Matthew Hopkins Witch Finder general depiction of Matthew Hopkins interrogating witches My Imps names are 1 Ilemauzar 2 Pyewackett 3 Peck in the crown 4 Griezzell Greedigutt Holt Jarmara Sack & Sugar News Vinegar tom THE Discovery of Witches: IN Answer to several QUERIES, LATELY Delivered to the Judges of Assize for the County of NORFOLK. And now published By Matthew HOPKINS, Witch-finder. FOR The Benefit of the whole kingdom. EXOD. 22.18. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. LONDON, Printed for R. Royston, at the angel in ivy Lane. M.DC.XLVII. Certain Queries answered, which have been and are likely to be objected against MATTHEW HOPKINS, in his way of finding out Witches. QVERIE I. THat he must needs be the greatest Witch, Sorcerer, and wizard himself, else he could not do it. Answ. If Satan's kingdom be divided against itself, how shall it stand? Query 2. If he never went so far as is before mentioned, yet for certain he met with the devil, and cheated him of his book, wherein were written all the Witches names in England, and if he looks on any Witch, he can tell by her countenance what she is; so by this, his help is from the devil. Answ. If he had been too hard for the devil and got his book, it had been to his great commendation, and no disgrace at all: and for judgement in physiognomy, he hath no more than any man else whatsoever. Quer. 3. From whence then proceeded this his skill? was it from his profound learning, or from much reading of learned Authors concerning that subject? Answ. From neither of both, but from experience, which though it be meanly esteemed of, yet the surest and safest way to judge by. Quer. 4. I pray where was this experience gained? and why gained by him and not by others? Answ. The Discoverer never traveled far for it, but in March 1644. he had some seven or eight of that horrible sect of Witches living in the town where he lived, a town in Essex called Maningtree, with divers other adjacent Witches of other towns, who every six weeks in the night (being always on the Friday night) had their meeting close by his house, and had their several solemn sacrifices there offered to the devil, one of which this discoverer heard speaking to her Imps one night, and bid them go to another Witch, who was thereupon apprehended, and searched by women who had for many years known the devil's marks, and found to have three teats about her, which honest women have not: so upon command from the Justice, they were to keep her from sleep two or three nights, expecting in that time to see her familiars, which the fourth night she called in by their several names, and told them what shapes, a quarter of an hour before they came in, there being ten of us in the room, the first she called was 1. Holt, who came in like a white kitling. 2. Jarmara, who came in like a fat Spaniel without any legs at all, she said she kept him fat, for she clapped her hand on her belly, and said he sucked good blood from her body. 3. Vinegar Tom, who was like a long-legged Greyhound, with an head like an ox, with a long tail and broad eyes, who when this discoverer spoke to, and bade him go to the place provided for him and his Angels, immediately transformed himself into the shape of a child of four years old without a head, and gave half a dozen turns about the house, and vanished at the door. 4. Sack and Sugar, like a black rabbit. 5. News, like a polecat. All these vanished away in a little time. Immediately after this Witch confessed several other Witches, from whom she had her Imps, and named to divers women where their marks were, the number of their Marks, and Imps, and Imps names, as Elemauzer, Pyewacket, Peckin the Crown, Grizzel Greedigut, &c. which no mortal could invent; and upon their searches the same marks were found, the same number, and in the same place, and the like confessions from them of the same Imps, (though they knew not that we were told before) and so peached one another thereabouts that joined together in the like damnable practice, that in our Hundred in Essex, 29. were condemned at once, 4. brought 25. Miles to be hanged, where this Discoverer lives, for sending the devil like a bear to kill him in his garden, so by seeing diverse of the 〈◊〉 paps, and trying ways with hundreds of them, he gained this experience, and for aught he knows any man else may find them as well as he and his company, if they had the same skill and experience. Quer. 5. Many poor People are condemned for having a Pap, or Teat about them, whereas many People (especially ancient People) are, and have been a long time troubled with natural wretts on several parts of their bodies, and other natural excrescencies, as hemorrhoids, Piles, Childbearing, &c. and these shall be judged only by one man alone, and a woman, and so accused or acquitted. Answ, The parties so judging can justify their skill to any, and show good reasons why such marks are not merely natural, neither that they can happen by any such natural cause as is before expressed, and for further answer for their private judgements alone, it is most false and untrue, for never was any man tried by search of his body, but commonly a dozen of the ablest men in the parish or else where, were present, and most commonly as many ancient skilful matrons and midwives present when the women are tried, which marks not only he, and his company attest to be very suspicious, but all beholders, the skilfulest of them, do not approve of them, but likewise assent that such tokens cannot in their judgements proceed from any the above mentioned Causes. Quer. 6. It is a thing impossible for any man or woman to judge rightly on such marks, they are so near to natural excrescencies, and they that find them, durst not presently give Oath they were drawn by evil spirits, till they have used unlawful courses of torture to make them say any thing for case and quiet, as who would not do? but I would know the reasons he speaks of, how, and whereby to discover the one from the other, and so be satisfied in that. Answ. The reasons in brief are three, which for the present he judgeth to differ from natural marks; which are▪ 1. He judgeth by the unusualnes of the place where he findeth the teats in or on their bodies, being far distant from any usual place, from whence such natural marks proceed, as if a witch plead the marks found are Emerods', if I find them on the bottom of the backbone, shall I ass●●● with him, knowing they are not near that vein, and so others by childbearing, when it may be they are in the contrary part? 2. They are most commonly insensible, and feel neither pin, needle, aule, &c. thrust through them. 3. The often variations and mutations of these marks into several forms, confirms the matter; as if a Witch hear a month or two before that the Witch-finder (as they call him) is coming, they will, and have put out their Imps to others to suckle them, even to their own young and tender children; these upon search are found to have dry skins and films only, and be close to the flesh, keep her 24. hours with a diligent eye, that none of her Spirits come in any visible shape to suck her; the women have seen the next day after her Teats extended out to their former filling length, full of corruption ready to burst, and leaving her alone then one quarter of an hour, and let the women go up again, and she will have them drawn by her Imps close again: Probatum est. Now for answer to their tortures in its due place. Quer. 7. How can it possibly be that the devil being a spirit, and wants no nutriment or sustentation, should desire to suck any blood? and indeed as he is a spirit he cannot draw any such excressences, having neither flesh nor bone, nor can be felt, &c. Ans. He seeks not their blood, as if he could not subsist without that nourishment, but he often repairs to them, and gets it, the more to aggravate the Witches damnation, and to put her in mind of her Covenant: and as he is a Spirit and Prince of the air, he appears to them in any shape whatsoever, which shape is occasioned by him through joining of condensed thickened air together, and many times doth assume shapes of many creatures; but to create any thing he cannot do it, it is only proper to God: But in this case of drawing out of these Teats, he doth really enter into the body, real, corporeal, substantial creature, and forceth that Creature (he working in it) to his desired ends, and useth the organs of that body to speak withal to make his compact up with the Witches, be the creature Cat, Rat, Mouse, &c. Quer. 8. When these Paps are fully discovered, yet that will not serve sufficiently to convict them, but they must be tortured and kept from sleep two or three nights, to distract them, and make them say any thing; which is a way to tame a wild Colt, or hawk, &c. Ans. In the infancy of this discovery it was not only thought fitting, but enjoined in Essex and Suffolk by the Magistrates, with this intention only, because they being kept awake would be more the active to call their Imps in open view the sooner to their help, which oftentimes have so happened; and never or seldom did any Witch ever complain in the time of their keeping for want of rest, but after they had beat their heads together in the goal; and after this use was not allowed of by the Judges and other Magistrates, it was never since used, which is a year and a half since, neither were any kept from sleep by any order or direction since; but peradventure their own stubborn wills did not let them sleep, though tendered and offered to them. Quer. 9 Beside that unreasonable watching, they were extraordinarily walked, till their feet were blistered, and so forced through that cruelty to confess, &c. Ans. It was in the same beginning of this discovery, and the meaning of walking of them at the highest extent of cruelty, was only they to walk about themselves the night they were watched, only to keep them waking: and the reason was this, when they did lie or sit in a chair, if they did offer to couch down, than the watchers were only to desire them to sit up and walk about, for indeed when they be suffered so to couch, immediately comes their Familiars into the room and scareth the watchers, and heartneth on the Witch, though contrary to the true meaning of the same instructions, diverse have been by rustical People, (they hearing them confess to be Witches) misused, spoiled, and abused, diverse whereof have suffered for the same, but could never be proved against this Discoverer to have a hand in it, or consent to it; and hath likewise been un-used by him and others, ever since the time they were kept from sleep. Quer. 10. But there hath been an abominable, inhuman, and unmerciful trial of those poor creatures, by tying them, and heaving them into the water; a trial not allowable by Law or conscience, and I would faint know the reasons for that. Ans. It is not denied but many were so served as had paps, and floated, others that had none were tried with them and sunk, but mark the reasons. For first the devil's policy is great, in persuading many to come of their own accord to be tried, persuading them their marks are so close they shall not be found out, so as diverse have come 10. or 12. Miles to be searched of their own accord, and hanged for their labour, (as one Meggs a Baker did, who lived within 7. Miles of Norwich, and was hanged at Norwich Assizes for witchcraft) than when they find that the Devil tells them false they reflect on him, and he (as 40. have confessed) adviseth them to be sworn, and tells them they shall s●nke and be cleared that way, than when they be tried that way and float, they see the devil deceives them again, and have so laid open his treacheries. 2. It was never brought in against any of them at their trials as any evidence. 3. King James in his Demonology saith, it is a certain rule, for (saith he) Witches deny their baptism when they Covenant with the devil, water being the sole element thereof, and therefore saith he, when they be heaved into the water, the water refuseth to receive them into her bosom, (they being such Miscreants to deny their baptism) and suffers them to float, as the froth on the Sea, which the water will not receive, but casts it up and down, till it comes to the earthy element the shore, and there leaves it to consume. 4. Observe these generation of Witches, if they be at any time abused by being called Whore, thief, etc, by anywhere they live, they are the readiest to cry and wring their hands, and shed tears in abundance & run with full and right sorrowful acclamations to some Justice of the Peace, and with many tears make their complaints: but now behold their stupidity; nature or the elements reflection from them, when they are accused for this horrible and damnable sin of Witchcraft, they never alter or change their countenances, nor let one tear fall. This by the way, swimming (by able Divines whom I reverence) is condemned for no way, and therefore of late hath, and for ever shall be left. Quer. 11. Oh! but if this torturing Witch-catcher can by all or any of these means wring out a word or two of confession from any of these stupefied, ignorant, unitelligible, poor silly creatures, (though none hear it but himself) he will add and put her in fear to confess telling her, else she shall be hanged; but if she do, he will set her at liberty, and so put a word into her mouth, and make such a silly creature confess she knows not what. Answ. He is of a better conscience, and for your better understanding of him, he doth thus uncase himself to all, and declares what confessions (though made by a Witch against herself) he allows not of, and doth altogether account of no validity, or worthy of credence to be given to it, and ever did so account it, and ever likewise shall. 1. He utterly denies that confession of a Witch to be of any validity, when it is drawn from her by any torture or violence whatsoever; although after watching, walking, or swimming, diverse have suffered, yet peradventure Magistrates with much care and diligence did solely and fully examine them after sleep, and consideration sufficient. 2. He utterly denies that confession of a Witch, which is drawn from her by flattery, viz. if you will confess you shall go home, you shall not go to the Goals, nor be hanged, &c. 3. He utterly denies that confession of a With, when she confesseth any improbability, impossibility, as flying in the air, riding on a broom, &c. 4. He utterly denies a confession of a Witch, when it is interrogated to her, and words put into her mouth, to be of any force or effect: as to say to a silly (yet Witch wicked enough) you have four Imps have you not? She answers affirmatively, Yes: did they not suck you? Yes, saith she: Are not their names so, and so? Yes, saith she: Did not you send such an imp to kill my child? Yes saith she this being all her confession after this manner, it is by him accounted nothing, and he earnestly doth desire that all Magistrates and Jurors would a little more than ever they did, examine witnesses, about the interrogated confessions. Quer. 12. If all these confessions be denied, I wonder what he will make a confession, for sure it is, all these ways have been used and took for good confessions, and many have suffered for them, and I know not what, he will then make a confession. Answ. Yes, in brief he will declare what confession of a Witch is of validity and force in his judgement, to hang a Witch: when a Witch is first found with teats, then sequestered from her house, which is only to keep her old associates from her, and so by good counsel brought into a sad condition, by understanding of the horribleness of her sin, and the judgements threatened against her; and knowing the devil's malice and subtle circumventions, is brought to remorse and sorrow for complying with Satan so long, and disobeying God's sacred Commands, doth then desire to unfold her mind with much bitterness, and then without any of the beforementioned hard usages or questions put to her, doth of her own accord declare what was the occasion of the Devils appearing to her, whether ignorance, pride, anger, malice, &c. was predominant over her, she doth then declare what speech they had, what likeness he was in, what voice he had, what familiars he sent her, what number of spirits, what names they had, what shape they were in, what employment she set them about to several persons in several places, (Unknown to the hearers) all which mischiefs being proved to be done, at the same time she confessed to the same parties for the same cause, and all effected, is testimony enough against her for all her denial. Quest. 13. How can any possibly believe that the devil and the Witch joining together, should have such power, as the Witches confess, to kill such and such a man, child, horse, cow, or the like; if we believe they can do what they will, than we derogate from God's power, who for certain limits the devil and the Witch; and I cannot believe they have any power at all. Answ. God suffers the devil many times to do much hurt, and the devil doth play many times the deluder and impostor with these Witches, in persuading them that they are the cause of such and such a murder wrought by him with their consents, when and indeed neither he nor they had any hand in it, as thus: We must needs argue, he is of a long standing, above 6000. years, than he must needs be the best Scholar in all knowledges of arts and tongues, & so have the best skill in physic, judgement in physiognomy, and knowledge of what disease is reigning or predominant in this or that man's body, (and so for cattle too) by reason of his long experience. This subtle tempter knowing such a man liable to some sudden disease, (as by experience I have found) as pleurisy, impostume, &c. he resorts to divers Witches; if they know the man, and seek to make a difference between the Witches and the party, it may be by telling them he hath threatened to have them very shortly searched, and so hanged for Witches, than they all consult with Satan to save themselves, and Satan stands ready prepared, with a What will you have me do for you, The devil's speech to the Witches. my dear and nearest children, covenanted and compacted with me in my hellish league, and sealed with your blood, my delicate firebrand-darlings. Oh thou (say they) that at the first didst promise to save us thy servants from any of our deadly enemy's discovery, and didst promise to avenge and slay all those, we pleased, that did offend us; murder that wretch suddenly who threatens the down-fall of your loyal subjects. He than promiseth to effect it. Next news is heard the party is dead, he comes to the witch, and gets a world of reverence, credence and respect for his power and activeness, when and indeed the disease kills the party, not the Witch, nor the devil, (Only the devil knew that such a disease was predominant) and the witch aggravates her damnation by her familiarity and consent to the devil, and so comes likewise in compass of the laws. This is Satan's usual impostring and deluding, but not his constant course of proceeding, for he and the witch do mischief too much. But I would that Magistrates and Jurats would a little examine witnesses when they hear witches confess such and such a murder, whether the party had not long time before, or at the time when the witch grew suspected, some disease or other predominant, which might cause that issue or effect of death. Quer. 14. All that the witch-finder doth, is to fleece the country of their money, and therefore rides and goes to towns to have employment, and promiseth them fair promises, and it may be doth nothing for it, and possesseth many men that they have so many wizards and so many witches in their town, and so heartens them on to entertain him. Ans. You do him a great deal of wrong in every of these particulars. For, first, 1. He never went to any town or place, but they rode, writ, or sent often for him, and were (for aught he knew) glad of him. 2. He is a man that doth disclaim that ever he detected a witch, or said, Thou art a witch; only after her trial by search, and their own confessions, he as others may judge. 3. Lastly, judge how he fleeceth the Country, and inriches himself, by considering the vast sum he takes of every town, he demands but 20. s. a town, & doth sometimes ride 20. miles for that, & hath no more for all his charges thither and back again (& it may be stays a week there) and find there 3. or 4. witches, or if it be but one, cheap enough, and this is the great sum he takes to maintain his company with 3. horses. Judicet ullus. THE END.