"The names of XIII Witches and those that have been bewitched by
them.
The Names of those persons that have beene bewitched and thereof haue
dyed, and by whome, and of them that haue receyved bodyly harme, &c.
As appeareth vpon sundrye Enformations, Examinations, and Confessions
taken by the worshipfull Bryan Darcey, Esquire; and by him certified
at large vnto the Queene's Maiestie's Justices of Assise of the
Countie of Essex, the XXIX of Marche, 1582.
S. Osythes. The Witches. } {Kempes wife,
1. Ursley Kempe,} bewitched {Thorlowes Childe,
alias Gray } to death {and Strettons wife.
2. Ales Newman }
and Ursley } bewitched {Letherdalles childe,
Kempe } to death {and Strettons wife.
Confessed by} The said Ales}
Ursley and} and Ursley } bewitched {Strattons Childe,}whereof
Elizabeth.} Kempe } {Grace Thorlowe, }they did
}languish.
{William Byet, and Joan his
3. Elizabeth } bewitched { wife, and iii of his
Bennet } to death { beasts.
{The wife of William Willes,
{ and William Wittingalle.
Elizabeth } {William Bonners Wife, John
Bennet } bewitched { Butler, Fortunes Childe;
{ whereof they did languish.
Ales Newman } bewitched {John Johnson and his Wife,
}to death { and her own Husband, as it
{ is thought.
Confessed } 4. Ales Hunt } bewitched {Rebecca Durrant and vi
the cattell.} } to death { beasts of one Haywardes.
5. Cysley Celles} bewitched { Thomas Deaths Childe.
} to death {
Little } Cysley Celles bewitched {Rosses Mayde, Mary Death,
Clapton. } { whereof they did languish.
Cysley Celles} bewitched Richard Rosses horse and
and } beasts and caused their Impes to
Thorpe. 6. Ales } burne a barne with much corne.
Manfielde }
Confessed by} 7. Ales } bewitched {Robert Chesson, and
Ales } Manfielde } to death { Greuell husband to
Manfield. } and Margaret} { Margaret.
Greuell }
Ales } bewitched the widdow Chesson, and her
Manfielde } husband, v beasts and one bullocke,
and Margaret} and seuerall brewinges of beere, and
Greuell } batches of bread.
Thorpe. 8. Elizabeth } bewitched {Robert Stannevettes Childe,
Ewstace } to death { and Thomas Crosse.
Elizabeth } bewitched Robert Stanneuet, vii milch
Ewstace } beasts, w{h} gaue blood in steede of
milke, and seuerall of his Swine
dyed.
Little Okley. 9. Annys Herd } bewitched {Richard Harrisons wife, and
} to death { two wives of William
{ Dowsinge, as it is
{ supposed.
Annys Herd } bewitched Cartwright two beasts,
} made, sheepe, and lambes xx; West
} swine, and pigs; Diborne, a brewing
} of beere, and seuerall other losses
} of milke and creame.
Walton. 10. Joan Robinson} bewitched beasts, horses, swine, and
} pigs, of seuerall men.
"The sayd Ursley Kemp had foure spyrites, viz., their names Tettey a
hee like a gray Cat, Jack a hee like a black Cat, Pygin a she like a
black Toad, and Tyffin 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 approved
by the other Witches confession.
"The sayd Ales Newman had the sayd Ursley Kemps spirits to vse at her
pleasure. Elizabeth Bennet had two spirits, viz., their names Suckyn,
a hee like a blacke Dog: and Lyard, red lyke a Lyon or Hare.
"Ales Hunt had two spirits lyke Colts, the one blacke, the other
white.
"11. Margery Sammon had two spirits lyke Toads, their Names Tom and
Robyn.
"Cysley Celles had two spirits by seuerall names, viz., Sotheons,
Hercules, Jack, or Mercury.
"Ales Manfield and Margaret Greuell had in common by agreement, iiii
Spirits, viz., their names Robin, Jack, Will, Puppet, alias Mamet,
whereof two were hees, and two were shees, lyke vnto black Cats.
"Elizabeth Ewstace had iii Impes or Spirits of colour white, grey,
and black.
"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, barley, otes, and bread, the Kine with
straw and hay.
Annys Glascocke. } These have not confessed any thing touching
12. Joan Pechey. } the hauing of spirits.
13. Joan Robinson.}
Annis Glascocke } bewitched { Mychell Steuens Childe.
} to death { The base Childe at Pages.
{William Pages Childe.
Thus did W. W. and Bryan Darcey finish their respective works, in which,
perhaps, this formal tabular statement, this pretence at scientific
arrangement and accuracy, is the strangest and most revolting
element.[105]
Another rare and curious[106] black-letter pamphlet gives a marvellous
account of a woman's possession, as it happened in Somersetshire; which
perchance we of the light-minded and sceptical nineteenth century might
interpret differently to what the believing sixteenth held likely.