ND bicause it may appeare unto the world what trecherous and faithlesse dealing, what extreame and intolerable tyrannie, what grosse and fond absurdities, what unnaturall & uncivil discourtisie, what cancred and spitefull malice, what outragious and barbarous crueltie, what lewd and false packing, what cunning and craftie intercepting, what bald and peevish inter/pretations,18. what abhominable and divelish inventions, and what flat and plaine knaverie is practised against these old women; I will set downe the whole order of the inquisition, to the everlasting, inexcusable, and apparent shame of all witchmoongers. Neither will I insert anie private or doubtfull dealings of theirs; or such as they can either denie to be usuall, or justlie cavill at; but such as are published and renewed in all ages, since the commensement of poperie, established by lawes, practised by inquisitors, privileged by princes, commended by doctors, confirmed by popes, councels, decrees, and canons; and finallie *be[* ? beleeved.] left of all witchmoongers; to wit, by such as attribute to old women, and such like creatures, the power of the Creator. I praie you therefore, though it be tedious & intolerable (as you would be heard in your miserable calamities) so heare with compassion, their accusations, examinations, matters given in evidence, confessions, presumptions, interrogatories, conjurations, cautions, crimes, tortures and condemnations, devised and practised usuallie against them./
¶ The second Booke.19. 13.
The first Chapter.
What testimonies and witnesses are allowed to give evidence against reputed witches, by the report & allowance of the inquisitors themselves, and such as are speciall writers heerein.
XCOMMUNICAT Mal. Malef. quest. 5. pa. 3. I. Bod. lib. 4. cap. 2, de dæmon. persons, partakers of the falt, infants, wicked servants, and runnawaies are to be admitted to beare witnesse against their dames in this mater of witchcraft: bicause (saith Bodin the champion of witchmoongers) none that be honest are able to detect them. Heretikes also and witches shall be received to accuse,Arch. in C. alle. accusatus. in §. lz. super. verba.
I. Bod. lib. 4. cap. 1. de dæmon.
Mal. malef quest. 56. pa. 3, & quæ. 5, part. 3. but not to excuse a witch. And finallie, the testimonie of all infamous persons in this case is good and allowed. Yea, one lewd person (saith Bodin) may be received to accuse and condemne a thousand suspected witches. And although by lawe, a capitall enimie may be challenged; yet James Sprenger, and Henrie Institor, (from whom Bodin, and all the writers that ever I have read, doo receive their light, authorities and arguments) saie (upon this point of lawe) that The poore frendlesse old woman must proove, that hir capitall enimie would have killed hir, and that hee hath both assalted & wounded hir; otherwise she pleadeth all in vaine. If the judge aske hir,Ibidem. whether she have anie capitall enimies; and she rehearse other, and forget hir accuser; or else answer that he was hir capitall enimie, but now she hopeth he is not so: such a one is nevertheles admitted for a witnes.Que. 7. act 2. And though by lawe, single witnesses are not admittable; yet if one depose she/20. hath bewitched hir cow; another, hir sow; and the third, hir butter: these saith (saith M. Mal. and Bodin)[Redupl.] are no single witnesses; bicause they agree that she is a witch.
The second Chapter.
The order of examination of witches by the inquistors.