{ Thomas Howes.
{ Thomas Hares. 
Maister { Iohn Man.
{ William Leedes.
{ Robert Burward.
{ William Armitage.

And of these in the day of execution (which she in no wise would condiscend vnto should be deferred, though offered repriuall vpon hope that more might haue beene acknowledged) being very distemperate, neuerthelesse some accompanied her to the place, and were both eye and eare-witnesses of her behauiour there, seeing and hearing how she did then particularly confesse her confederacy with the Diuell, cursing, banning, and enuy towards her neighbours, and hurts done to then, expressing euery one by name, so many as be in the following discourse, nominated, and how she craued mercy of God, and pardon for her offences, with other more specialties afterward expressed.  And thus I end, taking my leaue, and commending thee to the gracious guidance and preseruation of our good God in our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus.

Thine euer in the Lord,

A. ROBERTS.

* * * * *

A TREATISE OF THE
CONFESSION AND
EXECVTION OF MARY SMITH,
CONVICTED OF WITCHCRAFT,
and condemned for the same:  of her contract vocally
& in solemne tearmes made with the Diuell;
by whose meanes she hurt sundry persons whom
she enuied, with some necessary Propositions added
thereunto, discouering the wickednesse of that damnable
Art, and diuers other speciall poynts, not
impertinent vnto the same, such as ought
diligently of euery Christian to
bee considered.

There is some diuersitie of iudgement among the learned, who should be the first Author and Inuenter of Magicall and curious Arts.  The most generall occurrence of opinion is, that they fetch their pedigree from the [a]_Persians_, who searching more deeply into the secrets of Nature then others, and not contented to bound themselues within the limits thereof, fell foule of the Diuell, and were insnared in his nets.

    [Footnote a:  Augustinus de diuinatione Daemonum:  & de Ciuitate
    Dei. lib. 7. cap. 35.  Plinius historia naturalis lib. 30. cap. 1.]

And among these, the publisher vnto the world was Zoroaster, who so soone as he by birth[b] entred the world, contrary to the vsuall condition of other men, laughed (whereas the beginning of our life is a sob, the end a sigh) and this was ominous to himselfe, no warrantise for the enioying of the pleasures of this life, ouercome in battell by Ninus[c] King of the Assirians, and ending his dayes by the stroake of a thunder-bolt, and could not, though a famous Sorcerer, either fore-see, or preuent his owne destinie.  And because he writ many bookes of this damnable Art, and left them to posterity, may well be accounted a chiefe maister of the same.  But the Diuell[d] must haue the precedencie, whose schollers both he and the rest were, who followed treading in his steps.  For he taught them South-saying,