Printed by W. STANSBY for IOHN BARNES, and
are to be sold at his Shoppe neere Holborne
Conduit. 1612.
[Illustration: decoration]
THE ARRAIGNMENT
_and Triall of_ IENNET PRESTON
_of Gisborne in Crauen, in the Countie of Yorke, at
the Assises and generall Gaole-deliuerie, holden at the
Castle of Yorke, in the Countie of Yorke, the seuen and
twentieth day of Iuly last past._ Anno Regni Regis Iacobi
Angliæ &c. Decimo & Scotiæ xlvj.
_Jennet Preston._
Many haue vndertaken to write great discourses of Witches and many
more dispute and speake of them. And it were not much if as many wrote
of them as could write at al, to set forth to the world the particular
Rites and Secrets of their vnlawfull Artes, with their infinite and
wonderfull practises which many men little feare till they seaze vpon
them. As by this late wonderfull discouerie of Witches in the Countie
of Lancaster may appeare, wherein I find such apparant matter to
satisfie the World, how dangerous and malitious a Witch this _Iennet
Preston_ was, How vnfit to liue, hauing once so great mercie extended
to her: And againe to reuiue her practises, and returne to her former
course of life; that I thinke it necessarie not to let the memorie of
her life and death die with her; But to place her next to her fellowes
and to set forth the Arraignement Triall and Conviction of her, with
her offences for which she was condemned and executed.
And although shee died for her offence before the rest, I yet can
afford her no better place then in the end of this Booke in respect
the proceedings was in an other Countie;
You that were husband to this _Iennet Preston_; her friends and
kinsfolkes, who haue not beene sparing to deuise so scandalous a
slander out of the malice of your hearts, as that shee was maliciously
prosecuted by Master _Lister_ and others; Her life vniustly taken away
by practise; and that (euen at the Gallowes where shee died impenitent
and void of all feare or grace) she died an Innocent woman, because
she would confesse nothing: You I say may not hold it strange, though
at this time, being not only moued in conscience, but directed, for
example sake, with that which I haue to report of her, I suffer you
not to wander any further, but with this short discourse oppose your
idle conceipts able to seduce others: And by Charmes of Imputations
and slander, laid vpon the Iustice of the Land, to cleare her that was
iustly condemned and executed for her offence; That this _Iennet
Preston_ was for many yeares well thought of and esteemed by Master
_Lister_ who afterwards died for it Had free accesse to his house,
kind respect and entertainment; nothing denied her she stood in need
of. Which of you that dwelleth neare them in Crauen but can and will
witnesse it? which might haue incouraged a Woman of any good condition
to haue runne a better course.
The fauour and goodnesse of this Gentleman Master _Lister_ now liuing,
at his first entrance after the death of his Father extended towards
her, and the reliefe she had at all times, with many other fauours
that succeeded from time to time, are so palpable and euident to all
men as no man can denie them. These were sufficient motiues to haue
perswaded her from the murder of so good a friend.
But such was her execrable Ingratitude, as euen this grace and
goodnesse was the cause of his miserable and vntimely death. And euen
in the beginning of his greatest fauours extended to her, began shee
to worke this mischiefe, according to the course of all Witches.
This _Iennet Preston_, whose Arraignment and Triall, with the
particular Euidence against her I am now to set forth vnto you, one
that liued at Gisborne in Crauen, in the Countie of Yorke, neare
Master _Lister_ of Westbie, against whom she practised much mischiefe;
for hauing cut off _Thomas Lister_ Esquire, father to this gentleman
now liuing,[Y_a_1] shee reuenged her selfe vpon his sonne: who in
short time receiued great losse in his goods and cattell by her
meanes.
These things in time did beget suspition, and at the Assizes and
Generall Gaole deliuerie holden at the Castle of Yorke in Lent last
past, before my Lord _Bromley_, shee was Indicted and Arraigned for
the murder of a Child of one _Dodg-sonnes_,[Y_a_2] but by the fauour
and mercifull consideration of the Iurie thereof acquited.
But this fauour and mercie was no sooner extended towardes her, and
shee set at libertie, But shee began to practise the utter ruine and
ouerthrow of the name and bloud of this Gentleman.
And the better to execute her mischiefe and wicked intent, within
foure dayes after her deliuerance out of the Castle at Yorke, went to
the great Assembly of Witches at _Malking-Tower_ vpon Good-friday
last: to praye aide and helpe, for the murder of Master _Lister_, in
respect he had prosecuted against her at the same Assizes.
Which it pleased God in his mercie to discouer, and in the end,
howsoeuer he had blinded her, as he did the King of Ægypt and his
Instruments, for the brighter euidence of his own powerfull glory: Yet
by a Iudiciall course and triall of the Law, cut her off, and so
deliuered his people from the danger of her Deuilish and wicked
practises: which you shall heare against her, at her Arraignement and
Triall, which I shall now set forth to you in order as it was
performed, with the wonderfull signes and tokens of GOD, to satisfie
the Iurie to finde her guiltie of this bloudie murther, committed
foure yeares since.
* * * * *
Indictment.
This _Iennet Preston_ being Prisoner in the Castle at Yorke, and
indicted, for that shee felloniously had practised, vsed, and
exercised diuerse wicked and deuillish Arts, called Witchcrafts,
Inchauntments, Charmes, and Sorceries, in and vpon one _Thomas Lister_
of Westby in Crauen, in the Countie of Yorke Esquire, and by force of
the same Witchcraft felloniously the said _Thomas Lister_ had killed,
_Contra Pacem &c._ beeing at the Barre, was arraigned.
To this Indictment vpon her Arraignement, shee pleaded not guiltie,
and for the Triall of her life put her selfe vpon GOD and her
Countrey.
Whereupon my Lord _Altham_ commaunded Master Sheriffe of the Countie
of Yorke, in open Court to returne a Iurie of sufficient Gentlemen of
vnderstanding, to passe betweene our Soueraigne Lord the Kings
Majestie and her, and others the Prisoners, vpon their liues and
deaths; who were afterwards sworne, according to the forme and order
of the Court, the prisoner being admitted to her lawfull challenge.
Which being done, and the Prisoner at the Barre to receiue her Tryall,
Master _Heyber_,[Y2_a_] one of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the
same County, hauing taken great paines in the proceedings against her;
and being best instructed of any man of all the particular points of
Euidence against her, humbly prayed, the witnesses hereafter following
might be examined against her, and the seuerall Examinations, taken
before Master _Nowel_, and certified, might openly bee published
against her; which hereafter follow in order, _viz._
* * * * *
_The Euidence for the Kings Maiestie_