they had no Charm about them, and that they would behave themselves like loyal, and worthy Knights, Afterwards they had their Swords girt about them and their Horfes and Lances brought to them: Laftly, The Heralds made a publick Cry, whereby the People were forbidden to favour in any thing either. of the Combatants. In the firft Place, the Champi ons gave the Lye to one another feveral times; and then the Trumpets founding, they came to an Engagement; and when they had ftruck as many Blows as were mentioned in the Cartel, the Judges threw a Wand into the Air, to give notice to the Champions that the Combat was ended. When it lafted till Night with an equal Succefs, the Par ty accufed was reputed Conqueror and the Perfon vanquished was condemned to the Punifh ment, which the Crime charged upon him deferved.

13

Another Way of clearing one's felf from an Accufation was to touch a red-hot Iron, either by put ting one's Hand into a Gantler, or taking up Bar Afterwards the Hand was wrapped up with a Bag, upon which the Judges and the Party fet their Seals, and if three Days after no burning appeared in the hand of the Party accufed, he was acquitted; other wife, he was found Guilty. The Hand was alfo put into boiling Water, with the fame Ceremo nies; and the fame. Confequences were drawn from it. The Trial by cold Water for the Common Peo ple was not fo myfterious. After fome Prayers repeated over the Perfon, they bound him Hand and Foot, and threw him into the Water. If he fwam over, they used him like a Criminal; but if he funk, he was reputed innocent, Thofe, cruel Trials were called God's Fudgments: Thole that were performed by

L

* I have given an Account of a Differtation concerning those Trials in the Third Volume, Art, XLVI, and LXXVI.

by a Combat, were then fo generally approved, that Franck 1. permitted three Duels; and it appears, that in the Year 1386., a Woman having complained to her Husband, that a Gentleman had made an Attempt upon her Honour, and the Gentleman hav ing denied it, the Parliament ordered by a formal Decree, that the Husband hould fight the Party ac cufed, who had the Misfortune of being worfted, tho, he was Innocent...

The Author fhews what Sort of Phyfick was used in former Times. It confifted in preventing Diftempers, and bearing ones Illness patiently, in a good Regimen, and the Practice of fome plain and common Remedies. That natural Phyfick is ftill praticed with good Success among poor People in the Country. The Author obferves, That till the time of Francis I. the Diffection of Human Bodies was accounted a Sacrilege, and that the Emperor Charles V. confulted the Divines of Salamanca, to know whether a Body might be diffected with a good Confcience. This Work is well written, and full of curious Facts*

& AW

The Abbot Archon has put out the Second Volume of His Hiftory of the Chappel of the Kings of France.

Hiftoire Ecclefiaftique de la Chapelle des Rois de France, dediée au Roy, par M. l'Abbé Archon, Licentie de Sorbonne, Chapellain ordinaire, & Sacriftain de la Chapelle de fa Majefté. Tome II. contenant Hiftoire Ecclefiaftique de la Chapelle des Rois de la troisieme race jufqu'à celle de Louis le Grand; avec une fuite des Grands Aumôniers, premiers Aumôniers, Confeffeurs, principaux Officiers de la Chapelle, où l'on raporte auffi les Bulles des Papes, & les privileges accordez par nos Rois à leurs Ecclefiaftiques. Paris 1711. in 4to. Pagg.

794.

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Dr.

*See a large Account of it in the Fifth Volume, Art. LXXII.

Dr. Hecquet has published a new Book, against Dr. Vieuffens and Dr. Aftruc, to prove that Digeftion is performed by Trituration, and not by Fermentation.

De la Digeftion & des Maladies de l'Eftomach, fuivant te Syfteme de la trituration & du broyement, fans l'aide des levains où de la fermentation, dont on fait voir l'impoffibilité en Santé & en maladie. Paris 1711.. in 12mo. Pagg. 442.

Advertisement concerning the New Edition of
St. John Damafcen.

This is to inform the Publick, that the Two Volumes of this New Edition contain all the Works of St. John Damafcen, that are in the former Editions, befides many Pieces never before Printed; and confequently it ought to be looked upon as a complete Edition. As for what concerns the Works falfly afcribed to that Father, fuch as the Hiftory of Barlaany and Jofaphat, a Book of Phyficks, which was written by Maximus Planudes, a Greek Author of the latter Ages, and a Fragment of a Sermon concerning the laft Judgment; the Learned being little concerned for them, Father Lequien defigns to infert them in an Appendix; but he will put off the Printing of those Pieces, till he can find our fome others, either Genuine, or Suppofititious, that deferve to make up a Third Volume. As for the Works of Leontius, they, have no Affinity with thofe of St. John Damafcen, who lived Two Hundred Years after him: Father. Lequien has collected a fufficient Number of them to make a juft Volume, and will fhortly prepare it for the Prefs.

ARTICLE

Hertfordshire has lately produced an extraordinary Phænomenon. I call it Extraordinary, because the like has not been seen in England, nor hardly in any other Part of Europe thefe many Years. 30 An Old Woman has been tried for Witchcraft in that County, and found Guilty by the Fury. I shall not give an Account of a Book relating to that Trial: It will be read by all Curious Gentlemen. I shall only say that I have been very well pleafed with fome Paffages of the Wife and Learned Judge, who fat upon the Bench: There is in the Hiftory of the Life and Reign of King James I. by Arthur Wiljon, Efq; under the Year 1617. a Remarkable Paffage, which I shall infert here.

AB BOUT this Time there was a Boy born

66. at Bilfon*, whose Father

whose Father, Mother," "Neighbours, and many other People, with Admi"ration, did abfolutely think poffeffed with a De

A a 3

"vil;

In Staffordshire.

vil, for he had ftrange, fudden, violent, diftorting Fits, that appeared to all the Beholders {'contraryiotowNature and being notrofull Fifteen "Years old, it could potubesimaginedo that any thing of Impofture could stefult from him, and "therefore the Fame of it was the more Remark, "able.

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The Jefuits (that are the best Physicians in fuch "Diftempers) hearing of it, vifited the Boy, pray. ed by him, and fed fuch other Charms and Exorcifms, as are fit to make them be admised; "giving his Parents good Hope of difpoffeffing him of that foul Spirit, by which might palpabi be 155 difcerned, how much God's Power waste vocelled in their Weakness, and difference thonsumin and Holinefs between the Catholick Religionjwand? the Herefy profeffed among Protestantsi Sozthat they that heard them (as many teforted to the Place) muft needs take them for very Holy Men, by whom fuch Wonders were to be accomplished, The Jefuits vifired him often fometimes in Private, fometimes in Company; on but this 14 Kind of Spirit would not be commanded by 15h them, fo that they grew almoft defperate of the Cure.

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1

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The Boy in his Fits would rave against an Old "Woman dwelling near to his Father, intimating by Signs and ghaftly Behaviour, that he had fent a Spirit to torment him and in plain Terms "(when he was out of his Fits) accused sherto be a Witch, and the Author of all his MilerynolThis "Old Woman is fent to the Bishop's Chancellor at "Litchfield to be examined The Boy is brought "thither to confront her grand having his Back to.

wards her, at her coming into the Room, where "the Chancellor was, before the yet entered or appeared, he falls into asmoft bitter Agony trying out, Now he comes, now my Tormentors comes. “Wreathing and Tearing himself in fo horrid a 66 manner