48 On Popular Illuftons. 



time to efcape this imputation^ 'that Bodinus 

 himfelf was accufed of forcery by De Thou. 



Sennertus, the firft eclectic philofopher and 

 phyfician of Germany, wrote an exprefs treatife 

 De Fafcinatione. He believed that witches in- 

 jure in three different ways j per vi/um, vocem et 

 conta£ium: That the plague was often occafioned 

 by the compofition of certain powders and 

 ointments, of diabolical prefcription : That the 

 operations of witchcraft are proved by the autho- 

 rity of judicial a6ts, and by the agreement of 

 witnefTes exa;n!ned at different ' times, and in 

 different places, but that the aftion is always 

 demoniacal, though performed with the witch's 

 confent. It is true, fays he, I have cured patients 

 of fimple inflammatory complaints, which per- 

 fons accufed of forcery acknowledged themfelves 

 to have produced ; but as there was nothing 

 preternatural in thofe difeafes, I conclude that 

 the devil, forefeeing the complaints, deluded 

 the witch, by perfuading her to put him on 

 diftreffing the patient. He holds that the devil 

 fometimes occafions difeafes by the medium of 

 natural caufes, for example, epilepfy, palfy and 

 melancholy j that he fometimes produces com- 

 plaints altogether preternatural j and fometimes 

 only attacks the fancy, occafioning imaginary 

 difeafes; mat the nature of the materies dura is 

 uncertain ; but that witches are punifhable for 

 their compaSi and their confent to injure different 



, perfons. 



