gainst the Prince, barnes
or wiues, or neuer so diffamed persons, may of our law serue for
sufficient witnesses and proofes. I thinke surely that by a far greater
reason, such witnesses may be sufficient in matters of high treason
against God: For who but Witches can be prooues, and so witnesses of the
doings of Witches.

PHI. Indeed, I trow they wil be loath to put any honest man vpon their
counsell. But what if they accuse folke to haue bene present at their
Imaginar conuentiones in the spirite, when their bodies lyes sencelesse,
as ye haue said.

EPI. I think they are not a haire the lesse guiltie: For the Deuill durst
neuer haue borrowed their shaddow or similitude to that turne, if their
consent had not bene at it: And the consent in these turnes is death of
the law.

PHI. Then SAMVEL was a Witch: For the Deuill resembled his shape, and
played his person in giuing response to SAVLE.

EPI. SAMVEL was dead aswell before that; and so none coulde slander him
with medling in that vnlawfull arte. For the cause why, as I take it, that
God will not permit Sathan to vse the shapes or similitudes of any
innocent persones at such vnlawful times, is that God wil not permit that
any innocent persons shalbe slandered with that vile defection: for then
the deuil would find waies anew, to calumniate the best. And this we haue
in proofe by them that are carryed with the _Phairie_, who neuer see the
shaddowes of any in that courte, but of them that thereafter are tryed to
haue bene brethren and sisters of that craft. And this was likewise proued
by the confession of a young Lasse, troubled with spirites, laide on her
by Witchcraft. That although shee saw the shapes of diuerse men & women
troubling her, and naming the persons whom these shaddowes represents: yet
neuer one of them are found to be innocent, but al clearely tried to be
most guilty, & the most part of them confessing the same. And besides
that, I think it hath ben seldome harde tell of, that any whome persones
guiltie of that crime accused, as hauing knowen them to be their marrowes
by eye-sight, and not by hear-say, but such as were so accused of
Witch-craft, could not be clearely tryed vpon them, were at the least
publickly knowen to be of a very euil life & reputation: so iealous is God
I say, of the fame of them that are innocent in such causes. And besides
that; there are two other good helpes that may be vsed for their trial:
the one is the finding of their mar