Читать книгу The Discoverie of Witchcraft - Reginald Scot - Страница 32

Table of Contents

The order of examination of witches by the inquistors.

OMEN suspected to be witches, after their apprehension may not be suffered to go home, or to other places, to seek suerties: for then (saith Bodin) the people would be woorse willing to accuse them; for feare least at their returne home, they worke revenge upon them. In which respect Bodin commendeth much the Scottish custome The Scottish custōe of accusing a witch. and order in this behalfe: where (he saith) a hollowe peece of wood or a chest is placed in the church, into the which any bodie may freelie cast a little scroll of paper, wherein may be conteined the name of the witch, the time, place, and fact, &c. And the same chest being locked with / three severall locks, is opened everie fifteenth daie by three inquisitors or officers appointed for that purpose; which keepe three severall kaies. And thus the accuser need not be knowne, nor shamed with the reproch of slander or malice to his poore neighbour.

Item, there must be great persuasions used to all men, women, and children, to accuse old women of witchcraft.

Item, there may alwaies be promised impunitie and favour to witches, that confesse and detect others; and for the contrarie, there may be threatnings and violence practised and used.

Item, the little children of witches, which will not confesse, must be attached; who (if they be craftilie handled saith Bodin) will confesse against their owne mothers.

Item, witches must be examined as suddenlie, and as unawares as is possible: the which will so amaze them, that they will confesse any thing, supposing the divell hath forsaken them; wheras if they should first be cōmitted to prison, the divell would tem/per21. with them, and informe them what to doo.

Item, the inquisitor, judge, or examiner, must begin with small matters first.

Item, they must be examined, whether their parents were witches or no: for witches (as these Doctors suppose) come by propagation. And Bodin setteth downe this principle in witchcraft, to wit, I. Bod. lib. de dæmon. 4. cap. 4. L. parentes de testibus.Si saga sit mater, sic etiam est filia: howbeit the lawe forbiddeth it, Ob sanguinis reverentiam.

Item, the examiner must looke stedfastlie upon their eies: for they cannot looke directlie upon a mans face (as Bodin affirmeth in one place, although in another he saith, that they kill and destroie both men and beasts with their lookes.)

Item, she must be examined of all accusations, presumptions, and faults, at one instant; least sathan should afterwards dissuade hir from confession.

Item, a witch may not be put in prison alone, least the divell dissuade hir from confession, through promises of her indemnitie. For (saith Bodin) some that have beene in the gaole have prooved to flie awaie, as they were woont to doo when they met with Diana and Minerva, &c.: and so brake their owne necks against the stone walles.

Item, if anie denie hir owne confession made without torture, she is neverthelesse by that confession to be condemned, as in anie other crime.

Item, the judges must seeme to put on a pittifull countenance and to mone them; saieng, that It was not they, but the divell that committed the murther, and that he compelled them to doo it; and must make them beleeve that they thinke them to be innocents.

Item, if they will confesse nothing but upon the racke or torture; their apparell must be changed, and everie haire in their bodie must be shaven off with a sharpe razor.

Item, if they have charmes for taciturnitie, so as they feele not the common tortures, and therefore confesse nothing: then some sharpe instrument must be thrust betwixt everie naile of their fingers and toes: which (as/15. Bodin saith) was king Childeberts devise,K. Childeberts cruell devise. and is to this daie of all others the most effectuall. For by meanes of that extreme paine, they will (saith he) confesse anie/22. thing.

Item, Paulus Grillandus,P. Grillandus. being an old dooer in these matters, wisheth that when witches sleepe, and feele no paine upon the torture, Domine labia mea aperies should be said, and so (saith he) both the torments will be felt, and the truth will be uttered: Et sic ars deluditur arte.

Item,A subtill and divelish devise. Bodin saith, that at the time of examination, there should be a semblance of great a doo, to the terrifieing of the witch: and that a number of instruments, gieves, manacles, ropes, halters, fetters, &c. be prepared, brought foorth, and laid before the examinate: and also that some be procured to make a most horrible and lamentable crie, in the place of torture, as though he or she were upon the racke, or in the tormentors hands: so as the examinate may heare it whiles she is examined, before she hir selfe be brought into the prison; and perhaps (saith he) she will by this meanes confesse the matter.

Item, there must be subborned some craftie spie, that may seeme to be a prisoner with hir in the like case; who perhaps may in conference undermine hir, and so bewraie and discover hir.

Item, if she will not yet confesse, she must be told that she is detected, and accused by other of hir companions; although in truth there be no such matter: and so perhaps she will confesse, the rather to be revenged upon hir adversaries and accusers.