In one way or other there must
have been some physical basis for beliefs so widely extended and so
terribly real. Imagination, of course, possesses a marvellous power of
modification and exaggeration, but still it requires some germs of
fact around which to crystallise. And it is to the discovery of the
nature of such germs that a careful and conscientious observer will
naturally turn his attention.
* * * * *
While speaking of the burning of Witches in Guernsey, I may also
refer for a moment to the three women who, in Queen Mary's reign
suffered death by fire, for heresy, because the reason of their
condemnation and punishment has caused some controversy, and is often
associated in the popular mind with a charge of sorcery. Dr. Heylin in
his _Survey_ (page 323), says:--
Katherine Gowches, a poor woman of St. Peter-Port, in
Guernsey, was noted to be much absent from church, and her
two daughters guilty of the same neglect. Upon this they
were presented before James Amy, then dean of the island,
who, finding in them that they held opinions contrary to
those then allowed about the sacrament of the altar,
pronounced them heretics, and condemned them to the fire.
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