Читать книгу The Discovery of Witchcraft - Reginald Scot - Страница 35

Table of Contents

Confessions of witches, whereby they are condemned.

OME witches confesse (saith Bodin)¹⁰⁴ that are desirous to die; not for glorie, but for despaire: bicause they are tormented in their life time.¹⁰⁵ But these may not be spared (saith he) although the lawe dooth excuse them.

The best and surest confession is at shrift, to hir ghostlie father.

Item,¹⁰⁶ if she confesse manie things that are false, and one thing that may be true; she is to be taken and executed upon that confession./17.

Item, she is not so guiltie that confesseth a falshood or lie, and denieth a truth; as she that answereth by circumstance.

Item,¹⁰⁷ an equivocall or doubtfull answer is taken for a confession against a witch./25.

Item, Bodin ¹⁰⁸ reporteth, that one confessed that he went out, or rather up into the aire, and was transported manie miles to the fairies danse, onelie bicause he would spie unto what place his wife went to hagging, and how she behaved hir selfe. Whereupon was much a doo among the inquisitors and lawyers, to discusse whether he should be executed with his wife or no. But it was concluded that he must die, bicause he bewraied not his wife: the which he forbare to doo, Propter reverentiam honoris & familiæ.

Item, if a woman confesse freelie herein, before question be made; and yet afterward denie it: she is neverthelesse to be burned.

Item, they affirme that this extremitie is herein used, bicause not one among a thousand witches is detected. And yet it is affirmed by Sprenger, in M. Mal. that there is not so little a parish, but there are manie witches knowne to be therein.