The Epistle.
taken and accused, but also conuicted and condemned for witchcraft, who appealed from thence to the high court of Paris. Which accusation the senate sawe insufficient, and would nor allow, but laughed thereat, lightlie regarding it; and in the end sent him home (saith he) as accused of a friuolous matter. And yet for all that, the magistrats of Orleance were so bold with him, as to hang him vp within short time after, for the same or the verie like offense. In which example is to be seene the nature, and as it were the disease of this cause: wherein (I saie) the simpler and yndiscreeter sort are alwaies more hastie & furious in iudgements, than men of better reputation and knowledge. Neuertheles, Eunichius faith, that these three things; to wit, what is to be thought of witches, what their incantations can doo, and whether their punishment should extend to death, are to be well considered. And I would (saith he) they were as well knowne, as they are rashlie beleeued, both of the learned, and vnlearned. And further he saith, that almost all diuines, physicians and lawyers, who should best know these matters, satisfieng themselues with old custome, haue giuen too much credit to these fables, and too rash and vniust sentence of death vpon witches. But when a man pondereth (saith he) that in times paft, all that swarued from the church of Rome were iudged heretikes; it is the lese maruell, though in this matter they be blind and ignorant.
And surelie, if the scripture had beene longer suppressed, more absurd fables would haue sproong vp, and beene beleeued. Which credulitie though it is to be derided with laughter; yet this their crueltie is to be lamented with teares. For (God knoweth) manie of these poore wretches had more need to be releeued than chastised; and more meete were a preacher to admonish them, than a gailor to keepe them; and a physician more necessarie to helpe them, than an executioner or tormentor to hang or burne them. For proofe and due triall hereof, I will requite Danæus his tale of a manwitch (as he termeth him) with another witch of the same sex or gender.
Lib. 15. cap. 18. de variesatib. rerum.
Cardanus from the mouth of his owne father reporteth ,that one Barnard, a poore seruant, being in wit verie simple and rude, but in his feruice verie necessarie and diligent (and in that respect deerelie beloued of his maister) professing the art of witchcraft,could
