# An Examen of Witches/Chapter 4

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Chapter IV.
The Reasons for Imprisoning Françoise Secretain.
ABove I have set down the principal points of Françoise Secretain’s confession: she was further accused by Groz-Jacques of having changed herself into a wolf, but she would never speak openly of this matter. Before I examine each of these points, I must say that at first there was some doubt as to whether there was sufficient cause to seize and imprison this woman, on the ground that she should not be arrested on the strength of an accusation from a little girl that she had wished five devils on her; for it was considered that children are unstable and light-headed, and that it needs little to persuade them to say anything. l. 1 de minorib. D. late per Tiraq. de pœn. caus. 7. l. fin. de probat. c.Further, it was considered that no person should be lightly taken up when it is a question of his life or his honour; and that in a criminal process justice demands that the proofs should be clearer than daylight.
However, the contrary view prevailed, and the accused was apprehended for several reasons: first, that there was evidence of witchcraft; second, that although the girl was only eight years old, her depositions were so very precise and never varied; third, that the mother substantiated the fact that Françoise had lodged at their house after having been at first refused; fourth, that the father and mother said that they had never had any quarrel with Françoise; fifth, that during her affliction the girl had ​always declared that it was no one but that woman who had bewitched her; sixth, that it was a question of the most abominable of all crimes, one which is usually committed at night and always in secret, and that therefore it did not call for such positive proof as would be required in the case of any other crime.Mascard. post alois tract. de probat. conclus. 1313, num. 2 et seq., vol. 3. For all the Doctors agree that less absolute proof is required in the case of grave, horrible and secret crimes. It was further considered that they were not asked to condemn the accused under the provisions of the said law, Jacob. de Bell. vis. 7 in sua practit. tit. de Inquisitio. num. 52.but only to commit her to prison so that she could more easily be brought to trial if the evidence should warrant such a course. Finally, it was reflected that a witch has the power to send devils into a person’s body, and that therefore the accusation against Françoise Secretain was a possible one; namely, that she had wished five devils on Loyse Maillat. For all these reasons, therefore, this woman was thrown into prison.
But they had not been able (as has since been the practice) to discover much against her beforehand; for they feared that she might make her escape if she were warned. And indeed the more recent usage in such cases is not altogether safe; and if it must be followed because no other course is possible, the witnesses must be sworn not to reveal their depositions, otherwise there is a danger that the matter may become known before all the information has been laid, and the accused may take to flight. But in this case the success of the event proved that Françoise Secretain had been deservedly imprisoned.
The secret judgement of God may be seen in this, when it is considered that numberless ​witches have been discovered and brought to their just punishment by means of a child: and in this the glory of God is made manifest, so that we may well say here, with His Royal Prophet: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” In the following Examen we shall see that several other children have been the instrument by which not a few have been creditably judged guilty of this crime; and that one even, no more than twelve years old, convicted his own father of it, so unassailably that the matter was thought no less strange than pitiable. But let us return to the points of Françoise Secretain’s confession.