ROBERT HOVLDEN, _one of his Maiesties Iustices
of Peace in the County of Lancaster: Against_ IENNET
BIERLEY, ELLEN BIERLEY, _and_ IANE BIERLEY,
_which hereafter followeth._ viz.
The said Examinate vpon his oath saith, That hee hath seene the
said Sir _Iohn Southworth_ shunne to meet the said wife of _Iohn
Southworth_, now Prisoner in the Gaole, when he came neere where she
was. And hath heard the said Sir _Iohn Southworth_ say, that he liked
her not, and that he doubted she would bewitch him.
Here was likewise _Thomas Sowerbutts_, father of _Grace Sowerbutts_,
examined vpon his oath, and many other witnesses to little purpose:
who being examined by the Court, could depose little against them: But
the finding of the wench vpon the hay in her counterfeit fits:
wherfore I leaue to trouble you with the particular declaration of
their Euidence against the Prisoners, In respect there was not any one
witnes able to charge them with one direct matter of Witchcraft; nor
proue any thing for the murther of the childe.
Herein, before we come to the particular declaration of that wicked
and damnable practise of this Iesuite or Seminary, I shall commend
vnto your examination and iudgement some points of her Euidence,
wherein you shal see what impossibilities are in this accusati[=o]
brought to this perfection, by the great care and paines of this
officious Doctor, Master _Thompson_ or _Southworth_, who commonly
worketh vpon the Feminine disposition, being more Passiue then Actiue.
* * * * *
_The particular points of the Euidence_[M1_b_] _of_ GRACE SOWERBUTTS,
_viz._
Euidence.
_That for the space of some yeares she hath been haunted
and vexed with some women, who haue vsed to come to her._
The Iesuite forgot to instruct his Scholler how long it is since she
was tormented: it seemes it is long since he read the old Badge of a
Lyer, _Oportet mendacem esse memorem_. He knowes not how long it is
since they came to church, after which time they began to practise
Witchcraft. It is a likely thing the Torment and Panges of Witchcraft
can be forgotten; and therefore no time can be set downe.
_Shee saith that now lately these foure women did violently
draw her by the haire of the head, and lay her on the top of
a Hay-mow._
Heere they vse great violence to her, whome in another place they make
choise to be of their counsell, to go with them to the house of
_Walshman_ to murther the childe. This courtesie deserues no discouery
of so foule a Fact.
_Not long after, the said_ Iennet Bierley _did meet this
Examinate neere vnto the place where she dwelled, and first
appeared in her owne likenesse, and after that in the
likenesse of a blacke Dogge._
_Vno & eodem tempore_, shee transformed her selfe into a Dogge. I
would know by what meanes any Priest can maintaine this point of
Euidence.
_And as shee went ouer a Style, shee picked her ouer, but
had no hurt._
This is as likely to be true as the rest, to throw a child downe from
the toppe of a House, and neuer hurt her great toe.
_She rose againe; had no hurt, went to her Aunt, and
returned backe againe to her Fathers house, being fetched
home._
I pray you obserue these contrarieties, in order as they are placed,
to accuse the Prisoners.
_Saterday the fourth of this instant Aprill._
Which was about the very day the Witches of the Forrest of Pendle were
sent to Lancaster. Now was the time for the Seminarie to instruct,
accuse, and call into question these poore women: for the wrinkles of
an old wiues face is good euidence to the Iurie against a Witch.[M2_a_]
And how often will the common people say (_Her eyes are sunke in her
head_, GOD _blesse vs from her._) But old _Chattox_ had
_Fancie_,[M2_b_] besides her withered face, to accuse her.
_This Examinate did goe with the said_ Iennet Bierley _her
Grand-mother, and_ Ellen Bierley _her Aunt, to the house of_
Walshman, _in the night-time, to murther a Child in strange
manner._
This of all the rest is impossible, to make her of their counsell, to
doe murther, whome so cruelly and barbarously they pursue from day to
day, and torment her. The Witches of the Forrest of Pendle were neuer
so cruell nor barbarous.
_And shee also saith, the Child cried not when it was hurt._
All this time the Child was asleepe, or the Child was of an
extraordinarie patience, _ô inauditum facinus_!
_After they had eaten, the said three women and this
Examinate daunced euery one of them with one of the Blacke
things: and after, the Blacke things abused the said women._
Here is good Euidence to take away their liues. This is more proper
for the Legend of Lyes, then the Euidence of a witnesse vpon Oath,
before a reuerend and learned Iudge, able to conceiue this Villanie,
and finde out the practise. Here is the Religious act of a Priest, but
behold the euent of it.
_She describes the foure Blacke things to goe vpright, but
not like Men in the face._
The Seminarie mistakes the face for the feete: For _Chattox_ and all
her fellow Witches agree, the Deuill is clouen-footed: but _Fancie_
had a very good face, and was a very proper Man.
_About tenne dayes after her Examination taken at
Black-borne, then she was tormented._
Still he pursues his Proiect: for hearing his Scholler had done well,
he laboured she might doe more in this nature. But notwithstanding,
many things are layd to be in the times when they were Papists: yet
the Priest neuer tooke paines to discouer them, nor instruct his
Scholler, vntill they came to Church. Then all this was the Act of
GOD, to raise a child to open all things, and then to difcouer his
plotted Tragedie. Yet in this great discouerie, the Seminarie forgot
to deuise a Spirit for them.
And for _Thomas Walshman_, vpon his Oath he sayth, That his Childe had
beene sicke by the space of a fortnight, or three weekes, before it
died. And _Grace Sowerbutts_ saith, they tooke it out of the bedde,
strucke a nayle into the Nauell, sucked bloud, layd it downe againe;
and after, tooke it out of the Graue, with all the rest, as you haue
heard. How these two agree, you may, vpon view of their Euidence, the
better conceiue, and be able to judge.
How well this proiect, to take away the liues of three innocent poore
creatures by practise and villanie; to induce a young Scholler to
commit periurie, to accuse her owne Grand-mother, Aunt, &c. agrees
either with the Title of a Iesuite, or the dutie of a Religious
Priest, who should rather professe Sinceritie and Innocencie, then
practise Trecherie: But this was lawfull; for they are Heretikes
accursed, to leaue the companie of Priests; to frequent Churches,
heare the word of GOD preached, and professe Religion sincerely.
But by the course of Times and Accidents, wise men obserue, that very
seldome hath any mischieuous attempt beene vnder-taken without the
direction or assistance of a Iesuit, or Seminarie Priest.
Who did not condemne these Women vpon this euidence, and hold them
guiltie of this so foule and horrible murder? But Almightie God, who
in his prouidence had prouided meanes for their deliuerance, although
the Priest by the help of the Deuill, had prouided false witnesses to
accuse them; yet GOD had prepared and placed in the Seate of Iustice,
an vpright Iudge to sit in Iudgement vpon their liues, who after he
had heard all the euidence at large against the Prisoners for the
Kings Majestie, demanded of them what answere they could make. They
humbly vpon their knees with weeping teares, desired him for Gods
cause to examine _Grace Sowerbuts_, who set her on, or by whose meanes
this accusation came against them.
Immediately the countenance of this _Grace Sowerbuts_ changed: The
witnesses being behinde, began to quarrell and accuse one an other. In
the end his Lordship examined the Girle, who could not for her life
make any direct answere, but strangely amazed, told him, shee was put
to a Master to learne, but he told her nothing of this.
But here as his Lordships care and paines was great to discouer the
practises of these odious Witches of the Forrest of Pendle, and other
places, now vpon their triall before him: So was he desirous to
discouer this damnable practise, to accuse these poore Women, and
bring their liues in danger, and thereby to deliuer the innocent.
And as he openly deliuered it vpon the Bench, in the hearing of this
great Audience: That if a Priest or Iesuit had a hand in one end of
it, there would appeare to bee knauerie, and practise in the other end
of it. And that it might the better appeare to the whole World,
examined _Thomas Sowerbuts_, what Master taught his daughter: in
generall termes, he denyed all.
The Wench had nothing to say, but her Master told her nothing of this.
In the end, some that were present told his Lordship the truth, and
the Prisoners informed him how shee went to learne with one _Thompson_
a Seminarie Priest, who had instructed and taught her this accusation
against them, because they were once obstinate Papists, and now came
to Church. Here is the discouerie of this Priest, and of his whole
practise. Still this fire encreased more and more, and one witnesse
accusing an other, all things were laid open at large.
In the end his Lordship tooke away the Girle from her Father, and
committed her to M. _Leigh_, a very religious Preacher,[M4_a_] and M.
_Chisnal_, two Iustices of the Peace, to be carefully examined. Who
tooke great paines to examine her of euery particular point: In the
end they came into the Court, and there deliuered this Examination as
followeth.
* * * * *
_The Examination of_ GRACE SOWERBVTS,
_of Salmesburie, in the Countie of Lancaster, Spinster:
Taken vpon Wednesday the 19. of August 1612.
Annoq; Reg. Regis_, IACOBI _Angliæ, Franciæ, & Hiberniæ,
Fidei Defensoris, &c. decimo & Scotiæ_, xlvi.