AnumberofyoungwomeninaconventatWurzburgfanciedthemselvesbewitched；theyfelt，likeallhystericsubjects，asenseofsuffocationinthethroat。Theywentintofitsrepeatedly；andoneofthem，whohadswallowedneedles，evacuatedthematabscesses，whichformedindifferentpartsofthebody。Thecryofsorcerywasraised，andayoungwoman，namedMariaRenataSanger，wasarrestedonthechargeofhavingleaguedwiththedevil，tobewitchfiveoftheyoungladies。ItwasswornonthetrialthatMariahadbeenfrequentlyseentoclamberovertheconventwallsintheshapeofapig——that，proceedingtothecellar，sheusedtodrinkthebestwinetillshewasintoxicated；andthenstartsuddenlyupinherownform。Othergirlsassertedthatsheusedtoprowlabouttherooflikeacat，andoftenpenetrateintotheirchamber，andfrightenthembyherdreadfulhowlings。Itwasalsosaidthatshehadbeenseenintheshapeofahare，milkingthecowsdryinthemeadowsbelongingtotheconvent；
thatsheusedtoperformasanactressontheboardsofDruryLanetheatreinLondon，and，ontheverysamenight，returnuponabroomsticktoWurzburg，andafflicttheyoungladieswithpainsinalltheirlimbs。Uponthisevidenceshewascondemned，andburnedaliveinthemarket-placeofWurzburg。
Hereendsthisfrightfulcatalogueofmurderandsuperstition。
Sincethatday，thebeliefinwitchcrafthasfledfromthepopulousabodesofmen，andtakenrefugeinremotevillagesanddistrictstoowild，rugged，andinhospitabletoaffordaresting-placeforthefootofcivilization。Rudefishersanduneducatedlabourersstillattributeeveryphenomenonofnaturewhichtheycannotaccountfor，tothedevilandwitches。Catalepsy，thatwondrousdisease，isstillthoughtbyignorantgossipstobetheworkofSatan；andhypochondriacs，uninformedbyscienceofthenatureoftheirmalady，devoutlybelieveintherealityoftheirvisions。ThereaderwouldhardlycredittheextentofthedelusionuponthissubjectintheveryheartofEnglandatthisday。Manyanoldwomanleadsalifeofmiseryfromtheunfeelinginsultsofherneighbours，whoraisethescornfulfingerandhootingvoiceather，becauseinherdecrepitudesheisugly，spiteful，perhapsinsane，andrealizesinherpersonalappearancethedescriptionpreservedbytraditionofthewitchesofyore。Evenintheneighbourhoodofgreattownsthetaintremainsofthisoncewidely-spreadcontagion。Ifnovictimsfallbeneathit，theenlightenmentofthelawisallthatpreventsarecurrenceofscenesashorridasthoseoftheseventeethcentury。HundredsuponhundredsofwitnessescouldbefoundtosweartoabsurditiesasgreatasthoseassertedbytheinfamousMatthewHopkins。
IntheAnnualRegisterfor1760，aninstanceofthebeliefinwitchcraftisrelated，whichshowshowsuperstitionlingers。AdisputearoseinthelittlevillageofGlen，inLeicestershire，betweentwooldwomen，eachofwhomvehementlyaccusedtheotherofwitchcraft。