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eaſily appear, partly by their own writings, and partly by the Hiſtory of thoſe times.

I do very much wonder whether any man, being a Scholer, and not ſtrongly prepoſſeſſed, that doth not believe Spirits, &c. can ſay that he ever read the books of Tryals and Confeſſions of Witches and Wizards, ſuch I mean, as have been written by learned and judicious men. Such as, for example, I account Nichol Remigins, his Demonolatria: ex judiciis capitalibus 900 plus minus hominum, &c. grounded eſpecially upon the Confeſſions and Condemnations of no leſſe then 900 men and women in Lorraine within the compaſſe of few years. That he was a learned man, I think no body will deny that hath read him; and that he was no very credulous and ſuperſtitious man (though a Papiſt) that alſo is moſt certain: and I have wondred at his liberty many times. I know not how it is now in thoſe places; but by what I have read and heard of the doings of Witches and Sorcerers in Geneva and Savoy in former times (I could ſay ſomewhat of my felf, how my life was preſerved there very ſtrangely, but my witneſſes are not, and I will not bring their credit in queſtion for ſuch a buſineſſe.) I am of opinion, That he that ſhould have maintained there that there was no ſuch thing as Witches, or Spirits, &c. would have been thought by moſt either mad and brain-ſick (ſo frequent and viſible were the effects to ſober eyes) or a Witch himſelf. For indeed it is ordinary enough, that thoſe that are ſo really, are very willing (which deceiveth many) to be thought Impoſtors, and there is good reaſon for it: I ſhould ſooner ſuſpect him an Impoſtor that doth proſeſſe himſelf (except it be by way of confeſſion, as many have done) and is ambitious to be counted a Witch or Sorcerer. I remember ſaw a book ſome years ago, intituled, De l'inconſtance des mauvais Anges & Demons, printed at Paris 1612. in quarto, and another of the ſame Author, and ſize, intituled, L'incredulite & meſcreauce du ſortilege, Paris 1642. Strange ſtories are told there of a Province of France, about that time (or little before) marvelloully infeſted with Witches and Sorcerers, inſomuch that people did not know one another (in ſome one place) in the ſtreets, by reaſon of evil Spirits appearing publickly in the ſhape of men; and that the proceedings of juſtice (which doth not happen often) were ſometimes diſturbed by them. I think the Author himſelf was one that was ſent to the place by the King with ſome authority, and to make report. But as I do not altogether truſt my memory, having had but a fight of the books (it was at the Bell in St. Pauls Church-yard:) So I beſeech the Reader not to reſt upon this account that I give him upon my beſt remembrance, but to peruſe the books himſelf. I am confident he may receive good ſatisfaction, being things that were not done in a corner, but very publickly and well atteſted as I remember. However the reader muſt Ton 11. p 608. Mer, Caſ. Pietas. give me leave (though it be not to this purpoſe, left my ſilence be drawn to the prejudice of the truth) to tell him, that I met with one great falſhood there concerning my own father (of Bl. M.) which I have abundantly refuted, and all others of that nature, when I was yet very young. But that (as I conceive) which in all theſe ſtories would moſt puzzle a rational man, is the ſignes which are ſetdown