That women have used poisoning in all ages more than men, and of the inconvenience of poisoning.
S women in all ages have beene counted most apt to conceive witchcraft, and the divels speciall instruments therin, and the onelie or cheefe practisers therof: so also it appeareth, that they have been the first inventers, and the greatest practisers of poisoning, and more naturallie addicted and given thereunto than men: according to the saieng of Quintilian; Latrocinium faciliùs in viro, veneficium in fœmina credam. From whom PliniePlin. lib. 25. cap. 2. differeth nothing in opinion, when he saith, Scientiam fœminarum in veneficiis prævalere. To be short, Augustine, Livie, Valerius, Diodorus, and manie other agree, that women were the first inventers and practisers of the art of poisoning. As for the rest of their cunning, in what estimation it was had, may appeare by these verses of Horace, wherein he doth not onelie declare the vanitie of witchcraft, but also expoundeth the other words, wherewithall we are now in hand.
Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas,
Nocturnos lemures, portentáq; Thessala rides://
These dreames and terrors magicall,117. 88.
these miracles and witches,
Night-walking sprites, or Thessal bugs,
esteeme them not twoo rushes.
Here Horace (you see) contemneth as ridiculous, all our witches cunning: marrie herein he comprehendeth not their poisoning art, which hereby he onelie seemed to thinke hurtfull. Pythagoras and Democritus give us the names of a great manie magicall hearbs and stones, whereof now, both the vertue, and the things themselves also are unknowne: as Marmaritin, whereby spirits might be raised: Archimedon, which would make one bewraie in his sleepe, all the secrets in his heart: Adincantida, Calicia, Mevais, Chirocineta, &c: which had all their severall vertues, or rather poisons. But all these now are worne out of knowledge: marrie in their steed we have hogs turd and chervill, as the onelie thing whereby our witches worke miracles.