The poor witches were always seeing troublous times. At about the time of
the Lord Protector's death one was hanged in Norwich and several in
Cornwall. In 1659 two suffered at Lancaster, for crimes which I cannot
discover; while in 1660, on the 14th of May, the Restoration had its
victims in the persons of a widow, her two daughters, and a man, who were
carried to Worcester gaol on the double charge of witchcraft and high
treason. For the eldest daughter had been heard to say that if they had
not been taken the king would never have come to England: which was enough
to frighten all the court into fits. And when they were taken, and tried,
and condemned, she said further that "though he now doth come, yet he
shall not live long but shall die as ill a death as they" adding that had
they not been taken "they would have made corn like pepper:" that is, they
would have blighted it. As there were many other charges against them,
they were swum: when they floated like ducks--or witches; and then they
were searched: when the man was found to have five "bigges," two of the
women three, but the eldest daughter only one. When first searched, none
of these marks were visible on any of the women, whereat the inquisitors
were advised to put them flat on their backs and keep their mouths open,
until they should appear; which advice was taken, with the happiest and
most palpable results.