Part I: Some considerations about witchcraft, in a letter to Robert Hunt, part 1 of 5

SOME CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT Witchcraft. In a LETTER to ROBERT HUNT, Esq

SECT. I.

SIR,

THE frequent and late dealings you have had in the Examination of Witches, and the regards of one that hath a very particular honour for you, have brought you the trouble of some CONSIDERATIONS on the Subject. And though what I have to say, be but the unaccurate product of a little leisure; yet I hope it may afford you some, not unreasonable, accounts of the odd Phaenomena of Witchcraft and Fascination, and contribute to the DEFENCE of the Truth and certainty of matters, which you know by Experiments that could not deceive, in spite of the petty exceptions of those that are resolved to believe nothing in affairs of this nature.

And if any thing were to be much admired in an Age of Wonders, not onely of Nature, (which is a constant Prodigie) but of Men and Manners; it would be to me matter of astonishment, that Men, otherwise witty and ingenious, are fallen into the conceit that there is no such thing as a Witch or Apparition, but that these are the creatures of Melancholy and Superstition, foster'd by ignorance and design; which comparing the confidence of their disbelief with the evidence of the things denied, and the weakness of their grounds, would almost suggest that themselves are an Argument of what they deny; and that so confident an opinion could not be held upon such inducements, but by some kind of Witchcraft and Fascination in the Fancy. And perhaps that evil Spirit whose influences they will not allow in actions ascribed to such Causes, hath a greater hand and interest in their Proposition than they are aware of. For that subtile Enemy of Mankind (since Providence will not permit him to mischief us without our own concurrence) attempts that by stratagem and artifice, which he could never effect by open ways of acting; and the success of all wiles depending upon their secrecy and concealment, his influence is never more dangerous than when his agency is least suspected. In order therefore to the carrying on the dark and hidden designs he manageth against our happiness and our Souls, he cannot expect to advantage himself more, than by insinuating a belief, That there is no such thing as himself, but that fear and fancy make Devils now, as they did Gods of old. Nor can he ever draw the assent of men to so dangerous an assertion, while the standing sensible evidences of his existence in his practices by and upon his instruments are not discredited and removed.

'Tis doubtless therefore the interest of this Agent of darkness to have the world believe, that the notion they have of him is but a phantôme and conceit; and in order thereunto, that the stories of Witches, Apparitions, and indeed every thing that brings tidings of another world, are but melancholick Dreams, and pious Romances. And when men are arrived thus sar to think there are no diabolical contracts or Apparitions, their belief that there are such Spirits rests onely upon their Faith and Reverence to the divine Oracles, which we have little reason to apprehend so great in such assertors, as to command much srom their assent; especially in such things in which they have corrupt interests against their evidence. […]o that he that thinks there is no Witch, believes a Devil gratis, or at least upon inducements, which he is like to find himself disposed to deny when he pleaseth. And when men are arrived to this degree of dissidence and infidelity, we are beholden to them if they believe either Angel, or Spirit, Resurrection of the body, or Immortality of Souls. These things hang together in a Chain of connexion, at least in these mens Hypothesis; and 'tis but an happy chance if he that hath lost one link holds another. So that the vitals of Religion being so much interessed in this subject, it will not be unnecessary employment particularly to discourse it.

And in order to the proof that there have been, and are, unlawful Confederacies with evil Spirits, by vertue of which the hellish accomplices perform things above their natural powers: I must premise, that this being matter of fact, is onely capable of the evidence of authority and sense: and by both these the being os Witches and diabolical Contracts is most abundantly confirm'd. All Histories are full of the exploits of those Instruments of darkness; and the testimony of all ages, not onely of the rude and barbarous, but of the most civiliz'd and polish'd world, brings tidings of their strange performances. We have the attestation os thousands of eye and car-witnesses, and those not of the easily deceivable vulgar onely, but of wise and grave discern[…]rs; and that, when no interest could oblige them to agree together in a common Lye. I say, we have the light of all these circumstances to confirm us in the belief of things done by persons of despicable power and knowledge, beyond the reach of Art and ordinary Nature. Standing publick Records have been kept of these well-attested Relations, and Epocha's made of those unwonted events. Laws in many Nations have been enacted against those vile practices; those among the Jews and our own are notorious; such cases have been often determined near us, by wise and reverend Judges, upon clear and convictive Evidence: and thousands in our own Nation have suffered death for their vile compacts with apostate spirits. All these I might largely prove in their particular instances, but that 'tis not needful, since those that deny the being of Witches, do it not out of ignorance of these heads of Argument, of which probably they have heard a thousand times; but from an apprehension that such a belief is absurd, and the things impossible. And upon these presumptions they contemn all demonstrations of this nature, and are hardned against conviction. And I think, those that can believe all Histories are Romances; That all the wiser world have agreed together to juggle mankind into a common belief of ungrounded fables; That the sound senses of multitudes together may deceive them, and Laws are built upon Chimera's; That the gravest and wisest Judges have been Murderers, and the sagest persons Fools, or designing Impostors: I say, those that can believe this heap of absurdities, are either more credulous than those whose credulity they reprehend; or else have some extraordinary evidence of their perswasion, viz. That 'tis absurd and impossible there should be a Witch or Apparition. And I am confident, were those little appearances remov'd which men have form'd in their fancies against the belief of such things, their own evidence would make its way to mens assent, without any more arguments than what they know already to enforce it. There is nothing then necessary to be done, in order to the establishing the belief I would reconcile to mens minds, but to endeavour the removal of those prejudices they have received against it: the chief of which I shall particularly deal with. And I begin with that bold Assertion, That

SECT. II.

I.

(I.) THe NOTION of a Spirit is impossible and contradictious, and consequently so is that of Witches, the belief of which is founded on that Doctrine.

TO WHICH OBJECTION I answer,

(1) If the notion of a Spirit be absurd as is pretended, that of a GOD and a SOUL distinct from matter, and immortal, are likewise absurdities. And then, that the world was jumbled into this elegant and orderly Fabrick by chance; and that our Souls are onely parts of matter that came together we know not whence nor how, and shall again shortly be dissolv'd into those loose Atoms that compound them; That all our conceptions are but the thrusting of one part of matter against another; and the Idea's of our minds mere blind and casual motions. These, and a thou[…]and more the grossest impossibilities and absurdities (consequents of this Proposition, That the notion of a Spirit is absurd) will be sad certainties and demonstrations. And with such Assertors I would cease to discourse about Witches and Apparitions, and address my self to obtain their assent to Truths infinitely more sacred.

And yet (2) though it should be granted them, that a substance immaterial is as much a contradiction as they can fancy; yet why […]hould they not believe that the Air and all the Regions above us, may have their invisible intellectual Agents, of nature like unto our Souls, be that what it will, and some of them at least as much degenerate as the vilest and most mischievous among men? This Hypothesis wil be enough to secure the possibility of Witches and Apparitions. And that all the upper Stories of the Universe are furnish'd with Inhabitants, 'tis infinitely reasonable to conclude, from the analogy of Nature; since we see there is nothing so contemptible and vile in the world we reside in, but hath its living Creatures that dwell upon it; the Earth, the Water, the inferiour Air, the bodies of Animals, the flesh, the skin, the entrails; the leaves, the roots, the stalks of Vegetables; yea, and all kind of Minerals in the subterraneous Regions. I say, all these have their proper Inhabitants; yea, I suppose this rule may hold in all distinct kinds of Bodies in the world, That they have their peculiar Animals. The certainty of which, I believe the improvement of microscopical Observations will discover. From whence I infer, That since this little Spot is so thickly peopled in every Atome of it, 'tis weakness to think that all the vast spaces above, and hollows under ground, are desert and uninhabited. And if both the superiour and lower Continents of the Universe have their Inhabitants also, 'tis exceedingly improbable, arguing from the same analogy, that they are all of the meer sensible nature, but that there are at least some of the Rational and Intellectual Orders. Which supposed, there is good foundation for the belief of Witches and Apparitions, though the notion of a Spirit should prove as absurd, and unphilosophical, as I judge the denial of it. And so this first Objection comes to nothing. I descend then to the second Prejudice, which may be thus formed in behalf of the Objectors.

SECT. III.

II.

(II.) THERE ARE Actions in most of those Relations ascribed to Witches, which are ridiculous and impossible in the nature of things; such are (1) their flying out of windows, after they have anointed themselves, to remote places. (2) Their transformation into Cats, Hares, and other Creatures. (3) Their feeling all the hurts in their own bodies which they have received in those. (4) Their raising Tempests, by muttering some nonsensical words, or performing ceremonies alike impertinent as ridiculous. And (5) their being suck'd in a certain private place of their bodies by a Familiar. These are presumed to be actions inconsistent with the nature of Spirits, and above the powers of those poor and miserable Agents. And therefore the Objection supposeth them performed onely by the Fancy; and that the whole mystery of Witchcraft is but an illusion of crasie imagination.

TO this aggregate Objection I return, (1) In the general, The more absurd and unaccountable these actions seem, the greater confirmations are they to me of the truth of those Relations, and the reality of what the Objectors would destroy For these circumstances being exceeding unlikely, judging by the measures of common belief, 'tis the greater probability they are not fictitious: For the contrivers of Fictions use to form them as near as they can conformably to the most unsuspected realities, endeavouring to make them look as like truth as is possible in the main supposals, though withal they make them strange in the circumstance. None but a fool or madman would re[…]ate, with a purpose of having it believed, that he saw in Ireland Men with hoofs on their heads, and eyes in their breasts; or if any should be so ridiculously vain, as to be serious in such an incredible Romance, it cannot be supposed that all Travellers that come into those parts after him should tell the same story. There is a large field in fiction; and if all those Relations were arbitrary compositions, doubtless the first Romancers would have framed them more agreeable to the common doctrine of Spirits; at least, after these supposed absurdities had been a thousand times laugh'd at, people by this time would have learn'd to correct those obnoxious extravagancies; and though they have not yet more veracity than the Ages of Ignorance and Superstition, yet one would expect they should have got more cunning. This suppos'd impossibility then of these performances, seems to me a probable argument that they are not wilful and designed Forgeries. And if they are Fancies, 'tis somewhat strange, that Imagination, which is the most various thing in all the world, should infinitely repeat the same conceit in all times and places.

But again (2) the strange Actions related of Witches, and presumed impossible, are not ascribed to their own powers; but to the Agency of those wicked Confederates they imploy. And to affirm that those evil spirits cannot do that which we conceit impossible, is boldly to stint the powers of Creatures, whose natures and faculties we know not; and to measure the world of Spirits by the narrow rules of our own impotent beings. We see among our selves the performances of some out-go the conceits and possibilities of others; and we know many things may be done by the Mathematicks and Mechanick Artifice, which common heads think impossible to be effected by the honest ways of Art and Nature. And doubtless, the subtilties and powers of those mischievous Fiends are as much beyond the reach and activities of the most knowing Agents among us, as theirs are beyond the wit and ability of the most rustick and illiterate. So that the utmost that any mans reason in the world can amount to in this particular, is onely this, That he cannot conceive how such things can be performed; which onely argues the weakness and imperfection of our knowledge and apprehensions, not the impossibility of those performances: and we can no more from hence form an Argument against them, than against the most ordinary effects in Nature. We cannot conceive how the Foetus is form'd in the Womb, nor as much as how a Plant springs from the Earth we tread on; we know not how our Souls move the Body, nor how these dislant and extream natures are united; as I have abundantly shewn in my SCEPSIS SCIENTIFICA. And if we are ignorant of the most obvious things about us, and the most considerable within our selves, 'tis then no wonder that we know not the constitution and powers of the Creatures, to whom we are such strangers. Briesly then, matters of fact well proved ought not to be denied, because we cannot conceive how they can be performed. Nor is it a reasonable method of inserence, first to presume the thing impossible, and thence to conclude that the fact cannot be proved. On the contrary, we should judge of the action by the evidence, and not the evidence by the measures of our fancies about the action. This is proudly to exalt our own opinions above the clearest testimonies and most sensible demonstrations of fact: and so to give the Lye to all Mankind, rather than distrust the conceits of our bold imaginations. But yet further,

(3) I think there is nothing in the instances mention'd, but what may as well be accounted for by the Rules of Reason and Philosophy, as the ordinary affairs of Nature. For in resolving natural Phaenomena, we can onely assign the probable causes, sheing how things may be, not presuming how they are. And in the particulars under our Examen, we may give an account how 'tis possible, and not unlikely, that such things (though somewhat varying from the common road of Nature) may be acted. And if our narrow and contracted minds can furnish us with apprehensions of the way and manner of such performances, though perhaps not the true ones, 'tis an argument that such things may be effected by creatures whose powers and knowledge are so vastly exceeding ours. I shall endeavour theresore briefly to suggest some things that may render the possibility of these performances conceivable, in order to the removal of this Objection, that they are contradictions and impossible.

For the FIRST then, That the confederate Spirit should transport the Witch through the Air to the place of general Rendezvous, there is no difficulty in conceiving it; and if that be true which great Philosophers affirm, concerning the real separability of the Soul from the Body without death, there is yet less; for then 'tis easie to apprehend, that the Soul having left its gross and sluggish body behind it, and being cloath'd onely with its immediate vehicle of Air, or more subtile matter, may be quickly conducted to any place it would be at by those officious Spirits that attend it. And though I adventure to affirm nothing concerning the truth and certainty of this Supposition, yet I must needs say, it doth not seem to me unreasonable. And our experience of Apoplexies, Epilepsies, Ecstasies, and the strange things men report to have seen during those Deliquiums, look favourably upon this conjecture; which seems to me to contradict no principle of Reason or Philosophy; since Death consists not so much in the actual separation of Soul and Body, as in the indisposition and unfitness of the Body for vital union, as an excellent Philosopher hath made good. On which Hypothesis, the Witches anointing her self before she takes her flight, may perhaps serve to keep the Body tenantable, and in fit disposition to receive the Spirit at its return. These things, I say, we may conceive, though I affirm nothing about them; and there is not any thing in such conceptions but what hath been own'd by men of worth and name, and may seem fair and accountable enough to those who judge not altogether by the measures of the populace and customary opinion. And there's a saying of the great Apostle that seems to countenance this Platonick notion; what is the meaning else of that expression, [Whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell] except the Soul may be separated from the Body without death? which if it be granted possible, 'tis sufficient for my purpose. And

(2) The Transformations of Witches into the shapes of other Animals, upon the same supposal is very conceivable, since then 'tis easie enough to imagine, that the power of imagination may form those passive and pliable vehicles into those shapes, with more ease than the fancy of the Mother can the stubborn matter of the Foetus in the womb, as we see it frequently doth in the instances that occur of Signatures and monstrous Singularities; and perhaps sometimes the confederate Spirit puts tricks upon the senses of the Spectators, and those shapes are onely illusions.

But then (3) when they feel the hurts in their gross bodies, that they receive in their airy vehicles, they must be supposed to have been really present, at least in these latter; and 'tis no more difficult to apprehend how the hurts of those should be translated upon their other bodies, than how diseases should be inflicted by the imagination, or how the fancy of the Mother should wound the Foetus, as several credible relations do attest.

And (4) for their raising Storms and Tempests, They do it not, be sure, by their own, but by the power of the Prince of the Air, their Friend and Allie; and the Ceremonies that are enjoyn'd them are doubtless nothing else but entertainments for their imaginations, and are likely design'd to perswade them, that they do these strange things themselves.

And (lastly) for their being suck'd by the Familiar, I say (1) we know so little of the nature of Doemons and Spirits, that 'tis no wonder we cannot certainly divine the reason of so strange an action. And yet (2) we may conjecture at some things that may render it less improbable. For some have thought that the Genii (whom both the Platonical and Christian Antiquity thought embodied) are recreated by the reeks and vapours of humane blood, and the spirits that proceed from them: Which supposal (if we grant them bodies) is not unlikely, every thing being refresh'd and nourish'd by its like. And that they are not perfectly abstract from all body and matter, besides the reverence we owe to the wisest antiquity, there are several considerable Arguments I could alledge to render it exceeding probable. Which things supposed, the Devil's sucking the Sorceress is no great wonder, nor difficult to be accounted for. Or perhaps (3) this may be onely a diabolical Sacrament and Ceremony to confirm the hellish Covenant. To which I add, (4) That which to me seems most probable, viz. That the Familiar doth not onely suck the Witch, but in the action infuseth some poysonous ferment into her, which gives her Imagination and Spirits a magical tincture, whereby they become mischievously influential; and the word venefica intimates some such matter. Now that the imagination hath a mighty power in operation, is seen in the just now mention'd Signatures and Diseases that it causeth; and that the fancy is modified by the qualities of the blood and spirits, is too evident to need proof. Which things supposed, 'tis plain to conceive that the evil spirit having breath'd some vile vapour into the body of the Witch, it may taint her blood and spirits with a noxious quality, by which her infected imagination, heightned by melancholy and this worse cause, may do much hurt upon bodies that are impressible by such influences. And 'tis very likely that this ferment disposeth the imagination of the Sorceress to cause the mentioned [non-Latin script], or separation of the Soul from the Body, and may perhaps keep the Body in sit temper for its re-entry; as also it may facilitate transformation, which, it may be, could not be effected by ordinary and unassisted imagination.

Thus we see, 'tis not so desperate to form an apprehension of the manner of these odd performances; and though they are not done the way I have describ'd, yet what I have said may help us to a conceit of the possibility, which sufficeth for my purpose. And though the Hypotheses I have gone upon will seem as unlikely to some, as the things they attempt to explain are to others; yet I must desire their leave to suggest, that most things seem improbable (especially to the conceited and opinionative) at first proposal: and many great truths are strange and odd, till custome and acquaintance have reconciled them to our fancies. And I'le presume to add on this occasion, (though I love not to be confident in assirming) that there is none of the Platonical supposals I have used, but what I could make appear to be fair and reasonable, to the capable and unprejudic'd.

SECT. IV.

III.

BUT (III.) I come to another prejudice against the being of Witches, which is, That 'tis very improbable that the Devil, who is a wise and mighty Spirit, should be at the beck of a poor Hag, and have so little to do, as to attend the Errands and impotent Lusts of a silly Old woman.

TO which I might answer, (1) That 'tis much more improbable that all the world should be deceiv'd in matters of fact, and circumstances of the clearest evidence and conviction; than that the Devil, who is wicked, should be also unwise; and that he that perswades all his subjects and accomplices out of their wits, should himself act like his own Temptations and Perswasions. In brief, there is nothing more strange in this Objection, than that wickedness is baseness and servility; and that the Devil is at leisure to serve those, he is at leisure to tempt, and industrious to ruine. And again, (2) I see no necessity to believe that the Devil is always the Witches Confederate; but perhaps it may fitly be considered, whether the Familiar be not some departed humane Spirit, forsaken of God and goodness, and swallowed up by the unsatiable desire of mischief and revenge, which possibly by the Laws and capacity of its state it cannot execute immediately. And why we should presume that the Devil should have the liberty of wandring up and down the Earth and Air, when he is said to be held in the Chains of darkness; and yet that the separated Souls of the wicked, of whom no such thing is affirm'd in any sacred Record, should be thought so imprison'd, that they cannot possibly wag from the place of their confinement, I know no shadow of conjecture. This conceit I'm confident hath prejudic'd many against the belief of Witches and Apparitions; they not being able to conceive that the Devil should be so ludicrous as appearing spirits are sometimes reported to be in their frolicks; and they presume, that souls departed never revisit the free and open Regions; which confidence, I know nothing to justifie: For since good men in their state of separation are said to be [non-Latin script], why the wicked may not be supposed to be [non-Latin script] in the worst sense of the word, I know nothing to help me to imagine. And if it be supposed that the Imps of Witches are sometimes wicked spirits of our own kind and nature, and possibly the same that have been Sorcerers and Witches in this life: This supposal may give a fairer and more probable account of many of the actions of Sorcery and Witchcraft, than the other Hypothesis, that they are always Devils. And to this conjecture I'le adventure to subjoyn another, which also hath its probability, viz. (3) That 'tis not impossible but the Familiars of Witches are a vile kind of spirits, of a very inferiour Constitution and nature, and none of those that were once of the highest Hierarchy, now degenerated into the spirits we call Devils. And for my part I must confess, that I think the common division of spirits much too general; conceiving it likely there may be as great a variety of intellectual Creatures in the invisible world, as there is of Animals in the visible: and that all the superiour, yea, and inferiour Regions, have their several kinds of spirits differing in their natural perfections, as well as in the kinds and degrees of their depravities; which being supposed, 'tis very probable that those of the basest and meanest Orders are they, who submit to the mention'd servilities. And thus the sagess and grandeur of the Prince of darkness need not be brought into question.