Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-09-23
/ In. 3 N. 6 m. l yr.
Belief In Witchcraft.

Ludicrous as the powers appear to US ss the
present day with which witchcraft in former
times Was credited, such powers seem never to
have been denied or disputed by the great
minds of the past. A witch was oil that was
abomiuable, and to be held in the strongest
oathipq; yet few had the wisdom or the cour.
age to contradict the possibility of her exsrcis-
ing the arts she pretended to. The Judge, as
he passed sentence on the condemned woman,
trembled lest her fell gaze should bring upon
him and his household sorrow or death. The
yelling crowd. ss it half stripped her to undergo
the water ordeal, shuddered IS it saw upou her
exposed bosom the marks which, it was sup.
posed, proved that she allowed her familiar"
to draw upon her lifs's blood The villagers
who vent miles out of their way to avoid her
bsu1t5, never for one moment believed that the
obj act ct their fear was powerless to work them
evil, and was either half mad woman, the
vIc;im of hideous delusion, or else the actress
OF q knavlsh part to serve her own vile ends.
TO all the old crone, with her tall hat, clulch,
stick and black cat ues!liug oD hor shoulders.
was one who had dealings with the devil and
woo, through the might Of Satanic aid, s>ud
scatter the seeds of misery broadcas. wherever
che listed. She had sold herself to he'll, and,
until death claimed her, her power to effect evil.
it was alleged. was Unlimited. The great
man is he VINO rises superior t, the preiudlces
of his age; but before the eld Of the sevsu'
tsenb cenury-With the exception Of Bodio,
Efss'us. Reginald SCOT. john Wsgstsffe,
and Dr.. We bster-thers we're none who had the
boducss or knowledge to brand witchcraft as a
base and palpable superstition. We fod Lord
Bacon graveiy pre- sorbiug ''herbaue hsnlock,
mandrake, moorsbsde, tobacco. opium, eod
other soporifsrous medicines" as the best n-
gradients for q witoh's ointment. Frrn the
pages Of bis History of the World" we see
tbs! the gifted aud practical Sir Walter Raleigh
wss arm believer 10 this childish form ot
superstition. Tho learned Heldeu, in his
Table Talk" while pleassoil9 dIScoursiug on
the subject Of witches, shove that he aso held
The same faith. Sir Thomas Browne, the
kiod,iast ef physicians; Sir Matthew Haze, tbs
most acute acd spu.iess ct judges; Hobbies,
The ssep:ic; "ths enioaDt Dr. More, OF Gam
bridge" ard the patient apd thoughtful Boyle,
sll vera OF opinion that wiio5oraf5 was an evil
capable OF solid proof, and that its disciples
merlted sharp and quick punishnens.
1t WAS not until the daun of the eighteenth
century that men came to the conclusion that
the devices of witches and witch mopgers"
we're only so many tricks snd fablas aud utterly
unworthy Ct credarc,. Ths last judicial ezecu-
ton 10 Ecalaud took place 10 the wear ITO,
when woman and her little daughter were
hspged at Hu1tined,n "for selling their souls
to Sat.u." Si1os that date, however, vsricus
cases have occurred OF women, accused ss
Uiches, being droUued while undergoing the
ordeal By water ct the hands of their mimi
dated. yet luturlated Deighbors. - Fraxers
M1oaztne