Modest Inquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft, Chapter 7
CHAPTER. VII.
3. ANother principle improved in theſe Enquiries is, When the party ſuſpected looks upon the parties ſuppoſed to be bewitched, and they are thereupon ſtruck down into a fit, as if ſtruck with a Cudgel. This bewitching by the eye is an opinion Seventeen Hundred years old,
Neſcio quis-teneros oculis mihi faſcinat agnos.
Virgil.
Mr. Gaul in his Book, Printed 1648. page 128. Saith, Some Witches by inſpecting, or looking on, but to a glance, or ſquint, or peep at with an envious eye, is ſufficient to effaſcinate. And we may find much uſe made of this experiment in Tryals in England mentioned by Baxter, Glanvil and Burton. And however this ſeemed a preſumption at Salem Village, yet at length it was apparent to be a deluſion of Satan. For this experiment was found at the Tryals of perſons when the Accuſed ſought to clear themſelves, and it cannot be conceived that then they would act Witchcraft to haſten their own Condemnation: And no perſon can be ſaid to act Witchcraft againſt their own will and conſent.
Again, we read, Mark 9.20. That when the poſſeſſed was brought unto Chriſt, and ſaw Chriſt, then the Spirit tare him, and he fell to the ground and wallowed foaming. So that the Devil choſe this time and place to caſt the poſſeſſed into a fit even in the preſence of Chriſt. Let us then conſider theſe Afflicted to be Demoniacks, and we muſt own, it's in Satans power to caſt them into a fit in the preſence, and upon the ſight of the Accuſed. And if this may increaſe the ſuſpicion againſt the Accuſed, it's for his intereſt to chuſe ſuch a time.
4. Another preſumption made uſe of hath been to cauſe the ſuſpected to touch the party ſuppoſed to be bewitched, and if that touch bring the party out of their fit, this hath been eſteemed by many a ſtrong ſuſpicion at leaſt, as may be read in ſome of the fore cited Authors.
And Mr. …lanvil ſuppoſeth a Philoſophical reaſon for it, viz. that the Witch by the caſt of her eye ſends forth a Malefick Venome into the Bewitched to caſt him into a fit, and therefore the touch of the hand doth by a ſympathy cauſe that venome to return into the Body of the Witch again. As when a perſon is ſtung by a Snake, the application of the Body or fleſh of the ſame Snake to the wound will draw back the poyſon into its former fountain. But the truth is both theſe effects depend upon the Devils free agency: And he frames his things much according to the opinion of the Spectators, with intent to deceive. I never could ſee reaſon to juſtify ſuch a kind of Tryal (though allowed by Bernard as lawful to be uſed;) but ſince I have more conſidered it, I look upon it very unwarrantable to be uſed, being as it were the putting a ſtaff into the hand of Satan, to try what he will do with it. For the recovery of the party out of the Fit hereby muſt be from a natural or divine cauſe, or from the Devil▪ We cannot prove either of the two former and if the third, its but the Devils teſtimony, and therefore not to be uſed by us.
5. Another practice hath been when the party ſuſpected is in Priſon, and the Afflicted cry out they are miſerably tormented by them; If then the ſuſpected party be bound, and the afflicted perſon thereupon, have eaſe or releaſe of their fits, then this is a preſumption that the ſuſpected party is guilty. This was uſed at Iſanbal, Anno 1661. (ſee Glanvil, page 168.) and the ſucceſs anſwered the expectation.
But this is no ground ſo much as of ſuſpicion, becauſe it depends either upon ſome phyſical efficacy in binding to give the party eaſe, or upon the precontract of the ſuſpected made with Satan, or from the voluntary act of the Devil ceaſing to afflict at ſuch a time; neither of the two former can be proved: not any phyſical vertue in the binding the party; for how can cords bind a Spirit, and as for the Contract with Satan, that remains yet to be proved, and if ſuch there be, yet the terms of it are to us unknown; and the Devil being a Lyar from the beginning, will keep or break his own promiſes, ſo as ſuites the intereſt of his Kingdom. So that in ſuch caſes we can aſcribe the releaſe of the afflicted only to Satans agency and policy by ſuch a vile abuſing the miſchief of thoſe which make the tryal.
6. The like is to be ſaid when a Demoniack finds eaſe of their fits upon the apprehending, or condemning, or Execution of the perſon complained againſt. For that eaſe may come by Satans policy, deſiſting his rage to confirm our error: or from Divine Favour in anſwer of prayer, or pity to the diſtreſſed.