viners, enchanters, sorcerers,
necromancers, fascinaters. Which names, given for
different causes to the devil's disciples, are, for
the most part, promiscuously used to signify any
person who, by covenant with Satan, and his
assistance, doth work strange things, because of the
affinity of all their operations, which have the same
general foundation and tendency.

"An express covenant is entered into betwixt a witch
and the devil appearing in some visible shape, whereby
the former renounces his God and baptism, engaging to
serve the devil, and do all the mischief he can, as
occasion offers, and leaves soul and body to his
disposal after death. The devil, on his part, articles
with such proselytes concerning the shape he is to
appear to them in, and the services they are to expect
from him, upon the performance of certain charms or
ceremonious rites. To some he gives certain spirits or
imps to correspond with, and serve them as their
familiars, known by them by some odd names, to which
they answer when called. These imps are said to be
kept in pots or other vessels that stink detestably.
This league is made verbally if the party cannot
write; and such as can write sign a written covenant
with their blood. On the meaner proselytes the devil
fixes, in some secret part of their bodies, a mark, as
his seal to know his own by, which is like a flea-bite
or blue spot, and sometimes resembles a little teat;
and the part so stamped doth ever after remain
insensible, and doth not bleed, though never so much
nipped, or pricked, by thrusting a pin, awl, or bodkin
into it. But if the covenanter be one of the better
rank, the devil only draws blood of the party, or
touches him or her in some part of the body, without
any visible mark remaining.

"A tacit covenant with Satan is understood to be
entered into by those who knowingly use the
superstitious rites or ceremonies observed by witches,
or unlawful means to bring anything about which they
know to be ineffectual in themselves without the
devil's concurrence.

"Witches used to be distinguished into good and bad
witches. The bad witch, commonly called the black
witch, or binding witch, is one who, by a league with