The displaying of supposed witchcraft

by John Webster

Argum. 2.

De secret. oper. Art. & natur. c. 5.

Gen. 30. 37, 38, 39. &c.

2. There are many persons that think themselves no mean sharers in the most sorts of learning, and others that are very strait laced in their pretended zeal for godliness, and in detesting the works of Satan, that even startle and shew an abhorrency at the word Magick, if it be but once named, as though there were no Magick but what is diabolical, or that which they call diabolical were any other way evil but only in the end and use: for there are many plants and minerals, that though poysonous, are yet notwithstanding good in respect of their Creation, and the good uses that may be made of them, as to kill noxious animals that are hurtful unto man. But if any force of malice and wickedness should use them to poyson and destroy Men and Women, it were wicked and diabolical in the end and use, yet were the means lawful and natural. So whatsoever the Devil may do by wicked Men, his instruments, in leading and drawing them to make use of the great magnalia naturæ, to work strange wonders by, thereby to confirm Idolatry and Superstition, or to resist the truth and such devilish ends, though the end and use may be wicked and diabolical, yet the efficient cause is natural and lawful. And therefore we can find no other ground or reason of dividing Magick into natural and Diabolical, but only that they differ in the end and use: for otherwise they both work by a natural agency and means, seeing the Devil can do nothing above or contrary to that course that God hath set in nature. Therefore may men do without the aid of Devils whatsoever they can do, seeing they have no advantage over us, but operate only by applying active things to passive, like as Men do: And therefore said that most learned Philosopher, Chymist and Mathematician, our Countreyman Roger Bacon, excellent well in these words: non igitur oportet nos uti magicis illusionibus cum potestas Philosophiæ doceat operari quod sufficit. Therefore are those men that came from the East to worship Christ called Magicians, not because that great knowledge they had in the secrets of Nature was Diabolical or unlawful; for the name of a Magician was honourable and laudable, until Knaves and Impostors made use of it to cheat and couzen withal, and for wicked and ungodly ends; but because they had made use of it for the glory of God, and the good of mankind, therefore were they Magicians in the genuine, and best sense, as working by lawful and natural means, and to a good end: when the Magicians of Pharaoh may be called Cacomagicians, because they used the good and excellent causes and agents of nature to a wicked and Diabolical end, namely to resist the truth: and so the only difference of Magick is from the end and uses, and not from the causes or agents, that are both natural. So what these Magicians of Pharaoh did, though it were strange and wonderful, yet was it meerly by natural means and causes; and yet being for a wicked end was therefore Diabolical. So Jacob when he set the pilled rods with white streakes in them, before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs, that when the Rams and the Sheep came up to drink, and coupled together, they might conceive and bring forth ring-streaked, speckled and spotted young ones; It came so to pass, and is confessed by Pererius himself, and the most of learned Expositors upon that place, to be from natural causes, and was a strange feat of natural Magick; but not evil because not directed to a wicked end: but that of Pharaohs though wrought likewise by a natural causes (for so it was whether ascribed to the Devil, that can but work by natural means, or not) was wicked and Diabolical; because they did it to resist Moses and Aaron the messengers of the Lord Jehovah.

Argum. 3.

3. The most or all the learned Expositors that have Commented upon this place of Exodus (as may be seen in Dr. Willets Hexapla and divers other learned Authors) though they attribute these things done by the Magicians to the power and assistance of Satan, yet in the manner they do acknowledge them not to be done really and in truth, but only in shew and appearance. But what they mean by shew and appearance is not so easie to find out and determine; for if by it they mean, that they did it as Juglers and those that use the Art of Leger-de-main do, that is, by shewing one thing, and then by nimble sleight and agility convey it away, and suddainly and unperceiveably substitute another thing in its place, which they perform by leading the Eyes and attentions of the spectators another way with staring and using of strange and insignificant words, then we should be soon accorded, for so they might probably and easily have been performed as we shall prove anon, but this is not the thing they mean or intend. But some do mean that the Devil did only deceive the Phantasie and imagination of the beholders, in causing them to imagine and believe that the rods were changed into Serpents, when they were not changed at all, but only their imaginations deceived in thinking them to be Serpents when they were but only rods, as melancholy persons, Men in Feavers, Phrensies and Maniacal distempers do often think and affirm that they see strange things when they see no such things externally, but the Phantasie is only deceived with the species and images of those things within. This might be granted if Pharaoh and all the Spectators could be proved to be Men under those forenamed distempers and the like, though yet that might (and doth often) come to pass from meer natural causes, where the Devil hath nothing to do at all. But the beholders of these actions of the Magicians are neither proved, nor can rationally be supposed to be Men under any such distempers; but must be understood to be Men of several constitutions, tempers, and of sound health, and therefore not any way capable of any such illusions, neither could the Devil in a moment have so vitiated their imaginations, which we affirm he can no ways do, except the humours, fumes and spirits in the Body be first altered by natural causes, which cannot be done instantaneously, and if it could, then it would follow that no Man could certainly tell, when he were deceived in his imagination, when not: neither could it be, (as some imagine,) by casting a mist before their Eyes; for though Christ did hold the two Disciples Eyes going from Emaus, that they did not know him, it were blasphemous to think that Satan could do so also. And a mist casting before their Eyes might make them to see more dimly and confusedly, and cause things to appear greater than they were, but not to make one thing seem a quite contrary. But it never was yet proved that Satan could do such a thing, and what was never proved, may safely and rationally be denied. Some do suppose that the Devil did cloath or cover the Magicians rods with some such vestment of an airy substance, as might make the rods appear to the eye like Serpents; but this is as groundless a whimsey as any of the rest, and as it hath no proof, so it needs no confutation.

Argum. 4.

Hist. 1.

4. But to come more close to the matter, it is most plain and perspicuous that what they did was meerly by Art, or by Art and Nature joined with it; for if we may trust any thing to propriety of the words (as we have proved sufficiently before) they are called mechassephim, præstigiatores, that is Juglers, such as by sleight of hand, and nimble conveyance, could perform strange and wonderful things, and after they are called Hartummin, that is, Magicians, such as had skill in natural things, and by knowing their causes, and making due and timely application of them to passives that were suitable, could produce wonderful effects. And if we seriously consider the few things that they performed, they might easily be brought to pass by Leger-de-main alone. For, as for holding a rod in their hands, and seeming to throw it down upon the ground, how soon might they throw down an artificial Serpent in its stead, and immediately and unperceivedly make conveyance of the rod? And if it be thought difficult or impossible, I shall unriddle the mystery, as I have sometimes seen it performed, and is but thus. The Jugler that is to perform this feat is usually provided before-hand with a wiar so twined and wrested, that it may be pressed together with the little finger in the ball of the hand, and when let loose it will extend it self, like a spring, and make a pretty motion upon a Table, this is fitted with a suitable head, and a piece of neatly painted linnen, perfectly resembling a Serpent, with Eyes and all. This thus fitted he holdeth in his right hand betwixt his little finger, and the ball of his hand, then with his left hand he taketh up a little white rod that he hath upon the Table, with which he maketh people believe he performeth all his feats: And then telling them a Story to amuse them, that he will like Moses and Aaron, transform that rod into a Serpent, then he presently beginneth to stare about him, and to utter some strange and nonsensical words, as though he were invoking some Spirit or Goblin, and so immediately conveyeth the rod either into his lap (if sitting) or into his sleeve (if standing) and then lets loose the Serpent forth of his right hand with pushing it forward, that what with the wiar, and the nimble motion of his hand, he maketh it to move a pretty space upon the Table, which he continueth, while offering with the one hand to catch it by the neck, he nimbly with the other puts it forward, and turneth it by touching the tail, and the mean while hisseth so cunningly, that the by-standers think it is the Serpent it self, and presently whips it up and conveys it into his pocket. And such a trick as this well acted might make Pharaoh and the beholders believe there was as much done, as Moses and Aaron did, but only that Aarons rod swallowed up their Serpents, or his Serpent theirs, which they might easily excuse. As for the changing water into blood, and the producing of Frogs, they were so easy to be done after the same manner, that they need not any particular explication, for by this the manner of their performance may most easily be understood. Though I once saw a Gentleman that was much delighted with these kind of tricks, and did himself play them admirable well, who performed it with a living Snake, that he had got for one of his Children to keep in a box; for in this North Countrey they are plentiful, and are also innoxious; and it might have deceived a very wary person. So that it is very foolish and absurd to bring in a Demon from Hell, or an Angel from Heaven, or a Soul from above, to solve a thing that seems strange and uncouth by, when the craft and cunning of Men (if duely considered and examined) are sufficient to perform the same, and much more.

Argum. 5.