vous stench; that many of
the said men were by the force of that herb metamorphosed into swine,
and lay wallowing in the kennels for twenty-four hours, before they
could reassume their shapes or their senses.

"It was proved against the second, that she cut off by night the limbs
from dead bodies that were hanged, and was seen to dig holes in the
ground, to mutter some conjuring words, and bury pieces of the flesh,
after the usual manner of witches.

"The third was accused for a notorious piece of sorcery, long practised
by hags, of moulding up pieces of dough into the shapes of men, women,
and children; then heating them at a gentle fire, which had a
sympathetic power to torment the bowels of those in the neighbourhood.

"This was the sum of what was objected against the three ladies, who
indeed had nothing to say in their own defence, but downright denying
the facts, which is like to avail very little when they come upon their
trials.

"But the parson of our parish, a strange refractory man, will believe
nothing of all this; so that the whole town cries out, 'Shame! that one
of his coat should be such an atheist;' and design to complain of him to
the bishop. He goes about very oddly to solve the matter. He supposes,
that the first of these ladies keeping a brandy and tobacco shop, the
fellows went out smoking, and got drunk towards evening, and made
themselves beasts. He says, the second is a butcher's daughter, and
sometimes brings a quarter of mutton from the slaughter-house overnight
against a market-day, and once buried a bit of beef in the ground, as a
known receipt to cure warts on her hands. The parson affirms, that the
third sells gingerbread, which, to please the children, she is forced to
stamp with images before it is baked; and if it burns their guts, it is
because they eat too much, or do not drink after it.

"These are the answers he gives to solve this wonderful phenomenon; upon
which I shall not animadvert, but leave it among the philosophers: and
so wishing you all success in your undertakings for the amendment of the
world, I remain,

"Dear Cousin,

"Your most affectionate Kinsman,

"and humble Servant,

"EPHRAIM BEDSTAFF."

"P.S.--Those who were condemned to death among the Athenians, were
obliged to take a dose of poison, which made them die upwards, seizing
first upon their feet, making them cold and insensible, and so ascending
gradually, till