Page:The Examination and Confession of certain Witches at Chelmsford in the County of Essex.djvu/12

pected of witchcraft, becauſe in winter he gave a banquet to the Roman emperor in his garden, which bore a ſpring-like appearance. An incautiouſly uttered word, a boaſt, led to the torture; the misfortune to have a mole, to have had a dog or cat diſliked by a malicious neighbour, paved the way to tortures, ordeal of water, death by fire, in which thouſands breathed their laſt, and all this was done ad majorem Dei gloriam. The world was ſeized by a diſeaſe called forth and propagated by ſelſifh prieſts. The path is not yet known which theſe fearful trials in Europe and on the other ſide of the ocean took, and the threads entwined round Chriſtianity are yet undiſcovered. It is, therefore, our duty to collect materials for the future hiſtorian; and the trials carried on in behalf of witchcraft, ſorcery, etc. are of the greateſt importance.