The Lancashire Witches—Janet Preston—Margaret and Philip Flower—Anne Baker, Joane Willimot, and Ellen Greene—Elizabeth Sawyer—Mary Smith—Joan Williford, Joan Cariden, and Jane Hott.
The Lancashire Witches—Janet Preston—Margaret and Philip Flower—Anne Baker, Joane Willimot, and Ellen Greene—Elizabeth Sawyer—Mary Smith—Joan Williford, Joan Cariden, and Jane Hott.
The foregoing sample must serve for the witches of Northamptonshire, nor will I touch on the Lancashire witches, whose story appears in nearly every modern work on witchcraft, and has been vulgarized by Harrison Ainsworth, except to give a portion of the evidence of one James Device, of the forest of Pendle, labourer, in the case of Janet or Jennet Preston, who was condemned as a witch, and executed at York in 1612.
‘And he also further saith, That the saidPrestonswife had a Spirit with her like unto a white Foale, with a blacke spot in the forehead. And further this Examinate saith, That since the said meeting, as aforesaid, that he hath been brought to the house of onePrestoninGisburneParish aforesaid, byHenry HargreiuesofGoldshey, to see whether shee was the woman that came amongst the said Witches, on the said last Good Friday, to crave their aide and assistance for the killing of the said MasterLister; and hauing had full view of her, hee, thisExaminate confesseth, That she was the selfe-same woman which came amongst the said Witches on the said last Good Friday for their aide for the killing of the said MasterLister; and that brought the Spirit with her, in the shape of a White Foale, as aforesaid.
‘And this Examinate further saith, that all the said Witches went out of the said house in their owne shapes and likenesses, and they all, by that they were forth of the doores, were gotten on horse-backe like unto Foales, some of one colour, some of another, andPreston’swife was the last; and when she got on horse-backe, they all presently vanished out of this Examinate’s sight; and before their said parting away, they all appointed to meete at the saidPreston’swife’s house that day twelve month; at which time the saidPreston’swife promised to make them a great feast; and, if they had occasion to meet in the meane time, then should warning be giuen that they should all meet uponRomles Moore. And this Examinate further saith, That at the said feast atMalkin Tower, this Examinate heard them all giue their consents to put the said MasterThomas ListerofWestbyto death; and after Master Lister should haue been made away by Witchcraft, then al the said Witches gaue their consents to ioyne altogether to hancke MasterLeonard Lister, when he should come to liue at the Sowgill, and so put him to death.’
Then we have ‘The Wonderful Discouerie of the Witchcrafts of Margaret and Philip Flower daughters of Ioan Flower, neere Beuer Castle: Executed atLincoln March 11, 1618. Who were specially arraigned and condemned before Sir Henry Hobart, and Sir Edward Bromley, Iudges of Assise, for confessing themselues actors in the destruction of Henry, Lord Rosse, with their damnable practices against others the Children of the Right Honourable Francis Earle of Rutland. Together with the seuerall Examinations and Confessions of Anne Baker, Ioan Willimot, and Ellen Greene, Witches in Leicestershire.’ London, 1611.
The first case is a very ordinary one. The Flowers were discharged servants, and the children, after their leaving, sickened and died. The only remarkable part about it is, that ‘Ioane Flower, the Mother, before conviction (as they say) called for Bread and Butter, and wished it might neuer goe through her, if she were guilty of that, whereupon she was examined; so, mumbling it in her mouth, neuer spake more wordes after, but fell downe and died asshe was carried toLincolneGaole, with a horrible excruciation of soule and body, and was buried atAncaster.’
The portraits of the three witches do not prepossess us in their favour, and their confessions, on examination, fully bear out the feeling. Of the first: ‘Further, she saith that shee saw a hand appeare unto her, and that shee heard a voyce in the ayre say unto her:Anne Baker, saue thyselfe, for to-morrow, thou and thy maister must be slaine; and the next day her maister and shee were in a Cart together; and suddainely shee saw a flash of fire, and said her prayers, and the fire went away; and shortly after, a Crow came and picked upon her cloathes, and she said her prayers againe, and bad the Crow go to whom he was sent, and the Crow went unto her Maister, and did beat him to death, and shee, with her prayers recouered him to life; but hee was sicke for a fortnight after, and saith, that if shee had not had more knowledge than her maister, both he and shee, and all the Cattell had been slaine.’
Joan Willimot tells the following extraordinary story: ‘That shee hath a Spirit which shee callethPretty, which was given unto her byWilliam BerryofLangholme, inRutlandshire, whom she serued three yeares: and that her Master, when hee gaue it unto her, willed her to open her mouth, and hee would blow into her a Fairy which should do her good; and that shee opened her mouth, and hee did blow into her mouth; and that, presently, after his blowing, there came out of her mouth a Spirit, whichstood upon the ground in the shape and forme of a Woman, which Spirit did aske of her her Soule, which shee then promised unto it, being willed thereunto by her Master.’
The third, Ellen Green, said ‘that oneIoan WillimotofGoadbycame about sixe yeares since to her in the Wowlds, and purswaded this Examinate to forsake God, and betake her to the diuel, and she would give her two spirits; to which she gave her consent, and thereupon, the saidIoan Willimotcalled two spirits, one in the likenesse of a Kitlin, and the other of a Moldiwarp:[44]the first the saidWillimotcalledpusse, the otherhisse, hisse, and they presently came to her, and she, departing, left them with this Examinate, and they leapt on her shoulder, and the Kitlin suckt under her right eare on her neck, and the Moldiwarp on the left side, in the like place. After they had suckt her, shee sent the Kitlin to a Baker of that Towne, whose name shee remembers not, who had called her Witch and stricken her; and bad her said spirit goe and bewitch him to death: The Moldiwarpe shee then bad go toAnne Dawse, of the same towne, and bewitch her to death, because she had called this examinate witch, jade, &c., and within one fortnight after, they both dyed.’
The case of Elizabeth Sawyer, known as the Witch of Edmonton, executed at Tyburn, April 19, 1621, is so extraordinary that I give a large portion of the tractin extenso:[45]
‘A true relation of the confession ofElizabeth Sawyer, spinster, after her conviction of Witchery, taken on Tuesday the 17 day ofAprill, Anno 1621, in the Gaole of Newgate, where she was prisoner, then in the presence and hearing of diuers persons whose names to verifie the same are here subscribed to this ensuyng confession, made unto me,Henry Goodcole, Minister of the word of God,Ordinary and Visiter for the Gaole of Newgate. In dialogue manner are here expressed the persons that she murthered, and the Cattell that she destroyed by the helpe of the Diuell.
‘In this manner was I inforced to speake unto her, because she might understand me, and giue unto me answere, according to my demands, for she was a very ignorant woman.
‘Question.By what meanes came you to have acquaintance with the Diuell, and when was the first time that you saw him, and how did you know that it was the Diuell?
‘Answere.The first time that the Diuell came unto me was when I was cursing, swearing, and blaspheming: he then rushed in upon me, andnever before that time did I see him, or he me: and when he, namely the Diuell, came to me, the first words that he spake unto me were these:Oh! have I now found you cursing, swearing, and blaspheming? now you are mine.
********
‘Question.What sayd you to the Diuell, when he came unto you and spake unto you, were you not afraide of him? If you did feare him, what sayd the Diuell then unto you?
‘Answere.I was in a very greate feare when I saw the Diuell, but hee did bid me not to feare him at all, for hee would do me no hurt at all, but would do for mee whatsoeuer I would require of him; and as he promised unto me, he alwayes did such mischiefes as I did bid him to do, both on the bodies of Christians and beastes: if I did bid him vexe them to death, as oftentimes I did so bid him, it was presently by him done.
‘Question.Whether would the Diuell bring unto you word or no, what he had done for you, at your command; and if he did bring you word, how long would it bee, before he would come unto you againe, to tell you?
‘Answere.He would alwayes bring unto me word what he had done for me within the space of a weeke; he neuer failed me at that time; and would likewise do it to Creatures and beastes two manners of wayes, which was by scratching or pinching of them.
‘Question.Of what Christians and Beastes, and how many were the number that you were the causeof their death, and what moued you to prosecute them to the death?
‘Answere.I have been by the helpe of the Diuell the meanes of many Christians’ and beasts’ death; the cause that moued mee to do it was malice and enuy; for, if anybody had angred me in any manner, I would be so revenged of them, and of their Cattell. And do now further confesse that I was the cause of those two nurse children’s death, for the which I was now indicted, and acquited by the Iury.
********
‘Question.How long is it since the Diuell and you had acquaintance together, and how oftentimes in the weeke would hee come and see you, and you Company with him?
‘Answere.It is eight yeares since our first acquaintance; and three times in the weeke the Diuell would come and see me, after such his acquaintance gotten of me; he would come sometimes in the morning, and sometimes in the evening.
‘Question.In what shape would the Diuell come unto you?
‘Answere.Alwayes in the shape of a dogge, and of two collors, sometimes of blacke, and sometimes of white.
‘Question.What talke had the Diuel and you together, when that he appeared to you, and what did he aske of you—and what did you desire of him?
‘Answere.He asked of me when he came unto me, how I did, and what he should doe for mee, and demanded of mee my soule and body; threatning then to tear me in pieces if I did not grantunto him my soule and my body, which he asked of me.
‘Question.What did you after such the Diuel’s asking of you, to have your Soule and Body, and after this his threatning of you, did you for feare grant unto the Diuell his desire?
‘Answere.Yes; I granted for feare unto the Diuell his request of my soule and body; and, to seale this my promise made unto him, I then gave him leave to sucke of my bloud, the which hee asked of me.
‘Question.In what place of your body did the Diuell sucke of your bloude and whether did hee himselfe chuse the place, or did you yourselfe appoint him the place?
‘Answere.The place where the Diuell suckt my bloud was chosen by himselfe, and in that place, by continuall drawing, there is a thing in the forme of a Teate, at which the Diuell would sucke mee. And I asked the Diuell why he should sucke my bloud, and he sayd, it was to nourish him.
‘Question.Whether did you pull up your Coates or no, when the Diuell came to sucke you?
‘Answere.No. I did not, but the Diuell would put his head under my coates, and I did willingly suffer him to doe what he would.
‘Question.How long would the time bee, that the Diuell would continue sucking of you, and whether did you endure any paine, the time that hee was sucking of you?
‘Answere.He would be suckinge of me thecontinuance of a quarter of an houre, and when he suckt me I then felt no paine at all.
‘Question.What was the meaning that the Diuell, when he came unto you, would sometimes speake, and sometimes barke?
‘Answere.It is thus: when the Diuell spake to me, then hee was ready to doe for me what I bid him to doe; and when he came barking to mee, he then had done the mischiefe that I did bid him to doe for me. I did call the Diuell by the name of Tom.
********
‘Question.Did you euer handle the Diuell when he came unto you?
‘Answere.Yes, I did stroake him on the backe, and then he would becke unto me, and wagge his tayle as being therewith contented.
‘Question.Would the Diuell come unto you all in one bignesse?
‘Answere.No; when hee came unto mee in the blacke shape, he then was biggest, and in the white the least; and when that I was praying, hee then would come unto me in the white colour.’
In another narrative[46]we have a different description of the devil, and of his protean powers:
‘Mariewife ofHenrie Smith, Glouer, possessed with a wrathfull indignation against some of her neighbours, in regard that they made gaine of their buying and selling Cheese, which shee (using the same trade) could not doe, or they better, (at theleast in her opinion than she did,) often times cursed them, and became incensed with unruly passions, armed with a setled resolution to effect some mischieuous proiects and designs against them. The diuell, who is skilfull, and reioyceth of such an occasion offered, and knoweth how to stirre up the euill affected humours of corrupt mindes, appeared unto her amiddes these discontentments, in the shape of a blacke man, and willed that she should continue in her malice, enuy, hatred, banning and cursing, and then he would be reuenged for her upon all those to whom she wished euill: and this promise was uttered in a lowe murmuring and hissing voyce: and, at that present, they entred tearmes of a compact, he requiring that she should forsake God, and depend upon him; to which she condescended in expresse tearmes, renouncing God, and betaking herselfe unto him.
‘After this, hee presented himselfe againe at sundrie times, and in other formes, as of a mist, and of a ball of fire, with some dispersed spangles of blacke, and at the last in prison (after the doome of iudgement, and sentence of condemnation was passed against her) two seuerall times, in that figure as at the first: only at the last he seemed to haue a pair of horns upon his head.’
Mary Smith, if what is written about her be true, was a very powerful witch. Many instances of her bewitching are given; but I think her spells on one John Orkton, a sailor, were the worst. She cursed him, ‘Whereupon, presently, hee grew weake, distempered in stomacke, and could digest no meate,nor other nourishment receiued, and this discrasie, or feeblenesse continued for the space of three quarters of a yeare; which time expired, the fore mentioned griefe fel downe from the stomacke into his hands and feete, so that his fingers did corrupt and were cut off; as also his toes putrified and consumed in a very strange and admirable manner. Neverthelesse, notwithstanding these calamities, so long as he was able, went still to Sea, in the goods and shippes of sundry Merchants (for it was his onely meanes of living) but neuer could make any prosperous voyage, eyther beneficiall to the Owners, or profitable to himselfe.
‘Whereupon, not willing to bee hindrance to others, and procure no good for his owne maintenance by his labours, left that trade of life, and kept home, where his former griefe encreasing, sought to obtaine help and remedie by Chirurgerie; and, for this end, went to Yarmouth, hoping to be cured by one there, who was accompted very skilfull: but no medicines applyed by the Rules of Arte and Experience, wrought any expected or hoped for effect; for both his hands and feete, which seemed in some measure, euery euening, to be healing, in the morning were found to have gone backeward, and growne far worse than before. So that the Chirurgian, perceiuing his labour to bee wholly frustrate, gaue ouer the cure, and the diseased patient still continueth in a most miserable and distressed estate, unto the which hee was brought by the hellish practises of this malitious woman, who, long before, openly in the streetes, (when, asyet, the neighbours knew of no such thing,) reioycing at the Calamity, said,Orktonnow lyeth a rotting.’ She was executed January 12, 1616.
‘The Examination, Confession, Triall and Execution of Joane Williford, Joan Cariden, and Jane Hott, who were executed at Faversham in Kent, for being Witches, on Munday, the 29 of September, 1645,’ furnish us with other particulars, especially as they all confessed their crimes.
Joan Williford confessed ‘That the divell, about seven yeeres ago, did appeare to her in the shape of a little dog, and bid her to forsake God, and leane to him; who replied that she was loath to forsake him. Shee confessed also that shee had a desire to be revenged uponThomas LetherlandandMary Woodrufe, now his wife. She further said that the divell promised her that she should not lacke, and that she had money sometimes brought her, she knew not whence, sometimes one shilling, sometimes eightpence, never more at once: shee called her Divell by the name ofBunne. She further saith, that her retainerBunnecarriedThomas Gardlerout of a window, who fell into a back side. She further saith, that neere twenty years since, she promised her soule to the Divell. She further saith that she gave some of her blood to the Divell, who wrote the covenant betwixt them. She further saith that the Divell promised to be her servant about twenty yeeres, and that the time is now almost expired. She further saith that the Divell promised her that she should not sinke, being throwne into the water, and that the Divell suckedtwice since she came into the prison; he came to her in the forme of a Muce.’
Joan Cariden’s confession was commonplace, but Jane Hott said that ‘a thing like a hedge hog had usually visited her, and came to her a great while agoe, about twenty yeares agoe, and that if it sucked her, it was in her sleep, and the paine thereof awaked her, and it came to her once or twice in the moneth, and sucked her, and when it lay upon her breast, she strucke it off with her hand, and that it was as soft as a Cat.
‘At her first coming into the Gaole, she spake very much to the other that were apprehended before her, to confesse if they were guilty; and stood to it very perversely that she was cleare of any such thing, and that, if they put her into the Water to try her, she should certainly sinke. But when she was put into the Water it was apparent that she did flote upon the Water. Being taken forth, a Gentleman to whom, before, she had so confidently spake, and with whom she offered to lay twenty shillings to one that she could not swim, asked her how it was possible she could be so impudent as not to confesse herselfe? To whom she answered, That the Divell went with her all the way, and told her that she should sinke; but when she was in the Water, he sate upon a Crosse beame and laughed at her.’
Confessions of Witches executed in Essex—The Witches of Huntingdon—‘Wonderfull News from the North’—Trial of Six Witches at Maidstone—Trial of Four Witches at Worcester—A Lancashire Witch tried at Worcester—A Tewkesbury Witch.
Confessions of Witches executed in Essex—The Witches of Huntingdon—‘Wonderfull News from the North’—Trial of Six Witches at Maidstone—Trial of Four Witches at Worcester—A Lancashire Witch tried at Worcester—A Tewkesbury Witch.
A sickening story is told in ‘A true and exact Relation of the seuerall Informations, Examinations, and Confessions of the late Witches, arraigned and executed in the County of Essex. Who were arraigned and condemned at the late Sessions, holden at Chelmesford before the Right Honorable Robert Earle of Warwicke and severall of his Majesties Iustices of Peace, the 29 of July 1645,’ etc., London, 1645. In this veritable ‘bloody assize,’ the rascally Matthew Hopkins appears, and it would almost seem as if the poor women confessed anything in order to have the luxury of dying. The charges against them were so frivolous, and the confessions so silly, that they must have either been imbecile or reckless. The following is a list of them:
The confession (!) of this latter will serve as an example of the puerility of them all.
‘This Examinant saith, that she hath four Familiars, which shee had from her mother, about two and twenty yeeres since; and that the names of the said Imps areJames,Pricke eare,Robyn, andSparrow; and three of these Imps are like Mouses, and the fourth like a Sparrow. And this Examinant saith, that to whomsoever shee sent the said Imp calledSparrow, it killed them presently; and that, first of all, she sent one of her three Imps like Mouses, to nip the Knee of oneRobert Freeman, ofLittle Clacton, in the County ofEssex, aforesaid, whom the said Imp did so lame, that the saidRobertdyed on that lamenesse within half a yeere after: And this Examinant saith, that she sent her said Imp,Prickeareto kill the daughter ofJohn RawlinsofMuch-Hollandaforesaid, which died accordingly within a short time after; and that she sent her said ImpPrickeareto the house of one John Tillet; which did suddenly kill the said Tillet.
‘And this Examinant saith that shee sent her said ImpSparrow, to kill the childe of oneGeorge ParbyofMuch-Hollandaforesaid, which child the said Imp did presently kill; and that the offence this Examinant took against the saidGeorge Parbyto kill his said childe, was, because the wife of the saidParbydenyed to give this Examinant a pint of Milke; and this Examinant further saith that shee sent her said ImpSparrowto the house ofSamuel Ray, which, in a very short time did kill the wife of the saidSamuel; and that the cause of this Examinant’s malice against the said woman was, because shee refused to pay to this Examinant two pence which she challenged to be due to her; And that, afterwards, her said ImpSparrowkilled the said Childe of the saidSamuel Ray: and this Examinant confesseth, that as soon as shee had received the said four Imps from her said mother, the said Imps spake to this Examinant, and told her, shee must deny God and Christ, which this Examinant did then assent unto.’
In ‘The Witches of Huntingdon, their Examinations and Confessions,’ etc., London, 1646, we haveeight cases of witchcraft which were tried at different times early in 1646. Among these eight, two were men; but there is no record of the fate of any of them. They are the same old story, the one with the most originality being that of Jane Willis, of Keiston, in the county of Huntingdon.
‘This Examinate saith, as she was making of her bedde in her Chamber, there appeared in the shape of a man in blacke cloaths, and blackish cloaths about six weeks past, and bid her good morrow, and shee asked what his name was, and he said his name wasBlackeman, and asked her if she were poore, and she said I:[47]then he told her he would send oneGrissellandGreedigutto her, that shall do anything for her: Shee looking upon him, saw hee had ugly feete, and then she was very fearfull of him, for that sometimes he would seem to be tall, and sometimes lesse, and suddenly vanished away.
‘And being demanded whether he lay with her, shee said hee would have lain with her, but shee would not suffer him: and afterBlackemanwas departed from her, within three or 4 dayes,GrissellandGreedigutcame to her, in the shape of dogges, with great brisles of hogges haire upon their backs, and said to her they were come fromBlackemanto do what she would command them, and did aske her if shee did want any thing, and they would fetch it: and shee said she lacked nothing. Then they prayed her to give them some victuals, and she said she was poore and had none to give them; and so they departed: Yet she confessed thatBlackeman,GrisselandGreedigutdivers times came to her afterwards, and brought her two or three shillings at a time, and more saith not.’
Another type of witchcraft is to be found in ‘Wonderfull News from the North; or, a true relation of the sad and grievous torments inflicted upon the Bodies of three Children of Mr. George Muschamp, late of the County of Northumberland, by Witchcraft,’ etc. London, 1650. It begins thus:
‘First in harvest, some two Months beforeMichaelmas, about four or five of the Clock in the afternoone, MistrisMargaret Muschampsuddainly fell into a great Trance; her Mother being frighted, called Company, and with much adoe recovered her; as soone as the childe looked up, cryed out, deare Mother, weepe not for me; for I have seene a happy Sight, and heard a blessed sound, for the Lord hath loved my poore Soule, that he hath caused his blessed Trumpet to sound in my eares, and hath sent two blessed Angels to receive my sinfull soule. O weepe not for me, but rejoyce, that the Lord should have such respect to so sinfull a wretch as I am, as to send his heavenly Angels to receive my sinfull soule: with many other divine expressions.’
After this she continued pretty well till Candlemas Eve, when she was taken very bad indeed, losing the use of her limbs and speech, ‘and such torments, that no eyes could looke on her without compassion.’ For 16 weeks she refused all food, saying ‘that God fed her with Angel’s food: for truely all the 16 weekes fast she did not appeare to diminish her fatness or favour anything at all.
‘On Whitsun Eve in the morning, she had eight hours bitter torment. In the afternoone, her mother being abroad, left her Husband’s Brother’s Daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Muschamp with her, who made signes to her to carry her into the Garden, in her mother’s absence; her Cozen, casting a mantle about her, gave her her desire, and sate in the Garden with her on her knee; who, in the bringing down, had so little strength in her neck, that her head hung wagging downe; but was not set a quarter of an houre, till showing some signes to her Cozen, bolted off her knee, ran thrice about the Garden, expressing a shrill voyce, but did not speake presently: she that was brought down in this sad condition came up stairs on her owne legs.’
However, this improvement did not last long; she had more illnesses, and in one of them she made signs that she wished to write; so ‘they layd paper on her brest, and put a pen with inke in her hand, and she, not moving her eyes, writ,Jo. Hu. Do. Swo. have been the death of one deare friend, consume another, and torment mee.’ The wiseacres puzzled over this, and at last came to the conclusion that Mistress Dorothy Swinnow, then wife to Col. Swinnow, who subsequently died, had bewitched her. At another time this Margaret Muschamp wrote the same words with the addition, ‘two drops of his or her bloud would save my life; if I have it not, I am undone; for seven yeares to be tormented before death come.’
On this they sent to one John Hutton, a reputed wizard, who told them that it was Mistress Swinnowwho was the culprit, and he gave them two drops of his own blood, which he wiped off his arm, with the paper on which the girl had written. Returning home, they applied this remedy, in some way unstated, and ‘On Munday night she fell into a heavenly rapture, rejoycing that ever she was borne, for these two drops of blood had saved her life.’ The girl was afterwards very ill, and Dorothy Swinnow, now a widow, was arrested, and committed to prison, where the narrative leaves off, with the addition of the confession of one Margaret White, who ‘Confesseth and saith, That she hath beene the Divells servant these five yeares past, and that the Divell came to her in the likenes of a man in blew cloaths, in her owne house, and griped her fast by the hand, and told her she should never want, and gave her a nip on the shoulder, and another on her back; and confesseth her Familiar came to her in the likenesse of a black Gray-hound. She also Confesseth upon Oath that Mrs.Swinnowand her sisterJane, and herselfe were in the Divels company in her sisterJane’shouse, where they did eate and drinke together, and made merry.
‘And Mrs.Swinnow, and her the saydMargaret’ssister, with her selfe, came purposely to the house of Mr.Edward MooreofSpittle, to take away the life ofMargaret MuschampandMary, and they were the cause of the Children’s tormenting, and that they were three several times to have taken away their lives, and especially upon St. John’s day at night gone twelve moneths: and sayth that God was above the Divell, for they could not get their desires perfected;and saith that Mrs.Swinnowwould have consumed the childe that Mrs.Moorehad last in her wombe, but the Lord would not permit her; and that after the childe was borne, Mrs.Swinnowwas the occasion of its death; and that she and her sister were also the occasion, and had a hand in the death of the sayd child; and further confesseth that she and her sayd sister were the death ofThomas YongofChatton(by reason) a kill full of Oates watched against her sister’s minde; And further saith that the Divell called her sisterJane(Besse); She confesseth that her sisterJanehad much troubledRichard StanleyofChatton, and that she was the occasion of his sore leg.’
In ‘A Prodigious and Tragicall History of the Arraignment, Tryall, Confession and Condemnation of six Witches at Maidstone in Kent, at the Assizes there held in July, Fryday 30, this present year 1652,’ a new feature is introduced.
‘The saidAnne Ashbyfurther confessed, that the Divell had given them a piece of flesh, which whensoever they should touch, they should thereby effect their desires.
‘That this flesh lay hid amongst grasse, in a certain place which she named, where, upon search, it was found accordingly.
‘The flesh was of a sinnewy substance, and scorched, and was seen and felt by this Observator, and reserved for publique view at the sign of the Swan inMaidstone.’
They were duly hanged, but ‘Some there were that wished rather they might be burnt to Ashes; alledging, that it was a received opinion amongstmany, that the body of a witch being burnt, her bloud is prevented thereby from becomming hereditary to her Progeny in the same evill, which by hanging is not.’
However, in the case of four witches tried at Worcester on March 4, 1647,[48]they ‘received Sentance to be Burnt at the Stak all Four together.
‘When being come to the Place of Execution, they made a strange and lamentable Yeling and Howling, after which they Confessed the Crimes for which they Suffered, and also declared how they had kill’d abundance of Cattle for several years past, and that it was extream Pride, Malice, and Revenge, that caused them to enter into such a curssed and Hellish League with the Devil, who told them to the last, that he would secure them from Public Punishment, but now, too late, they found him a Lyer, as he was from the beginning of the World.CockandLandishseemed penitent, desiring all young Women to take Warning by their Devilish Lives, and Shameful Deaths, assuring the Spectators, that as Satan in the first Infancy of the World, prevail’d on the Woman to bring his Hellish attempts to pass, so he still strives with that Sex, as the weaker Vessels, to Work their Distructions; they both said the Lord’s Prayer very distinctly, butRebecca WestandRose Hallybreaddyed very Stuburn and Refractory, without any remorss, or seeming Terror of Conscience for their abominable Witch-craft.’
‘A RELATION OF A LANCASHIRE WITCH, TRYED AT WORCESTER, IN THE YEAR 1649.[49]
‘AtDroitwichin the County ofWorcester, a poor Woman’s Boy in the Month ofMay, looking for his Mother’s Cow, espied some Bushes in a Brake to shake; and, supposing the Cow to be Brousing there, went to the Place, where he found no Cow, but an Old Woman, who, upon his approach, saidBohto him: whereupon he presently lost his speech, and could only make a Noise, but could not speak any thing articulately, so as could be understood. In this condition he came home to his Mother, made a great Noise, but no body could understand what ailed him, or what he meant. A while after, he ran out, and, at SirEdward Barret’sdoor, found, about One a Clock, amongst other poor People, the same old Woman supping up a Mess of hot Pottage, and ran furiously upon her, and threw her Pottage in her Face, and offered some other Violence to her. Whereupon the Neighbours wondering at the condition of the Boy, and his rage against the old Woman, and suspecting that she had done him some hurt, Apprehended her, and she was committed to the Prison, which they call theChecker. At Night the Boy’s Mother Lodged him in a Garret over her own Lodging; and, in the Morning, hearing a great Bussle over her, ran up, and found the Boy gotten out of his Bed, with the Leg of a Form in his hand, striking furiously at something in the Window; butsaw nothing there that he should strike at. The Boy presently put on his Cloaths, and ran downe into the Street towards the Prison; and, as he was going, endeavouring to speak, found his Speech restored.
‘When he came to the Prison, he asked for the old Woman, and told the Gaoler how she had served him, and how his Speech came to him again in the Way. The Gaoler, in the mean time, suspecting that she had Bewitched the Boy, would not let her have either Meat or Drink, unless she would first say the Lord’s Prayer, and bid God bless the Boy: which, at last, her Hunger forced her to do; and it appeared to be at the same instant, as near as can be guessed, that the Boy had his Speech restored to him. The Boy asked the Gaoler, why he did not keep her faster, but let her come out, and trouble him? The Gaoler answered, he had kept her very safe. The Boy replied No, he had not; for she came and sat in his Chamber Window, and grinned at him; and that, thereupon, he took up a Form Leg, and therewith gave her two good bangs upon the Back, as she would have scutled from him, before she could get away. Whereupon the Gaoler caused some Women to search her, who found the Marks of two such Strokes upon her, as the Boy said he had given her. All this was Sworn upon her Tryal by the Boy, his Mother, the Gaoler, and the Women. Upon Examination she was found to be aLancashireWoman; who, upon the Scarcity in those Parts, after the Defeat of DukeHamilton, wandred abroad to get Victuals.’
‘ANOTHER RELATION OF A TEUKSBURY WITCH, TRYED AT GLOUCESTER ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
‘AtTeuksbury, about the same time, a Man, who had a Sow and Pigs, observing his Sow to have great store of Milk, and yet the Pigs to be almost Famished, and consulting with his Neighbours about it, they all concluded that she must needs be Sucked by something else, and so the Pigs be robbed of their milk. Whereupon he resolved to watch till he found out the Matter: and, having placed himself conveniently for that purpose, at last he saw a black Four footed Creature, like a Pole Cat, come and beat away the pigs, and having a pitchfork in his Hand, he ran the Prongs into the Thigh of it, and ran it to the ground. Yet it struggled so as to get off from him at last. There were some Neighbours not far off, but they saw no such creature, but saw a Wench go away, and that Blood fell from her as she went: whereupon they searched her, and found her so Wounded, as the Man said he had wounded the thing which he found Sucking: And, thereupon, she was Apprehended and Tryed atGloucesterAssizes, where this Matter was given in Evidence against her.’
A Case of Vomiting Stones, etc., at Evesham—Anne Bodenham—Julian Cox—Elizabeth Styles—Rose Cullender and Amy Duny.
A Case of Vomiting Stones, etc., at Evesham—Anne Bodenham—Julian Cox—Elizabeth Styles—Rose Cullender and Amy Duny.
Baxter, in his ‘Certainty of the Worlds of Spirits,’ etc. (London, 1691), gives what he considers an indisputably authentic case of witchcraft, as follows:
‘But the certaintest and fullest Instance of Witchcraft that ever I knew, I shall here give you in the words of others: Only adding that about twenty years ago, at the time it was doing, my worthy and dear Friend, Mr.George Hopkins, the then Faithful Minister of the Gospel atEvesham, told it me himself, and told me of their Care and Watchfulness, to see that there were no Fraud committed in it. And the Witch was hanged atWorcester, and the Woman herself is yet living inEvesham, and the thing never there doubted of: But, having occasion lately to instance the fact against some Unbelievers, I sent toEvesham, to a Godly, Credible Friend to send me word, whether any doubt had, in these years past, risen concerning it, and to send me some of the Flint Stones which were voided by the Girl; who sent me word, that there were no doubt of the thing, and procured the now Minister of the Place to write me the Narrative which I heresubjoin. And he sent meOne stone, about the breadth of a small Groat, and the thickness of a Half-crown, which, he said, was all that is there kept of them, taken by the Major’s Wife her self, and kept by her, and, therefore, I must send it back again: Many had sent for the Stones, and so many troubled the House about them, that they threw away, or buried the rest: And Mr.Boyletold me that the Earl ofSouth Hampton, Lord Treasurer, for his Satisfaction, had got a great number of them. I carried this about me, a quarter of a year, and then sent it home. But that which I chiefly inform the Reader of, is, that the thing was so long in doing, and so Famous, and so many Pious, Understanding Persons minded it, that suspition of Fraud was by their Diligence avoided.
‘The Narrative as lately sent me from most Credible Persons inEvesham,is as followeth:
‘About the Month ofApril1652Mary, the daughter ofEdward Ellins, of the Burrough ofEvesham, in the County ofWorcester, Gardner, then about nine or ten years old, went in the fields on aSaturday, with some other Children, to gather Cowslips, and, finding in a Ditch by the way-side, at the said Town’s end, oneCatherine Huxley, a single Woman, aged then about forty years, the Children called her Witch, and took up stones to throw at her, the saidMaryalso called her Witch, and took up a stone, but was so affrighted that she could not throw it at her; then they all run away from her, and the saidMarybeing hindmost, thisHuxleysaid to her (Ellinsyou Shall have enoughstones in you.) WhereuponMaryfell that day very ill, and continued so weak and Languishing that her Friends feared she would not recover; but, about a Month after, she began to void stones by the urinary passages, and some little urine came away from her; also, when she voided any stone, the stone she voided was heard by those that were by her, to drop into the Pot or Basin; and she had most grievous pains in her Back and Reins, like the pricking of Pins. The number of the stones she voided was about eighty, some plain pebbles, some plain flints, some very small, and some about an ounce weight. This she did for some space, (a month or two, or there abouts) until, upon some strong suspitions of Witchcraft, the forenamedHuxleywas Apprehended, Examined and Searched, (at whose Bed’s Head there was found several Stones such as the saidMaryVoided) and was sent toWorcester, where, at the SummerAssizesin the said year 1652 (then at hand) she was, at the Prosecution of the Friends of the saidMary, Condemned and Executed: upon whose Apprehension and Commitment,Maryceased to void any more stones; but, for a while, voided much blackish and muddy Sand, and also, in short time, perfectly recovered, and is yet living in the Town, in good and honest Repute, and hath been many years Marryed, and hath had seven Children; but never voided any stones since, nor been troubled with the pain fore mentioned. Abundance of people yet living, know the Substance of this to be true, and her Mother in Law (since dead) kept the stones till she was tiredwith the frequent Resort of people to see them, and the saidMary, and to hear the Relation of the matter, and beg the stones; (for though many offered Money for them, yet she always refused it, nor did they ever take any, but it cost them much upon the Girl, and the Prosecution of the saidHuxley) and then she buried them in her Garden.Edward Ellins, the Father of the saidMary, is also yet living, and a Man of honest Repute, and utterly free (as is also the saidMary, and all the rest of herFriends) from the least Suspition of any Fraud or Cheat in the whole business: This was known to hundreds of People in the said Town, and parts Adjacent, and many of them, yet living, are ready to attest to the truth of it.’
In the case of Anne Bodenham,[50]which is too long and intricate to give even a résumé of, we have some entirely new features, partaking more of the magician than the witch. She lived at Fisherton-Auger, Wilts, was a married woman, and at the time of her malpractices kept a small elementary school. She was considered a ‘cunning,’ or ‘wise,’ woman, and was resorted to by the people round about, for consultation as to the recovery of lost or stolen property, and, according to this pamphlet, her doings were marvellous. The first case records a woman going to consult her as to the loss of some gold money.
‘The Witch put on her Spectacles, and, demanding seven shillings of the Maid, which she received,she opened three Books, in which there seemed to be severall pictures, and amongst the rest, the picture of the Devill, to the Maid’s appearance,with his Cloven feet and Claws; after the Witch had looked over the book, she brought a round green glass, which glass she layd down on one of the books, upon some picture therein, and rubbed the glass, and then took up the book with the glass upon it, and held it up against the Sun, and bid the Maid come and see who they were that she could shew in that glass, and the Maid, looking in the glass, saw the shape of many persons, and what they were doing of in her Master’s house, in particular, shewed MistrissElizabeth Rosewelstanding in her Mistriss Chamber, looking out of the Window with her hands in her sleeves, and another walking alone in her Master’s Garden, one other standing in a room within the kitchen, one other standing in a matted room of her Masters, against the window, with her Apron in her hand, and shewed others drinking, with glasses of Beer in their hands. After the Witches shewing this to the Maid, she then bad her go home; which, when she came home, she asked the people (she so saw in the Witches glass) what they had been doing while she had been wanting, and by their answers to her, she found that they had been doing what she saw they were in the glass: and the Maid relating this toElizabeth Rousewel, she replyed, that MistrissBoddenham(meaning the said Witch) was either a Witch, or a woman of God.’
She was also able to raise devils, and had several at her command,Beelzebub,Tormentor,Satan, andLucifer, and one scene with them is thus described: ‘And, presently, the back Door of the house flying open, there came five spirits, as the Maid supposed, in the likeness of ragged Boys, some bigger than others, and ran about the house, where she had drawn the Staff, and the Witch threw down upon the ground Crumbs of Bread, which the Spirits picked up, and leapt over the Pan of Coals oftentimes, which she set in the middest of the circle, and a Dog and a Cat of the Witches danced with them; and, after some time, the Witch looked again in her book, and threw some great white seeds on the ground, which the said Spirits picked up, and so, in a short time, the wind was layd, and the Witch, going forth at her back Door, the Spirits vanished.’
But she also dabbled in poisoning: ‘And in a short time after, MistressRosewelsent her again to the Witch, to know of her when the day should be, that MistrisGoddardshould be poysoned, and delivered her eight shillings to give the Witch; so the Maid went again to the Witch accordingly, and gave her the eight shillings, and the Witch replyed she could not tell her then, but gave the Maid one shilling, and bid her go to an Apothecary, and buy some whiteArsenick, and bring it to her to prevent it, which the Maid did, and carried it to the Witch, who said to her she would take it and burn it, to prevent the poysoning, but she burnt it not, as the Maid could see, at all....
‘The next day following, the Maid was sent again to the Witch, to get some example shewen upon the Gentlewoman that should procure thepoyson, upon which the Maid went again to the Witch, and told her for what she was sent. Then the Witch made a Circle, as formerly, and set her pan of Coles, as formerly, and burnt something that stank extremely, and took her book and Glass, as before is related, and saidBeelzebub,Tormentor,Lucifer, andSatan, appear! And then appeared five Spirits as she conceived, in the shapes of little ragged Boyes, which the Witch commanded to appear, and go along with the Maid to a meadow atWilton, which the Witch shewed in the Glass, and there to gather Vervine and Dill, and, forthwith, the ragged Boys ran away before the Maid, and she followed them to the said meadow; and, when they came thither the ragged Boys looked about for the Herbs, and removed the Snow in two or three places, before they could find any; and, at last, they found some, and brought it away with them, and then the Maid and the Boys returned back to the Witch, and found her in the Circle paring her Nayls, and then she took the said Herbs, and dryed the same, and made powder of some, and dried the leaves of other, and threw Bread to the Boys, and they eat and danced as formerly; and then the Witch, reading in a book, they vanished away. And the Witch gave the Maid in one paper the powder, in another the leaves, and in the third, the paring of the Nayls; all which the Maid was to give to her Mistress. The powder was to put in the young Gentlewomens MistrissSarahand MistrissAnn Goddard’sdrink or broth, to rot their Guts in their Bellies; the leaves to rub about the rims of the Pot, to maketheir Teeth fall out of their Heads; and the parings of the Nayls to make them mad and drunk. And the Witch likewise told the Maid, that she must tell her Mistriss, and the rest, that, when they did give it to them, they must cross their Breasts, and then say,In the name of our Lord Jesu Christ, grant that this may be, and that they must say the Creed backward and forward.’
The death of this wicked woman was worthy of her life: ‘Afterwards, she fell into a rage, and wished for a Knife: she said she would run it into her heart-blood. Being replyed unto by some,Oh MrisBoddenham, you would not offer to doe such wickednesse? would you?She swore by the Name of God, but she would, had she but a Knife. She then went forth to the place of her Execution, where a numerous company were spectators; and, as she went along towards the gallows, by every house she went by, she went with a small piece of silver in her hand, calling for Beer, and was very passionate when denyed. One of the men that guarded her on the way, told her that Mr. Sheriff would not let her be buryed under the gallows, upon which she railed at the man extremely that told her so, and said she would be buryed there. When she came to the place of execution, she went immediately to goe up the Ladder, but she was pulled back again and restrained: I then pressed her to confesse what she promised me she would, now before she dyed, but she refused to say anything. Being asked whether she desired the prayers of any of the people, she answered, she had as many prayersalready, as she intended or desired to have, but cursed those that detained her from her death, and was importunate to goe up the Ladder, but was restrained for a while, to see whether she would confesse any thing, but she would not. They then let her goe up the Ladder, and when the rope was about her neck, she went to turn herself off, but the Executioner stayed her, and desired her to forgive him: she replyed. Forgive thee? a pox on thee, turn me off: which were the last words she spake. She was never heard, all the while she was at the place of Execution, to pray one word, or desire any others to pray for her, but the contrary.’
‘Julian Cox, aged 70 years, was indicted atTauntoninSomersetshire, about summer assizes, 1663, before JudgeArcher, then judge of assize there, for witchcraft.[51]
‘For the proof of the first particular. The first witness was a huntsman, who swore that he went out with a pack of hounds to hunt a hare, and not far off from Julian Cox’s house, he, at last, started a hare. The Dogs hunted her very close, and the third ring hunted her in view, till, at last, the huntsman, perceiving the hare almost spent, and making towards a great bush, he ran on the other side of the bush to take her up, and preserve her from the dogs; but, as soon as he laid hands on her, it proved to be Julian Cox, who had her head grovelling on the ground. He, knowing her, was affrighted, so that the hair on his head stood on end, and he spake toher, and asked her what brought her there? But she was so far out of breath that she could not make him any answer: his dogs also came up, with full cry, to recover the game, and smelt at her, and so left off hunting any farther. And the huntsman, with the dogs, went home presently, sadly affrighted.
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‘Thirdly, Another swore that Julian passed by his yard while his beasts were in milking, and stooping down, scored upon the ground for some small time. During which time his cattle ran mad, and some ran their heads against trees, and some of them died speedily: Whereupon, concluding they were bewitched, he was, after, advised to this experiment, to find out the Witch,viz.to cut off the ears of the bewitched beasts, and burn them; and that the witch would be in misery, and could not rest till they were plucked out. Which he tried; and while they were burning, Julian Cox came into the house, raging and scolding, that they had abused her without a cause; but she went presently to the fire, and took the ears which were burning and then she was quiet.
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‘The prisoner was called for up to the next bar in the court, and demanded if she could say theLord’s Prayer? She said, she could, and went over the prayer readily till she came to that petition. Then she saidAnd lead us into temptation, or,And lead us not into no temptation, but could not say,And lead us not into temptation, though she was directed to say it after one that repeated it to her, distinctly,but she could not repeat it otherwise than is expressed already; though tried to do it near half a score times in the open Court. After all which the Jury found her guilty, and, judgement having been given, within three or four days, she was executed without any confession of the fact.’
‘Elizabeth Styles, her confession of her WitchcraftJanuary26 and 30 andFeb.7, 1664. beforeRobert HuntEsqre.[52]She then confessed, That the Devil, about ten years since, appeared to her in the shape of a handsome man, and after, of a black dog. That he promised her money, and that she should live gallantly, and have the pleasure of the world for 12 Years, if she would with her own blood, sign his paper, which was to give her soul to him, and observe his laws, and that he might suck her blood. This, after four solicitations, the examinant promised him to do. Upon which, he pricked the fourth finger of her right Hand, between the middle and upper joint (where the sign, at the Examination, remained) with a drop or two of blood, she signed the paper with an O. Upon this, the Devil gave her Sixpence, and vanished with the paper.
‘That, since, he hath appeared to her in the shape of a man, and did so onWednesdayseven night past: but more usually, he appears in the likeness of a dog, or cat, or a Fly like a Miller; in which last (shape) he usually sucks her on the Poll, about four of the Clock in the morning; and did so Jan. 27, and that it usually is pain to her to be so sucked.
‘That when she hath a desire to do harm, she calls the Spirit by the name ofRobin; to whom, when he appeareth, she useth these words,O Satan, give me my purpose. She then tells him that he should so appear to her, was part of her contract with him.
‘That about a Month ago, he appearing, she desired him to torment oneElizabeth Hill, and to thrust thorns unto her Flesh, which he promised to do, and the next Time he appeared, he told her he had done it.
‘That a little above a month since, this Examinant,Alice Duke,Ann Bishop, andMary Penny, met about nine of the clock, in the night, in the common nearTrister Gate, where they met a man in black Cloaths, with a little band, to whom they did courtesie and due observance; and the examinant verily believes that this was the Devil. At that timeAlice Dukebrought a picture in Wax, which was forElizabeth Hill: The man in black took it in his Arms, anointed it’s Forehead, and said,I baptize thee with this oyl, and used some other words. He was God father, and the examinant andAnne Bishop, God mothers; they called itElizabethorBess. Then the man in black, this examinant,Anne Bishop, andAlice Duke, stuck thorns into several places of the Neck, Hand wrist, Fingers, and other parts of the said picture. After which they had wine, cakes and roast meat, (all brought by the man in black,) which they did eat and drink; they danced and were merry, were bodily there, and their cloaths.
‘... She saith, before they are carried to their meetings, they anoint their foreheads and handwrists with Oyl the Spirit brings them, (which smells raw) and then they are carried in a very short time; using these words as they pass,Thout, tout a tout, tout, throughout and about; and when they go off from their meetings, they say,Rentum Tormentum.
‘That, at their first meeting the man in black bids them welcome, and they all make low obeysance to him, and he delivers some wax candles, like little torches, which they give back again at parting. When they anoint themselves, they use a long form of words, and when they stick thorns in the picture of any they would torment, they say,A pox on thee, I’ll spite thee.
‘That, at every meeting, before the Spirit vanishes away, he appoints the next meeting, place and time; and at his departure there is a foul smell. At their meeting, they have usually Wine or good beer, cakes, meat or the like; they eat and drink really; when they meet in their bodies, dance also, and have musick. The man in black sits at the hither End, andAnne Bishopusually sat next to him: He useth some words before meat, and none after; his voice is audible, but very low.
‘That they are sometimes carried in their bodies and their clothes, sometimes without, and, as the examinant thinks, only their spirits are present; yet they know one another.... The man in black sometimes plays on a pipe or cittern, and the company dances: at last the Devil vanisheth, and all are carried to their several homes, in a short space. At their parting, they say,Hey boy, merry meet, merry part.’
The story of the trial of Rose Cullender and AmyDuny at Bury St. Edmund’s, before Sir Matthew Hale in 1664, has been often told, but in one particular it differs from other cases of witchcraft.
‘Diana BockingSworn and Examined, Deposed. That she lived in the same Town ofLeystoff, and that her said Daughter having been formerly Afflicted with swooning fits, recovered well of them, and so continued for a certain time; and, upon the First ofFebruarylast, she was taken, also, with great pain in her Stomach, like pricking with Pins; and, afterwards, fell into swooning fitts, and so continued till the Deponents coming to the Assizes, having during the same time taken little or no food, but daily vomiting crooked Pins; and, upon Sunday last, raised Seven Pins. And, whilst her fits were upon her, she would spread both her Arms, with her hands open, and use postures as if she catched at something, and would instantly close her hands again; which being immediately forced open, they found several Pins diversely crooked, but could neither see nor perceive how, or in what manner they were conveyed thither. At another time, the sameJanebeing in another of her fitts, talked as if she were discoursing with some persons in the Room (though she would give no answer, nor seem to take notice of any person then present) and would in like manner cast abroad her Arms, saying,I will not have it, I will not have it; and at last, she said,Then I will have it, and so waving her Arm with her hand open, she would presently close the same; which, instantly forced open, they found in it aLath-Nail.’
The two witches were executed, neither confessing.