Читать книгу The Discovery of Witchcraft - Reginald Scot - Страница 37

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Particular Interogatories used by the inquisitors against witches.

NEEDE not staie to confute such parciall and horrible dealings, being so apparentlie impious, and full of tyrannie which except I should have so manifestlie detected, even with their owne writings and assertions, few or none would have beleeved. But for brevities sake I will passe over the same; supposing that the ci/ting28. of such absurdities may stand for a suffici/ent19. confutation thereof. Now therefore I will proceed to a more particular order and maner of examinations, &c: used by the inquisitors, and allowed for the most part throughout all nations.

First the witch must be demanded,¹¹⁵ why she touched such a child, or such a cow, &c: and afterward the same child or cow fell sicke or lame, &c.

Item, why hir two kine give more milke than hir neighbors. And the note before mentioned is heere againe set downe, to be speciallie observed of all men: to wit; that Though a witch cannot weepe, yet she may speake with a crieng voice. Which asserti¹¹⁶ on of weeping is false, and contrarie to the saieng of Seneca, Cato, and manie others; which affirme, that A woman weepeth when she meaneth most deceipt: and therefore saith M. Mal. she must be well looked unto, otherwise she will put spettle privilie upon hir cheeks, and seeme to weepe: which rule also Bodin saith is infallible. But alas that teares should be thought sufficient to excuse or condemne in so great a cause, and so weightie a triall! I am sure that the woorst sort of the children of Israel wept bitterlie: yea, if there were any witches at all in Israel, they wept. For it is written,¹¹⁷ that all the children of Israel wept. Finallie, if there be any witches in hell, I am sure they weepe: for there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

But God knoweth, many an honest matrone cannot sometimes in the heavines of her heart shed teares; the which oftentimes are more readie and common with craftie queanes and strumpets, than with sober women. For we read of two kinds of teares in a womans eie, the one of true greefe, the other of deceipt. And it is written, that Dediscere flere fæminam est mendacium:¹¹⁸ which argueth, that they lie which say, that wicked women cannot weepe. But let these tormentors take heed, that the teares in this case which runne downe the widowes cheeks, with their crie spoken of¹¹⁹ by Jesus Sirach, be not heard above. But lo what learned, godlie, and lawfull meanes these popish inquisitors have invented for the triall of true or false teares./