_Direction of Sir_ EDWARD BROMLEY _Knight, one
of his Maiesties Iustices of Assize at Lancaster._
_Iennet Bierley_ being demanded what shee knoweth, or hath heard,
how _Grace Sowerbuts_ was brought to _Christopher Southworth_, Priest;
shee answereth, that shee was brought to M. _Singletons_ house by her
owne Mother, where the said Priest was, and that shee further heard
her said Mother say, after her Daughter had been in her fit, that shee
should be brought vnto her Master, meaning the said Priest.
And shee further saith, that shee thinketh it was by and through the
Counsell of the said M. _Thomson_, alias _Southworth_, Priest, That
_Grace Sowerbuts_ her Grand-child accused her of Witchcraft, and of
such practises as shee is accused of: and thinketh further, the cause
why the said _Thompson_, alias _Southworth_ Priest, should practise
with the Wench to doe it was, for that shee went to the Church.
_Iane Southworth_ saith shee saw Master _Thompson_, alias
_Southworth_, the Priest, a month or sixe weekes before she was
committed to the Gaole; and had conference with him in a place called
Barne-hey-lane, where and when shee challenged him for slandering her
to bee a Witch: whereunto he answered, that what he had heard thereof,
he heard from her mother and her Aunt: yet she, this Examinate,
thinketh in her heart it was by his procurement, and is moued so to
thinke, for that shee would not be disswaded from the Church.
_Ellen Bierley_ saith, Shee saw Master _Thompson_, alias _Southworth_,
sixe or eight weeks before she was committed, and thinketh the said
Priest was the practiser with _Grace Sowerbutts_, to accuse her of
Witchcraft, and knoweth no cause why he should so doe, but because she
goeth to the Church.
_Signum_, [Symbol: Maltese cross] Iennet Bierley.
_Signum_, £ Iane Southworth.
_Signum_, [Symbol: Greek Phi] Ellen Bierley.
_William Leigh._
_Edward Chisnall._
These Examinations being taken, they were brought into the Court, and
there openly in the presence of this great Audience published, and
declared to the Iurie of Life and Death; and thereupon the Gentlemen
of their Iury required to consider of them. For although they stood
vpon their Triall, for matter of Fact of Witchcraft, Murther, and much
more of the like nature: yet in respect all their Accusations did
appeare to bee practise: they were now to consider of them, and to
acquit them. Thus were these poore Innocent creatures, by the great
care and paines of this honorable Iudge, deliuered from the danger of
this conspiracie; this bloudie practise of the Priest laid open: of
whose fact I may lawfully say; _Etiam si ego tacuero clamabunt
lapides_.
These are but ordinary with Priests and Iesuites: no respect of Bloud,
kindred, or friendship, can moue them to forbeare their Conspiracies:
for when he had laboured treacherously to seduce and conuert them, and
yet could doe no good; then deuised he this meanes.
_God of his great mercie deliuer vs all from them and their damnable
conspiracies: and when any of his Maiesties subiects, so free and
innocent as these, shall come in question, grant them as honorable a
Triall, as Reuerend and worthy a Iudge to sit in Iudgement vpon them;
and in the end as speedie a deliuerance. And for that which I haue
heard of them; seene with my eyes, and taken paines to Reade of them:
My humble prayer shall be to God Almightie._ Vt Conuertantur ne
pereant. Aut confundantur ne noceant.
To conclude, because the discourse of these three women of Salmesbury
hath beene long and troublesome to you; it is heere placed amongst
the Witches, by special order and commandement, to set forth to the
World the practise and conspiracie of this bloudy Butcher. And because
I haue presented to your view a Kalender in the Frontispice of this
Booke, of twentie notorious Witches: I shall shew you their
deliuerance in order, as they came to their Arraignement and Triall
euery day, and as the Gentlemen of euery Iury for life and death stood
charged with them.
[Illustration: decoration]
THE ARRAIGNMENT
_and Triall of_ ANNE REDFERNE,[N3_b_]
_Daughter of_ ANNE WHITTLE, _alias_ CHATTOX,
_of the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie of Lancaster, for
Witchcraft; vpon Wednesday the nineteenth of August,
at the Assises and Generall Gaole-deliuerie, holden at
Lancaster_,