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 said _Prestons_ wife 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 one _Preston_ in _Gisburne_
Parish aforesaid, by _Henry Hargreiues_ of _Goldshey_, 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
Master _Lister_; and hauing had full view of her, hee, this Examinate
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 Master _Lister_; 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, and _Preston’s_ wife 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 said _Preston’s_ wife’s house that day twelve
month; at which time the said _Preston’s_ wife 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 upon _Romles Moore_. And
this Examinate further saith, That at the said feast at _Malkin Tower_,
this Examinate heard them all giue their consents to put the said Master
_Thomas Lister_ of _Westby_ to 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 Master _Leonard 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 at
Lincoln 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.
[Illustration]
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 as she was carried to _Lincolne_ Gaole, with a
horrible excruciation of soule and body, and was buried at _Ancaster_.’
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 calleth _Pretty_, which was given unto her by _William
Berry_ of _Langholme_, in _Rutlandshire_, 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, which
stood 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 one _Ioan Willimot_ of _Goadby_ came
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 said _Ioan
Willimot_ called two spirits, one in the likenesse of a Kitlin, and the
other of a Moldiwarp:[44] the first the said _Willimot_ called _pusse_,
the other _hisse, 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 to _Anne 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 tract _in extenso_:[45]
‘A true relation of the confession of _Elizabeth Sawyer_, spinster, after
her conviction of Witchery, taken on Tuesday the 17 day of _Aprill, 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.
[Illustration]
‘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, and never
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 cause of 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 grant unto 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 the continuance 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:
‘_Marie_ wife of _Henrie 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 the least 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, as yet,
the neighbours knew of no such thing,) reioycing at the Calamity, said,
_Orkton_ now 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 upon _Thomas
Letherland_ and _Mary 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 of _Bunne_. She further saith, that her retainer _Bunne_ carried
_Thomas Gardler_ out 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
sucked twice 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.’