inkled face, a furr'd brow, a hairy lip, a
gobber tooth, a squint eye, a squeaking voice, or a scolding tongue,
having a ragged coate on her back, a skull-cap on her head, a spindle in
her hand, and a Dog or Cat by her side, is not only suspected but
pronounced for a witch," says John Gaule;[80] while Reginald Scot[81] puts
forth as his experience:--"One sort of such as are said to be witches, are
women which be commonly old, lame, blear-eyed, pale, fowle, and full of
wrinckles; poor, sullen, superstitious, and Papists; or such as know no
religion; in whose drousie minds the devill hath gotten a fine seat; so
as, what mischief, mischance, calamity or slaughter is brought to passe,
they are easily perswaded the same is done by themselves; imprinting in
their minds an earnest and constant imagination thereof. They are leane
and deformed, showing melancholy in their faces, to the horror of all that
see them. They are doting, scolds, mad, devilish; and not much differing
from them that are thought to be possessed with spirits, so firm and
steadfast in their opinions, as whosoever shall only have respect to the
constancy of their words uttered, would easily believe they were true
indeed." Dr. Harsnet, in his "Declaration of Popish Impostures," gives the
subject a masterly touch of common sense and satire:--"These things,"
saith he, "are raked together out of old doating Heathen Histriographers,
Wizzardizing Augurs, Imposturizing Soothsayers, Dreaming Poets, Chimerical
Conceiters, and Coiners of Fables, &c. Out of these is shap'd the true
Idea of a _Witch_, an old weather-beaten Crone, having her Chin and Knees
meeting for Age, walking like a Bow leaning on a Staff, Hollow-Ey'd,
Untooth'd, Furrow'd on her Face, having her Lips trembling with the Palsy,
going mumbling in the Streets: One that hath forgotten her Pater Noster,
and yet hath a shrewd Tongue to call a Drab a Drab. If she hath learn'd of
an old Wife in a Chimney End Pax, Max, Fax, for a Spell; or can say Sir
John Grantham's Curse for the Miller's Eels, All ye that have stolen the
Miller's Eels, laudate Dominum de Coelis: And all they that have
consented thereto, Benedicamus Domino: Why then beware, look about you, my
Neighbours. If any of you have a Sheep sick of the Giddies, or a Stag of
the Mumps, or a Horse of the Staggers, or a Knavish Boy of the School, or
an idle Girl of the Wheel, or a young Drab of the Sullens, and hath not
Fat enough for her Porrage, or Butter