A Guide to Grand-jury Men, Title page – Dedication 2
A GVIDE TO GRAND-IVRY MEN, DIVIDED INTO TWO BOOKES:
In the First, is the Authors best aduice to them what to doe, before they bring in a Billa vera in cases of Witchcraft, with a Christian Direction to such as are too much giuen vponupon eueryevery crosse to thinke themselues bewitched.
In the Second, is a Treatise touching Witches good and bad, how they may be knowne, euicted, condemned, with many particulars tending thereunto.
By RICH. BERNARD.
Prou. 17.15. He that iustifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the iust; euen they both are an abomination to the Lord.
Thou shalt therefore inquire and make search, and aske, diligently, whether it bee truth, and the thing certaine, Deut. 13.14.
LONDON.
Printed by Felix Kingston for Ed. Blackmore, and are to be sold at his shop at the great South dore of Pauls. 1627.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE IVDGES,
Sr. Iohn Walter, Knight, Lord chiefe Baron of his Mai…ties Court of Exchequer: and Sr. Iohn Denbam, Knight, worthy Baron of the same Honourable Court.
The Reuerend and R…ligious Iudges in this Westerne Circuit,
That wis…dome from aboue, with power and courage, be in and vponupon them from the Lord in all causes before them, to their due praises and endlesse comfort.
Right worthy Iudges,
SInce your Lordships sate at Tanton the last Summer Assises, I hauehave (as time and leasure from other studies, and the execution of Diuine duties in my function would permit) giuen my selfe to the reading of many approued rebations touching the arraginement and condemnation of Witches: as also treatises of learned men, concerning the deuilish Art of Witchcraft, adding withall not a few things, which otherwise I hauehave learned and obserued.
The occasion offered and the reasons drawing mee to this studie, were the strange fitts then, and yet continuing vponupon some iudged to be bewitched by those which w…re then also condemned and executed for the same: My vpright meaning in my painestaking with Bull mistaken, a rumour spred, as if I fauoured Witches, or were of Master Scots erroneous opinion, that Witches were silly deceiued Melancholikes.
This my labour in all these will cleare mee: which I am bold to present to your Lordships, as a plaine Countrey Ministers testimony of his hearty reioycing, that God hath sent vsus such wished-for vpright and religious Iudges.
I hope it shall not bee imputed as euill vntounto me, that I hauehave chosen such worthily-honoured Patrons, so learned in our Lawes, of so great authority in the execution thereof, so iudicious in discerning of causes, so iust in punishing sin, and so religiously disposed to aduance Vertue and Religion.
I doe the more herein presume, for that I hauehave obserued your Lordships holy attention to the Word deliuered befor… you, and your worthy respect vntounto Gods Ministers; and therefore I doubt not of a fauourable acceptance of my best seruice honestly intended for publike good. Yet humbly neuerthelesse crauing pardon, if in any thing herein I hauehave taken too much vponupon mee, and …o praying hartily for your happy dayes, and your redoubled honour in your seruice of God for our King and Countrey, I humbly take leaue.
Batcombe. Feb. 24. Your Lordships in the tender of his seruice to be commanded, RIC. BERNARD.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL.
Gerard Wood, Doctor of Diuinity, and Archdeacon of Wells: and Arthur Duck D. of the Ciuill Law, & Chan. to the Right Reu. Fa. the L. Bishop of Bath and Wells.
Right worshipfull,
FOR two books hauehave I made a double choice of Patrones for p…otec…ion: because a Treatise of this nature, neede…h shelter vnderunder both, an… that which is fortified, …am Ecclesiatico, quàm s…cularibrachio, will be more auaileable, and passe more acceptably among all sorts. The sin of witchcraft, and the diabolicall practice thereof, is omnium scelerum atrocissimum, and in such as hauehave the knowledge of God, the greatest apostacie from the faith, they renouncing God, and giuing themselues by a couenant to the Diuell. Bad Witches many prosecute with all eagernesse; but Magicians, Necromancers, (of whom his late Maiestie giueth a deadly censure in his Daemonologie) and the Curing Witch, commonly called, The good Witch, all sorts can let alone: and yet bee these in many respects worse then the other. Would God my endeauours might so preuaile with men bound by solemne oath, that they would make conscience to present vntounto you the Ecclesiasticall Iudges, both the Witches themselues, as also all such as resort vntounto them. Impunitas peccandi licentiam peperit. Yet the euils growing hereupon, both to bodies and soules, cannot sufficiently bee expressed. I neede not, I hope, with many words intreate your good care to suppresse such foule and damnable courses: For I know, that citò dicta & percipiunt sapiē tes, & viris rerū suarum satagentibus non placet vrgeri: and what need is there calcar currentibus addere?
I hauehave heretofore purposed somtime or other to expresse my due respect vntounto you both, as being my worshipful good friēds. To the one, as iustly clayming a thankefull remembrance for his so long continued louelove, and for not a few fauours, the true fruits of a good affection: who is to mee, quia filio meo, bengnissimus & incorrupte patronus, to whom wee remaine euer obliged. To the other, for so kind and euer louing tenance, with a readinesse, vponupon any iust occasion, to doe me any lawfull fauour. Let it please you now, eo vuliu sereno, quo meipsum soletis, tractare, hoc qualecunque munusculum accipere; and … shall reckon so fauorable …n acceptance, as a suffici…nt recompence for my la…our and paines. And so with due and dutifull respect I take leaue,
Batcombe. Feb. 26. Your Worships at command, RIC. BERNARD.