Our ancient Saxon Kings before the [ll]Conquest, haue in their municipall Lawes apparantly demonstrated what they conceiued of these so dangerous and diuellish persons. Alucidus keepeth the expresse words of God; F[oe]minas sagas ne sinite viuere.  Suffer not women Witches to liue. Gunthrunus and Canutus will haue them, being once apprehended (that the rest of the people might bee pure and vndefiled) sent into banishment, or if they abide in the kingdome (continuing their lewd practises) executed according to desert.  So Athelstane, if they be conuicted to haue killed any, &c.  And how the present estate standeth affected toward them, the sundry strict statutes in this case prouided, may giue any, not wedded to his owne stubbornenesse, sufficient and full satisfaction.  Wherefore not to erect a Tabernacle, and dwell longer in perswading an vndeniable truth, that there bee Sorcerers and Witches, I leaue these Hellish Infidels, and proceede.

    [Footnote ll:  In +archaionomia+ siue de priscis Anglorum legibus
    Guilielmus Lambertus.]

    The second Proposition.

The second Proposition:  [a]Who those be, and of what quality, that are thus ensnared of the Diuell, and vndermined by his fraudes.  For resolution whereof, this may suffice.  Those who either maliciously reiect the Gospell offered vnto them:  or receiuing and vnderstanding the same, do but coldly respect, and carelessly taste it, without making any due estimation, or hauing any reuerent regard therof.  In both which is a manifest and open contempt of God.  For as he purposing to honour the first comming of his Sonne into the World, cloathed in the cloud of our flesh, which he assumed then, suffered many to be really possessed of Diuels, to bee lunatique, deafe, dumbe, blinde, &c. whom he might deliuer from these torments, and so make apparant his glory, and shew by these his miracles wrought, that hee was the promised Messias, Esay 35. 5.6.  And therfore Christ referreth those Disciples whom Iohn sent vnto him (doubting in respect of that base forme which he tooke, and demanding whether it was he that should come, or another to be looked for) vnto his Doctrine and Workes; and by them to bee instructed, whereof they were then both hearers and beholders, Math. 11. 3.4.5.  So now comming in the dew of his grace, and hauing restored the light of the Gospell, and bestowed that vpon mankinde, as an especiall and vnvaluable blessing, in his iustice giueth ouer the despisers thereof vnto the power of Sathan, whereby both others who contemne the same, might by their dreadfull example bee terrified, and the faithfull stirred vp to a respectiue thankfulnesse, for so great a mercy vouchsafed vnto them, and acknowledge their happinesse in being made partakers thereof, and by especiall fauour deliuered out of the tyranny of the Diuell:  For this is one of the fearefull iudgements of God, and hidden from vs (as all are a great depth,