Commencement of Witchcraft in England--Dame Eleanor Cobham--Jane
Shore--Lord Huntingford--Cases from the Calendars of State
Papers--Earliest Printed Case, that of John Walsh--Elizabeth
Stile--Three Witches tried at Chelmsford--Witches of St.
Osyth--Witches of Warboys--Witches of Northamptonshire.
At what date the higher cult of sorcery or magic became the drivel known
as witchcraft is uncertain. I am almost inclined to place it (in England)
at 1441; but then the charge was purely political, and I think that the
Calendars of State Papers for nearly a century afterwards bear the
statement out, that for some time afterwards they were so. The case of
Dame Eleanor Cobham is very tersely told in ‘Baker’s Chronicle.’[40]
‘Whilst these Alterations passed in _France_, a more unnatural (_sic_)
passed in _England_; the Uncle riseth against the Nephew, the Nephew
against the Uncle; the Duke of _Gloucester_ brings Articles against the
Cardinal, charging him with affecting Preheminence, to the Derogation of
the King’s Prerogative, and Contempt of his Laws; which Articles are
delivered to the King, and by him to his Council, who, being most of the
Clergy, durst not meddle in them, for fear of offending the Cardinal. On
the other Side, the Cardinal, finding nothing whereof directly to accuse
the Duke of _Gloucester_ himself, accuseth his other self, the Lady
_Eleanor Cobham_, the Duke’s Wife, of Treason for attempting, by Sorcery
and Witchcraft, the Death of the King, and Advancement of her Husband to
the Crown: For which, tho’ acquitted of the Treason, she is adjudged to
open Penance, namely, to go with a Wax Taper in her hand, Hoodless (save
through a Kerchief) through _London_, divers Days together, and after, to
remain in perpetual imprisonment in the _Isle of Man_. The Crime objected
against her was, procuring _Thomas Southwel_, _John Hunne_, Priests,
_Roger Bolingbroke_, a supposed Necromancer, and _Margery Jordan_, called
the Witch of _Eye_, in _Suffolk_, to devise a Picture of Wax in Proportion
of the King, in such sort by Sorcery, that, as the Picture consumed, so
the King’s body should consume: For which they were all condemned. The
Witch was burnt at _Smithfield_, _Bolingbroke_ was hanged, constantly
affirming upon his Death, That neither the Duchess, nor any other from
her, did ever require more of him, than only to know, by his Art, how long
the King should live. _John Hunne_ had his Pardon, and _Southwel_ died the
Night before he should have been executed.’
Shakespeare takes up the common tale about the bewitchment of Richard III.
(Act III., scene 4):
‘GLOUCESTER. Then be your eyes the witness of their evil;
Look how I am bewitch’d; behold my arm
Is, like a blasted sapling, wither’d up:
And this is Edward’s wife, that monstrous witch,
Consorted with that harlot-strumpet Shore,
That, by their witchcraft, thus have markèd me.’
Monarchs in the sixteenth century were especially jealous (for their own
sakes) of this trafficking with the foul fiend. According to Hutchinson,
in 1541, ‘The Lord _Hungerford_ beheaded for procuring certain Persons to
conjure, that they might know how long _Henry_ VIII. would live.’ Another
authority, however, states that ‘Lord Hungerford was attainted and
executed, for keeping an heretical chaplain.’
Queen Elizabeth in 1562 being suspicious of the Countess of Lenox, had her
imprisoned on a trumped-up case of sorcery and witchcraft. But the Devil
evidently had a spite against this Protestant Princess, for in the
Calendar of State Papers for 1584 we read, ‘The Names of the Confederates
against Her Majesty, who have diverse and sundry times conspired her life,
and do daily confederate against her.’ Among others we find Lord Paget,
Sir Geo. Hastings, Sir Thos. Hamner, ‘Ould Birtles the great devel,
Darnally the sorcerer, Maude Twogood enchantresse, the ould witch of
Ramsbury, several other olde witches, Gregson the north tale teller, who
was one of them 3 that stole awaye the Earle of Northumberlande’s head
frome one of the turrettes of York &c.’
We can scarcely wonder at the hatred of James I. of England to witches,
seeing how he had been pestered with them in his realm of Scotland, two
instances of which are recorded in the Calendars of State Papers. ‘1591.
21 May. Witches have been discovered in Scotland, who practised the King’s
death, with the privity of Bothwell.’ ‘1600 16/20 Ap. The Queen of
Scotland is said to be a zealous Catholic, and the King inclined thereto,
because an _Agnus Dei_ given him by the Queen had miraculously saved him
in a tempest at sea, stirred up by witches, as the Witches themselves
confess.’
It is a curious fact, well worthy the thinking over, that England and
Europe had a comparative immunity from the assaults of the Devil, until
after the Reformation, when for a time he became rampagious, troubling
even the arch-Reformer Luther himself.
The earliest English printed book on witchcraft, pure and simple, that I
can find is ‘The Examination of John Walsh,’ London, 1566. He confessed to
having trafficked with ‘Feries’ and learned much from them respecting
stolen goods and bewitched people; but in replying to his eighth
interrogatory, ‘He being demaunded whether he had euer any Familiar or no;
he sayth that he had one of his sayde mayster. Which Familiar (after his
booke of Circles was taken from him by one Robert Baber of Crokehorne,
then being Constable, in the yeare 1565) he could neuer do anything
touching his Familiar, nor the use thereof, but hys Familiar dyd then
depart from him, and wyll neuer come to him agayne, as he sayth. And
further, he sayth upon his oth, that his familiar would sometyme come unto
hym lyke a gray blackish Culuer,[41] and somtyme lyke a brended Dog, and
sometimes lyke a man in all proportions, sauinge that he had clouen feete.
‘Ninthly, he being demaunded howe long he had the use of the Familiar; he
sayd one yeare by his sayd masters life, and iiii yeres after his death.
And when he would call him for a horse stollen, or for any other matter
wherein he would use him; he sayth hee must geue hym some lyuing thing, as
a Chicken, a Cat, or a Dog. And further he sayth he must geue hym twoo
lyuing thynges once a yeare. And at the first time when he had the
Spirite, hys sayd maister did cause him to deliuer him one drop of his
blud, whych bloud the Spirite did take away upon hys paw.
‘Tenthly, he sayth that when the Familiar should doo anything at his
commaundment, in going any arrant; he would not go, except fyrst two wax
candels of Virgin Waxe should first haue bene layd a crosse upon the
Circle, wyth a little Frankensence, and saynt John’s woorte, and once
lighted, and so put out agayne: which Frankensence must be layd then at
euery end of the Candel, as he sayth a crosse, and also a litle
Frankensence with saynt John’s woort burned upon the grounde, or euen the
Familiar would go the message, and returne agayne at the houre
appoynted....
‘... He being further demaunded to what end y{e} Spirits, in the likenes
of Todes and the pictures of man or woman made in wax or clay, doo serue?
He sayde, that Pictures made in wax wyll cause the partye (for whom it is
made) to continue sycke twoo whole yeares ere the wax will be consumed.
And, as for the Pictures of Claye, their confection is after this maner.
They use to take the earth of a new made graue, the rib bone of a man or
woman burned to ashes: if it be for a woman, they take the bone of a
woman, if for a man, the bone of a man, and a blacke Spider, with an inner
pith of an elder, tempered all in water, in which water the sayd Todes (?
Images) must fyrst be washed. And after all ceremonies ended, they put a
pricke, that is a pyn or a thorne in any member wher they wold haue the
party greued. And if the sayde prycke be put to the harte, the party dieth
within nine daies. Which Image they burne in the moste moystest place they
can finde. And, as touching the using of the Todes, the which he sayth
haue seueral names; soon they cal great Brownyng, or little Brownyng, or
Boune, great Tom Twite, or litle Tom Twite, with other like names; Which
Todes being called, the Witches strike with II withie sperres on both
sydes of y{e} head, and saieth to the Spirit, their Pater noster backward,
beginning at the ende of the Pater noster, but they wyll neuer say their
Creede. And when he is stricken, they commaunde the Tode, to hurt such a
man or woman as he would haue hurted. Whereto, if he swell, he will goo
wher he is apointed, either to the deiry, brewhouse, or to the dry kill of
malt, or to the Cattell in the field, to the stable, to the shepefold, or
to any other like places, and so returne agayne to his place.
‘The bodies of men or women bee hurt by the Images before named, and mens
goods and cattels be hurt by the Todes, in commaunding and using them, as
aforesaid as he sayth. And if the Tode Called forth, as afore said, do not
swell, then will the Witch that useth them call forth an other to do the
act, which, if he do not, then will they spy another tyme when they may
cause the partye to be found lacking fayth, or els to bee more voide of
grace, whereby he or they may be hurt. Furthermore he saith, that whoso
doth, once a day saye the Lorde’s prayer and his Creede in perfite
charitie, the Witch shall haue no power on his body or goodes for that
day.’
The witchcrafts of Elizabeth Stile[42] and her four companions were
decidedly malicious according to her printed confession, but according to
her own account they did not prosper, and her state before their trial and
execution seems to have been most pitiable.
‘Also this is not to be forgotten, that the said Mother Stile, beeyng at
the tyme of her apprehension, so well in healthe of bodie and limmes, that
she was able, and did goe on foote from Windsor unto Readyng unto the
Gaile, which are twelue miles distant. Shortly after that she had made the
aforesaid confession, the other Witches were apprehended, and were brought
to the said Gaile, the said Mother Deuell did so bewitche her and others,
(as she confessed unto the Iailer) with her Enchantments, that the use of
all her limmes and senses were taken quite from her, and her Toes did
rotte offe her feete, and she was laied uppon a Barrowe, as a moste uglie
creature to beholde, and so brought before the Iudges, at such tyme as
she was arraigned.’
In the next little book of the same year ‘A Detection of damnable driftes,
practized by three Witches arraigned at Chelmissforde in Essex, at the
late Assizes there holden, whiche were executed in Aprill 1579.’ In
reality there were four witches, but one was not convicted, as no
manslaughter could be found about her. I propose to give one little
anecdote of each, whereby we shall find out something of the Devil’s
appearance to witches, their families, and their extreme malice in petty
things.
‘Imprimis, the saied Elizabeth Fraunces confessed that about Lent last,
(as she now remembreth) she came to one Poole’s wife, her neighbour, and
required some old yest of her, but beyng denied the same, she departed
towardes one good wife Osborne’s house, a neighbour dwelling thereby, of
whome she had yest; and, in her waie, going towards the saied good wife
Osborne’s house, she cursed Poole’s wife, and badde a mischief to light
uppon her, for that she would giue her no yest. Whereuppon, sodenly, in
the waie, she heard a greate noise; and, presently there appered unto her
a Spirite of a white colour, in seemyng like to a little rugged Dogge,
standyng neere her uppon the grounde, who asked her whether she went? shee
aunswered for such thinges as she wanted, and she tolde him therewith that
she could gette no yeest of Poole’s wife, and therefore wished the same
Spirite to goe to her and plague her, whiche the Spirite promised to doe;
but, first he bad her giue him somewhat; then, she, hauing in her hand a
crust of white bread, did bite a peece thereof, and threwe it uppon the
grounde, whiche she thinketh he tooke up, and so went his waie: but,
before he departed from her, she willed hym to plague Poole’s wife in the
head, and since that she neuer sawe him, but she hath hearde by her
neighbours that the same Poole’s wife was greuously pained in her head not
longe after, and remayneth very sore payned still, for on saterdaie last
past this Examinate Talked with her.’
In ‘The euidence giuen against Elleine Smithe of Maldon’ we find:
‘Besides, the sonne of this Mother Smith confessed that his mother did
keepe three Spirites, whereof the one called by her great Dicke, was
enclosed in a Wicker Bottle; the seconde named little Dicke, was putte
into a Leather Bottle; And the third, termed Willet, she kept in a
Wollepacke. And thereupon the house was commaunded to be searched. The
Bottles and packe were found, but the Spirites were vanished awaie.’
Nevertheless this charming Master Smith had done his little utmost to
hasten his mother’s immortality.
Mother Staunton, of Wimbishe, was the one who was not convicted, but
things must have looked rather black against her. ‘Item, she came on a
tyme to the house of one Richard Saunder of Brokewalden; and, beeyng
denied Yeest, which she required of his wife, she went hir waie murmuryng,
as offended with her answere, and, after her departure, the yonge child in
the Cradle was taken vehemently sicke, in a merveilous strange maner,
whereuppon the mother of the Childe tooke it up in her armes to comforte
it, whiche beynge done, the Cradle rocked of it self, five or seuen tymes,
in presence of one of the Earle of Surreis gentilmen; who, seying it,
stabbed his dagger three or fower tymes into the Cradle ere it staied;
merily jesting and saiyng, that he would kill the Deuill, if he would be
rocked there.’
The worst I know about Mother Nokes, the last of this quatrain of witches,
is as follows: ‘A Certaine Seruant to Thomas Spycer of Lamberd Ende, in
Essex, yoman, sporting and passing away the time in play with a great
number of youth, chaunced to snatche a paire of Gloues out of the pockette
of this Mother Nokes’ Daughter, being a yong woman of the age of xxviij
yeres, which he protesteth to haue done in iest. Her mother perceiuyng it,
demaunded the Gloues of him, but he, geuing no greate eare to her wordes,
departed towardes the feeldes to fetch home certeine Cattell. Immediately
upon his departure, quoth the same Mother Nokes, to her Daughter, lette
him alone, I will bounce him well enough; at which time he, being
sodainely taken, and losing the use of his limmes, fell downe. There was a
boye then in his Companie, by whome he sent the Gloues to Mother Nokes.
Notwithstanding, his Maister was faine to cause him to be sent home in a
Wheele Barrowe, and to bee laide into a bedde, wherewith his legges a
crosse he lay bedred eight daies, and as yet hath not attayned to the
right use of his lymmes.’
In 1582 were the witches of St. Osyth, in Essex,[43] but, as they are too
many to particularize, a summary, which appears at the end of the book,
may best be given:
‘THE NAMES OF XIII WITCHES AND THOSE THAT HAUE BEEN BEWITCHED BY THEM.
‘The Names of those persons that haue been bewitched and thereof haue
dyed, and by whome, and of them that haue receiued bodyly harme &c. As
appeareth upon sundrye Enformations, Examinations and Confessions, taken
by the worshipfull Bryan Darcy, Esq{re}: And by him certified at large
unto the Queene’s Maiesties Justices of Assise of the Countie of Essex,
the xxix of March, 1582.
‘1. Ursley Kempe, alias Grey, bewitched to death Kempes Wife, Thorlowes
Childe, Strattons Wife.
‘The said Ursley Kemp had foure spyrites, viz. their names, _Tetty_ a hee,
like a gray Cat; _Jack_, a hee, like a black Cat: _Pygin_, a she, like a
black Toad, and _Tyffyn_, a she, like a white Lambe. The hees were to
plague to death, and the shees to punish with bodily harme and to destroy
cattell. _Tyffyn_, Ursley’s white spirit did tell her alwayes (when she
asked) what the other witches had done: And by her, the most part were
appelled, which spirit telled her alwayes true. As is well approued by the
other Witches Confession.
‘2. Ales Newman and Ursley Kempe bewitched to death Letherdailes Childe
and Strattons Wife.
‘The sayd Ales Newman had the said Ursley Kemps spirits to use at her
pleasure.
‘The sayd Ales and Ursley Kempe bewitched Strattons Childe and Grace
Thorlowe, whereof they did languish.
‘3. Elizabeth Bennet bewitched to death William Byet and Joan his wife,
and iii of his beasts. The Wife of William Willes and William Willingalle.
‘Elizabeth Bennet bewitched William Bonners Wife, John Batler, Fortunes
Childe, whereof they did languish.
‘Elizabeth Bennet had two Spirits, viz. their name Suckyn, a hee, like a
blacke Dog: and Lyard, red lyke a Lyon or Hare.
‘Ales Newman bewitched to death John Johnson and his Wife, and her owne
husband, as it is thought.
‘4. Ales Hunt bewitched to death Rebecca Durrant and vi beasts of one
Haywardes.
‘Ales Hunt had two spirits lyke Coltes, the one blacke, the other white.
‘5. Cysley Celles bewitched to death Thomas Deaths Child. And bewitched
Rosses mayde, Mary Death, whereof they did languish.
‘6. Cysley Celles and Ales Manfielde bewitched Richard Rosses horse and
beasts, and caused their Impes to burne a barne with much corne.
‘Cysley Celles had two Spirits by severall names, viz. Sothrons, Herculus,
Jack, or Mercury.
‘7. Ales Manfielde and Margaret Greuell bewitched to death Robert Cheston
and Greuell Husband to Margaret.
‘Ales Manfielde and Margaret Greuell bewitched the widdow Cheston and her
husband’s v beasts, and one bullocke, and seuerall brewinges of beere and
batches of bread.
‘Ales Manfield and Margaret Greuell had in common, by agreement, iiii
spirits, viz. their names, Robin, Jack, Will, Puppet, alias Magnet,
whereof two were hees, and two shees, lyke unto black Cats.
‘8. Elizabeth Eustace bewitched to death Robert Stanneuette’s Childe and
Thomas Crosse. And bewitched Robert Stannevette’s vii milch beasts, which
gaue blood insteede of milke, and seuerall of his Swine dyed.
‘Elizabeth Eustace had iii Impes or Spirits, of coulour white, grey and
black.
‘9. Annys Herde bewitched to death Richard Harrison’s wife and two wives
of William Dowsing, as it is supposed. And bewitched Cartwright two
beasts. Wade, sheep and lambs, &c. West, swine and pigs. Osborne, a
brewing of beere, and seuerall other losses of milke and creame.
‘10. Annis Herd had vi Impes or spirites like auises and black byrdes, And
vi other like Kine, of the bygnes of Rats, with short hornes: the Auises
shee fed with wheat, barly, Otes and bread, the Kine with straw and hey.
‘11. Margery Sammon had two spirits like Toads, their names Tom and Robyn.
‘12. Annis Glascoke bewitched to death Mychell Steuens Childe, The base
Childe at Pages, William Pages Childe.
‘13. Annis Glascocke, Joan Pechey, Joan Robinson. These haue not confessed
any thing touching the hauing of spirits.’
So we see that eleven out of fourteen women confessed not only all that
was alleged against them; but many of them went out of their way to oblige
Queen Elizabeth’s judges, by confessing more. It seems incredible,
nevertheless it is true.
Not half so interesting is ‘The most strange and admirable discouerie of
the three Witches of Worboys,’ etc., London, 1593. And, besides, it is
such a hackneyed case that it is not worth mentioning, save for the fact
that three people were done to death for it, and that money was left for a
sermon to be preached in Huntingdon, annually, in commemoration of the
fact--a bequest that has now lapsed, the money, of course, disappearing
into someone’s pocket.
Far rarer is the story of ‘The Witches of Northamptonshire, Agnes Browne,
Joane Vaughan, Arthur Bill, Hellen Ienkenson, and Mary Barber, Witches,
who were all executed at Northampton, the 22 of Iuly last, 1612.’
Unfortunately, it is too long for reproduction here in its entirety, which
is a pity, as the story is told by one who would have shone as a
police-court reporter to a certain section of modern journals; but a
portion of it I may give:
‘This _Agnes Browne_ led her life at _Gilsborough_ in the county of
_Northampton_, of poore parentage, and poorer education, one that, as shee
was borne to no good, was, for want of grace neuer in the way to receiue
any; euer noted to bee of an ill nature and wicked disposition, spightful
and malitious, and many yeares before she died, both hated and feared
among her neighbours: Being long suspected in the Towne where she dwelt,
of that crime, which afterwards proved true. This _Agnes Browne_ had a
daughter whose name was _Ioane Vaughan_ or _Varnham_, a maide (or at least
unmarried) as gratious as the mother, and both of them as farre from grace
as Heauen from Hell.
‘This _Ioane_ was so well brought up under her mother’s elbow, that shee
hangd with her for company under her mother’s nose. But to the purpose.
This _Ioane_ one day happening into the company of one Mistris _Belcher_,
a vertuous and godly Gentlewoman of the same towne of _Gilsborough_, this
_Ioane Vaughan_, whether of purpose to giue occasion of anger to the said
Mistris _Belcher_, or but continue her vile and ordinary custome of
behauiour, committed something either in speech or gesture, so unfitting
and unseeming the nature of womanhood, that it displeased the most that
were there present: But especially it touched the modesty of this
Gentlewoman, who was much mooued with her bold and impudent demeanor, that
she could not contain herselfe, but sodainely rose up and strooke her;
howbeit hurt her not, but forced her to auoid the Company: which this
Chicken of the Damme’s hatching, taking disdainfully, and beeing also
enraged (as they that in this kind having power to harme, have neuer
patience to beare) at her going out, told the Gentlewoman that shee would
remember this iniury, and revenge it: To whom Mistris _Belcher_ answered,
that shee neither feared her, nor her mother; but bad her doe her worst.
‘This trull holding herselfe much disgraced, hies home in all hast to her
mother; and telles her the wrong which shee suggested Mistris _Belcher_
had done unto her: Now was the fire and the tow all enflamed: Nothing but
rage and destruction: Had they had an hundred Spirits at command, the
worst and the most hurtfull had been called to this counsell, and imployed
about this businesse. Howbeit upon advise (if such a sinne may take or
give aduise) they staied three or foure daies before they practised
anything, to aduoid suspition, whether the mother aduised the daughter, or
the daughter the mother, I know not, but I am sure the deuill neuer giues
advise to any man or any woman in any act to be wary.
‘The matter thus sleeping (but rage and reuenge doe neuer rest) within a
while was awaked, which Mistris _Belcher_, to her intollerable paine too
soone felt: For being alone in her house, she was sodainely taken with
such a griping and gnawing in her body, that shee cried out, and could
scarce bee held by such as came unto her. And being carried to her bed,
her face was many times so disfigured by beeing drawn awrie, that it both
bred feare, and astonishment to all the beholders; and euer as shee had
breath she cried, _Here comes Ioane Vaughan, away with Ioane Vaughan_.
‘This Gentlewoman being a long time thus strangely handled, to the great
griefe of her friends, it happened that her brother, one Master _Auery_,
hearing of his Sisters sicknesse and extremity, came to see her, and,
being a sorrowfull beholder of that which before hee had heard, was much
moued in his minde at his Sisters pitifull condition, and the rather, for
that as hee knew not the nature of her disease, so hee was utterly
ignorant of any direct way to minister cure or helpe to the same. Hee
often heard her cry out against _Ioane Vaughan_ alias _Varnham_, and her
mother, and heard by report of the neighbours that which before had
happened betwixt his Sister and the said _Ioane_. In so much as having
confirmed his suspition that it was nothing else but Witch-craft, that
tormented his Sister, following Rage rather than Reason, ran sodainly
towards the house of the said _Agnes Browne_ with purpose to draw both the
mother and the daughter to his Sister for her to draw blood on; But, still
as he came neere the house, hee was sodainely stopped, and could not
enter, whether it was an astonishment thorough his feare, or that the
Spirits had that power to stay him, I cannot iudge, but he reported at his
comming backe that hee was forcibly stayed, and could not, for his life,
goe any further forward; and they report, in the Country, that hee is a
Gentleman of a stoute courage. Hee tried twice or thrice afterwards to goe
to the house, but in the same place where he was staied at first, he was
still staied: Belike, the Deuill stood there Centinell, kept his station
well.
‘Upon this Master _Auery_ beeing sory and much agrieued, that he could
not helpe his Sister in this tormenting distresse; and, finding also that
no physicke could doe her any good or easement, tooke a sorrowfull leaue
and heauily departed home to his owne house.
‘The Impe of this Damme, and both Impes of the Deuill, being glad that
they were both out of his reach, shewed presently that they had longer
armes than he, for he felt, within a short time after his comming home,
that hee was not out of their reach, beeing, by the deuilish practises of
these two hel-houndes sodenly and grieuously tormented in the like kinde
and with the like fits of his sister, which continued untill these two
witches either by the procurement of Maister _Auery_ and his friends (or
for some other Deuilish practise they had committed in the Countrey) were
apprehended and brought to _Northampton_ Gaole by Sir _William Saunders_
of _Codesbrooke_, Knight.
‘To which place the Brother and the Sister were brought, still desirous to
scratch the Witches. Which Act, whether it be but superstitiously obserued
by some; or, that experience hath found any power for helpe in this kind
of Action by others, I list not to enquire, onely this I understand that
many haue attempted the practising thereof, how successfully, I know not.
But this Gentleman and his Sister beeing brought to the gaole where these
Witches were detained, hauing once gotten sight of them, in their fits the
Witches being held, by scratching, they drew blood of them, and were
sodainely deliuered of their paine. Howbeit, they were no sooner out of
sight, but they felle againe into their old traunces, and were more
violently tormented than before: for when Mischiefe is once a foote, she
growes in short time so headstrong, that she is hardly curbed.
‘Not long after, Maister _Auery_ and his Sister hauing beene both in
_Northampton_, and hauing drawne blood of the Witches, ryding both
homewards in one Coach, there appeared to their view a man and a woman
ryding both upon a blacke horse. M. _Auery_ hauing spyed them a farre off,
and noting many strange gestures from them, sodainely spake to them that
were by, and (as it were Prophetically) cryed out in these words, That
either they, or their Horses should presently miscarry. And, immediately,
the horses fell downe dead. Whereupon Maister _Auery_ rose up praysing
y{e} grace and mercies of God, that he had so powerfully deliuered them,
and had not suffered the foule spirits to worke the uttermost of their
mischiefe upon men made after his image, but had turned their fury against
Beasts. Upon this, they both hyed them home, still praysing God for their
escape, and were neuer troubled after.
‘I had almost forgotten to tell you before, that M. _Auery_ was by the
Judges themselves in y{e} Castle Yard of _Northampton_, seene in the
middest of his fits, and that he strangely continued in them untill this
_Ioane Vaughan_ was brought to him.
‘But now to draw neere unto their ends, this _Agnes Browne_ and her
daughter _Ioane Vaughan_, being brought to their Arraignment, were there
indicted for that they had bewitched the bodies of Maister _Auery_ and his
sister Mistris _Belcher_ in manner and forme aforesayd. Together with the
body of a young Child to the death; (the true relation whereof came not to
my hands). To all which they pleaded not guilty, and, putting themselues
uppon the countrey, were found guilty. And when they were asked what they
could say for themselves, why y{e} sentence of death should not be
pronounced against them, they stood stiffely upon their Innocence.
Whereupon, Judgement beeing giuen, they were carried backe unto the Gaole,
where they were neuer heard to pray, or to call uppon God, but with bitter
Curses and execrations, spent that little time they had to liue, untill
the day of their Execution, when neuer asking pardon for their offences,
either of God, or the world, in this their daungerous and desperate
resolution, dyed.
[Illustration]
‘It was credibly reported that some fortnight before their apprehension,
this _Agnes Browne_, one _Katherine Gardiner_, and one _Ioane Lucas_, all
birdes of a winge, and all abyding in the Towne of _Gilsborough_ did ride
one night to a place (not aboue a mile off) called _Rauenstrop_ all upon a
Sowes back, to see one mother _Rhoades_, an old Witch that dwelt there;
but, before they came to the house the old Witch died; and, in her last
cast cried out, that there were three of her old friends comming to see
her, but they came too late. Howbeit, shee would meete with them in
another place within a month after.’