The Examination ofEdmund RobinsonSon ofEdmund RobinsonofPendle-foresteleven years of age, taken atPadhambeforeRichard ShutleworthandJohn StarkeyEsquires, two of his Majesties Justices of the Peace within the County ofLancaster,the10thday ofFebruary, 1633.
“Who upon Oath informeth, being examined concerning the great meeting of the Witches ofPendle, saith that uponAll-Saints-daylast past, he this Informer being with oneHenry Parkera near door-neighbour to him inWheatleylane, desired the saidParkerto give him leave to gather some Bulloes which he did; In gathering whereof he saw two Grayhounds,viz.a black and a brown; one came running over the next field towards him, he verily thinking the one of them to be Mr.Nutters, and the other to be Mr.Robinsons, the said Gentlemen then having such like. And saith, the said Grayhounds came to him, and fawned on him, they having about their necks either of them a Collar, unto each of which was tied a string: which Collars (as this Informer affirmeth) did shine like Gold. And he thinking that some either of Mr.Nuttersor Mr.Robinsons, Family should have followed them; yet seeing no body to follow them, he took the same Grayhounds thinking to course with them. And presently a Hare did rise very near before him. At the sight whereof he cried, Loo, Loo, Loo: but the Doggs would not run. Whereupon he being very angry took them, and with the strings that were about their Collars, tied them to a little bush at the next hedge, and with a switch that he had in his hand he beat them. And in stead of the black Grayhound oneDickensonsWife stood up, a Neighbour whom this Informer knoweth. And instead of the brown one a little Boy, whom this Informer knoweth not. At which sight this Informer being afraid, endeavoured to run away: but being stayed by the Woman (viz.) byDickensonsWife, she put her hand into her pocket, and pulled forth a piece of Silver much like to a fair shilling, and offered to give him it to hold his tongue and not to tell: which he refused, saying, Nay thou art a Witch. Whereupon she put her hand into her pocket again, and pulled out a thing like unto a Bridle that gingled, which she put on the little Boyes head: which said Boy stood up in the likeness of a white Horse, and in the brown Grayhounds stead. Then immediatelyDickensonsWife took this Informer before her upon the said Horse and carried him to a new house calledHoarstonesbeing about a quarter of a mile off. Whither when they were come, there were divers persons about the door, and he saw divers others riding on Horses of several colours towards the said House, who tied their Horses to a hedge near to the said House. Which persons went into the said House, to the number of threescore or thereabouts, as this Informer thinketh, where they had a fire, and meat roasting in the said House, whereof a young Woman (whom this Informer knoweth not) gave him Flesh and Bread upon a Trencher and Drink in a Glass, which after the first tast he refused and would have no more, but said, it was naught.
“And presently after, seeing divers of the said company going into a Barn near adjoining, he followed after them, and there he saw six of them kneeling, and pulling all six of them six several ropes, which were fastened or tied to the top of the Barn. Presently after which pulling, there came into this Informers sight flesh smoaking, butter in lumps, and milk as it were flying from the said ropes. All which fell into basons which were placed under the said ropes. And after that these six had done, there came other six which did so likewise. And during all the time of their several pulling they made such ugly faces as scared this Informer, so that he was glad to run out and steal homewards: who immediately finding they wanted one that was in their company, some of them ran after him near to a place in a High-way calledBoggard-hole, where he this Informer met two Horsemen. At the sight whereof the said persons left following of him. But the foremost of those persons that followed him, he knew to be oneLoind’s Wife: which said Wife together with oneDickensonsWife, and oneJennet Davieshe hath seen since at several times in a Croft or Close adjoining to his Fathers house, which put him in great fear. And further this Informer saith, uponThursdayafterNewyears-daylast past, he saw the saidLoind’s Wife sitting upon a cross piece of wood being within the Chimney of his Fathers dwelling house: and he calling to her, said Come down thouLoynd’s Wife. And immediately the saidLoynd’s Wife went up out of his sight. And further this Informer saith, that after he was come from the company aforesaid to his Fathers house, being towards evening, his Father bad him go and fetch home two Kine to seal. And in the way in a field called theEllers, he chanced to hap upon a Boy, who began to quarrel with him, and they fought together, till the Informer had his ears and face made up very bloody by fighting, and looking down he saw the Boy had a cloven foot. At which sight he being greatly affrighted, came away from him to seek the Kine. And in the way he saw a light like to a Lanthorn towards which he made haste, supposing it to be carried by some of Mr.Robinsonspeople; but when he came to the place, he only found a Woman standing on a Bridge, whom when he saw he knew her to beLoind’s Wife, and knowing her he turned back again: and immediately he met with the aforesaid Boy, from whom he offered to run, which Boy gave him a blow on the back that made him to cry. And further this Informer saith, that when he was in the Barn, he saw three Women take six Pictures from off the beam, in which Pictures were many Thorns or such like things sticked in them, and thatLoynd’s Wife took one of the Pictures down, but the other two Women that took down the rest he knoweth not. And being further asked what persons were at the aforesaid meeting, he nominated these persons following,viz.DickensonsWife,Henry PriestleysWife, and his Lad,Alice HargreeneWidow,Jane Davies,William Davies, and the Wife ofHenry Fackes, and her SonsJohnandMiles, the Wife ofDenneries,James HargreeneofMarsdead,Loynd’s Wife, oneJameshis Wife,Saundershis Wife, andSaundershimselfsicut credit, oneLaurencehis Wife, oneSaunder Pyn’s Wife ofBarraford, oneHolgateand his Wife ofLeonardsof the West close.”
Edmund RobinsonofPendleFather of the aforesaidEdmund RobinsonMason informeth,
“That uponAll-Saints-daylast he sent his Son the aforesaid Informer to fetch home two Kine to seal, and saith that his Son staying longer than he thought he should have done, he went to seek him, and in seeking of him heard him cry pitifully, and found him so affrighted and distracted, that he neither knew his Father, nor did know where he was, and so continued very near a quarter of an hour before he came to himself. And he told this Informer his Father all the particular passages that are before declared in the saidRobinsonhis Sons information.”
Richard Shutleworth.John Starkey.
Richard Shutleworth.John Starkey.
Richard Shutleworth.
Richard Shutleworth.
John Starkey.
John Starkey.
FINIS.
FINIS.
FINIS.
Fleuron
The Printer desires the Reader to excuse some literal faults, asNandeusforNaudeus,LibaniusforLibavius, and the like, the Author writing a very small hand, and living at great distance that his perusal could not be gotten.
Fleuron
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