The displaying of supposed witchcraft

by John Webster

Hist.

7. The other matters of fact that he relateth are prodigious, and are brought to prove that Satan is an actor to convey these strange things into the bodies of men, and are these. A piece of an Oxe Hide taken forth of a mans Arm, so also that Equuleum, a Wood-Horse, or a four-footed board with a wheel and ropes twice as broad as the gullet. Another that vomited up perhaps two thousand pins conglomerated together, with filth and hairs; another that vomited up, he being present, wooden Chips that had been cut off with the Hatchet in smoothing of wood, with much slime to the bigness of two fists, of which we shall note these Conclusions. 1. It doth no way appear (if these things be granted to be true, both for matter and manner) neither doth he offer to prove it, that these are any more than the former Diabolical, but only in the end, because they are for the hurt and destruction of mankind and not otherwise; and there being no proof of the Devils Cooperation any further but in working upon the minds of those that are agents and instruments to bring these things to pass, we may very well reject those things that are supposed, but not proved. 2. The ejecting or voiding of such strange things as here he hath related, doth not necessarily suppose their injection or thrusting in, because they may be bred there by natural Causes, so Worms of many sorts and strange Figures, also Frogs, Dracunculos and Askers have been voided, and doubtlesly bred there by natural causes, and were not injected or thrust in, and for proof of this I refer the Reader to the relations of learned Schenchius lib. 3. p. 363. of those strange sorts of Worms and other Creatures that he from divers Authors sheweth have been vomited up, which without all scruple, were not injected, but bred there. To confirm this and to prove what strange things are sometimes bred in Apostumes and Tumors, we shall translate a passage or two, and first take this from Levinus Lemnius that learned and famous Physician of Zeland, who writeth thus: “Also forth of sordid Ulcers and Impostures (he saith) we have known that the fragments of nails, hairs, shells, little bones and stones have been taken forth; which were concreted and grown together forth of putrid humours: As also little creatures, worms with tails, and little beasts of an unaccustomed form, cast up by vomiting, especially in those who were oppressed with contagious diseases, in whose urines I have often discerned to swim little Animalcles like to Pismires, or to those creatures we observe in the estival months to move in the celestial dew here in England we call it Woodsoar, or Cuckow-spittle.” Take another from that learned and expert Chirurgeon Ambrosius Paræus where he is speaking of strange tumors, in these words: “Also in these tumors being opened thou maist see bodies of all kinds, and far differing from the common matter of Tumors, as stones, chalk, sand, coals, cockles, ears of corn, hay, horn, hairs, flesh as well hard as spongious, grisles, bones and whole Animalcles, as well living as dead. The generation of which things (by the corruption and alteration of the humors) will not much astonish us, if we consider, that even as nature hath framed Man as a Microcosm forth of all the seeds and elements of the whole great world, that he might be as it were the lively image of that great world: So in that Microcosm, nature hath willed, that all the species of all motions and actions might be manifest, nature being never idle in us, as long as matter is not a wanting to work upon.” So that it is most plain that these strange things may be bred within, and so the opinion of injecting them, is but a meer figment. 3. Neither can the vomiting up of such strange things as he relateth, conclude necessarily that they were injected either by the power of Satan or the Witch, because they may be performed by jugling, sleight of hand, confederacy and the like, as was manifest in the Boy of Bilson, and diverse that we have known, that had made some numbers of others to believe that they had voided strange things, as pins, needles, crooked-knitting-pricks, moss, nails, and the like; but upon a strickt search, have but proved delusions and sleight, such as our common Hocus Pocus Men use, when they make the people believe they swallow a long pudding of white tinn, and again pull it forth of their mouths, or in pulling ribbins, or laces of diverse colours forth of their throats. 4. And again the most of these relations are but commonly taken upon trust from the affirmations of the by-standers who might be confederate parties, or ignorant persons, and so easily deceived; and it appeareth not that Helmont was by at the very instant when the children vomited up the wooden horse, or four-footed board, but that it was the by-standers that drew it forth, who might be parties to the cheat, or be themselves deluded, and so aver it pertinaciously to others. For I have in my practice known a young Wench about 9 or 10 years old, who that she might be pittied and have an idle life, had made her Father and Mother believe that quick worms came forth at her ear, and also I taking her into mine own house she had perswaded all the family that it was true, and did often open her head-cloaths, and holding down her ear a quick worm would drop forth of the hair, who notwithstanding by diligent watching, was found out to get them privately from under stones or wood, and so did cunningly convey them into her hair, but being discovered, was by due correction reclaimed, and so the wonder ceased. And it is as common to mistake things, either by absolute judging them to be such a thing indeed, when it hath but some slender resemblance of it, or by judging a thing to be really so, because of such a name but metaphorically given unto it; so it is usual to call a Carcinoma in the highest degree Lupus or a Wolf, because as a Wolf is a most voracious creature, so this ulcer is the most devouring of all others; and therefore have we known after that such have been by incision eradicated by our selves and others, and exposed to the view of the vulgar people, they would presently most earnestly affirm to others that they had seen it, and that it was a living creature, and had mouth, eyes and ears; so far will ignorant mistake induce credulity.

Observ. 8.

Syl. Syl. Cent. 10. p. 583.

8. That the force of imagination accompanied with the passions of horror, fear, envy, malice, earnest, desire of revenge, and the like, is great upon the body imaginant, as also upon the fœtus in the womb, is acknowledged by all. But that it can at distance work upon another body, though denied by Fienus and the whole rabble of the Schoolmen, yet is strongly proved by this learned Author, and allowed of by all others that truly understood the operations of nature, which we also take to be a certain truth, and do assert that if those people that are esteemed Witches, do really and truly (of which we utterly doubt) inject any of these strange things into the bodies of men, that they are brought to pass meerly by the imagination of the Witch, and the Devil acteth nothing in it at all, but the setting of his will upon that mischief. As for the handling the dispute concerning the manner of the injecting of these strange things, so strongly pursued by this Author, Sennertus and others, we shall totally supersede and suspend our judgment, until the ὅτι be sufficiently proved (which yet lies under water, and unseen) and then it will be time enough to dispute the manner, when the matter is certainly made evident. Therefore we will shut up this with that modest and grave advice of the Lord Bacon in these words: Ideo cogemur in hac inquisitione ad nova experimenta confugere; ubi directiones tantùm eorum præscribi possunt, non ulla positiva in medium adferri. Si quis putet subsistendum nobis fuisse, donec tentamentis res penitus innotuisset, (ut fecisse nos ubiq; probant alii tituli) sciat dubia nos fide amplecti quæcunq; imaginationis effecta circumferuntur, animum tamen esse illa per otium exigere ad Lydium veritatis lapidem, id est, experimentorum lucem.

CHAP. XIII.

That the ignorance of the power of Art and Nature and such like things, hath much advanced these foolish and impious opinions.

The opinions that we reject as foolish and impious are those we have often named before, to wit, that those that are vulgarly accounted Witches, make a visible and corporeal contract with the Devil, that he sucks upon their bodies, that he hath carnal copulation with them, that they are transubstantiated into Cats, Dogs, Squirrels, and the like, or that they raise tempests, and fly in the air. Other powers we grant unto them, to operate and effect whatsoever the force of natural imagination joyned with envy, malice and vehement desire of revenge, can perform or perpetrate, or whatsoever hurt may be done by secret poysons and such like wayes that work by meer natural means.

And here we are to shew the chief causes that do and have advanced these opinions, and this principally we ascribe to mens ignorance of the power of Nature and Art, as we shall manifest in these following particulars.

1. There is nothing more certain than, that how great soever the knowledge of Men be taken to be, yet the ultimate Sphere of natures activity or ability is not perfectly known, which is made most manifest in this, that every day there are made new discoveries of her secrets, which prove plainly that her store is not yet totally exhausted, nor her utmost efficiency known. And therefore those Men must needs be precipicious, and build upon a sandy foundation, that will ascribe corporeal effects unto Devils, and yet know not the extent of nature, for no Man can rationally assign a beginning for supernatural agents and actions, that does not certainly know where the power and operation of nature ends.