The displaying of supposed witchcraft

by John Webster

Hist. 5.

5. To these (though it be not altogether of the same nature) we shall add one both for the oddness and strangeness of it, as also because it happened in my time, and I was both an eye and ear-witness of the trial of the person accused. And first take a hint of it from the pen of Durant Hotham, in his learned Epistle to the Mysterium magnum of Jacob Behemen upon Genesis in these words: “There was (he saith) as I have heard the story credibly reported in this Country a Man apprehended for suspicion of Witchcraft, he was of that sort we call white Witches, which are such as do cures beyond the ordinary reasons and deductions of our usual practitioners, and are supposed (and most part of them truly) to do the same by the ministration of spirits (from whence under their noble favours, most Sciences at first grew) and therefore are by good reason provided against by our Civil Laws, as being ways full of danger and deceit, and scarce ever otherwise obtained than by a devillish compact of the exchange of ones Soul to that assistant spirit, for the honour of its Mountebankery. What this man did was with a white powder which, he said, he received from the Fairies, and that going to a Hill he knocked three times, and the Hill opened, and he had access to, and converse with a visible people; and offered, that if any Gentleman present would either go himself in person, or send his servant, he would conduct them thither, and shew them the place and persons from whom he had his skill.”

Vid. 1 Jacob. c. 12.

To this I shall only add thus much, that the man was accused for invoking and calling upon evil spirits, and was a very simple and illiterate person to any mans judgment, and had been formerly very poor, but had gotten some pretty little meanes to maintain himself, his Wife and diverse small children, by his cures done with this white powder, of which there were sufficient proofs, and the Judge asking him how he came by the powder, he told a story to this effect. “That one night before day was gone, as he was going home from his labour, being very sad and full of heavy thoughts, not knowing how to get meat and drink for his Wife and Children, he met a fair Woman in fine cloaths, who asked him why he was so sad, and he told her that it was by reason of his poverty, to which she said, that if he would follow her counsel she would help him to that which would serve to get him a good living; to which he said he would consent with all his heart, so it were not by unlawful ways: she told him that it should not be by any such ways, but by doing of good and curing of sick people; and so warning him strictly to meet her there the next night at the same time, she departed from him, and he went home. And the next night at the time appointed he duly waited, and she (according to promise) came and told him that it was well that he came so duly, otherwise he had missed of that benefit, that she intended to do unto him, and so bade him follow her and not be afraid. Thereupon she led him to a little Hill and she knocked three times, and the Hill opened, and they went in, and came to a fair hall, wherein was a Queen sitting in great state, and many people about her, and the Gentlewoman that brought him, presented him to the Queen, and she said he was welcom, and bid the Gentlewoman give him some of the white powder, and teach him how to use it, which she did, and gave him a little wood box full of the white powder, and bad him give 2 or 3 grains of it to any that were sick, and it would heal them, and so she brought him forth of the Hill, and so they parted. And being asked by the Judge whether the place within the Hill, which he called a Hall, were light or dark, he said indifferent, as it is with us in the twilight; and being asked how he got more powder, he said when he wanted he went to that Hill, and knocked three times, and said every time I am coming, I am coming, whereupon it opened, and he going in was conducted by the aforesaid Woman to the Queen, and so had more powder given him. This was the plain and simple story (however it may be judged of) that he told before the Judge, the whole Court, and the Jury, and there being no proof, but what cures he had done to very many, the Jury did acquit him: and I remember the Judge said, when all the evidence was heard, that if he were to assign his punishment, he should be whipped from thence to Fairyhall, and did seem to judge it to be a delusion or an Imposture.” From whence we may take these observations.

Observ. 1.

1. Though Mr. Hotham seem to judge that this person accused had the white powder from some Spirit, and that one also of the evil sort, and upon a contract, by the ingaging of his Soul, we have before sufficiently proved the nullity of a visible and corporeal contract with the Devil; neither was it yet ever proved that the Devil did any good either real or apparent, but is the sworn enemy of all mankind, both in their Souls and in their Bodies, but this powder wrought that which was really good, namely the curing of diseases, and therefore rationally cannot be thought to be given from an evil spirit.

Observ. 2.

2. Some there were that thought that the simple man told a plain and true story, and that he had the powder from those people we call Fairies, and there are many that do believe and affirm that there are such people, of whom Paracelsus hath a Treatise of purpose, holding that they are not of the seed of Adam, and therefore he calls them non-Adamicks, and that they have flesh and bones, and so differ from spirits, and yet that they can glide through walls and rocks (which he calleth their Chaos) as easily as we through the air, and that they get children, and are mortal like those that Hieronynus Cardanus relateth that appeared to his Father Facius Cardanus, and these he calleth Pygmæi, Silvestres, Gnomi and Umbratiles; but his proof of their existence to me doth not seem satisfactory, what others may think of it I leave to their demonstrations, if they have any.

Observ. 3.

3. Some there were (and those not of the meer ignorant sort) that did judge, that though the Man was simple, yet that the story that he told was but framed and taught him, the better to conceal the person from whom he received the white powder. For they thought that some notable Chymist, or rather an Adeptist, had in charity bestowed that powder upon him, for the relief of himself and family, as we know it hath often happened to other persons, at other times and places. And this last opinion seems most consonant to reason, and I the rather believe it because not many years after, it was certainly known, that there was an Adeptist in that Countrey, and we ought not to fetch in supernatural causes to solve effects, when natural causes may serve the turn.