ut to death, according to the law of God, the
civil and imperial law, and the municipal law of all Christian nations:
yea, to spare the life, and not strike whom God bids strike and so
severely punish in so odious a treason against God, is not only unlawful,
but doubtless as great a sin in the magistrate as was Saul's sparing
Agag." He says also that the crime is so abominable, that it may be proved
by evidence which would not be received against any other
offenders,--young children, who knew not the nature of an oath, and
persons of an infamous character, being sufficient witnesses against them;
but lest the innocent should be accused of a crime so difficult to be
acquitted of, he recommends that in all cases the ordeal should be
resorted to. He says, "Two good helps may be used: the one is the finding
of their mark, and the trying the insensibleness thereof; the other is
their floating on the water,--for, as in a secret murther, if the dead
carcass be at any time thereafter handled by the murtherer, it will gush
out of blood, as if the blood were crying to Heaven for revenge of the
murtherer (God having appointed that secret supernatural sign for trial of
that secret unnatural crime), so that it appears that God hath appointed
(for a supernatural sign of the monstrous impiety of witches) that the
water shall refuse to receive them in her bosom that have shaken off them
the sacred water of baptism, and wilfully refused the benefit
thereof;--no, not so much as their eyes are able to shed tears (threaten
and torture them as you please), while first they repent (God not
permitting them to dissemble their obstinacy in so horrible a crime);
albeit, the womenkind especially, be able otherwise to shed tears at every
light occasion when they will, yea, although it were dissembling like the
crocodiles."

[Illustration: PIETRO D'APONE.]

When such doctrines as these were openly promulgated by the highest
authority in the realm, and who, in promulgating them, flattered, but did
not force the public opinion, it is not surprising that the sad delusion
should have increased and multiplied until the race of wizards and witches
replenished the earth. The reputation which he lost by being afraid of a
naked sword, he more than regained by his courage in combating the devil.
The Kirk shewed itself a most zealous coadjutor, especially during those
halcyon days when it was not at issue with the king upon other matters of
doctrine and prer