Cafe where the comply'd with you too much, and offered to let you swim her.

3. When you used the meaneft of Paganish and Popish Superftitions; when you fcratch'd and mangled, and ran Pins into her Flesh, and ufed that ridiculous Tryal of the Bottle and Urine; Who did you confult? And from whom did you expect your Answers? Who was your Father, and into whofe Hands did you put your felves? And if the true Senfe of the Statute had been turn'd upon you, Which way would you have defended yourselves?

4. Durft you have used her in this manner, if fhe had been rich; and doth not her Poverty increase, rather than leffen your Guilt in what you did?

And therefore, inftead of clofing your Book with a Liberavimus Animas Noftras, and reflecting upon the Court, I ask you, sthly, Whether you have not more Reason to give God Thanks, that you met with a wife Judge, and a fenfible Gentleman, who kept you from thedding innocent Blood, and reviving the meaneft and cruelleft of all Superftitions amongst

us?

That you may fee what ill Effect fuch Notions would have, and what Difgrace they would bring upon our Nation, if they were again to prevail, I will give you an Inftance of the Opinion which the Poor Indians in America had of the Independent English in New England, upon account of their Notions in this Refpect. It feems in Saco-Fort, the French came after the English; and Captain Hill gave the following Account of what he had heard there. See a Certificate of it in the 25th Page of Mr. Calef's More Wonders of the Invifible World. An Indian told him, "That the French Minifters were better than the English for before the French came among them, there were a great many Witches among the Indians, but now there were none: And there

66

were much Witches among the English Minifters, as Burroughs, who was bang'd for it.

This Honour and Benefit which the French Nation found fo far off as India, I doubt not, was owing to that wife Edict which I mentioned in my Chronological Table 1672, which the French King put out in that Year for regulating their Trvals about Witchcraft, after he had pardoned all the Perfons condemned, and ordered a general Goal-Delivery.

But that this honeft Indian's Judgment which was occafioned only by the Mif-conduct of New-England, may not reflect upon our Nation in general, I will take leave to add, that I believe our Nation was one of the firft that purg'd itself from thefe deep Superftitions. For as it is always obferv'd, that thele Notions fly away at the Appearance of Learning and Knowledge; and as our Nation was perhaps the very first in modern Improvements of natural and expe rimental Philofophy, fo I believe it was one of the firft in gaining and fpreading true Judgment in this Matter before us.

And here I will take leave to fupply the Defect of my Chronological Facts, by making a little Table of this by it felf.

About the Year 1652, the Royal Society for improving the Knowledge of Nature and Art had its Beginnings at Oxford, in the Chambers of the learning Bishop Wilkins; and in 1658. removed to Grefham College.

In the aufpicious Year 1660, when our Religion and Government were happily reftored, the Royal Society was incorporated, and King Charles II. did it the Honour to be its Head and Patron, and the Principal Nobility were Members of it.

51664. They began to publifh their Tranfactions, which fpread ufeful Knowledge through

Na

tion.

1665. There was an Execution of Witches, but I count it the laft but one that we have had in England.

1666, The French began their Academy of Sciences.

1672. As foon as their Academy, and other Helps of Knowledge, had fpread Learning amongst them, the French King's Edict above-mention'd cleared their Nation.

1682. The famous Society at Leipfic in Saxony was founded for promoting the fame Knowledge of Nature; and I doubt not but it hath had as useful an Influence there. And as I take this not only to be a Juftification of our Nation from what Difhonour might be fix'd upon us from that Certificate, which I have honeftly mention'd, I could wifh it might animate all generous Spirits in our Nation, to look upon our Royal Society as one of the Nobleft Foundations in Europe, and very falutary to our Country.

Since that hath been founded, not only our Witchcrafts have been banish'd, but all Arts and Sciences have been greatly improv'd. Our Buildings are much more beautiful and commodious, and yet more cheaply built, and eafier kept in Repair. Our Gardens and Orchards are stock'd with new and nobler Fruits, and Fields and Woods with useful Trees. Many of our Lands that were almoft ufelefs, are loaded with new kinds of Grafs and Roots, by better Understanding the Improvement of the Soil. Our Money is more beautiful, and lefs liable to being impair'd. Phyfick and Surgery are new moulded and improv'd, for the lengthning out of Life in Eafe. The fmalleft Parts of Bodies are made vifible by Glaffes, and the farthest Planets are brought near, and their Motions wonderfully accounted for. Navigation is much improved, and Communications of Knowledge fettled with the fartheft Parts. All Arts are improv'd, God is feen

and

and admir'd in his Works, and the Honour of Religion no ways leffen'd; and yet because Rome is not built in a Day, and every Weekly Meeting doth not produce new Discoveries that make their Hair stand an End with Wonder, ignorant Men that know not the Difficulty and flow Progrefs of Knowledge, are ready to make Sport with, and banter away the Improvements of their own Life.

But this pleafing Subject is wandring out of my way; and therefore, with good Wifhes to the Labours of thofe generous Perfons who apply fome part of their spare Hours this way, I clofe this Chapter, and prepare for the Remainder of my more irkfome, tho' not lefs neceffary Enquiries.

CHAP. XI.

bai mult pe jongi J mall dow b

Concerning Teats, Marks, Charms, Want of Tears, and Swimming Witches

L

Furym. ET us pafs, I beg of you, to another Point; for there are fome Principles and Cafes that are the Foundation of the common Profe cutions, and yet have not been particularly spoken to as yet. One of them is the Water Ordeal and I would be glad to hear what your Thoughts are about that. May we not try a Witch by Swimming.

Clerg. You may as well fwim all the Books that have been written for or against the Belief of them, and try the Truth of their Doctrines that way; for there is as much Reafon and Scripture for that, as there is for the other?

Adv. Tho' you make a Jeft of it, King James, in his Damonology, approved and allowed it; and gives this Reafon for it, That as fuch Perfons have renounced their Baptifm by Water, fo the Water refufes to receive them.

Clerg. If you compare the Dates and Order of King James's Works, you will eafily find, that he wrote that Book when he was very young; and fince even in his Youth, being a Perfon otherwife of Parts and Learning, he could find no better Foundation for it than that, you may conclude, that it is an unwarrantable Action, for which no Colour of Reason can be pretended; for this which he affigns, is such as needs no Confutation.

Fury. How came fuch a Practice into the World; for it is an odd Thing?

Clerg