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But God knoweth, many an honest matrone cannot sometimes in the heavines of her heart shed teares; the which oftentimes are more readie and common with craftie queanes and strumpets, than with sober women. For we read of two kinds of teares in a womans eie, the one of true greefe, the other of deceipt. And it is written, that Dediscere flere fæminam est mendacium:¹¹⁸ which argueth, that they lie which say, that wicked women cannot weepe. But let these tormentors take heed, that the teares in this case which runne downe the widowes cheeks, with their crie spoken of¹¹⁹ by Jesus Sirach, be not heard above. But lo what learned, godlie, and lawfull meanes these popish inquisitors have invented for the triall of true or false teares./

29.

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The inquisitors triall of weeping by conjuration.

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Certaine cautions against witches, and of their tortures to procure confession.

The first caution is that, which was last rehearsed concerning weeping; the which (say they) is an infallible note.