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Calendar of the Proceedings of the Committee for Advance of Money, 1642-1656, I, 457. Cf. The oft-repeated statement that he had been given a commission by Parliament to detect witches seems to rest only on the mocking words of Butler's Hudibras: "Hath not this present Parliament A Ledger to the Devil sent, Fully empower'd to treat about Finding revolted Witches out?"
He empower'd these Judges to place by his absolute Will, all the Abrograzian Students in the Solunarian College, and tho' they might make a formal Hearing for the sake of the Form, yet that by Force it should be done.
As no judicial entry of his trial and execution is to be found in any register, it appears most probable that he expired by the hands of the mob. Butler has immortalized this scamp in the following lines of his "Hudibras:" "Hath not this present Parliament A lieger to the devil sent, Fully empower'd to treat about Finding revolted witches out?
A polish'd nation, my dear Count, said I, makes every one its debtor: and besides, Urbanity itself, like the fair sex, has so many charms, it goes against the heart to say it can do ill; and yet, I believe, there is but a certain line of perfection, that man, take him altogether, is empower'd to arrive at: if he gets beyond, he rather exchanges qualities than gets them.
"Lieutenant James Cook, Commander of His Brittannick Majesty's Bark the Endeavour, begs leave to represent to His Excellency the Right Honourable Petrus Albertus Van der Parra, Governor-General, etc., etc., That he will be in want of a Sum or Sums of Money in order to defray the Charge he will be at in repairing and refiting His Brittannick Majesty's Ship at this place; which sum or sums of money he is directed by his Instructions, and empower'd by his commission, to give Bills of Exchange on the respective Offices which Superintend His Brittannick Majesty's Navy.
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