That same month and year saw a strange matter of witchcraft at Warwick.
"In Warwick Town one Mrs. Katherine Atkins, a Mercer's Wife, standing at
her Door on Saturday night, the 24 July 1652. A certain unknown Woman came
to her and sayd, Mistris, pray give me two-pence, she answered, two-pences
are not so plentifull, and that she would give her no Mony. Pray Mistress,
sayd she, then give me that Pin, so she took the Pin off her sleeve and
gave her, for which she was very thankfull, and was going away. Mistress
Atkins seeing her so thankfull for a Pin, called her again, and told her
if she would stay, she would fetch some victuals for her, or give her
some thread, or something out of the shop. She answered, she would have
nothing else, and bid a pox of her victuals, and swore (by God) saying,
You shall be an hundred miles off within this week, when you shall want
two-pence as much as I, and so she went grumbling away.
"Hereupon the sayd Mistress Atkins was much troubled in mind, and did
advise with some Friends what were best to be done in such a case, but
receiving no resolution from any one what to do, she attended the Event
what might befall within such a time, and upon the 29 of July she exprest
to a kinsman, Mr. Nicholas Bikar, that she was much troubled about the
forsayd businesse, but hoped the time was so much expired, that it would
come to nothing.
"But the sayd Thursday night, betwixt the hours of 8 and 9, She, going
into the Shop, and returning thence in the Entry adjoyning to the sayd
Shop, she was immediately gone, by what means and whither we do not know,
nor can we hear of upon enquiry made to this present.
"The desire of her Husband and Friends is of all the Inhabitants of this
Nation, That if they hear of any such Party in such a lost condition as is
before expressed, That there may be speedy Notice given thereof to her
Husband in Warwick, and that all convenient Provisions, both of Horse and
Mony may be made for the conveying of her to the place aforesayd, and such
as shall take pains, or be at expences herein shall be sufficiently
recompenced for the same, with many thanks.
"It's likewise desired that Ministers in London, and elsewhere, when the
notice of these presents shall come, would be pleased to present her sad
condition to God in their severall Congregations. The truth hereof we
testifie, whose names are subscribed.
{ Richard Vennour.
John Halleford. { Hen. Butler, Ministers of Warwick.
{ Joseph Fisher, Minister.