During the mid 16th century, England was plagued by an overwhelming number of deaths and strange sicknesses that affected both men and their cattle. Instances of the demonically possessed caused fear as sightings of spiritual apparitions affected local villages. People tried many methods to cure themselves, some by prayer, by treatments of superstitious rituals or with the help of good witches, healers, and divination. Accusations of witchcraft were increasingly common and a reformation of witch-trial procedure was underway. This volume was advisement on how Grand-Jury Men should conduct themselves in cases of witchcraft, along with details on their responsibilities and expected conduct in criminal witch-trials as they examined suspected witches and analyzed instances of bewitchment and maladies that surrounded them. It was first published in 1627 and was influenced by many works and witch-trials from antiquity. The work cites a variety of dissertations and provides a grand historical perspective on the subjects of poison, disease, murders and death believed to have been the cause of witch-craft in the minds of the most learned men of that era but also warns against the punishment of the innocent as many could negligently be falsely accused of witchcraft while explaining how one might know if a suspected witch is truly in league with the devil or just plain trickery. Outlined in this treatise are several topics on magic, witchcraft and demonology: The difference between real magic by use of demons and counterfeit magic or trickery; Medical evaluations of various diseases with methods on determining whether certain diseases could truly be caused by witchcraft; the signs of bewitchment versus the sufferings of natural disease; the power of Satan, the analysis of the witch's mark and how an individual may come to league with a demonic entity; the differences between bad and good witches; the methods a witch or demons is able to bewitch and curse others; the methods used by those who think themselves bewitched; discussion on the trials, persecution, conviction and punishment of bad witches. It also discusses demonology and the history of magic, necromancy and various forms of witchcraft.
About the Author: A devout Puritan, minister and author of many great religious and biblical works expanding to more than 35 volumes. He was born in Epworth in 1568 and went on to obtain his education at Crist's College of Cambridge. He later served through ministry in Batcombe until his death in 1641. Bibliography: A Large Catechisme Following The Order of the Common Authorized Catechisme 1602, 1607, 1612 The Faithfull Shepheard- 1607 Christian Advertisements And Counsels Of Peace 1608 The Sinners Safetie, If Heere Hee Looke For Assurance, 1609 Plain evidences: 1610 Josuahs Godly Resolution In Conference With Caleb, 1612, 1629 Two Twinnes: 1613 A Weekes Worke, And A Worke For Every Weeke, 1616, 1628, 1650? Davids Musick: 1616 A Staffe of Comforth to Stay the Weake, 1616 Key Of Knowledge For The Opening Of The Secret Mysteries Of St Johns Mysticall Revelation, 1617 The Fabulous Foundation Of The Popedom: 1619 The Seaven Golden Candlestickes, 1621 The Good Mans Grace. Or His Stay In All Distresse, 1621 Looke Beyond Luther, 1623, 1624 Rhemes Against Rome, 1626 The Isle Of Man, 1627, 1628, A Gvide To Grand-Iury Men Divided Into Two Bookes: 1627, 1629, 1630 Ruth's Recompense, 1628 The Bible-Battells. Or The Sacred Art Military For The Rightly Wageing Of Warre According To Holy Writ, 1629 The Common Catechisme With A Commentary Thereupon, By Questions And Answers, Following The Verie wordes, as they lie in their order without alteration and Good Christian, Looke to thy Creede, 1630, 1631, Christian See To Thy Conscience Or A Treatise Of The Nature, 1631 The Ready Way to Good Works, 1635 The Anatomie Of The Service Book, 1641 A Threefold Treatise Of The Sabbath Distinctly 1641 A short vievv of the prælaticall Church of England, 1641, 1661 The Article of Christs Descension into Hell, 1641 The Bibles Abstract And Epitome The Capitall Heads, 1642 An Epistle Directed To All Justices Of Peace In England And Wales, 1642 Certaine Positions Seriously To Bee Considered Of Shewing The Danger Of Doing Any Thing In And About the worship of God that hath not warrant from his written word, 1644 Thesaurus Biblicus, Seu, Promptuarium Sacrum Whereunto Are Added All The Marginal Readings With The words of the text, etc (with William Retchford), 1661, 1664