is of the same import. Wizard he makes to sigirify the same, with the difference only of

sex.

Gibbon, in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," vol. viii. edit. 1789-90, p. 157, speaking of the laws of the Lombards, A. D. 643, tells us: "The ignorance of the Lombards, in the state of Paganism or Christianity, gave implicit credit to the malice and mischief of Witchcraft: but the judges of the seventeenth century might have been instructed and confounded by the wisdom of Rotharis, who derides the absurd superstition, and protects the wretched victims of popular or judicial cruelty." He adds in a note: "See Leges Rotharis, No. 379, p. 47. Striga is used as the name of Witch. It is of the purest classic origin (Horat. Epod. v. 20; Petron. c. 134); and from the words of Petronius (quæ Striges comederunt nervos tuos?) it may be inferred that the prejudice was of Italian rather than barbaric extraction."

Gaule, in his "Select Cases of Conscience touching Witches and Witchcrafts," 12mo. Lond. 1646, observes, p. 4, "In every place and parish, every old woman with a wrinkled face, a furred brow, a hairy lip, a gobber tooth, a squint eye, a squeaking voice, a scolding tongue, having a rugged coate on her back, a skull-cap on her head, a spindle in her hand, a dog or cat by her side, is not only suspected but pronounced for a Witch." Every new disease, notable accident, miracle of nature, rarity of art, nay, and strange work or just judgment of God, is by them accounted for no other but an act or effect of witchcraft." He says, p. 10, "Some say the Devill was the first Witch when he plaid the impostor with our first parents, possessing the Serpent (as his impe) to their delusion (Gen. iii.); and it is whispered that our grandame Eve was a little guilty of such kind of society."

Henry, in his "History of Great Britain," vol. iv. p. 543, 4to., speaking of our manners between A. D. 1399 and 1485, says, "There was not a man then in England who entertained the least doubt of the reality of Sorcery, Necromancy, and other diabolical arts."

(3) By the following lines of Dryden, however, the White Witch seems to have a strong hankering after mischief:

Cotta, in "The Tryall of Witchcraft," p. 60, says, "This kinde is not obscure, at this day swarming in this kingdom, whereof no man can be ignorant who lusteth to observe the uncontrouled liberty and licence of open and ordinary resort in all places unto wise men and wise women, so vulgarly termed for their reputed knowledge concerning such diseased persons as are supposed to be bewitched."

The same author, in his "Short Discoverie of unobserved Dangers," &c. 4to. Lond. 1612, p. 71, says: "The mention of Witchcraft doth now occasion the remembrance in the next place of a sort of practitioners whom our custome and country doth call wise men and wise women, reputed a kind of good and honest harmles Witches or Wizards, who by good words, by hallowed herbes, and salves, and other superstitious ceremonies, promise to allay and calme divels, practices of other Witches, and the forces of many diseases."

Perkins by Pickering, 8vo. Cambr. 1610, p. 256, concludes with observing: "It were a thousand times better for the land if all Witches, but specially the Blessing Witch, might suffer death. Men doe commonly hate and spit at the damnifying Sorcerer, as unworthie to live among them, whereas they flie unto the other in necessitie, they depend upon him as their God, and by this meanes thousands are carried away to their finall confusion. Death therefore is the just and deserved portion of the Good Witch."

Baxter, in his "World of Spirits," p. 184, speaks of those men that tell men of things stolen and lost, and that show men the face of a thief in a glass, and cause the goods to be brought back, who are commonly called White Witches. "When I lived," he says, "at

Dudley, Hodges, at Sedgley, two miles off, was long and commonly accounted such a one. And when I lived at Kederminster, one of my neighbours affirmed, that, having his yarn stolen, he went to Hodges (ten miles off'), and he told him that at such an hour he should have it brought home again, and put in at the window, and so it was; and as I remember he showed him the person's face in a glass. Yet I do not think that Hodges made any known contract with the Devil, but thought it an effect of art."

(4) King James, in his " Dæmonology," p. 117, says that "Witches can raise stormes and tempests in the aire, either upon sea or land." The Lapland Witches, we are told, can send winds to sailors, and take delight in nothing more than raising storms and tempests, which they effect by repeating certain charms, and throwing up sand in the air. (a)

The following passage is from Scot's "Dis

(a) The Laplanders, says Scheffer, have a cord tied with knots for the raising of the wind: they, as Ziegler relates it, tie three magical knots in this cord; when they untie the first, there blows a favourable gale of wind; when the second, a brisker; when the third, the sea and wind grow mighty, stormy, and tempestuous. This, he adds, that we have reported concerning the Laplanders, does not in fact belong to them, but to the Finlanders of Norway, because no other writers mention it, and because the Laplanders live in an inland country. However, the method of selling winds is this: "They deliver a small rope with three knots upon it, with this caution, that when they loose the first they shall have a good wind; if the second, a stronger; if the third, such a storm will arise that they can neither see how to direct the ship and avoid rocks, or so much as stand upon the decks, or handle the tackling."

Pomponius Mela, who wrote in the reign of the Emperor Claudius (P. Mela, iii. c. 6), mentions a set of priestesses in the Island of Sena, or the Ile des Saints, on the coast of Gaul, who were thought to have the quality, like the above Laplanders, or rather Finlanders, of troubling the sea and raising the winds by their enchantments, being, however, subservient only to seafaring people, and only to such of them as come on purpose to consult them.

Ranulph Higden, in the "Polychronicon," p. 195, tells us that the Witches in the Isle of Man anciently sold winds to mariners, and delivered them in knots tied upon a thread, exactly as the Laplanders did.

The power of confining and bestowing is attributed to Eolus in the "Odyssey." Calypso, in other places of the same work, is supposed to have been able to confer favourable winds. See "Gent. Mag." for Jan. 1763, vol. xxxiii. p. 13, with the signature of T. Row [the late Dr. Pegge].

1

covery," p. 33: "No one endued with common sense but will deny that the elements are obedient to Witches and at their commandment, or that they may, at their pleasure, send rain, bail, tempests, thunder, lightning, when she, being but an old doting woman, casteth a flint stone over her left shoulder towards the west, or hurleth a little sea-sand up into the element, or wetteth a broom-sprig in water, and sprinkleth the same in the air; or diggeth a pit in the earth, and, putting water therein, stirreth it about with her finger; or boileth hogs' bristles; or layeth sticks across upon a bank where never a drop of water is; or buryeth sage till it be rotten: all which things are confessed by Witches, and affirmed by writers to be the means that Witches use to move extraordinary tempests and rain."

"Ignorance," says Osbourne, in his "Advice to his Son," 8vo. Oxf. 1656, reports of Witches that they are unable to hurt till they have received an almes; which, though ridiculous in itselfe, yet in this sense is verified, that charity seldom goes to the gate but it meets with ingratitude." p. 94.

Spotiswood, as cited by Andrews in his "Continuation of Henry's History of Great Britain," p. 503, says, "In the North" (of Britain) there were "matron-like Witches and ignorant Witches." It was to one of the superior sort that Satan, being pressed to kill James the Sixth, thus excused himself in French, "Il est homme de Dieu."

Camden, in his "Ancient and Modern Manners of the Irish," says: "If a cow becomes dry, a Witch is applied to, who, inspiring her with a fondness for some other calf, makes her yield her milk." Gough's "Camden," vol. iii. p. 659. He tells us, ibid., "The women who are turned off (by their husbands) have recourse to Witches, who are supposed to inflict barrenness, impotence, or the most dangerous diseases, on the former husband or his new wife." Also, "They account every woman who fetches fire on May-day a Witch, nor will they give it to any but sick persons, and that with an imprecation, believing she will steal all the butter next summer. On May-day they kill all hares they find among their cattle, supposing them the old women who have designs on the butter. They imagine the butter so stolen may be recovered if they take some

of the thatch hanging over the door and burn it."

(5) "A Witch," (as I read in the curious Tract entitled" Round about our Coal-Fire,") "according to my nurse's account, must be a hagged old woman, living in a little rotten cottage, under a hill, by a wood-side, and must be frequently spinning at the door: she must have a black cat, two or three broomsticks, an imp or two, and two or three diabolical teats to suckle her imps. She must be of so dry a nature, that if you fling her into a river she will not sink: so hard then is her fate, that, if she is to undergo the trial, if she does not drown, she must be burnt, as many have been within the memory of man."

The subsequent occurs in Cotgrave's "English Treasury of Wit and Language," p. 298: "Thus Witches

Possess'd, ev'n in their death deluded, say They have been wolves and dogs, and sail'd in egge-shels (b)

Over the sea, and rid on fiery dragons,
Pass'd in the air more than a thousand
miles

All in a night: the Enemy of mankind
So pow'rfull, but false and falshood con-
fident."

Whitaker, in his "History of Whalley," 4to. 1818, p. 216, has given from a paper in the Bodleian Library (MS. Dodsw. vol. lxi. p. 47) the confession of one of the poor persons in Pendle Forest, accused of Witchcraft, in 1633, describing minutely the manner in which she was made a Witch.

() In making these bargains, it is said, there was sometimes a great deal of haggling. The sum given to bind the bargain was sometimes a groat, at other times half-a-crown.

(7) In Cotgrave's "Treasury of Wit and Language," p. 263, we read:

"Thou art a soldier, Followest the great duke, feed'st his victories,

As Witches do their serviceable spirits,
Even with thy prodigal blood."

In the "Relation of the Swedish Witches," at the end of Glanvil's "Sadducismus Triumphatus," we are told that "the Devil gives them a beast about the bigness and shape of a young cat, which they call a carrier. What this carrier brings they must receive for the Devil. These carriers fill themselves so full sometimes, that they are forced to spew by the way, which spewing is found in several gardens where colworts grow, and not far from the houses of those Witches. It is of a yellow colour like gold, and is called Butter of Witches."" p. 494. Probably this is the same substance which is called in Northumberland Fairy Butter. See p. 339.

(8) In "A Discourse of Witchcraft," MS., communicated by John Pinkerton, Esq., written by Mr. John Bell, Minister of the Gospel at Gladsmuir, 1705, p. 23, on the subject of Witches' Marks, I read as follows: "This mark is sometimes like a little teate, sometimes like a blewish spot; and I myself have seen it in the body of a confessing Witch like a little powder-mark of a blea (blue) colour, somewhat hard, and withal insensible, so as it did not bleed when I pricked it."

From the "News from Scotland," &c., 1591, (a tract which will be more fully noticed hereafter,) it appears that, having tortured in vain a suspected Witch with "the pilliwinckes upon her fingers, which is a grievous torture, and binding or wrenching her head with a cord or rope, which is a most cruel torture also, they, upon search, found the enemy's mark to be in her forecrag, or forepart of her throat, and then she confessed all." In another the Devil's mark was found upon her privities.

Dr. Fian was by the king's command consigned on this occasion "to the horrid torment of the boots," and afterwards strangled and burnt on the Castle-hill, Edinburgh, on a Saturday in the end of January, 1591.

(9) Butler, in his "Hudibras," Part I. Canto iii. 1. 105, has the following on this subject:

"Or trip it o'er the water quicker

Than Witches when their staves they liquor,
As some report."

Reginald Scot, in his "Discovery of Witchcraft," b. iii. c. i. p. 40, speaking of the vulgar opinion of Witches flying, observes

that "The Devil teacheth them to make ointment of the bowels and members of children, whereby they ride in the air and accomplish all their desires. After burial they steal them out of their graves and seeth them in a cauldron, till the flesh be made potable, of which they make an ointment, by which they ride in the air." Wierus exposes the folly of this opinion in his book "De Præstigiis Dæmonum," proving it to be a diabolical illusion, and to be acted only in a dream. And it is exposed as such by Oldham (Works, 6th edit. p. 254):

"As men in sleep, though motionless they lie, Fledg'd by a dream, believe they mount and flye;

So Witches some inchanted wand bestride, And think they through the airy regions ride."

See more authorities in the notes upon Hudibras," part III. canto i. 1. 411, 412; Grey's Notes on Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 140.

Lord Verulam tells us that "the ointment that Witches use is reported to be made of the fat of children digged out of their graves; of the juices of smallage, wolfbane, and cinquefoil, mingled with the meal of fine wheat: but I suppose the soporiferous medicines are likest to do it, which are henbane, hemlock, mandrake, moonshade, or rather nightshade, tobacco, opium, saffron, poplarleaves, &c."

There had been about the time of Lord Verulam no small stir concerning Witchcraft. "Ben Jonson," says Dr. Percy, "has left us a Witch song which contains an extract from the various incantations of classic antiquity. Some learned wiseacres had just before busied themselves on this subject, with our British Solomon, James the First, at their head. And these had so ransacked all writers, ancient and modern, and so blended and kneaded together the several superstitions of different times and nations, that those of genuine English growth could no longer be traced out and distinguished."

The Witch Song in "Macbeth" is superior to this of Ben Jonson. The metrical incantations in Middleton's "Witch" are also very curious. As the play is exceedingly rare,

All.

Round, around, around," &c.

The Witches' cauldron is thus described by Olaus Magnus: "Olla autem omnium Maleficarum commune solet esse instrumentum, quo succos, herbas, vermes, et exta decoquant, atque ea venefica dape ignavos ad vota alliciunt, et instar bullientis Ollæ, Navium & Equitum aut Cursorum excitant celeritatem." Olai Magni Gent. Septentr. Hist. Brevis. p. 96.

(10) Butler has an allusion to something of this kind in "Hudibras," part III. canto i. 1. 983:

"And does but tempt them with her riches
To use them as the Devil does Witches;
Who takes it for a special grace
To be their cully for a space,
That, when the time's expir'd, the drazels
For ever may become his vassals."

The Sabbath of the Witches is supposed to be held on a Saturday; when the Devil is by some said to appear in the shape of a goat, about whom several dances and magic ceremonies are performed. Before the assembly breaks up the Witches are all said to have the honour of saluting Satan's posteriors. See King James's remarks on this subject in his "Dæmonology." Satan is reported to have been so much out of humour at some of these meetings, that, for his diversion, he would beat the Witches black and blue with the spits and brooms, the vehicles of their transportation, and play them divers other unlucky tricks.

There is a Scottish proverb, "Ye breed of the Witches, ye can do nae good to your sel."

(1) King James, in his "Dæmonology," book ii. chap. 5, tells us that "the Devil teacheth how to make pictures of wax or clay, that, by roasting thereof, the persons that they bear the name of may be continually melted or dried away by continual sickness."

See Servius on the 8th Eclogue of Virgil; Theocritus, Idyl. ii. 22; Hudibras, part II. canto ii. 1. 351.

Ovid says: "Devovet absentes, simulachraque cerea figit Et miserum tenues in jecur urget acus." Heroid. Ep. vi. 1. 91.

ני

See also "Grafton's Chronicle," p. 587, where it is laid to the charge (among others) of Roger Bolinbrook, a cunning necromancer, and Margery Jordane, the cunning Witch of Eye, that they, at the request of Eleanor Duchess of Gloucester, had devised an image of wax representing the king (Henry the Sixth), which by their Sorcery a little and little consumed; intending thereby in conclusion to waste and destroy the king's person. Shakspeare mentions this, Henry VI. P. II. act i. sc. 4.

It appears from Strype's "Annals of the Reformation," vol. i. p. 8, under anno 1558, that Bishop Jewel, preaching before the queen, said, "It may please your Grace to understand that Witches and Sorcerers within these few last years are marvellously increased within your Grace's realm. Your Grace's subjects pine away, even unto the death, their colour fadeth, their flesh rotteth, their speech is benumbed, their senses are bereft. I pray God they never practise further than upon the subject." "This," Strype adds, "I make no doubt was the occasion of bringing in a bill, the next parliament, for making enchantments and Witchcraft felony." One of the bishop's strong expressions is," These eyes have seen most evident and manifest marks of their wickedness." (c)

(c) It appears from the same work, vol. iv. p. 7, sub anno 1589, that "one Mrs. Dier had practised conjuration against the queen, to work some mischief to her Majesty; for which she was brought into question: and accordingly her words and doings were sent to Popham, the queen's attorney, and Egerton, her solicitor, by Walsingham the secretary, and Sir Thomas Heneage, her vice-chamberlain, for their judgment, whose opinion was that Mrs. Dier was not within the compass of the statute touching Witchcraft, for that she did no act, and

Andrews, in his "Continuation of Henry's History of Great Britain," 4to. p. 93, tells us, speaking of Ferdinand Earl of Derby, who in the reign of Queen Elizabeth died by poison, "The credulity of the age attributed his death to Witchcraft. The disease was odd, and operated as a perpetual emetic; and a waxen image, with hair like that of the unfortunate Earl, found in his chamber, reduced every suspicion to certainty."

The wife of Marshal d'Ancre was apprehended, imprisoned, and beheaded for a Witch, upon a surmise that she had enchanted the queen to dote upon her husband; and they say the young king's picture was found in her closet, in virgin wax, with one leg melted away. When asked by her judges what spells she had made use of to gain so powerful an ascendency over the queen, she replied, that ascendency only which strong minds ever gain over weak ones.' Seward's "Anecdotes of some Distinguished Persons," &c. vol. iii. p. 215.

Blagrave, in his "Astrological Practice of Physick," p. 89, observes that "the way which the Witches usually take for to afflict man or beast in this kind is, as I conceive, done by image or model, made in the likeness of that man or beast they intend to work mischief upon, and by the subtilty of the Devil made at such hours and times when it shall work most powerfully upon them by thorn, pin, or needle, pricked into that limb or member of the body afflicted."

This is farther illustrated by a passage in one of Daniel's Sonnets:

"The slie inchanter, when to work his will

And secret wrong on some forspoken wight, Frames waxe, in forme to represent aright The poore unwitting wretch he meanes to kill,

And prickes the image, fram'd by magick's skill,

Whereby to vex the partie day and night."

Son. 10; from Poems and Sonnets annexed to "Astrophil and Stella," 4to. 1591.

spake certain lewd speeches tending to that purpose, but neither set figure nor made pictures." Ibid. vol. ii. p. 545, sub anno 1578, Strype says: "Whether it were the effect of magic, or proceeded from some natural cause, but the queen was in some