_IN SOMVCH as I know that your Lordship is by nature whollie inclined , and in purpose earnestly bent to releeue the poore , and that not onlie with hospitalitie and almes , but by diuerse other deuises and waies tending to their comfort , hauing ( as it were ) framed and set your selfe to the helpe and maintenance of their estate ; as appeareth by your charge and trauell in that behalfe . Whereas also you haue a speciall care for the supporting of their right , and redressing of their wrongs , as neither despising their calamitie , nor yet forgetting their complaint , seeking all meanes for their amendement , and for the reformation of their disorders , euen as a verie father to the poore . Finallie , for that I am a poore member of that commonwelth , where your Lordship is a principall person ; I thought this my trauell , in the behalfe of the poore , the aged , and the simple , might be verie fitlie commended vnto you : for a weake house requireth a strong staie . In which respect I giue God thanks , that hath raised vp vnto me so mightie a freend for them as your Lordship is , who in our lawes haue such knowledge , in gouernment such discretion , in these causes such experience , and in the commonwealth such authoritie ; and neuerthelesse vouchsafe to descend to the consideration of these base and inferior matters , which minister more care and trouble , than worldlie estimation .

And in somuch as your Lordship knoweth , or rather exerciseth the office of a iudge , whose part it is to heare with courtesie , and to determine with equitie ; it cannot but be apparent vnto you , that when punishment exceedeth the fault , it is rather to be thought vengeance than correction . In which respect I knowe you spend more time and trauell in the conuersion and reformation , than in the subuersion & confusion of offenders , as being well pleased to augment your owne priuate paines , to the end you may diminish their publike smart . For in truth , that commonwealth remaineth in wofull state , where fetters and halters beare more swaie than mercie and due compassion .

Howbeit , it is naturall to vnnaturall people , and peculiar vnto witchmongers , to pursue the poore , to accuse the simple , and to kill the innocent ; supplieng in rigor and malice towards others , that which they themselues want in proofe and discretion , or the other in offense or occasion . But as a cruell hart and an honest mind doo seldome meete and feed togither in a dish ; so a discreet and mercifull magistrate , and a happie commonwealth cannot be separated asunder . How much then are we bound to God , who hath giuen vs a Queene , that of iustice is not only the very perfect image & paterne ; but also of mercie & clemencie ( vnder God ) the meere fountaine & bodie it selfe ? In somuch as they which hunt most after bloud in these daies , haue least authoritie to shed it . Moreouer , sith I see that in cases where lenitie might be noisome , & punishment wholesome to the commonwealth ; there no respect of person can moue you , no authoritie can abbash you , no feare , no threts can daunt you in performing the dutie of iustice .

In that respect againe I find your Lordship a fit person , to iudge and looke vpon this present treatise . Wherein I will bring before you , as it were to the barre , two sorts of most arrogant and wicked people , the first challenging to themselues , the second attributing vnto others , that power which onelie apperteineth to God , a a Apoc. 4 , 11. who onelie is the Creator of all things , b b Rom. 8. Acts. 5. Apoc. 2. who onelie searcheth the hart and reines , who onelie c c Luke . 16. knoweth our imaginations and thoughts , who onelie d d Dan. 2. & 28 , & 47. openeth all secrets , who e e Psalm . 72. & 136. Ier. 5. onelie worketh great wonders , who onelie hath power f f Iob. 5. & 36 Sam. 12. 1. Reg. 8. 2. Reg. 3. Isaie . 5. Zach. 10. & 14. Amos . 4. 7. to raise vp & cast downe ; who onelie maketh thunder , lightning , raine , tempests , and restraineth them at his pleasure ; who onelie g g Iob. 1. sendeth life and death , sicknesse & health , wealth and wo ; who neither giueth nor lendeth his h h Isaie . 42 , 8. glorie to anie creature .

And therefore , that which greeueth me to the bottome of my hart , is , that these witchmongers cannot be content , to wrest out of Gods hand his almightie power , and keepe it themselues , or leaue it with a witch : but that , when by drift of argument they are made to laie downe the bucklers , they yeeld them vp to the diuell , or at the least praie aid of him , as though the raines of all mens liues and actions were committed into his hand ; and that he sat at the sterne , to guide and direct the course of the whole world , imputing vnto him power and abilitie inough to doo as great things , and as strange miracles as euer Christ did .

But the doctors of this supernaturall doctrine saie somtimes , that the witch doth all these things by vertue of hir charmes ; sometimes that a spirituall , sometimes that a corporall diuell doth accomplish it ; sometimes they saie that the diuell doth but make the witch beleeue she doth that which he himselfe hath wrought ; sometimes that the diuell seemeth to doo that by compulsion , which he doth most willinglie . Finallie , the writers herevpon are so eloquent , and full of varietie ; that sometimes they write that the diuell dooth all this by Gods permission onelie ; sometimes by his licence , somtimes by his appointment : so as ( in effect and truth ) not the diuell , but the high and mightie king of kings , and Lord of hosts , euen God himselfe , should this waie be made obedient and seruile to obeie and performe the will & commandement of a malicious old witch , and miraculouslie to answere hir appetite , as well in euerie trifling vanitie , as in most horrible executions ; as the reuenger of a doting old womans imagined wrongs , to the destruction of manie innocent children , and as a supporter of hir passions , to the vndoing of manie a poore soule . And I see not , but a witch may as well inchant , when she will ; as a lier may lie when he list : and so should we possesse nothing , but by a witches licence and permission .

And now forsooth it is brought to this point , that all diuels , which were woont to be spirituall , may at their pleasure become corporall , and so shew themselues familiarlie to witches and coniurors , and to none other , and by them onlie may be made tame , and kept in a box , &c. So as a malicious old woman may command hir diuell to plague hir neighbor : and he is afflicted in manner and forme as she desireth . But then commeth another witch , and she biddeth hir diuell helpe , and he healeth the same partie . So as they make it a kingdome diuided in it selfe , and therefore I trust it will not long endure , but will shortlie be ouerthrowne , according to the words of our Sauior , Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur , Euerie kingdome diuided in it selfe shal be desolate .

And although some saie that the diuell is the witches instrument , to bring hir purposes and practises to passe : yet others saie that she is his instrument , to execute his pleasure in anie thing , and therefore to be executed . But then ( me thinks ) she should be iniuriouslie dealt withall , and put to death for anothers offense : for actions are not iudged by instrumentall causes ; neither dooth the end and purpose of that which is done , depend vpon the meane instrument . Finallie , if the witch doo it not , why should the witch die for it ? But they saie that witches are persuaded , and thinke , that they doo indeed those mischeefs ; and haue a will to performe that which the diuell committeth : and that therefore they are worthie to die . By which reason euerie one should be executed , that wisheth euill to his neighbor , &c. But if the will should be punished by man , according to the offense against God , we should be driuen by thousands at once to the slaughterhouse or butcherie . For whosoeuer loatheth correction shall die . And who should escape execution , if this Prouerb . 5. lothsomnesse ( I saie ) should extend to death by the ciuill lawes . Also the reward of sinne is death . Howbeit , euerie one that sinneth , is not to be put to death by the magistrate . But ( my Lord ) it shal be proued in my booke , and your Lordship shall trie it to be true , as well here at home in your natiue countrie , as also abrode in your seuerall circuits , that ( besides them that be Veneficae , which are plaine poisoners there will be found among our witches onelie two sorts ; the one sort being such by imputation , as so thought of by others ( and these are abused , and not abusors ) the other by acceptation , as being willing so to be accompted ( and these be meere cousenors . )

Caluine treating of these magicians , calleth them Instit lib. 5. ca. 8. sect. 6. Item vpon Deut. cap. 18. cousenors , saieng that they vse their iuggling knacks onelie to amase or abuse the people ; or else for fame : but he might rather haue said for gaine . Erastus himselfe , being Lib. de lamijs , pag. 5. a principall writer in the behalfe of witches omnipotencie , is forced to confesse , that these Greeke words , , are most commonlie put for illusion , false packing , cousenage , fraud , knauerie and deceipt : and is further driuen to saie , that in ancient time , the learned were not so blockish , as not to see that the promises of magicians and inchanters were false , and nothing else but knauerie , cousenage , and old wiues fables ; and yet defendeth he their flieng in the aire , their transferring of corne or grasse from one feeld to another , &c.

But as Erastus disagreeth herein with himselfe and his freends : so is there no agreement among anie of those writers , but onlie in cruelties , absurdities , and impossibilities . And these ( my Lord ) that fall into so manifest contradictions , and into such absurd asseuerations , are not of the inferior sort of writers ; neither are they all papists , but men of such accompt , as whose names giue more credit to their cause , than their writings . In whose behalfe I am sorie , and partlie for reuerence suppresse their fondest errors and fowlest absurdities ; dealing speciallie with them that most contend in crueltie , a a Isaic . 59 , 7. Rom. 3 , 15. whose feete are swift to shed bloud , striuing ( as b b Eccl. 27 , 5. Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith ) and hasting ( as c c Prou. 1 , 16. Salomon the sonne of Dauid saith ) to powre out the bloud of the innocent ; whose heat against these poore wretches cannot be allaied with anie other liquor than bloud . And therfore I feare that d d Ier. 2 , 34. vnder their wings will be found the bloud of the soules of the poore , at that daie , when the Lord shall saie ; e e Ps. 139 , 15. Esai . 33 , 15. Depart from me ye bloudthirstie men .

And bicause I know your Lordship will take no counsell against innocent bloud , but rather suppresse them that seeke to embrew their hands therein ; I haue made choise to open their case vnto you , and to laie their miserable calamitie before your feete : following herein the aduise of that learned man Brentius , who saith ; Si quis In epistola ad Io. Wier. admonuerit magistratum , ne in miseras illas mulierculas saeuiat , eum ego arbitror diuinitùs excitatum ; that is , If anie admonish the magistrate not to deale too hardlie with these miserable wretches , that are called witches , I thinke him a good instrument raised vp for this purpose by God himselfe .

But it will perchance be said by witchmongers ; to wit , by such as attribute to witches the power which apperteineth to God onelie , that I haue made choise of your Lordship to be a patrone to this my booke ; bicause I think you fauour mine opinions , and by that meanes may the more freelie publish anie error or conceipt of mine owne , which should rather be warranted by your Lordships authoritie , than by the word of God , or by sufficient argument . But I protest the contrarie , and by these presents I renounce all protection , and despise all freendship that might serue to helpe towards the suppressing or supplanting of truth : knowing also that your Lordship is farre from allowing anie iniurie done vnto man ; much more an enimie to them that go about to dishonor God , or to embezill the title of his immortall glorie . But bicause I know you to be perspicuous , and able to see downe into the depth and bottome of causes , and are not to be carried awaie with the vaine persuasion or superstition either of man , custome , time , or multitude , but mooued with the authoritie of truth onlie : I craue your countenance herein , euen so farre foorth , and no further , than the lawe of God , the lawe of nature , the lawe of this land , and the rule of reason shall require . Neither doo I treat for these poore people anie otherwise , but so , as with one hand you may sustaine the good , and with the other suppresse the euill : wherein you shal be thought a father to orphans , an aduocate to widowes , a guide to the blind , a staie to the lame , a comfort & countenance to the honest , a scourge and terror to the wicked .

Thus farre I haue beene bold to vse your Lordships patience , being offended with my selfe , that I could not in breuitie vtter such matter as I haue deliuered amplie : whereby ( I confesse ) occasion of tediousnes might be ministred , were it not that your great grauitie ioined with your singular constancie in reading and iudging be means of the contrarie . And I wish euen with all my hart , that I could make people conceiue the substance of my writing , and not to misconstrue anie part of my meaning . Then doubtles would I persuade my selfe , that the companie of witchmongers , &c: being once decreased , the number also of witches , &c: would soone be diminished . But true be the words of the Poet ,

And therefore as doubtfull to preuaile by persuading , though I haue reason and common sense on my side ; I rest vpon earnest wishing ; namelie , to all people an absolute trust in God the creator , and not in creatures , which is to make flesh our arme : that God may haue his due honor , which by the vndutifulnes of manie is turned into dishonor , and lesse cause of offense and errour giuen by common receiued euill example . And to your Lordship I wish , as increase of honour , so continuance of good health , and happie daies .