“The king’s known superstitious dread of witches makes men seek them out to win his favour,” observed Mistress Nutter.  “They have wonderfully increased since the publication of that baneful book!”

“Not so, madam,” replied Potts.  “Our sovereign lord the king hath a wholesome and just hatred of such evil-doers and traitors to himself and heaven, and it may be dread of them, as indeed all good men must have; but he would protect his subjects from them, and therefore, in the first year of his reign, which I trust will be long and prosperous, he hath passed a statute, whereby it is enacted ’that all persons invoking any evil spirit, or consulting, covenanting with, entertaining, employing, feeding, or rewarding any evil spirit; or taking up dead bodies from their graves to be used in any witchcraft, sorcery, charm, or enchantment; or killing or otherwise hurting any person by such infernal arts, shall be guilty of felony without benefit of clergy, and suffer death.’  This statute, madam, was intended to check the crimes of necromancy, sorcery, and witchcraft, and not to increase them.  And I maintain that it has checked them, and will continue to check them.”

“It is a wicked and bloody statute,” observed Mrs. Nutter, in a deep tone, “and many an innocent life will be sacrificed thereby.”

“How, madam!” cried Master Potts, staring aghast.  “Do you mean to impugn the sagacity and justice of our high and mighty king, the head of the law, and defender of the faith?”

“I affirm that this is a sanguinary enactment,” replied Mistress Nutter, “and will put power into hands that will abuse it, and destroy many guiltless persons.  It will make more witches than it will find.”

“Some are ready made, methinks,” muttered Potts, “and we need not go far to find them.  You are a zealous advocate for witches, I must say, madam,” he added aloud, “and I shall not forget your arguments in their favour.”

“To my prejudice, I doubt not,” she rejoined, bitterly.

“No, to the credit of your humanity,” he answered, bowing, with pretended conviction.

“Well, I will aid you in your search for witches, Master Potts,” observed Nicholas; “for I would gladly see the country rid of these pests.  But I warn you the quest will be attended with risk, and you will get few to accompany you, for all the folk hereabouts are mortally afraid of these terrible old hags.”

“I fear nothing in the discharge of my duty,” replied Master Potts, courageously, “for as our high and mighty sovereign hath well and learnedly observed—­’if witches be but apprehended and detained by any private person, upon other private respects, their power, no doubt, either in escaping, or in doing hurt, is no less than ever it was before.  But if, on the other part, their apprehending and detention be by the lawful magistrate upon the just respect of their guiltiness in that craft, their power is then no greater than before that ever they meddled