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PRIZE ESSAYS
OF THE
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
1909
To this Essay was awarded the
Herert !a"ter Ada#s Pri$e
i% E&ro'ea% History
(or 1909
A HISTORY
OF
)ITCHCRAFT IN EN*LAN+
FROM 1,,- TO 1.1-
!Y
WALLACE NOTESTEIN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY IN THE /NI0ERSITY OF MINNESOTA
P/!LISHE+ !Y
TH! AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
)ashi%1to%2 1911
Co'yri1ht2 1911
!r The A#eri3a% Histori3a4 Asso3iatio%
)ashi%1to%2 d5 C5
THE LOR+ !ALTIMORE PRESS
!ALTIMORE2 M+52 O5 S5 A5
PREFACE.
In its original form this essay was the dissertation
submitted for a doctorate in philosophy conferred by
Yale Uniersity in !"#$. %hen first pro&ected it was the
writer's purpose to ta(e up the sub&ect of English
witchcraft under certain general political and social
aspects. It was not long) howeer) before he began to
feel that preliminary to such a treatment there was
necessary a chronological surey of the witch trials.
*hose strange and tragic affairs were so closely in+
oled with the politics) literature) and life of the
seenteenth century that one is surprised to find how
few of them hae receied accurate or complete record
in history. It may be said) in fact) that few sub&ects hae
gathered about themseles so large concretions of mis+
information as English witchcraft. *his is largely) of
course) because so little attention has been gien to it
by serious students of history. *he mista(es and mis+
understandings of contemporary writers and of the
local historians hae been handed down from county
history to county history until many of them hae crept
into general wor(s. For this reason it was determined
to attempt a chronological treatment which would
gie a narratie history of the more significant trials
along with some account of the progress of opinion.
*his plan has been adhered to somewhat strictly) some+
times not without regret upon the part of the writer. It
is his hope later in a series of articles to deal with some
of the more general phases of the sub&ect) with such
topics as the use of torture) the part of the physicians)
the contagious nature of the witch alarms) the relation
of Puritanism to persecution) the supposed influence of
the Royal ,ociety) the general causes for the gradual
decline of the belief) and other li(e -uestions. It will
be seen in the course of the narratie that some of these
matters hae been touched upon.
*his study of witchcraft has been limited to a period
of about one hundred and si.ty years in English his+
tory. *he year !//$ has been chosen as the starting
point because almost immediately after the accession of
Eli0abeth there began the moement for a new law) a
moement which resulted in the statute of !/12. %ith
that statute the history of the persecution of witches
gathers importance. *he year !3!$ has been selected
as a concluding date because that year was mar(ed by
the publication of Francis 4utchinson's notable attac(
upon the belief. 4utchinson leelled a final and deadly
blow at the dying superstition. Few men of intelligence
dared after that aow any belief in the reality of witch+
craft 5 it is probable that ery few een secretly cher+
ished such a belief. A complete history would of course
include a full account both of the witch trials from An+
glo+,a.on times to Eli0abeth's accession and of the
arious witch+swimming incidents of the eighteenth
century. *he latter it has not seemed worth while here
to consider. *he former would inole an e.amination
of all English sources from the earliest times and would
mean a study of isolated and unrelated trials occurring
at long interals 6at least) we hae record only of such7
and chiefly in church courts. *he writer has not under+
ta(en to treat this earlier period 5 he must confess to
but small (nowledge of it. In the few pages which he
has gien to it he has attempted nothing more than to
s(etch from the most obious sources an outline of
what is currently (nown as to English witches and
witchcraft prior to the days of Eli0abeth. It is to be
hoped that some student of medieal society will at
some time ma(e a thorough inestigation of the history
of witchcraft in England to the accession of the great
8ueen.
For the study of the period to be coered in this
monograph there e.ists a wealth of material. It would
perhaps not be too much to say that eerything in print
and manuscript in England during the last half of the
si.teenth and the entire seenteenth century should be
read or at least glanced oer. *he writer has limited
himself to certain (inds of material from which he could
reasonably e.pect to glean information. *hese sources
fall into seen principal categories. 9ost important of
all are the pamphlets) or chapboo(s) dealing with the
history of particular alarms and trials and usually con+
cluding with the details of confession and e.ecution.
,econd only to them in importance are the local or
municipal records) usually court files) but sometimes
merely e.pense accounts. In the memoirs and diaries can
be found many mentions of trials witnessed by the diar+
ist or described to him. *he newspapers of the time) in
their eagerness to e.ploit the unusual) sei0e gloatingly
upon the stories of witchcraft. *he wor(s of local
historians and anti-uarians record in their lists of
stri(ing and e.traordinary eents within their counties
or boroughs the seeral trials and hangings for the
crime. *he writers) mainly theologians) who discuss
the theory and doctrine of witchcraft illustrate the prin+
ciples they lay down by cases that hae fallen under
their obseration. :astly) the state papers contain oc+
casional references to the actiities of the ;eil and of
his agents in the realm<
=esides these seen types of material there should
be named a few others less important. From the pam+
phlet accounts of the criminal doc(ets at the >ld =ailey
and ?ewgate) leaflets which were published at fre-uent
interals after the Restoration) are to be gleaned men+
tions of perhaps half a do0en trials for witchcraft. *he
plays of ;e((er) 4eywood) and ,hadwell must be used
by the student) not because they add information
omitted elsewhere) but because they offer some clue to
the way in which the witches at Edmonton and :an+
caster were regarded by the public. If the pamphlet
narratie of the witch of Edmonton had been lost) it
might be possible to reconstruct from the play of ;e(+
(er) Ford) and Rowley some of the outlines of the story.
It would be at best a ha0ardous underta(ing. *o re+
construct the trials at :ancaster from the plays of 4ey+
wood and =rome or from that of ,hadwell would be
-uite impossible. *he ballads present a form of ei+
dence much li(e that of the plays. :i(e the plays) they
happen all to deal with cases about which we are
already well informed. In general) they seem to follow
the narraties and depositions faithfully.
?o mention has been made of manuscript sources.
*hose used by the author hae all belonged to one or
other of the types of material described.
It has been remar(ed that there is current a large
body of misinformation about English witchcraft
It would be ungrateful of the author not to ac(nowl+
edge that some ery good wor( has been done on the
theme. *he Reerend Francis 4utchinson) as already
mentioned) wrote in !3!$ an epoch+ma(ing history of
the sub&ect) a boo( which is still useful and can neer be
wholly displaced. In !$/ ! *homas %right brought out
his ?arraties of ,orcery and 9agic) a wor( at once
entertaining and learned. %right wrote largely from
original sources and wrote with a good deal of care.
,uch blunders as he made were the result of haste
and of the want of those materials which we now
possess. 9rs. :ynn :inton's %itch ,tories) published
first in !$1!) is a better boo( than might be supposed
from a casual glance at it It was written with no more
serious purpose than to entertain) but it is by no means
to be despised. ,o far as it goes) it represents careful
wor(. It would be wrong to pass oer :ec(y's brilliant
essay on witchcraft in his 4istory of Rationalism) al+
uable of course rather as an interpretation than as an
historical account. :ec(y said many things about
witchcraft that needed to be said) and said them well.
It is my belief that his erdicts as to the importance
of sundry factors may hae to be modified5 but)
howeer that be) the importance of his essay must
always be recogni0ed. >ne must not omit in passing
@ames Russell :owell's charming essay on the sub&ect.
=oth :ec(y and :owell of course touched English
witchcraft but lightly. ,ince 9rs. :ynn :inton's no
careful treatment of English witchcraft proper has ap+
peared. In !"#3) howeer) Professor Aittredge pub+
lished his ?otes on %itchcraft) the si.ty+seen pages of
which with their footnotes contain a more scrupulous
sifting of the eidence as to witchcraft in England than
is to be found in any other treatment. Professor Aitt+
redge is chiefly interested in English witchcraft as it
relates itself to witchcraft in ?ew England) but his
wor( contains much that is fresh about the belief in Eng+
land. As to the role and the importance of arious
actors in the drama and as to sundry minor matters)
the writer has found himself forced to diergence of
iew. 4e recogni0es neertheless the importance
of Professor Aittredge's contribution to the study
of the whole sub&ect and ac(nowledges his own in+
debtedness to the essay for suggestion and guidance.
*he author cannot hope that the wor( here presented
is final. Unfortunately there is still hidden away in
England an une.plored mass of local records. ,ome of
them no doubt contain accounts of witch trials. I hae
used chiefly such printed and manuscript materials as
were accessible in :ondon and >.ford. ,ome day per+
haps I may find time to go the rounds of the English
counties and search the masses of gaol deliery records
and municipal archies. From the really small amount
of new material on the sub&ect brought to light
by the 4istorical 9anuscripts Commission and by the
publication of many municipal records) it seems im+
probable that such a search would uncoer so many
unlisted trials as seriously to modify the narratie.
?eertheless until such a search is made no history of
the sub&ect has the right to be counted final. 9r.
Charles %. %allace) the student of ,ha(espeare) tells
me that in turning oer the multitudinous records of
the ,tar Chamber he found a few witch cases. Pro+
fessor Aittredge beliees that there is still a great deal
of such material to be turned up in priate collections
and local archies. Any information on this matter
which any student of English local history can gie me
will be gratefully receied.
I wish to e.press my than(s for reading parts of the
manuscript to %illiam ,aage @ohnson of Aansas Uni+
ersity and to 9iss Ada Comstoc( of the Uniersity of
9innesota. For general assistance and adice on the
sub&ect I am under obligations to Professor %ilbur C
Abbott and to Professor Beorge =urton Adams of Yale
Uniersity. It is -uite impossible to say how ery much
I owe to Professor Beorge :. =urr of Cornell. From
coer to coer the boo() since the award to it of the
Adams Pri0e) has profited from his painsta(ing criti+
cism and wise suggestion.
%.?.
9inneapolis) >ctober !#) !"!!.
C>?*E?*,.
PABE
Preface
C4AP*ER :
*he =eginnings of English %itchcraft . . i
C4AP*ER II.
%itchcraft under Eli0abeth 22
C4AP*ER III.
Reginald ,cot /3
C4AP*ER IC.
*he E.orcists 32
C4AP*ER C.
@ames I and %itchcraft "2
C4AP*ER CI.
?otable @acobean Cases !D#
C4AP*ER CII.
*he :ancashire %itches and Charles I .!E1
C4AP*ER CIII.
9atthew 4op(ins !1E
C4AP*ER IF. page
%itchcraft during the Commonwealth and Pro+
tectorate D#1
C4AP*ER F.
*he :iterature of %itchcraft from !1#2 to !11# . DD3
C4AP*ER F:
%itchcraft under Charles II and @ames II . . D/E
C4AP*ER FII.
Blanill and %ebster and the :iterary %ar oer
%itchcraft) !11#+!1$$ D$E
C4AP*ER FII:
*he Final ;ecline 2!2
C4AP*ER FIC.
*he Close of the :iterary Controersy . . 22E
Appendices 2E/
A. Pamphlet :iterature .... 2E/
=. :ist of Persons ,entenced to ;eath for
%itchcraft during the Reign of @ames I 2$2
C. :ist of Cases of %itchcraft) !//$+!3!3)
with References to ,ources and :it+
erature 2$E
Inde. . . . ED!
C4AP*ER I.
*he =eginnings of English %itchcraft.
It has been said by a thoughtful writer that the sub+
&ect of witchcraft has hardly receied that place which
it deseres in the history of opinions. *here has been)
of course) a reason for this neglect G the fact that the be+
lief in witchcraft is no longer e.istent among intelligent
people and that its history) in conse-uence) seems to
possess rather an anti-uarian than a liing interest. ?o
one can tell the story of the witch trials of si.teenth
and seenteenth century England without digging up
a buried past) and the process of e.humation is not
always pleasant. Yet the study of English witchcraft
is more than an unsightly e.posure of a forgotten
superstition. *here were few aspects of si.teenth and
seenteenth century life that were not affected by the
ugly belief. It is -uite impossible to grasp the social con+
ditions) it is impossible to understand the opinions) fears)
and hopes of the men and women who lied in Eli0a+
bethan and ,tuart England) without some (nowledge
of the part played in that age by witchcraft. It was a
matter that concerned all classes from the royal house+
hold to the ignorant deni0ens of country illages. Priy
councillors an.ious about their soereign and thrifty
peasants worrying oer their crops) clergymen alert to
detect the ;eil in their own parishes) medical -uac(s
eager to profit by the fear of eil women) &ustices of the
peace 0ealous to beat down the wor(s of ,atan G all
classes) indeed G belieed more or less sincerely in the
dangerous powers of human creatures who had surren+
dered themseles to the Eil >ne.
%itchcraft) in a general and ague sense) was some+
thing ery old in English history. In a more specific
and limited sense it is a comparatiely modern phe+
nomenon. *his leads us to a definition of the term. It
is a definition that can be gien ade-uately only in an
historical way. A group of closely related and some+
what ill defined conceptions went far bac(. ,ome of
them) indeed) were to be found in the >ld *estament)
many of them in the :atin and Bree( writers. *he
word witchcraft itself belonged to Anglo+,a.on days.
As early as the seenth century *heodore of *arsus
imposed penances upon magicians and enchanters) and
the laws) from Alfred on) abound with mentions of
witchcraft. ! From these passages the meaning of the
word witch as used by the early English may be fairly
deduced. *he word was the current English term for
one who used spells and charms) who was assisted by
eil spirits to accomplish certain ends. It will be seen
that this is by no means the whole meaning of the term
in later times. ?othing is yet said about the transfor+
mation of witches into other shapes) and there is no
mention of a compact) implicit or otherwise) with the
;eil 5 there is no allusion to the nocturnal meetings of
the ;eil's worshippers and to the orgies that too( place
upon those occasions5 there is no elaborate and sys+
tematic theological e.planation of human relations with
demons.
! =en&amin *horpe) Ancient :aws and Institutes of England 6:ondon)
!$E#7) I) E!5 :iebermann) ;ie B tsetse dor Angelsachsen 64alle) !"#17)
and passages cited in his %orterbnc( nnder wiccan) wiccaenrft5 *homas
%right) ed.) A Contemporary ?arratie of the Proceedings against ;ame
Alice Ayteler 6Camden ,oc.) :ondon) !$E27) introd.) i+iii.
=ut these notions were to reach England soon enough.
Already there were germinating in southern Europe
ideas out of which the completer notions were to spring.
As early as the close of the ninth century certain =y+
0antine traditions were being introduced into the
%est. *here were legends of men who had made writ+
ten compacts with the ;eil) men whom he promised to
assist in this world in return for their souls in the ne.t. !
=ut) while such stories were current throughout the
9iddle Ages) the notion behind them does not seem to
hae been connected with the other features of what
was to ma(e up the idea of witchcraft until about the
middle of the fourteenth century. It was about that
time that the belief in the H ,abbat H or nocturnal as+
sembly of the witches made its appearance.< *he
belief grew up that witches rode through the air to these
meetings) that they renounced Christ and engaged in
foul forms of homage to ,atan. :ea tells us that to+
wards the close of the century the Uniersity of Paris
formulated the theory that a pact with ,atan was in+
herent in all magic) and &udges began to connect this
pact with the old belief in night riders through the air.
*he countless confessions that resulted from the care+
fully framed -uestions of the &udges sered to deelop
and systemati0e the theory of the sub&ect. *he witch
was much more than a sorcerer. ,orcerers had been
those who) through the aid of eil spirits) by the use
< Beorge :. =urr) H*he :iterature of %itchcraft)H printed in Papers
of the Am. 4ist. Assoc) IC 6?ew Yor() !$"#7) DEE.
I 4enry C :ea) 4istory of the In-uisition in ,pain 6?ew Yor() !"#1+
!"#37! IC) D#35 cf. his 4istory of the In-uisition of the 9iddle Ages
6?ew Yor() !$$$7) III) chs. CI) CII. *he moat elaborate study of the
rise of the delusion is that by @. 4ansen) Jauberwahn) In-uisition und
4e.enpro9ess im 9ittelalter 6Cologne) !"##7.
of certain words or of representations of persons or
things produced changes aboe the ordinary course of
nature. H*he witch)H says :ea) Hhas abandoned
Christianity) has renounced her baptism) has wor+
shipped ,atan as her Bod) has surrendered herself to
him) body and soul) and e.ists only to be his instrument
in wor(ing the eil to her fellow creatures which he can+
not accomplish without a human agent.H < *his was the
final and definite notion of a witch. It was the concep+
tion that controlled European opinion on the sub&ect
from the latter part of the fourteenth to the close of the
seenteenth century. It was) as has been seen) an
elaborate theological notion that had grown out of the
comparatiely simple and ague ideas to be found in the
scriptural and classical writers.
It may well be doubted whether this definite and in+
tricate theological notion of witchcraft reached England
so early as the fourteenth century. Certainly not until
a good deal later G if negatie eidence is at all trust+
worthy G was a clear distinction made between sorcery
and witchcraft. *he witches searched for by 4enry
IC) the professor of diinity) the friar) the cler() and
the witch of Eye) who were hurried before the Council
of 4enry CI) that unfortunate ;uchess of Bloucester
who had to wal( the streets of :ondon) the ;uchess
of =edford) the conspirators against Edward IC who
were supposed to use magic) the unluc(y mistress of
Edward IC G none of these who through the course of
two centuries were charged with magical misdeeds
were) so far as we (now) accused of those dreadful re+
lations with the ;eil) the nauseating details of which
fill out the later narraties of witch history.
E :ea) In-uisition in ,pain) IC
*he truth seems to be that the idea of witchcraft was
not ery clearly defined and differentiated in the minds
of ordinary Englishmen until after the beginning of
legislation upon the sub&ect. It is not impossible that
there were English theologians who could hae set forth
the complete philosophy of the belief) but to the aerage
mind sorcery) con&uration) enchantment) and witchcraft
were but eil ways of mastering nature. All that was
changed when laws were passed. %ith legislation came
greatly increased numbers of accusations 5 with accusa+
tions and e.ecutions came treatises and theory. Con+
tinental writers were consulted) and the whole system
and science of the sub&ect were soon elaborated for all
who read.
%ith the earlier period) which has been s(etched
merely by way of definition) this monograph cannot
attempt to deal. It limits itself to a narratie of the
witch trials) and incidentally of opinion as to witchcraft)
after there was definite legislation by Parliament. *he
statute of the fifth year of Eli0abeth's reign mar(s a
point in the history of the &udicial persecution at which
an account may ery naturally begin. *he year !//$
has been selected as the date because from the ery
opening of the reign which was to be signali0ed by the
passing of that statute and was to be characteri0ed by a
serious effort to enforce it) the persecution was pre+
paring.
Up to that time the crime of sorcery had been dealt
with in a few early instances by the common+law courts)
occasionally 6where politics were inoled7 by the
priy council) but more usually) it is probable) by the
church. *his) indeed) may easily be illustrated from
the wor(s of law. =ritton and Fleta include an in-uiry
about sorcerers as one of the articles of the sheriff's
tourn. A note upon =ritton) howeer) declares that it
is for the ecclesiastical court to try such offenders and to
delier them to be put to death in the (ing's court) but
that the (ing himself may proceed against them if he
pleases.< %hile there is some oerlapping of procedure
implied by this) the confusion seems to hae been yet
greater in actual practice. A brief narratie of some cases
prior to !//$ will illustrate the strangely unsettled state
of procedure. Polloc( and 9aitland relate seeral
trials to be found in the early pleas. In !D#" one wom+
an accused another of sorcery in the (ing's court and
the defendant cleared herself by the ordeal. In !D3"
a man accused of (illing a witch who assaulted him in
his house was fined) but only because he had fled away.
%alter :angton) =ishop of :ichfield and treasurer of
Edward I) was accused of sorcery and homage to ,atan
and cleared himself with the compurgators. In !2D/
more than twenty men were indicted and tried by the
(ing's bench for murder by tormenting a wa.en image.
All of them were ac-uitted. In !23! there was
brought before the (ing's bench an inhabitant of ,outh+
war( who was charged with sorcery) but he was finally
discharged on swearing that he would neer be a sor+
cerer.<
It will be obsered that these early cases were all of
them tried in the secular courts 5 but there is no reason
to doubt that the ecclesiastical courts were -uite as ac+
tie) and their 0eal must hae been -uic(ened by the
I Polloc( and 9aitland) 4istory of English :aw 6ad ed.) Cambridge)
!$"$7) II) //E.
< Ibid. ,ee also %right) ed.) Proceedings against ;ame Alice Ayteler)
introd.) i..
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* 3
statute of !E#!) which in cases of heresy made the lay
power their e.ecutioner. It was at nearly the same
time) howeer) that the charge of sorcery began to be
fre-uently used as a political weapon. In such cases)
of course) the accused was usually a person of influence
and the matter was tried in the council. It will be seen)
then) that the crime was one that might fall either under
ecclesiastical or conciliar &urisdiction and the particular
circumstances usually determined finally the &uris+
diction. %hen 4enry IC was informed that the dio+
cese of :incoln was full of sorcerers) magicians) en+
chanters) necromancers) diiners) and soothsayers) he
sent a letter to the bishop re-uiring him to search for
sorcerers and to commit them to prison after coniction)
or een before) if it should seem e.pedientK *his was
entrusting the matter to the church) but the order was
gien by authority of the (ing) not improbably after
the matter had been discussed in the council. In the
reign of 4enry CI conciliar and ecclesiastical author+
ities both too( part at different times and in different
ways. *homas ?orthfield) a member of the >rder of
Preachers in %orcester and a professor of diinity)
was brought before the council) together with all sus+
pected matter belonging to him) and especially his boo(s
treating of sorcery. Pi(e does not tell us the outcome. $
In the same year there were summoned before the coun+
cil three humbler sorcerers) 9argery @ourdemain) @ohn
Cirley) a cleric) and @ohn Ashwell) a friar of the
* Ibid.) .. :incoln) not ?orwich) as %right's te.t 6followed by Pol+
loc( and 9aitland7 has it. ,ee the royal letter itself printed in his
footnote) and cf. Rymer's Focdera 6under date of D @an. !E#17 and the
Calendar of the Patent Rolls 64enry IC) ol. Ill) p. 00a7. *he bishop
was Philip Repington) late the Aing's chaplain and confessor.
I :. >. Pi(e) 4istory of Crime in England 6:ondon) !$327) I) 2//+2/L.
$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
>rder of the 4oly Cross. It would be hard to say
whether the three were in any way connected with
political intrigue. It is possible that they were sus+
pected of sorcery against the soereign. *hey were all)
howeer) dismissed on giing security.< It was only a
few years after this instance of conciliar &urisdiction
that a much more important case was turned oer to
the clergy. *he story of Eleanor Cobham) ;uchess of
Bloucester) is a familiar one. It was determined by the
enemies of ;u(e 4umphrey of Bloucester to attac(
him through his wife) who was belieed to be influential
with the young (ing. *he first moe was made by ar+
resting a Roger =olingbro(e who had been connected
with the du(e and the duchess) and who was said to be
an astronomer or necromancer. It was declared that
he had cast the duchess's horoscope with a iew to as+
certaining her chances to the throne. =olingbro(e made
confession) and Eleanor was then brought before H cer+
tayne bisshoppis of the (yngis.H In the mean time
seeral lords) members of the priy council) were au+
thori0ed to H en-uire of al maner tresons) sorcery) and
alle othir thyngis that myghte in eny wise . . . concerne
harmfulli the (yngis persone.H u =olingbro(e and a
clergyman) *homas ,outhwell) were indicted of treason
with the duchess as accessory. %ith them was ac+
cused that 9argery @ourdemain who had been released
ten years before. Eleanor was then ree.amined before
the =ishops of :ondon) :incoln) and ?orwich) she was
condemned as guilty) and re-uired to wal( barefoot
Ibid. ,ir 4arris ?icolas) Proceedings and >rdinances of the Priy
Council 6:ondon) !$2E+!$237) IC) !.E.
!# English Chronicle of the Reigns of Richard II) etc.) edited by @. ,.
;aies 6Camden ,oc.) :ondon) !$/17) /3+1#.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* "
through the streets of :ondon) which she H dede righte
me(ely .H *he rest of her life she spent in a northern
prison. =olingbro(e was e.ecuted as a traitor) and
9argery @ourdemain was burnt at ,mithfield. u
*he case of the ;uchess of =edford G another in+
stance of the connection between sorcery and political
intrigue G fell naturally into the hands of the council.
It was belieed by those who could understand in no
other way the (ing's infatuation that he had been be+
witched by the mother of the -ueen. *he story was
whispered from ear to ear until the duchess got wind
of it and complained to the council against her ma+
ligners. *he council declared her cleared of suspicion
and ordered that the decision should be H enacted of
record.H a
*he charge of sorcery brought by the protector Rich+
ard of Bloucester against @ane ,hore) who had been the
mistress of Edward IC) neer came to trial and in
conse-uence illustrates neither ecclesiastical nor concil+
iar &urisdiction. It is worthy of note howeer that the
accusation was preferred by the protector G who was
soon to be Richard III G in the council chamber.H
It will be seen that these cases proe ery little as to
procedure in the matter of sorcery and witchcraft.
*hey are cases that arose in a disturbed period and that
concerned chiefly people of note. *hat they were tried
before the bishops or before the priy council does not
u Ramsay) :ancaster and Yor( 6>.ford) !$"D7) II) 2!+2/5 %right) ed..
Proceedings against ;ame Alice Ayteler) introd.) .+.i) -uoting the
Chronicle of :ondon5 A. 4. Cic(ers) 4umphrey) ;u(e of Bloucester
6:ondon) !"#37) D1"+D3".
H%right) ed.) op. cit.) introd.) .i+.ii.
H@ames Bairdner) :ife and Reign of Richard III 6ad ed.) :ondon)
!$3"7) $!+$". @ane ,hore was finally tried before the court of the =ishop
of :ondon.
io %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
mean that all such charges were brought into those
courts. *here must hae been less important cases that
were neer brought before the council or the great
ecclesiastical courts. It seems probable G to reason
bac(ward from later practice G that less important
trials were conducted almost e.clusiely by the minor
church courts H
*his would at first lead us to suspect that) when the
state finally began to legislate against witchcraft by
statute) it was endeaoring to wrest &urisdiction of the
crime out of the hands of the church and to put it into
secular hands. ,uch a supposition) howeer) there is
nothing to &ustify. It seems probable) on the contrary)
that the statute enacted in the reign of 4enry CIII was
passed rather to support the church in its struggle
against sorcery and witchcraft than to limit its &uris+
diction in the matter. It was to assist in chec(ing these
practitioners that the state stepped in. At another
point in this chapter we shall hae occasion to note the
great interest in sorcery and all (indred sub&ects that
was springing up oer England) and we shall at times
obsere some of the manifestations of this interest as
well as some of the causes for it. 4ere it is necessary
only to urge the importance of this interest as account+
ing for the passage of a statute. ! <
!E ,ir @. F. ,tephen) 4istory of the Criminal :aw of England 6:ondon)
!$$27) II) E.#) gies fie instances from Archdeacon 4ale's Ecclesiastical
Precedents5 see e.tracts from :incoln Episcopal Cisitations in Archa+
ologia 6,oc. of Anti-uaries) :ondon7) F: CIII) 2/E+D//) D1D5 see also
articles of isitation) etc.) for !/E3 and !//" in ;aid %il(ins) Concilia
9agna< =ritannia< 6:ondon) !3237< IC) D/) !$1) !"#.
u An earlier statute had mentioned sorcery and witchcraft in connection
with medical practitioners. *he HAct concerning Phesicions and ,ur+
geons H of 2 4enry CIII) ch. FI) was aimed against -uac(s. H Foras+
moche as the science and connyng of Physy(e and ,urgerie to the per+
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* n
Chapter CIII of 22 4enry CIII states its purpose
clearlyM H%here)H reads the preamble) Hdyers and
sundrie persones unlawfully hae deised and practised
Inocations and con&uracions of ,prites) pretendyng
by suche meanes to understande and get Anowlege for
their owne lucre in what place treasure of golde and ,il+
er shulde or mought be founde or had . . . and also
hae used and occupied wichecraftes) inchauntmentes
and sorceries to the distruccion of their neighbours per+
sones and goodes.H A description was gien of the
methods practised) and it was enacted that the use of
any inocation or con&uration of spirits) witchcrafts)
enchantments) or sorceries should be considered felony.H
It will be obsered that the law made no graduation of
offences. Eerything was listed as felony. ?o later
piece of legislation on the sub&ect was so sweeping in
its seerity.
fecte (nowlege wherof bee re-uisite bothe grete lernyng and ripe e.+
perience ys daily . . . e.ercised by a grete multitude of ignoraunt
persones . . . soofarfurth that common Artificers as ,mythes %eers
and %omen boldely and custumably ta(e upon theim grete curls and
thyngys of great difficultie In the which they partely use socery and
which crafte NsicO partely applie such medicyne unto the disease as be
erey noyous)H it was re-uired that eery candidate to practice medicine
should be e.amined by the bishop of the diocese 6in :ondon by either
the bishop or the ;ean of ,t Paul's7.
< ,tephen) 4istory of Criminal :aw) II) E2!) says of this actM H 4utch+
inson suggests that this act) which was passed two years after the act
of the ,i. Articles) was intended as a ' han( upon the reformers)' that
the part of it to which importance was attached was the pulling down of
crosses) which) it seems) was supposed to be practised in connection with
magic. 4utchinson adds that the aet was neer put into e.ecution
either against witches or reformers. *he act was certainly passed during
that period of 4enry's reign when he was inclining in the Roman Cath+
olic direction.H *he part of the act to which 4utchinson refers reads
as followsM H And for e.ecucion of their saide falce deyses and practises
hae made or caused to be made dyers Images and pictures of men)
women) childrene) Angelica or deelles) beastes or fowles) . . . and
gying faithe and credit to suche fantasticall practises hae dygged up
and pulled downe an infinite nombre of Crosses within this Reahne.H
!D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
*he law remained on the statute+boo( only si. years.
In the early part of the reign of Edward CI) when the
protector ,omerset was in power) a policy of great
leniency in respect to felonies was proposed. In ;e+
cember of !/E3 a bill was introduced into Parliament
to repeal certain statutes for treason and felony. H *his
bill being a matter of great concern to eery sub&ect) a
committee was appointed) consisting of the Archbishop
of Canterbury) the lord chancellor) the lord chamber+
lain) the 9ar-uis of ;orset) the Earls of ,hrewsbury
and ,outhampton) the =ishops of Ely) :incoln) and
%orcester) the :ords Cobham) Clinton) and %entworth)
with certain of the (ing's learned council5 all which
noblemen were appointed to meet a committee of the
Commons ... in order to treat and commune on the
purport of the said bill.H !* *he Commons) it seems)
had already prepared a bill of their own) but this they
were willing to drop and the :ords' measure with some
amendments was finally passed. It was under this wide
repeal of felonies that chapter CIII of 22 4enry CIII
was finally annulled. %hether the -uestion of witch+
craft came up for special consideration or not) we are
not informed. %e do (now that the =ishops of :on+
don) ;urham) Ely) 4ereford) and Chichester) too( e.+
ception to some amendments that were inserted in the
act of repeal)H and it is not impossible that they were
opposed to repealing the act against witchcraft. Cer+
tainly there is no reason to suppose that the church was
resisting the encroachment of the state in the sub&ect.
As a matter of fact it is probable that) in the general
-uestion of repeal of felonies) the -uestion of witch+
)f Parliamentary 4istory 6:ondon) !3/!+!31D7) III) 2D".
HIbid.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* !2
craft receied scant attention. *here is indeed an in+
teresting story that seems to point in that direction
and that deseres repeating also as an illustration of
the protector's attitude towards the -uestion. Edward
Underhill gies the narratie in his autobiographyM
H %hen we hade dyned) the maior sentt to NtwoO off his
offycers with me to se(e Alene 5 whome we mett withalle
in Poles) and to(e hym with us unto his chamber)
wheare we f ounde f ygures sett to cal(e the natietie
off the (ynge) and a &ugementt geyne off his deathe)
wheroff this folyshe wreche thoughte hymselfe so sure
thatt he and his conselars the papistes bruted it all
oer. *he (ynge laye att 4amtone courte the same
tyme) and me lord protector at the ,yone 5 unto whome
I caryed this Alen) with his bo(es off cone&uracyons)
cear(les) and many thynges beloungynge to thatt dy+
lyshe art) wiche he affyrmed before me lorde was a law+
fulle cyens NscienceO) for the statute agaynst souchef
was repealed. ' *how folyshe (naeP 6sayde me lorde7
yff thou and all thatt be off thy cyens telle me what I
shalle do to+morow) I wylle gee the alle thatt I hae' 5
commaundynge me to cary hym unto the *ower.H Alen
was e.amined about his science and it was discoered
that he was H a ery unlearned asse) and a sorcerer) for
the wiche he was worthye hangynge) sayde 9r. Re+
corde.H 4e was howeer (ept in the *ower H about the
space off a yere) and then by frendshipe delyered.
,o scapithe alwayes the we(ed.H<
=ut the wic(ed were not long to escape. *he be+
ginning of Eli0abeth's reign saw a serious and success+
ful effort to put on the statute+boo( definite and seere
HAutobiography of Edward Underhill 6in ?arraties of the ;ays of
the Reformation) Camden ,oc) :ondon) !$/"7) !3D+!3 sQ
!E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
penalties for con&uration) sorcery) witchcraft) and re+
lated crimes. *he -uestion was ta(en up in the ery
first year of the new reign and a bill was draughted.H
It was not) howeer) until !/12 that the statute was
finally passed. It was then enacted that those who
H shall use) practise) or e.ercise any %itchecrafte)
Enchantment) Charme or ,orcerie) whereby any per+
son shall happen to bee (illed or destroyed) . . .
their Concellors and Aidours) . . . shall suffer paynes
of ;eathe as a Felon or Felons.H It was further de+
clared that those by whose practices any person was
wasted) consumed) or lamed) should suffer for the first
offence one year's imprisonment and should be put in
the pillory four times. For the second offence death
was the penalty. It was further proided that those
who by witchcraft presumed to discoer treasure or
to find stolen property or to H proo(e any person to
unlawfull loeH should suffer a year's imprisonment
and four appearances in the pillory.
%ith this law the history of the prosecution of witch+
craft in England as a secular crime may well begin.
*he -uestion naturally arises) %hat was the occasion
of this law R 4ow did it happen that &ust at this parti+
cular time so drastic a measure was passed and put
into operationR Fortunately part of the eidence e.ists
upon which to frame an answer. *he English church+
men who had been drien out of England during the
9arian persecution had many of them so&ourned in
Jurich and Benea) where the e.tirpation of witches
was in full progress) and had tal(ed oer the matter
with eminent Continental theologians. %ith the acces+
<*he measure in fact reached the engrossing stage in the Commons.
=oth houses) howeer) ad&ourned early in April and left it unpassed.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?BU,4 %I*C4CRAF* !/
sion of Eli0abeth these men returned to England in
force and became prominent in church and state) many
of them receiing bishoprics. It is not possible to
show that they all were influential in putting through
the statute of the fifth year of Eli0abeth. It is clear
that one of them spo(e out plainly on the sub&ect. It
can hardly be doubted that he represented the opinions
of many other ecclesiastics who had come under the
same influences during their e.ile.< @ohn @ewel was
an Anglican of Calinistic sympathies who on his re+
turn to England at Eli0abeth's accession had been ap+
pointed =ishop of ,alisbury. %ithin a short time he
came to occupy a prominent position in the court. 4e
preached before the 8ueen and accompanied her on a
isit to >.ford. It was in the course of one of his first
a ,eeral of the bishops who were appointed on Eli0abeth's accession
had traelled in ,outh Bermany and ,wit0erland during the 9arian
period and had the opportunity of familiari0ing themseles with the pro+
paganda in these parts against witches. *homas =entham) who was to be
bishop of Coentry and :ichfield) had retired from England to Jurich
and had afterwards been preacher to the e.iles at =asel. @ohn Par(hurst)
appointed bishop of ?orwich) had settled in Jurich on 9ary's accession.
@ohn ,cary) appointed bishop of 4ereford) had sered as chaplain to the
e.iles in Benea. Richard Co.) appointed bishop of Ely) had isited
Fran(fort and ,trassburg. Edmund Brindall) who was to be the new
bishop of :ondon) had) during his e.ile) isited ,trassburg) ,peier) and
Fran(fort. 9iles Coerdale) who had been bishop of E.eter but who
was not reappointed) had been in Benea in the course of his e.ile.
*here were many other churchmen of less importance who at one time or
another during the 9arian period isited Jurich. ,ee =ullinger's
;iarium 6=asel) !"#E7 and Pellscan's Chroni(on 6=asel) !$337) passim)
as also *heodor Cetter) Relations between England and Jurich during
the Reformation 6:ondon) D"#E7. At ,trassburg the persecution raged
somewhat later5 but how thoroughly =ucer and his colleagues approed
and urged it is clear from a letter of adice addressed by them in !/2$
to their fellow pastor ,chwebel) of Jweibruc(en 6printed as ?o. $$ in
the Cent una Epistolarum appended to ,chwebel's ,cripia *heologica)
Jweibruc(en) D1#/7. *hat =ucer while in England 6!/E"+!//D7 found
also occasion to utter these iews can hardly be doubted. *hese details
I owe to Professor =urr.
!1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
sermons G somewhere between ?oember of !//" and
9arch of !/1#H G that he laid before her his conictions
on witchcraft. It is) he tells her) H the horrible using of
your poor sub&ects)H that forces him to spea(. H *his
(ind of people 6I mean witches and sorcerers7 within
these few last years are marellously increased within
this your grace's realm. *hese eyes hae seen most
eident and manifest mar(s of their wic(edness. Your
grace's sub&ects pine away een unto death) their colour
fadeth) their flesh rotteth) their speech is benumbed)
their senses are bereft. %herefore) your poor sub&ects'
HCarious dates hae been assigned for @ewel's sermon) but it can be
determined appro.imately from a passage in the discourse. In the
course of the sermon he remar(edM H I would wish that once again) as
time should sere) there might be had a -uiet and sober disputation) that
each part might be re-uired to shew their grounds without self will and
without affection) not to maintain or breed contention) . . . but only
that the truth may be (nown. . . . For) at the last disputation that should
hae been) you (now which party gae oer and would not meddle.<'
*his is clearly an allusion to the %estminster disputation of the last of
9arch) !//"5 see @ohn ,trype) Annals of th< Reformation 6:ondon) !3#"+
!32!5 >.ford) !$DE7) ed. of !$DE) I) pt. i) !D$. *he sermon therefore
was preached after that disputation. It may be further inferred that it
was preached before @ewel's controersy with Cole in 9arch) !/1#. *he
words) H For at the last disputation . . . you (now which party gae
oer and would not meddle)H were hardly written after Cole accepted
@ewel's challenge. It was on the second ,unday before Easter 69arch
!37 S !/1#) that @ewel deliered at court the discourse in which he chal+
lenged dispute on four points of church doctrine. >n the ne.t day
4enry Cole addressed him a letter in which he as(ed him why he H yester+
day in the Court and at all other times at Paul's Cross H offered rather
to H dispute in these four points than in the chief matters that lie in
-uestion betwi.t the Church of Rome and the Protestants.H In replying
to Cole on the D#th of 9arch @ewel wrote that he stood only upon the
negatie and again mentioned his offer. >n the 2!st of 9arch he
repeated his challenge upon the four points) and upon this occasion went
ery much into detail in supporting them. ?ow) in the sermon which
we are trying to date) the sermon in which allusion is made to the pre+
alence of witches) the four points are briefly named. It may be reason+
ably con&ectured that this sermon anticipated the elaboration of the four
points as well as the challenging sermon of 9arch !3. It is as certain
that it was deliered after @ewel's return to :ondon from his isitation
in the west country. >n ?oember D) !//") he wrote to Peter 9artyrM
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* &
most humble petition unto your highness is) that the
laws touching such malefactors may be put in due e.e+
cution.H
*he church historian) ,trype) con&ectures that this
sermon was the cause of the law passed in the fifth year
of Eli0abeth's reign) by which witchcraft was again
made a felony) as it had been in the reign of 4enry
CIII.H %hateer weight we may attach to ,trype's
suggestion) we hae eery right to beliee that @ewel
introduced foreign opinion on witchcraft. Cery prob+
ably there were many returned e.iles as well as others
H I hare at last returned to :ondon) with a body worn out by a most
fatiguing &ourney.H ,ee Jurich :etters) I 6Par(er ,oc.) Cambridge)
!$ED7. EE. It is interesting and significant that he addsM H %e found in
all places otie relics of saints) nails with which the infatuated people
dreamed that Christ had been pierced) and I (now not what small frag+
ments of the sacred cross. *he number of witches and sorceresses
had eerywhere become enormous.H @ewel was consecrated =ishop of
,alisbury in the following @anuary) haing been nominated in the summer
of !//" &ust before his western isitation. *he sermon in which he al+
luded to witches may hae been preached at any time after he returned
from the west) ?oember D) and before 9arch !3. It would be entirely
natural that in a court sermon deliered by the newly appointed bishop
of ,alisbury the prealence of witchcraft should be mentioned. It does
not seem a rash guess that the sermon was preached soon after :is
return) perhaps in ;ecember) when the impression of what he had seen
in the west was still fresh in his memory. =ut it is not necessary to ma(e
this supposition. *hough the discourse was deliered some time after
9arch !/) !//") when the first bill H against Con&urations) Prophecies)
etc)H was brought before the Commons 6see @ournal of the 4ouse of Com+
mons) I) /37) it is not unreasonable to beliee that there was some con+
nection between the discourse and the fortunes of this bill. *hat connec+
tion seems the more probable on a careful reading of the Commons
@ournals for the first sessions of Eli0abeth's Parliament. It is eident that
the Eli0abethan legislators were wor(ing in close cooperation with the
ecclesiastical authorities. @ewel's sermon may be found in his %or(s
6ed. for the Par(er ,oc.) Cambridge) !$E/+!$/#7) II) !#D/+!#2E. 6For
the correspondence with Cole see I) a1 ff.7
For assistance in dating this sermon the writer wishes to e.press his
special obligation to Professor =urr.
n ,trype) Annals of the Reformation) I) pt. i) i.. 4e may) indeed)
mean to ascribe it) not to the sermon) but to the eils alleged by the
sermon.
!$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
who brought bac( word of the crusade on the Con+
tinent 5 but @ewel's words put the matter formally be+
fore the -ueen and her goernment.< E
%e can trace the effect of the ecclesiastic's appeal
still further. *he impression produced by it was re+
sponsible probably not only for the passage of the law
but also for the issue of commissions to the &ustices of
the peace to apprehend all the witches they were able to
find in their &urisdictions.H
It can hardly be doubted that the impression pro+
duced by the bishop's sermon seres in part to e.plain
the beginning of the state's attac( upon witches. Yet
one naturally in-uires after some other factor in the
problem. Is it not li(ely that there were in England
itself certain peculiar conditions) certain special cir+
cumstances) that sered to forward the attac(R *o
answer that -uery) we must recall the situation in
England when Eli0abeth too( the throne. Eli0abeth
was a Protestant) and her accession meant the relin+
-uishment of the Catholic hold upon England. =ut it
was not long before the claims of 9ary) 8ueen of
,cots) began to gie the English ministers bad dreams.
Catholic and ,panish plots against the life of Eli0abeth
(ept the goernment detecties on the loo(out. Per+
haps because it was deemed the hardest to circument)
9 In the contemporary account entitled A *rue and &ust Record< of
the Information) E.amination) and Confession of att the %itches ta(en
at ,t. >ses. . . . %ritten . . . by %. %. 6!/$a7) ne.t leaf after
= /) we readM Hthere is a man of great cunning and (nowledge come
oer lately unto our 8uecnes 9aiestie) which hath adertised her what
a companie and number of witches be within Englande.H *his probably
refers to @ewel.
< ,ee ibid.) = / ersoM H I and other of her @ustices hae receied com+
mission for the apprehending of as many as are within these limites.H
*his was written later) but the eent is referred to as following what
must hae been =ishop @ewel's sermon.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* !"
the use of con&uration against the life of the -ueen was
most feared. It was a method too that appealed to con+
spirators) who neer -uestioned its efficacy) and who
anticipated little ris( of discoery.
*o understand why the English goernment should
hae been so alarmed at the efforts of the con&urers)
we shall hae to go bac( to the half+century that pre+
ceded the reign of the great -ueen and reiew briefly
the rise of those curious traders in mystery. *he earlier
half of the fifteenth century) when the witch fires were
already lighted in ,outh Bermany) saw the coming of
con&urers in England. *heir numbers soon eidenced
a growing interest in the supernatural upon the part
of the English and foreshadowed the growing faith in
witchcraft From the scattered local records the facts
hae been pieced together to show that here and there
professors of magic powers were beginning to get a
hearing. As they first appear upon the scene) the con+
&urers may be grouped in two classes) the position
see(ers and the treasure see(ers. *o the first belong
those who used incantations and charms to win the
faor of the powerful) and so to gain adancement for
themseles or for their clients.H It was a time when
there was eery encouragement to try these means.
9en li(e %olsey and *homas Cromwell had risen from
humble ran( to the highest places in the state. *heir
careers seemed ine.plicable) if not uncanny. It was
easy to beliee that unfair and unlawful practices had
been used. %hat had been done before could be done
again. ,o the dealers in magic may hae reasoned.
< *homas %right) ?arraties of ,orcery and 9agic 6ed. of ?. Y.) !$/a7)
i<1 ff.5 see also his Elisabeth and her *imes 6:ondon) !$2$7) I) E/3)
letter of ,hrewsbury to =urghley.
D# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
At all eents) whateer their mental operations) they
e.perimented with charms which were to gain the fa+
or of the great) and some of their operations came to
the ears of the court.
*he treasure see(ers H were more numerous. Eery
now and then in the course of English history treasures
hae been unearthed) many of them buried in Roman
times. ,tories of luc(y finds had of course gained wide
circulation. 4ere was the opportunity of the ban(+
rupt adenturer and the stranded promoter. *he treas+
ures could be found by the science of magic. *he no+
tion was closely a(in to the still current idea that wells
can be located by the use of ha0el wands. =ut none
of the con&urers G and this seems a curious fact to one
familiar with the English stories of the supernatural G
eer lit upon the desired treasure. *heir efforts hardly
aroused public interest) least of all alarm. E.peri+
menters) who fifty years later would hae been hurried
before the priy council) were allowed to con&ure and
dig as they pleased. 4enry CIII een sold the right in
one locality) and sold it at a price which showed how
lightly he regarded it<
>ther forms of magic were of course practiced. =y
the time that Eli0abeth succeeded to the throne) it is
safe to say that the practice of forbidden arts had be+
come wide+spread in England. Reginald ,cot a little
later declared that eery parish was full of men and
women who claimed to wor( miracles.H 9ost of them
were women) and their performances read li(e those
of the gipsy fortune+tellers today. H Cunning women H
m %right) ?arraties) !2# ff.
n Ibid.) !2E.
< ,ee Reginald ,cot) *he ;iseoerie of %itchcraft 6:ondon) !/$E5
reprinted) =rinsley ?icholson) ed.) :ondon) !$$17) E.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* D!
they called themseles. *hey were many of them
semi+medical or pseudo+medical practitionersH who
used herbs and e.tracts) and) when those failed) charms
and enchantments) to heal the sic(. If they were fairly
fortunate) they became (nown as H good witches.H Par+
ticularly in connection with midwifery were their in+
cantations deemed effectie.< ! From such functions it
was no far call to forecast the outcome of loe affairs)
or to prepare potions which would ensure loe.H *hey
became general helpers to the distressed. *hey could
tell where lost property was to be found) an underta(+
ing closely related to that of the treasure see(ers.H
It was usually in the less serious diseases 9 that these
cunning fol( were consulted. *hey were called upon
often indeed G if one fragmentary eidence may be
trusted G to diagnose the diseases and to account for the
deaths of domestic animals.H It may ery easily be that
it was from the necessity of e.plaining the deaths of ani+
mals that the practitioners of magic began to tal(
about witchcraft and to throw out a hint that some
I A ery typical instance was that in Aent m !/"3< see Arclueologio
Caution< 6Aent Archaeological ,oc.) :ondon7) FFCI) D!. ,eeral good
instances are gien in the 4ertfordshire County ,ession Rolls 6compiled
by %. @. 4ardy) :ondon) !"#/7) I5 see also @. Raine) ed.) ;epositions
respecting the Rebellion of !/1") %itchcraft) and other Ecclesiastical Pro+
ceedings from the Court of ;urham 6,urtees ,oc.) :ondon) !$E/7) ""t
!##.
n @. Raine) ed.) In&unctions and other Ecclesiastical Proceedings of
Richard =arnes) =ishop of ;urham 6,urtees ,oc.) :ondon) !$/#7) !$5
4. >wen and @. =. =la(eway) 4istory of ,hrewsbury 6:ondon) !$D/7)
II) 21E) art. E2.
<Arch. Cant.) FFCI) !".
u 4ertfordshire Co. ,ees. Rolls) I) 2.
9 ,ee ;epositions . . . from the Court of ;urham) ""5 Arch. Cant.)
FFCI) a.5 %. 4. 4ale) Precedents) etc. 6:ondon) !$E37) !E$) !$/.
H4ale) op. cit)) !125 9iddlese. County Records) ed. by @. C. @eaff re+
son 6:ondon) !$"a7) I) $E) "E.
DD %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
witch was at the bac( of the matter. It would be in line
with their own pretensions. %ere they not good
witchesR %as it not their proince to oercome the
machinations of the blac( witches) that is) witches who
wrought eil rather than goodR *he disease of an
animal was hard to prescribe for. A sic( horse would
hardly respond to the waing of hands and a &umble
of strange words. *he animal was) in all probability)
bewitched.
At any rate) whether in this particular manner or not)
it became shortly the duty of the cunning women to
recogni0e the signs of witchcraft) to prescribe for it)
and if possible to detect the witch. In many cases the
practitioner wisely enough refused to name any one)
but described the appearance of the guilty party and
set forth a series of operations by which to e.pose her
machinations. If certain herbs were pluc(ed and
treated in certain ways) if such and such words were
said) the guilty party would appear at the door. At
other times the wise woman gae a perfectly recog+
ni0able description of the guilty one and offered reme+
dies that would nullify her maleficent influences. ?o
doubt the party indicated as the witch was ery often
another of the Hgood witches)H perhaps a rial.
*hroughout the records of the superstition are scat+
tered e.amples of wise women upon whom suspicion
suddenly lighted) and who were arraigned and sent to
the gallows. =eyond -uestion the suspicion began often
with the ill words of a neighbor)H perhaps of a com+
petitor) words that started an attac( upon the woman's
reputation that she was unable to repel.
TIFor an instance of how a Hwise womanH feared this ery thing)
see 4ale) op. cit.) !E3.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* D2
It is not to be supposed that the art of cunning was
confined to the female se.. *hroughout the reign of
Eli0abeth) the realm was alie with men who were
pretenders to (nowledge of mysteries. ,o closely was
the occupation allied to that of the physician that no such
strict line as now e.ists between reputable physicians
and -uac( doctors separated the H good witches H from
the regular practicers of medicine. It was so cus+
tomary in Eli0abethan times for thoroughly reputable
and een eminent medical men to e.plain baffling cases
as the results of witchcraft Hthat to draw the line of de+
marcation between them and the pretenders who sug+
gested by means of a charm or a glass a maleficent
agent would be impossible. Branted the phenomena of
con&uration and witchcraft as facts G and no one had
yet disputed them G it was altogether easy to beliee
that good witches who antagoni0ed the wor(s of blac(
witches were more dependable than the family physi+
cian) who could but suggest the cause of sic(ness. *he
regular practitioner must often hae created business
for his brother of the cunning arts.
>ne would li(e to (now what these practicers
thought of their own arts. Certainly some of them ac+
complished cures. 9ental troubles that baffled the or+
dinary physician would offer the H good witch H a rare
field for successful endeaor. ,uch would be able not
only to persuade a community of their good offices) but
to deceie themseles. ?ot all of them) howeer) by any
means) were self+deceied. Conscious fraud played a
part in a large percentage of cases. >ne witch was
H ,ee %itches ta(en at ,t) >ses) E5 also ;r. =arrow's opinion in the
pamphlet entitled *he most strange and admirable discoerie of the three
%itches of %arboys) arraigned) conicted and e.ecuted at the last assises
at 4untingdon . . . 6:ondon) !/"27.
DE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ery naie in her confession of fraud. %hen sus+
pected of sorcery and cited to court) she was said to
hae fran(ly recited her charm M
H 9y lofe in my lappe)
9y penny in my purse)
You are neer the better)
I am neer the worse.H
,he was ac-uitted and doubtless continued to add penny
to penny.H
%e need not) indeed) be surprised that the state
should hae been remiss in punishing a crime so ague
in character and so closely related to an honorable pro+
fession. E.cept where con&uration had affected high
interests of state) it had been practically oerloo(ed by
the goernment. ?ow and then throughout the four+
teenth and fifteenth centuries there had been isolated
plots against the soereign) in which con&ury had
played a conspicuous part. %ith these few e.ceptions
the crime had been one left to ecclesiastical &urisdiction.
=ut now the state was ready to reclaim its &urisdiction
oer these crimes and to assume a ery positie at+
titude of hostility towards them. *his came about in
a way that has already been briefly indicated. *he
goernment of the -ueen found itself threatened con+
stantly by plots for ma(ing away with the -ueen) plots
which their instigators hoped would oerturn the Pro+
testant regime and bring England bac( into the fold.
Eli0abeth had hardly mounted her throne when her
councillors began to suspect the use of sorcery and con+
u Fol( :ore ,oe. @ournal) II) !/3+!/$) where this story is -uoted
from a wor( by H %m. Clouues) 9ayster in Chirurgery)H published in
!/$$. 4e only professed to hae H reade H of it) so that it is perhaps &ust
a pleasant tradition. If it is nothing more than that) it is at least an
interesting eidence of opinion.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* D/
&uration against her life. As a result they instituted
the most painsta(ing in-uiries into all reported cases of
the sort) especially in and about :ondon and the neigh+
boring counties. Eery Catholic was suspected. *wo
cases that were ta(en up within the first year came to
nothing) but a third trial proed more serious. In ?o+
ember of !//$ ,ir Anthony Fortescue)H member of
a well (nown Catholic family) was arrested) together
with seeral accomplices) upon the charge of casting the
horoscope of the -ueen's life. Fortescue was soon re+
leased) but in ! /1! he was again put in custody) this
time with two brothers+in+law) Edmund and Arthur
Pole) nephews of the famous cardinal of that name.
*he plot that came to light had many ramifications. It
was proposed to marry 9ary) 8ueen of ,cots) to Ed+
mund Pole) and from Flanders to proclaim her 8ueen
of England. In the meantime Eli0abeth was to die a
natural death G at least so the conspirators claimed G
prophesied for her by two con&urers) @ohn Prestall and
Edmund Cosyn) with the assistance of a Hwic(ed
spryte.H It was discoered that the plot inoled the
French and ,panish ambassadors. Relations between
Paris and :ondon became strained. *he conspirators
were tried and sentenced to death. Fortescue himself)
perhaps because he was a second cousin of the -ueen
and brother of the Chancellor of the E.che-uer) seems
to hae escaped the gallows<
*he Fortescue affair was) howeer) but one of many
conspiracies on foot during the time. *hroughout the
si.ties and the seenties the -ueen's councillors were
H,trype) Annals of the Reformation) I) pt. i) "+!#5 ;ictionary of
?ational =iography) article on Anthony Fortescue) by B. A. Fortescue.
H,trype) op. cit.) I) pt. i) /E1) ///+//$5 also %right) Elisabeth and heR
*imes) I) lai) where a letter from Cecil to ,ir *homas ,mith is printed.
D1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
on the loo(out. @ustices of the peace and other prom+
inent men in the counties were (ept informed by the
priy council of reported con&urers) and they were in+
structed to send in what eidence they could gather
against them. It is remar(able that three+fourths of
the cases that came under inestigation were from a
territory within thirty miles of :ondon. *wo+thirds
of them were from Esse.. ?ot all the con&urers were
charged with plotting against the -ueen) but that charge
was most common. It is safe to suppose that) in the
cases where that accusation was not preferred) it was
neertheless the alarm of the priy council for the life
of the -ueen that had prompted the inestigation and
arrest.
=etween !/3$ and !/$D) critical years in the affairs
of the ,cottish -ueen) the an.iety of the :ondon
authorities was intense < G their precautions were re+
doubled. Representaties of the goernment were
sent out to search for con&urers and were paid well for
their serices. E < *he Earl of ,hrewsbury) a member
of the council who had charge of the now captie
8ueen 9ary) (ept in his employ special detectors of
u *he interest which the priy council showed in sorcery and witch+
craft daring the earlier part of the reign is indicated in the following
referencesM Acts of the Priy Council) new series) CII) 1) DD) D##+D#!5
F f DD#) 2$a5 FI) DD) 21) D"D) 23#+23!. EU35 FII) D!+DD) D2) D1) D") 2E)
J#D) D/!5 Calendar of ,tate Papers) ;omestic) !/E3+!/$#) !23) !ED5 id.)
!/$!+!2"#) D") DD#) DE1+DE35 id.) Add. !/$#+!#D/) FD#+!D!5 see also @ohn
,trype) :ife of ,ir *homas ,mith 6:ondon) !1"$5 >.ford) !$D#7) ed.
of !$D#) !D3+!2". *he case mentioned in Cat. ,t. P.) ;am.) !/$!+!/"#) D")
was probably a result of the actiity of the priy council. *he case in id.)
Add.) !/$#+!1!/) JD#+IDJ) is an instance of where the accused was sus+
pected of both witchcraft and H high treason touching the supremacy.H
?early all of the aboe mentioned references to the actiity of the priy
council refer to the first half of the reign and a goodly proportion to the
years !/3$+!/$D.
< Acts P. C) n. s.) FI) D"D.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* D3
con&uring. E H ?othing about Eli0abeth's goernment
was better organi0ed than Cecil's detectie serice) and
the state papers show that the ferreting out of the con+
&urers was by no means the least of its wor(. It was
a serice carried on) of course) as -uietly as could
be) and yet the cases now and again came to light and
made clear to the public that the goernment was ery
fearful of con&urers' attac(s upon the -ueen. ?o
doubt the actiity of the council put all con&urers under
public suspicion and in some degree roused public re+
sentment against them.
*his brings us bac( to the point M %hat had the con<
&urers to do with witchcraftR =y this time the answer
is fairly obious. *he practisers of the magic arts)
the charmers and enchanters) were responsible for de+
eloping the notions of witchcraft. *he good witch
brought in her company the blac( witch. *his in itself
might neer hae meant more than an increased ac+
tiity in the church courts. =ut when Protestant Eng+
land grew suddenly nerous for the life of the -ueen)
when the con&urers became a source of danger to the
soereign) and the council commenced its campaign
against them) the conditions had been created in which
witchcraft became at once the most dangerous and de+
tested of crimes. %hile the goernment was busy
putting down the con&urers) the aroused popular senti+
ment was compelling the &ustices of the peace and then
the assi0e &udges to hang the witches.
*his cannot be better illustrated than by the Abingdon
affair of !/3$+ !/3". %ord had been carried to the
priy council that ,ir 4enry ?ewell) &ustice of the
m ,trype) ,ir *homas ,mith) !D3+!D")
D$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
peace) had committed someP women near Abingdon on
the charge of ma(ing wa.en images. E < *he goernment
was at once alarmed and sent a message to ,ir 4enry
and to the ;ean of %indsor instructing them to find
out the facts and to discoer if the plots were directed
against the -ueen. *he precaution was unnecessary.
*here was no ground for belieing that the designs of
the women accused had included the -ueen. Indeed
the eidence of guilt of any (ind was ery flimsy. =ut
the e.citement of the public had been stirred to the
highest pitch. *he priy council had shown its fear
of the women and all four of them went to the gallows.<<
*he same situation that brought about the attac(
upon witchcraft and con&uration was no doubt respon+
sible for the transfer of &urisdiction oer the crime.
%e hae already seen that the practice of con&uration
had probably been left largely to the episcopal hier+
EE A Rehearsall both straung and true of heinous and horrible acts
committed by Elisabeth ,tile) etc. 6for full title see appendi.7. *his
pamphlet is in blac( letter. Its account is confirmed by the reference
in Acts P. C) n. s.) FI) DD. ,ee also ,cot) ;iscoerit) /!) /E2.
<I An aged widow had been committed to gaol on the testimony of
her neighbors that she was H lewde) malitious) and hurtful to the people.H
An ostler) after he had refused to gie her relief) had suffered a pain.
,o far as the account goes) this was the sum of the eidence against the
woman. Unhappily she waited not on the order of her trial but made
oluble confession and implicated fie others) three of whom were without
doubt professional enchanters. ,he had met) she said) with 9other
;utten) 9other ;eell) and 9other 9argaret) and H concluded seeral
hainous and ilanous practices.H *he deaths of fie persons whom she
named were the outcome of their concerted plans. For the death of
a si.th she aowed entire responsibility. *his ama0ing confession may
hae been suggested to her piece by piece) but it was receied at full
alue. *hat she included others in her guilt was perhaps because she
responded to the eident interest aroused by such additions) or more
li(ely because she had grudges unsatisfied. *he women were friendless)
three of the four were partially dependent upon alms) there was no
one to come to their help) and they were conicted. *he man that had
been arraigned) a H charmer)H seems to hae gone free.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* D"
archy for punishment. E < *he archdeacons were e.+
pected in their isitations to in-uire into the practice
of enchantment and magic within the parishes and to
ma(e report< In the reign of Eli0abeth it became no
light duty. *he church set itself to suppress both the
consulter and the consulted. + =y the largest number
of recorded cases deal of course with the first class. It
was ery easy when sic( or in trouble to go to a pro+
fessed con&urer for help< It was li(e see(ing a phy+
sician's serice) as we hae seen. *he church frowned
upon it) but the danger inoled in disobeying the
church was not deemed great. *he cunning man or
woman was of course the one who ran the great ris(.
%hen worst came to worst and the ecclesiastical power
too( cogni0ance of his profession) the best he could do
was to plead that he was a H good witch H and rendered
aluable serices to the community .H =ut a good end
was in the eyes of the church no e.cuse for an eil
means. *he good witches were dealers with eil
spirits and hence to be repressed.
Yet the church was ery light in its punishments.
In the matter of penalties) indeed) consulter and con+
sulted fared nearly ali(e) and both got off easily. Pub+
lic confession and penance in one or more specifically
designated churches) usually in the nearest parish
church) constituted the customary penalty< In a few
m In&unctions . . . of . . . =ishop of ;urham) !$) $E) ""5 Cisitations
off Canterbury) in Arch. Cant.) FFCI5 4ale) Precedents) !E!/+!1E#)
!E3) etc.
m Arch. Cant.) FFCI) passim5 4ale) op. cit.) !E3) !E$) !12) !$/5 9rs.
:ynn :inton) %itch ,tories 6:ondon) !$1!5 new ed.) !$$27) !EE.
m ,ee 4ale) op. cit. f !E$) !/3.
H4ale) op. cit.) !E$5 ;epositions . . . from the Court of ;urham)
#"5 Arch. Cant.) FFCI) D!.
TI4ale) op. cit.) !E$) !$/.
n Ibid.) !/3.
2# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
instances it was coupled with the re-uirement that the
criminal should stand in the pillory) taper in hand) at
seeral places at stated times.H *he ecclesiastical rec+
ords are so full of church penances that a student is
led to wonder how effectual they were in shaming the
penitent into better conduct. It may well be guessed
that most of the criminals were not sensitie souls that
would suffer profoundly from the disgrace incurred.
*he control of matters of this (ind was in the hands
of the church by sufferance only. ,o long as the state
was not greatly interested) the church was permitted to
retain its &urisdiction.H ;oubtless the (ings of Eng+
land would hae claimed the state's right of &urisdiction
if it had become a matter of dispute. *he church itself
recogni0ed the secular power in more important cases.H
In such cases the archdeacon usually acted with the
&ustice of peace in conducting the e.aminationH as
in rendering sentence. Een then) howeer) the penalty
was as a rule ecclesiastical. =ut) with the second half
of the si.teenth century) there arose new conditions
which resulted in the transfer of this control to the
state. 4enry C4I had bro(en with Rome and estab+
lished a Church of England around the (ing as a centre.
n ;enham *racts 6Fol( :ore ,oc.) :ondon7) II) 22a5 @ohn ,y(es)
:ocal Record . . . of Remar(able Eents . . . in ?orthumberland) ;ur+
ham) . . . etc. 6ad ed.) ?ewcastle) !$22+!$/D7) I) 3".
< ,ee) for e.ample. Acts P. C) n. a.) CII) aa 6!//$7.
u Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !2E3+!/$#) !32. Instance where the =ishop of :on+
don seems to hae e.amined a case and turned it oer to the priy
council.
w Rachel Pinder and Agnes =ridges) who pretended to be possessed by
the ;eil) were e.amined before the H person of ,t 9argarets in :oth+
berry)H and the 9ayor of :ondon) as well as some &ustices of the peace.
*hey later made confession before the Archbishop of Canterbury and
some &ustices of the peace. ,ee the blac( letter pamphlet) *he discloysing
of a late counterfeited possession by the deyl in two maydens within
the Citie of :ondon N!/3EO.
=EBI??I?B, >F E?B:I,4 %I*C4CRAF* 2!
*he power of the church belonged to the (ing) and)
if to the (ing) to his ministers and his &udges. 4ence
certain crimes that had been under the control of the
church fell under the &urisdiction of the (ing's courts.H
In a more special way the same change came about
through the attac( of the priy council upon the con+
&urers. %hat had hitherto been a comparatiely insig+
nificant offence now became a crime against the state
and was so dealt with.
*he change) of course) was not sudden. It was not
accomplished in a year) nor in a decade. It was going
on throughout the first half of Eli0abeth's reign. =y
the beginning of the eighties the church control was
disappearing. After !/$/ the state had practically e.+
clusie &urisdiction.H
%e hae now finished the attempt to trace the be+
ginning of the definite moement against witchcraft in
England. %hat witchcraft was) what it became) how
it was to be distinguished from sorcery G these are -ues+
tions that we hae tried to answer ery briefly. %e
hae dealt in a cursory way with a series of cases e.+
tending from Anglo+,a.on days down to the fifteenth
century in order to show how unfi.ed was the matter
of &urisdiction. %e hae sought also to e.plain how
Continental opinion was introduced into England
HFrancis Co.e came before the -ueen rather than the church. 4e
narrates his e.periences in A short treatise declaringe the detestable
wic(edness< of magicall sciences) . . . 6!/1!7. Yet @ohn %alsh)
a man with a similar record) came before the commissary of the =ishop
of E.eter. ,ee *he E.amination of @ohn %alsh before 9aster *homas
%illiams) Commissary to the Reerend father in Bod) %illiam) bishop
of E.cester) upon certayne Interrogatories touchyng %ytch+crafte and
, or eery e) in the presence of diers gentlemen and others) the FF of
August) !211.
m %e say H practicallyK' because instances of church &urisdiction come
to light now and again throughout the seenteenth century.
2D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
through @ewel and other 9arian e.iles) to show what
independent forces were operating in England) and to
e.hibit the growing influence of the charmers and
their relation to the deelopment of witchcraft5 and
lastly we hae aimed to proe that the special danger
to the -ueen had no little part in creating the crusade
against witches. *hese are conclusions of some mo+
ment and a caution must be inserted. %e hae been
treating of a period where facts are few and informa+
tion fragmentary. Under such circumstances con+
clusions can only be tentatie. Perhaps the most that
can be said of them is that they a@e suggestions.
C4AP*ER II.
%itchcraft under Eli0abeth.
*he year !/11 is hardly less interesting in the history
of English witchcraft than !/12. It has been seen that
the new statute passed in !/12 was the beginning of a
igorous prosecution by the state of the detested agents
of the eil one. In !/11 occurred the first important
trial (nown to us in the new period. *hat trial de+
seres note not only on its own account) but because it
was recorded in the first of the long series of witch
chap+boo(s G if we may so call them. A ery large
proportion of our information about the e.ecution of
the witches is deried from these crude pamphlets)
briefly recounting the trials. *he witch chap+boo( was a
distinct species. In the days when the chronicles were
the only newspapers it was what is now the H e.tra)H
brought out to catch the public before the sensation
had lost its flaor. It was of course a partisan docu+
ment) usually a indication of the worthy &udge whp
had condemned the guilty) with some moral and re+
ligious considerations by the respectable and righteous
author. A terribly serious bit of history it was that he
had to tell and he told it grimly and without pity. ,uch
comedy as lights up the gloomy blac(+letter pages was
-uite unintentional. 4e told a story too that was full
of details triial enough in themseles) but details that
gie many glimpses into the eery+day life of the lower
classes in town and country.
22
2E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
*he pamphlet of !/11 was brief and compact of in+
formation. It was entitled *he e.amination and con+
fession of certaine %ytches at Chensforde in the Coun+
tie of Esse. before the 8uenes 9ale sties @udges the
FFCI daye of @uly anno !/11. *he trial there re+
corded is one that presents some of the most curious
and ine.plicable features in the annals of English
witchcraft. *he personnel of the H si0e H court is mys+
terious. At the first e.amination H ;octor Cole H and
H 9aster Foscue H were present. =oth men are easily
identified. ;octor Cole was the Reerend *homas
Cole) who had held seeral places in Esse. and had in
!/1E been presented to the rectory of ,tanford Riers)
about ten miles from Chelmsford. 9aster Foscue was
un-uestionably ,ir @ohn Fortescue) later Chancellor of
the E.che-uer) and at this time (eeper of the great
wardrobe. >n the second e.amination ,ir Bilbert Ber+
ard) the -ueen's attorney) and @ohn ,outhcote) &ustice
of the -ueen's bench) were present. %hy ,outhcote
should be present is perfectly clear. It is not so easy
to understand about the others. %as the attorney+
general acting as presiding officer) or was he conduct+
ing the prosecution R *he latter hypothesis is of course
more consistent with his position. =ut what were the
rector of ,tanford Riers and the (eeper of the great
wardrobe doing thereR 4ad ;octor Cole been ap+
pointed in recognition of the claims of the churchR And
the (eeper of the wardrobe) what was the part that he
playedR >ne cannot easily escape the conclusion that
the case was deemed one of unusual significance. Per+
haps the priy council had heard of something that
alarmed it and had delegated these four men) all (nown
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 2/
at Eli0abeth's court) to e.amine into the matter in con+
nection with the assi0es.
*he e.aminations themseles present features of
more interest to the psychologist than to the historical
student. Yet they hae some importance in the under+
standing of witchcraft as a social phenomenon. Eli0a+
beth Francis) when e.amined) confessed with readiness
to arious Hilanies.H From her grandmother she said
she had as a child receied a white spotted cat) named
,athan) whom she had fed) and who gae her what she
as(ed for. H ,he desired to hae one Andrew =yles
to her husband) which was a man of some welth) and
the cat dyd promyse she shold.H =ut the promise
proed illusory. *he man left her without marriage
and then she H willed ,athan ... to touch his body)
whych he forthewith dyd) whereof he died.H >nce
again she importuned ,atan for a husband. *his time
she gained one H not so rich as the other.H ,he bore a
daughter to him) but the marriage was an unhappy one.
H *hey lied not so -uietly as she desyred) beinge stirred
to much un-uietnes and moed to swearing and curs+
inge.H *hereupon she employed the spirit to (ill her
child and to lame her husband. After (eeping the cat
fifteen years she turned it oer to 9other %aterhouse)
H a pore woman.H l
9other %aterhouse was now e.amined. ,he had
receied the cat and (ept it H a great while in woll in
a pot.H ,he had then turned it into a toad. ,he had
used it to (ill geese) hogs) and cattle of her neighbors.
At length she had employed it to (ill a neighbor whom
! %ho from a confession made in !/3" seems to hae been her sister.
,ee the pamphlet A ;etection of damnable driftes) practised by three
%itches arraigned at Chelmsforde in Esse. at the last Assises there
holden) which were e.ecuted in Aprill) !23" 6:ondon) !/3"7.
21 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
she disli(ed) and finally her own husband. *he wom+
an's eighteen+year+old daughter) @oan) was now called
to the stand and confirmed the fact that her mother
(ept a toad. ,he herself had one day been refused a
piece of bread and cheese by a neighbor's child and had
ino(ed the toad's help. *he toad promised to assist
her if she would surrender her soul. ,he did so. *hen
the toad haunted the neighbor's girl in the form of a dog
with horns. *he mother was again called to the stand
and repeated the curious story told by her daughter.
?ow the neighbor's child) Agnes =rown) was brought
in to testify. 4er story tallied in some of its details
with that of the two %aterhouse women 5 she had been
haunted by the horned dog) and she added certain de+
scriptions of its conduct that reealed good play of
childish imagination.<
*he attorney put some -uestions) but rather to lead
on the witnesses than to entangle them. 4e succeeded)
howeer) in creating a iolent altercation between the
%aterhouses on the one hand) and Agnes =rown on the
other) oer trifling matters of detail.< At length he of+
fered to release 9other %aterhouse if she would ma(e
the spirit appear in the court.< *he offer was waied.
*he attorney then as(ed) H%hen dyd thye Cat suc(
of thy bloudRH H?eer)H said she. 4e commanded
the &ailer to lift up the H(ercherH on the woman's
head. 4e did so and the spots on her face and nose
where she had pric(ed herself for the eil spirit were
e.posed.
< =) g. M H I was afearde for he Nthe dog with hornsO s(ypped and
leaped to and fro) and satte on the toppe of a nettle.H
I %hether Agnes %aterhouse had a H daggar's (nife H and whether
the dog had the face of an ape.
E An offer which indicates that he was acting as &udge.
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 23
*he &ury retired. *wo days later Agnes %aterhouse
suffered the penalty of the law) not howeer until she
had added to her confessions.'
*he case is a baffling one. %e can be -uite sure that
the pamphlet account is incomplete. >ne would li(e
to (now more about the substance of fact behind this
eidence. ;id the parties that were said to hae been
(illed by witchcraft really die at the times specifiedR
Either the facts of their deaths were well (nown in the
community and were fitted with great cleerness into
the story 9other %aterhouse told) of the &urors and
the &udges neglected the first principles of common
sense and failed to in-uire about the facts. " *he -ues+
tions as(ed by the -ueen's attorney reeal hardly more
than an unintelligent curiosity to (now the rest of the
story. 4e shows &ust one saing glint of s(epticism.
4e offered to release 9other %aterhouse if she would
materiali0e her spirit
9other %aterhouse was her own worst enemy. 4er
own testimony was the principal eidence presented
against her) and yet she denied guilt on one particular
upon which the attorney+general had interrogated her.
*his might lead one to suppose that her answers were
the hapha0ard replies of a half+witted woman. =ut the
supposition is by no means consistent with the ery
definite and clear+cut nature of her testimony. It is
useless to try to unrael the tangles of the case. It is
possible that under some sort of duress G although there
I ,he was -uestioned on her church habits. ,he claimed to be a regular
attendant5 she 9 prayed right hartely there.H ,he admitted) howeer)
that she prayed 9 in laten H because ,athan would not let her pray in
English.
H*here is of course the further possibility that the pamphlet account
was largely inented. A critical e.amination of the pamphlet tends to
its trustworthiness. ,ee appendi. A) V i.
2$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
is no eidence of this G she had deliberately concocted
a story to fit those of Eli0abeth Francis and Agnes
=rown) and that her daughter) hearing her mother's
narratie in court G a ery possible thing in that day G
had fitted hers into it. It is conceiable too that 9other
%aterhouse had yielded merely to the wish to ama0e
her listeners. It is a more probable supposition that
the -uestions as(ed of her by the &udge were based upon
the accusations already made by Agnes =rown and that
they suggested to her the main outlines of her narratie.
Eli0abeth Francis) who had been the first accused and
who had accused 9other %aterhouse) escaped.
%hether it was because she had turned state's eidence
or because she had influential friends in the community)
we do not (now. It is possible that the &udges recog+
ni0ed that her confession was unsupported by the testi+
mony of other witnesses. ,uch a supposition) howeer)
credits the court with (eener discrimination than seems
eer to hae been e.hibited in such cases in the si.+
teenth centuryK
=ut) though Eli0abeth Francis had escaped) her repu+
tation as a dangerous woman in the community was
fi.ed. *hirteen years later she was again put on trial
before the itinerant &ustices. *his brings us to the
second trial of witches at Chelmsford in !/3". 9istress
Francis's e.amination elicited less than in the first trial.
,he had cursed a woman Hand badde a mischief to
light uppon her.H *he woman) she understood) was
* Alice Chandler was probably hanged at this time. *he failure to
mention her name is easily e.plained when we remember that the
pamphlet was issued in two parts) as soon as possible after the eent.
Alice Chandler's case probably did not come up for trial until the two
parts of the pamphlet had already been published. ,ee A ;etection of
damnable driftes.
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 2"
grieously pained. ,he followed the course that she
had ta(en before and began to accuse others. %e
(now ery little as to the outcome. At least one of the
women accused went free because Hmanslaughter or
murder was not ob&ected against her.H < *hree women)
howeer) were condemned and e.ecuted. >ne of them
was almost certainly Elleine ,mith) daughter of a wom+
an hanged as a witch) G another illustration of the per+
sistence of suspicion against the members of a family.
*he Chelmsford affair of !/3"< was not unli(e that
of !/11. *here were the same tales of spirits that as+
sumed animal forms. *he young son of Elleine ,mith
declared that his mother (ept three spirits) Breat ;ic(
in a wic(er bottle) :ittle ;ic( in a leathern bottle) and
%illet in a wool+pac(. Boodwife %ebb saw H a thyng
li(e a blac( ;ogge goe out of her doore.H =ut the gen+
eral character of the testimony in the second trial bore
no relation to that in the first. *here was no agreement
of the different witnesses. *he eidence was hapha0+
ard. *he witch and another woman had a falling out G
fallings out were ery common. ?e.t day the woman
was ta(en ill. *his was the sort of unimpeachable tes+
timony that was to be accepted for a century yet. In
the affair of !/11 the &udges had made some attempt at
-ui00ing the witnesses) but in !/3" all testimony was
seemingly rated at par.< In both instances the proof
rested mainly upon confession. Eery woman e.ecuted
I 9other ,taunton) who had apparently made some pretensions to the
practice of magic) was arraigned on seeral charges. ,he had been
refused her re-uests by seeral people) who had thereupon suffered some
ills.
" It is possible that the whole affair started from the whim of a sic(
child) who) when she saw Elleine ,mith) cried) H Away with the witch.H
2# A caution here. *he pamphlets were hastily compiled and perhaps
left out important facts.
E# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
had made confessions of guilt. *his of course was
deemed sufficient. ?eertheless the courts were begin+
ning to introduce other methods of proing the accused
guilty. *he mar(s on Agnes %aterhouse had been un+
coered at the re-uest of the attorney+general 5 and at
her e.ecution she had been -uestioned about her ability
to say the :ord's Prayer and other parts of the serice.
?either of these matters was emphasi0ed) but the men+
tion of them proes that notions were already current
that were later to hae great ogue.
*he Chelmsford cases find their greatest significance)
howeer) not as illustrations of the use and abuse of ei+
dence) but because they e.emplify the continuity of the
witch moement *hat continuity finds further illus+
tration in the fact that there was a third alarm at
Chelmsford in !/$") which resulted in three more e.+
ecutions. =ut in this case the women inoled seem)
so far as we (now) to hae had no connection with the
earlier cases. *he fate of Eli0abeth Francis and that
of Elleine ,mith are more instructie as proof of the
long+standing nature of a community suspicion. El+
leine could not escape her mother's reputation nor Eli0+
abeth her own.
=oth these women seem to hae been of low char+
acter at any rate. Eli0abeth had admitted illicit amours)
and Elleine may ery well hae been guilty on the same
count.H All of the women inoled in the two trials
were in circumstances of wretched poerty5 most) if
not all) of them were dependent upon begging and the
poor relief for support.H
u 4er eight+year+old boy was probably illegitimate.
tt 9other %aterhouse's (nowledge of :atin) if that is more than the
fiction of a Protestant pamphleteer) is rather remar(able.
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 E!
It is easy to imagine the e.citement in Esse. that
these trials must hae produced. *he accused had rep+
resented a wide territory in the county. *he women
had been fetched to Chelmsford from towns as far
apart as 4atfield+Peerel and 9aldon. It is not re+
mar(able that three years later than the affair of !/3"
there should hae been another outbrea( in the county)
this time in a more aggraated form. ,t. >ses) or ,t.
>syth's) to the northeast of Chelmsford) was to be the
scene of the most remar(able affair of its (ind in Eli0a+
bethan times. *he alarm began with the formulation of
charges against a woman of the community. Ursley
Aemp was a poor woman of doubtful reputation. ,he
rendered miscellaneous serices to her neighbors. ,he
acted as midwife) nursed children) and added to her
income by HunwitchingH the diseased. :i(e other
women of the sort) she was loo(ed upon with suspicion.
4ence) when she had been refused the nursing of the
child of Brace *hurlow) a serant of that 9r. ;arcy
who was later to try her) and when the child soon after+
ward fell out of its cradle and bro(e its nec() the mother
suspected Ursley of witchcraft ?eertheless she did
not refuse her help when she H began to hae a lameness
in her bones.H Ursley promised to unwitch her and
seemingly (ept her word) for the lameness disappeared.
*hen it was that the nurse+ woman as(ed for the twele+
pence she had been promised and was refused. Brace
pleaded that she was a H poore and needie woman.H
Ursley became angry and threatened to be een with
her. *he lameness reappeared and Brace *hurlow
was thoroughly coninced that Ursley was to blame.
%hen the case was carried before the &ustices of the
peace) the accused woman denied that she was guilty
ED %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
of anything more than unwitching the afflicted. *hat
she had learned) she said) ten or more years ago from a
woman now deceased. ,he was committed to the as+
si0es) and @ustice =rian ;arcy) whose serant Brace
*hurlow had started the trouble) too( the case in hand.
4e e.amined her eight+year+old H base son)H who gae
damning eidence against his mother. ,he fed four
imps) *yffin) *ittey) Piggen) and @ac(et. *he boy's
testimony and the &udge's promise that if she would
confess the truth she H would hae faour)H seemed
to brea( down the woman's resolution. H =ursting out
with weeping she fell upon her (nees and confessed
that she had four spirits.H *wo of them she had used
for laming) two for (illing. ?ot only the details of her
son's eidence) but all the earlier charges) she confirmed
step by step) first in priate confessions to the &udge
and then publicly at the court sessions. *he woman's
stories tallied with those of all her accusers 9 and dis+
played no little play of imagination in the orientation of
details. !E ?ot content with thus entangling herself in a
fearful web of crime) she went on to point out other
women guilty of similar witchcrafts. Four of those
whom she named were haled before the &ustice. Eli0a+
beth =ennett) who spun wool for a cloth+ma(er) was
one of those most ehemently accused) but she denied
(nowledge of any (ind of witchcraft. It had been
charged against her that she (ept some wool hidden in a
pot under some stones in her house. ,he denied at
first the possession of this potent and malignant charm 5
but) influenced by the gentle urgings of @ustice ;arcy)<<
HAllowance must be made for a ery pre&udiced reporter) i. e.) the
&udge himself.
H*hese details were ery probably suggested to her by the &udge.
u %ho promised her also H faour.H
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 E2
she gae way) as Ursley Aemp had done) and) brea(ing
all restraint) poured forth wild stories of deilish crimes
committed through the assistance of her imps.
=ut why should we trace out the confessions) charges)
and counter+charges that followedR *he stories that
were poured forth continued to inole a widening
group until si.teen persons were under accusation of
the most awful crimes) committed by demoniacal
agency. As at Chelmsford) they were the dregs of the
lower classes) women with illegitimate children) some
of them dependent upon public support. It will be
seen that in some respects the panic bore a li(eness to
those that had preceded. *he spirits) which too( e.tra+
ordinary and bi0arre forms) were the offspring of the
same pererted imaginations) but they had assumed new
shapes. Ursley Aemp (ept a white lamb) a little gray
cat) a blac( cat) and a blac( toad. *here were spirits
of eery sort) H two little thyngs li(e horses) one white)
the other blac(H' 5 si. H spirits li(e cowes ... as
big as rattlesH 5 spirits mas-uerading as blac(birds.
>ne spirit strangely enough remained inisible. It will
be obsered by the reader that the spirits almost fitted
into a color scheme. Cery iid colors were those
preferred in their spirits by these ,t. >ses women.
*he reader can see) too) that the confessions showed
the influence of the great cat tradition.
%e hae seen the readiness with which the deluded
women made confession. ,ome of the confessions
were poured forth as from souls long surcharged with
guilt =ut not all of them came in this way. 9argerie
,ammon) who had testified against one of her neigh+
bors) was finally herself caught in the web of accusation
in which a sister had also been inoled. ,he was ac+
EE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
cused by her sister. HI defie thee)H she answered)
H though thou art my sister.H =ut her sister drew her
aside and Hwhyspered her in the eare)H after which)
with Hgreat submission and many teares)H she made
a oluble confession. >ne wonders about that whis+
pered consultation. 4ad her sister perhaps suggested
that the &ustice was offering mercy to those who con+
fessedR For @ustice ;arcy was ery liberal with his
promises of mercy and absolutely unscrupulous about
brea(ing them.H It is gratifying to be able to record
that there was yet a remnant left who confessed noth+
ing at all and stood stubborn to the last. >ne of them
was 9argaret Breel) who denied the accusations
against her. ,he H saith that shee herselfe hath lost
seerall bruings and ba(ings of bread) and also swine)
but she neer did complaine thereof M saying that shee
wished her gere were at a stay and then shee cared
not whether shee were hanged or burnt or what did
become of her.H Annis 4erd was another who stuc(
to her innocence. ,he could recall arious incidents
mentioned by her accusers5 it was true that she had
tal(ed to Andrew %est about getting a pig) it was true
that she had seen 9r. 4arrison at his parsonage gather+
ing plums and had as(ed for some and been refused.
=ut she denied that she had any imps or that she had
(illed any one.
*he use of eidence in this trial would lead one to
suppose that in England no rules of eidence were
yet in e.istence. *he testimony of children ranging
u *he detestable methods of @ustice ;arcy come out in the case of a
woman from whom he threatened to remoe her imps if she did not
confess) and by that means trapped her into the incriminating statement)
H *hat shal ye not.H
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 E/
in age from si. to nine was eagerly receied. ?o ob+
&ection indeed was made to the testimony of a neighbor
who professed to hae oerheard what he deemed an
incriminating statement. As a matter of fact the re+
mar() if made) was harmless enough. !3 E.pert ei+
dence was introduced in a roundabout way by the state+
ment offered in court that a physician had suspected
that a certain case was witchcraft. ?othing was e.+
cluded. *he garrulous women had been gie free rein
to pile up their silly accusations against one another.
?ot until the trial was nearing its end does it seem to
hae occurred to =rian ;arcy to warn a woman against
ma(ing false charges.
It will be recalled that in the Chelmsford trials
9other %aterhouse had been found to hae upon her
certain mar(s) yet little emphasis had been laid upon
them. In the trials of !/$D the proof drawn from these
mar(s was deemed of the first importance and the
&udge appointed &uries of women to ma(e e.amination.
?o artist has yet dared to paint the picture of the gloat+
ing female in-uisitors grouped around their na(ed and
trembling ictim) a scene that was to be enacted in many
a witch trial. And it is well) for the scene would be too
repellent and brutal for reproduction. In the use pf
these specially instituted &uries there was no care to get
unbiassed decisions. >ne of the in-uisitors appointed
to e.amine Cystley Celles had already sered as witness
against her.
H%illiam 4oo(e had heard %illiam ?ewman Hbid the said Alea his
wife to beate it away.H Comparable with this was the eidence of
9argerie ,ammon who Hsayeth that the saide widowe 4unt did tell her
that ahee had harde the said @oan Pechey) being in her house) erie often
to chide and ehemently spea(ing) . . . and sayth that shee went in to
see. I . . shee founde no bodie but herselfe alone.H
E1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
It is hard to refrain from an indictment of the hope+
lessly pre&udiced &ustice who gathered the eidenceH
*o entrap the defendants seems to hae been his end.
In the account which he wrote H he seems to hae feared
lest the public should fail to understand how his cleer+
ness ministered to the coniction of the women<
H *here is a manK' he wrote) H of great cunning and
(nowledge come oer lately unto our 8ueenes 9aiestie)
which hath adertised her what a companie and number
of witches be within Englande M whereupon I and other
of her @ustices hae receied commission for the appre+
hending of as many as are within these limites.H ?o
doubt he hoped to attract royal notice and win faor by
his 0eal.
*he Chelmsford affairs and that at ,t. >ses were the
three remar(able trials of their (ind in the first part of
Eli0abeth's reign. *hey furnish some eidence of the
progress of superstition. *he procedure in !/$D reeals
considerable adance oer that of !/11. *he theory of
diabolic agency had been elaborated. *he testimony
offered was gaining in comple.ity and in ariety. ?ew
<S Reginald ,cot) ;iscoert< of %itchcraft) /E2) says of this trial) H la
the meane time let anie man with good consideration peruse that boo(e
published by %. %. and it shall suffice to satisfie him in all that may
be re-uired. . . . ,ee whether the witnesses be not single) of what
credit) se.) and age they are5 namelie lewd miserable and enious poore
people5 most of them which spea(e to anie purpose being old women and
children of the age of E) /) 1) 3) $) or " yeares.H
w *here can be no doubt that =rian ;arcy either wrote the account
himself or dictated it to H %. %.H *he fre-uent use of H me)H meaning
by that pronoun the &udge) indicates that he was responsible.
9 It is some relief in this trial to read the testimony of @ohn *endering
about %illiam =yett. 4e had a cow H in a strange case.H 4e could not
lift it. 4e put fire under the cow) she got up and H there stood still
and fell a byting of stic(es larger than any man's finger and after lied
and did well.H
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 E3
proofs of guilt were being introduced as well as new
methods of testing the matter. In the second part of
Eli0abeth's reign we hae but one trial of unusual in+
terest) that at %arboys in 4untingdonshire. *his) we
shall see) continued the elaboration of the witch pro+
< *his deice seems to hae been originally suggested by the children
to try 9other ,amuel's guilt.
,> %I*C4CRAF* % E?B:A?;
phrased negatiely) HAs I am no witch)H was inef+
fectual. And the affirmatie charge) when tried by
some other person) had no result. *his was deemed
conclusie proof. *he woman was beyond doubt guilty.
*he same method was applied with e-ually successful
issue to the father. %hen he refused to use the words
of the charge he was warned by the &udge that he would
endanger his life. 4e gae way.
It is needless to say that the grand &ury arraigned
all three of the family and that the H &ury of life and
death H found them guilty. It needed but a fie hours'
trial.<< *he mother was induced to plead pregnancy as
a delay to e.ecution) but after an e.amination by a
&ury was ad&udged not pregnant. *he daughter had
been urged to ma(e the same defence) but spiritedly
replied) H It shall neer be said that I was both a witch
and a whore.H At the e.ecution the mother made an+
other confession) in which she implicated her husband)
but refused to the end to accuse her daughter.
From beginning to end it had been the strong against
the wea(. ,ir Robert *hroc(morton) ,ir 4enry Crom+
well) %illiam %ic(ham) =ishop of :incoln) the &ustices
of the peace) @ustice Fenner of the (ing's court) the Cam+
bridge scholars) the H ;octor of ;iinitie)H and two
other clergymen) all were banded together against this
poor but respectable family. In some respects the trial
reminds us of one that was to ta(e place ninety+nine
years later in 9assachusetts. *he part played by the
children in the two instances was ery similar. 9other
,amuel had hit the nail on the head when she said that
the trouble was due to the children's Hwantonness.H
9 *he clergyman) H ;octor ;orrington)H had been one of the leaders
in prosecuting them.
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 /!
Probably the first child had really suffered from some
slight ailment *he others were imitators eager to gain
notice and pleased with their success 5 and this fact was
reali0ed by some people at the time. H It had been re+
ported by some in the county) those that thought them+
seles wise) that this 9other ,amuel . . . was an old
simple woman) and that one might ma(e her by f ayre
words conf esse what they would.H 9oreoer the tone of
the writer's defense ma(es it eident that others beside
9other ,amuel laid the action of the *hroc(morton
children to Hwantonness.H And si. years later ,am+
uel 4arsnett) chaplain to the =ishop of :ondon and a
man already influential) called the account of the affair
H a ery ridiculous boo(e H and eidently belieed the
children guilty of the same pretences as %illiam ,om+
ers) whose confessions of imposture he was relating<
%e hae already obsered that the %arboys affair
was the only celebrated trial of its sort in the last part
of Eli0abeth's reign G that is) from the time of Reginald
,cot to the accession of @ames I. *his does not mean
that the superstition was waning or that the trials were
on the decrease. *he records show that the number
of trials was steadily increasing. *hey were more
widely distributed. :ondon was still the centre of
the belief. Chief+ @ustice Anderson sent @oan Aer(e
to *yburn and the 9iddlese. sessions were still oc+
cupied with accusations. *he counties ad&acent to it
could still claim more than two+thirds of the e.ecutions.
=ut a far wider area was infected with the superstition.
?orfol( in East Anglia) :eicester) ?ottingham and
H4arsnett) ;iscoery of the Fraudulent Practises s of @ohn ;orr el
6:ondon) I/%7S "<) "3.
/D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
;erby in the 9idlands) and Yor( and ?orthumberland
in the ?orth were all inoled.
*he truth is that there are two tendencies that appear
ery clearly towards the last part of Eli0abeth's reign.
>n the one hand the feeling of the people against
witchcraft was growing in intensity) while on the other
the administration at :ondon was inclined to be more
lenient. Pardons and repriees were issued to women
already condemnedH while some attempt was made
to curb popular e.citement. *he attitude of the -ueen
towards the celebrated @ohn ;ee was an instance in
point. ;ee was an eminent alchemist) astrologer) and
spiritualist of his time. 4e has left a diary which
shows us his half mystic) half scientific pursuits. In
the earlier part of 9ary's reign he had been accused of
attempting poison or magic against the -ueen and had
been imprisoned and e.amined by the priy council
and by the ,tar Chamber. At Eli0abeth's accession he
had cast the horoscope for her coronation day) and he
was said to hae reealed to the -ueen who were her
enemies at foreign courts. 9ore than once afterwards
;ee was called upon by the -ueen to render her serices
when she was ill or when some mysterious design
against her person was feared. %hile he dealt with
many curious things) he had consistently refused to med+
dle with con&uring. Indeed he had rebu(ed the con&urer
4artley and had refused to help the bewitched 9ar+
garet =yrom of Cleworth in :ancashire. ,ometime
about !/"# ;ee's enemies G and he had many G put in
circulation stories of his success as a con&urer. It was
< Among the manuscripts on witchcraft in the =odleian :ibrary are
three such pardons of witches for their witchcraft G one of @ane 9or+
timer in !/"s) one of Rosa =e.well in !1##) and one of HAlice ,.) 9
without date but under Elisabeth.
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 /2
the more easy to do) because for a long time he had
been suspected by many of unlawful dealings with
spirits. 4is position became dangerous. 4e appealed
to Eli0abeth for protection and she gae him assurance
that he might push on with his studies. *hroughout
her life the -ueen continued to stand by ;eeH and it
was not until a new soereign came to the throne that
he again came into danger. =ut the moral of the in+
cident is obious. *he priy council) so nerous about
the con&urers in the days of 9ary) 8ueen of ,cots)
and the Catholic and ,panish plots) was now resting
easier and refused to be affrighted.
%e hae already referred to the pardons issued as one
of the eidences of the more lenient policy of the go+
ernment. *hat policy appeared too in the lessening
rigor of the assi0e &udges. *he first half of Eli0abeth's
reign had been mar(ed by few ac-uittals. ?early half
the cases of which we hae record in the second part
resulted in the discharge of the accused. %hether the
&udges were ta(ing their cue from the priy council
or whether some of them were feeling the same re+
action against the cruelty of the prosecutions) it is cer+
tain that there was a considerable nullifying of the
force of the belief. %e shall see in the chapter on
Reginald ,cot that his ;iscoerie of %itchcraft was
said to hae H affected the magistracy and the clergy.H
It is hard to lay one's finger upon influences of this
sort) but we can hardly doubt that there was some con+
nection between ,cot's brae indictment of the witch+
triers and the lessening seerity of court erdicts.
< In ! /"/ he was made warden of the 9anchester Collegiate Church.
;ee has in our days found a biographer. ,ee @ohn ;<< 6!/D3+!1#"7) by
Charlotte Fell ,mith 6:ondon) !"#"7.
/E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
%hen Beorge Bifford) the non+conformist clergyman
at 9aiden) wrote his ;ialogue concerning %itches) in
which he earnestly deprecated the coniction of so
many witches) he dedicated the boo( Hto the Right
%orshipful 9aister Robert Clar(e) one of her 9a&es+
ties =arons of her 4ighnesse Court of the E.che-uer)H
and wrote that he had been H delighted to heare and see
the wise and godly course used upon the seate of &us+
tice by your worship) when such hae bene arraigned.H
Unfortunately there is not much eidence of this (ind.
>ne other fact must not be oerloo(ed. A large per+
centage of the cases that went against the accused were
in towns &udicially independent of the assi0e courts.
At Faersham) at :ynn) at Yarmouth) and at :eices+
ter < the local municipal authorities were to blame for
the hanging of witches. *he regular assi0e courts had
nothing to do with the matter. *he case at Faersham
in Aent was unusual. @oan Cason was indicted for be+
witching to death a three+year+old child. Eight of her
neighbors) seen of them women) Hpoore people)H
testified against her. *he woman too( up her own
cause with great spirit and e.posed the malicious deal+
ings of her adersaries and also certain controersies
betwi.t her and them. H=ut although she satisfied
the bench)H says 4olinshed) H and all the &urie touching
hir innocencie . . . she . . . confessed that a little er+
min) being of colour reddish) of stature lesse than a rat
. . . did . . . haunt her house.H ,he was willing too to
admit illicit relations with one 9ason) whose house+
(eeper she had been G probably the original cause of her
HFor the particular caae) tee 9ary =ateaon) ed.) Rtcords of t(t
=orough of :oietstor 6Cambridge) !$""7. Ill) 22/< for the general letter<
patent coering such catea see id.) II) 21/) 211.
%I*C4CRAF* U?;ER E:IJA=E*4 //
troubles. *he &ury ac-uitted her of witchcraft) but
found her guilty of the H inocation of eil spiritsK' in+
tending to send her to the pillory. %hile the mayor
was admonishing her) a lawyer called attention to the
point that the inocation of eil spirits had been made
a felony. *he mayor sentenced the woman to e.ecu+
tion. =ut) H because there was no matter of inocation
gien in eidence against hir) . . . hir e.ecution was
staied by the space of three daies.H ,undry preachers
tried to wring confessions from her) but to no purpose.
Yet she made so godly an end) says the chronicler) that
Hmanie now lamented hir death which were before hir
utter enimies.H < *he case illustrates iidly the clum+
siness of municipal court procedure. *he mayor's
court was unfamiliar with the law and utterly unable
to aert the conse-uences of its own finding. In the
regular assi0e courts) @oan Cason would probably hae
been sentenced to four public appearances in the
pillory.
*he differences between the first half and the sec+
ond half of Eli0abeth's reign hae not been deemed
wide enough by the writer to &ustify separate treat+
ment. *he whole reign was a time when the super+
stition was gaining ground. Yet in the span of years
from Reginald ,cot to the death of Eli0abeth there was
enough of reaction to &ustify a differentiation of statis+
tics. In both periods) and more particularly in the first)
we may be sure that some of the records hae been
lost and that a thorough search of local archies
would reeal some trials of which we hae at present
< For this ttory fee Ralph 4oUnshed) Chronicles of England) ,cotland)
and Ireland 6:ondon) !/33< reprinted !/$1+!/$3 and !$#3+!$#$7) ed. of
!$#3+!$#$) IC) $o.) $"2. Faerahaa was then 9 Ferertham.H
/1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
no (nowledge. It was a time rich in mention of witch
trials) but a time too when but few cases were fully de+
scribed. ,cot's incidental references to the aried e.+
periences of ,ir Roger 9anwood and of his uncle ,ir
*homas ,cot merely confirm an impression gained
from the literature of the time that the witch e.ecutions
were becoming) throughout the seenties and early
eighties) too common to be remar(able. For the sec+
ond period we hae record of probably a larger percent+
age of all the cases. For the whole time from !/12)
when the new law went into effect) down to !1#2) we
hae records of nearly fifty e.ecutions. >f these &ust
about two+thirds occurred in the earlier period) while
of the ac-uittals two+thirds belong to the later period.
It would be rash to attach too much significance to these
figures. As a matter of fact) the records are so in+
complete that the actual totals hae little if any meaning
and only the proportions can be considered< Yet it
loo(s as if the forces which caused the persecution of
witches in England were beginning to abate 5 and it may
fairly be in-uired whether some new factor may not
hae entered into the situation. It is time to spea( of
Reginald ,cot and of the e.orcists.
9 @ustice Anderson) when sentencing a witch to a year's imprisonment)
declared that this was the twenty+fifth or twenty+si.th witch he had
condemned. *his is good eidence that the records of many cases hae
been lost ,ee =rit. 9us. t ,loane 9,. $2!) f. 2$.
C4AP*ER III.
Reginald ,cot.
From the chronicling of witch trials we turn aside
in this chapter to follow the career of the first great
English opponent of the superstition. %e hae seen
how the attac( upon the supposed creatures of the
;eil was growing stronger throughout the reign of
Eli0abeth. %e shall see how that attac( was chec(ed)
at least in some degree) by the resistance of one man.
Few men of so -uiet and studious life hae wrought so
effectiely as Reginald ,cot. 4e came of a family well
(nown in Aent) but not politically aggressie. As a
young man he studied at 4art 4all ! in >.ford) but
left without ta(ing his degree and returned to ,cots+
4all) where he settled down to the routine duties of
managing his estate. 4e gae himself oer) we are
told) to husbandry and gardening and to a solid course
of general reading in the obscure authors that had H by
the generality been neglectedK' In !/3E his studies in
horticulture resulted in the publication of A Perfect
Platforme of a 4oppe+Barden and necessary instruc+
tions for the ma(ing and maintaining thereof. *hat
the boo( ministered to a practical interest was ei+
denced by the call for three editions within fie years.
%hether he now applied himself to the study of that
sub&ect which was to be the theme of his ;iscoerie)
we do not (now. It was a matter which had doubtless
! %here Beorge Btfford) who wrote a little later on the sub&ect) was
also a student.
/3
/$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
arrested his attention een earlier and had enlisted a
growing interest upon his part. ?ot until a decade
after his 4oppe+Barden) howeer) did he put forth the
epoch+ma(ing ;iscoerie. ?or does it seem li(ely that
he had been engaged for a long period on the actual
composition. Rather) the style and matter of the boo(
seem to eince traces of hurry in preparation. If this
theory be true G and 9r. =rinsley ?icholson) his mod+
ern commentator) has adduced e.cellent reasons for ac+
cepting it < G there can be but one e.planation) the ,t.
>ses affair. *hat tragedy) occurring within a short
distance of his own home) had no doubt so outraged
his sense of &ustice) that the wor( which he had per+
haps long been contemplating he now set himself to
complete as soon as possible.< Een he who runs may
read in ,cot's strong sentences that he was not writing
for instruction only) to propound a new doctrine) but
that he was battling with the single purpose to stop a
detestable and wic(ed practice. ,omething of a dilet+
tante in real life) he became in his writing a man with
an absorbing mission. *hat mission sprang not indeed
from indignation at the ,t. >ses affair alone. From the
days of childhood his e.perience had been of a (ind to
encourage s(epticism. 4e had been reared in a county
where Eli0abeth =arton) the 4oly 9aid of Aent) first
came into prominence) and he had seen the downfall
that followed her public e.posure. E In the year after he
< ;iscoerie of %itchcraft) ?icholson ed.) introd.) ....
< *hat at least a part of it was written in !/$2 appears from his own
words) where he spea(s of the treatise of :eonardus Cairus on fascina+
tion as H now this present yeare !/$2 newlie publishedK' ibid.) !<E.
E Eli0abeth =arton 6! /#1+!/2E7 suffered from a nerous derangement
which deeloped into a religious mania. ,he was taught by some mon(s)
and then professed to be in communion with the Cirgin 9ary and per+
formed miracles at stated times. ,he denounced 4enry CIII's diorce
REBI?A:; ,C>* /"
brought out his 4oppe+garden) his county was again
stirred by performances of a supposedly supernatural
character. 9ildred ?orrington) a girl of seenteenK used
entrilo-uism with such s(ill that she coninced two
clergymen and all her neighbors that she was possessed.
In answer to -ueries) the eil spirit that spo(e through
9ildred declared that Hold Alice of %estwell 'Hhad sent
him to possess the girl. Alice) the spirit admitted) stood
guilty of terrible witchcrafts. *he demon's word was
ta(en) and Alice seems to hae been H arraigned upon
this eidence.H f =ut) through the &ustices' adroit man+
agement of the trial) the fraud of the accuser was e.+
posed. ,he confessed herself a pretender and suffered
H condign punishment.H *his case happened within si.
miles of ,cot's home and opened his eyes to the possi+
bility of humbug. In the ery same year two pre+
tenders) Agnes =ridges and Rachel Pinder) were con+
icted in :ondon. =y omiting pins and straws < they
had coninced many that they were bewitched) but the
tric(ery was soon found out and they were compelled
to do public penance at ,t. Paul's. " %e are not told
what was the fate of a detestable 9other =a(er) who)
when consulted by the parents of a sic( girl at ?ew
and gained wide recognition as a champion of the -ueen and the Catholic
church. ,he was granted interiews by Archbishop %arham) by *homas
9ore) and by %olsey. ,he was finally induced by Cranmer to ma(e
confession) was compelled publicly to repeat her confession in arious
places) and was then e.ecuted5 see ;iet. ?at. =iog.
I Illegitimate child
I *hat is) ery probably) Alice ?orrington) the mother of 9ildred.
* ;iscoert< of %itchcraft) !2#.
I Ibid.) !2a.
I ,ee *he dischysing of a lot< connterfeyted possession by the deyl
in two maydens within the Citie of :ondon5 see also 4olinshed) Chron+
icles) ed. of !$#3<!$#$) IC) 2D/) and @ohn ,tow) Annals . . . of England
6:ondon) !1! /7) 13$.
1a %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
Romney in Aent) accused a neighbor woman. ! < ,he
said that the woman had made a wa.en heart and
pric(ed it and by this means accomplished her eil pur+
pose. In order to proe her accusation) she had in the
mean time concealed the wa. figure of a heart in the
house of the woman she accused) and then pretended
to find it. u It is some satisfaction to (now that the ma+
licious creature G who) during the history of witchcraft)
had many imitators G was caught and compelled to
confess.
,cot learned) indeed) by obsering marels of this
sort !! G what it is strange that many others did not
learn G to loo( upon displays of the supernatural with
a good deal of doubt. 4ow much he had eer belieed
in them we do not (now. It is not unli(ely that in com+
mon with his generation he had) as a young man) held
a somewhat ill+defined opinion about the ;eil's use of
witches. *he belief in that had come down) a compara+
tiely innocuous tradition) from a primitie period. It
was a sub&ect that had not been raised in speculation or
for that matter in court rooms. =ut since ,cot's early
manhood all this had been changed. England had been
swept by a tidal wae of suspicion. 4a0y theological
notions had been tightened into rigid conictions. Con+
ictions had passed into legislatie statutes and in+
structions to &udges. *he bench) which had at first
acted on the new laws with caution and a desire to de+
tect imposture) became infected with the fear and grew
more ready to discoer witchcraft and to punish it. It
i
i u ;isco<rU of %itchcraft) D/$) D/".
u *he tpot she chose for concealing the to(en of guilt had been pre+
iously searched.
9 For another see ;iscoert< of %itchcraft) !2D+!22.
REBI?A:; ,C>* 1!
is unnecessary to recapitulate the progress of a moe+
ment already traced in the preious chapter. ,uffice it
to say that the Aentish gentleman) familiari0ed with
accounts of imposture) was unwilling to follow the ris+
ing current of superstition. >f course this is merely
another way of saying that ,cot was unconentional
in his mental operations and thought the sub&ect out
for himself with results ariant from those of his own
generation. 4ere was a new abuse in England) here
was a wrong that he had seen spring up within his own
lifetime and in his own part of England. 4e made it
his mission as far as possible to right the wrong. H For
so much)H he says) H as the mightie helpe themseles
together) and the poore widowes crie) though it reach to
heaen) is scarse heard here upon earthM I thought
good 6according to my poore abilitie7 to ma(e inter+
cession) that some part of common rigor) and some
points of hastie &udgement may be adised upon.H H
It was indeed a splendid mission and he was singu+
larly well e-uipped for it. 4e had the -ualifications G
scholarly training and the power of scientific obsera+
tion) a bac(ground of broad theological and scriptural
information) a familiarity with legal learning and prac+
tice) as well as a command of igorous and incisie lan+
guage G which were certain to ma(e his wor( effectie
towards its ob&ect.
*hat he was a scholar is true in more senses than one.
In his use of deduction from classical writers he was
something of a scholastic) in his willingness to enture
into new fields of thought he was a product of the Re+
naissance) in his thorough use of research he reminds us
of a modern inestigator. 4e gies in his boo( a bib+
u In his prefatory epistle Hto the Readers.H
1D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
liography of the wor(s consulted by him and one counts
oer two hundred :atin and thirty English titles. 4is
reading had coered the whole field of superstition. *o
Cornelius Agrippa and to %ierus 6@ohann %eyer7) !E
who had attac(ed the tyranny of superstition upon the
Continent) he owed an especial debt. 4e had not) how+
eer) borrowed enough from them to impair in any
serious way the alue of his own original contribution.
In respect to law) ,cot was less a student than a man
of e.perience. *he ;iscoerie) howeer) bristled with
references which indicated a legal way of thin(ing. 4e
was almost certainly a man who had used the law.
=rinsley ?icholson beliees that he had been a &ustice
of the peace. In any case he had a lawyer's sense of the
alue of eidence and a lawyer's way of putting his
case.
?o less practical was his (nowledge of theology and
scripture. 4ere he had to meet the baffling problems
of the %itch of Endor. *he story of the witch who
had called up before the frightened Aing ,aul the
spirit of the dead ,amuel and made him spea() stood as
a lion in the path of all opponents of witch persecution.
%hen ,cot dared to e.plain this >ld *estament tale
as an instance of entrilo-uism) and to compare it to
the celebrated case of 9ildred ?orrington) he showed
a boldness in interpretation of the =ible far in adance
of his contemporaries.
4is anticipation of present+day points of iew
cropped out perhaps more in his scientific spirit than in
<< An incidental reference to %eyer in H %. %.'a H account of the
%itches ta(en at ,t. >tis if interestingM 9 . . . whom a learned Phititian
is not ashamed to aouche innocent) and the @udges that denounce sen+
tence of death against them no better than hangmen.H
REBI?A:; ,C>* 12
any other way. For years before he put pen to paper
he had been conducting inestigations into alleged cases
of con&uring and witchcraft) attending trials)H and
-uestioning clergymen and magistrates. For such obser+
ation he was most faorably situated and he used his
position in his community to further his (nowledge. A
man almost impertinently curious was this si.teenth+
century student. %hen he learned of a con&urer whose
sentence of death had been remitted by the -ueen and
who professed penitence for his crimes) he opened a
correspondence and obtained from the man the clear
statement that his con&uries were all impostures. *he
prisoner referred him to H a boo(e written in the old
,a.on toong by one ,ir @ohn 9alborne) a diine of
>.enford) three hundred yeares past)H in which all
these tric(eries are cleared up. ,cot put forth his best
efforts to procure the wor( from the parson to whom it
had been entrusted) but without success.H In another
case he attended the assi0es at Rochester) where a
woman was on trial. >ne of her accusers was the icar
of the parish) who made seeral charges) not the least
of which was that he could not enunciate clearly in
church owing to enchantment. *his e.planation ,cot
carried to her and she was able to gie him an e.+
planation much less creditable to the clergyman of the
ailment) an e.planation which ,cot found confirmed
by an en-uiry among the neighbors. *o -uiet such
rumors in the community about the nature of the ill+
ness the icar had to procure from :ondon a medical
certificate that it was a lung trouble. !3
u R. g.) ;iscoert< of %itchcraft) /.
HIbid.) E11+E1".
!* K1%.) /+1.
1E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
Can we wonder that a student at such pains to dis+
coer the fact as to a wrong done should hae used
barbed words in the portrayal of in&usticeR ,trong
conictions spurred on his pen) already taught to shape
igorous and incisie sentences. ?ot a stylist) as meas+
ured by the highest Eli0abethan standards of charm and
mellifluence) he possessed a clearness and directness
which win the modern reader. =y his methods of an+
alysis he displayed a -uality of mind a(in to and prob+
ably influenced by that of Calin) while his intellectual
attitude showed the stimulus of the Reformation.
4e was indeed in his own restricted field a reformer.
4e was not only the protagonist of a new cause) but a
pioneer who had to cut through the underbrush of
opinion a pathway for speculation to follow. ,o far
as England was concerned) ,cot found no philosophy
of the sub&ect) no systematic defences or assaults upon
the loosely constructed theory of demonic agency.
It was for him to state in definite terms the beliefs he
was see(ing to oerthrow. *he Roman church (new
fairly well by this time what it meant by witchcraft)
but English theologians and philosophers would
hardly hae found common ground on any one tenet
about the matter.H %ithout e.aggeration it may be
asserted that ,cot by his assault all along the front
forced the enemy's adance and in some sense dictated
his line of battle.
*he assault was directed indeed against the centre
of the opposing entrenchments) the belief in the con+
u Ibid.) !/M H 4owbeit you shall understand that few or none are
throughl ie persuaded) resoled) or satisfied) that witches can indeed ac+
complish all these impossibilities5 but some one is bewitched in one
point) and some is coosened in another) untill in fine) all these im+
possibilities) and manic mo) are by sererall persons affirmed to be true.H
REBI?A:; ,C>* 1/
tinuance of miracles. ,cot declared that with Christ
and his apostles the age of miracles had passed) an
opinion which he supported by the authority of Calin
and of ,t. Augustine. %hat was counted the super+
natural assumed two forms G the phenomena e.hibited
by those whom he classed under the wide term of
H couseners)H and the phenomena said to be e.hibited
by the H poor doting women H (nown as witches. *he
tric(s and deceits of the H couseners H he was at great
pains to e.plain. ?ot less than one+third of his wor(
is gien up to setting forth the methods of con&urers)
card tric(s) sleight+of+hand performances) illusions of
magic) materiali0ations of spirits) and the wonders of
alchemy and astrology. In the range of his informa+
tion about these sub&ects) the discoerer was encyclo+
pedic. ?o current form of dabbling with the super+
natural was left une.posed.
In his attac( upon the phenomena of witchcraft he
had a different problem. 4e had to deal with phenom+
ena the so+called facts of which were not susceptible
of any material e.planation. *he theory of a ;eil
who had intimate relations with human beings) who
controlled them and sent them out upon maleficent
errands) was in its essence a theological conception
and could not be absolutely disproed by scientific
obseration. It was necessary instead to attac( the
idea on its a priori grounds. *his attac( ,cot at+
tempted to base on the nature of spirits. ,pirits and
bodies) he urged) are antithetical and inconertible)
nor can any one sae Bod gie spirit a bodily form.
*he ;eil) a something beyond our comprehension)
cannot change spirit into body) nor can he himself
assume a bodily form) nor has he any power sae that
11 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
granted him by Bod for engeance. *his being true)
the whole belief in the ;eil's intercourse with witches
is undermined. ,uch) ery briefly) were the philo+
sophic bases of ,cot's s(epticism. Yet the more cogent
parts of his wor( were those in which he denied the
alidity of any eidence so far offered for the e.is+
tence of witches. %hat is witchcraftR he as(ed5 and
his answer is worth -uoting. H %itchcraft is in truth
a cousening art) wherin the name of Bod is abused)
prophaned and blasphemed) and his power attributed
to a ile creature. In estimation of the ulgar people)
it is a supernaturall wor(e) contried betweene a cor+
porall old woman) and a spirituall diell. *he manor
thereof is so secret) mysticall) and strange) that to this
daie there hath neer beene any credible witnes
thereof.H H *he want of credible eidence was in+
deed a point upon which ,cot continually insisted
with great force. 4e pictured iidly the course which
a witchcraft case often ran M H >ne sort of such as are
said to bee witches are women which be commonly
old) lame) bleare+eied) pale) fowle) and full of wrin(les 5
. . . they are leane and deformed) shewing melancholic
in their faces 5 . . . they are doting) scolds) mad) dielish.
. . . *hese miserable wretches are so odious unto all
their neighbors) and so feared) as few dare offend them)
or denie them anie thing they as(e M whereby they ta(e
upon them) yea) and sometimes thin(e) that they can
doo such things as are beyond the abilitie of humane
nature. *hese go from house to house) and from doore
to doore for a pot of mil(e) yest) drin(e) pottage) or
some such releefe 5 without the which they could hardlie
W;iscotri") E3a.
REBI?A:; ,C>* 13
lie. ... It falleth out many times) that neither their
necessities) nor their e.pectation is answered. ... In
tract of time the witch wa.eth odious and tedious to
hir neighbors 5 . . . she cursseth one) and sometimes an+
other 5 and that from the maister of the house) his wife)
children) cattell) etc. to the little pig that lieth in the
stie. . . . ;oubtlesse 6at length7 some of hir neigh+
bours die) or fall sic(e.H H *hen they suspect her) says
,cot) and grow coninced that she is the author of their
mishaps. H*he witch) . . . seeing things sometimes
come to passe according to hir wishes) . . . being called
before a @ustice) . . . confesseth that she hath brought
such things to passe. %herein) not onelie she) but the
accuser) and also the @ustice are fowlie deceied and
abused.H !! ,uch indeed was the epitome of many
cases. *he process from beginning to end was neer
better described 5 the ease with which confessions were
dragged from wea(+spirited women was neer pictured
more truly. %ith -uite as (een insight he displayed
the moties that animated witnesses and described
the pre&udices and fears that wor(ed on &urors and
&udges. It was) indeed) upon these factors that he
rested the weight of his argument for the negatie<
*he affirmatie opinion was grounded) he belieed)
upon the ignorance of the common people) H assorted
SIbid.) 3+$.
HIbid.) $.
n It was one of the pointi made by H witchmongers H that the e.istence
of laws against' witches proed there were witches. *his argument was
used by ,ir 9atthew 4ale as late as !11E. ,cot says on that pointM 9 Yet
I confesse) the customes and lawes almost of all nations doo declare) that
all these miraculous wor(s . . . were attributed to the power of witches.
*he which lawes) with the e.ecutions and &udicial< thereupon) and
the witches confessions) hare beguiled almost the whole world.H Ibid))
2@>.
1$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
and bewitchedH by the &esting or serious words of
poets) by the inentions of H lowd liers and couseners)H
and by H tales they hae heard from old doting women)
or from their mother's maids) and with whatsoeer the
grandfoole their ghostlie father or anie other morrow
masse preest had informed them.H H
=y the same method by which he opposed the belief
in witchcraft he opposed the belief in possession by an
eil spirit. *he (nown cases) when e.amined) proed
frauds. *he instances in the ?ew *estament he
seemed inclined to e.plain by the assumption that pos+
session merely meant disease.<<
*hat ,cot should maintain an absolute negatie in
the face of all strange phenomena would hae been too
much to e.pect. 4e seems to hae belieed) though
not without some difficulty) that stones had in them
Hcertaine proper ertues which are gien them of a
speciall influence of the planets.H *he unicorn's horn)
he thought) had certain curatie properties. And he
had heard H by credible report H and the affirmation of
Hmany grae authorsH that Hthe wound of a man
murthered reneweth bleeding at the presence of a deere
f reend) or of a mortall enimie.H <
4is credulity in these points may be disappointing
to the reader who hopes to find in ,cot a scientific
rationalist. *hat) of course) he was not 5 and his lean+
ing towards superstition on these points ma(es one
as() %hat did he really beliee about witchcraftR
%hen all the fraud and false testimony and self+decep+
tion were e.cluded) what about the remaining cases
9 ;iscoer< ) E3!) E3a.
Hi%d.) /!a.
HIbid.) 2#2.
REBI?A:; ,C>* 1"
of witchcraftR ,cot was ery careful neer to deny in
toto the e.istence of witches. *hat would hae been
to deny the =ible. %hat were these witches) thenR
;oubtless he would hae answered that he had already
classified them under two headsM they were either
H couseners H or H poor doting women H G and by
H couseners H he seems to hae meant those who used
tric(ery and fraud. In other words) ,cot distinctly
implied that there were no real witches G with powers
gien them by the ;eil. %ould he hae stood by this
when pushed into a cornerR It is &ust possible that he
would hae done so) that he understood his own impli+
cations) but hardly dared to utter a straighforward
denial of the reality of witchcraft. It is more li(ely
that he had not altogether thought himself out.
*he immediate impression of ,cot's boo( we (now
little about. ,uch contemporary comment as we hae
is neutral.H *hat his boo( was read painsta(ingly by
eery later writer on the sub&ect) that it shortly became
the great support of one party in the controersy) that
Aing @ames deemed it worth while to write an answer)
and that on his accession to the throne he almost cer+
tainly ordered the boo( to be burned by the common
H*homas ?ash in his Four :etters Confuted 6:ondon) !/"27 refers
to it in a non+committal way as a wor( treating of H the dierse natures
and properties of ;iels and ,pirits.H Babriel 4arey's Pierces ,u+
pererogation 6:ondon) !/"27) has the following mention of itM H ,cottes
discooery of %itchcraft dismas(eth sundry egregious impostures) and in
certaine principalP chapters) and special passages) hitteth the nayle on the
head with a witnesse5 howsoeer I could hae wished he had either dealt
somewhat more curteously with 9onsieur =odtne) or confuted him some+
what more effectually.H Professor =urr informs me that there is in the
=ritish 9useum 64arleian 9,,. D2#D7 an incomplete and unpublished
reply to ,cot. Its handwriting shows it contemporary or nearly so. It
is a series of H Reasons H why witches should be belieed in G the
9,. in its present state beginning with the H /th Reason H and
brea(ing off in the midst of the !#$th.
3# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
hangman)< ! these are better eidence than absolutely
contemporary notices to show that the ;iscoerie e.+
erted an influence.
%e cannot better suggest how radical ,cot's position
must hae seemed to his own time than by showing
the point of iew of another opponent of witchcraft)
Beorge Bifford) a non+conformist clergyman < 4e
had read the ;iscoerie and probably felt that the the+
ological aspect of the sub&ect had been neglected.
9oreoer it had probably been his fortune) as ,cot's)
to attend the ,t. >ses trials. *hree years after ,cot's
boo( he brought out A ;iscourse of the ,ubtill Prac+
tises of ;eilles by %itches) and followed it si. years
later by A ;ialogue concerning %itches* a boo( in
which he e.pounded his opinions in somewhat more
popular fashion. :i(e ,cot) he wrote to end) so far as
possible) the punishment of innocent women 5H li(e
,cot) he belieed that most of the eidence presented
against them was worthless.H =ut on other points he
"3 ,ee ?icholson's opinion on this) pp. ...ii+...i. of his introduction
to ,cot's boo(.
< Beorge Bifford was a Church of England clergyman whose Puritan
sympathies at length compelled him to identify himself publicly with the
non+conformist moement in !/$E. For two years preious to that time
he had held the liing of 9aldon in Esse..
<X A second edition of this boo( appeared in !1#2. It was reprinted for
the Percy ,ociety in !$Ea.
H;ialogue) ed. of D1#2) prefatory letter and :+9 D erso.
tt ;iscourse) ; 2 erso) B E erso5 ;ialogue) ed. of !1#2) A D+A D
erso) :+: a. ,ee also ibid.) A E+A E ersoM H As not long since a rugged
water spaniell haing a chaine) came to a mans doore that had a saut
bitch) and some espied him in the dar(e) and said it was a thing as
bigge as a colt) and had eyes as great as saucers. 4ereupon some came
to charge to htm) and did charge him in the name of the Father) the
,onne) and the 4oly Bhost) to tell what he was. *he dogge at the last
told them) for he spa(e in his language) and said) bowgh) and thereby
they did (now what he was.H
REBI?A:; ,C>* 3!
was far less radical. *here were witches. 4e found
them in the =ible.H *o be sure they were nothing more
than pawns for the ;eil. 4e uses them H onely for a
colourK' < that is) puts them forward to coer his own
dealings) and then he deludes them and ma(es them
Hbeleee things which are nothing so.H< E In conse+
-uence they fre-uently at their e.ecutions falsely ac+
cuse others of dreadful witchcrafts. It is all the wor(
of the ;eil. =ut he himself cannot do anything e.+
cept through the power of Bod)H who) sometimes for
engeance upon 4is enemies and sometimes to try 4is
own people)H permits the Eil >ne to do harm.H
I
IT ;iscourse) in the prefatory letter.
IS Ibid.) F E erso) F /.
<< ;ialogue) ed of !1#2) Aa erso.
I< Ibid.) ; 2 erso5 ;iscourse) B 2 erso) 4 2 erso.
II Ibid.) ; a erso.
< Bilford grew ery forceful when he described the progress of a case
against a witch M H ,ome woman doth f al out bitterly with her neighbour M
there followeth some great hurt. . . . *here is a suspicion conceied.
%ithin fewe yeares after shee is in some &ar re with an other. 4ee is
also plagued. *his is noted of all. Breat fame is spread of the matter.
9other %. is a witch. . . . %ei) mother %. doth begin to bee ery odious
and terrible unto many) her neighbours dare say nothing but yet in their
heartes they wish shee were hanged. ,hortly after an other falleth
sic(e and doth pine. . . . *he neighbors come to isit him. %ell
neighbour) sayth one) do ye not suspect some naughty dealingM did yee
neer anger mother %R truly neighbour 6sayth he7 I hae not li(ed the
woman a long tyme. I can not tell how I should displease her) unlesse
it were this other day) my wife prayed her) and so did I) that shee
would (eepe her hennes out of my garden. %ee spa(e her as fayre as
wee could for our lies. I thin(e erely she hath bewitched me. Eery
body sayth now that mother %. is a witch in deede. ... It is out of
all doubtM for there were which saw a weasil runne from her housward
into his yard een a little before hee fell sic(e. *he sic(e man dieth)
and ta(eth it upon his death that he is bewitchedM then is mother %.
apprehended) and sent to prison) shee is arrayned and condemned) and
being at the gallows) ta(eth it uppon her death that shee is not gylty.H
;iscourse) B E+B E erso. And so) Bilford e.plains) the ;eil is pleased)
for he has put innocent people into danger) he has caused witnesses to
forswear themseles and &urymen to render false erdicts.
3D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
Bifford of course neer made the impression that
,cot had made.H =ut he represented the more con+
seratie position and was the first in a long line of
writers who deprecated persecution while they accepted
the current iew as to witchcraft 5 and therefore he fur+
nishes a standard by which to measure ,cot) who had
nothing of the conseratie about him. ,cot had
many readers and e.erted a strong influence een upon
those who disagreed with him 5 but he had few or none
to follow in his steps. It was not until nearly a century
later that there came upon the scene a man who dared
to spea( as ,cot had spo(en. Few men hae been so
far ahead of their time.
TI=ut his iews were warmly seconded by 4enry 4olland) who in
!/"# issued at Cambridge A *reatise against %itchcraft) 4olland)
howeer) wasYhiefly interested in warning H 9asters and Fathers of fam+
ilies that they may learn the best meanes to purge their houses of all un+
clean spirits.H It goes without saying that he found himself at ariance
with ,cot) who) he declared) reduced witchcraft to a Hco.ening or
poisoning art.H In the ,criptures he found the eidence that witches
hae a real H confederacie with ,atan himself)H but he was fran( to admit
that the proof of bargains of the sort in his own time could not be
gien.
C4AP*ER IC.
*he E.orcists.
In the narratie of English witchcraft the story of
the e.orcists is a side+issue. Yet their performances
were so closely connected with the operations of the
;eil and of his agents that they cannot be left out of
account in any ade-uate statement of the sub&ect. And
it is impossible to understand the strength and wea(ness
of the superstition without a comprehension of the role
that the would+be agents for e.pelling eil spirits
played. *hat the reign which had seen pass in pro+
cession the bands of con&urers and witches should
close with the e.orcists was to be e.pected. It was
their part to complete the cycle of superstition. If
miracles of magic were possible) if con&urers could use
a supernatural power of some sort to assist them in
performing wonders) there was nothing ery remar(+
able about creatures who wrought harm to their fel+
lows through the agency of eil spirits. And if witches
could send eil spirits to do harm) it followed that those
spirits could be e.pelled or e.orcised by diine as+
sistance. If by prayer to the ;eil demons could be
commanded to enter human beings) they could be drien
out by prayer to Bod. *he processes of reasoning
were perfectly clear5 and they were easily accepted
because they found ade-uate confirmation in the ?ew
*estament. *he gospels were full of narraties of men
possessed with eil spirits who had been freed by the
inocation of Bod. >f these stories no doubt the most
-uoted and the one most effectie in moulding opinion
32
3E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
was the account of the dispossessed deils who had
entered into a herd of swine and plunged oer a steep
place into the sea.
It must not be supposed that e.orcism was a result
of belief in witchcraft. It was as old as the Chris+
tian church. It was still made use of by the Roman
church and) indeed) by certain Protestant groups. And
&ust at this time the Roman church found it a most
important instrument in the struggle against the re+
formed religions. In England Romanism was waging
a losing war) and had need of all the miracles that it
could claim in order to reestablish its waning credit.
*he hunted priests who were being drien out by %hit+
gift were not unwilling to resort to a practice which
they hoped would regain for them the allegiance of the
common people. ;uring the years !/$/+!/$1 they had
conducted what they considered marellous wor(s of
e.orcism in Catholic households of =uc(inghamshire
and 9iddlese.. ! Breat efforts had been made to (eep
news of these seances from reaching the ears of the
goernment) but accounts of them had gained wide
circulation and came to the priy council. *hat body
was of course stimulated to greater actiity against the
CatholicsK
! ,ir Beorge Pec(ham of ;cnham near U.bridgc and :ord Cau. of
4ac(ney were two of the most prominent Catholics who opened their
homes for these performances. ,ee ,amuel 4arsnett) ;eclaration of
Egregious Popish Impostures 6:ondon) !1#27) 3) $.
< For a discussion of the Catholic e.orcists see *. B. :aw) H ;eil
4unting in Eli0abethan England)H in die ?ineteenth Century for 9arch)
!$"E. Fec(ham's other actiities in behalf of his church are discussed
by ;r. R. =. 9erriman in H ,ome ?otes on the *reatment of English
Catholics in the Reign of Eli0abeth)H in the Am. 4ist) Re.) April) !"#$.
;r. 9erriman errs) howeer) in supposing that @ohn ;arrel cooperated
with %eston and the Catholic e.orcists5 ibid.) note /!. ;arrel was a
Puritan and had nothing to do with the Catholic performances.
*4E EF>RCI,*, 3/
As a phase of a suppressed form of religion the matter
might neer hae assumed any significance. 4ad not
a third+rate Puritan clergyman) @ohn ;arrel) almost
by accident hit upon the use of e.orcism) the story of
its use would be hardly worth telling.< %hen this
young minister was not more than twenty) but already)
as he says) rec(oned H a man of hopeK' he was as(ed to
cure a seenteen+year+old girl at 9ansfield in ?otting+
ham) Aatherine %right. E 4er disease called for simple
medical treatment. *hat was not ;arrein plan of
operation. ,he had an eil spirit) he declared. From
four o'cloc( in the morning until noon he prayed oer
her spirit. 4e either set going of his own initiatie
the opinion that possessed persons could point out
witches) or he -uic(ly aailed himself of such a belief
already e.isting. *he eil spirit) he declared) could
recogni0e and een name the witch that had sent it as
well as the witch's confederates. All of this was no
doubt suggested to the possessed girl and she was soon
induced to name the witch that troubled her. *his was
9argaret Roper) a woman with whom she was upon
bad terms. 9argaret Roper was at once ta(en into
custody by the constable. ,he happened to be brought
before a &ustice of the peace possessing more than usual
discrimination. 4e not only discharged her)< but
threatened @ohn ;arrel with arrest.<
*his was in !/$1. ;arrel disappeared from iew
IIt ia -uite possible to suppose) howeer) that its course would hare
been run in much the same way at a later time.
E For 4arsnett's account of Aatherine %right see his ;iscoery of
the Fraudulent Practises of @ohn ;arrel 6:ondon) !/""7) D"3<2!/. For
;arrers story see *he *riall of 9oist. ;orrel) or A Collection of ;e+
fences against Allegations . . . 6!/""7) !/+D!.
< ,ee 4arsnett) ;iscoery) 2.#.
I Aatherine %right's eil spirit returned later.
31 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
for ten years or so) when he turned up at =urton+upon+
*rent) not ery far from the scene of his first operations.
4ere he olunteered to cure *homas ;arling. *he
story is a curious one and too long for repetition. ,ome
facts must) howeer) be presented in order to bring the
story up to the point at which ;arrel interened.
*homas ;arling) a young ;erbyshire boy) had become
ill after returning from a hunt. 4e was afflicted with
innumerable fits) in which he saw green angels and a
green cat. 4is aunt ery properly consulted a physi+
cian) who at the second consultation thought it pos+
sible that the child was bewitched. *he aunt failed
to credit the diagnosis. *he boy's fits continued and
soon too( on a religious character. =etween sei0ures
he conersed with godly people. *hey soon discoered
that the reading of the ,criptures brought on attac(s.
*his loo(ed ery li(e the ;eil's wor(. *he sugges+
tion of the physician was more seriously regarded.
9eanwhile the boy had oerheard the discussion of
witchcraft and proceeded to relate a story. 4e had
met) he said) a Hlittle old woman H in a H gray gown with
a blac( fringe about the cape) a broad thrimmed hat)
and three warts on her face.H * Cery accidentally) as he
claimed) he offended her. ,he angrily said a rhyming
charm that ended with the words) H I wil goe to heaen)
and thou shalt goe to hell)H and stooped to the ground.
*he story produced a sensation. *hose who heard it
declared at once that the woman must hae been Eli0a+
beth %right) or her daughter Alse Booderidge) women
long suspected of witchcraft. Alse was fetched to the
boy. ,he said she had neer seen him) but her pres+
* H I hae scene her begging at our doore)H he declared) H aa for
her name I (now it not.H
*4E EF>RCI,*, 33
ence increased the iolence of his fits. 9other and
daughter were carried before two &ustices of the peace)
who e.amined them together with Alse's husband and
daughter. *he women were searched for special mar(s
in the usual reolting manner with the usual outcome)
but only Alse herself was sent to gaol.<
*he boy grew no better. It was discoered that the
reading of certain erses in the first chapter of @ohn
inariably set him offK *he &ustices of the peace put
Alse through seeral e.aminations) but with little result
*wo good witches were consulted) but refused to help
unless the family of the bewitched came to see them.
9eantime a cunning man appeared who promised
to proe Alse a witch. In the presence of Hmanie
worshipf ull personages H H he put a paire of new shooes
on her feete) setting her close to the fire till the shooes
being e.treame hot might constrayne her through+ in+
crease of the paine to confesse.H H*his)H says the
writer) H was his ridiculous practice.H *he woman
H being throghly heated desired a release H and offered
to confess) but) as soon as her feet were cooled) refused.
?o doubt the &ustices of the peace would hae repudi+
ated the statement that the illegal process of torture
was used. *he methods of the cunning man were really
nothing else.
4arsnett) ;iscoery) E!) D1/) deals briefly with the ;arling case and
Alse Booderidge. ,ee also @ohn ;arrel) A ;etection of that sinnful)
shomful) lying) and ridiculous discours of ,amuel 4arshnet 6!1##7)
2$+E#. =ut the fullest account is a pamphlet at the :ambeth Palace
library. It is entitled *he most wonderfutl and true ,torie of a certaine
%itch named Alse Booderidge of ,tapenhill. . . . As also a true Report
of the strange *orments of *homas ;arling) . . . 6:ondon) !/"37< For
a discussion of this pamphlet see appendi. A) Z !.
I *he boy was isited by a stranger who tried to persuade him that
there were no witches. =ut this ;erbyshire disciple of ,cot had come
to the wrong place and his efforts were altogether useless.
3$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
*he woman was harried day and night by neighbors
to bring her to confess.H At length she gae way and)
in a series of reluctant confessions) told a crude story
of her wrong+doings that bore some slight resemblance
to the boy's tale) and inoled the use of a spirit in the
form of a dog.
?ow it was that @ohn ;arrel came upon the ground
eager to ma(e a name for himself. ;arling had been
ill for three months and was not improing. Een yet
some of the boy's relaties and friends doubted if he
were possessed. ?ot so ;arrel. 4e at once undertoo(
to pray and fast for the boy. According to his own
account his efforts were singularly blessed. At all
eents the boy gradually improed and ;arrel claimed
the credit. As for Alse Booderidge) she was tried at
the assi0es) conicted by the &ury) and sentenced by
:ord Chief+ @ustice Anderson to imprisonment. ,he
died soon after. !! *his affair undoubtedly widened
;an+el's reputation.
?ot long after) a notable case of possession in :an+
cashire afforded him a new opportunity to attract no+
tice. *he case of ?icholas ,tarchie's children pro+
o(ed so much comment at the time that it is perhaps
worth while to go bac( and bring the narratie up to
the point where ;arrel entered.H *wo of ,tarchie's
< 9eantime her mother Eli0abeth %right was also being worried. ,he
was found on her (nees in prayer. ?o doubt the poor woman was ta(ing
this method of alleiating her distress5 but her deotion was interpreted
as worship of the ;eil.
!! ,o ;arrel says. *he pamphleteer ;enison) who put together the
story of Alse Booderidge) wrote H she should hae been e.ecuted but
that her spirit (illed her in prison.H
u ;arrel gies an e.tended account of this affair in A *rue ?arration
of the strange and greous Ce.ation by the ;eil of seen persons in
:ancashire 6!1##5 reprinted in ,omers *racts) III7) !3#+!3". ,ee also
Beorge 9ore) A true ;iscourse concerning the certaine possession and
dispossession of 3 persons in one familie in :ancashire . . . 6!1##7) " ff.
*4E EF>RCI,*, 3"
children had one day been ta(en ill most mysteriously)
the girl H with a dumpish and heaie countenance) and
with a certaine fearefull starting and pulling to+
gether of her body.H *he boy was Hcompelled to
shoutH on the way to school. =oth grew steadily
worse u and the father consulted Edmund 4artley) a
noted con&urer of his time. 4artley -uieted the chil+
dren by the use of charms. %hen he reali0ed that his
serices would be indispensable to the father he made
a pretence of leaing and so forced a promise from
,tarchie to pay him E# shillings a year. *his ruse was
so successful that he raised his demands. 4e as(ed
for a house and lot) but was refused. *he children fell
ill again. *he perple.ed parent now went to a physi+
cian of 9anchester. =ut the physician H sawe no signe
of sic(nes.H ;r. ;ee) the famous astrologer and
friend of Eli0abeth) was summoned. 4e adised the
help of H godlie preachers.HH
9eantime the situation in the afflicted family too( a
more serious turn. =esides 9r. ,tarchie's children)
three young wards of his) a serant) and a isitor) were
all ta(en with the mysterious illness. *he modern
< Certain matters in connection with this case are interesting. Beorge
9ore tells us that 9rs. ,tarchie was an H inheritri..H ,ome of her (in+
dred) Papists) prayed for the perishing of her issue. Four of her children
pined away. 9rs. ,tarchie) when told of their prayers) coneyed all
her property to her husband. ,he had two children afterwards) the two
that were stric(en. It is possible that all this may present some (ey
to the case) but it is hard to see &ust how. ,ee 9ore) A true ;iscourse)
ii<ia.
9 Beorge 9ore) A true ;iscourse) !/5 4arsnett) ;iscoery< as. %hile
;ee too( no part in the affair e.cept that he H sharply reproed and
straitly e.aminedH 4artley) he lent 9r. 4opwood) the &ustice of the
peace before whom 4artley was brought) his copy of the boo( of %ierus)
then the collections of e.orcisms (nown as the Flagellum ;iemonum and
the Fustis ;amonum) and finally the famous 9alleus 9a@eBcarum. ,ee
;ee's Priate ;iary 6Camden ,oc.) :ondon) !$E27) entries for 9arch
!") April !/) and August 1) !/"3.
$# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
reader might suspect that some contagious disease had
gripped the family) but the irregular and intermittent
character of the disease precludes that hypothesis. ;ar+
rel in his own pamphlet on the matter declares that
when the parents on one occasion went to a play the
children were -uiet) but that when they were engaged
in godly e.ercise they were tormented) a statement
that raises a suspicion that the disease) li(e that of the
*hroc(morton children) was largely imaginary.
=ut the diines were at wor(. *hey had -uestioned
the con&urer) and had found that he fumbled Herie
ill f aouredlie H in the repetition of the :ord's Prayer.
4e was haled before a &ustice of the peace) who began
gathering eidence against him and turned him oer
to the assi0es. *here it came out that he had been
wont to (iss the ,tarchie children) and had een at+
tempted) although without success) to (iss a maid ser+
ant. In this way he had presumably communicated
the eil spirit G a new notion. *he court could find no
law) howeer) upon which to hang him. 4e had be+
witched the children) but he had bewitched none of
them to death) and therefore had not incurred the
death penalty. =ut the father leaped into the gap.
4e remembered that he had seen the con&urer draw a
magic circle and diide it into four parts and that he
had bidden the witness step into the -uarters one after
another. 9a(ing such circles was definitely mentioned
in the law as felony. 4artley denied the charge) but to
no purpose. 4e was conicted of felony H G so far as
we can &udge) on this unsupported afterthought of a
single witness G and was hanged. ,ympathy) howeer)
u Beorge 9ore) A true ;iscourse) s.5 ;arrel) A *ruo ?arration
6,omsrs *racts) III7) !3/.
*4E EF>RCI,*, $!
would be inappropriate. In the whole history of witch+
craft there were few ictims who came so near to de+
sering their fate.
*his was the story up to the time of ;arreFs arrial.
%ith ;arrel came his assistant) Beorge 9ore) pastor
of a church in ;erbyshire. *he two at once recog+
ni0ed the supernatural character of the case they were
to treat and began religious serices for the stric(en
family. It was to no effect. H All or most of them
&oined together in a strange and supernatural loud
whupping that the house and grounde did sounde ther+
with again.H
=ut the e.orcists were not by any means disheart+
ened. >n the following day) in company with another
minister) they renewed the serices and were able to
e.pel si. of the seen spirits. >n the third day they
stormed and too( the last citadel of ,atan. Unhappily
the capture was not permanent. ;arrel tells us him+
self that the woman later became a Papist ! < and the
eil spirit returned.
*he e.orcist now turned his s(ill upon a young ap+
prenticed musician of ?ottingham. According to ;ar+
rein story of the affair)H %illiam ,omers had nine
years before met an old woman who had threatened
him. Again) more than a year before ;arrel came to
?ottingham) ,omers had had two encounters with a
strange woman H at a deep cole+pit) hard by the way+
side.H ,oon afterwards he H did use such ,trang
and idle (inde of gestures in laughing) dancing and such
H 4arsnett) ;iscoery) tells us that H certain ,eminarie priests H got
hold of her and carried her up and down the country and thereby
Hwonne great credit.H
!* ;arrel's account of this affair is in A *rue ?arration [,omers
*racts) III7) !3#+!$1. 4arsnett ta(es it up in his ;iscoery) 3$+D1E.
$a %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
li(e lighte behaiour) that he was suspected to be
madd.H 4e began to suffer from bodily distortions
and to eince other signs of possession which created
no little e.citement in ?ottingham.
=arrel had been sent for by this time. 4e came at
once and with his usual precipitancy pronounced the
case one of possession. ,omers) he said) was suffer+
ing for the sins of ?ottingham. ! < It was time that
something should be done. Prayer and fasting were
instituted. For three days the youth was preached to
and prayed oer) while the people of ?ottingham) or
some of them at least) &oined in the fast. >n the third
day came what was deemed a most remar(able e.+
hibition. *he preacher named slowly) one after an+
other) fourteen signs of possession. As he named them
,omers illustrated in turn each form of possession. ! <
4ere was confirmatory eidence of a high order. *he
e.orcist had outdone himself. 4e now held out pro+
mises of delierance for the sub&ect. For a -uarter
of an hour the boy lay as if dead) and then rose up
-uite well.
;arrel now too( up again the witchfinder's role he
had once before assumed. ,omers was encouraged to
name the contriers of his bewitchment. *hrough
him) ;arrel is said to hae boasted) they would e.pose
all the witches in England.<< *hey made a most e.cel+
lent start at it. *hirteen women were accused by the
boy)< who would fall into fits at the sight of a witch)
tt ,ee deposition of Cooper) in 4arsnett) ;iscoery) !!E.
H;epositions of ,omers and ;arrel) ibid.) !DE+!D/. It must be re+
called that when this was first tried before a commission they were
coninced that it was not imposture. A layman cannot refrain front
suspecting that ;arrel had hypnotic control orer ,omen.
HIbid.) !E!+!ED.
u lbid)) !E!. 4arsnett -uotes ;arrel for this statement
*4E EF>RCI,*, $2
and a general initation was e.tended to prefer charges.
=ut the community was becoming a bit incredulous
and failed to respond. All but two of the accused
women were released.
*he witch+discoerer) who in the meantime had been
chosen preacher at ,t. 9ary's in ?ottingham) made two
serious mista(es. 4e allowed accusations to be pre+
ferred against Alice Freeman) sister of an alderman)H
and he let ,omers be ta(en out of his hands. =y the
contriance of some citi0ens who doubted the posses+
sion) ,omers was placed in the house of correction) on
a trumped+up charge that he had bewitched a 9r. ,ter+
land to death.H Remoed from the clergyman's in+
fluence) he made confession that his possessions were
pretended.<< ;arrel) he declared) had taught him how
to pretend. *he matter had now gained wide notoriety
and was ta(en up by the Anglican church. *he arch+
deacon of ;erby reported the affair to his superiors)
and the Archbishop of Yor( appointed a commission
to e.amine into the case.H %hether from alarm or
because he had anew come under ;arrel's influence)
,omers refused to confess before the commission and
again acted out his fits with such success that the com+
mission seems to hae been coninced of the reality of
his possession.H *his was a notable ictory for the
e.orcist.
n Ibid.) /5 @ohn ;arrel) An Apologie) or defence of the possession of
%illiam ,ommers . I . 6!/""R7) : erso.
H;arrel) A *rue ?orrotion [,omers *racts) III7) !$E5 aee alto hli
A brief Apologie proing the possession of %illiam ,ommers . . . 6!/""7)
!3.
< 4aranett) ;iscoery) 3.
IIbid.
HIbid.) ,5 ;arrel) An Apologie) or defence) E5 ;arrel) A *rue ?arra+
tion [,omers *racts) III7) !$/.
$E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
=ut Chief+ @ustice Anderson of the court of com+
mon pleas was now commencing the assi0es at ?ot+
tingham and was sitting in &udgment on the case of
Alice Freeman. Anderson was a man of intense con+
ictions. 4e belieed in the reality of witchcraft and
had earlier sent at least one witch to the gallows H and
one to prison.H =ut he was a man who hated Puritan+
ism with all his heart) and would at once hae sus+
pected Puritan e.orcism. %hether because the arch+
instigator against Alice Freeman was a Puritan) or be+
cause the eidence adduced against her was flimsy) or
because ,omers) again summoned to court) ac(now+
ledged his fraud)H or for all these reasons) Anderson
not only dismissed the case)H but he wrote a letter about
it to . the Archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop
%hitgift called ;arrel and 9ore before the court of
high commission) where the =ishop of :ondon) two
of the :ord Chief+ @ustices) the master of re-uests)
and other eminent officials heard the case. It seems fairly
certain that =ancroft) the =ishop of :ondon) really
too( control of this e.amination and that he acted -uite
as much the part of a prosecutor as that of a &udge.
>ne of ;arnel's friends complained bitterly that the
e.orcist was not allowed to ma(e H his particular de+
fences H but H was still from time to time cut off by the
:ord =ishop of :ondon.H< ! ?o doubt the bishop may
hae been somewhat arbitrary. It was his priilege
m *riail of 9oist. ;orr el) narratie in bac( of pamphlet.
< ;arrel) A ;etection of that sinnfnl . . . discours of ,amuel 4arsh'
net) E#. And see aboe) p. /1) note.
H4arsnett) ;iscoery) $.
"# Ibid.) LD#+2DD5 ;arrel) An Apohgie) or defence) : III) aayt that
the third &ury ac-uitted her. 4arsnett refers to the fact that he was
found guilty by the grand in-uest.
U *he *riail of 9oist. ;orrel) preface H *o the Reader.H
*4E EF>RCI,*, $/
under the procedure of the high commission court) and
he was dealing with one whom he deemed a ery ei+
dent impostor. In fine) a erdict was rendered against
the two clergymen. *hey were deposed from the min+
istry and put in close prison.H ,o great was the stir
they had caused that in !/"" ,amuel 4arsnett) chap+
lain to the =ishop of :ondon) published A ;iscoery of
the Fraudulent Practises of @ohn ;arrel) a careful
resume of the entire case) with a complete e.posure of
;an+el's tric(ery. In this account the testimony of
,omers was gien as to the origin of his possession.
4e testified before the ecclesiastical court that he had
(nown ;arrel seeral years before they had met at
?ottingham. At their first meeting he promised) de+
clared ,omers) Hto tell me some thinges) wherein if
I would be ruled by him) I should not be drien to goe
so barely as I did.H ;arrel related to ,omers the
story of Aatherine %right and her possession) and
remar(ed) H If thou wilt sweare unto me to (eepe my
counsell) I will teache thee to doe all those tric(es which
Aatherine %right did) and many others that are more
straunge.H 4e then illustrated some of the tric(s for the
benefit of his pupil and gae him a written paper of
directions. From that time on there were meetings
between the two at arious places. *he pupil) howeer)
was not altogether successful with his fits and was
once turned out of serice as a pretender. 4e was
then apprenticed to the musician already mentioned)
and again met ;arrel) who urged him to go and see
*homas ;arling of =urton) Hbecause)H says ,omers)
H that seeing him in his fittes) I might the better learn to
do them myselfe.H ,omers met ;arrel again and went
I 4arsnett) ;iscoery) ".
$1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
through with a series of tric(s of possession. It was
after all these meetings and practice that ,omers began
his career as a possessed person in ?ottingham and
was prayed oer by 9r. ;arrel. ,uch at least was
his story as told to the ecclesiastical commission. It
would be ha0ardous to say that the narratie was all
true. Certainly it was accepted by 4arsnett) who may
be called the official reporter of the proceedings at ;ar+
rein trial) as substantially true.H
*he publication of the ;iscoery by 4arsnett proed
indeed to be only the beginning of a pamphlet contro+
ersy which ;arrel and his supporters were but too
willing to ta(e up.H< 4arsnett himself after his first
onslaught did not re+enter the contest. *he semi+official
character of his writing rendered it unnecessary to
refute the statements of a conicted man. At any rate)
he was soon occupied with another production of simi+
lar aim. In !1#D =ishop =ancroft was busily collecting
the materials) in the form of sworn statements) for the
e.posure of Catholic pretenders. 4e turned the ma+
terial oer to his chaplain. %hether the seeral e.am+
inations of Roman e.orcists and their sub&ects were
the result of a new interest in e.posing e.orcism on
the part of the powers which had sent ;arrel to prison)
or whether they were merely a phase of increased ig+
ilance against the actiity of the Roman priests) we can+
not be sure. *he first conclusion does not seem im+
probable. =e that as it may) the court of high com+
IS Ibid.) 3$+"$.
9 Yet ;arrel must hae reali0ed that he had the worst of 4. *here is
a pathetic ac(nowledgment of this in the H Preface to the Reader H
of his publication) A ,urey of Cert aim ;ialogical ;iscourses) written
by @ohn ;eacon and @ohn %al(er . . . 6!1#27M H=ut li(e a tried
and weather+beaten bird NIO wish for -uiet corner to rest myself in and
to drye my feathers in the warme sun.H
*4E EF>RCI,*, $3
mission got hold of eidence enough to &ustify the priy
council in authori0ing a full publication of the testi+
mony < 4arsnett was deputed to write the account
of the Catholic e.orcists which was brought out in
!1#2 under the title of A ;eclaration of Egregious
Popish Impostures. %e hae not the historical mate+
rials with which to erify the claims made in the boo(.
>n the face of it the case against the Roman priests
loo(s bad. A mass of e.aminations was printed which
seem to show that the @esuit %eston and his con+
freres in England had been guilty of a great deal of
&ugglery and pretence. *he @esuits) howeer) were
wiser in their generation than the Puritans and had
not made charges of witchcraft. For that reason their
performances may be passed oer.
?either the pretences of the Catholics nor the refu+
tation of them are ery important for our purposes.
*he e.posure of @ohn ;arrel was of significance) be+
cause it inoled the guilt or innocence of the women
he accused as witches) as well as because the eccles+
iastical authorities too( action against him and thereby
leelled a blow directly at e.orcism and possession H and
indirectly at loose charges of witchcraft. 4arsnett's
boo(s were the outcome of this affair and the ensuing
e.posures of the Catholics) and they were more sig<
< *. B. :aw) H ;eil 4unting in Eli0abethan England)H in ?ineteenth
Century) 9arch) !$"E.
<>n the matter of e.orcism the position of the Church of England
became fi.ed by !1#E. *he -uestion had been a cause of disagreement
among the leaders of the Reformation. *he :utherans retained e.or+
cism in the baptismal ritual and rialled the Roman clergy in their e.or+
cism of the possessed. It was &ust at the close of the si.teenth century
that there arose in :utheran Bermany a hot struggle between the be+
lieers in e.orcism and those who would oust it as a superstition. *he
,wiss and Benean reformers) unli(e :uther) had discarded e.orcism)
declaring it to hae belonged only to the early church) and charging
$$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
nificant than anything that had gone before. *he
Church of England had not committed itself ery
definitely on witchcraft) but its spo(esman in the at+
tac( upon the Catholic pretenders too( no uncertain
ground. 4e was s(eptical not only about e.orcism but
about witchcraft as well. It is refreshing and in+
spiriting to read his hard+flung and pungent words.
H >ut of these)H he wrote) H is shaped us the true Idea
of a %itch) an old weather+beaten Croane) haing her
chinne and her (nees meeting for age) wal(ing li(e a
bow leaning on a shaft) hollow+eyed) untoothed) fur+
rowed on her face) haing her lips trembling with the
palsie) going mumbling in the streetes) one that hath
forgotten her pater noster) and hath yet a shrewd
tongue in her head) to call a drab) a drab. If shee hae
learned of an olde wife in a chimnies end M Pa.) ma.)
fa.) for a spel M or can say ,ir @ohn of Brantams curse)
for the 9illers Eeles) that were stolne M . . . %hy then
ho) beware) loo(e about you my neighbours5 if any of
you hae a sheepe sic(e of the giddies) or an hogge of
modern instances to Papist fraud5 and with them seem to hae ag*eed
their ,outh Berman friends. In England baptismal e.orcism was at first
retained in the ritual under Edward CI) but in !//D) under =ucer's
influence) it was dropped. Under Eli0abeth the yet greater influence of
Jurich and Benea must hae discredited all e.orcism) and one finds
abundant eidence of this in the writings of @ewel and his followers.
An interesting letter of Archbishop Par(er in !/3E shows his utter
incredulity as to possession in the case of Agnes =ridges and Rachel
Pinder of :othbury5 see Par(er's Correspondence 6Par(er ,oc) Cam+
bridge) !$/17) E1/+E11. 4is successor) the Calinistic %hitgift) was
almost certainly of the same mind. =ancroft) the ne.t archbishop of
Canterbury) drew up or at least inspired that epoch+ma(ing body of
canons enacted by Conocation in the spring of !1#E) the 3 Dd article of
which forbids any Anglican clergyman) without the e.press consent of
his bishop obtained beforehand) to use e.orcism in any fashion under
any prete.t) on pain of being counted an impostor and deposed from
the ministry. *his ended the matter so far as the English church was
concerned. For this resume ! of the Protestant and the Anglican attitude
toward e.orcism I am indebted to Professor =urr.
*4E EF>RCI,*, $"
the mumps) or an horse of the staggers) or a (naish
boy of the schoole) or an idle girle of the whede) or a
young drab of the sullens) and hath not fat enough for
her porredge) nor her father and mother butter enough
for their bread5 and she hae a little helpe of the
9other) EpUepsie) or Cramp) . . . and then with+all
old mother ?obs hath called her by chaunce ' idle young
huswifeK or bid the deil scratch her) then no doubt
but mother ?obs is the witch. . . . 4orace the 4eathen
spied long agoe) that a %itch) a %i0ard) and a Con+
&urer were but bul+beggers to scare fooles. . . . And
Beoffry Chaucer) who had his two eyes) wit) and learn+
ing in his head) spying that all these brainlesse imagina+
tions of witchings) possessings) house+hanting) and
the rest) were the forgeries) cosenages) Imposturs) and
legerdemaine of craftie priests) . . . writes in good
plaine terms.HH
It meant a good deal that 4arsnett too( such a stand.
,cot had been a oice crying in the wilderness. 4ars+
nett was supported by the powers in church and state.
4e was) as has been seen) the chaplain of =ishop =an+
croft)H now G from !1#E G to become Archbishop of
Canterbury. 4e was himself to become eminent in
English history as master of Pembro(e 4all 6Cam+
bridge7) ice+chancellor of Cambridge Uniersity)
=ishop of Chichester) =ishop of ?orwich) and Arch+
H 4arsnett) A ;eclaration of Egregious Popish Impostures 6:ondon)
!1#/7) !21+!2$.
It if not impossible that 4arsnett was acting as a mouth+piece for
=ancroft. ;arrel wroteM H*here is no doubt but that ,. 4. stand for
,amuell 4arsnet) chapline to the =ishop of :ondon) but whither he
alone) or his lord and hee) hae discoered this counterfeiting and coson+
age there is the -uestion. ,ome thin(e the boo(e to be the =ishops owne
doingM and many thin(e it to be the &oynt wor(e of them both.H A
;etection of that sinnful . . . discours of ,amuel 4arshnet) 3) $.
go %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
bishop of Yor(.< %hateer support he had at the
time G and it is ery clear that he had the bac(ing of
the English church on the -uestion of e.orcism G his
later position and influence must hae gien great
weight not only to his iews on e.orcism but to his
s(epticism about witchcraft. E <
4is opinions on the sub&ect) so far as can be &udged
by his few direct statements and by implications) were
-uite as radical as those of his predecessor. As a
matter of fact he was a man who read widely ! < and
had pondered deeply on the superstition) but his thought
had been colored by ,cot. E < 4is assault) howeer) was
less direct and studied than that of his master. ,cot
was a man of uncommonly serious temperament) a
plain) blunt+spo(en) church+going Englishman who
coered the whole ground of superstition without
turning one phrase less serious than another. 4is pupil)
if so 4arsnett may be called) wrote earnestly) een ag+
< From !1#a until !1#" he was archdeacon of Esse.5 see Cictoria
4istory of Esse.) II) 6:ondon) !"#37! EL+
I *here is a statement by the Reerend @ohn ,wan) who wrote In
!1#2) that 4arsnett's boo( had been put into the hands of Aing @ames)
presumably after his coming to England5 see @ohn ,wan) A *rue and
=reife Report of 9ary Cloer's Ce.ation) and of her delierance . . .
6!1#27) H ;edication to the Aing)H 2. >ne could wish for some con<
firmation of this statement Certainly @ames would not at that time hae
sympathi0ed with 4arsnett's iews about witches) but his attitude on
seeral occasions toward those supposed to be possessed by eil spirits
would indicate that he may ery well hae been influenced by a reading
of the ;iscoery.
E! >n page 21 of the ;iscoery 4arsnett wroteM H %hether witches can
send deils into men and women 6as many doe pretende7 is a -uestion
amongst those that write of such matters) and the learneder and sounder
sort doe hold the negatie.H >ne does not need to read far in 4arsnett
to understand what he thought.
H4is scholarship) eident from his boo(s) is attested by *homas
Fuller) who calls him H a man of great learning) strong parts) and stout
spirit H 6%orthies of England) e\: of :ondon) !$E#) I) /#37.
H,ee his ;eclaration of Egregious Popish Impostures) !2E+!215 his
;iscoery also shows the use of ,cot.
*4E EF>RCI,*, "!
gressiely) but with a sarcastic and bitter humor that
entertained the reader and was much less li(ely to con+
ince. *he curl neer left his lips. If at times a smile
appeared) it was but an accented sneer. A writer with
a feeling indeed for the delicate effects of word com+
bination) if his humor had been less chilled by hate) if
his wit had been of a lighter and more playful ein)
he might hae laughed superstition out of England.
%hen he described the dreadful power of holy water
and fran(incense and the boo( of e.orcisms H to scald)
broyle and si00le the deil)H or H the dreadful power of
the crosse and sacrament of the altar to torment the
deill and to ma(e him roare)H or H the astonishable
power of nic(names) reli-ues and asses ears)H EE he
reealed a faculty of fun+ma(ing &ust short of ef+
fectie humor.
It would not be fair to leae 4arsnett without a
word on his place as a writer. In point of literary dis+
tinction his prose style maintains a high leel. In the
use of forceful epithet and iid phrase he is e.celled
by no Eli0abethan prose writer. =ecause his writings
deal so largely with dry+as+dust reports of e.amina+
tions) they hae neer attained to that position in Eng+
lish literature which parts of them merit. E$
4arsnett's boo( was the last chapter in the story of
Eli0abethan witchcraft and e.orcism. It is hardly too
much to say that it was the first chapter in the literary
e.ploitation of witchcraft. >ut of the ;eclaration
,ha(espeare and =en @onson mined those ores which
when fused and refined by imagination and fancy
were shaped into the shining forms of art. ,ha(e+
H4aranett) ;eclaration of Egregious Popish Impostures) "$) !D2) no.
H Read ibid.) !2 !+!E#.
"D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
spearean scholars hae pointed out the connection be+
tween the dramatist and the e.poser of e.orcism. It
has indeed been suggested by one student of ,ha(e+
speare that the great playwright was lending his aid by
certain allusions in *welfth ?ight to 4arsnett's at+
tempts to pour ridicule on Puritan e.orcism.<H It would
be hard to say how much there is in this suggestion.
About =en @onson we can spea( more certainly. It is
clearly eident that he sneered at ;arrel's pretended
possessions. In the third scene of the fifth act of *he
;eil is an Ass he ma(es 9ere+craft say M
It is the easiest thing) ,ir) to be done.
As plaine as fi00ling M roule but wi' your eyes)
And foame at th' mouth. A little castle+soape
%ill do 't) to rub your lipsM And then a nutshell)
%ith toe and touchwood in it to spit fire)
;id you ner'e read) ,ir) little =arrel's tric(s)
%ith the boy o f =urton) and the 3 in :ancashire)
,ommers at ?ottinghamP All these do teach it.
And wee'l gie out) ,ir) that your wife ha's bewitch 'd you.
*his is proof enough) not only that @onson was in
sympathy with the Anglican assailants of Puritan e.+
orcism) but that he e.pected to find others of li(e opin+
ion among those who listened to his play. And it was
not unreasonable that he should e.pect this. It is clear
enough that the powers of the Anglican church were
behind 4arsnett and that their influence gae his iews
weight. %e hae already obsered that there were
some eidences in the last part of Eli0abeth's reign of
a reaction against witch superstition. 4arsnett's
boo() while directed primarily against e.orcism) is
neertheless another proof of that reaction.
m @oieph 4unter) ?ew Illustrations of the :ife) ,tudies end %ritings
of ,ha(espeare 6:ondon) !$E/7) I) 2$#+2"#.
C4AP*ER C.
@ames I and %itchcraft.
,ome one has remar(ed that witchcraft came into
England with the ,tuarts and went out with them.
*his offhand way of fi.ing the rise and fall of a moe+
ment has &ust enough truth about it to cause miscon+
ception. ?othing is easier than to glance at the alarms
of Eli0abeth's reign and to see in them accidental out+
brea(s with little meaning) isolated affairs presaging
a new moement rather than part of it. As a matter
of fact) any such iew is superficial. In preious chap+
ters the writer has endeaored to show &ust how for+
eign ideas and conditions at home gae the impulse
to a moement which within a single reign too( ery
definite form.
Yet so much was the moement accelerated) such
additional impetus was gien it by @ames I) that the
iew that @ames set the superstition going in England)
howeer superficial) has some truth in it. If Eli0abeth
had eer gien the matter thought) she had not at least
gien it many words. @ames had ery definite opinions
on the sub&ect and hesitated not at all to ma(e them
(nown. 4is iews had weight. It is useless to deny
that the royal position swayed the courts. @ames's part
in the witch persecution cannot be condoned) sae on
the ground that he was perfectly honest. 4e felt
deeply on the matter. It was little wonder. 4e had
grown up in ,cotland in the ery midst of the witch
alarms. 4is own life) he belieed) had been imperilled
"2
"E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
by the machinations of witches. 4e belieed he had
eery reason to fear and hate the creatures) and we can
only wonder that he was so moderate as we shall later
find him to hae been. *he story of the affair that
stirred up the ,cottish (ing and his people has often been
told) but it must be included here to ma(e his attitude
e.plicable. In !/$" he had arranged for a marriage
with the Princess Anne of ;enmar(. *he marriage
had been performed by pro.y in @uly) and it was then
proided that the princess was to come to England.
,he set out) but was drien on to the coast of ?orway
by a iolent storm) and detained there by the contin+
uance of the storms. @ames sailed to Upsala) and) after
a winter in the north of the Continent) brought his
bride to ,cotland in the spring) not without encounter+
ing more rough weather. *o the people of the time
it was -uite clear that the ocean was unfriendly to
@ames's alliance. 4ad ,cotland been ancient Breece)
no doubt ?eptune would hae been propitiated by a
sacrifice. =ut it was ,cotland) and the eer+to+be+
feared ,atan was not so easily propitiated. 4e had
been ery actie of late in the realm.
9oreoer it was a time when ,atanic and other con+
spiracies were li(ely to come to light. *he (ingdom
was unsettled) if not discontented. *here were plots) and
rumors of plots. *he effort to e.pose them) as well
as to thwart the attac(s of the eil one on the (ing)
led to the conception and spread of the monstrous story
of the conspiracy of ;r. Fian. ;r. Fian was nothing
less than a ,cottish ;r. Faustus. 4e was a schoolmas+
ter by profession. After a dissolute youth he was said
to hae gien soul to the ;eil. According to the story
he gathered around him a motley crowd) Catholic women
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* "/
of ran() H wise women)H and humble peasant people 5
but it was a crew ready for eil enterprise. It is not
ery clear why they were supposed to hae attac(ed
the (ing5 perhaps because of his well (nown piety)
perhaps because he was a Protestant. In any case they
set about) as the story went) to destroy him) and thought
to hae found their opportunity in his trip to ;enmar(.
*hey would drown him in a storm at sea. *here was
a simple e.pedient for raising a storm) the throwing of
cats into the sea. *his ,cottish method of sacrificing
to ?eptune was duly carried out) and) as we hae seen)
&ust fell short of destroying the (ing. It was only the
piety of the (ing) as ;r. Fian admitted in his confession)
that oermatched the power of the eil one. !
,uch is the story that stirred ,cotland from end to
end. It is a story that is easily e.plained. *he con+
fessions were wrung from the supposed conspirators
by the arious forms of torture H lately proided for
witches in that country.H Beillis ;uncane had been
tried with Hthe torture of the pilliwin(es upon her
fingers) which is a grieous torture) and binding or
wrinching her head with a cord or roape.H Agnes
,ampson had suffered terrible tortures and shameful
indignities until her womanly modesty could no longer
endure it and she confessed Hwhatsoeer was de+
manded of her.H ;r. Fian was put through the or+
<I hae not attempted to gie more than a brief resume ! of this
story) and hae used *homas %right) ?arraties of ,orcery and 9agic
6:ondon) !$/!7) I) !$!+!"#) and 9rs. :ynn :inton) %itch ,tories) D!+2E.
*he pamphlet about ;r. Fian is a rare one) but may be found in seeral
libraries. It has been reprinted by the Bentleman's 9agasine) ol. F:IF
6!33"7) by the Ro.burghe Club 6:ondon) !$!17) by Robert Pitcairn) in
his Criminal *rials in ,cotland 6Edinburgh) !$D"+!$227< to: I) and
doubtless in many other places. Pitcairn has also printed a part of the
records of bis trial.
"1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
dinary forms of torture and was then H put to the most
seere and cruel pain in the world) called the bootes)H
and thereby was at length induced to brea( his silence
and to incriminate himself. At another time) when the
(ing) who e.amined him in person) saw that the man
was stubborn and denied the confessions already made)
he ordered him to be tortured again. 4is finger nails
were pulled off with a pair of pincers) and under what
was left of them needles were inserted H up to the
heads.H *his was followed by other tortures too ter+
rible to narrate.<
It is a little hard to understand how it was that the
(ing H too( great delight to be present at the e.amina+
tions)H but throughout the whole wretched series of
trials he was neer wanting in 0eal. %hen =arbara
?apier) sister+in+law to the laird of Carshoggil) was to
be e.ecuted) a postponement had been granted on ac+
count of her approaching accouchement. Afterwards)
H nobody insisting in the pursute of her) she was set at
libertie.H It seems also that the &ury that had before
condemned her had ac-uitted her of the main charge)
that of treasonable witchcraft against the (ing. *he
(ing was angered at the default of &ustice) went to the
*olbooth) and made an address on the sub&ect. 4e
spo(e of H his own impartiality) the use of witchcraft)
the enormity of the crime) . . . the ignorance of thin(+
ing such matters mere fantasies) the cause of his own
interference in the matter) the ignorance of the assi0es
in the late trial) his own opinion of what witches really
are.H '
*his is all based upon the contemporary accounts mentioned aboe.
< Register of the Priy Council of ,cotland) IC 6Edinburgh) !$$!7) 1EE+
1E/< note.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* "3
It was only a few years later that @ames put that
>pinion into written form. All the world (nows that
the (ing was a serious student. %ith unremitting 0eal
he studied this matter) and in !/"3) seen years after
the ;r. Fian affair) he published his ;cetnonologie.< It
was e.pressly designed to controert the Hdamnable
opinions of two principally in our age H G ,cot) who
H is not ashamed in public( Print to deny that there
can be such a thing as witchcraft)H and %ierus) Ha
Berman physician)H who H sets out a public(e apologie
for all these craft+fol(es whereby ... he plainly be+
wrayes himself to hae been one of that profession.H
It was to be e.pected that @ames would be an e.+
ponent of the current system of belief. 4e had read
diligently) if not widely) in the Continental lore of the
sub&ect and had assimilated much of it. 4e was ,cotch
enough to be interested in theology and ,tuart enough
to hae ery definite opinions. @ames had) too) his
own way of putting things. *here was a certain fresh+
ness about his treatment) in spite of the fact that he was
ploughing old fields. ?othing illustrates better his com+
bination of adherence to tradition) of credulity) and of
originality than his iews on the transportation of
witches) a sub&ect that had long engaged the theorists
in demonology. %itches could be transported) he be+
lieed) by natural means) or they could be carried
through the air Hby the force of the spirit which is
their conducter)H as 4aba((u( was carried by the
angel.< *his much he could accept. =ut that they
E A fresh edition was brought out at :ondon in !1#2. In !1! 1 it ap+
peared again as a part of the handsome collection of his %or(<< compiled
by the =ishop of %inchester.
H*his story is to be found in the apocryphal boo( of =el and the
;ragon. It played a great part in the discussions of the writers on
witchcraft.
"$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
could be transformed into a H little beast or foule H
and pierce through H whatsoeer house or Church)
though all ordinarie passages be closed)H this he
refused to beliee. ,o far) howeer) there was nothing
original about either his belief or his disbelief. =ut
his suggestion on another matter was ery probably his
own. *here had been long discussion as to how far
through the air witches could go. It was @ames's
opinion that they could go only so far as they could
retain their breath.
=ut it was seldom that the royal demonologist wan+
dered far from the beaten road. 4e was a conformist
and he felt that the orthodo. case needed defenceM so
he set about to answer the ob&ectors. *o the argument
that it was a strange thing that witches were melancholy
and solitary women 6and so) he would hae e.plained)
offer the easiest ob&ect of attac(7 he interposed a flat
denial M they are H some of them rich and worldly+
wise) some of them fat or corpulent in their bodies.H
*o the point that if witches had the power ascribed to
them no one but themseles would be left alie in the
world) he answered that such would be the case) were
not the power of the ;eil bridled by Bod. *o the
plea that Bod would not allow his children to be e.ed
by the ;eil) he replied that Bod permits the godly
who are sleeping in sin to be troubled 5 that 4e een
allows the Eil >ne to e. the righteous for his own
good G a conentional argument that has done serice
in many a theological controersy.
It is a curious circumstance that @ames seemingly
recogni0ed the reliability of the Romish e.orcisms
which the Church of England was about that time be+
ginning to attac(. 4is e.planation of them is worthy
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* ""
of H the wisest fool in Christendom.H *he Papists
could often effect cures of the possessed) he thought)
because Hthe diell is content to release the bodily
hurting of them) . . . thereby to obtain the perpetual
hurt of the soules.H
*hat @ames should indulge in religious dis-uisitions
rather than in points of eidence was to be e.pected.
Although he had gien up the ,cottish theology) he
neer succeeded in getting it thoroughly out of his sys+
tem. As to the eidence against the accused) the royal
writer was brief. *wo sorts of eidence he thought
of alue) one Hthe finding of their mar(e) and the
trying the insensiblenes thereof) the other is their fleet+
ing NfloatingO on the water.H *he latter sign was based)
he said) on the fact that the water refuses to receie
a witch G that is to say) the pure element would refuse
to receie those who had renounced their baptism.H
%e shall see that the influence of the ;cemonologie can
be fairly appraised by measuring the increased use of
these two tests of guilt within his own reign and that of
his son. 4itherto the eidence of the mar( had been of
rather less importance) while the ordeal by water was
not in use.
*he alleged witch+mar( on the body had to do with
the contracts between witches and the ;eil. *his
loathsome side of witch belief we cannot go into. ,uf+
fice it to say that @ames insisted on the reality of these
contracts and conse-uently upon the punishment that
should be meted to those who had entered into them.
All witches e.cept children should be sentenced to
I4. C. :ea) ,uperstition and Force 6Eth ed.) Philadelphia) !$"27) 2D/
ff.) gies some facts about the water ordeal on the Continent. A sharp
dispute oer its use in witch cases was &ust at this time going on there.
ioo %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
death. *he (ing shows a tface of conentional mod+
eration) howeer) and admits that the magistrates
should be careful whom they condemned. =ut) while
he holds that the innocent should not be condemned)
he warns officials against the sin of failing to conict
the guiltyK %e shall see that throughout his reign in
England he pursued a course perfectly consistent with
these principles.
A critical estimate of @ames's boo( it is somewhat
hard to gie. ,tudents of witchcraft hae gien ut+
terance to the most e.traagant but widely diergent
opinions upon it *he writer confesses that he has
not that ac-uaintance with the witch literature of the
Continent which would enable him) to appraise the
;centonologie as to its originality. ,o good an author+
ity as *homas %right has declared that it is H much
inferior to the other treatises on the sub&ect)H and that
it was compiled from foreign wor(s.< ;oubtless a
study of the Continental literature would warrant) at
least in part) this opinion. Yet one gets the impression)
from what may be learned of that great body of writ+
ing through the historians of witchcraft) that @ames's
opinions were in some respects his own. 4e had) of
course) absorbed the current belief) but he did not hesi+
tate to gie his own interpretation and e.planation of
phenomena. *hat interpretation is not wanting in
shrewdness. It seems to one who has wandered through
many tedious defences of the belief in witchcraft that
@ames's wor( is as able as any in English prior to the
3 4e recommended torture in finding out the guiltyM H And further
e.perience daily proes how loth they are to confess< without torture)
which witnesseth their guiltinesse)H ;ctmonologie) b(. ii) ch. i.
I%right) ?arraties of ,orcery and 9agic) I) !#3.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !#!
time of @oseph Blanill in !11$. >ne who should read
Blanill and @ames together would get a ery satis+
factory understanding of the position of the defenders
of the superstition. Blanill insisted upon what he be+
lieed were well authenticated facts of e.perience.
@ames grounded his belief upon a course of theoretical
reasoning.
%e hae already indicated that @ames's boo( was
influential in its time. It goes without saying that
his position as a soereign greatly enhanced its in+
fluence. *his was particularly true after he too( the
throne of England. *he dicta that emanated from
the e.ecutie of the English nation could not fail to
find a wide audience) and especially in England itself.
4is wor( offered a te.t+boo( to officials. It was
a (ey to the character and methods of the new ruler)
and those who hoped for promotion were -uic( to
aail themseles of it. *o prosecute witches was to
win the soereign's approal. *he &udges were
prompted to greater actiity. 9oreoer) the sanction
of royalty gae to popular outbrea(s against suspicious
women greater consideration at the hands of the gen+
try. And it was in the last analysis the gentry) in the
persons of the &ustices of the peace) who decided
whether or no neighborhood whispering and rumors
should be followed up.
=ut the (ing's most direct influence was in the pass+
ing of a new law. 4is first Parliament had been in
session but eight days when steps were ta(en by the
4ouse of :ords towards strengthening the statute
against witchcraft. *he law in force) passed in the
fifth year of Eli0abeth's reign) imposed the death pen+
alty for (illing by witchcraft) and a year's imprison+
!#D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ment for in&uring by witchcraft or by allied means.
@ames would naturally feel that this law was merely
one ersion of the statute against murder and did not
touch the horrible crime of contract with the ;eil
and the (eeping of imps. " 4ere was a sin beside which
the ta(ing of life was a light offence. It was needful
that those who were guilty of it should suffer the se+
erest penalty of the law) een if they had not caused
the loss of a single life. It was to remedy this defect
in the criminal code that a new statute was introduced.
It is not worth while to trace the progress of that
bill from day to day. It can be followed in the &ournals
of the :ords and Commons. *he bill went to a large
committee that included si. earls and twele bishops. ! <
Perhaps the presence of the bishops was an eidence
that witchcraft was still loo(ed upon as a sin rather
than as a crime. It was a matter upon which the opin+
ion of the church had been receied before and might
well be accepted again. It was further arranged that
the :ord Chief+ @ustice of the common pleas. ,ir Ed+
mund Anderson) and the attorney+general) the later so
famous ,ir Edward Co(e) along with other eminent
&urists) were to act with the committee. Anderson) it
will be recalled) had presided oer numerous trials and
had both condemned and released witches. As to
Co(e's attitude towards this sub&ect) we (now not a
I Edward Fairfa.) A ;iscourse of %itchcraft As it was acted in the
Family of 9r. Edward Fairfa. . . . in the year !1D! 6Philobiblon ,oc)
9iscellanies) C) ed. R. 9onc(ton 9ilne<) :ondon) !$/$+!$/"7) H Preface
to the Reader)H D1) e.plains the (ing's motieM 4is H 9a&esty found a
defect in the statutes) ... by which none died for %itchcraft but they
only who by that means (illed) so that such were e.ecuted rather as
murderers than as %itches.H
<I @ournals of the 4ouse of :ords) II) 21"5 %m. Cobbett) Parliamen+
tary 4istory) I) !#!3) !#!$.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !#2
thing) sae that he sered on this committee. *he
committee seems to hae found enough to do. At any
rate the proposed statute underwent reision.H ;oubt+
less the priy council had a hand in the matter 5 9 in+
deed it is not unli(ely that the bill was drawn up under
its direction. >n the "th of @une) about two months and
a half after its introduction) the statute passed its final
reading in the :ords.H It repealed the statute of Eli0+
abeth's reign and proided that any one who H shall
use) practise or e.ercise any Inocation or Con&uration
of any eill and wic(ed ,pirit) or shall consult) coen+
ant with) entertaine) employe) feede) or rewarde any
eill and wic(ed ,pirit to or for any intent or purpose 5
or ta(e up any dead man) woman) or child) ... to be im+
ployed or used in any manner of %itchcrafte H should
suffer death as a felon. It further proided that any one
who should H ta(e upon him or them by %itchcrafte
... to tell or declare in what place any treasure of
Bolde or ,iler should or might be founde ... or
where Boods or *hings loste or stollen should be
founde or become) or to the intent to proo(e any
person to unlawfull loe) or wherebie any Cattell or
Boods of any person shall be destroyed) wasted) or
impaired) or to hurte or destroy any person in his or her
bodie) although the same be not effected and done)H
should for the first offence suffer one year's imprison+
ment with four appearances in the pillory) and for the
second offence) death. *he law e.plains itself. ?ot
only the (illing of people by the use of eil spirits) but
u :ords' @ournal) II) 23!) 2!15 Commons' @ournal) I) D#2+D#E)
<<Cal. ,t) P.) ;om.) !1#2+!1!#) !!3.
u It had passed the third reading in the Commons on @une 35 Com+
mons' @ournal) !) D2E.
!#E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
een the using of eil spirits in such a way as actually
to cause hurt was a capital crime. *he second clause
punished white magic and the intent to hurt) een where
it H be not effected)H by a year's imprisonment and the
pillory. It can be easily seen that one of the things
which the framers of the statute were attempting to
accomplish in their somewhat aw(ward wording was
to ma(e the fact of witchcraft as a felony depend
chiefly upon a single form of eidence) the testimony
to the use of eil spirits.
%e hae seen why people with @ames's conictions
about contracts with the ;eil might desire to rest
the crime upon this (ind of proof. ! < It can be readily
understood) too) how the statute would wor( in prac+
tice. 4itherto it had been possible to arraign a witch
on the accusations of her neighbors) but it was not pos+
sible to send her to the gallows unless some death in
the icinity could be laid to her charge. *he com+
munity that hustled a suspicious woman to court was
li(ely to suffer the e.pense of her imprisonment for a
year. It had no assurance that it could be finally rid of
her.
Under the new statute it was only necessary to proe
that the woman made use of eil spirits) and she was
put out of the way. It was a simpler thing to charge
a woman with (eeping a H familiar H than to accuse
her of murder. *he stories that the illage gossips
gathered in their rounds had the (eeping of H fa+
u It can hardly be doubted that the change in the wording of the law
was dictated not only by the desire to simplify the matter of proof but
by a wish to satisfy those theologians who urged that any use of witch+
craft was a H coenant with death H and H an agreement with hell H
6Isaiah ..iii) !$7.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !#/
miliars H for their central interestH It was only neces+
sary to produce a few of these gossips in court and the
woman was doomed.
*o be sure) this is theory. *he practical -uestion is)
not how would the law operate) but how did it operateR
*his brings us again into the dangerous field of statis+
tics. ?ow) if we may suppose that the witch cases
(nown to us are a safe basis of comparison) the reign
of @ames) as has already been intimated) shows a nota+
ble increase in witch e.ecutions oer that of Eli0abeth.
%e hae records of between forty and fifty people who
suffered for the crime during the reign of @ames) all but
one of them within the first fifteen years. It will be
seen that the aerage per year is nearly double that of
the e.ecutions (nown to us in the first part of Eli0a+
beth's rule) and of course seeral times that of those
(nown in the last part. *his increased number we
are at once inclined to assign to the direct and indirect
influence of the new (ing. =ut it may ery fairly be
as(ed whether the new statute passed at the (ing's
suggestion had not been in part responsible for the in+
creased number. *his -uestion can be answered from
an e.amination of those cases where we hae the
charges gien. >f thirty+seen such cases in the reign
of @ames I) where the capital sentence was gien)
seenteen were on indictments for witchcrafts that had
not caused death. In the other twenty cases) the ac+
cused were charged with murder.H
H ,ee ,outhworth case in *homas Potts) *he %onder full ;iscoer< of
%itches in the countie of :ancaster . . . 6:ondon) !1! 25 reprinted)
]hctham ,oc) !$E/7) : a erso. Cited hereafter as Potts.
H ,ee) below) appendi. =. It should be added that si. others who had
been condemned by the &udges for bewitching a boy were released at
@ames's command.
io1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
*his means that oer two+fifths of those who are
(nown to hae been conicted under the new law would
hae escaped death under the Eli0abethan statute.
%ith all due allowance for the incompleteness of our
statistics) it seems certain that the new law had added
ery considerably to the number of capital sentences.
,ubtract the seenteen death sentences for crimes of
witchcraft that were not murder from the total num+
ber of such sentences) and we hae figures not so dif+
ferent from those of Eli0abeth's reign.
*his is a sufficient comment on the effectieness of
the new law as respects its particularly noel features.
A study of the character of the eidence and of the
tests of guilt employed at the arious trials during the
reign will show that the phrasing of the law) as well
as the royal directions for trying guilt) influenced the
forms of accusation and the erdicts of the &uries. In
other words the testimony rendered in some of the
well (nown trials of the reign offers the best commen+
tary upon the statute as well as upon the ;cemonologie.
*his can be illustrated from three of the processes
employed to determine guilt. *he (ing had recom+
mended the water ordeal. Up to this time it had not
been employed in English witch cases) so far as we
(now. *he first record of its use was in !1!D) nine
years after @ames ascended the English throne. In
that year there was a H discoerie H of witches at
?orthampton. Eight or nine women were accused of
torturing a man and his sister and of laming others.
>ne of them was) at the command of a &ustice of the
peace) cast into the water with H her hands and feete
boundK' but H could not sin( to the bottome by any
meanes.H *he same e.periment was applied to Arthur
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !#3
=ill and his parents. 4e was accused of bewitching a
9artha Aspine. 4is father and mother had long been
considered witches. =ut the H matter remaining doubt+
ful that it could not be cleerly tryed upon him)H he 6and
his parents7 were tied with H their thumbes and great
toes . . . acrosseH and thrown into the water. *he
suspicion that was before not well grounded was now
confirmed. !3 *o be sure) this was done by the &ustices
of the peace and we do not (now how much it influenced
the assi0e court.H
*hese are the only instances gien us by the records
of @ames's reign where this test was employed by the
authorities. =ut in the ery ne.t year after the ?orth+
ampton affair it was used in the ad&oining county of
=edford by priate parties. A land+owner who had
suffered ills) as he thought) from two tenants) 9other
,utton and her daughter) too( matters into his own
hands. 4is men were ordered to strip the two women
H in to their smoc(s)H to tie their arms together) and
to throw them into the water. *he precaution of a
H roape tyed about their middles H was useless) for
both floated. *his was not enough. *he mother) tied
toe and thumb) was thrown into the water again. ,he
H sun(e not at all) but sitting upon the water turned
round about li(e a wheele. . . . And then being ta(en
!! *he %itches of ?orthamptonshire . . . C a erso. *he writer
of this pamphlet) who does not tell the story of the ordeal so fully as the
author of the 9,. account) H A briefe abstract of the arraignment of
nine witches at ?orthampton) @uly ai) i1.< H 6=rit. 9us.) ,loane) "3a7)
gies) howeer) proof of the influence of @ames in the matter. 4e says
that the two ways of testing witches are by the mar(s and H the trying
of the insenaiblenesse thereof)H and by Htheir fleeting on the water)H
which is an e.act -uotation from @ames) although not so indicated.
H *he mother and father were apparently not sent to the assi0e court.
io$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
up) she as boldly as if she had beene innocent as(ed
them if they could doe any more to her.H
*he use of mar(s as eidence was not as new as the
water ordeal. =ut it is a rather curious thing that in
the two series of cases inoling water ordeal the other
process was also emphasi0ed. In these two instances it
would seem as if the adice of the ;cemonologie had
been ta(en ery directly by the accusers. !" *here was
one other instance of this test H *he remar(able
thing) howeer) is that in the most important trial of
the time) that at :ancaster in !1!D) there was an utter
absence) at least so far as the e.tant record goes) of
female &uries or of reports from them< *his method
of determining guilt was not as yet widely accepted in
the courts. %e can hardly doubt that it had been
definitely forbidden at :ancaster.H *he eidence of the
use of eil spirits) against which the statute of the first
year of @ames I had been especially framed) was em+
ployed in such a large proportion of trials that it is not
worth while to go oer the cases in detail.
*he law forbade to ta(e up any dead person or the
s(in) bone) or other part thereof for use in witch+
craft Presumably some instance of this form of
witchcraft had been responsible for the phrase) but
we hae on record no case of the sort until a few
years after the passage of the statute. It was one of
9 *he female &ury was used at ?orthampton 6H women swornH7) also at
=edford) but by a priate party.
< It was used in i1ai on Eli0abeth ,awyer of Edmonton. In this case
it was done clearly at the command of the &udge who tried her at the >ld
=ailey.
S Eli0abeth ;eice) howeer) confessed that the 9 said ;eill did get
blood under her left arme)H which raises a suspicion that this confession
was the result of accusations against her on that score.
a ,ee account in ne.t chapter of the trial at :ancaster.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !#"
the principal charges against @ohanna 4arrison oi
Royston in !1#1 that the officers found in her posses+
sion H all the bones due to the Anatomy of man and
woman.H< *his discoery brought out other charges
and she was hanged. At the famous :ancashire trials
in !1!D the arch+witch Chatto. was declared to hae
had in her possession three scalps and eight teeth. ,he
was guilty on other counts) but she escaped the e.ecu+
tioner by death.
*hese are illustrations of the point that the ;amon+
ologie and the statute of @ames I find their commen+
tary in the eidence offered at the trials. It goes with+
out saying that these illustrations represent only a few
of the forms of testimony gien in the courts. It may
not) therefore) be amiss to run oer some other speci+
mens of the proof that characteri0ed the witch trials
of the reign. %ith most of them we are already famil+
iar. *he re-uirement that the witch should repeat cer+
tain words after the &ustice of the peace was used once
in the reign of @ames. It was an unusual method at
best.<< A commoner form of proof was that adduced
from the finding or seeing clay or wa.en images in the
possession of the accused< *he witness who had
found such a model on the premises of the defendant
or had seen the defendant handling it) &umped readily
H*his case must be used with hesitation5 see below) appendi. A) f 2.
9 At %arboys the ,amuels had been re-uired to repeatM H If I be a
witch and consenting to the death H of such and such a one. Alice
%ilson) at ?orthampton in !1! a) was threatened by the &ustice with e.+
ecution) if she would not say after the minister 9 I forsa(e the ;eil.H
,he is said to hae aerred that she could not say this. ,ee 9,. account
of the witches of ?orthampton.
H%ell (nown is the practice ascribed to witches of ma(ing a wa.en
image) which was then pric(ed or melted before the fire) in the belief that
the torments inflicted upon it would be suffered by the indiidual it
represented.
no %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
to the conclusion that the image represented some in+
diidual. If it should be as(ed how we are to account
for this sort of eidence) the answer is an easy one.
Eery now and then in the annals of witchcraft it came
out that a would+be accuser had hidden a wa.en or
clay figure in the house of the person he wished to accuse
and had then found it. ?o doubt some cases started
in this way. ?o doubt) too) bitter women with grudges
to satisfy did e.periment with images and were caught
at it. =ut this was rare. In the greater number of
cases the stories of images were pure fabrications. *o
that category belong) almost certainly the tales told at
:ancaster.H
H ,pectral eidence H we hae met with in the Eli0a+
bethan period. *hat reign saw two or three instances
of its employment) and there were more e.amples of it
in the reign of @ames. 9aster Aery of ?orthampton)
who with his sister was the principal accuser in the
trials there) saw in one of his fits a blac( wart on the
body of Agnes =rown) a wart which was actually found
Hupon search.HH 9aster Aery saw other spectres)
but the most curious was that of a bloody man desiring
him to hae mercy on his 9istress Agnes and to cease
impeaching her.H At =edford) 9aster Enger's serant
had a long story to tell) but the most thrilling part con+
cerned a isit which the young 9ary ,utton 6whom
he was accusing7 made to him. >n a Hmoonshine
night H she came in at the window in her H accustomed
< Potts) E2 erso) FE) Ba5 also *he %onderful ;iscoert< of the
%itchcrafts of 9argaret and Phillip Flower) . . . 6:ondon) !1!"7) si.
< ,ee 9,. account of the ?orthampton witches.
< Ibid. M H ,undry other witches appeared to him. . . . 4ee heard many
of them railing at @ane :ucas) laying the fault on her that they were
thus accused.H
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* in
and personall habite and shapeH and (nitted at his
side. *hen drawing nearer) she offered him terms by
which he could be restored to his former health) terms
which we are to understand the irtuous witness re+
fused. It is pleasant to (now that 9aster Enger was
H distrustf tdl of the truth H of this tale. >ne fears that
these spectres were not the products of oerwrought
imagination) as were many others) but were merely
fabrics of elaborate fiction.H In any case they were
not the groundwor( of the proof. In the Fairfa. pro+
secutions at Yor( in !1DD the charges against the si.
women accused rested entirely upon a great tissue
of spectral eidence. *he three children had tal(ed
to the spectres) had met them outdoors and at church
and in the (itchen. *he spectres were remar(ably
wise and named isitors whom the family did not (now.
*hey struggled with the children) they rolled oer them
in bed) they followed them to the neighbors.
,omewhat a(in to the eidence from apparitions was
that from the effect of a witch's glance. *his is uncom+
monly rare in English witchcraft) but the reign of @ames
offers two instances of it In Royston) 4ertford+
shire) there was H an honest fellow and as boone a
companion . . . one that loed the pot with the long
nec(e almost as well as his prayers.H >ne day when
he was drin(ing with four companions @ohanna 4arri+
son came in and H stood gloating upon them.H 4e went
home and at once fell sic(.H At ?orthampton the
H*here was practically no spectral eidence in the :ancashire cases.
:ister on his death+bed had cried out against @ennet Preston) and @ohn
:aw was tormented with a ision of Ali0on ;eice H both day and night H 5
Potts) Y a erso. =ut these were e.ceptional.
9 ,ee *he 9ost Cruell and =loody 9urther committed by . . .
Annis ;ell. . . . %ith the ,eer all %itch+crafts . . . of one @ohane
4arrison and her ;aughter 6:ondon) !1#17.
"
4D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
twele+year+old 4ugh :ucas had loo(ed H star( H upon
@ane :ucas at church and gone into conulsions when
he returned home.H !
>ne other form of proof demands notice. In the
trial of @ennet Preston at Yor( it was testified that the
corpse of 9r. :ister) whom she was belieed to hae
slain by witchcraft) had bled at her presence. *he &udge
did not oerloo( this in summari0ing the eidence. It
was one of three important counts against the woman)
indeed it was) says the impressie 9r. Potts) -uoting
the &udge) of more conse-uence than all the rest.H >f
course 9istress Preston went to the gallows.
It will occur to the reader to as( whether any sort
of eidence was ruled out or ob&ected to. >n this
point we hae but slight (nowledge. In reporting the
trial of Eli0abeth ,awyer of Edmonton in !1D! the
Reerend 4enry Boodcole wrote that a piece of thatch
from the accused woman's house was pluc(ed and
burned) whereupon the woman presently came upon
the scene.H Boodcole characteri0ed this method as an
H old ridiculous custome H and we may guess that he
spo(e for the &udge too. In the :ancashire cases) @ustice
Altham) whose credulity (new hardly any bounds)
grew suddenly Hsuspitious of the accusation of this
n 9,. account of the ?orthampton witches.
n ,ee Potts) J a.
< *he dramatist ;e((cr made use of this5 see his IC itch of Edmonton)
act IC) scene I 69ermaid edition) :ondon) !"#E7M
! st Countreyman. G *his thatch is as good as a &ury to proe she is a
witch.
@ustice. G Come) comeM firing her thatchR ridiculousP
*a(e heed) sirs) what you do5 unless your proofs
Come better aimed) instead of turning her
Into a witch) you'll proe yourseles star( fools.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !!2
yong wench) @ennet ;eice)H who had been piling up
charges against Alice ?utter. *he girl was sent out
of the room) the witches were mi.ed up) and @ennet
was re-uired on coming in again to pic( out Alice ?ut+
ter. >f course that proed an easy matter. $E At an+
other time) when @ennet was glibly enumerating the
witches that had assembled at the great meeting at
9al(ing *ower) the &udge suddenly as(ed her if @oane+
a+;owne were there. =ut the little girl failed to rise
to the bait and answered negatiely) much to the satis+
faction of eerybody) and especially of the righteous
9r. Potts.H
*his is all we (now directly about any tendency to
-uestion eidence at :ancaster in !1!D) but a good deal
more may be inferred from what is not there. A com+
parison of that trial with other contemporary trials
will conince any one that @ustices A@tham and =romley
must hae ruled out certain forms of eidence. *here
were no e.periments made of any sort nor any female
&uries set inspecting.<< *his) indeed) is not to say that
all silly testimony was e.cluded. *here is enough and
more of sheer nonsense in the testimony to proe the
contrary.
%e turn now from the -uestion of eidence to a
brief consideration of seeral less prominent features
of @acobean witchcraft. %e shall note the character
of the sentences) the distribution of the trials) the per+
sonnel and position in life of the accused) and lastly the
-uestion of &urisdiction.
< ,ee Potts) P a.
< ,ee ibid.) 8 erso. *his) howeer) was the second time that the
&udge had tried this ruse5 see ibid.) P a.
? ,ee shoe) note si.
4E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
%e hae in another connection indicated the ap+
pro.imate number of e.ecutions of which we hae
record in @ames's reign. *hat number) we saw) was
certainly oer forty and probably approached fifty.
It represented) howeer) not -uite half the total num+
ber of cases of accusation recorded. In conse-uence
the other erdicts and sentences hae significance. Es+
pecially is this true of the ac-uittals. *hey amounted
to thirty) perhaps to forty. %hen we add the trials
of which we do not (now the outcome) we can guess
that the number was close to the sum total of e.ecutions.
:egally only one other outcome of a trial was possible)
a year's imprisonment with -uarterly appearances in
the pillory. *here were three or four instances of this
penalty as well as one case where bond of good be+
haior was perhaps substituted for imprisonment.< 3
Fie pardons were issued)<< three of them by the author+
ities at :ondon) two of them by local powers appar+
ently under compulsion.<<
%e come now to consider the personnel) se.) occu+
pations) and positions in life of the accused. >n cer+
tain of these matters it is possible to gie statistical con+
clusions) but such conclusions must be accepted with
great caution. =y a count as careful as the insufficient
eidence permits it would seem that about si. times as
many women were indicted as men. *his was to be
e.pected. It is perhaps less in accord with tradition
that twice as many married women as spinsters seem to
n ?orth Riding Record ,oc) 8uarter ,essions Records 6:ondon) !$$2)
etc.7) Ill) !$!.
9 *wo of them) howeer) were issued to the same woman) one in
!1#E and one in !1!#.
H4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) FIII) E 6Rye7) pp. !21+!23) !2"+!E#) !EE)
!E3+!E$.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !!/
hae figured in the witch trials of the @acobean era.
*he proportion of widows to unmarried women was
about the same) so that the proportion of unmarried
women among the whole number accused would seem
to hae been small. *hese results must be accepted
guardedly) yet more complete statistics would probably
show that the proportion of married women was een
greater.H
*he position in life of these people was not unli(e
that of the same class in the earlier period. In the
account of the :ancashire trials we shall see that the
two families whose -uarrels started the trouble were
the lowest of low hill+country people) beggars and
charmers) la. in their morals and cunning in their deal+
ings. *he Flower women) mother and daughter) had
been charged with eil liing5 it was said that Agnes
=rown and her daughter of ?orthampton had ery
doubtful reputations 5 9other ,utton of =edford was
alleged to hae three illegitimate children. *he rest
of the witches of the time were not) howeer) -uite so
low in the scale. *hey were household serants) poor
tenants) H hog heardersK' wies of yeomen) broomsel+
lers) and what not.
Aboe this motley peasant crew were a few of ari+
ous higher ran(s. A schoolmaster who had e.peri+
mented with sorcery against the (ing) E! a minister who
had been Hbusy with con&uration in his youthK' E$ a
E# *he term H spinster H was sometimes used of a married woman.
u Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1!"+!1D2) !D/) Chamberlain to Carleton) February
D1) !1D#M HPeacoc() a schoolmaster) committed to the *ower and tor+
tured for practising sorcery upon the Aing) to infatuate him in ,ir *hos.
:a(e's business.H *his is one of those rare cases in which we (now
certainly that torture was used.
< ,ir *homas :a(e to Ciscount Cranbourne) @anuary D#) !1#E) =rit
9us.) Add. 9,,.) 1!33) fol. E#2.
n1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
lady charged with sorcery but held for other sin)H a con+
&urer who had rendered professional serices to a pas+
sionate countess)<< these ma(e up a strange group of
witches) and for that matter an unimportant one. ?one
of their cases were illustrations of the wor(ing of
witch law 5 they were rather stray e.amples of the con+
nection between superstition) on the one hand) and
politics and court intrigue on the other. ?ot so) how+
eer) the prosecution of Alice ?utter in the :ancashire
trials of !1!D. Alice ?utter was a member of a well
(nown county family. H ,he was)H says Potts) H a
rich woman) had a great estate and children of good
hope.H < ,he was moreoer Hof good temper) free
from eny and malice.H In spite of all this she was ac+
cused of the most desperate crimes and went to the
gallows. %hy family connections and influences
could not hae saed her is a mystery.
In another connection we spo(e of two witches par+
doned by local authorities at the instance of the goern+
ment. *his brings us to the -uestion of &urisdiction.
*he town of Rye had but recently) it would seem) been
granted a charter and certain &udicial rights. =ut when
the town authorities sentenced one woman to death and
indicted another for witchcraft) the :ord %arden inter+
fered with a -uestion as to their power. E1 *he town)
after some correspondence) gae way and both women
were pardoned. *his was) howeer) the only instance
of disputed &urisdiction. *he local powers in Aing's
+ Col. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1D2+!1D/) E3E) E$/) E"3.
<<*. =. and *. @. 4owell) ,tate *rials 6:ondon) !$##+!$!$7) II.
H,ee Potts) > 2 erso.
< ,ee 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) FIII) E 6Rye7) pp. !21+!23) !2"+!E#)
!EE) !E3+!E$.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !!3
:ynn hanged a witch without interference< and the
icar+general of the =ishop of ;urham proceeded
against a H common charmer H a with impunity) as of
course he had eery right to do.
*here is) in fact) a shred of eidence to show that
the memory of ecclesiastical &urisdiction had not been
lost. In the ?orth Riding of Yor(shire the -uarter
sessions sentenced Ralph 9ilner for H sorcerie) witch+
craft) inchantment and telling of fortunes H to confess
his fault at diine serice) H that he hath heighlie of+
fended Bod and deluded men) and is heartily sorie.H <
*here is nothing) of course) in the statute to authori0e
this form of punishment) and it is only accounted for
as a reersion to the original ecclesiastical penalty for
a crime that seemed to belong in church courts.
%hat we call nowadays mob law had not yet made its
appearance G that is) in connection with witchcraft. %e
shall see plenty of it when we come to the early part
of the eighteenth century. =ut there was in !1!2 one
significant instance of independence of any &urisdic+
tion) secular or ecclesiastical. In the famous case at
=edford) 9aster Enger) whom we hae met before) had
been H damnified H in his property to the round sum of
]D##. 4e was at length persuaded that 9other ,utton
was to blame. %ithout any authority whatsoeer he
brought her forcibly to his house and caused her to
be scratched.< ?ot only so) but he threw the woman
and her daughter) tied and bound) into his mill+pond
n ,ee Ale.ander Roberta) A *reatise of %itchcraft . . . 6:ondon)
! 1!17) dedicated to the H 9aior and Aldermen.H
< 9. A. Richardson) *able =oo( 6:ondon) !$E!+!$E17) I) 2E/.
< ?orth Riding Record ,oc.) 8uarter ,essions Records) I) /$.
$# H . . . neither had they authoritie to compell her to goe without a
Constable.H
n$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
to proe their guiltH In the mean time the wretched
creatures had been stripped of their clothes and e.+
amined for mar(s) under whose oersight we are not
told) but 9aster Enger was responsible. 4e should
hae suffered for all this) but there is no record of his
haing done so. >n the contrary he carried the prose+
cution of the women to a successful issue and saw them
both hanged.
%e now turn to the -uestion of the distribution of
witchcraft in the realm during @ames's reign. From
the incidental references already gien) it will be ei+
dent that the trials were distributed oer a wide area.
In number e.ecuted) :ancashire led with ten) :eices+
ter had nine) ?orthampton fie or more) 9iddlese.
four)H =edford) :incoln) Yor() =ristol) and 4ertford
each two 5 ;erby had seeral) the e.act number we can
not learn. *hese figures of the more serious trials
seem to show that the alarm was drifting from the
southeast corner of England towards the midlands. In
the last half of Eli0abeth's rule the centre had been to
the north of :ondon in the southern midlands. ?ow
it seems to hae progressed to the northern midlands.
:eicester) ;erby) and ?ottingham may be selected as
the triangle of counties that would fairly represent the
centre of the moement. If the matter were to be
determined with mathematical accuracy) the centre
would need to be placed perhaps a little farther west)
for ,tafford) Cheshire) =ristol) and the remote %elsh
HT =rit 9us. Add. 9,,.) 21)13E) fol. !E$. *his is a brief description
of H how to discoer a witch.H It recommends the water ordeal and
cites the case of 9r. Enger and 9ary ,utton.
n In the case of three of these four we (now only that they were
sentenced.
@A9E, I A?; %I*C4CRAF* !!"
Carnaron all e.perienced witch alarms. In the north)
Yor( and ;urham had their share of trials.
It will be easier to reali0e what had happened when
we discoer that) so far as records go) Aent and Esse.
were entirely -uiet during the period) and East Anglia
almost so. %e shall later see that these counties had
not at all forgotten to beliee in witchcraft) but the
witchfinders had ceased their actiities for a while.
*o be sure) this reasoning from the distribution of
trials is a dangerous proceeding. %itch alarms) on the
face of things) seem hapha0ard outbursts of e.cite+
ment. And such no doubt they are in part 5 yet one who
goes oer many cases in order cannot fail to obsere
that an outbrea( in one county was ery li(ely to be
followed by one in the ne.t county.H *his is perfectly
intelligible to eery one familiar with the essentially
contagious character of these scares. *he stories
spread from illage to illage as fast as that personi+
fied Rumor of the poet Cergil) Hthan which nothing
is fleeter H 5 nor did they halt with the sheriffs at the
county boundaries.
%e hae now traced the growth of @ames's opinions
until they found effect in English law) hae seen the
practical operation of that law) and hae gone oer
the forms of eidence) as well as some other features
of the witch trials of his reign. In the ne.t chapter we
shall ta(e up some of the more famous @acobean cases in
detail as e.amples of witch alarms. %e shall see(
to find out how they started and what were the real
causes at wor(.
9 =efore the Flower case at :incoln came the %Ulimot+=a(er cases at
:eicester. *he =edford trial resembled much the ?orthampton trial of
the preious year.
C4AP*ER CI.
?otable @acobean Cases.
It is possible to sift) to analy0e) and to reconstruct
the material deried from witch trials until some few
conclusions about a gien period can be entured. A
large proportion of cases can be proed to belong in this
or that category) a certain percentage of the women
can be shown to possess these or those traits in com+
mon. Yet it is -uite thin(able that one might be armed
with a -uier full of generali0ations) and fail) withal)
to comprehend @acobean witchcraft. If one could hae
as(ed information on the sub&ect from a :ondoner
of !1D#) he would probably hae heard little about
witchcraft in general) but a ery great deal about the
:ancashire) ?orthampton) :eicester) :incoln) and
Fairfa. trials. *he :ondoner might hae been able to
tell the stories complete of all those famous cases. 4e
would hae been but poorly informed could he not hae
related some of them) and the listener would hae
caught the surface drift of those stories. =ut a witch
panic is a subtle thing) not to be understood by those
who do not follow all its deeper se-uences. *he springs
of the moement) the interaction of cause and effect)
the operation of personal traits) these are factors that
must be ealuated) and they are not factors that can be
fitted into a general scheme) labelled and classified.
*his does not mean that the cases should be e.amined
in chronological se-uence. *hat is not necessary 5 for
!D#
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !D!
the half+do0en cases that we shall run oer had little or
no cause+and+effect connection with one another. It
is conenient) indeed) to ma(e some classification) and
the simplest is that by probable origin) especially as it
will enable us to emphasi0e that important feature of
the trials. ?ow) by this method the si. or more trials
of note may be grouped under three headingsM cases
that seem to hae originated in the actual practice of
magic) cases where the ictims of conulsions and fits
started the furor) and cases that were simply the last
stage of bitter -uarrels or the result of grudges.
*o the first group belongs the :ancastrian case of
!1!D) which) howeer) may also be classed under the
last heading. ?o case in the course of the superstition
in England gained such wide fame. Upon it ,hadwell
founded in part a well+(nown play) *he :ancashire
%itches) while poets and writers of prose hae referred
to it until the two words hae been lin(ed in a phrase
that has gien them lasting association. It was in the
lonely forest of Pendle among the wild hills of
eastern :ancashire that there lied two hostile families
headed by Eli0abeth ,outherns) or H>ld ;emdi(eK<
and by Anne Chatto.. *he latter was a wool carder)
H a ery old) withered) spent) and decreped creature)H
H her lippes eer chattering H 5 the former a blind beg+
gar of four+score years) H a generall agent for the ;eell
in all these partes)H and a H wic(ed fire+brand of mis+
chiefe)H who had brought up her children and grand+
children to be witches. =oth families professed super+
natural practices. =oth families no doubt traded on the
fear they inspired. Indeed ;ame Chatto. was said to
hae sold her guarantee to do no harm in return for a
fi.ed annual payment of H one aghen+dole of meale.H
!DD %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
*hat there was a feud between the two clans was to
be e.pected. *hey were at once neighbors and com+
petitors) and were engaged in a career in which they
must plot each against the other) and suspect each other.
*here are hints of other difficulties. Years before there
had been a -uarrel oer stolen property. ;emdi(e's
daughter had missed clothes and food to the alue of
D# shillings) and had later found some of the clothing
in the possession of Chatto.'s daughter. A more seri+
ous difficulty inoled a third family M a member of the
?utter family) well+to+do people in :ancashire) had
sought to seduce old Chatto.'s married daughter) and)
when repelled) had warned her that when he inherited
the property where she lied she should be eicted.
Chatto. had retaliated by see(ing to (ill ?utter by
witchcraft) and had been further incited thereto by
three women) who wished to be rid of ?utter) in order
that H the women) their coosens) might hae the land.H
As a conse-uence ?utter had died within three months.
*he -uarrel) indeed) was three+cornered. It was said
that ;emdi(e's daughter had fashioned a clay picture
of a ?utter woman. !
%e hae all the elements here of a mountain feud 5
but) in place of the reolers and Aentuc(y moonshine
of to+day) we hae clay images and ,atanic ban-uets.
*he battles were to be fought out with imps of 4ell as
! >f course the proof that some of the accused really made pretensions
to magic rests upon their own confessions and their accusations of one
another) and might be a part of an intricate tissue of falsehood. =ut)
granting for the moment the absolute untrustworthiness of the confessions
and accusations there are incidental statements which imply the practice
of magic. For e.ample) Eli0abeth ;eice's young daughter -uoted a
long charm which she said her mother had taught her and which she
hardly inented on the spur of the moment. And ;emdi(e was re+
-uested to H amend a sic( cow.H
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !D2
participants and with ammunition supplied by the Eil
>ne himself. It was this connection with a reseroir
of untouched demoniacal powers that made the -uarrel
of the miserable mountaineers the most celebrated in+
cident in :ancashire story. 4ere were charmers and
H inchanters)H e.perienced dealers in magic) struggling
against one another. ,mall wonder that the community
became alarmed and that Roger ?owell) &ustice of the
peace) suddenly swooped down upon the Pendle fami+
lies. It was but a short time before he had four women
cooped up in :ancaster castle. In a few days more he
was able to get confessions out of them. *hey admitted
ac-uaintance with the ;eil and implicated one another.
?ow comes the strange part of the story. According
to confessions made later) Eli0abeth ;eice) not yet
shut up) but li(ely to be at any time) called a meeting
on Bood Friday of all the witches in Pendle forest.
*hey were to come to her home at 9al(ing *ower to
plot the deliery of the imprisoned women by the
blowing up of :ancaster castle.' *he affair too( the
form of a dinner 5 and beef) bacon) and roasted mutton
were sered. H All the witches went out of the said
4ouse in their owne shapes and li(enesses. And they
all) by that they were forth of the dores) gotten on
4orsebac(e) li(e unto Foales) some of one colour) some
of another 5 and Preston's wile was the last 5 and) when
shee got on 4orsebac(e) they all presently anished
out of . . . sight.H *his was the story) and the arious
witnesses agreed remar(ably well as to its main de+
tails. *hose who belieed in the H sabbath H of witches
f *he gunpowder plot) seen years earlier) no doubt gae direction to
this plan) or) perhaps it would be better to say) gae the idea to those who
confessed the plan)
!DE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
must hae felt their opinions confirmed by the testi+
mony of the witnesses at :ancaster. Een the modern
reader) with his s(epticism) is somewhat daunted by the
cumulatie force of what purports to be the eidence
and would fain rationali0e it by supposing that some
sort of a meeting actually did ta(e place at 9al(ing
*ower and that some Pendle men and women who had
deled in magic arts till they belieed in them did form+
ulate plans for reenge. =ut this is not a probable
supposition. *he concurring eidence in the 9al(ing
*ower story is of no more compelling character than
that to be found in a multitude of Continental stories
of witch gatherings which hae been shown to be the
outcome of physical or mental pressure and of leading
-uestions. It seems unnecessary to accept een a sub+
stratum of fact.< Probably one of the accused women
inented the story of the witch feast after the model
of others of which she had heard) or deeloped it under
the stimulus of suggestie -uestions from a &ustice.
,uch a narratie) once started) would spread li(e wild+
fire and the witnesses and the accused who were per+
suaded to confess might tell appro.imately the same
story. A careful re+reading of all this eidence sug+
gests that the arious testimonies may indeed hae been
echoes of the first narratie. *hey seem to lac( those
characteristic differences which would stamp them as
independent accounts. 9oreoer) when the story was
once started) it is not improbable that the &ustices and
the &udges would assist the witnesses by framing -ues+
tions based upon the narratie already gien. It can+
not be said that the eidence e.ists upon which to es+
< @ames Crossley seems to beliee that there was H some scintilla of
truthH behind the story. ,ee his edition of Potts) notes) p. E#.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !D/
tablish this hypothesis. *here is little to show that
the witnesses were adroitly led into their narraties.
=ut we (now from other trials that the method was so
often adopted that it is not a far cry to suspect that it
was used at :ancaster.
It is not worth while to trace out the wearisome
details that were elicited by confession. *hose already
in prison made confessions that implicated others) until
the busy &ustices of the peace had shut up si.teen women
and four men to be tried at the assi0es. ,ir Edward
=romley and ,ir @ames Altham) who were then on the
northern circuit) reached :ancaster on the si.teenth of
August. In the meantime) H>ld ;emdi(e)H after a
confession of most awful crimes) had died in prison.
All the others were put on trial. *homas Potts compiled
a ery careful abstract of all the testimony ta(en) per+
haps the most detailed account of a witch trial written
in the English language) with the possible e.ception of
the ,t. >ses affair. *he eidence was in truth of a
somewhat similar type. ,ecret interiews with the
Eil >ne) promises of worldly riches) a contract sealed
with blood) little shapes of dogs) cats) and hares) clay
pictures that had been dried and had crumpled) threats
and conse-uent H languishing H and death) these were
the trappings of the stories. *he tales were old. >nly
the 9al(ing *ower incident was new. =ut its ery
noelty gae a plausibility to the stories that were
woen around it. *here was not a single person to
interpose a doubt. *he cross+e.aminations were noth+
ing more than feeble attempts to bring out further
charges.
*hough there is in the record little suggestion of the
use of pressure to obtain the confessions) the fact that
!D1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
three were retracted leads to a suspicion that they had
not been gien -uite freely. *here was doubtless some+
thing contagious about the impulse to confess. It is)
neertheless) a curious circumstance that fie members
of the two rial Pendle families made confession) while
all the others whom their confessions had inoled
stuc( to it that they were innocent. E Among those who
persisted in denying their guilt Alice ?utter merits
special note. %e hae already mentioned her in the last
chapter as an e.ample of a well+to+do and well con+
nected woman who fell a ictim to the :ancashire e.+
citement.' *he eidence against the woman was per+
haps the flimsiest eer offered to a court. Eli0abeth
;eice) daughter of H >ld ;emdi(e)H and her two
children were the chief accusers. Eli0abeth had seen
her present at the 9al(ing *ower meeting. 9oreoer)
she stated that Alice had helped her mother 6H >ld
;emdi(eH7 bewitch a man to death. 4er son had
heard his grandmother ;emdi(e narrate the incident.
*his testimony and his sister's definite statement that
Alice ?utter attended the 9al(ing *ower meeting es+
tablished 9istress ?utter's guilt.< *he &udge) indeed)
was Hery suspitious of the accusation of this yong
wench) @ennet ;eice)H and) as we hae already seen)
caused her to be sent out of the court room till the ac+
cused lady could be placed among other prisoners)
when the girl was recalled and re-uired before the
great audience present to pic( out the witch) as) of
E Among those who neer confessed seems to hae been Chatto.<s
daughter) Anne Redfearne.
$ ,ee aboe) p. ..1.
I It is a satisfaction to (now that Alice died H impenitent)H and that not
een her children could H moe her to confesse.H
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !D3
course) she easily did) and as easily escaped another
transparent trapK
*he two children figured prominently from this on.
*he nine+year+old girl gae eidence as to eents of
three years before) while the young man) who could
hardly hae been out of his teens)< recounted what had
happened twele years earlier. It was their testimony
against their mother that roused most interest. Al+
though of a circumstantial character) it fitted in most
remar(able fashion into the eidence already pre+
sentedK *he mother) says the nonchalant pamphleteer)
indignantly H cryed out against the child)H cursing her
so outrageously that she was remoed from the room
while the child (ept the stand. It is useless to waste
sympathy upon a mother who was getting at the hands
of her children the same treatment she had gien her
own mother ;emdi(e. *he Chatto. family held to+
gether better. 9istress Redfearne had been carefully
shielded in the testimony of her mother Chatto.) but
she fell a ictim to the accusations of the opposing fam+
ily. *he course of her trial was remar(able. ;enying
her guilt with great emphasis) she had by some wonder
been ac-uitted. =ut this erdict displeased the people
in attendance upon the trial. Induced by the cries of
the people) the court was persuaded to try her again.
*he charge against her was e.actly the same) that
eighteen years before she had participated in (illing
Christopher ?utter with a clay figure. H >ld ;emdi(e H
had seen her in the act of ma(ing the image) and there
* ,ee aboe) pp. !!D+!!2) <nd Potts) 8+8 erso.
I,ee Potts) I.
I It can hardly be doubted that the children had been thoroughly
primed with the stories in circulation against their mother.
!#
!D$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
was offered also the testimony of the sister and brother
of the dead man) who recalled that Robert ?utter on
his death+bed had accused Anne of his bewitchment. !#
It does not seem to hae occurred to the court that the
principle that a person could not twice be put in &eop+
ardy for the same offence was already an old principle
in English law.H *he &udges were more concerned
with appeasing the people than with recalling old pre+
cedents) and sent the woman to the gallows.
*he Pendle cases were interrupted on the third day
by the trial of three women from ,almesbury) who
pleaded not guilty and put themseles H upon Bod and
their Cbuntrey.H *he case against them rested upon the
testimony of a single young woman) Brace ,ower+
butts) who declared that for the three years past she
SS
!# >ther witnesses charged her with H many strange practises.'
!! *he principle that a man's life may not twice be put in &eopardy
for the same offence had been pretty well established before !1.D. ,ee
;arly's Case) D/ Eli0. 6!/$27) Co(e's Reports 6ed. *homas and Fraser)
:ondon) !$D17) IC) f. E#5 Cau.'s Case) 22 Eli0. 6!/"!7) ibid.) f. E/5
%rote s. %iggs) 22 Eli0. 6!/"!7) ibid.) f. E3. *his principle had been
in process of deelopment for seeral centuries. ,ee =racton 6ed. ,ir
*raers *wits) :ondon) !$3$+!$$27) II) E!3) E22) E235 =ritton 6ed. F. 9.
?ichols) >.ford) !$1/7) b(. I) cap. ..i) /) f. EE b.
It must be noted) howeer) that the statute of 2 4en. CII) cap. II)
proides that indictments shall be proceeded in) immediately) at the
(ing's suit) for the death of a man) without waiting for bringing an
appeal5 and that the plea of ante fort ac-uit in an indictment shall be
no bar to the prosecuting of an appeal. *his law was passed to get
around special legal inconenience and related only to homicide and to
the single case of prosecution by appeal. In general) then) we may say
that the former+&eopardy doctrine was part of the common law) 6.7
an appeal of felony being a bar to subse-uent appeal or indictment) 6D7
an indictment a bar to a subse-uent indictment) and 627 an indictment to
a subse-uent appeal) e.cept so far as the statute of 2 4en. CII.) cap.
II) changed the law as respects homicides. For this brief statement I am
indebted to Professor %illiam Underhill 9oore of the Uniersity of
%isconsin.
%hat Potts has to say about Anne Redfearne's case hardly enables us
to reach a conclusion about the legal aspect of it.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !D"
had been e.ed by the women in -uestion) who H did
iolently draw her by the haire of the head) and layd her
on the toppe of a 4ay+mowe.H *his delightfully ab+
surd charge was coupled with some testimony about the
appearances of the accused in animal form. *hree
men attempted to bolster up the story 5 but no H matter
of witchcraft H was proed) says the for once incred+
ulous 9r. Potts. *he women sei0ed the decisie mo+
ment. *hey (neeled before the &udge and re-uested
him to e.amine Brace ,owerbutts as to who set her on.
*he &udge G who had seemingly not thought of this be+
fore G followed the suggestion. *he girl changed
countenance and ac(nowledged that she had been taught
her story. At the order of the &udge she was -uestioned
by a clergyman and two &ustices of the peace) who
found that she had been coached to tell her story by a
9aster *hompson) alias ,outhworth) a H seminarie
priest.H ,o ended the charges against the ,almesbury
witches.
>ne would suppose that this erdict might hae
turned the tide in the other cases. =ut the eidence) as
Potts is careful to show) lest the reader should draw a
wrong conclusion) was of ery different character in
the other trials. *hey were all finished on the third
day of court and turned oer to the &ury. Fie of the
accused) e.clusie of those at ,almesbury) were ac+
-uitted) one condemned to a year's imprisonment) and
ten sentenced to death. *o this number should be
added @ennet Preston) who had in the preceding month
been tried at Yor( for the (illing of a 9r. :ister) and
who was named by the :ancaster witnesses as one of
the gang at 9al(ing *ower.
!2# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
,o ended the :ancashire trials of !1!D. *he most
remar(able eent of the sort in @ames's reign) they were
clearly the outcome of his writings and policy. Potts
as(s pointedly M H %hat hath the Aing's 9aiestie writ+
ten and published in his ;aemonologie by way of pre+
monition and preention) which hath not here by the
first or last beene e.ecuted) put in practice) or dis+
coeredRH
>ur second group of cases includes those where
conulsie and H possessed H persons had started the
alarm. *he ?orthampton) :eicester) and :ichfield
cases were all instances in point. *he last two) how+
eer) may be omitted here because they will come up in
another connection. *he affair at ?orthampton in
!1!D) &ust a month earlier than the :ancashire affair)
merits notice. Eli0abeth =elcher and her brother)
H 9aster Aery)H were the disturbing agents. 9istress
=elcher had long been suffering with an illness that
baffled diagnosis. It was suggested to her that the
cause was witchcraft. A list of women reputed to be
witches was repeated to her. *he name of @oan =rown
seemed to impress her. H4ath shee done itRH she
as(ed.H *he name was repeated to her and from that
time she held @oan guilty. ! < @oan and her mother were
u *his is the story in the 9,. account 6=rit. 9us.) ,loane) "3D7. *he
printed narratie of the origin of the affair is somewhat different.
@oan had on one occasion been struc( by 9istress =elcher for unbecom+
ing behaior and had cherished a grudge. ?o doubt this was a point
recalled against @oan after suspicion had been directed against her.
SIn @ohn Cotta's *he *riall of %itchcraft . . . 6:ondon) !1!17) 11+
13) there is a ery interesting statement which probably refers to this
case. Cotta) it will be remembered) was a physician at ?orthampton.
4e wroteM H *here is a ery rare) but true) description of a Bentlewoman)
about si.e yeares past) cured of diers (inds of conulsions< I . .
After she was almost cured) . . . but the cure not fully accomplished)
it was b a reputed %isard whispered . . . that the Bentlewoman was
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !2!
shut up. 9eantime 9aster Aery began to ta(e fits
and to aid his sister in ma(ing accusation. =etween
them they soon had accused si. women for their af+
flictions. *he stir brought to the surface the hidden
suspicions of others. *here was a witch panic and the
&ustices of the peaceH scurried hither and thither till
they had fourteen witches loc(ed up in ?orthampton.
%hen the trial came off at ?orthampton) 9aster Aery
was the hero. 4e re+enacted the role of the *hroc(+
morton children at %arboys with great success. %hen
he came to court G he came in a H coch H G he was at
once stric(en with conulsions. 4is torments in court
were ery conincing. It is pleasant to (now that
when he came out of his sei0ure he would tal( ery
H discreetly) christianly) and charitably.H 9aster Aery
was ersatile) howeer. 4is eidence against the
women rested by no means alone on his sei0ures. 4e
had countless apparitions in which he saw the accused 5 u
he had been mysteriously thrown from a horse 5 strang+
est of all) he had foretold at a certain time that if any
one should go down to the gaol and listen to the oices
of the witches) he could not understand a word. %here+
upon a 9aster of Arts of *rinity College) >.ford)
went off to the prison at the uncanny hour of two in
the morning and Hheard a confused noise of much
meerely bewitched) supposed %itches were accused and after e.ecuted.
... In this last past seenth yeare . . . fits are critically again returned.H
Cotta says si. years ago and the ?orthampton trials were an !1! a) four
years before. It is -uite possible) howeer) that 9istress =elcher began
to be afflicted in !1!#.
!E >ne of these was ,ir Bilbert Pic(ering of *ichmarsh) almost certainly
the Bilbert Pic(ering mentioned as an uncle of the *hroc(morton
children at %arboys. ,ee aboe) pp. E3+E$. 4is hatred of witches had
no doubt been increased by that affair.
u ,ee what is said of spectral eidence in chapter C) aboe.
!2D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
chattering and chiding) but could not discoer a ready
word.H
9aster Aery had a great deal more to tell) but the
&ury seem not to hae fully credited him.H *hey con+
icted @oan =rown and her mother) howeer) on the
charges of Eli0abeth and her brother. *hree others
were found guilty upon other counts. ?one of them)
so far as the records go) and the records were careful
on this point) admitted any guilt.H *he one young man
among those who were hanged bitterly resisted his
coniction from the beginning and died declaring that
authority had turned to tyranny. 4e might well feel
so. 4is father and mother had both been tortured by
the water ordeal) and his mother had been worried till
she committed suicide in prison.
*his brings us to the third sort of cases) those that
were the outcome of -uarrels or grudges. It has
already been obsered that the :ancashire affair could
ery well be rec(oned under this heading. It is no e.+
aggeration to say that a goodly percentage of all other
witch trials in the reign of @ames could be classified
in the same way. 9ost notable among them was the
famous trial of the =eloir witches at :incoln in !1!$+
!1!". *he trial has receied wide notice because it
concerned a leading family G perhaps the wealthiest in
England G the great Catholic family of 9anners) of
which the Earl of Rutland was head. *he effort to ac+
count for the mysterious illness of his young heir and
HAt least there is no eidence that Alice Abbott) Catherine Bardiner)
and Alice 4arris) whom he accused) were punished in any way.
H It seems) howeer) that Arthur =ill) while he sturdily denied guilt)
had been before trapped into some sort of an admission. 4e had H un+
awares confest that he had certaine spirits at command.H =ut this
may mean nothing more than that something he had said had been
grossly misinterpreted.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !22
for that which had a few years earlier carried off the
boy's elder brother led to a charge of witchcraft against
three humble women of the neighborhood. *he Rutland
affair shows how easily a suspicion of witchcraft might
inole the fortunes of the lowly with those of the
great @oan Flower and her two daughters had teen em+
ployed as charwomen in =eloir Castle) the home of the
Rutlands. >ne of the daughters) indeed) had been put
in charge of H the poultrey abroad and the wash+
house within dores.H =ut this daughter seems not
to hae gien satisfaction to the countess in her
wor() some other causes of disagreement arose which
inoled 9other Flower) and both 9other Flower and
her daughter were sent away from the castle. *his
was the beginning of the trouble. 9other Flower
Hcursed them all that were the cause of this discon+
tentment.H ?aturally little heed was paid to her
grumblings. ,uch things were common enough and it
did not een occur to any one) when the eldest son of
the earl sic(ened and died) that the eent was in any
way connected with the malice of the Flowers. It
was not until about fie years later) when the younger
son Francis fell sic( of an illness to proe fatal) that
suspicion seems to hae lighted upon the three women. ! <
*he circumstances that led to their discharge were
then recalled and along with them a mass of idle gossip
and scandal against the women. It was remembered
u *hree women of :eicestershire) Anne =a(er) @oan %illimot) and
Ellen Breene) who in their confessions implicated the Flowers 6they
belonged to parishes neighbor to that of =eloir) which lies on the shire
border7 and whose testimony against them figured in their trials) were
at the same time 6Feb.+9arch) !1.$K!"7 under e.amination in that
county. %hether these women were authors or ictims of the =eloir
suspicions we do not (now. As we hae their damning confessions) there
is small doubt as to their fate.
!2E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
that 9other @oan was H a monstrous malicious woman)
full of oathes) curses) and imprecations irreligious.H
,ome of her neighbors H dared to affirme that she dealt
with familiar spirits) and terrified them all with curses
and threatning of reenge.H At length) in February of
!1!$K!") on the return of the earl from attending 4is
9a&esty H both at ?ewmar(et before Christmas and at
Christmas at %hitehall)H the women were fetched be+
fore &ustices of the peace) who bound them oer to the
assi0es at :incoln. 9other Flower died on the way to
:incoln) but the two daughters were tried there before
,ir Edward =romley) who had been &udge at the :an+
cashire trials) and before ,ir 4enry 4obart. *he
women made a detailed confession of weird crimes.
*here were tales of gloes belonging to the two young
sons of the earl) gloes that had been found in uncanny
places and had been put in hot water and rubbed upon
Rutter(in the cat G or spirit. *here were worse stories
that will not bear repetition. ?eedless to say) 9argaret
and Philippa Flower were conicted and hanged.H
*he Rutland cases hae been used to illustrate how
the witch accusation might arise out of a grudge or
-uarrel. *here were three or four other cases that
!" *he women were tried in 9arch) !1!$K!". 4enry) the elder son of
the earl) was buried at =ottesford) ,eptember D1) !1! 2. @ohn ?ichols)
4istory and Anti-uities of the County of :eicester 6:ondon) ! 3"/+!$!/7)
II) pt. i) E") note !#. Francis) the second) lingered till early in !1D#.
4is sister. :ady Aatherine) whose delicate health had also been ascribed
to the witches) was now the heiress) and became in that year the bride
of =uc(ingham) the (ing's faorite. *here is one aspect of this affair
that must not be oerloo(ed. *he accusation against the Flowers can+
not hae been un(nown to the (ing) who was a fre-uent isitor at the
seat of the Rutlands. It is hard to beliee that under such circumstances
the use of torture) which @ames had declared essential to bring out the
guilt of the accused witches) was not after some fashion resorted to.
*he weird and uncanny confessions go far towards supporting such an
hypothesis.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !2/
illustrate this origin of the charge. *he first is that
of @ohanna 4arrison G she has been mentioned in the
preious chapter G who had an H altercation H with a
neighbor. >f course she threatened him) he fell ill)
and he scratched her< =ut here the commonplace tale
ta(es a new turn. ,he had him arrested and was
awarded fie shillings damages and her costs of suit.
?o wonder the man fell sic( again. Perhaps G but this
cannot be certain G it was the same man who was drin(+
ing his ale one day with his fellows when she entered
and stood H gloating H oer him. 4e turned and said)
H;oe you heare) %itch) loo(e tother waies.H *he
woman berated him with angry words) and) feel+
ing ill the ne.t morning G he had been drin(ing hea+
ily the night before G he dragged her off to the &ustice.
A few wee(s later she and her daughter were hanged
at 4ertford.H
*he story of 9other ,utton and 9aster Enger has
been referred to in seeral connections) but it will bear
telling in narratie form. 9other ,utton was a poor
tenant of 9aster Enger's) H a gentleman of worship)H
who often bestowed upon her H food and cloathes.H >n
account of her want she had been chosen illage H hog+
heard)H and had for twenty years fulfilled the duties
of her office H not without commendations.H =ut it
happened that she -uarreled one day with her bene+
factor) and then his difficulties began. *he tale is al+
most too triial for repetition) but is neertheless char+
acteristic. 9aster Enger's serants were ta(ing some
H *he 9ost Cruell and =loody 9urther committed by . . . Annis
;ell) . . . with the seeralP %itch+crafts . . . of one @ohane 4arrison
and her ;aughter) 12.
H*his story must be accepted with hesitation5 see below) appendi. A)
!2.
!21 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
corn to mar(et) when they met H a f aire blac( sowe H
gra0ing. *he wayward beast began turning round Has
readily as a %indmill sail at wor(e 5 and as sodainly
their horses fell to starting and drawing some one way)
some another.H *hey started off with the cart of corn)
but bro(e from it and ran away. *he serants caught
them and went on to =edford with the load. =ut the
sow followed. %hen the corn had been sold) one of
the serants went home) the other stayed with his
Hboone companions.H %hen he rode home later) he
found the sow gra0ing outside of town. It ran by
his side) and the horses ran away again. =ut the
serants watched the sow and saw it enter 9other
,utton's house. 9aster Enger made light of the story
when it was told to him) and) with remar(able insight
for a character in a witch story) H supposed they were
drun(e.H =ut a few days later the same serant fell
into conersation with 9other ,utton) when a beetle
came and struc( him. 4e fell into a trance) and then
went home and told his master. *he ne.t night the
serant said that 9ary ,utton entered his room G the
ision we hae already described.H
*he rest of the story the reader (nows from the last
chapter. 9other ,utton and her daughter were put
to arious ordeals and at length hanged. ;oubtless the
imaginatie serant) who had in some way) perhaps)
been inoled in the original -uarrel) gained faor with
his master) and standing in the community . 9
H,ee aboe) pp. ..o+i0i.
9 *he trial of Eli0abeth ,awyer at Edmonton in i1a. had to do with
similar triialities. Agnes Ratcliffe was washing one day) when a sow
belonging to Eli0abeth lic(ed up a bit of her washing soap. ,he struc(
it with a H washing beetle.H >f course she fell sic() and on her death+
bed accused 9istress Eli0abeth ,awyer) who was afterwards hanged.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !23
*he tale of the =a(ewell witches is a ery curious
one and) though not to be confidently depended upon)
may suggest how it was possible to aail oneself
of superstition in order to repay a grudge. A ,cotch+
man staying at a lodging+house in =a(ewell fell in debt
to his landlady) who retained some of his clothes as se+
curity. 4e went to :ondon) concealed himself in a
cellar) and was there found by a watchman) who ar+
rested him for being in an unoccupied house with felo+
nious intent. 4e professed to be da0ed and declared
that he was at =a(ewell in ;erbyshire at three o'cloc(
that morning. 4e e.plained it by the fact that he had
repeated certain words which he had heard his lodging+
house (eeper and her sister say. *he &udge was ama0ed)
the man's depositions were ta(en down) and he was
sent to the &ustices of ;erby.
All that we really (now about the =a(ewell affair is
that seeral witches probably suffered death there in
!1#3. A local anti-uarian has gien this tale of how
the alarm started< %hile it is unli(e any other nar+
ratie of witchcraft) it is not necessarily without
foundation.
*he reader has doubtless obsered that the cases
which we hae been describing occurred) all of them
with one e.ception) between !1#2 and !1!". In dis+
cussing the matter of the distribution of witchcraft
in the last chapter we noted that not only e.ecutions
for the crime) but een accusations and indictments)
were nearly altogether limited to the first fifteen years
< ,ec *. *indall %ildridge) in %illiam Andrews) =ygone ;erbyshire
6;erby) !$"a7) !$#+!$E. It has been impossible to locate the sources of
this story. @. Charles Co.) who e.plored the ;erby records) seems neer
to hare discoered anything about the affair.
!2$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
of @ames's rule. If it is true that there was a rather
sudden falling off of prosecution in the reign of the
0ealous @ames) the fact merits e.planation. Fortun+
ately the e.planation is not far to see(. *he (ing's
faith in the erity of many of the charges made against
witches had been rudely sha(en. As a matter of fact
there had always been a grain of s(epticism in his
ma(e+up. *his had come out een before he entered
England. In !/"3 he had become alarmed at the spread
of trials in ,cotland and had reo(ed all the commis+
sions then in force for the trial of the offence.H At
the ery time when he became (ing of England) there
were special circumstances that must hae had weight
with him. *hroughout the last years of Eli0abeth's
reign there had been) as we hae seen) a morbid inter+
est in demoniacal possession) an interest to which sen+
sation+mongers were -uic(ly minded to respond. %e
saw that at the end of the si.teenth century the Angli+
can church stepped in to put down the e.orci0ing of
spirits)< largely perhaps because it had been carried on
by Catholics and by a Puritan clergyman. Yet neither
4arsnett's boo( nor ;arrel's imprisonment -uite
aailed to end a practice which offered at all times to
all comers a path to notoriety. @ames had not been on
the English throne a year when he became interested
in a case of this (ind. 9ary Bloer) a girl alleged to
hae been bewitched by a 9other @ac(son) was at the
(ing's wish e.amined by a s(illed physician) ;r. Edward
@orden) who recogni0ed her fits as disease) brought the
girl to a confession) published an account of the matter)
< ,ec F. :egge) H %itchcraft in ,cotland)H in the ,cottish Reiew)
FCIII) D1E.
w ,ee aboe) ch. IC) especially note 21.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !2"
and so saed the life of the woman whom she had
accused<
In the ery ne.t year there was a case at Cambridge
that gained royal notice. It is not easy to straighten
out the facts from the letters on the matter) but it
seems that two Cambridge maids had a curious disease
suggesting bewitchment.H A Franciscan and a Puri+
tan clergyman were) along with others) suspected. *he
matter was at once referred to the (ing and the go+
ernment. @ames directed that e.aminations be made
and reported to him. *his was done. @ames wormed
out of the H principal H some admission of former
dealing with con&uration) but turned the whole thing
oer to the courts) where it seems later to hae been
established that the disease of the bewitched maidens
was Hnaturall.H
*hese were but the first of seeral impostures that
interested the (ing. A girl at %indsor) another in 4ert+
fordshire) were possessed by the ;eil)H two maids at
%estminster were H in raptures from the Cirgin 9ary
and 9ichael the Archangel)H< ! a priest of :eicestershire
was H possessed of the =lessed *rinity.H < ,uch cases G
not to mention the Brace ,owerbutts confessions at
:ancaster that were li(e to end so tragically G were
< >n 9ary Bloer see also appendi. A) Z D. >n other impostures
see *homas Fuller) Church 4istory of =ritain 6:ondon) !1//5
>.ford) ed. @. ,. =rewer) !$E/7) ed. of !$E/. C) E/#5 letters gien by
Edmund :odge) Illustrations of =ritish 4istory) =iography and 9anners
. . . 6:ondon) !3"!7) III) D3/) D$E) D$3+2$$5 also Aing @ames) 4is
Apothegms) by =. A.) Bent. 6:ondon) !1E27) $+!#.
< Col. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1#2+!1!#) a ! $.
2# Fuller) op. tit.) C) E/#.
"! Ibid.+) @ohn Bee) *he Foot out of the ,nare) or ;etection of Prac+
tices and Impostures of Priests and @esuits in England .... 6:ondon)
!1DE7) reprinted in ,omers *racts) III) 3D.
<< Ibid.5 Fuller) op. cit. t C) E/#.
!E# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
the e.crescences of an intensely religious age. *he
reader of early colonial diaries in America will recog+
ni0e the resemblance of these to the wonders they re+
port. @ames too( such with e.treme seriousness<
*he possessed person was summoned to court for e.hi+
bition) or the (ing went out of his way to see him. It
is a matter of common information that @ames prided
himself on his cleerness. 4aing succeeded in de+
tecting certain frauds) he became an e.pert detectie.
In one instance H he ordered it so that a proper courtier
made loe to one of these bewitched maids H u and
soon got her oer her troubles. In another case a
woman H strangely affected H by the first erse of @ohn's
Bospel failed to recogni0e it when read in Bree()H
proof positie that the omniscient ;eil did not possess
her.
*hree instances of e.posure of imposture were most
notable) those of Brace ,owerbutts) the boy at :eicester)
and the H =oy of =ilston.H *he first of these has already
been sufficiently discussed in connection with the :an+
cashire trials. *he second had nothing remar(able about
it. A twele or thirteen+year+old boy had fits which he
said were caused by spirits sent by seeral women whom
he accused as witches. ?ine women were hanged) while
si. more were under arrest and would probably hae
met the same end) had not the (ing in his northward
progress) while stopping at :eicester) detected the
T< 4ow much more seriously than his courtiers is suggested by <n
anecdote of ,ir @ohn 4arington'sM @ames graely -uestioned ,ir @ohn
why the ;eil did wor( more with ancient women than with others. H %e
are taught thereof in ,criptureK' gaily answered ,ir @ohn) H where it is
told that the ;eil wal(eth in dry places.H ,ee his ?uga Anti-ue 6:on+
don) !31"7) cd. of :ondon) !$#E) I) 21$+21".
9 Fuller) op. tit.) C) E/!.
S Ibid.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !E!
shamming.H %hether or no the boy was punished we
are not told. It is some satisfaction that the &udges
were disgraced.H
*he boy of =ilston was) if %ebster may be belieed)H
the most famous) if not the most successful) fraud of
all. *he case was heralded oer the entire realm and
thousands came to see. *he story is almost an e.act
duplicate of earlier narraties of possession. A thir+
teen+year+old boy of =ilston in ,taffordshire) %illiam
Perry) began to hae fits and to accuse a @ane Clar(e)
whose presence inariably made him worse.H 4e H cast
out of his mouth rags) thred) straw) croo(ed pins.H
*hese were but single deceptions in a repertoire of
aried tric(s. ;oubtless he had been trained in his role
by a Roman priest. At any rate the Catholics tried e.or+
cism upon him) but to no purpose. Perhaps some Puri+
tans e.perimented with cures which had li(e result.H
*he boy continued his spasms and his charges against
the witch and she was brought into court at the @uly
u *he story of the hangings at :eicester in !1! 1 has to be put together
from arious sources. >ur principal authority) howeer) is in two letters
written by Robert 4eyric( of :eicester to his brother %illiam in !1!1)
which are to be found in @ohn ?ichols) 4istory and Anti-uities of the
County of :eicester 6:ondon) !3"/+!$!/7) II) pt. ii) E3!) and in the
Annual Register for !$##. ,ee also %illiam Aelly) Royal Progresses to
:eicester 6:eicester) !$$E7) 213+21". Probably this is the case referred
to by Francis >sborne) where the boy was sent to the Archbishop of
Canterbury for further e.amination. >sborne) who wrote a good deal
later than the eents) apparently confused the story of the :eicester
witches with that of the =oy of =ilston G their origins were similar G and
produced a strange account5 see his 9iscellany of ,undry Essays) Para+
do.es and ProblematicalP ;iscourses 6:ondon) !1/$+!1/"7) 1+".
< For the disgrace of the &udges see Cat. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1!!+!1!$) 2"$<
< %ebster (new =ishop 9orton) and also his secretary) =addeley) who
had been notary in the case and had written an account of it. ,ee @ohn
%ebster) *he ;isplaying of ,upposed %itchcraft 6:ondon) !1337) 23/.
H*he Catholics declared that the Puritans tried HsyllabubH upon
him. *his was perhaps a sarcastic reference to their attempts to cure
him by medicine.
!ED %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
assi0es. =ut =ishop 9orton) E# before whose chancellor
the boy had first been brought) was present) and the
&udges turned the boy oer to him for further inesti+
gation.< ! *hen) with the help of his secretary) he set
about to test the boy) and readily e.posed his deception
G in most curious fashion too. *he boy) li(e one we
hae met before) could not endure the first erse of
@ohn's Bospel) but failed to recogni0e it when read in
the Bree(. After that he was secretly watched and his
somewhat elaborate preparations for his pretences were
found out. 4e was persuaded to confess his tric(ery
in court before ,ir Peter %arburton and ,ir 4um+
phrey %inch) H and the face of the County and Country
there assembled) )) H as well as to beg forgieness of the
women whom he had accused.
It will be seen that the records of imposture were well
on their way to rial the records of witchcraft) if not
in numbers) at least in the notice that they receied.
And the (ing who had so bitterly arraigned Reginald
,cot was himself becoming the discoerer+general of
England.H It is not) then) without being forewarned
+*hen of :ichfield.
u =addeley) who waft =ishop 9orton's secretary and who prepared the
narratie of the affair for the printer) says that the woman was freed
by the in-uest5 Rye. =addeley) *he =oy of =Uson . . . 6:ondon) .1ss7S
1 !. Arthur %ilson) who tells us that he heard the story H from the
=ishop's own mouth almost thirty years before it was inserted here)H
says that the woman was found guilty and condemned to die5 Arthur
%ilson) :ife and Reign of @ames I 6:ondon) !1/27) !#3. It is eident
that =addeley's story is the more trustworthy. It is of course possible)
although not probable) that there were two trials) and that =addeley
ignored the second one) the outcome of which would hae been less
creditable to the bishop.
E! %ebster) ;isplaying of ,upposed %itchcraft) D3/.
H,ee Fairfa.) A ;iscourse of %itchcraft 6Philobiblon ,oc.7M Hand
those whose impostures our wise Aing so lately laid open.H ,ee also
an interesting letter from @ames himself in @. >. 4alliwell) :etters of
the Aings of England 6:ondon) !$E17) II) !DE+!!/.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !E2
that we read Fuller's remar(able statement about the
(ing's change of heart. H *he fre-uency of such forged
possessions wrought such an alteration upon the &udge+
ment of Aing @ames that he) receding from what he had
written in his ' ;aemonologyK grew first diffident of) and
then flatly to deny) the wor(ings of witches and deils)
as but falsehoods and delusions.H << In immediate con+
nection with this must be -uoted what Francis >s+
borne has to say. EE 4e was told) he writes) that the
(ing would hae gone as far as to deny any such opera+
tions) but out of reasons of state and to gratify the
church. E <
,uch a conersion is so remar(able that we could
wish we had absolutely contemporary statements of it.
As a matter of fact) the statements we hae -uoted
establish nothing more than a probability) but they
certainly do establish that. Fuller) the church historian)
responsible for the first of the two statements) was a
student in 8ueen's College << at Cambridge during the
last four years of @ames's reign 5 >sborne was a man
<< Fuller) Church 4istory of =ritain) C) E/a 6ch. F) sect. E7. It is
worthy of note that Peter 4eylyn) who) in his =.amtn 4istoricum
6:ondon) !1/"7) sought to pic( Fuller to pieces) does not mention this
point.
< ,ee Francis >sborne) 9iscellany) E+". :ucy Afldn) 9emoirs of the
Court of Aing @ames the First 6:ondon) !$227) II) 2"$+2""< gies about
the same story as Fuller and >sborne) and) while the wording is slightly
different) it is probable that they were her sources.
H Arthur %ilson) op. cit.) in) tells usM H *he Aing too( delight by the
line of his reason to sound the depth of such brutish impostors) and he
discoered many.H A writer to the Bentleman's 9agaeine 6:IC) pt. I)
2E1+DE37) in !3$E) says that he haa somewhere read that Aing @ames on
his deathbed ac(nowledged that he had been deceied in his opinion
respecting witchcraft and e.pressed his concern that so many innocent
persons had suffered on that account. =ut) as he has forgotten where he
read it) his eidence is of course of small alue.
< * *he college where an annual sermon was preached on the sub&ect
of witchcraft since the %arboys affair.
!!
!EE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
of thirty+two when the (ing died) and had spent a part
of his young manhood at the court. *heir testimony
was that of men who had eery opportunity to (now
about the (ing's change of opinion. E < In the absence
of any eidence to the contrary) we must accept) at
least proisionally) their statements. E < And it is easier
to do so in iew of the mar(ed falling off of prosecu+
tions that we hae already noted. *his indeed is confir+
mation of a negatie sort 5 but we hae one interesting
bit of affirmatie proof) the outcome of the trials at
Yor( in !1DD. In that year the children of 9r. Edward
Fairfa.) a member of the historic Fairfa. family of
Yor(shire) were sei0ed with some strange illness) in
which they saw again and again the spectres of si.
different women. *hese women were e.amined by the
&ustices of the peace and committed to the assi0es. / < In
the mean time they had found able and igorous de+
fenders in the community. %hat happened at the April
assi0es we no not (now) but we (now that four of the
women were released) two of them on bond.< ! *his was
probably a compromise method of settling the matter.
Fairfa. was not satisfied. Probably through his in+
fluence the women were again brought up at the August
<I >sborne's statement should perhaps be discounted a little on account
of his s(epticism. >n the other hand he was not such an admirer of
@ames I as to hae gien him undue credit Fuller's opinion was diided.
u @ames still belieed in witchcraft in !1.2) when the malodorous
diorce trial of :ady Esse. too( place. A careful reading of his words
at that time) howeer) leaes the impression that he was not nearly so
certain about the possibilities of witchcraft as he had been when he wrote
his boo(. 4is position was clearly defensie. It must be remembered
that @ames in !1! 2 had a point to be gained and would not hae
allowed a possible doubt as to witchcraft to interfere with his wish for the
diorce. ,ee 4owell) ,tate *rials) II) $#1.
9 >ne of them was publicly searched by command of a &ustice. ,ee
Fairfa.) op. cit.) !2$+!2".
u Ibid.) D#/. *wo of the women had gone home before) ibid.) !$#.
?>*A=:E @AC>=EA? CA,E, !E/
assi0es.H *hen) at least) as we (now beyond a doubt)
they were formally tried) this time upon indic+
ments preferred by Fairfa. himself.H *he &udge
warned the &ury to be ery careful) and) after hearing
some of the eidence) dismissed the women on the
ground that the eidence Hreached not to the point
of the statute.H< E *his seems significant. A man
of a well (nown county family was utterly baffled
in pressing charges in a case where his own children
were inoled.H It loo(s as if there were &udges
who were following the (ing's lead in loo(ing out
for imposture.H In any case there was) in certain
-uarters) a public sentiment against the coniction of
witches) a sentiment that made itself felt. *his we
shall hae occasion to note again in following out the
currents and fluctuations of opinions.
a Ibid.) D2/<D2E.
Ibid.) D2E.
HIbid.) D23+D2$. If the women were tried twice) it seems a clear
iolation of the principle of former &eopardy. ,ee aboe) note !!. *he
statute of 2 4en. CII) cap. I) that the plea of ante fort ac-uit was no bar
to the prosecution of an appeal) would not apply in this instance) as
that statute was limited to cases of homicide.
9 Fairfa. was moreoer a man for whom the (ing had a high personal
regard.
9 At the August assi0es there had been an effort to show that the
children were H counterfeiting.H ,ee the ;iscourse) D2/+D23.
C4AP*ER CII.
*he :ancashire %itches and Charles I.
In his attitude towards superstition) Charles I re+
sembled the later rather than the earlier @ames I. ?o
reign up to the Reolution was mar(ed by so few e.+
ecutions. It was a time of comparatie -uiet. 4ere
and there isolated murmurs against suspected crea+
tures of the ;eil roused the &ustices of the peace to
write letters) and een to ma(e in-uiries that as often
as not resulted in indefinite commitments) or brought
out the protests of neighbors in faor of the accused.
=ut) if there were not many cases) they represented a
wide area. 9iddlese.) %ilts) ,omerset) :eicester+
shire) ,taffordshire) :ancashire) ;urham) Yor(shire)
and ?orthumberland were among the counties infested.
Yet we can count but si. e.ecutions) and only four
of them rest upon secure eidence. ! *his is of course
to rec(on the reign of Charles as not e.tending beyond
!1ED) when the Ciil %ar bro(e out and the Puritan
leaders assumed responsibility for the goernment.
Up to that time there was but one really notable
witch alarm in England. =ut it was one that illustrated
again) as in Esse.) the continuity of the superstition
in a gien locality. *he :ancashire witches of !122
were the direct outcome of the :ancashire witches of
!1!D. *he story is a weird one. An eleen+year+old
<*he writer of the Collection of 9odern Relations 6:ondon) !1"27
spea(s of an e.ecution at >.ford) but there is nothing to substantiate
it in the oluminous publications about >.ford5 a 9iddlese. case rests
also on doubtful eidence 6see appendi. C) !1E!7.
!E1
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !E3
boy played truant one day to his cattle+herding) and) as
he afterwards told the story) went plum+gathering.
%hen he came bac( he had to find a plausible e.cuse
to present to his parents. ?ow) the lad had been
brought up in the =lac(burn forest) close to Pendle
4ill5 he had oerheard stories of 9al(ing *ower<
from the chatter of gossipping women f he had shiered
as suspected women were pointed out to him5 he
(new the names of some of them. 4is imagination)
in search for an e.cuse) caught at the witch motie <
and elaborated it with the easy inention of youth. $ 4e
had seen two greyhounds come running towards him.
*hey loo(ed li(e those owned by two of his neighbors.
%hen he saw that no one was following them) he set
out to hunt with them) and presently a hare rose ery
near before him) at the sight whereof he cried H :oo)
:oo)H but the dogs would not run. =eing ery angry)
he tied them to a little bush in the hedge and beat them)
and at once) instead of the blac( greyhound) H one ;ic(+
< Col. ,t. P.) ;om.) !12E+!12L) !/D.
< Ibid.) !E!.
E *his is of course theory5 cf. ;audet's story of his childhood in H :e
Pape est mort.H
'*here seem to be fie different sources for the original deposition of
young Robinson. *homas ;. %hita(er) 4istory . . . of %halley 62d
ed.) !$!$7) D.2) has an imperfect transcript of the deposition as gien in
the =odleian) ;odsworth 9,,.) 1.) ff. E/+E1. @ames Crossley in his intro+
duction to Potts) %onder full ;iscoert< of %itches in the countie of
:ancaster 6Chetham ,oc7) li.+l..ii) has copied the deposition gien by
%hita(er. *homas %right) ?arraties of ,orcery and 9agic) II) !.D+!.E)
has gien the story from a copy of this and of other depositions in :ord
:ondesborough's 9,,. %ebster prints a third copy) ;isplaying of ,up+
posed %itchcraft) 2E3+2E". A fourth is in Edward =aines) 4istory of the
. . . county . . . of :ancaster) ed. of !$21) I) 1#E) and is ta(en from =rit.
9us.) 4arleian 9,,.) cod. 1$/E) f. D1 b. A fifth is in the =odleian)
Rawlinson 9,,.) ;) 2"") f. si.. %right's source we hae not in detail)
but the other four) while differing slightly as to punctuation) spelling)
and names) agree remar(ably well as to the details of the story.
!E$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
onson's wifeH stood up) and instead of the brown
greyhound H a little boy whom this informer (noweth
not.H 4e started to run away) but the woman stayed
him and offered him a piece of siler H much li(e to a
faire shillinge H if he would not betray her. *he con+
scientious boy answered H?ay) thou art a witchK'
H whereupon shee put her hand into her poc(et againe
and pulled out a stringe li(e unto a bridle that gingled)
which shee put upon the litle boyes heade that stood up
in the browne greyhounds steade) whereupon the said
boy stood up a white horse.H In true Arabian ?ights
fashion they mounted and rode away. *hey came to a
new house called 4oarstones) where there were three
score or more people) and horses of seeral colors) and
a fire with meat roasting. *hey had flesh and bread
upon a trencher and they dran( from glasses. After
the first taste the boy H refused and would hae noe
more) and said it was nought.H *here were other re+
freshments at the feast. *he boy was) as he afterwards
confessed) familiar with the story of the feast at 9al(+
ing *ower. 1
*he names of those present he did not olunteer at
first5 but) on being -uestioned) he named eighteen 3
whom he had seen. *he boy confessed that he had been
cleer enough to ma(e most of his list from those who
were already suspected by their neighbors.
It needed but a match to set off the flame of witch+
hatred in :ancashire. *he boy's story was -uite suf+
I Col. ,t. P.) ;om. t !12E+!122) !/D.
'@ohn ,tearne) A Confirmation and ;iscoery of %itchcraft I I I
together with the Confessions of many of those e.ecuted since 9ay
!1E/ 6:ondon) !1E$7) n 6 says that in :ancashire H nineteene assembled.H
Robinson's deposition as printed by %ebster) ;isplaying of ,upposed
%itchcraft) gies nineteen names.
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !E"
ficient. %hether his narratie was a spontaneous in+
ention of his own) concocted in emergency) as he as+
serted in his confession at :ondon) or whether it was
a carefully constructed lie taught him by his father in
order to reenge himself upon some hated neighbors)
and perhaps to e.act blac(mail) as some of the accused
later charged) we shall neer (now. In later life the
boy is said to hae admitted that he had been set on by
his father)< but the narratie possesses certain earmar(s
of a story struc( out by a child's imagination. " It is
easy enough to reconcile the two theories by supposing
that the boy started the story of his own initiatie and
that his father was too shrewd not to reali0e the op+
portunity to ma(e a sensation and perhaps some money.
4e too( the boy before &ustices of the peace) who) with
the 0eal their predecessors had displayed twenty+two
years before) made many arrests.H *he boy was e.+
hibited from town to town in :ancashire as a great
wonder and witch+detector. It was in the course of
these e.hibitions that he was brought to a little town
on the :ancashire border of Yor(shire and was ta(en
to the afternoon church serice) where a young minis+
ter) who was long afterwards to become a famous op+
ponent of the superstition) was discoursing to his con+
gregation. *he boy was held up by those in charge as
if to gie him the chance to detect witches among the
audience. *he minister saw him) and at the end of the
serice at once came down to the boy) and without par+
I %ebster) op. tit.) D33.
I *he boy) in his first e.aminations at :ondon) said he had made up the
story himself.
w It is a curious thing that one of the &ustices of the peace was @ohn
,tarchie) who had been one of the bewitched boys of the ,tarchie family
at Cleworth in !/"3. ,ee aboe) ch. IC. ,ee =aines) :ancaster) ed. of
!$1$+!$3#) I) D#E.
!/# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ley as(ed him) H Bood boy) tell me truly) and in earnest)
didst thou see and hear such things of the meeting of
the witches as is reported by many that thou dost re+
late R H *he boy) as %ebster has told the story) was not
gien time for reply by the men in charge of him) who
protested against such -uestions. *he lad) they said)
had been before two &ustices of the peace) and had not
been catechi0ed in that fashion.H
A lone s(eptic had little chance to beat bac( the wae
of e.citement created by the young Robinson's stories.
4is success prompted him to concoct new tales.H 4e
had seen :loynd's wife sitting on a cross+bar in his
father's chimney5 he had called to her5 she had not
come down but had anished in the air. >ther ac+
counts the boy gae) but none of them reealed the
clear inention of his first narratie.
4e had done his wor(. *he &ustices of the peace
were bringing in the accused to the assi0es at :ancas+
ter. *here Robinson was once more called upon to
render his now famous testimony. 4e was supported
by his father) ! < who gae eidence that on the day he
had sent his boy for the cattle he had gone after him
and as he approached had heard him cry and had found
him -uite H distracted.H %hen the boy recoered him+
self) he had related the story already told. *his was
the eidence of the father) and together with that of the
u *his incident is related by %ebster) op. cit.) D31+D3". %ebster tells
us that the boy was yet liing when he wrote) and that he himself had
heard the whole story from his mouth more than once. 4e appends to his
olume the original deposition of the lad 6at Padiham) February !#)
!122KE7.
!! *hese are gien in the same deposition) but the deposition probably
represents the boy's statement at the assi0es.
u *he father had been a witness at the :ancashire trials in .1ia. ,ec
=aines) :ancaster) ed. of !$1$+!$3#) I) D#E+2#/.
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !/!
son it constituted the most telling piece of testimony
presented. =ut it sered) as was usual in such cases)
as an opening for all those who) for any reason) thought
they had grounds of suspicion against any of their
neighbors. It was recalled by one witness that a
neighbor girl could bewitch a pail and ma(e it roll to+
wards her. %e shall later hae occasion to note the
basis of fact behind this curious accusation. *here
was other testimony of an e-ually damaging char+
acter. =ut in nearly all the cases stress was laid upon
the bodily mar(s. In one instance) indeed) nothing
else was charged.H *he reader will remember that in
the :ancaster cases of !1!D the eidence of mar(s on
the body was notably absent) so notably that we were
led to suspect that it had been ruled out by the &udge.
*hat such eidence was now rec(oned important is
proof that this particularly dar( feature of the witch
superstition was receiing increasing emphasis.
4ow many in all were accused we do not (now.
%ebster) writing later) said that seenteen were found
guilty . 9 It is possible that een a larger number were ac+
-uitted. Certainly some were ac-uitted. A distinction
of some sort was made in the eidence. *his ma(es
it all the harder to understand why the truth of Robin+
son's stories was not tested in the same way in which
those of Brace ,owerbutts had been tested in !1!D.
;id that detection of fraud neer occur to the &udges)
or had they neer heard of the famous boy at =ilstonR
Perhaps not they but the &uries were to blame) for it
!E *hat is) of course) so far as we hae eidence. It is a little danger+
ous to hold to absolute negaties.
9 %ebster) op. cit.) D33. Felham on 9ay !1) !12E) wroteM H It is said
that !" are condemned and ... 1# already discoered.H Cal. ,t) P.)
;om.) !12E+!122) D1.
!/D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
seems that the court was not altogether satisfied with
the &ury's erdict and delayed sentence. Perhaps) in+
deed) the &udges wrote to :ondon about the matter.
=e that as it may) the priy council decided to ta(e
cogni0ance of an affair that was already the tal( of the
realm.H ,ecretaries Co(e and %indeban( sent instruc+
tions to 4enry =ridgeman) =ishop of Chester and suc+
cessor to that 9orton who had e.posed the boy of =il+
ston) to e.amine seen of the condemned witches and
to ma(e a report.H =ridgeman doubtless (new of his
predecessor's success in e.posing fraudulent accusa+
tions. =efore the bishop was ready to report) 4is 9a&+
esty sent orders that three or four of the accused should
be brought up to :ondon by a writ of habeas corpus.
>wing to a neglect to insert definite names) there was a
delay.H It was during this interal) probably) that
=ishop =ridgeman was able to ma(e his e.amination.
4e found three of the seen already dead and one
hopelessly ill. *he other three he -uestioned with great
care. *wo of them) 9ary ,pencer) a girl of twenty)
and Frances ;ic(onson) the first whom Robinson had
accused) made spirited denials. 9ary ,pencer aowed
that her accusers had been actuated by malice against
her and her parents for seeral years. At the trial) she
had been unable) she said) to answer for herself) be+
cause the noise of the crowd had been so great as to
preent her from hearing the eidence against her. As
for the charge of bewitching a pail so that it came run+
9 It bad been reported in :ondon tbat witches had raised a storm from
which Charles had suffered at sea. Pelham's letter) ibid)
!! Ibid.) 33. ,ee also Council Register 69,.7) Charles I) ol. IC) p. 1/$.
n 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) FII) a) p. /2. *he chancellor of the
;uchy of :ancaster wrote in the meantime that the &udges had been to
see him. %hat was to be done with the witchesR
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !/2
ning towards her of its own accord) she declared that
she used as a child to roll a pail down+hill and to call it
after her as she ran) a perfectly natural piece of child's
play. Frances ;ic(onson) too) charged malice upon her
accusers) especially upon the father of Edmund Rob+
inson. 4er husband) she said) had been unwilling to
sell him a cow without surety and had so gained his
ill+will. ,he went on to assert that the elder Robinson
had olunteered to withdraw the charges against her if
her husband would pay him forty shillings. *his
counter charge was supported by another witness and
seemed to ma(e a good deal of an impression on the
ecclesiastic.
*he third woman to be e.amined by the bishop was
a widow of si.ty) who had not been numbered among
the original seenteen witches. ,he ac(nowledged that
she was a witch) but was) wrote the bishop) H more often
faulting in the particulars of her actions as one haing
a strong imagination of the former) but of too wea( a
memory to retain or relate the latter.H *he woman told
a commonplace story of a man in blac( attire who had
come to her si. years before and made the usual con+
tract. =ut ery curiously she could name only one
other witch) and professed to (now none of those
already in gaol.
,uch were the results of the e.aminations sent in by
the bishop. In the letter which he sent along) he e.+
pressed doubt about the whole matter. H Conceit and
malice)H he wrote) H are so powerful with many in those
parts that they will easily afford an oath to wor( re+
enge upon their neighbour.H 4e would) he intimated)
hae gone further in e.amining the counter charges
brought by the accused) had it not been that he hesi+
!/E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
tated to proceed against the (ing) that is) the
prosecution.
*his report doubtless confirmed the fears of the
goernment *he writs to the sheriff of :ancaster
were redirected) and four of the women were brought
up to :ondon and carried to the H ,hip *aern H at
Breenwich) close to one of the royal residencesH *wo
of 4is 9a&esty's surgeons) Ale.ander =a(er and ,ir
%illiam Anowles) the latter of whom was accustomed
to e.amine candidates for the (ing's touch) together
with fie other surgeons and ten certificated midwies)
were now ordered to ma(e a bodily e.amination of the
women) under the direction of the eminent 4arey< the
(ing's physician) who was later to discoer the circula+
tion of the blood. In the course of this chapter we
shall see that 4arey had long cherished misgiings
about witchcraft. Probably by this time he had come
to disbeliee it. >ne can but wonder if Charles) already
probably aware of 4arey's iews) had not intended
from his first step in the :ancashire case to gie his
physician a chance to assert his opinion. In any case
his report and that of his subordinates was entirely in
faor of the women) e.cept that in the case of 9ar+
garet @ohnson 6who had confessed7 they had found
a mar() but one to which they attached little signifi+
cance.< ! *he women seem to hae been carried before
the (ing himself.H %e do not (now) howeer) that he
e.pressed any opinion on the matter.
< ,ee 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) F) a) p. !E35 and CoP. ,t. P.) ;am.)
HCai. ,t. P.) ;om.) !12E+!12/) "$) !D". ,ee also Council Register
69,.7) Chas. I) o: C) p. L1.
< Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !12E+!12L) !D".
n %ebster) op. eit.) D33) says that they were e.amined H after by 4i<
9a&esty and the Council.H
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !//
*he whole affair has one aspect that has been entirely
oerloo(ed. %hateer the erdict of the priy council
and of the (ing may hae been G and it was eidently
one of caution G they gae authori0ation from the high+
est -uarters for the use of the test of mar(s on the
body. *hat proof of witchcraft had been long (nown
in England and had slowly won its way into &udicial
procedure until now it was recogni0ed by< the highest
powers in the (ingdom. *o be sure) it was probably
their purpose to annul the rec(less conictions in :an+
cashire) and to brea( down the eidence of the female
&uries 5 but in doing so they furnished a precedent for
the witch procedure of the ciil+war period.
In the mean time) while the surgeons and midwies
were busy oer these four women) the Robinsons)
father and son) had come to :ondon at the summons of
the priy council.H *here the boy was separated from
his father. *o a 9iddlese. &ustice of the peace ap+
pointed by ,ecretary %indeban( to ta(e his statements
he confessed that his entire story was an inention and
had no basis of fact whateer.<< =oth father and son
were imprisoned and proceedings seem to hae been in+
stituted against them by one of the now repentant &ury+
men who had tried the case.H 4ow long they were
(ept in prison we do not (now.
>ne would naturally suppose that the women would
be released on their return to :ancaster) but the sher+
iff's records show that two years later there were still
nine witches in gaol < *hree of them bore the same
names as those whom Robinson pretended to hae seen
U ,ee Council Register 69,.7) Charles I) ol. IC) p. 1/3.
I< Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !12E+!12/) !E!.
S Ibid.) !/a.
<<Farington Papers 6Chetham ,oc.) no. 2") !$/17) D3.
!/1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
at 4oarstones. At least one other of the nine had been
conicted in !12E) probably more. 9argaret @ohnson)
the single one to confess) so far as we (now) was not
there. ,he had probably died in prison in the mean
time. %e hae no clue as to why the women were not
released. Perhaps public sentiment at home made the
sheriff unwilling to do it) perhaps the wretched crea+
tures spent two or more years in prison G for we do
not (now when they got out G as a result of &udicial
negligence) a negligence of which there are too many
e.amples in the records of the time. 9ore li(ely the
(ing and the priy council) while doubting the charges
against the women) had been reluctant to antagoni0e
public sentiment by declaring them innocent.
It is disagreeable to hae to state that :ancaster was
not yet through with its witches. Early in the ne.t
year the =ishop of Chester was again called upon by
the priy council to loo( into the cases of four women.
*here was some delay) during which a dispute too(
place between the bishop and the sheriff as to where
the bishop should e.amine the witches) whether at
%igan) as he proposed) or at :ancaster. !! >ne suspects
that the ciil authorities of the ;uchy of :ancaster
may hae resented the bishop's part in the affair. %hen
=ridgeman arried in :ancaster he found two of the
women already dead. >f the other two) the one) he
wrote) was accused by a man formerly H distracted and
lunatic H and by a woman who was a common beggar 5
the other had been long reputed a witch) but he saw
no reason to beliee it. 4e had) he admitted) found a
small lump of flesh on her right ear.H Alas that the
n 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) FII) a) p. 33.
9 Ibid.) p. $#.
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I I,3
=ishop of Chester) li(e the (ing and the priy council)
howeer much he discounted the accusations of witch+
craft) had not yet wholly rid himself of one of the dar(+
est and most disagreeable forms of the belief that the
Eil >ne had bodily communication with his sub&ects.
In one respect the affair of !122+!12E in northern
England was singular. *he social and moral char+
acter of those accused was distinctly high. ?ot that
they belonged to any but the peasant class) but that they
represented a good type of farming people. Frances
;ic(onson's husband eidently had some property.
9ary ,pencer insisted that she was accustomed to go
to church and to repeat the sermon to her parents) and
that she was not afraid of death) for she hoped it would
ma(e an entrance for her into heaen. 9argaret @ohn+
son was persuaded that a man and his wife who were
in the gaol on Robinson's charges were not witches)
because the man H daily prays and reads and seems
a godly man.H %ith this eidence of religious life)
which must hae meant something as to the status of
the people in the community) should be coupled the en+
tire absence of stories of threats at beggars and of
-uarrels between bad+tempered and loose+lied women)
stories that fill so many dreary pages of witchcraft
records. ?or is there any mention of the practice of pre+
tended magic.
In preious chapters we hae had occasion to ob+
sere the continuity of superstition in certain localities.
It is obious that :ancashire offers one of the best il+
lustrations of that principle. *he connection between
the alarms of !1!D and !122+ !12E is not a matter of
theory) but can be established by definite proof. It is
perhaps not out of order to in-uire) then) why :an+
!/$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
cashire should hae been so infested with witches. It
is the more necessary when we consider that there were
other witch cases in the country. ?icholas ,tarchie's
children gae rise to the first of the scares. It seems
li(ely that a certain Utley was hanged at :ancaster
in !12# for bewitching a gentleman's child< ;uring
Commonwealth days) as we shall find) there was an
alarm at :ancaster that probably cost two witches
their lies. ?o county in England e.cept Esse. had
a similar record. ?o e.planation can be offered for
the records of these two counties sae that both had
been early infected with a hatred of witches) and that
the witches came to be connected) in tradition) with
certain localities within the counties and with certain
families liing there. *his is) indeed) an e.planation
that does not e.plain. It all comes bac( to the continuity
of superstition.
%e hae already referred to the widespread inter+
est in the :ancashire witches. *here are two good
illustrations of this interest. %hen ,ir %illiam =rere+
ton was traelling in 4olland in @une of !12E) a little
while before the four women had been brought to :on+
don) he met Aing Charles's sister) the 8ueen of =o+
hemia) and at once) apparently) they began to tal( about
the great :ancashire discoery .H *he other instance
of comment on the case was in England. It is one which
shows that playwrights were -uite as eager then as now
to be abreast of current topics. =efore final &udgment
had been gien on the :ancashire women) *homas
< =alnea) :ancaster) ed. of !$1$+!$3#) II) .a. Utley) who waa a pro+
fessed con&urer) was alleged to hae bewitched to death one Asaheton.
9 *raels in 4olland) the United Proinces) England) ,cotland and
Ireland) !12E+!122) by ,ir %illiam =rereton) =art. 6Chetha.n ,ec) no. !.
!$EE7) 22+
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !/"
4eywood and Richard =rome) well (nown dramatists)
had written a play on the sub&ect which was at once
published and H acted at the Blobe on the =an(side by
4is 9a&esty's Actors.H =y some it has been supposed
that this play was an older play founded on the :an+
cashire affair of !1!D and warmed oer in !12E5 but
the main incidents and the characters of the play are so
fully copied from the depositions of the young Robin+
son and from the charges preferred against 9ary
,pencer) Frances ;ic(onson) and 9argaret @ohnson)
that a layman would at once pronounce it a play written
entirely to order from the affair of !12E. ?othing
uni-ue in the stories was left out. *he pail incident G
of course without its rational e.planation G was grafted
into the play and put upon the stage. Indeed) a mar+
riage that afforded the hoo( upon which to hang a
bundle of indecencies) and the story of a irtuous hus+
band who discoers his wife to be a witch) were the
only added moties of importance. For our purpose
the significance of the play lies of course in its testi+
mony to the general interest G the people of :ondon
were obiously familiar with the details) een) of the
charges G and its probable reflection of :ondon opin+
ion about the case. *hroughout the fie acts there
were those who maintained that there were no witches)
a recognition of the e.istence of such an opinion. >f
course in the play they were all) before the curtain fell)
coninced of their error. *he authors) who no doubt
catered to public sentiment) were not as earnest as the
diines of their day) but they were almost as supersti+
tious. 4eywood showed himself in another wor()
*he 4ierarchie of the =lessed AngelsR a sincere be+
n 6:ondon) !12/.7 As to 4eywood see also chapter F.
!2
!1# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
liecr in witchcraft and bac(ed his belief by the %ar+
boys case. Probably he had read ,cot) but he was
not at all the type of man to set himself against the
tide. *he late :ancashire %itches no doubt e.pressed
-uite accurately :ondon opinion. It was written) it
will be remembered) before the final outcome of the
case could be foreseen. Perhaps 4eywood foresaw it)
more probably he was sailing close to the wind of opin+
ion when he wrote in the epilogue)
HPerhaps great mercy may)
After &ust condemnation) gie them day
>f longer life.H
It is easy in discussing the :ancashire affair to miss
a central figure. Frances ;ic(onson) 9ary ,pencer)
and the others) could they hae (nown it) owed their
lies in all probability to the intellectual independence
of %illiam 4arey. *here is a precious story about
4arey in an old manuscript letter by an un(nown
writer) that) if trustworthy) throws a light on the phy+
sician's conduct in the case. *he letter seems to hae
been written by a &ustice of the peace in southwestern
England about !1$/.H 4e had had some e.perience with
witches G we hae mentioned them in another con+
nection G and he was prompted by them to tell a story
of ;r. 4arey) with whom he was H ery familiarly ac+
-uainted.H H I once as(ed him what his opinion was
concerning witchcraft5 whether there was any such
thing. 4ee told mee he belieed there was not.H As(ed
the reasons for his doubt) 4arey told him that H when
TI*he correspondent who sent a copy of the 9,. to the Bentleman's
9aga0ine signs himself H =. C. *.H I hae been unable to identify)
him. For his account of the 9,. and for its contents see Bentleman 2 P
9aga0ine) !$2a) pt. I) E#/<E!#) E$"+E"D.
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !1!
he was at ?ewmercat with the Aing NCharles IO he heard
there was a woman who dwelt at a lone house on the
borders of the 4eath who was reputed a %itch) that
he went alone to her) and found her alone at home. . . .
4ee said shee was ery distrustful at first) but when
hee told her he was a i0ard) and came purposely to
conerse with her in their common trade) then shee
easily belieed him 5 for say'd hee to mee) ' You (now
I hae a ery magicall faceK H *he physician as(ed
her where her familiar was and desired to see him)
upon which she brought out a dish of mil( and made
a chuc(ling noise) as toads do) at which a toad came
from under the chest and dran( some of the mil(. 4ar+
ey now laid a plan to get rid of the woman. 4e sug+
gested that as fellow witches they ought to drin( to+
gether) and that she procure some ale. ,he went out to
a neighboring ale+house) half a mile away) and 4arey
aailed himself of her absence to ta(e up the toad and
cut it open. >ut came the mil(. >n a thorough e.+
amination he concluded that the toad H no ways differed
from other toades)H but that the melancholy old woman
had brought it home some eening and had tamed it by
feeding and had so come to beliee it a spirit and her
familiar. %hen the woman returned and found her
H familiar H cut in pieces) she H flew li(e a *igris H at his
face. *he physician offered her money and tried to
persuade her that her familiar was nothing more than
a toad. %hen he found that this did not pacify her
he too( another tac( and told her that he was the
(ing's physician) sent to discoer if she were a witch)
and) in case she were) to hae her apprehended. %ith
this e.planation) 4arey was able' to get away. 4e
related the story to the (ing) whose leae he had to go
i1D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
on the e.pedition. *he narrator adds M H I am certayne
this for an argument against spirits or witchcraft is
the best and most e.perimentalP I eer heard.H
%ho the &ustice of the peace was that penned this
letter) we are unable een to guess) nor do we (now
upon whose authority it was published. %e cannot)
therefore) rest upon it with absolute certainty) but we
can say that it possesses seeral characteristics of a
bona fide letterH If it is such) it gies a new clue to
4arey's conduct in !12E. %e of course cannot be
sure that the toad incident happened before that time 5
-uite possibly it was after the interest aroused by that
affair that the physician made his inestigation. At
all eents) here was a man who had a scientific way of
loo(ing into superstition.
*he adent of such a man was most significant in the
history of witchcraft) perhaps the most significant fact
of its (ind in the reign of Charles I. *hat reign) in
spite of the :ancashire affair) was characteri0ed by
the continuance and growth of the witch s(epticism)< E
so prealent in the last years of the preious reign.
;isbelief was not yet aggressie) it did not bloc( pros+
ecutions) but it hindered their effectieness. *he gal+
lows was not yet done away with) but its use had been
H @ohn Aubrey) :etters written by Eminent Persons 6:ondon) !$.27)
lit 23". says that 4arey H had made diaaections of frogga) toads and a
number of other animals) and had curious obserations on them.H *his
fits in well with the story) and in some measure goes to confirm it.
9 For e.ample) in !123 the =ishop of =ath and %ells sent @o(e 4unnl+
man to :ord %rottesley to e.amine her and e.onerate her. 4e did so)
and the bishop wrote than(ing him and abusing H certain apparitors who
go about frightening the people.H ,ee 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) II)
app.) p. E$. For a case of the ac-uittal of a witch and the e.posure of the
pretended conulsions of her accuser) see Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !12L) E33'
For e.ample of suits for slander see ?orth Riding Rec ,oc) IC) !$<)
session @uly ") D1E#.
:A?CA,4IRE %I*C4E, A?; C4AR:E, I !12
greatly restrained by the central goernment. ,uper+
stition was still a bird of prey) but its wings were being
clipped.H
HA solitary pamphlet of this period must be mentioned. It was en+
titledM Fearefull ?ewts from Coentry) or A true Relation and :amen+
table ,tory of one *homas 4olt of Coentry a 9unition who through
Coetousnesse and immoderate loe of money) sold himself e to the
;eill) with whom he had made a contract for certaihe yearesGAnd also
of his :amentable end and death) on the !1 day of February !1E!
6:ondon) !1E27. *he H sad sub&ect of this little treatise H was a musi+
cian with nineteen children. Fearing that he would not be able to proide
for them) he is alleged to hae made a contract with the ;eril) who finally
bro(e his nec(.
C4AP*ER CIII.
9atthew 4op(ins.
In the annals of English witchcraft 9atthew 4op+
(ins occupies a place by himself. For more than two
years he was the arch+instigator in prosecutions which)
at least in the numbers of those e.ecuted) mar( the
high tide of the delusion. 4is name was one hardly
(nown by his contemporaries) but he has since become
a figure in the annals of English roguery. Cery recently
his life has found record among those of H*wele
=ad 9en.H !
%hat we (now of him up to the time of his first ap+
pearance in his successful role about 9arch of !1EEK/
is soon told. 4e was the son of @ames 4op(ins)
minister of %enham < in ,uffol(. 4e was H a lawyer of
but little note H at Ipswich) thence remoing to 9an+
ningtree. %hether he may hae been the 9atthew 4op+
(ins of ,outhwar( who complained in !1EE of inability
to pay the ta.es < is more than doubtful) but there is
reason enough to beliee that he found the law no ery
remuneratie profession. 4e was ready for some
new enture and an accidental circumstance in 9an+
ningtree turned him into a wholly new field of endeaor.
! ,ee @. >. @ones) H 9atthew 4op(ins) %itchfinder)H in *homas ,ec+
combe's *wele =ad 9en 6:ondon) !$"E7.
! ,ee ?otes and 8ueries) !$/E) II) D$/) where a -uotation from a
parish register of 9istley+cum+9anningtree is gienM H 9atthew 4op(ins)
son of 9r. @ames 4op(ins) 9inister of %enham) was buried at 9istley
August .a) D1E3.H ,ee also @ohn ,tearne) A Confirmation and ;is+
coery of %itchcraft) 1! 6cited hereafter as H ,tearne H7.
< Calendar of the Proceedings of the Committee for Adance of 9oney)
!1E"+!121) I) E/3. Cf. ?otes and 8ueries) !$/#) II) E!2.
!1E
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !1/
4e assumed the role of a witchfinder and is said to hae
ta(en the title of witchfinder+general.<
4e had made little or no preparation for the wor(
that now came to his hand. Aing @ames's famous
;atnonologie he was familiar with) but he may hae
studied it after his first e.periences at 9anningtree.
It seems somewhat probable) too) that he had read) and
indeed been much influenced by) the account of the
:ancashire witches of !1!D) as well as by Richard
=ernard's Adice to Brand @urymen. =ut) if he read
the latter boo() he seems altogether to hae misinter+
preted it. As to his general information and education)
we hae no data sae the hints to be gained from his
own writings. 4is letter to @ohn Baule and the little
brochure which he penned in self+defence reeal a man
able to e.press himself with some clearness and with
E *he oft+repeated statement that he had been gien a commission by
Parliament to detect witches seems to rest only on the moc(ing words
of =utler's 4udibrasM
H 4ath not this present Parliament
A :edger to the ;eil sent)
Fully empower'd to treat about
Finding reolted %itches outRH
64udibras) pt ii) canto 2.7
*o these lines an early editor added the noteM H *he %itch+finder in
,uffol() who in the Presbyterian *imes had a Commission to discoer
%itches.H =ut he names no authority) and none oan be found. It is
probably a confusion with the Commission appointed for the trial of the
witches in ,uffol( 6see below) p. !3$7. Een his use of the title Hwitch+
finder+general H is ery doubtful. H %itch+finder H he calls himself in
his boo(5 only the frontispiece has H%itch Finder Beneral:H ?or is
this title gien him by ,tearne) Baule) or any contemporary record. It
is perhaps only a misunderstanding of the phrase of 4op(ins's title+
page) H for the benefit of the whole (ingdome H G a phrase which) as
the punctuation shows) describes) not the witch+finder) but his boo(. Yet
in County Fol( :ore) ,uffol( 6Fol( :ore ,oc.) !$"27! !3$) there is
an e.tract about @ohn :owes from a =randeston 9,.M H4is chief ac+
cuser was one 4op(ins) who called himself %itchfinder+Beneral.H =ut
this is of uncertain date) and may rest on 4utchinson.
!11 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
a great deal of igor. *here were force of character
and nerous energy behind his defiant words. It is no
e.aggeration) as we shall see in following his career) to
say that the witch crusader was a man of action) who
might in another field hae made his mar(.
*o (now something of his religious procliities would
be e.tremely interesting. >n this point) howeer) he
gies us no clue. =ut his fellow wor(er) @ohn ,tearne)
was clearly a Puritan ' and 4op(ins was surely of the
same faith. It can hardly be proed) howeer) that
religious 0eal prompted him in his campaign. For a
time of spiritual earnestness his utterances seem rather
lu(ewarm.
It was in his own town that his attention was first
directed towards the dangers of witchcraft. *he
witches) he tells us) were accustomed to hold their
meetings near his house< ;uring one of their asssem+
blies he oerheard a witch bid her imps to go to another
witch. *he other witch) whose name was thus reealed
to him G Eli0abeth 8ar(e) a poor one+legged creature G
was promptly ta(en into custody on 4op(ins's charge.<
>ther accusations poured in. @ohn Riet had consulted
a cunning woman about the illness of his wife) and had
learned that two neighbors were responsible. >ne of
these) he was told) dwelt a little aboe his own home 5
H whereupon he beleeed his said wife was bewitched
by . . . Eli0abeth Clar(e) . . . for that the said Eli0a+
beth's mother and some other of her (insfol(e did suffer
I *his is eident enough from his incessant use of ,cripture and from
the Calinistic stamp of his theology5 but he leaes us no doubt when
6p. /E7 he describes the Puritan Fairclough as H an able >rthodo.
;iine.H
I 9atthew 4op(ins) *he ;iscoery of %itches 6:ondon) !1E37) a G
cited hereafter as H 4op(ins.H
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !13
death for witchcraftH *he &ustices of the peace * ac+
cordingly had her Hsearched by women who had for
many yeares (nown the ;eill's mar(sK' and) when
these were found on her) they bade her custodians H (eep
her from sleep two or three nights) e.pecting in that
time to see her familiars.H <
*orture is un(nown to English law 5 but) in our day
of the Hthird degree)H nobody needs to be told that
what is put out at the door may steal in at the window.
It may be that) in the seenteenth century) the pious
English &ustices had no suspicion that enforced sleep+
lessness is a form of physical torture more nere+
rac(ing and irresistible than the thumb+screw. *hree
days and nights of HwatchingH brought Eli0abeth
Clar(e to H confess many things H 5 and when) on the
fourth night) her townsmen 4op(ins and ,tearne drop+
ped in to fill out from her own lips the warrants against
those she had named as accomplices) she told them that)
if they would stay and do her no hurt) she would call
one of her imps.
4op(ins told her that he would not allow it) but he
stayed. %ithin a -uarter of an hour the imps ap+
peared) si. of them) one after another. *he first was
a H white thing in the li(eness of a Cat) but not alto+
gether so big)H the second a white dog with some sandy
spots and ery short legs) the third) Cinegar *om) was a
greyhound with long legs. %e need not go further into
the story. *he court records gie the testimony of
4op(ins and ,tearne. =oth hae related the affair in
f >ne of them was ,ir 4arbottle Brimston) a baronet of Puritan
ancestry) who had been actie in the :ong Parliament) but who as a
H moderate man H fell now somewhat into the bac(ground. *he other was
,ir *homas =owes. =oth figure a little later as Presbyterian elders.
I4op(ins) 2.
i1$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
their pamphlets. " ,i. others) four of whom were
women) made oath to the appearances of the imps. In
this respect the trial is uni-ue among all in English
history. Eight people testified that they had seen the
imps.H *wo of them referred elsewhere to what they
had seen) and their accounts agreed substantially. !! It
may be doubted if the supporting eidence offered at
any trial in the seenteenth century in England went
so far towards establishing the actual appearance of
the so+called imps of the witches.
4ow are we to account for these phenomenaR %hat
was the nature of the delusion seemingly shared by
eight peopleR It is for the psychologist to answer.
*wo e.planations occur to the layman. It is not in+
conceiable that there were rodents in the gaol G the
terrible conditions in the gaols of the time are too well
(nown to need description G and that the creatures run+
ning about in the dar( were easily mista(en by e.cited
people for something more than natural. It is possible)
too) that all the appearances were the fabric of imag+
ination or inention. *he spectators were all in a state
of high e.pectation of supernatural appearances. %hat
the oer+alert leaders declared they had seen the others
would be sure to hae seen. %hether those leaders
were themseles deceied) or easily duped the others
by calling out the description of what they claimed to
I 4op(ins) D5 ,tcarne) !E+!1.
!# It must) howeer) be noted that the oaths of the four women are put
together) and that one of the men deposed merely that he confirmed
,tearne'$ particulars.
n Although 4op(ins omitted in his testimony the first animal seen
by ,tearne. 4e mentioned it later) calling it 4olt ,tearne called it
:ought. ,ee 4op(ins) D5 ,tearne) !/. =ut ,tearne calls it 4oult in his
testimony as reproduced in the *rue and e.act Relation of the seeraU
Informations) E.aminations and Confessions of the :ate %itches . . .
at Chelmesford . . . 6:ondon) !1E/7) 2<E+
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !1"
sec) would be hard to guess. *o the writer the latter
theory seems less plausible. *he accounts of the two
are so clearly independent and yet agree so well in fact
that they seem to wea(en the case for collusie impos+
ture. %ith that a layman may be permitted to leae
the matter. %hat hypnotic possibilities are inherent
in the story he cannot profess to (now. Certainly the
accused woman was not a professed dealer in magic
and it is not easy to suspect her of haing hypnoti0ed
the watchers.
Upon Eli0abeth Clar(e's confessions fie other
women G H the old beldam H Anne %est) who had H been
suspected as a witch many yeers since) and suffered im+
prisonment for the same)HH her daughter Rebecca) ! <
Anne :eech) her daughter 4elen Clar(e) and Eli0a+
beth Booding G were arrested. As in the case of the
first) there was soon abundance of eidence offered about
them. >ne Richard Edwards bethought himself and
remembered that while crossing a bridge he had heard
a cry) H much li(e the shrie(e of a Polcat)H and had
been nearly thrown from his horse. 4e had also lost
some cattle by a mysterious disease. 9oreoer his
child had been nursed by a goodwife who lied near to
Eli0abeth Clar(e and Eli0abeth Booding. *he child
fell sic() H rowling the eyesK' and died. 4e belieed
that Anne :eech and Eli0abeth Booding were the cause
of its death. 4is belief) howeer) which was offered
tt ;espite this record Anne %est is described by ,tearne 6p. 2"7 as
one of the ery religious people who ma(e an outward show Has if
they had been ,aints on earth.H
H *he confession of Rebecca %est is indeed dated HD! H 9arch !1E/)
the ery day of Eli0abeth Clar(e's arrest5 but all the conte.t suggests
that this is an error. In spite of her confessions) which were of the
most damaging) Rebecca %est was eentually ac-uitted.
!3# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
as an independent piece of testimony) seems to hae
rested on Anne :eech's confession) which had been
made before this time and was soon gien to the &us+
tices of the peace. Robert *aylor charged Eli0abeth
Booding with the death of his horse) but he too had
the suggestion from other witnesses. Prudence 4art
declared that) being in her bed in the night) H some+
thing fell down on her right side.H H =eing dar( she
cannot tell in what shape it was) but she belieeth
Rebecca %est and Anne %est the cause of her pains.H
=ut the accusers could hardly outdo the accused. ?o
sooner was a crime suggested than they too( it upon
themseles. It seemed as if the witches were running
a race for position as high criminal. %ith the e.ception
of Eli0abeth Booding) who stuc( to it that she was not
guilty) they cheerfully confessed that they had lamed
their ictims) caused them to Hlanguish)H and een
(illed them. *he meetings at Eli0abeth Clar(e's house
were recalled. Anne :eech remembered that there was
a boo( read H wherein shee thin(s there was no good+
nesse.H H
,o the web of charges and counter+charges was spun
until twenty+three or more women were caught in its
meshes. ?o less than twele of them confessed to a
share in the most reolting crimes. =ut there was one
who) in court) retracted her confession.H At least
fie utterly denied their guilt. Among them was a
poor woman who had aroused suspicion chiefly because
a young hare had been seen in front of her house. ,he
2E It mutt not for a moment) howeer) be forgotten that these con+
fessions had been wrung from tortured creatures.
u Richard Carter and 4enry Cornwall had testified that 9argaret
9oone confessed to them. Probably she did) as she was doubtless at
that time under torture.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !3!
was ready to admit that she had seen the hare) but de+
nied all the more serious charges.H Another of those
who would not plead guilty sought to ward off charges
against herself by adding to the charges accumulated
against her mother. 4ers was a damning accusation.
4er mother had threatened her and the ne.t night she
H felt something come into the bed about her legges)
. . . but could not finde anything.H *his was as seri+
ous eidence as that of one of the &ustices of the
peace) who testified from the bench that a ery honest
friend of his had seen three or four imps come out
of Anne %est's house in the moonlight. 4op(ins was
not to be outshone by the other accusers. 4e had isited
Colchester castle to interiew Rebecca %est and had
gained her confession that she had gone through a
wedding ceremony with the ;eil.
=ut why go into detailsR *he eidence was all of a
(ind. *he female &uries figured) as in the trials at
:ancaster in !122) and gae the results of their har+
rowing e.aminations. %hat with their erdicts and
2# *he eidence offered against her well suggests on what slender
grounds a witch might be accused. H *his Informant saith that the house
where this Informante and the said 9ary did dwell together) was haunted
with a :eeret) which did usually sit before the doreM And this Informant
(nowing that one Anthony ,haloc( had an e.cellent Breyhound that had
(illed many 4ares5 and haing heard that a childe of the said Anthony was
much haunted and troubled) and that the mother of the childe suspected
the said 9ary to be the cause of itM *his Informant went to the said
Anthony ,haloc( and ac-uainted him that a :eeret did usually come
and sit before the dore) where this Informant and the said 9ary Breen+
leife lied) and desired the said Anthony to bring downe his Breyhound
to see if he could (ill the said :eeret5 and the ne.t day the said An+
thony did accordingly bring his Breyhound) and coursed it) but whether
the dog (illed it this Informant (nows notM =ut being a little before
coursed by Bood+man 9errils dog) the dog ran at it) but the :eeret neer
stirred) and &ust when the dog came at it) he s(ipped oer it) and turned
about and stood still) and loo(ed on it) and shortly after that dog
languished and dyed.H
!3D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
the mass of accusations and confessions) the &ustices of
the peace were busy during 9arch) April) and 9ay of
!1E/. It was not until the twenty+ninth of @uly that
the trial too( place. It was held at Chelmsford before
the &ustices of the peace and Robert Rich) Earl of %ar+
wic(. %arwic( was not an itinerant &ustice) nor was
he) so far as we (now) in any way connected with the
&udicial system. >ne of the most prominent Pres+
byterians in England) he had in April of this year) as
a result of the H self+denying ordinance)H laid down
his commission as head of the nay. 4e disappears
from iew until August) when he was again gien wor(
to do. In the mean time occurred the Chelmsford trial.
%e can only guess that the earl) who was appointed
head of the Eastern Association less than a month
laterH 6August D37) acted in this instance in a military
capacity. *he assi0es had been suspended. ?o doubt
some of the &ustices of the peace pressed upon him the
urgency of the cases to be tried. %e may guess that
he sat with them in the -uarter sessions) but he seems to
hae played the role of an itinerant &ustice.
?o narratie account of the trial proper is e.tant.
,ome one who signs himself H 4. F.H copied out and
printed the eidence ta(en by the &ustices of the peace
and inserted in the margins the erdicts. In this
way we (now that at least si.teen were condemned)
probably two more) and possibly eleen or twele
more. ! < >f the original si.teen) one was reprieed) one
!* ,ee =ulstrode %hitcloc(e) 9emorials of English Affairs . . . 6:on+
don) !1$D5 >.ford) !$/27) ed. of !$/2) h / #! +
H H 4. F.H 's publication is the *rue and e.act Relation cited aboe
6note !!7. 4e seems to hae written it in the last of 9ay) but inserted
erdicts later in the margin. Arthur %ilson) who was present) says
that !$ were e.ecuted5 Francis Pec() ;esiderata Curioso 6:ondon) !32a+
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !32
died before e.ecution) four were hanged at 9anning+
tree and ten at Chelmsford.
*he cases e.cited some comment) and it is comment
that must not be passed oer) for it will proe of some
use later in analy0ing the causes of the outbrea(. Ar+
thur %ilson) whom we hae mentioned as an historian
of the time) has left his erdict on the trial. H *here is
nothing)H he wrote) H so crosse to my temper as putting
so many witches to deathK' 4e saw nothing) in the
women condemned at Chelmsford) H other than poore
mellenchollie . . . ill+dieted atrabilious constitutions)
whose fancies wor(ing by grosse fumes and apors
might ma(e the imagination readie to ta(e any impres+
sion.H %ilson wrestled long with his Bod oer the
matter of witches and came at length to the conclusion
that Hit did not consist with the infinite goodnes of
the Almightie Bod to let ,atan loose in so raenous a
way.H
*he opinion of a parliamentary &ournal in :ondon
on the twenty+fourth of @uly) three days before the
Esse. e.ecutions) shows that the Royalists were in+
clined to remar( the number of witches in the counties
friendly to Parliament M H It is the ordinary mirth of the
9alignants in this City to discourse of the Association
of %itches in the Associated Counties) but by this they
shall understand the truth of the old Proerbe) which
is that where Bod hath his Church) the ;eill hath his
Chappell.H *he writer goes on) H I am sory to informe
l 32,'t !33"7. cd. of !33") II) E31. =ut 4opldna writes that D" were con+
demned at once and ,tearne says about D$5 -uite possibly there were
two trials at Chelmsford. *here is only one other supposition) i. <.) that
4op(ins and ,tearne confused the number originally accused with the
number hanged. For further discussion of the somewhat conflicting
eidence as to the number of these Esse. witches and the dates of their
trial see appendi. C) under !1E/.
!3E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
you that one of the cheifest of them was a Parsons
%ife 6this will be good news with the Papists7. . . .
4er name was %eight. . . . *his %oman 6as I heare7
was the first apprehended.H H It seems) howeer) that
9rs. H %eight H escaped. ,ocial and religious influen+
ces were not without alue. A later pamphleteer tells
us that the case of 9rs. %ayt) a minister's wife) was a
H palpable mista(e) for it is well (nowne that she is a
gentle+woman of a ery godly and religious life.H H
9eantime 4op(ins had e.tended his operations
into ,uffol(. Eli0abeth Clar(e and Anne :eech had
implicated certain women in that county. *heir charges
were carried before the &ustices of the peace and were
the beginning of a panic which spread li(e wildfire
oer the county.
*he methods which the witchfinder+general used
are illuminating. Four searchers were appointed for
the county) two men and two women. !! H In what
*own soeer . . . there be any person or persons sus+
pected to be witch or %itches) thither they send for two
or all of the said searchers) who ta(e the partie or par+
ties so suspected into a Roome and strip him) her) or
them) star(e na(ed.H< *he clergyman Baule has gien
us further particulars M < H 4aing ta(en the suspected
%itch) shee is placed in the middle of a room upon a
stool) or *able) crosse+legg'd) or in some other uneasie
posture) to which if she submits not) she is then bound
<<A ;iary or an E.act @ournal I) @uly 2E+2!) !1E/) pp. /+1.
SA *rue Relation of the Araignment of eighteene %itches at ,t.
=dmundsbury . . . 6:ondon) !1E/7) ".
< Ibid.) 1.
HIbid.
H@ohn Baule) ,elect Cases of Conscience *ouching %itches and
%itchcrafts 6:ondon) !1E17) 3$) 3".
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !3/
with cords 5 there is she watcht and (ept without meat or
sleep for the space of DE hours. ... A little hole is li(e+
wise made in the door for the Impe to come in at 5 and
lest it might come in some lesse discernible shape) they
that watch are taught to be eer and anon sweeping the
room) and if they see any spiders or flyes) to (ill them.
And if they cannot (ill them) then they may be sure
they are her Impes.H < 4utchinson tells a story of one
woman) who) after haing been (ept long fasting and
without sleep) confessed to (eeping an imp called ?an.
=ut a Hery learned ingenious gentleman haing in+
dignation at the thingH droe the people from the
house) gae the woman some food) and sent her to bed.
?e.t morning she (new of no ?an but a pullet she
had.
*he most sensational discoery in ,uffol( was that
@ohn :owes) pastor of =randeston) was a witch. *he
case was an e.traordinary one and throws a light on
the witch alarms of the time. :owes was eighty years
old) and had been pastor in the same place for fifty
years. 4e got into trouble) undoubtedly as a result of
his inability to get along with those around him. As a
young man he had been summoned to appear before
the synod at Ipswich for not conforming to the rites
9 8ueries $ and " answered by 4op(ins to the ?orfol( assi0es confirm
Baule's description. ,ee 4op(ins) /. H 8uery $. %hen these . I .
are fully discoered) yet that will not sere sufficiently to conict them)
but they must be tortured and (ept from sleep two or three nights) to
distract them) and ma(e them say anything5 which is a way to tame a
wilde Colt) or 4aw(e.H H 8uery ". =eside that unreasonable watching)
they were e.traordinarily wal(ed) till their feet were blistered) and so
forced through that cruelty to confess.H 4op(ins himself admitted the
(eeping of Eli0abeth Clar(e from sleep) but is careful to insert H upon
command from the @ustice.H 4op(ins) 2+2. >n p. / he again refers to
this point ,tcarne) 1!) uses the phrase H with consent of the &ustices.H
!2
!31 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
of the Established Church< In the first year of
Charles's reign he had been indicted for refusing to e.+
hibit his mus(et)H and he had twice later been indicted
for witchcraft and once as a common imbarritor.H *he
ery fact thaf he had been charged with witchcraft
before would gie color to the charge when made in
!1E/. %e hae indeed a clue to the moties for this
accusation. A parishioner and a neighboring diine
afterwards gae it as their opinion that H 9r. :owes)
being a litigious man) made his parishioners 6too tena+
cious of their customs7 ery uneasy) so that they were
glad to ta(e the opportunity of those wic(ed times to
get him hanged) rather than not get rid of himK'
4op(ins had afforded them the opportunity. *he
witch+finder had ta(en the parson in hand. 4e had
caused him to be (ept awa(e seeral nights together)
and had run him bac(wards and forwards about the
room until he was out of breath. H *hen they rested
him a little and then ran him again) and this they did
for seeral days and nights together) till he was weary
of his life and scarce sensible of what he said or did.HH
4e had) when first accused) denied all charges and
challenged proof) but after he had been sub&ected to
H ,uffol( Institute of Archaeology) Proceedings) F) 23$. =a.ter seems
to hae started the notion that :owes was a H reading parson)H or
Anglican.
SIbid.
H ,ee A 9aga0ine of ,candall) or a heape of wic(edness< of two in+
famous 9inisters 6:ondon) !1ED7) where there is a deposition) dated
August E) !1E!) that :owes had been twice indicted and once arraigned
for witchcraft) and conicted by law as H a common =arrettor H at the
assi0es in ,uffol(. ,tearne) D2) says he was charged as a H common im+
barritor H oer thirty years before.
H *his account of the torture is gien) in a letter to 4utchinson) by a
9r. Riet) who had Hheard it from them that watched with him.H It
is in some measure confirmed by the 9,. history of =randeston -uoted
in County Fol( :ore) ,uffol( 6Fol( :ore ,oc.7) !3$) which adds the
aboe+-uoted testimony as to his litigiousness.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !33
these rigorous methods he made a full confession. 4e
had) he said) sun( a sailing essel of Ipswich) ma(ing
fourteen widows in a -uarter of an hour. *he witch+
finder had as(ed him if it did not griee him to see
so many men cast away in a short time) and he an+
sweredM H?o) he was &oyfull to see what power his
Impes had.H< 4e had) he boasted) a charm to (eep
him out of gaol and from the gallows. It is too bad
that the cra0ed man's confidence in his charm was mis+
placed. 4is whole wild confession is an illustration of
the effectieness of the torture. 4is fate is indicatie
of the hysteria of the times and of the adantages ta(en
of it by malicious people. It was his hostility to the
ecclesiastical and political sympathies of his community
that caused his fall.
*he dementia induced by the torture in :owes's
case showed itself in the case of others) who made con+
fessions of long careers of murder. H *hese and all
the rest confessed that cruell malice . . . was their
chiefe delight.H *he accused were being forced by
cruel torture to lend their help to a panic which e.+
ceeded any before or after in England. From one hun+
dred and thirty to two hundred people H were soon un+
der accusation and shut up in =ury gaol.
?ews of this reached a Parliament in :ondon that
was ery much engrossed with other matters. %e
cannot do better than to -uote the Puritan biographer
Clar(e.< ! HA report was carried to the Parliament
... as if some busie men had made use of some ill
< ,tearne) DE.
m A *rue Relation of the Araignment of eighteene %itches) /5 9oder+
ate Intelligencer) ,eptember E+!!) !1E/.
H ,ee ,amuel Clar(e) :ies of sundry Eminent Persons . . . 6:ondon)
!1$27) <R<I In writing the life of ,amuel Fairclough) Clar(e used Fair+
dough's papers5 see ibid.) !12.
!3$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
Arts to e.tort such confession 5 . . . thereupon a special
Commission of >yer and *erminer was granted for the
trial of these %itches.H Care was to be used) in gath+
ering eidence) that confessions should be oluntary
and should be bac(ed by Hmany collateral circum+
stances.H *here were to be no conictions e.cept
upon proof of e.press compact with the ;eil) or upon
eidence of the use of imps) which implied the same
.thing. ,amuel Fairclough and Edmund Calamy 6the
elder7) both of them ?on+Conformist clergymen of
,uffol()H together with ,er&eant @ohn Bodbolt and the
&ustices of the peace) were to compose this special
court. *he court met about the end of August) a month
after the sessions under %arwic( at Chelmsford) and
was opened by two sermons preached by 9r. Fair+
clough in =ury church. >ne of the first things done
by the special court) -uite possibly at the instigation
of the two clergymen) was to put an end to the swim+
ming test)H which had been used on seeral of the ac+
cused) doubtless by the authority of the &ustices of the
peace. *his was of course in some sense a blow at
4op(ins. ?eertheless a great deal of the eidence
which he had gathered must hae been ta(en into ac+
count. Eighteen persons) including two men) $E were
condemned to be hanged.<< >n the night before their
e.ecution) they were confined in a barn) where they
made an agreement not to confess a word at the gal+
lows the following day) and sang a psalm in confirma+
9 Fairclough was a ?on+Conformist) but not actiely sympathetic with
Presbyterianism. Calamy was counted a Presbyterian.
H4op(ins) /+15 ,tearne) !$.
9 >ne of these was :owes.
< A *rue Relation of the Araignment of eighteen< %itches.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !3"
tion. ?e.t day they H dyed . . . ery desperately.H H
=ut there were still one hundred and twenty others in
gaol H awaiting trial. ?o doubt many forthwith would
hae met the same end) had it not been for a luc(y
chance of the wars. *he (ing's forces were approach+
ing and the court hastened to ad&ourn its sessions.H
=ut this danger was soon oer) and within three
wee(s' time the court seems to hae resumed its duties.H
>f this second session we (now nothing at all) sae that
probably forty or fifty more witches were condemned)
and doubtless e.ecuted.H %hat became of the others
we can only guess. Perhaps some were released) some
left in gaol indefinitely.
*hese things were not done in a corner. Yet so
great was the distraction in England that) if we can
trust negatie eidence) they e.cited not a great deal
of notice. ,uch comments as there were) howeer)
were indicatie of a diision of opinion. ;uring the in+
teral between the two sessions) the 9oderate Intelli+
gencer) a parliamentary organ that had sprung up in
the time of the Ciil %ar) came out in an editorial on
the affair. H=ut whence is it that ;eils should
9 ,tearne) !E.
n A *rue Relation of the Araignment of eighteen< %itches) /.
n Ibid. 5 ,tearne) D/.
TI4utchinson spea(s of repeated sessions. ,tearne) !/) saysM Hby
reason of an Allarum at Cambridge) the gaol deliery at =urie ,t Ed+
munds was ad&ourned for about three wee(s.H As a matter of fact) the
(ing's forces seem not to hae got farther east than =edford and Cam+
bridge. ,ee %hiteloc(e) 9emorials) I) soi.
E# ,tearne) !!) spea(s of 1$ condemnations. >n p. !E he tells of !$
who were e.ecuted at =ury) but this may hae referred to the first group
only. A 9,. history of =randeston -uoted in County Fol( :ore) ,uf+
fol( 6Fol( :ore ,oc.7) !3$) says that :owes was e.ecuted with /" more.
It is not altogether certain) howeer) that this testimony is independent.
?eertheless) it contains pieces of information not in the other accounts)
and so cannot be ignored.
i$o %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
choose to be conersant with silly %omen that (now
not their right hands from their left) is the great won+
der. . . . *hey will meddle with none but poore old
%omenM as appears by what we receied this day
from =ury. . . . ;iers are condemned and some e.+
ecuted and more li(e to be. :ife is precious and there
is need of great in-uisition before it is ta(en away.H u
*his was the sole newspaper reference of which we
(now) as well as the only absolutely contemporary
mention of these trials. %hat other e.pressions of
opinion there were came later. @ames 4owell) a popu+
lar essayist of his time) mentioned the trials in his cor+
respondence as new proof of the reality of witchcraft.<
*he pious =ishop 4all saw in them the Hprealency
of ,atan in these times.H a *homas Ady) who in !1/1
issued his Candle in the ;ar() mentioned the H =erry
Assi0esH<< and remar(ed that some credulous people
had published a boo( about it. 4e thought criticism
desered for ta(ing the eidence of the gaoler) whose
profit lay in haing the greatest possible number e.+
ecuted.< /
%e hae already described 4op(ins as a man
of action. ?othing is better eidence of it than the
way in which he hurried bac( and forth oer the east+
ern counties. ;uring the last part of 9ay he had
probably been occupied with collecting the eidence
E! 9oderate Intelligencer) ,eptember E<!!) !1E/.
<< 4owell) Familiar :etter< 6I use the ed. of @oseph @acobs) :ondon
!$"#+!$"D7 II) /#1) /!/) //!. *he letters -uoted are dated as of Feb.)
!1E1 6!1E37) and Feb.) !1E3 6!1E$ of our calendar75 but) as is well (nown)
4owell's dates cannot be trusted. *he first was printed in the olume
of his letters published in !1E3) the others in that published in !1/#.
<< @oseph 4all) ,olilo-uies 6:ondon) !1/!7) /D+/2.
EE *homas Ady) Candle in the ;ar( 6:ondon) !1/17) !#!+!#/.
<I *he Re. @ohn %orthington attended the trial. In mentioning it in
his diary) he made no comment. ;iary and Correspondence of ;r. @ohn
%orthington) I 6Chetham ,oc. f no. !2) !$E37) 2D.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !$!
against the accused at =ury. :ong before they were
tried he was busy elsewhere. %e can trace his moe+
ments in outline only) but we (now enough of them to
appreciate his tremendous energy. ,ome time about
the beginning of @une he must hae gone to ?orfol(.
=efore the twenty+si.th of @uly twenty witches had
been e.ecuted in that county.<< ?one of the details of
these trials hae been left us. From the rapidity with
which they were carried to completion we may feel
fairly certain that the &ustices of the peace) seeing no
probability of assi0e sessions in the near future) went
ahead to try cases on their own initiatie. E! >n the
fifteenth of August the corporation of Breat Yarmouth)
at the southern e.tremity of the ?orfol( coast line)
oted to send for 9r. 4op(ins) and that he should hae
his fee and allowance for his pains) E < Has he hath in
other places.H 4e came at two different times) once
in ,eptember and once in ;ecember. Probably the
burden of the wor( was turned oer to the four female
assistants) who were granted a shilling a day apiece. E <
,i. women were condemned) one of whom was re+
spited.<< :ater three other women and one man were
9 ,o) at least) says %hiteloc(e) 9emorials) I) E$3.
< @. B. ?ail) Breat Yarmouth and :owestoft 6:ondon) !$137) "2) note)
-uotes from the Yarmouth assembly boo(. ?ail ma(es ery care+
less statements) but his -uotations from the assembly boo( may be
depended upon.
HIbid.
!# 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) IF) p: i) 22#.
H*he Collection of 9odern Relations says that si.teen were hanged)
but this compilation was published forty+seen years after the eentsM
the number 1 had been changed to !1. >ne witch seems to hae suf+
fered later) see ,tearne) /2. *he statement about the !1 witches hanged
at Yarmouth may be found in practically all accounts of English witch+
craft) e. g. t see the recent essay on 4op(ins by @. >. @ones) in ,eccombe's
*wele =ad 9en) 1#. *hey can all be traced bac( through arious
lines to this source.
!$D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
indicted) but by this time the furor against them seems
to hae abated) and they probably went free.< !
4op(ins's further course can be traced with some de+
gree of certainty. From Yarmouth he probably went
to Ipswich) where 9other :a(eland was burned on
,eptember " at the instance of the &ustices of the
peace.H 9other :a(eland's death by burning is the sec+
ond instance we hae) during the 4op(ins panic)H of
this form of sentence. It is e.plained by the fact that
it was the law in England to burn women who mur+
dered their husbands. *he chief charge against 9other
:a(eland) who) by the way) was a woman -uite aboe
the class from which witches were ordinarily re+
cruited)H was that she had bewitched her husband to
death.H *he crime was H petty treason.H
It is not a wild guess that 4op(ins paused long
enough in his actie career to write an account of the
affair) so well were his principles of detection presented
in a pamphlet soon issued from a :ondon press.H =ut)
at any rate) before 9other :a(eland had been burned
he was on his way to Aldeburgh) where he was already
n 4. 9anship) 4istory of Breat Yarmouth) continued by C. @. Palmer
6Breat Yarmouth) !$/E+!$/17) where the Yarmouth records about 4op+
(ins are gien in full. ,ee also 4. 4arrod) in ?orfol( Archeology
6?orfol( and ?orwich Arch. ,oc.) !$E3+!$1E7! IC) DE".
9 *he :owes against %itches and Con&uration . . . 6:ondon) !1E/7)
E. @. >. @ones) in his account of 4op(ins) loc. cit.) says that H many
were hanged or burned in Ipswich.H I beliee that no authority
can be cited for this statement.
u *he first is in) A *rue Relation of the Araignment of eighteene
%itches) /. %e of course do not (now that the sentence was carried
out.
#E *he master of a ship had been HsutorH for her grandchild5 *he
:owes against %itches) $. ,he was a H professour of Religion) a con+
stant hearer of the %ord for these many years.H
S@%@.
1" I. U.) *he :owes against %itches 6:ondon) !1E/7. ,ee below) appen+
di. A) [E.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !$2
at wor( on the eighth of ,eptember collecting ei+
dence.H 4ere also he had an assistant) Boody Phillips)
who no doubt continued the wor( after he left. 4e was
bac( again in Aldeburgh on the twentieth of ;ecem+
ber and the seenth of @anuary) and the grand result
of his wor( was summari0ed in the brief accountM
H Paid . . . eleen shillings for hanging seen witches.H H
From Aldeburgh) 4op(ins may hae &ourneyed to
,towmar(et. %e do not (now how many serants of
the eil one he discoered here5 but) as he was paid
twenty+three pounds< for his serices) and had re+
ceied but si. pounds in Aldeburgh) the presumption is
that his wor( here was ery fruitful in results.
%e now lose trac( of the witchfinder's moements
for a while. Probably he was doubling on his trac(
and attending court sessions. In ;ecember we (now
that he made his second isit to Yarmouth. From there
he may hae gone to Aing's :ynn) where two witches
were hanged this year) and from there perhaps re+
turned early in @anuary to Aldeburgh and other places
in ,uffol(. It is not to be supposed for a moment that
his actiities were confined to the towns named. At
least fifteen other places in ,uffol( are mentioned by
,tearne in his stories of the witches' confessions. ##
%hile 4op(ins's subordinates probably represented
him in some of the illages) we cannot doubt that the
witchfinder himself isited many towns.
,* ?. F. 4ele) ?otts or @ottings about Aldeburgh 6Ipswich) !$"#7) E2+
EE+
H *his was doubtless the fee to the e.ecutioner. 9r. Richard =rowne
and 9r. ?ewgate) who were either the &ustices of the peace or the
local magistrates) receied ]E apiece for their serices in trying the
witches.
HA. B. 4ollingsworth) 4istory of ,towmar(et 6Ipswich) !$EE7! !3#.
E# For a list of these towns) see below) appendi. C) under !1E/) ,uffol(.
iUE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
From East Anglia 4op(ins went westward into Cam+
bridgeshire. 4is arrial there must hae been during
either @anuary or February. 4is reputation) indeed)
had gone ahead of him) and the witches were reported
to hae ta(en steps in adance to preent detection.<
=ut their efforts were ain. *he witchfinder found not
less than four or fie of the detested creatures)H prob+
ably more. %e (now) howeer) of only one e.ecution)
that of a woman who fell under suspicion because she
(ept a tame f rog .I
From Cambridgeshire) 4op(ins's course too( him)
perhaps in 9arch of !1E/K1) into ?orthamptonshire.
*here he found at least two illages infested) and he
turned up some remar(able eidence. ,o far in his
crusade) the (eeping of imps had been the test infal+
lible upon which the witchfinder insisted. =ut at
?orthampton spectral eidence seems to hae played
a considerable part.< E 4op(ins neer e.presses his
opinion on this ariety of eidence) but his co+wor(er
declares that it should be used with great caution) be+
cause Happaritions may proceed from the phantasie
of such as the party use to fear or at least suspect.H
=ut it was a case in ?orthamptonshire of a different
type that seems to hae made the most lasting impres+
sion on ,tearne. Cherrie of *hrapston) H a ery aged
man)H had in a -uarrel uttered the wish that his neigh+
bor's tongue might rot out. *he neighbor thereupon
suffered from something which we should probably
call cancer of the tongue. Perhaps as yet the pos+
a ,tearne) E/< two instances.
HIbid.) 23f 2". E/+
H *homas Ady) A Candle in the ;ar() !2/.
I< ,tearne) 2".
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !$/
sibilities of suggestion hae not been so far sounded
that we can absolutely discredit the physical effects of a
malicious wish. It is much easier) howeer) to beliee
the reported utterance imagined after its supposed ef+
fect. At all eents) Cherrie was forced to confess that
he had been guilty and he further admitted that he had
in&ured ,ir @ohn %ashington) who had been his bene+
factor at arious times. 1 < 4e was indicted by the grand
&ury) but died in gaol) ery probably by suicide) on
the day when he was to hae been tried.<<
From ?orthamptonshire 4op(ins's course led him
into 4untingdonshire)H a county that seems to hae
been untroubled by witch alarms since the %arboys
affair of !/"2. *he &ustices of the peace too( up the
-uest eagerly. *he eidence that they gathered had
but little that was unusual.<< 9ary Chandler had de+
spatched her imp) =eel0ebub) to in&ure a neighbor who
had failed to inite her to a party. An accused witch
who was -uestioned about other possible witches of+
fered in eidence a peculiar piece of testimony. 4e
had a conersation with H Clar(e's sonne of Aeiston)H
H4is whole confession reads li(e the utterance of a tortured man.
H4e had preiously been found with a rope around his nec(. *his
was of course attributed to witchcraft. ,tearne) 2/.
< Ibid.) !!.
H@ohn %ynnic( and @oane %allis made effectie confessions. *he
first) when in the heat of passion at the loss of a purse) had signed
his soul away 6,tearne) D#+D!5 see also the pamphlet) the dedication of
which is signed by @ohn ;aenport) entitled) *he %itches of 4unt+
ingdon) their E.aminations and Confessions . . . :ondon) !1E1) 27.
*he latter maintained a troop of imps) among whom =lac(eman) Bris+
sell) and Breedigut figured most prominently. *he half+witted crea+
ture could not recall the names on the repetition of her confessions)
but this failing does not seem to hae awa(ened any doubt of her
guilt. ,tearne could not aoid noticing that some of those who suf+
fered were ery religious. >ne woman) who had (ept an imp for twenty+
one years) H did resort to church and had a desire to be rid of her
unhappy burden.'
tf
i$1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
who had said to him 6the witness7 M H I doe not beleee
you die a %itch) for I neer saw you at our meetings.H
*his would seem to hae been a cleer fiction to ward
off charges against himself. =ut) strangely enough) the
witness declared that he answered H that perhaps their
meetings were at seerall places.H
4op(ins did not find it all smooth sailing in the
county of 4untingdon. A clergyman of Breat ,taugh+
ton became outraged at his wor( and preached against
it. *he witchfinder had been inited to isit the town
and hesitated. 9eantime he wrote this blustering letter
to one of @ohn Baule's parishioners.
H 9y serice to your %orship presented) I hae this
day receied a :etter) ^c. G to come to a *owne called
Breat ,taughton to search for eil disposed persons
called %itches 6though I heare your 9inister is farre
against us through ignorance7 I intend to come 6Bod
willing7 the sooner to heare his singular @udgment on
the behalfe of such parties 5 I hae (nown a 9inister in
,uffol(e preach as much against their discoery in a
Pulpit) and forc'd to recant it 6by the Committee7 in
the same place. I much maraile such eill 9embers <
should hae any 6much more any of the Clergy7 who
should daily preach *errour to conince such >f+
fenders) stand up to ta(e their parts against such as
are Complainants for the Aing) and sufferers them+
seles with their Families and Estates. I intend to gie
your *owne a Cisite suddenly) I am to come to Aimbol+
ton this wee(e) and it shall bee tenne to one but I will
come to your *own first) but I would certainely (now
afore whether your *own affords many ,tic(lers for
such Cattell) or willing to gie and afford us good wel+
come and entertainment) as other where I hae beene)
else I shall wae your ,hire 6not as yet beginning in any
part of it my selfe7 And beta(e me to such places where
IK. _.) witches.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !$3
I doc and may persist without controle) but with
than(es and recompence.H w
*his stirred the fighting spirit of the icar of Breat
,taughton) and he answered the witchfinder in a little
boo( which he published shortly after) and which he
dedicated to Colonel %alton of the 4ouse of Com+
mons. %e shall hae occasion in another chapter to
note its point of iew.
In spite of opposition) 4op(ins's wor( in 4unting+
donshire prospered. *he &ustices of the peace were
occupied with e.aminations during 9arch and April.
Perhaps as many as twenty were accused.H At least
half that number were e.amined. ,eeral were e.e+
cuted G we do not (now the e.act number G almost cer+
tainly at the instance of the &ustices of the peace. ! < It is
pleasant to (now that one was ac-uitted) een if it was
after she had been twice searched and once put through
the swimming ordeal.W
From 4untingdonshire it is li(ely that 4op(ins and
,tearne made their ne.t e.cursion into =edfordshire.
%e (now ery little about their success here. In two
illages it would seem that they were able to trac( their
w *his letter is printed by Baule at the opening of his ,elect Casts
of Conscience *ouching %itches and %itchcrafts)
n ,tearne) .i5 cf. below) appendi. C) !1E1 6pp. E#/+E#17.
H*hat it was done by the &ustices of the peace is a probable con+
clusion from ,tearne's language. ,ee his account of @oane %allis)
p. !2) also his account of @ohn %ynnic() pp. ao+a.. *hat the e.amina+
tions were in 9arch and April 6see @ohn ;aenport's account) *he
%itches of 4untingdon7 and the e.ecutions in 9ay is a fact confirma+
tory of this5 see ,tearne) ... =ut it is more to the point that @ohn
;aenport dedicates his pamphlet to the &ustices of the peace for the
county of 4untingdon) and saysM H You were present) and @udges at
the *ryall and Coniction of them.
n *he swimming ordeal was perhaps unofficial5 see ,tearne) !".
Another case was that of Eli0abeth Chandler) who was Hduc(tH5
%itches of 4untingdon) $.
it I
!
!$$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
prey. 9 =ut they left to others the search which they
had begun.W
*he witchfinder had been actie for a little oer a
year. =ut during the last months of that time his dis+
coeries had not been so notable. %as there a falling
off in interestR >r was he meeting with increased op+
position among the peopleR >r did the assi0e courts)
which resumed their proceedings in the summer of !1E1)
frown upon himR It is hard to answer the -uestion
without more eidence. =ut at any rate it is clear that
during the summer and autumn of !1E1 he was not
actiely engaged in his profession. It is -uite possible)
indeed) that he was already suffering from the con+
sumption which was to carry him off in the following
year. And) with the retirement of its moing spirit)
the witch crusade soon came to a close. Almost a
twelemonth later there was a single !! discoery of
3E *ilbroo(e+bushes) ,tearne) i.5 Risden) ibid.) 2!.
n *his may be inferred from ,tearne's wordsM H but afterward I
heard that she made a ery large confessionK' ibid.) 2!.
n *homas %right) @ohn Ashton) @. >. @ones) and the other writers
who hae dealt with 4op(ins) spea( of the %orcester trials) in
!1E3) in which four women are said to hae been hanged. *heir
statements are all based upon a pamphlet) *he Full *ryals) E.am+
ination) and Condemnation of Four ?otorious %itches at the Assises
held at %orcester on *uesday the Eth of 9arch. . . . Printed for I.
%. %hat seems to hae been the first edition of this brochure bears
no date. In !3## another edition was printed for H@. 9.H in Fleet
,treet. ,ome writer on witchcraft gained the notion that this pamph+
let belonged in the year !1E3 and dealt with eents in that year.
%right) @ohn Ashton) and %. 4. ;aenport Adams [%itch) %arloc()
and 9agician) :ondon) !$$"7) all accept this date. An e.amination
of the pamphlet shows that it was cleerly put together from the *rue
and E.act Relation of !1E/. *he four accused bear the names of four
of those accused at Chelmsford) and ma(e) with a few differences) the
same confessions. ,ee below) appendi. A) f E) for a further discussion
of this pamphlet. It is strange that so careful a student at *homas
%right should hae been deceied by this pamphlet) especially since
he noticed that the confessions were H imitations H of those in Esse..
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !$"
witches. It was in the island of Ely 5 and the church
courts)H the &ustices of the peace)W and the assi0e
courts)H which had now been reied) were able) between
them) to hang a few witches.H
%e do not (now whether 4op(ins participated in the
Ely affair or not. It seems certain that his co+wor(er)
,tearne) had some share in it. =ut) if so) it was his
last discoery. *he wor( of the two men was ended.
*hey had been pursuing the pac( of witches in the
eastern counties since 9arch of !1EEK/. Een the e.+
ecrations of those who opposed them could not mar the
pleasure they felt in what they had done. ?ay) when
they were called upon to defend themseles) they could
hardly refrain from e.ulting in their achieements.
*hey had indeed eery right to e.ult. %hen we come
to ma(e up the roll of their ictims) we shall see that
their record as witch discoerers surpassed the com+
bined records of all others.
It is a mista(e to suppose that they had acted in any
hapha0ard way. *he conduct of both men had been
based upon perfectly logical deductions from certain
premises. Aing @ames's ;cemonologpe had been their
catechism) the statute against the feeding of imps their
boo( of rules. =oth men started with one fundamental
notion) that witchcraft is the (eeping of imps. =ut
this was a thing that could be detected by mar(s on the
bodies.H =oth were willing to admit that mista(es could
. n A. Bibbons) ed.) Ely Episcopal Records 6:incoln) !$"!7) !!2+!!2.
n ,tearne) 23.
n *hat there were assi0es is proed by the statement that H 9oore's
wife H confessed before the H @udge) =ench) and Country)H ibid.)
D!+DD) as well as by the reference in the Ely Episcopal Records) !!2)
to the Hassi0es.H
TI,tearne) !3) D!+DD.
n For a clear statement of this point of iew) see ibid.) E#+/#.
!"# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
be made and were often made in assuming that natural
bodily mar(s were the ;eil's mar(s. *here were)
howeer) special indications by which the difference
between the two could be recogni0ed.<< And the two
witchfinders) of course) possessed that H insight H<<
which was necessary to ma(e the distinction. *he the+
ories upon which they wor(ed we need not enter into.
,uffice it to say that when once they had proed) as they
thought) the (eeping of imps) the ne.t step was to
watch those accused of it.<< H For the watching)H says
,tearne)H H it is not to use iolence or e.tremity to
force them to confesse) but onely the (eeping is) first
to see whether any of their spirits) or familiars come to
or neere them.H It is clear that both 4op(ins and
,tearne recogni0ed the fact that confessions wrung
from women by torture are worthless and were by
this e.planation defending themseles against the
charge of haing used actual torture. *here seems to
be no ade-uate reason for doubting the sincerity of
their e.planation. ,tearne tells us that the (eeping
the witches separate is Halso to the end that Bodly
;iines might discourse with them.H H For if any of
their society come to them to discourse with them) they
will neer confesse.H<< 4ere) indeed) is a clue to many
confessions. ,eeral men arrayed against one solitary
and wea( woman could brea( her resolution and get
from her ery much what they pleased.
As for staring the witches and (eeping them from
sleep) ,tearne maintained that these things were done
9 ,tearne) E1+E3.
HIbid.) /#.
HIbid.) !3.
S Ibid.) !2.
<I Ibid.) !E.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !"!
by them only at first. 4op(ins bore the same testimony.
H After they had beat their heads together in the Baole)
and after this use was not allowed of by the @udges and
other 9agistrates) it was neer since used) which is a
yeare and a half e since.H < In other words) the two men
had gien up the practice because the parliamentary
commission had compelled them to do so.
*he confessions must be receied with great caution)
4op(ins himself declared.H It is so easy to put words
into the witch's mouth. H You hae f oure Imps) hae
you notR ,he answers affirmatiely. ' Yes '....' Are
not their names so and so ' R ' YesK saith she. ' ;id
you not send such an Impe to (ill my child ' R ' YesK
saith she.H *his sort of thing has been too often done)
asserted the irtuous witchfinder. 4e earnestly did
desire that H all 9agistrates and @urors would) a little
more than eer they did) e.amine witnesses about the
interrogated confessions.H %hat a cautious) circum+
spect man was this famous witchfinderP *he con+
fessions) he wrote) in which confidence may be placed
are when the woman) without any Hhard usages or
-uestions put to her) doth of her owne accord declare
what was the occasion of the ;eil's appearing to her.H H
*he swimming test had been employed by both men
in the earlier stages of their wor(. H *hat hath been
used)H wrote ,tearne) H and I durst not goe about to
cleere my selfe of it) because formerly I used it) but it
was at such time of the yeare as when none too(e any
"! 4op(ins) /. =ut 4op(ins was not telling the e.act truth here.
%hen he was at Aldeburgh in ,eptember 6$th7 the accused were watched
day and night. ,ee chamberlain's accounts) in ?. F. 4ele) ?otes or
@ottings about Aldeburgh) E2.
<I 4op(ins) 3.
< 4op(ins) ".
!E
!"D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
harme by it) neither did I eer doe it but upon their
owne re-uest.H m A thoughtful man was this ,tearne I
:atterly he had gien up the test G since H@udge Cor+
bolt H stopped it < G and he had come to beliee that it
was a way of H distrusting of Bod's proidence.H
It can be seen that the men who had conducted the
witch crusade were able to present a consistent philoso+
phy of their conduct. It was) of course) a philosophy
constructed to meet an attac( the force of which they
had to recogni0e. 4op(ins's pamphlet and ,tearne's
Confirmation were aowedly written to put their
authors right in the eyes of a public which had turned
against them.< ! It seems that this opposition had first
shown itself at their home in Esse.. A woman who
was undergoing in-uisition had found supporters) and)
though she was condemned in spite of their efforts) was
at length reprieed. "! 4er friends turned the tables by
indicting ,tearne and some forty others of conspiracy)
and apparently succeeded in driing them from the
county.<< In =ury the forces of the opposition had
appealed to Parliament) and the Commission of >yer
and *erminer) which) it will be noticed) is neer
mentioned by the witchfinders) was sent out to limit
their actiities. In 4untingdonshire) we hae seen how
4op(ins roused a protesting clergyman) @ohn Baule.
9 ,tearne) .$. 4op(ins did not attempt to deny the uae of the
ordea: 4e supported himself by -uoting @ames5 see 4op(ins) 1.
T< ,tearne) !$. 4e means) of course) ,er&eant Bodbolt.
9 ,ee ,tearne) in his preface to the reader) also p. 1!5 and see also
the complete title of 4op(ins's boo( as gien in appendi. A 6p. 21a7.
< A similar case was that of Anne =in(es) to whom ,tearne refers on
p. /E. 4e says she confessed to him her guilt. H %as this woman
fitting to lieR ... I am sure she was liing not long since) and ac+
-uitted upon her trial.H
9 ?ot until after ,tearne was already busy elsewhere. ,tearne) /$.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !"2
If we may &udge from the letter he wrote to one of
Baule's parishioners) 4op(ins had by this time met
with enough opposition to (now when it was best to
(eep out of the way. 4is boldness was assumed to
coer his fear.
=ut it was in ?orfol( that the opposition to the
witchfinders reached culmination. *here most pungent
H -ueries H were put to 4op(ins through the &udges of
assi0e. 4e was charged with all those cruelties) which)
as we hae seen) he attempts to defend. 4e was fur+
ther accused of fleecing the country for his own
profit. " 4op(ins's answer was that he too( the great
sum of twenty shillings a town H to maintaine his com+
panie with 2 horses.H H *hat this was untrue is suffi+
ciently proed by the records of ,towmar(et where he
receied twenty+three pounds and his traeling e.+
penses. At such a rate for the discoeries) we can
hardly doubt that the two men between them cleared
from three hundred to a thousand pounds) not an
untidy sum in that day) when a day's wor( brought
si. pence.
%hat further action was ta(en in the matter of the
-ueries H deliered to the @udges of assi0e H we do not
(now. =oth 4op(ins and ,tearne) as we hae seen)
went into retirement and set to wor( to e.onerate them<
seles. %ithih the year 4op(ins died at his old home
in 9anningtree. ,tearne says that he died Hpeace+
ably) after a long sic(nesse of a Consumption.H =ut
tradition soon had it otherwise. 4utchinson says
HIt would tern) too) that ,tearne waa sued for recoery of sums
paid him. H 9any rather fall upon me for what hath been receied5
but I hope auch raits will be disannulled.H ,tearne) 1#.
II4op(ins) .i.
!"E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
that the story) in his time) was that 4op(ins was finally
put to the swimming test himself) and drowned. Ac+
cording to another tale) which seems to hae lingered
in ,uffol() he offered to show the ;eil's roll of all the
witches in England and so was detected.H =utler) in his
4udibras) said of himM
H%ho after proed himself a witch)
And made a rod for his own breech.H
=utler's lines appeared only fifteen years after 4op+
(in's death) and his statement is eidence enough that
such a tradition was already current. *he tradition is
significant. It probably means) not that 4op(ins really
paid such a penalty for his career G ,tearne's word is
good enough proof to the contrary G but that within his
own generation his name had become an ob&ect of de+
testation.
@ohn ,tearne did not return to 9anningtree G he may
hae been afraid to G but settled down near =ury) the
scene of his greatest successes.
If the epitaphs of these two men were to be written)
their deeds could be compressed into homely statistics.
And this leads us to in-uire what was the sum of their
achieement. It has been ariously estimated. It is
not an uncommon statement that thirty thousand
witches were hanged in England during the rule of
Parliament) and this wild guess has been copied by
reputable authors. In other wor(s the number has been
estimated at three thousand) but this too is careless
guesswor(. ,tearne himself boasted that he (new of
two hundred e.ecutions) and ,tearne ought to hae
w County Fol( :ore) ,uffol( 6Fol( :ore ,oc.7 !31) -uoting from @. *.
Carden in the East Anglian 4andboo( for !$$/) p. $".
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !"/
(nown. It is indeed possible that his estimate was too
high. 4e had a careless habit of confusing condemna+
tions with e.ecutions that ma(es us suspect that in
this estimate he may hae been thin(ing rather of the
number of conictions than of the hangings. Yet his
figures are those of a man who was on the ground) and
cannot be lightly discounted. 9oreoer) @ames 4ow+
ell) writing in !1E$) says that Hwithin the compass
of two years) near upon three hundred %itches were
arraign'd and the ma&or part e.ecuted in Esse. and
,uffol( only. H H If these estimates be correct G or een
if they approach correctness G a remar(able fact ap+
pears. 4op(ins and ,tearne) in fourteen months' time)
sent to the gallows more witches than all the other witch+
hunters of England can be proed G so far as our present
records go G to hae hung in the hundred and si.ty
years during which the persecution flourished in Eng+
land. It must occur to the reader that this crusade was
e.traordinary. Certainly it calls for e.planation.
,o far as the writer is aware) but one e.planation
has been offered. It has been repeated until it has
become a commonplace in the history of witchcraft
that the 4op(ins crusade was one of the e.pressions
of the intolerant 0eal of the Presbyterian party during
its control of Parliament. *his notion is largely due to
Francis 4utchinson) who wrote the first history of Eng+
9 @ames 4owell) Familiar :etters) II) //!. 4owell) of course) may
easily hae counted conictions as e.ecutions. 9oreoer) it was a
time when rumors were flying about) and 4owell would not hae ta(en
the pains to sift them. Yet his agreement with ,tearne in numbers is
remar(able. ,omewhat earlier) 6the letter is dated February 2) !1E1K37
4owell had written that H in Esse. and ,uffol( there were aboe two
hundred indicted within these two years and aboe the one half e.e+
cuted H [ibid.) /#17. =ut) as noted aboe) his dates are not to be trusted.
ig1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
lish witchcraft 4utchinson was an Anglican clergy+
man) but we need not charge him with partisanship in
accusing the Presbyterians. *here was no inconsider+
able body of eidence to support his point of iew. *he
idea was deeloped by ,ir %alter ,cott in his :etters
on ;emonology) but it was left to :ec(y) in his classic
essay on witchcraft) to put the case against the Pres+
byterian Parliament in its most telling form.H 4is in+
terpretation of the facts has found general acceptance
since.
It is not hard to understand how this e.planation
grew up. At a time when 4utchinson was ma(ing his
study) Richard =a.ter) the most eminent Puritan of his
time) was still a great name among the defenders of
witchcraft. !! H In his pages 4utchinson read how Puri+
tan diines accompanied the witch+magistrates on their
rounds and how a H reading parson H was one of their
ictims. Baule) who opposed them) he seems to hae
counted an Anglican. 4e clearly put some faith in the
lines of 4udibras. Probably) howeer) none of these
points weighed so much with him as the general fact
of coincidence in time between the great witch perse+
cution and Presbyterian rule. It was hard to escape
the conclusion that these two unusual situations must
in some way hae been connected.
?either 4utchinson nor those who followed hae
called attention to a point in support of their case
which is -uite as good proof of their contention as any+
thing adduced. It was in the eastern counties) where
the Eastern Association had flourished and where
m ,ee his 4istory of Rationalism.
<<I A name no greater) howeer) than that of Blanill) who waa a
prominent Anglican.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !"3
Parliament) as well as the army) found its strongest
bac(ing G the counties that stood consistently against
the (ing G in those counties it was that 4op(ins and
,tearne carried on their wor(. !+!
It may seem needless in the light of these facts to
suggest any other e.planation of the witch crusade. Yet
the whole truth has not by any means been told. It
has already been noticed that 4utchinson made some
mista(es. Parson :owes) who was hanged as a witch
at the instance of his dissatisfied parishioners) was not
hanged because he was an Anglican.H< And the Presby+
terian Parliament had not sent down into ,uffol( a
commission to hang witches) but to chec( the indiscrim+
inate proceedings that were going on there against
witches. 9oreoer) while it is true that East Anglia
and the counties ad&acent) the stronghold of the Puri+
tans) were the scene of 4op(ins's operations) it is -uite
as true that in those counties arose that powerful op+
position which forced the witchfinders into retirement.
%e hae noticed in another connection that the H mal+
ignantsH were inclined to moc( at the number of
witches in the counties friendly to Parliament) but there
!9 It does not belong in this connection) but it should be stated)
that one of the strongest reasons for supposing the Presbyterian party
largely responsible for the persecution of witches lies in the large num+
ber of witches in ,cotland throughout the whole period of that party's
ascendancy. *his is an argument that can hardly be successfully an+
swered. Yet it is a legitimate -uestion whether the witch+hunting
procliities of the north were not as much the outcome of ,cottish laws
and manners as of ,cottish religion.
'H*he 9agasine of ,can doll) spea(ing of :owes and another man)
saysM H *heir Religion is either none) or else as the wind blowsM If
the ceremonies be tending to Popery) none so forward as they) and if
there be orders cleane contrary they shall e.ceed any Round+head in the
4e of great =rittain.H ,ee also aboe) pp. !3/+!33.
ig$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
is nothing to show that the moc(ers disbelieed the
reality of the witchcrafts. ! H
It is easy enough to turn some of 4utchinson's
reasoning against him) as well as to wea(en the force
of other arguments that may be presented on his side.
=ut) when we hae done all this) we still hae to face
the unpleasant facts that the witch persecution coin+
cided in time with Presbyterian rule and in place with
Puritan communities. It is ery hard to get around
these facts. ?or does the writer beliee that they can be
altogether aoided) een if their edge can be somewhat
blunted. It was a time of bitter struggle. *he outcome
could not yet be forecast. Party feeling was at a high
pitch. *he situation may not unfairly be compared
with that in the summer of !$12 during the American
ciil war. *hen the outbrea(s in ?ew Yor( reealed
the public tension. *he case in !1E/ < n the eastern
counties was similar. Eery energy was directed to+
wards the prosecution of the war. *he strain might
ery well hae shown itself in other forms than in
hunting down the supposed agents of the ;eil. As
a matter of fact) the apparitions and deils) the (noc(+
ings and strange noises) that filled up the pages of the
popular literature were the indications of an oer+
wrought public mind. Religious belief grew terribly
literal under the tension of the war. *he Anglicans
were fighting for their (ing) the Puritans for their re+
)9 Yet it must not be oerloo(ed that ,tearne himself) who must
hae (nown well the religious sympathies of his opponents) as(s) p. /$)
H And who are they that hae been against the prosecution . . . but
onely such as 6without offence I may spea( it7 be enemies to the
Church of Bod R H 4e dares not mention names) H not onely for fear of
offence) but also for suits of :aw.H
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, !""
ligion. *hat religious feror which ery easily deepens
into dementia was highly accentuated. !# <
?eertheless) too much importance may hae been
gien to the part played by Presbyterianism. *here is
no eidence which ma(es it certain that the morbidity
of the public would hae ta(en the form of witch+hang+
ing) had it not been for the leadership of 4op(ins and
,tearne. *he 9anningtree affair started ery much
as a score of others in other times. It had &ust this
difference) that two pushing men too( the matter up
and. made of it an opportunity. *he reader who has
followed the career of these men has seen how they seem
the bac(bone of the entire moement. It is true that the
town of Yarmouth inited them of its own initiatie
to ta(e up the wor( there) but not until they had already
made themseles famous in all East Anglia. *here is)
indeed) too much eidence that their isits were in
nearly eery case the result of their own deliberate pur+
pose to widen the field of their labors. In brief) two
aggressie men had ta(en adantage of a time of pop+
ular e.citement and alarm. *hey were fortunate in
the state of the public mind) but they seem to hae owed
more to their own e.ertions.
=ut perhaps to neither factor was their success
due so much as to the want of goernment in England
at this time. %e hae seen in an earlier chapter that
Charles I and his priy council had put an end to a
witch panic that bade fair to end ery tragically. ?ot
that they interfered with random e.ecutions here and
there. It was when the numbers inoled became too
!9 ,cott has pictured this ery well in %oodstoc(. For a good e.+
ample of it see *he N;Olell in Aent) or 4is strange ;elusions at
,andwitch 6:ondon) !1E37.
D## %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
large that the goernment stepped in to reise erdicts.
*his was what the goernment of Parliament failed to
do. And the reasons are not far to see(. Parliament
was intensely occupied with the war. *he writer be+
liees that it can be proed that) e.cept in so far as
concerned the war) the goernment of Parliament and
the Committee of =oth Aingdoms paid little or no at+
tention to the affairs of the realm. It is certainly true
that they allowed &udicial business to go by the board.
*he assi0es seem to hae been almost) if not entirely)
suspended during the last half of the year !1E/ an Y Y e
first half of !1E1.HH *he &ustices of the peace) who had
always shown themseles ready to hunt down witches)
were suffered to go their own gait. ! H *o be sure) there
were e.ceptions. *he Earl of %arwic( held a court
at Chelmsford) but he was probably acting in a military
capacity) and) ine.perienced in court procedure) doubt+
less depended largely upon the &ustices of the peace)
who) gathered in -uarter sessions) were assisting him.
It is true too that Parliament had sent down a Com+
mission of >yer and *erminer to =ury) a commission
made up of a ,er&eant and two clergymen. =ut these
two cases are) so far as we can discoer) the sole in+
stances during these two years when the &ustices of the
peace were not left to their own deices. *his is sig+
u < ,ee below) note !#3.
H<*he witches of Aldeburgh were tried at the HsessionsK' ?. F.
4ele) op. tit.) E2+EE. 9other :a(eland was probably condemned by the
&ustices of the peace5 see *he :owes against %itches. *he witches
of 4untingdon were tried by the &ustices of the peace5 see aboe) note
32. As for the trials in ?orfol() ?orthamptonshire) =edfordshire) and
Cambridgeshire) it is fairly safe to reason that they were conducted by
the &ustices of the peace from other eidence which we hae that there
were no assi0es during the last half of !1E/ and the first fie months of
!1E15 see %hlteloc(e) 9emorials) II) 2!) EE) 1E.
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, D#!
nificant. E.cept in 9iddlese. and in the chartered
towns of England) we hae) e.cepting during this time
of war) no records that witches were eer sentenced to
death) sae by the &udges of assi0e.
*o put it in a nutshell) England was in a state of &u+
dicial anarchy. ! H :ocal authorities were in control. =ut
local authorities had too often been against witches. *he
coming of 4op(ins and ,tearne gae them their chance)
and there was no one to say stop.
*his e.planation fits in well with the fact) to which
we shall adert in another chapter) that no small pro+
portion of English witch trials too( place in towns pos+
sessing separate rights of &urisdiction. *his was es+
pecially true in the seenteeth century. *he cases in
Yarmouth) Aing's :ynn) ?ewcastle+upon+*yne) =er+
wic() and Canterbury) are all instances in point. In+
deed) the solitary prosecution in 4op(ins's own time in
which he had no hand was in one of those towns) Fa+
ersham in Aent. *here the mayor and H local &urators H
sent not less than three to the gallows.<<
Ht For a few of the eidences of this situation during these years see
@ames *hompson) :eicester 6:eicester) !$E"7) E#!5 4ist. 9,,. Comm.
Reports) Carious) I) !#"<! !#) 2Da5 FIII) ES P+ D!1 6note gaps in the
records75 %hiteloc(e) 9emorials) I) E215 II) 2!) EE) 1E. !"15 III) !/a.
Innumerable other references could be added to proe this point. F. A.
Inderw(fc in his Interregnum 6:ondon) !$"!7) !/2) goes so far as to
say that H from the autumn of !1Ea to the autumn of !1E1 no &udges
went the circuits.H *his seems rather a sweeping statement.
!E! ,ee *he E.amination) Confession) etc 6:ondon) !1E/7. @oan
%illiford) @oan Cariden) and @ane 4ott were tried. *he first two -uic(ly
confessed to the (eeping of imps. ?ot so @ane 4ott) who urged the others
to confess and H stoode to it ery perersely that she was cleare.H %hen
put to the swimming test she floated) and is said to hae then declared
that the ;eil Hhad sat upon a Cross beame and laughed at her.H
Eli0abeth 4arris was e.amined) and gae some damaging eidence
against herself. ,he named seeral goodwies %ho had ery loose
tongues.
%I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
>ne other aspect of the 4op(ins crusade deseres
further attention. It has been shown in the course of
the chapter that the practice of torture was in eidence
again and again during this period. *he methods were
peculiarly harrowing. At the same time they were
methods which the rationale of the witch belief &usti+
fied. *he theory need hardly be repeated. It was be+
lieed that the witches) bound by a pact with the ;eil)
made use of spirits that too( animal forms. *hese
imps) as they were called) were accustomed to isit
their mistress once in twenty+four hours. If the witch)
said her persecutors) could be put na(ed upon a chair
in the middle of the room and (ept awa(e) the imps
could not approach her. 4erein lay the supposed reas+
onableness of the methods in ogue. And the authori+
ties who were offering this e.cuse for their use of tor+
ture were not loth to go further. It was) they said)
necessary to wal( the creatures in order to (eep them
awa(e. It was soon discoered that the enforced
sleeplessness and the wal(ing would after two or three
days and nights produce confessions. ,tearne himself
describes the matter graphically M H For the watching)H
he writes) Hit is not to use iolence or e.tremity to
force them to confesse) but onely the (eeping is) first)
to see whether any of their spirits or familiars come to
or neere them5 for I hae found that if the time be
come) the spirit or Impe so called should come) it will
be either isible or inisible) if isible) then it may be
discerned by those in the Roome) if inisible) then by the
party. ,econdly) it is for this end also) that if the
parties which watch them) be so carefull that none come
isible nor inisible but that may be discerned) if they
follow their directions then the party presently after the
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, D#2
time their Familiars should hae come) if they faile)
will presently confesse) for then they thin(e they will
either come no more or hae forsa(en them. *hirdly
it is also to the end) that Bodly ;iines and others might
discourse with them) for if any of their society come
to them to discourse with them) they will neer con+
fesse. . . . =ut if honest godly people discourse with
them) laying the hainousnesse of their sins to them) and
in what condition they are in without Repentance) and
telling them the subtilties of the ;eil) and the mercies
of Bod) these ways will bring them to Confession with+
out e.tremity) it will ma(e them brea( into confession
hoping for mercy.H H<
4op(ins tells us more about the wal(ing of the
witches. In answer to the ob&ection that the accused
S
were H e.traordinarily wal(ed till their feet were blis+
tered) and so forced through that cruelty to confesse)H
H he answered that the purpose was only to (eepe
them wa(ingM and the reason was this) when they did
lye or sit in a chaire) if they did offer to couch downe)
then the watchers were only to desire them to sit up and
wal(e about.H
?ow) the inference might be drawn from these de+
scriptions that the use of torture was a new feature
of the witchcraft persecutions characteristic of the
Ciil %ar period. *here is little eidence that before
that time such methods were in use. A schoolmaster
who was supposed to hae used magic against @ames I
had been put to the rac(. *here were other cases in
which it is con&ectured that the method may hae been
tried. *here is) howeer) little if any proof of such
trial.
im ,tearne) !2) !E.
D#E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
,uch an inference would) howeer) be altogether un+
&ustified. *he absence of eidence of the use of tor+
ture by no means establishes the absence of the prac+
tice. It may rather be said that the eidence of the
practice we possess in the 4op(ins cases is of such a
sort as to lead us to suspect that it was fre-uently re+
sorted to. If for these cases we had only such eidence
as in most preious cases has made up our entire
sum of information) we should (now nothing of the ter+
rible sufferings undergone by the poor creatures of
Chelmsford and =ury. *he confessions are gien in
full) as in the accounts of other trials) but no word is
said of the causes that led to them. *he difference be+
tween these cases of !1E/ and other cases is this) that
4op(ins and ,tearne accused so large a body of witches
that they stirred up opposition. It is through those who
opposed them and their own replies that we learn about
the tortures inflicted upon the supposed agents of the
;eil.
*he significance of this cannot be insisted upon too
strongly. A chance has presered for us the fact of the
tortures of this time. It is altogether possible G it is
almost probable G that) if we had all the facts) we should
find that similar or e-ually seere methods had been
practised in many other witch cases.
%e hae been ery minute in our descriptions of the
4op(ins crusade) and by no means brief in our attempt
to account for it. =ut it is safe to say that it is easily
the most important episode in that series of episodes
which ma(es up the history of English witchcraft.
?one of them belong) of course) in the larger progress
of historical eents. It may seem to some that we hae
magnified the point at which they touched the wider
9A**4E% 4>PAI?, <<
interests of the time. :et it not be forgotten that 4op+
(ins was a factor in his day and that) howeer little he
may hae affected the larger issues of the times) he was
affected by them. It was only the unusual conditions
produced by the Ciil %ars that made the great witch+
finder possible.
C4AP*ER IF.
%itchcraft during the Commonwealth and
Protectorate<
%e hae) in the last chapter) traced the history of
witchcraft in England through the 4op(ins episode
of !1E/+!1E3. From the trials at Ely in the autumn of
!1E3 to the discoeries at =erwic( in the summer of
!1E" there was a lull in the witch alarms. *hen an epi+
demic bro(e out in the north of England. %e shall)
in this chapter) describe that epidemic and shall carry
the narratie of the important cases from that time to
the Restoration. In doing this we shall mar( off two
periods) one from !1E" to l Y/2Q when the e.ecutions
were still numerous) and a second from !1/2 to . Y/"
when there was a rapid falling off) not only in death
penalties for witchcraft) but een in accusations. *o
be sure) this diision is somewhat artificial) for there
was a gradual decline of the attac( throughout the two
periods) but the year !1/2 more nearly than any other
mar(s the year when that decline became isible.
*he epidemic of !1E" came from ,cotland. *hrough+
out the year the northern (ingdom had been H infested.H '
From one end of that realm to the other the witch fires
had been burning. It was not to be supposed that they
should be suddenly e.tinguished when they reached the
border. In @uly the guild of =erwic( had inited a
,cotchman who had gained great fame as a H pric(er H
! %hiteloc(e) 9emorials) III) 12) "3 ) "") !!2.
D#1
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B C>99>?%EA:*4 D#3
to come to =erwic() and had promised him immunity
from all iolence.< 4e came and proceeded to apply
his methods of detection. *hey rested upon the as+
sumption that a witch had insensible spots on her body)
and that these could be found by driing in a pin. =y
such processes he discoered thirty witches) who were
sent to gaol. ,ome of them made confessions but re+
fused to admit that they had in&ured any one.< >n
the contrary) they had assisted Cromwell) so some of
the more ingenious of them claimed) at the battle of
Preston. E %hether this helped their case we do not
(now) for we are not told the outcome. It seems almost
certain) howeer) that few) if any) of them suffered
death. =ut the pric(er went bac( to ,cotland with
thirty pounds) the arrangement haing been that he
was to receie twenty shillings a witch.
4e was soon called upon again. In ;ecember of the
same year the town of ?ewcastle underwent a scare.
*wo citi0ens) probably ,er&eants) applied the test with
such success that in 9arch 6!1E"K/#7 a body of citi+
0ens petitioned the common council that some definite
steps be ta(en about the witches. *he council accepted
the suggestion and despatched two ,er&eants) doubtless
the men already engaged in the wor() to ,cotland to
engage the witch+pric(er. 4e was brought to ?ew+
castle with the definite contract that he was to hae his
passage going and coming and twenty shillings apiece
for eery witch he found. *he magistrates did eery+
<,ee an e.tract from the Build 4all =oo(s in @ohn Fuller) 4istory
of =erwic( 6Edinburgh) !3""7< !//+!/1.
< *homas %iddrington's letter to %hiteloc(e 6%hiteloc(e) 9emorials)
III) ""7. %iddrington said the man professed himself H an artist that
way.H *he writer was eidently somewhat s(eptical.
Ibid.
!/
D#$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
thing possible to help him. >n his arrial in ?ew+
castle they sent the bellman through the town initing
eery one to ma(e complaints.< In this business+li(e
way they collected thirty women at the town hall)
stripped them) and put them to the pric(ing test. *his
cruel) not to say indelicate) process was carried on with
additions that must hae proed highly dierting to the
base+minded pric(ers and onloo(ers. + Fourteen women
and one man were tried 6Bardiner says by the assi0es7
and found guilty. %ithout e.ception they asserted
their innocence 5 but this aailed not. In August of !1/#
they were e.ecuted on the town moor * of ?ewcastle.H
*he witchfinder continued his actiities in the north)
but a storm was rising against him. 4enry >gle)
a late member of Parliament) caused him to be &ailed
and put under bond to answer the sessions.< Unfor+
tunately the man got away to ,cotland) where he later
< Ralph Bardiner) England's Brieance ;iscoered in Relation to the
Coal *rade 6:ondon) !1//7) !#$.
IIbid.
! ,ee @ohn =rand) 4istory and Anti-uities of . . . ?ewcastle 6:on+
don) !3$"7) II) E3$) or the Chronicon 9irabile 6:ondon) !$E!7) "D) for
an e.tract from the pariah registers) giing the names. A witch of
rural ?orthumberland was e.ecuted with them.
'*he witches of !1E" were not confined to the north. *wo are said
to hae been e.ecuted at ,t Albans) a man and a woman5 one woman
was tried in %orcestershire) one at Bloucester) and two in 9iddle+
se.. @ohn Palmer and Eli0abeth Anott) who suffered at ,t Albans)
had gained some notoriety. Palmer had contracted with the ;eil and
had persuaded his (inswoman to assist him in procuring the death of a
woman by the use of clay pictures. =oth were probably practitioners
in magic. Palmer) een when in prison) claimed the power of trans+
forming men into beasts. *he woman seems to hae been put to the
swimming test =oth were condemned. Palmer) at his e.ecution) gae
information about a H whole colledge of witches)H most of them) no
doubt) practisers li(e himself) but his random accusations were prob+
ably passed oer. ,ee *he ;iels ;elusions or A faithfull relation
of @ohn Palmer and Elisabeth Anott . . . 6!1E"7.
I Ralph Bardiner) op. cit.) !#".
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B C>99>?%EA:*4 D#"
suffered death for his deeds) probably during the Crom+
wellian regime in that country . )_
%e hae seen that 4enry >gle had drien the
,cotch pric(er out of the country. 4e participated in
another witch affair during this same period which is
-uite as much to his credit. *he children of Beorge
9uschamp) in ?orthumberland) had been troubled for
two years 6!1E/+!1E37 with strange conulsions.H *he
family suspected ;orothy ,winow) who was the wife
of Colonel ,winow. It seems that the colonel's wife
had) at some time) spo(en harshly to one of the children.
?o doubt the sic( little girl heard what they said. At
any rate her raings began to ta(e the form of accu+
sations against the suspected woman. *he family con+
sulted @ohn 4ulton) H who could do more then Bod
allowed)H and he accused Colonel ,winow's wife. =ut
unfortunately for him the child had been much better
during his presence) and he too was suspected. *he
mother of the children now rode to a &ustice of the
peace) who sent for 4ulton) but not for 9istress
,winow. *hen the woman appealed to the assi0es) but
the &udge) Hfalsely informed)H too( no action. 9rs.
9uschamp was persistent) and in the town of =erwic(
she was able) at length) to procure the arrest of the
woman she feared. =ut ;orothy ,winow was not with+
out friends) who interfered successfully in her behalf.
9rs. 9uschamp now went to a H counsellor)H who re+
< ,ee ibid. At his e.ecution) Bardiner says) he confessed that he had
been the death of aao witches in ,cotland and England. Either the
man was guilty of unseemly and boastful lying) which is ery li(ely)
or ,cotland was indeed badly H infested.H ,ee aboe) note 0.
u *his narratie is contained in %onder full ?ews from the ?orth)
>r a *rue Relation of the ,ad and Brieous *orments Inflicted upon
. . . three Children of 9r. Beorge 9uschamp . . . 6:ondon) !1/#7.
D!# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
fused to meddle with the matter) and then to a &udge)
who directed her to go to ;urham. ,he did so and got
a warrant 5 but it was not obeyed. ,he then procured
a second warrant) and apparently succeeded in getting
an indictment. =ut it did her little goodM ;orothy
,winow was not apprehended.
>ne can hardly refrain from smiling a little at the
unhappy 9rs. 9uschamp and her 0ealous assistants)
the H physician H and the two clergymen. =ut her poor
daughters grew worse) and the sic( child) who had be+
fore seen angels in her conulsions) now saw the col+
onel's wife and cried out in her raings against the re+
miss &udge. !! *he case is at once pathetic and amusing)
but it has withal a certain significance. It was not only
9rs. ,winow's social position that saed her) though
that doubtless carried weight. It was the reluctance of
the north+country &ustices to follow up accusations.
?ot that they had done with trials. *wo capital sen+
tences at ;urham and another at Bateshead) although
perhaps after+effects of the ,cotch pric(er's actiity)
showed that the witch was still feared 5 but such cases
were e.ceptions. In general) the cases resulted in ac+
-uittals. %e shall see) in another chapter) that the
discoery which alarmed Yor(shire and ?orthumber+
land in !132 almost certainly had this outcome 5 and the
cases tried at that time formed the last chapter in
northern witchcraft.
=ut) if hanging witches was not easy in the north)
there were still districts in the southwest of England
where it could be done) with few to say nay. Anne
u *he story of the case was sent down to :ondon and there published)
where it soon became a classic among the witch+belieing clergy.
. %I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B C>99>?%EA:*4 D!!
=odenham) !! of Fisherton Anger in %iltshire) had not
the social position of ;orothy ,winow) but she was the
wife of a clothier who had lied H in good fashion)H
and in her old age she taught children to read. ,he
had) it seems) been in earlier life an apt pupil of ;r.
:ambe) and had learned from him the practice of magic
lore. ,he drew magic circles) saw isions of people in
a glass) possessed numerous charms and incantations)
and) aboe all) (ept a wonderful magic boo(. ,he at+
tempted to find lost money) to tell the future) and to
cure disease5 indeed) she had a aried repertoire of
occult performances.
?ow) 9istress =odenham did all these things for
money and roused no antagonism in her community
until she was unfortunate enough to hae dealings with
a maid+serant in a %iltshire family. It is impossible
to get behind the few hints gien us by the cautious
writer. *he members of the family) eidently one of
some standing in %iltshire) became inoled in a -uar+
rel among themseles. It was belieed) indeed) by
neighbors that there had been a conspiracy on the part
of some of the family to poison the mother+in+law. At
all eents) a maid in the family was imprisoned for par+
ticipation in such a plot. It was then that Anne =oden+
ham first came into the story. *he maid) to &udge from
the few data we hae) in order to distract attention
from her own doings) made a confession that she had
signed a boo( of the ;eil's with her own blood) all at
the instigation of Anne =odenham. 9oreoer) Anne)
she said) had offered to send her to :ondon in two
hours. *his was communicated to a &ustice of the
H,ee the two pamphlets by Edmond =ower described below in ap+
pendi. A) I /) and 4enry 9ore) Antidote against Atheisme) b(. Ill)
ch. CII.
D!D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
peace) who promptly too( the accused woman into
custody. *he maid+serant) successful thus far) began
to simulate fits and to lay the blame for them on 9is+
tress Anne. 8uestioned as to what she conceied
her condition) she replied) H >h ery damnable) ery
wretched.H ,he could see the ;eil) she said) on the
housetop loo(ing at her. *hese fancies passed as facts)
and the accused woman was put to the usual humilia+
tions. ,he was searched) e.amined) and urged to con+
fess. *he narrator of the story made effort after
effort to wring from her an admission of her guilt) but
she slipped out of all his traps. Against her accuser
she was ery bitter. H ,he hath undone me . . . that
am an honest woman) 'twill brea( my 4usband's heart)
he griees to see me in these Irons M I did once lie in
good fashion.H
*he case was turned oer by the &ustices of the peace
to the assi0es at ,alisbury) where Chief =aron @ohn
%ylde of the e.che-uer presided. !E *he testimony
of the maid was brought in) as well as the other proofs. !#
All we (now of the trial is that Anne was condemned)
and that @udge %ylde was so well satisfied with his
wor( that he urged Edmund =ower) who had begun an
account of the case) but had hesitated to e.pose himself
to H this Censorious Age)H to go on with his boo(let.
*hat detestable indiidual had followed the case closely.
After the condemnation he labored with the woman to
9 %ylde was not well esteemed as a &udge. >n the institution of the
protectorate he was not reappointed by Cromwell.
u Aubrey 6who had it from an eye+witness7 tells us that Hthe
crowd of spectators made such a noise that the &udge could not heare
the prisoner) nor the prisoner the &udge5 but the words were handed
from one to the other by 9r. R. Chandler and sometimes not truly re+
peated.H @ohn Aubrey) Remaines of Bentilisme and @udaism< . . .
6ed. @. =ritten) Fol( :ara ,oe. Publications) IC) 0$$i7) D1!.
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B C>99>?%EA:*4 D!2
ma(e her confess. =ut no ac(nowledgment of guilt
could be wrung from the high+spirited 9istress =od+
enham) een when the would+be father confessor held
out to her the false hope of mercy. ,he made a will
giing gifts to thirty people) declared she had been
robbed by her maids in prison) lamented oer her hus+
band's sorrow) and re-uested that she be buried under
the gallows. :i(e the 9cPherson who danced so wan+
tonly and rantingly beneath the gallows tree) she re+
mained brae+hearted to the end. %hen the officer told
her she must go with him to the place of e.ecution) she
replied) H =e you ready) I am ready.H *he narrator
closes the account with some moral reflections. %e
may close with the obseration that there is no finer
instance of womanly courage in the annals of witch+
craft than that of Anne =odenham. ;oubtless she had
used charms) and e.perimented with glasses5 it had
been done by those of higher ran( than she.
As for the maid) she had got herself well out of
trouble. %hen 9istress =odenham had been hanged)
the fits ceased) and she professed great than(fulness
to Bod and a desire to sere him.
*he case of @oan Peterson) who was tried at the
>ld =ailey in !1/D) is another instance of the struggle
of a spirited woman against too great odds. @oan) li(e
9istress =odenham) (ept arious (inds of powders
and prescribed physic for ailing neighbors. ! < It was)
HFor the case see *he *ryall and E.aminations of 9rs. @oan Peter+
son . . . 5 *he %itch of %apping) or an E.act . . . Relation of ths . . .
Practises of @oan Peterson . . . 5 A ;eclaration in Answer to seerall
lying Pamphlets concerning the %itch of %apping . . . ) 6aa to these
pamphlets) all printed at :ondon in !1/a) see below) appendi. A) V/75
French Intelligencer) April 1+!2) !1/D5 %ee(ly Intelligencer) April 1+!2)
D1/<5 *he Faithful ,cout) April "+!1) !1/25 9ercurius ;emocritus) April
3+!3. !1/2.
D!E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
howeer) if we may beliee her defender) not on account
of her prescriptions) but rather on account of her refusal
to swear falsely) that her downfall came. >ne would
be glad to (now the name of the igorous defender who
after her e.ecution issued A ;eclaration in Answer to
seerall lying Pamphlets concerning the %itch of %ap+
ping. 4is narratie of the plot against the accused
woman offers a plausible e.planation of the affair and
is not improbably trustworthy. As he tells the story)
there were certain relaties of :ady Powell who had
been disappointed that her estate had been be-ueathed
to 9rs. Anne :eingston. *hey conspired to get rid
of the heiress) went to a cunning woman) and offered
to pay her liberally if she would swear that 9rs. :e+
ingston had used sorcery to ta(e away the life of :ady
Powell. Unfortunately for the conspirators) the cun+
ning woman betrayed their schemes. ?ot discour+
aged) howeer) they employed another woman) who)
as their representatie) went to @oan Peterson and
offered her a hundred pounds to swear that 9rs. :e+
ingston had procured from her H certain powders and
bags of seeds.H @oan refused the proposition) and the
plotters) fearing a second e.posure of their plans) de+
termined that 9istress Peterson should also be put
out of the way. *hey were able to procure a warrant
to hae her arrested and searched. Breat pressure
was put upon her to confess enough to implicate 9rs.
:eingston and she was gien to understand that if she
would do so she would herself be spared. =ut @oan
refused their proffers and went to her trial. If the
narratie may be at all trusted there was little effort
to gie her a fair hearing. %itnesses against her were
purchased in adance) strangers were offered money
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B C>99>?%EA:*4 D!/
to testify against her) and those who were to hae gien
eidence on her side were most of them intimidated
into staying away from the trial. Four physicians and
two surgeons signed a certificate that :ady Powell had
died from perfectly natural causes. It was of no
aail. @oan was conicted and died braely) deny+
ing her guilt to the end.H 4er defender aers that some
of the magistrates in the case were inoled in the
conspiracy against her. >ne of these was ,ir @ohn
;aners) a member of Cromwell's council. In the
margin of his account the pamphleteer writes M H ,ir
@ohn ;aners came and dined at the ,essions house
and had much priate discourse with the Recorder and
many of the @ustices and came and sate upon the =ench
at her *rial) where he hath seldom or neer been for
these many years.H
In @uly of !1/D occurred another trial that attracted
notice in its own time. ,i. Aentish women were tried
at the assi0es at 9aidstone before Peter %arbur+
ton. 9 %e (now almost nothing of the eidence offered
by the prosecution sae that there was e.hibited in the
,wan Inn at 9aidstone a piece of flesh which the
;eil was said to hae gien to one of the accused)
and that a wa.en image of a little girl figured in the
eidence. ,ome of the accused confessed that they had
used it in order to (ill the child. ,earch was instituted
for it) and it was found) if the narrator may be trusted)
!* *he French Intelligencer tells us the story of her e.ecutionM H ,he
seemed to be much de&ected) haying a melancholy aspect5 she seemed
not to be much aboe E# years of age) and was not in the least out+
wardly deformed) as those (ind of creatures usually are.H
u For an account of this affair see A Prodigious and *ragicall 4is+
tory of the . . . Condemnation of si. %itches at 9aidstone . . . 6:on+
don) !1/D7.
D!1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
under the door where the witches had said it would be.H
*he si. were all condemned and suffered e.ecution.
,eeral others were arraigned) but probably escaped
trial.
If the age was as HcensoriousH of things of this
nature as Edmund =ower had belieed it to be) it is
rather remar(able that H these proceedings)H which
were within a short distance of :ondon) e.cited so little
stir in that metropolis. Elias Ashmole) founder of
the Ashmolean 9useum at >.ford and deler in as+
trology) attended the trials) with @ohn *radescant)
traeller and gardener< 4e left no comments. *he
Faithful ,cout) in its issue of @uly 2#+August 3) men+
tioned the trial and the confessions) but refrained from
any e.pression of opinion.
*here were other trials in this period 5 but they must
be passed oer rapidly. *he physicians were -uite as
busy as eer in suggesting witchcraft. %e can de+
tect the hand of a physician in the attribution of the
strange illness of a girl who discharged great -uan+
tities of stones to the contriance of Catherine 4u.+
ley) who was) in conse-uence) hanged at %orcester.H
In a case at E.eter the physician was only indirectly
responsible. %hen Brace 9atthews had consulted him
!" It was H supposed)H says the narrator) that nine children) besides
a man and a woman) had suffered at their hands) ]/## worth of cattle
had been lost) and much corn wrec(ed at sea. *wo of the women made
confession) but not to these things.
TI,ee Ashmole's diary as gien in Charles =urman) :ies of Elias
Ashmole) Es-.) and 9r) %illiam :illy) written by themseles . . .
6:ondon) !33E7) 2.1.
< In his Certainty of the %orld of ,pirits 6:ondon) !1"!7) EE) E/)
Richard =a.ter) who is by no means absolutely reliable) tells 'us about
this case. It should be understood that it is only a guess of the writer
that the physician was to blame for the accusation5 but it much re+
sembles other cases where the physician started the trouble.
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B C>99>?%EA:*4 D!3
about her husband's illness) he had apparently gien up
the case) and directed her to a wise woman. *he wise
woman had warned 9istress 9atthews of a neighbor
H tall of stature and of a pale face and blin(ing eye)H
against whom it would be well to use certain prescribed
remedies. 9rs. 9atthews did so) and roused out the
witch) who proed to be a butcher's wife) @oan =a(er.
%hen the witch found her spells thwarted) she turned
them against 9rs. 9atthews's maid+serant) who in
conse-uence died. *his was part of the eidence against
@oan) and it was confirmed by her own (insfol(M her
father+in+law had seen her handling toads. ,he was
committed) but we hear no more of the case.
*hat random accusations were not feared as they had
been was eidenced by the boldness of suspected parties
in bringing action against their accusers) een if bold+
ness was sometimes mis&udged. %e hae two actions
of this sort.
@oan Read of ;ei0es had been reported to be a
witch) and on that account had been refused by the
ba(ers the priilege of using their ba(eries for her
dough< ,he threw down the gloe to her accusers by
demanding that they should be brought by warrant to
accuse her. ?o doubt she reali0ed that she had good
support in her community) and that her challenge was
not li(ely to be accepted. =ut a woman near :and's
End in Cornwall seems to hae oerestimated the sup+
port upon which she could count. ,he had procured
a warrant against her accusers to call the case before
S %illiam Cotton) Bleanings from the 9unicipal and Cathedral Rec+
ords Relatie to the 4istory of the City of E.eter 6E.eter) !$337)
!E"+D/#.
4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) I) !D3.
D!$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
the mayor. *he court sided with the accusers and the
woman was brought to trial. Caught herself) she pro+
ceeded to ensnare others. As a result) eight persons
were sent to :aunceston)< E and some probably suffered
death.H
%e hae already seen what a tangled web 9rs. 9us+
champ woe when she set out to imprison a coloners
wife. It would be easy to cite cases to show the same re+
luctance to follow up prosecution. Four women at :ei+
cester searched Ann Chettle and found no eidence of
guilt.H In ;urham a case came up before @ustice 4enry
*empest.< 3 9ary ,y(es was accused. ,ara Rodes) a
child) awa(ening from sleep in a fright) had declared to
her mother that H ,i(es' wife H had come in H att a hole
att the bedd feete H and ta(en her by the throat. >f
course ,ara Rodes fell ill. 9oreoer) the witch had
been seen riding at midnight on the bac( of a cow and
at another time flying out of a Hmistall windowe.H
=ut the woman) in spite of the unfaorable opinion of
the women searchers) went free. *here were cases
that seem to hae ended the same way at Yor() at
9 9ercurius Politicus) ?oember 2E+;ecember a) !1/2. >ne of these
witches was perhaps the one mentioned as from :aunceston in Cornwall
in R. and >. =. Peter) *he 4istories of :aunceston and ;unheed
6Plymouth) !$$/7) D$/M Hthe grae in wU b the wich was buryed.H
< Richard =urthogge) An Essay upon Reason and the ?ature of
,pirits 6:ondon) !1"E7) . " 1 S writes that he has the confessions in 9,.
of H a great number of %itches 6some of which were E.ecuted7 that
were ta(en by a @ustice of Peace in Cornwall aboe thirty Years agoc.H
It does not seem impossible that this is a reference to the same affair
as that mentioned by the :aunceston record.
u :eicestershire and Rutland ?otes and 8ueries 6:eicester) !$"!)
etc.7) I) SE3.
3! @ames Raine) ed)) A ,election from the ;epositions in Criminal
Cases ta(en before the ?orthern 9agistrates) from the >riginals pre+
sered in Yor( Castle 6,urtees ,oc.) no. E#) !$1!7) D$+2#. Cited here+
after as Yor( ;epositions.
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B PR>*EC*>RA*E D!"
:eeds) and at ,carborough. *hey were hints of what
we hae already noticed) that the northern counties
were changing their attitude< =ut a case in ;erby+
shire deseres more attention because the &ustice)
Berase =ennett) was one of the members of Cromwell's
council. *he case itself was not in any way unusual.
A beggar woman) who had been liberally supported by
those who feared her) was on trial for witchcraft. =e+
cause of =ennett's close relation to the goernment) we
should be glad to (now what he did with the case) but
the fact that the woman's coniction is not among the
records ma(es it probable that she was not bound oer
to the assi0es<
%e come now to e.amine the second of the sub+
periods into which we hae diided the Interregnum.
%e hae been dealing with the interal between the war
and the establishment of the Protectorate) a time
that shaded off from the dar( shadows of internecine
struggle towards the high light of steady peace and
security. =y !1/2 the e-uilibrium of England had been
restored. Cromwell's goernment was beginning to
run smoothly. *he courts were in full swing. ?one of
those conditions to which we hae attributed the spread
of the witch alarms of the Ciil %ars were any longer
in operation. It is not surprising) then) that the Protec+
torate was one of the most -uiet periods in the annals
of witchcraft. %hile the years !1E$+!1/2 had wit+
< Yet in !1/# there had been a scare at Bateshead which cost the rate
payers ]D) of which a significant item was 1 d. for a H grae for a
witch.H ;en ham *racts 6Fol( :ore ,oc7) II) 22$. At ;urham) in
!1/a) two persons were e.ecuted. Richardson) *able =oo( 6:ondon)
!$E!7) I) D$1.
!" @. C. Co.) *hree Centuries of ;erbyshire Annals 6:ondon) !$"#7)
II) $$. Co.) howeer) thin(s it probable that she was punished.
DD# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
nessed thirty e.ecutions in England) the period of the
Protectorate saw but half a do0en) and three of these
fell within the somewhat disturbed rule of Richard
Cromwell< In other words) there was a ery mar(ed
falling off of conictions for witchcraft) a falling off
that had indeed begun before the year !1/2. Yet this
diminution of capital sentences does not by any means
signify that the realm was rid of superstition. In 9id+
dlese.) in ,omerset and ;eon) in Yor() ?orthumber+
land) and Cumberland) the attac( upon witches on the
part of the people was going on with undiminished
igor. If no great discoeries were made) if no nests
of the pestilent creatures were unearthed) the &ustices
of the peace were (ept -uite as busy with e.aminations
as eer before.
*o be sure) an analysis of cases proes that a larger
proportion of those haled to court were light offenders)
H good witches H whose healing arts had perhaps been
unsuccessful) dealers in magic who had aroused eny
or fear. *he court records of 9iddlese. and Yor(
are full of complaints against the professional en+
chanters. In most instances they were dismissed. ?ow
and then a woman was sent to the house of correction)< !
but een this punishment was the e.ception.
*wo other (inds of cases appeared with less fre+
-uency. %e hae one ery clear instance at %a(efield)
in Yor() where a -uarrel between two tenant farmers
oer their highway rights became so bitter that a chance
threat uttered by the loser of the lawsuit) H It shall be
<It it of course not altogether safe to reason from the absence of
recorded e.ecutions) and it is least safe in the time of the Ciil %ars
and the years of recoery.
n 9iddlese. County Records) ed. by @. C. @eaffreson 6:ondon) D$"D7)
III) 2"/5 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) !) !D".
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B PR>*EC*>RA*E DD!
a dear day's wor( for you)H occasioned an accusation
of witchcraft.H In another instance the debt of a
penny seems to hae been the beginning of a hatred
between two impecunious creatures) and this brought
on a charge .<
*he most common type of case) of course) was that
where strange disease or death played a part. In Yor(+
shire) in 4ertfordshire) and in Cornwall there were
trials based upon a sort of eidence with which the
reader is already -uite familiar. It was easy for the
morbid mother of a dead child to recall or imagine
angry words spo(en to her shortly before the death of
her offspring. It was -uite as natural for a sic( child
to be alarmed at the sight of a isitor and go into
spasms. *here was no fi.ed rule) howeer) goerning the
relation of the afflicted children and the possible witches.
%hen %illiam %ade was named) ' Eli0abeth 9allory
would fly into fits. !E %hen @ane =roo(s entered the
room) a bewitched youth of Chard would become hys+
terical.H It was the opposite way with a ictim in E.e+
ter)H who remained well only so long as the witch who
caused the trouble stayed with him.H
Closely related to these types of eidence was what
has been denominated spectral eidence) a form of ei+
dence recurrent throughout the history of English
n Yor( ;epositions) 3E.
U 4ertfordshire County ,essions Rolls) compiled by %. @. 4ardy 64ert+
ford) !"#/7< If !D1. It is not absolutely certain in the second case that the
committal was to the house of correction.
I< Yor( ;epositions) 31+33.
< @oseph Blanill) ,adducismus *riumphatus 6:ondon) !1$ !7) pt.
ii) iaa.
w Cotton) Bleanings . . . relatie to the 4istory of . . . E.eter) !/ a.
HIn the famous %arboys case of !/"2 it was the witch's presence
that relieed the bewitched of their ailments.
DDD %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
witchcraft In the time of the Protectorate we hae
at least three cases of the (ind. *he accused woman ap+
peared to the afflicted indiidual now in her own form)
again in other shapes) as a cat) as a bee) or as a dog.H *he
identification of a particular face in the head of a bee
must hae been a matter of some difficulty) but there
is no ground for supposing that any ob&ection was
made to this eidence in court. At all eents) the testi+
mony went down on the official records in Yor(shire.
In ,omerset the @ane =roo(s caseH already referred
to) called forth spectral eidence in a form that must
really hae been ery conincing. %hen the bewitched
boy cried out that he saw the witch on the wall) his
cousin struc( at the place) upon which the boy cried
out) H > Father) Co0 Bibson hath cut @ane =roo(s's
hand) and 'tis bloody.H ?ow) according to the story)
the constable proceeded to the woman's house and
found her hand cut.
As to the social status of the people inoled in the
Protectorate trials there is little to say) other than
has been said of many earlier cases. =y far the larger
number of those accused) as we hae already pointed
out) were charmers and enchanters) people who made a
penny here and twopence there) but who had at best
a precarious e.istence. ,ome of them) no doubt) traded
on the fear they inspired in their communities and beg+
ged now a loaf of bread and now a pot of beer. *hey
were the same people who) when begging and enchant+
ing failed) resorted to stealing< In one of the Yor(+
shire depositions we hae perhaps a hint of another
II Yor( ;epositions) 1E+13.
HBlamrill) ,addueismus *riumphatus) pt ii f iao+iai.
< 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) I) iao.
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B PR>*EC*>RA*E DD2
class from which the witches were recruited. Aather+
ine Earle struc( a 9r. Fran( between the shoulders
and said) H You are a pretty gentleman 5 will you (isse
meR H %hen the man happened to die this solicitation
assumed a serious aspect.< !
%itchcraft was indeed so often the outcome of lower+
class bic(ering that trials inoling the upper classes
seem worthy of special record. ;uring the Protec+
torate there were two rather remar(able trials. In
!1/1 %illiam and 9ary %ade were accused of be+
witching the fourteen+year+old daughter of Eli0abeth
9allory of ,tudley 4all. *he 9allorys were a prom+
inent family in Yor(shire. *he grandfather of the
accusing child had been a member of Parliament and
was a well (nown Royalist colonel. %hen 9istress
Eli0abeth declared that her fits would not cease until
9ary %ade had said that she had done her wrong)
9ary %ade was persuaded to say the words. Eli0a+
beth was well at once) but 9ary withdrew her admis+
sion and Eli0abeth resumed her fits) indeed H she was
paste holdinge) her e.treamaty was such.H ,he now
demanded that the two %ades should be imprisoned)
and when they were H both in holde H she became well
again. *hey were e.amined by a &ustice of the peace)
but were probably let off.H
*he story of ;iana Crosse at E.eter is a more pa+
thetic one. 9rs. Crosse had once (ept a girls' school G
could it be that there was some connection between
teaching and witchcraftR< G had met with misfortune)
and had at length been reduced to beggary. %e hae
E! Yor( ;epositions) 1".
U@1%` 3/+3$.
tt ,ee the story of Anne =odenhara.
!1
DDE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
no means of (nowing whether the suspicion of witch+
craft antedated her e.treme poerty or not) but it seems
-uite clear that the former school+teacher had gained
an ill name in the community. ,he resented bitterly
the attitude of the people) and at one time seems to hae
appealed to the mayor. It Yyas perhaps by this ery
act that she focussed the suspicion of her neighbors.
*o go oer the details of the trial is not worth while.
;iana Crosse probably escaped e.ecution to e(e out
the remainder of her life in beggary. EE
*he districts of England affected by the delusion dur+
ing this period hae already been indicated. %hile
there were random cases in ,uffol() 4ertfordshire)
%iltshire) ,omerset) Cumberland) and ?orthumber+
land) by far the greatest actiity seems to hae been
in 9iddlese.) Cornwall) and Yor(shire. *o a layman
it loo(s as if the north of England had produced the
greater part of its fol(+lore. Certain it is that the
witch stories of Yor(shire) as those of :ancaster at
another time) by their mysterious and romantic ele+
ments made the trials of the south seem flat) stale) and
unprofitable. Yet they rarely had as serious results.
*o the historian the 9iddlese. cases must be more
interesting because they should afford some inde. of
the attitude of the central goernment. Unhappily we
do not (now the fate of the Yor(shire witches) though
it has been surmised) in the absence of eidence to the
contrary) that they all escaped e.ecution. E < In 9iddle+
u Cotton) Bleanings . . . Relatie to the 4istory of . . . E.eter) !/#+
!/a.
< @ames Raine) editor of Yor( ;epositions) writes that be has found no
instance of the coniction of a witch. Preface) .... *he Criminal
Chronology of Yor( Castle) with a Register of Criminals capitally Con+
icted and E.ecuted 6Yor() !$137) contains not a single e.ecution for
witchcraft
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B PR>*EC*>RA*E DDs
se. we (now that during this period only one woman)
so far as our e.tant records go) was ad&udged guilty.
All the rest were let go free. ?ow) this may be sig+
nificant and it may not. It does not seem unreasonable
to suppose that the 9iddlese. -uarter sessions were in
harmony with the central goernment. Yet this can
be no more than a guess. It is not easy to ta(e bear+
ings which will locate the position of the Cromwellian
goernment. *he protector himself was occupied with
weightier matters) and) so far as we (now) neer ut+
tered a word on the sub&ect. 4e was almost certainly
responsible for the pardon of 9argaret Byngell at
,alisbury in !1//)H yet we cannot be sure that he was
not guided in that case by special circumstances as well
as by the recommendation of subordinates.
%e hae but little more eidence as to the attitude of
his council of state. It was three years before the Pro+
tectorate was put into operation that the hesitating
sheriff of Cumberland) who had some witches on his
hands) was authori0ed to go ahead and carry out the
law. E3 =ut on the other hand it was in the same period
that the English commissioners in ,cotland put a
-uietus on the witch alarms in that (ingdom. In fact)
one of their first acts was to ta(e oer the accused
women from the church courts and demand the proof
against them. E < %hen it was found that they had been
u Inderwic() Interregnum) !$$+!$".
E3 Cat. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1/#) !/".
E$ *here are seeral secondary accounts of this affair. ,ee F. :egge in
,cottish Reiew) FCIII) D13. =ut a most important primary source
is a letter from Clar(e to ,pea(er :enthall) published by the ,cottish
4istory ,ociety in its olume on ,cotland and the Commonwealth 6Ed+
inburgh) !$"/7) 213+21". ,ee also a tract in =rit. 9us. *homason col+
lection) *wo *errible ,ea Fights 6:ondon) !1/27. ,ee) too) the words
of *homas Ady) A Candle in the ;ar() !#/.
DD1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
tortured into confessions) the commission resoled upon
an en-uiry into the conduct of the sheriff) ministers)
and tormentors who had been inoled. ,eeral women
had been accused. ?ot one was condemned. *he mat+
ter was referred to the council of state) where it seems
li(ely that the action of the commissioners was ratified.
,een or eight years later) in the administration of
Richard Cromwell) there was an instance where the
council) apparently of its own initiatie) ordered a
party of soldiers to arrest a Rutlandshire witch. *he
case was) howeer) dismissed later<
*o draw a definite conclusion from these bits of ei+
dence would be rash. %e can perhaps reason some+
what from the general attitude of the goernment
*hroughout the Protectorate there was a tendency)
which Cromwell encouraged) to mollify the rigor of the
criminal law. Breat numbers of pardons were issued 5
and when %hiteloc(e suggested that no offences should
be capital e.cept murder) treason) and rebellion) no one
arose in holy horror to point out the e.ception of
witchcraft)<< and the suggestion) though neer acted
upon) was faorably considered.< !
%hen we consider this general attitude towards crime
in connection with what we hae already indicated
about the rapid decline in numbers of witch conictions)
it seems a safe guess that the Cromwellian goernment)
while not greatly interested in witchcraft) was) so far
as interested) inclined towards leniency.
HCa( ,t. P.) ;om.) !12$+!1/") !1".
H%hen the council of state) howeer) in !1/D had issued an act of
generaO pardon) witchcraft had been specifically resered) along with
murder) treason) piracy) etc. Col. ,t. P.) ;om) !1/!+!1/<) !#1.
n Inderwic() Interregnum) 22!.
C4AP*ER F.
*he :iterature of %itchcraft from !1#2 to !11#.
?o small part of our story has been deoted to the
writings of ,cot) Bifford) 4arsnett) and Aing @ames.
It is impossible to understand the significance of the
prosecutions without some ac-uaintance with the course
of opinion on the sub&ect. In this chapter we shall go
bac( as far as the opening of the reign of @ames and
follow up to the end of the Commonwealth the special
discussions of witchcraft) as well as some of the more
interesting incidental references. It will be recalled that
@ames's ;cemonologie had come out seeral years before
its author ascended the English throne. %ith the coming
of the ,cottish (ing to %estminster the wor( was re+
published at :ondon. =ut) while @ames by irtue of
his position was easily first among those who were
writing on the sub&ect) he by no means occupied the
stage alone. ?ot less than four other men gained a
hearing within the reign and for that reason desere
consideration. *hey were Per(ins) Cotta) Roberts)
and Cooper.
%illiam Per(ins's ;iscourse of the ;amned Art
of %itchcraft came first in order) indeed it was written
during the last years of Eli0abeth's reign 5 but it was
not published until !1#$) si. years after the author's
death. ! %illiam Per(ins was a fellow of Christ's Col+
lege at Cambridge and an eminent preacher in that uni+
. H Printed by Cantrel :cgge) Printer to the Unieriitie of Cam+
bridge H 6!1#$) !1!#7.
DD3
DD$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ersity. 4e holds a high place among Puritan diines.
4is sermons may still be found in the libraries of older
clergymen and citations from them are abundant in
commentaries. It was in the course of one of his uni+
ersity sermons that he too( up the matter of witch+
craft. In what year this sermon was preached cannot
definitely be said. *hat he seems to hae read ,cot)'
that howeer he does not mention Aing @ames's boo()<
are data which lead us to guess that he may hae ut+
tered the discourse between !/$E and !/"3. 4is point of
iew was strictly theological and his conictions
grounded G as might be e.pected G upon scriptural
te.ts. Yet it seems not unfair to suppose that he was
an e.ponent of opinion at Cambridge) where we hae
already seen eidences of strong faith in the reality
of witchcraft. It seems no less li(ely that a perusal
of Reginald ,cot's ;iscoerie prompted the sermon.
%itches nowadays) he admitted) hae their patrons.
4is argument for the e.istence of witches was so
thoroughly biblical that we need not go oer it 4e
did not) howeer) hold to all current conceptions of
them. *he power of the eil one to transform human
beings into other shapes he utterly repudiated. *he
scratching of witches E and the testing of them by
water he thought of no alue. / In this respect it will
be seen that he was in adance of his royal contempor+
! ,ee ;iscourse of the ;amned Art of %itchcraft) ch. CII) sect. I.
< 4is literary e.ecutor) *homas Pic(ering) late of Emmanuel College)
Cambridge) and now H 9inister of Finchingfield in Esse.)H who pre+
pared the ;iscourse for the press 6both in its separate form and as a
part of Per(ins's collected wor(s7) and who dedicates it to ,ir Edward
Co(e) is) howeer) e-ually silent as to @ames) though in his preface he
mentions ,cot by name.
E Ibid.) ch. IC) sect. I. ,ee also ch. II.
I Ibid.) ch. CII) sect II.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# DD"
ary. About the bodily mar(s) the significance of which
@ames so emphasi0ed) Per(ins seems to hae been less
decided. 4e belieed in the death penalty)< but he
warned &uries to be ery careful as to eidence. !
Eidence based upon the accusations of Hgood
witches)H upon the statements of the dying) or upon the
charges of those who had suffered ill after threats) he
thought ought to be used with great caution. It is ei+
dent that Per(ins G though he doubtless would not hae
admitted it himself G was affected by the reading of
,cot. Yet it is disappointing to find him condoning
the use of torture H in e.treme instances.<
A Cambridge man who wrote about a score of years
after Per(ins put forth opinions a good deal farther
adanced. @ohn Cotta was a H ;octor in Physic(e H at
?orthampton who had ta(en his =. A. at Cambridge
in !/"/) his 9. A. the following year) and his 9. ;. in
!1#2. ?ine years after leaing Cambridge he had pub+
lished A ,hort ;iscoerie of the Unobsered ;angers)
in which he had deoted a ery thoughtful chapter to
the relation between witchcraft and sic(ness. In !1!1
he elaborated his notions in *he *riall of %itchcraftH
IIbid.) ch. CI.
ilbid.) ch. CII) sect. II.
IIbid.) ch. CII) sect. I:
< @ames 9ason) H 9aster of Artes)H whose AnatomU of , or eerie
6Hprinted at :ondon by @ohn :egatte) Printer to the Uniersitie of
Cambridge)H !1 ia7) puts him ne.t to Per(ins in chronological order)
needs only mention in passing. 4e ta(es the reality of sorcery for
granted) and deotes himself to argument against its use.
<I . . . ,hewing the *rue and Right 9ethod< of the ;iscoery.
Cotta was familiar with the more important trials of his time. 4e
(new of the %arboys) :ancaster) and Yor( trials and he probably had
come into close contact with the ?orthampton cases. 4e had read)
too) seeral of the boo(s on the sub&ect) such as ,cot) %ier) and Per(ins.
4is omission of Aing @ames's wor( is therefore not only curious but
significant. A second edition of his boo( was published in !1D/.
D2# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
published at :ondon. :i(e Per(ins he disapproed
of the trial by water. !! 4e discredited) too) the eidence
of mar(s) but belieed in contracts with the ;eil) and
cited as illustrious instances the cases of 9erlin and
H that infamous woman)H @oan of Arc< =ut his point
of iew was of course mainly that of a medical m^n.
A large number of accusations of witchcraft were due
to the want of medical e.amination. 9any so+called
possessions could be perfectly diagnosed by a physician.
4e referred to a case where the supposed witches had
been e.ecuted and their ictim had neertheless fallen
ill again. ! < Probably this was the case of 9istress
=elcher) on whose account two women had been hanged
at ?orthampton.H
Yet Cotta belieed that there were real witches and
arraigned ,cot for failing to distinguish the impostors
from the true. ! < It was indeed) he admitted) ery hard
to discoer) e.cept by confession 5 and een confession)
as he had pointed out in his first wor() might be a
H meane) poore and uncertain proof e)H because of the
;eil's power to induce false confession. ! < 4ere the
theologian G it was hard for a seenteenth+century
writer not to be a theologian G was cropping out. =ut
the scientific spirit came to the front again when he
made the point that imagination was too apt to color
obserations made upon bewitched and witch.H *he
suggestion that coincidence e.plained many of the al+
H,ce *riaU of %itchcraft) ch. FIC.
!! ,ee ibid.) p. E$.
9 Ibid.) 11+13.
!E ,ee ibid.) cb. CI. Cotta spea(s of the case as si. years earlier.
9 Ibid.) 1D) 11.
!1 A ,hort ;iscotrie) 3#.
!* *riatl of %itchcraft) $2+$E.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# D2!
leged fulfillments of witch predictions 9 was e-ually in
adance of his times.
4ow) then) were real cases of bewitchment to be
recogni0ed R *he best assurance on such matters) Cotta
answered) came H whensoeer . . . the Physicion shall
truely discoer a manifest transcending power.H < In
other words) the ?orthampton physician belieed that
his own profession could best determine these e.ed
matters. >ne who has seen the sorry part played by the
physicians up to this time can hardly beliee that their
&udgment on this point was saner than that of men in
other professions. It may een be -uestioned if they
were more to be depended upon than the so super+
stitious clergy.
In the same year as Cotta's second boo() Ale.ander
Roberts) H minister of Bod's word at Aing's :ynn H in
?orfol() brought out A *reatise of %itchcraft as a
sort of introduction to his account of the trial of 9ary
,mith of that town and as a &ustification of her punish+
ment. *he wor( is merely a restatement of the con+
entional theology of that time as applied to witches)
e.actly such a presentation of it as was to be e.pected
from an up+country parson who had read Reginald
,cot) and could wield the ,cripture against him.<<
*he following year saw the publication of a wor(
e-ually theological) *he 9ystery of %itchcraft) by the
Reerend *homas Cooper) who felt that his part in dis+
U A ,hort ;iscoirio) /!+/2.
H*riall of %itchcraft) 3#.
< Roberts's e.planation of the proneness of women to witchcraft
deseres mention in passing. %omen are more credulous< more curi+
ous) Htheir complection is softerK' they hae Hgreater facility to fall)H
greater desire for reenge) and H are of a slippery tongue.H *reatise of
%itchcraft) ED+E2.
%I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
coering Hthe practise of Anti+Christ in that hellish
Plot of the Bunpowder+treason H enabled him to bring
to light other operations of the ;eil. 4e had indeed
some e.perience in this wor() !! as well as some ac+
-uaintance with the writers on the sub&ect. =ut he
adds nothing to the discussion unless it be the coup+
ling of the disbelief in witchcraft with the H Atheisme
and Irreligion that oerflows the land.H Fie years
later the boo( was brought out again under another
title) ,athan transformed into an Angell of :ight) . . .
ae.aemplb4ed specially in the ;octrine of %itchcraft.
In the account of the trials for witchcraft in the reign
of @ames I the diorce case of the Countess of Esse.
was purposely omitted) because in it the -uestion of
witchcraft was after all a subordinate matter. In the
history of opinion) howeer) the iews about witchcraft
e.pressed by the court that passed upon the diorce
can by no means be ignored. It is not worth while to
rehearse the malodorous details of that singular affair.
*he petitioner for diorce made the claim that her hus+
band was unable to consummate the marriage with her
and left it to be inferred that he was bewitched. It will
be remembered that Aing @ames) an.ious to further the
plans of his faorite) Carr) was too willing to hae the
marriage annulled and brought great pressure to bear
upon the members of the court. Archbishop Abbot
from the beginning of the trial showed himself un+
faorable to the petition of the countess) and @ames
deemed it necessary to resole his doubts on the general
a H In Cheshire and Coentry)H he tells us. H 4ath not Coentrie)H
he as(s 6p. .17) H beene usually haunted by these hellish ,orcerers)
where it was confessed by one of them) that no lesse than three+score
were of that confedracieR . . . And was I not there en&oyned by a
necessity to the discoerie of this =roodR H
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# 222
grounds of the diorce.< >n the matter trf witchcraft
in particular the (ing wrote M H for as sure as Bod is)
there be ;eils) and some ;eils must hae some power)
and their power is in this world. . . . *hat the ;eil's
power is not so uniersal against us) that I freely con+
fess 5 but that it is utterly restrained -uoad nos) how
was then a minister of Benea bewitched to death) and
were the witches daily punished by our law. If they
can harm none but the papists) we are too charitable
for aenging of them only.H *his was @ames's opinion
in !1!2) and it is worthy of note that he was much less
certain of his ground and much more on the defensie
about witchcraft than the author of the ;amonologie
had been. It can hardly be doubted that he had already
been affected by the more liberal iews of the eccle+
siastics who surrounded him. Archbishop =ancroft)
who had waged through his chaplain the war on the
e.orcists) was not long dead. *hat chaplain was now
=ishop of Chichester and soon to become Archbishop
of Yor(. It would be strange if @ames had not been
affected to some degree by their opinions. 9oreoer)
by this time he had begun his career as a discoerer of
impostors.
*he change in the (ing's position must) howeer)
not be oerrated. 4e maintained his belief in witches
and seemed somewhat apprehensie lest others should
doubt it. Archbishop Abbot) whom he was trying
to win oer to the diorce) would not hae denied
@ames's theories) but he was e.ceedingly cautious
in his own use of the term maleficium. Abbot was
wholly familiar with the history of the Anglican atti+
< For the whole case see 4owell) ,tate *rials) II.
D2E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
tude towards e.orcism. *here can be little doubt that
he was in sympathy with the policy of his predecessor.
It is therefore interesting to read his carefully worded
statement as to the alleged bewitchment of the Earl of
Esse.. In his speech defending his refusal and that
of three colleagues to assent to the diorce) he wrote M
H >ne of my lords 6my lord of %inchester7 hath aowed
it) that he disli(es that tnaleficium5 that he hath read
;el Rio) the @esuit) writing upon that argument) and
doth hold him an idle and fabulous fellow. . . . Another
of my lords 6my lord of Ely7 hath assented thereunto)
and maleficiutn must be gone. ?ow I for my part will
not absolutely deny that witches by Bod's permission
may hae a power oer men) to hurt all) or part in them)
as by Bod they shall be limited 5 but how shall it ap+
pear that this is such a thing in the person of a man.'<
*his was not) of course) an e.pression of disbelief in
the reality or culpability of witchcraft. It was an e.+
pression of great reluctance to lay much stress upon
charges of witchcraft G an e.pression upon the part of
the highest ecclesiastical authority in England.
In the reign of Charles I prior to the Ciil %ars we
hae to analy0e but a single contribution to the litera+
ture of our sub&ect) that made by Richard =ernard. =er+
nard had preached in ?ottinghamshire and had gone
from there to =atcombe in ,omerset. %hile yet in
?ottinghamshire) in the early years of @ames's reign)
he had seen something of the e.orci0ersM< :ater he
had had to do with the *aunton cases of !1D15 indeed)
he seems to hae had a prominent part in this affair.H
Presumably he had displayed some an.iety lest the
H,ee article on =ernard in ;iet. ?at. =iog.
9 ,ee below) appendi. C) list of witch cases) under !1D1.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# D2/
witches should not receie fair treatment) for in his
Buide to Brand+@urymen. . . in cases of %itchcraft) pub+
lished in !1D3) he e.plained the boo( as a Hplaine
countrey 9inister's testimony.H >wing to his H upright
meaning H in his H painsta(ing H with one of the witches)
a rumor had spread that he faored witches or H were of
9aster ,cots erroneous opinion that %itches were silly
9elancholi(es.H < 4e had underta(en in conse-uence
to familiari0e himself with the whole sub&ect and had
read nearly all the discussions in English) as well as
all the accounts of trials published up to that time.
4is wor( he dedicated to the two &udges at *aunton)
,ir @ohn %alter and ,ir @ohn ;enham) and to the
archdeacon of %ells and the chancellor of the =ishop
of =ath and %ells. *he boo( was) indeed) a truly
remar(able patchwor(. All shades of opinion from
that of the earnestly disbelieing ,cot to that of the
earnestly belieing Roberts were embodied. ?eer+
theless =ernard had a wholesome distrust of pos+
sessions and followed Cotta in thin(ing that catalepsy
and other related diseases accounted for many of
them.H 4e thought) too) that the ;eil ery often
acted as his own agent without any intermediary.< 3
:i(e Cotta) he was s(eptical as to the water ordeal 5 <
but) strange to say) he accepted the use of a magical
glass to discoer H the suspected.H H 4e was inclined to
beliee that the H apparition of the party suspected)
whom the afflicted in their fits seem to see)H was a
< ,ee Buide to Brand+@urymen) ;edication.
<T Ibid.) .i+ ! a.
HIbid.) /2.
S@9oa) D.E.
H*hia he did on the authority of a repentant 9r. Edmonds) of
Cambridge) who had once been -uestioned by the Uniersity authorities
for witchcraft. Ibid.) !21+!2$.
D21 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ground for suspicion. *he main aim of his discourse
was) indeed) to warn &udges and &urors to be ery care+
ful by their -uestions and methods of in-uiring to sepa+
rate the innocent from the guilty.H In this contention)
indeed in his whole attitude) he was ery nearly the
mouthpiece of an age which) while clinging to a belief)
was becoming increasingly cautious of carrying that
belief too far into &udicial trial and punishment.< !
It is a &ump of seenteen years from =ernard of
=atcombe to @ohn Baule. It cannot be said that Baule
mar(s a distinct step in the progress of opinion beyond
=ernard. 4is general position was much the same as
that of his predecessor. 4is warnings were perhaps
more earnest) his s(epticism a little more apparent. In
an earlier chapter we hae obsered the bold way in
which the indignant clergyman of 4untingdonshire
too( up 4op(ins's challenge in !1E1. It was the 4op(ins
crusade that called forth his treatise. $D 4is little boo(
was in large part a plea for more caution in the use of
eidence. ,uspicion was too lightly entertained against
H eery poore and peeish olde Creature.H %heneer
there was an e.traordinary accident) wheneer there
was a disease that could not be e.plained) it was im+
puted to witchcraft. ,uch H*o(ens of *ryallH he
deemed H altogether unwarrantable) as proceeding from
ignorance) humor) superstition.H *here were other
more reliable indications by which witches could some+
times be detected) but those indications were to be used
with e.ceeding caution. ?either the eidence of the
TX Buide to Brand+ @ury men) DD+2$.
n 4e was H for the law) but agin' its enforcement.H
<< ,elect Cases of Conscience *ouching %itches and %itchcraft 6:on+
don) !1E17.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# D23
fact G that is) of a league with the ;eil G without con+
fession nor Hconfession without factH was to be ac+
counted as certain proof. >n the matter of confession
Baule was e.traordinarily s(eptical for his time. It was
to be considered whether the party confessing were not
diabolically deluded) whether the confession were not
forced) or whether it were not the result of melan+
choly. Baule went een a little further. ?ot only was
he inclined to suspect confession) but he had serious
doubts about a great part of witch lore. *here were
stories of metamorphoses) there were narraties of
H tedious &ourneys upon broomes)H and a hundred other
tales from old authors) which the wise Christian would)
he belieed) leae with the writers. *o beliee nothing
of them) howeer) would be to belittle the ;iine
attributes. As a matter of fact there was a ery con+
siderable part of the witch theory that Baule accepted.
4is creed came to this M it was unsafe to pronounce such
and such to be witches. %hile not one in ten was guilty)
the tenth was still to be accounted for.H *he physician
Cotta would hae turned the matter oer to the phy+
sicians 5 the clergyman Baule belieed that it belonged
to the proince of the H 9agistracy and 9inistery.H <
;uring the period of the Commonwealth one would
hae supposed that intellectual men would be entirely
n Ibid.) "<.
u Ibid.) "E) "3. *hat Baule was a Puritan) aa has been asserted) ap+
pears from nothing in his boo(. If he dedicated his ,elect Cases to his
townsman Colonel %alton) a brother+in+law of Cromwell) and his 9ag+
astro+maneer 6a later diatribe against current superstitions7 to >lier
himself) there is nothing in his prefatory letters to show him of their
party. ?or does the tone of his writings suggest a Calinist *hat
in !1E" we find Baule chosen to preach before the assi0es of 4untingdon
points perhaps only to his popularity as a leader of the reaction against
the wor( of 4op(ins.
D2$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
preoccupied with more weighty matters than the guilt
of witches. =ut the many e.ecutions that followed in
the wa(e of 4op(ins and ,tearne had inested the
sub&ect with a new interest and brought new warriors
into the fray. 4alf a do0en writers too( up the con+
troersy. >n the conseratie side three names desere
mention) two of them not un(nown in other connec+
tions) 4enry 9ore and 9eric Casaubon. For the de+
fence of the accused witches appeared two men hardly
so well (nown in their time) Robert Filmer and *homas
Ady.
9ore was a young Cambridge scholar and diine
who was to ta(e ran( among the English philosophers
of the seenteenth century. Brounded in Plato and
impregnated with ;escartes) he became a little later
thoroughly infected with the Cabalistic philosophy that
had entered Europe from the East It was the point
of iew that he ac-uired in the study of this mystic
>riental system that gae the peculiar turn to his witch+
craft notions) a turn which through his own writings
and those of Blanill found wide acceptance. It was
in !1/2 that 9ore issued An Antidote to Atheistne.
*he phenomena of witchcraft he rec(oned as part of
the eidence for the reality of the spirit world and
used them to support religion) -uite in the same manner
as ,ir >lier :odge or Professor 4yslop would today
use psychical research to establish immortality. 9ore
had made inestigations for himself) probably at 9aid+
stone. In his own town of Cambridge there was a
story G doubtless a college &o(e) but he referred to it
in all seriousness G of H >ld ,trangridge)H who H was
carried oer ,helford ,teeple upon a blac( 4ogge and
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# D2"
tore his breeches upon the weather+coc(.H< 4e be+
lieed that he had absolute proof of the Hnocturnal
conenticles H of witches.H 4e had) howeer) none of
that instinct for scientific obseration that had dis+
tinguished ,cot) and his researches did not preent his
being easily duped. 4is obserations are not by any
means so entertaining as are his theories. 4is effort to
account for the instantaneous transportation of witches
is one of the bright spots in the prosy reasonings of the
demonolpgists. 9ore was a thoroughgoing dualist 9ind
and matter were the two separate entities. ?ow) the
problem that arose at once was thisM 4ow can the souls
of witches leae their bodiesR H I conceie)H he says)
H the ;iell gets into their body and by his subtile sub+
stance more operatie and searching than any fire or
putrifying li-uor) melts the yielding Campages of the
body to such a consistency . . . and ma(es it plyable
to his imagination M and then it is as easy for him to
wor( it into what shape he pleaseth.H < If he could do
that) much more could he enable men to leae their
bodies. *hen arose the problem M 4ow does this pro+
cess differ from deathR *he writer was pu00led ap+
parently at his own -uestion) but reasoned that death
was the result of the unfitness of the body to contain
the soul.H =ut no such condition e.isted when the
;eil was operating5 and no doubt the body could be
anointed in such fashion that the soul could leae and
return.
9eric Casaubon) son of the eminent classical scholar
HAntidote to Atheism<) !D".
H Ibid.) !23+!2#.
U Ibid.) ch. CIII) !2E.
HIbid.) !2/.
<3
DE# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
and himself a well (nown student) was s(eptical as to
the stories told about the aerial &ourneys of witches
which 9ore had been at such pains to e.plain. It was a
matter) he wrpte in his *reatise concerning. Enthusi+
asmeH of much dispute among learned men. *he con+
fessions made were hard to account for) but he would
feel it ery wrong to condemn the accused upon that
eidence. %e shall meet with Casaubon again. E <
?athaniel 4omes) who wrote from his pastoral study
at 9ary ,taging's in :ondon) and dedicated his
wor( < to Francis Rous) member of Parliament) was no
halfway man. 4e was a thoroughgoing disciple of
Per(ins. 4is utmost admission G the time had come
when one had to ma(e some concessions G was that eil
spirits performed many of their wonders by tric(s of
&uggling. E < =ut he swallowed without effort all the
nonsense about coenants) and was inclined to see in the
actiities of the ;eil a presage of the last days. E <
*he reader can readily see that 9ore) Casaubon) and
4omes were all on the defensie. *hey were com+
pelled to offer e.planations of the mysteries of witch+
craft) they were ready enough to ma(e admissions 5 but
m ,ee p. ..$. *his *reatise was first published in !1//. Four years
later) in !1/#) he published A *rue and faithful Relation of what
passed . . . between ;r. @ohn ;ee) . . . and some spirits. In the
preface to this he announced his intention of writing the wor( which
he later published as >f Credulity and Incredulity.
E# In passing we must mention Richard Farnworth) who in !1// issued
a pamphlet called %itchcraft Cast out from the Religious ,eed and
Israel of Bod. Farnworth was a 8ua(er) and wrote merely to warn his
brethren against magic and sorcery. 4e neer -uestioned for a mo+
ment the facts of witchcraft and sorcery) nor the ;eil's share in them.
As for the witches) they were doomed eerlastingly to the la(e of fire.
E! ;amonologie and *heologie. *he first) the 9alady . . . ) *he ,econd)
*he Remedy 6:ondon) !1/#7.
U Ibid.) E2.
<Ibid` !1.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# DE!
they were neertheless stic(ing closely to the main doc+
trines. It is a pleasure to turn to the writings of two
men of somewhat bolder stamp) Robert Filmer and
*homas Ady. ,ir Robert Filmer was a Aentish (night
of strong royalist iews who had written against the
limitations of monarchy and was not afraid to cross
swords with 9ilton and 4obbes on the origin of go+
ernment. In !1/D he had attended the 9aidstone
trials) where) it will be remembered) si. women had
been conicted. As ,cot had been stirred by the ,t.
>ses trials) so Filmer was wrought up by what he had
seen at 9aidstone) EE and in the following year he pub+
lished his Adertisement to the @urymen of England.
4e set out to oerturn the treatise of Per(ins. As a con+
se-uence he dealt with ,cripture and the interpretation
of the well (nown passages in the >ld *estament. *he
4ebrew witch) Filmer declared) was guilty of nothing
more than H lying prophecies.H *he %itch of Endor
probably used H hollow spea(ing.H In this suggestion
Filmer was following his famous Aentish predeces+
sor. E < =ut Filmer's main interest) li(e =ernard's and
Baule's before him) was to warn those who had to try
cases to be e.ceedingly careful. 4e felt that a great
part of the eidence used was worth little or nothing.
*homas Ady's Candle in the ;ar( was published
three years later. E < Een more than Filmer) Ady was a
disciple of ,cot. =ut he was) indeed) a student of all
English writers on the sub&ect and set about to answer
them one by one. Aing @ames) whose boo( he persist+
EE ,ee the Introduction to the Adertisement.
E$ Filmer noted further that the ,eptuagint translates the 4ebrew
word for witch as Han Apothecary) a ;ruggister) one that compounds
poysons.H
<I :ondon) !1/1.
DED %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ently refused to beliee the (ing's own handiwor()
Cooper) who was a Hbloudy persecutor)H Bifford)
who H had more of the spirit of truth in him than manyK'
Per(ins) the arch+enemy) Baule) whose Hintentions
were godly)H but who was too far H swayed by the com+
mon tradition of men)H E ' all of them were one after
another disposed of. Ady stood eminently for good
sense. It was from that point of iew that he ridiculed
the water ordeal and the eidence of mar(s) E < and that
he attac(ed the cause and effect relation between
threats and illness. H *hey that ma(e this >b&ection
must dwell ery remote from ?eighbours.H<
Yet not een Ady was a downright disbelieer. 4e
defended ,cot from the report H that he held an opin+
ion that %itches are not) for it was neither his *enent
nor is it mine.H Alas) Ady does not enlighten us as to
&ust what was his opinion. Certainly his witches were
creatures without power.< %hat) then) were theyR
%ere they harmless beings with maleolent mindsR
9r. Ady does not answer.
A hundred years of witchcraft history had not
brought to light a man who was willing to deny in a
printed wor( the e.istence of witches. ;oubtless such
denial might often hae been heard in the closet) but it
E3 In Ady's second edition) A Perfect ;iscoery of %itches 6i11.7)
!2E) Baule's boo( haing meanwhile come into his hands) he spea(s of
Baule as H much inclining to the *ruth H and yet swayed by traditions
and the authority of the learned. 4e adds) H 9r. Baule) if this wor( of
mine shall come to your hand) as yours hath come to mine) be not angry
with me for writing Bod's *ruth.H
. <IH... few men or women being tied hand and feet together can sin(
-uite away till they be drowned H [Candle in the ;ar() .oo7 5 H . . . ery
few people in the %orld are without priie 4ar(sH [Ibid.) !<37.
#" In giing H *he Reason of the =oo( H he wrote) H *he Brand Errour
of these latter Ages is ascribing power to '%itches.H
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# DE2
was neer proclaimed on the housetop. ,cot had not
been so bold G though one imagines that if he had been
-uietly -uestioned in a corner he might hae denied
the thing in toto G and those who had followed in his
steps neer entured beyond him.
*he controersy) indeed) was waged in most of its
aspects along the lines laid down by the first aggressor.
Bifford) Cotta) and Ady had brought in a few new argu+
ments to be used in attac(ing superstition) but in gen+
eral the assailants loo(ed to ,cot. >n the other side)
only Per(ins and 9ore had contributed anything
worth while to the defence that had been built up. Yet
the reader will notice that there had been progress.
*he centre of struggle had shifted to a point within the
outer walls. *he water ordeal and the eidence of
mar(s were gien up by most) if not all. *he struggle
now was oer the transportation of witches through
the air and the battle was going badly for the de+
fenders.
%e turn now to the incidental indications of the
shifting of opinion. In one sense this sort of eidence
means more than the formal literature. Yet its frag+
mentary character at best precludes putting any great
stress upon it.
If one were to include all the references to witch+
craft in the drama of the period) this discussion might
widen out into a long chapter. >er the passages in the
playwrights we must pass with haste5 but certain
points must be noted. ,ha(espeare) in 9acbeth) which
scholars hae usually placed at about !1#1) used a
great body of witch lore. 4e used it) too) with ap+
parent good faith) though to conclude therefrom that
he belieed in it himself would be a most dangerous
DEE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
step.H *homas 9iddleton) whose %itch probably
was written somewhat later) and who is thought to
hae drawn on ,ha(espeare for some of his witch
material) gies absolutely no indication in that play
that he did not credit those tales of witch perform+
ances of which he aailed himself. *he same may be
said of ;e((er and of those who collaborated with him
in writing *he %itch of Edmonton<
%e may go further and say that in none of these
three plays is there any hint that there were disbe+
lieers. =ut when we come to =en @onson we hae
a different story. 4is arious plays we cannot here
ta(e up. ,uffice it to say) on the authority of careful
commentators) that he openly or coertly ridiculed
all the supposedly supernatural phenomena of his
time.H Perhaps a search through the obscurer dra+
matists of the period might reeal other eidences of
s(epticism. ,uch a search we cannot ma(e. It must)
howeer) be pointed out that *homas 4eywood) in
*he late :ancashire %itches) " < a play which is de+
scribed at some length in an earlier chapter) ma(es a
character sayM< HIt seemes then you are of opinion
n ,ee a recent discussion of a nearly related topic by Professor Elmer
,toll in the Publications of the 9odern :anguage Association) FFII)
2#!+222. >f the attitude of the English dramatists before ,ha(espeare
something may be learned from 9r. :. %. Cushman's *he ;eii and
the Cice in the English ;ramatic :iterature before ,ha(espeare 64alle)
.ooo7.
About !1DD or soon after.
n ,ee) for instance) 9r. %. ,. @ohnson's introduction to his edition
of *he ;eil is an Ass 6?ew Yor() !"#/7.
9 !12E. *his play was written) of course) in cooperation with =rome5
see aboe) pp. !/$+!1#. For other e.pressions of 4eywood's opinions
on witchcraft see his 4ierarchic of the =lessed Angels) /"$) and his
rY? AIA=I>? M or ?ine =oohs of Carious 4istory concerning %omen
6:ondon) !1DE7) lib. iii) 2"") E#3) etc
n Act I) scene ..
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# DE/
that there are witches. For mine own part I can hardly
be induc'd to thin( there is any such (inde of people.HH
*he speech is the more notable because 4eywood's
own belief in witchcraft) as has been obsered in an+
other connection) seems beyond doubt
*he interest in witchcraft among literary men was
not confined to the dramatists. *hree prose writers
eminent in their time dealt with the -uestion. =urton)
in his Anatomy of 9elancholy)H admits that H many
deny witches at all) or) if there be any) they can do no
harm.H =ut he says that on the other side are grouped
most H:awyers) ;iines) Physitians) Philosophers.H
@ames 4owell) famous letter+writer of the mid+century)
had a similar reerence for authority M H I say . . . that
he who denies there are such busy ,pirits and such poor
passie Creatures upon whom they wor() which com+
monly are call'd %itches. . . . shews that he himself
hath a ,pirit of Contradiction in him.H H *here are)
he says) laws against witches) laws by Parliament and
laws in the 4oly Code..
Francis >sborne) a literary man whose reputation
hardly suried his century) but an essayist of great
fame in his own time)H was a man who made his for+
tune by sailing against rather than with the wind. It
was conentional to beliee in witches and >sborne
9 In another part of the same sceneM H *hey that thin(e so dreame)H
t. e. they who beliee in witchcraft.
$3 First published in i1ai G I use) howeer) ,hilleto's ed. of :ondon)
!$"2) which follows that of !1/!+!1/25 see pt I) sect. II) memb. I) sub+
sect. 2.
H@ames 4owell) Familiar :etters) II) /E$.
#" 4is Adice to a ,on) first published in !1/1+!1/$) went through
edition after edition. It is ery entertaining. 4is strongly enforced
adice not to marry made a sensation among young >.ford men.
DE1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
would not for any consideration be conentional. 4e
assumed the s(eptical attitude)H and perhaps was as
influential as any one man in ma(ing that attitude
fashionable.
From these lesser lights of the literary world we
may pass to notice the attitude assumed by three men
of influence in their own day) whose reputations hae
hardly been dimmed by time) =acon) ,elden) and
4obbes. ?ot that their iews would be representatie
of their times) for each of the three men thought in
his own way) and all three were in many respects in
adance of their day. At some time in the reign of
@ames I Francis =acon wrote his ,yla ,ylarum and
rather incidentally touched upon witchcraft. 4e
warned &udges to be wary about belieing the confes+
sions of witches and the eidence against them. H For
the witches themseles are imaginatie and beliee oft+
times they do that which they do not 5 and people are
credulous in that point) and ready to impute accidents
and natural operations to witchcraft. It is worthy the
obsering) that ... the great wonders which they tell)
of carrying in the air) transporting themseles into
other bodies) ^c) are still reported to be wrought) not
by incantations) or ceremonies) but by ointments) and
anointing themseles all oer. *his may &ustly moe
a man to thin( that these fables are the effects of imag+
ination.H I
,urely all this has a s(eptical sound. Yet largely on
the strength of another passage) which has been care+
lessly read) the great =acon has been tearfully num+
I %or(s of Francis >sborne 6:ondon) !1327) //!+/!2.
U %or(s of =acon 6ed. ,pedding) :ondon) !$/ 3+ !$/$7) II) 1E<EE2.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# DE3
bered among the blindest leaders of the blind.H A
careful comparison of his arious allusions to witch+
craft will conince one that) while he assumed a be+
lief in the practice)H partly perhaps in deference to
@ames's iews)< E he inclined to e.plain many reported
phenomena from the effects of the imagination H and
from the operation of Hnatural causesH as yet un+
(nown. 1 <
=acon) though a lawyer and man of affairs) had the
point of iew of a philosopher. %ith @ohn ,elden
we get more directly the standpoint of a legal man. In
his *able *al( m that eminent &urist wrote a paragraph
on witches. H *he :aw against %itches)H he declared)
Hdoes not proe there be any5 but it punishes the
9alice of those people that use such means to ta(e away
mens :ies. If one should profess that by turning his
4at thrice and crying =u0) he could ta(e away a man's
life 6though in truth he could do no such thing7 yet
this were a &ust :aw made by the ,tate) that whoso+
eer should turn his 4at thrice and cry =u0) with an
intention to ta(e away a man's life) shall be put to
1" H *he ointment that witcheg use is reported to be made of the fat
of children digged out of their graes5 of the &uices of smallage) wolf+
bane) and cin-ue+ foil) mingled with the meal of fine wheat5 but I sup+
pose that the soporiferous medicines are lt(est to do it.H ,ee ,yla
,ylarum) cent. F) "3/) in %or(s) ed. ,pedding) II) 11E. =ut een this
passage shows =acon a s(eptic 4is suggestion that the soporiferous
medicines are li(est to do it means that he thin(s the delusions of
witches sub&ectie and produced by drugs. For other references to the
sub&ect see %or(<) II) 1/$) 11#5 CII) 32$<
m ;t Argumentis) b(. II) ch. II) in %or(s) IC) D"15 see also ibid.)
Ill) E"#.
m Adancement of :earning) b(. II5 ibid.) Ill) E"#.
< %or(s) IC) E##+E#!.
HIbid.) IC) ao1.
< ,elden) *able *al( 6:ondon) !1$"7. *he boo( is supposed to hae
been written during the last twenty years of ,elden's life) that is)
between !12E and !1/E.
DE$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
death.H H As to the merits of this legal -uip the less
said the better5 but it is e.ceedingly hard to see in the
passage anything but downright s(epticism as to the
witch's power.H
It is not without interest that ,elden's point of iew
was e.actly that of the philosopher 4obbes. *here
is no man of the seenteenth century) unless it be >li+
er Cromwell or @ohn 9ilton) whose opinion on this
sub&ect we would rather (now than that of 4obbes.
In ! 1/ ! 4obbes had issued his great :eiathan. It is
unnecessary here to insist upon the widespread influ+
ence of that wor(. :et it be said) howeer) that
4obbes was not only to set in motion new philosophies)
but that he had been tutor to Prince Charles *> and
was to become a figure in the reign of that prince. n
4obbes's wor( was directed against superstition in
many forms) but we need only notice his statement
about witchcraft) a statement that did not by any
means escape his contemporaries. H As for %itches)H
he wrote) H I thin( not that their witchcraft is any reall
power5 but yet that they are &ustly punished for the
false beliefe they hae that they can do such mischief)
&oined with their purpose to do it if they can.H n Perhaps
SS
II ,elden) *able *al() s. . H %itches. !
9 ?or did ,elden beliee in possessions. ,ee his essay on ;eils in
the *able *al(.
n ,ee article on 4obbes in ;iet. ?at. =iog.
3! ,ee) for e.ample) =ishop =urnet's 4istory of his >wn *ime 6>.+
ford) !$D27) I) !3a) 2DD+2D2.
n :eiathan 6!1/!7) 3. ,ee also his ;ialogue of the Common :aws
of England) in %or(s 6ed. of :ondon) !3/#7) 1D1M H =ut I desire not
to discourse of that sub&ect5 for) though without doubt there is some
great %ic(edness signified by those Crimes) yet hae I eer found myself
too dull to conceie the nature of them) or how the ;eil hath power
to do many things which %itches hae been accused of.H ,ee also
his chapter on ;.raonology in the :eiathan) in %or(s) 2$E.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# DE"
the great philosopher had in mind those pretenders to
diabolic arts who had suffered punishment) and was so
defending the community that had rid itself of a prey+
ing class. In any case) while he defended the law) he
put himself among the disbelieers in witchcraft.
From these opinions of the great we may turn to
mar( the more triial indications of the shifting of
opinion to be found in the pamphlet literature. It
goes without saying that the pamphlet+writers belieed
in that whereof they spo(e. It is not in their out+
spo(en faith that we are interested) but rather in their
mention of those opponents at whose numbers they
marelled) and whose incredulity they undertoo( to
sha(e. ?owhere better than in the prefaces of the
pamphleteers can eidence be found of the growing
s(epticism. *he narrator of the ?orthampton cases
in !1!D aowed it his purpose in writing to conince the
Hmany that remaine yet in doubt whether there be
any %itches or no.H n *hat ardent busybody) 9r.
Potts) who reported the :ancaster cases of !1!D) ery
incidentally lets us (now that the (insfol( and friends
of @ennet Preston) who) it will be remembered) suf+
fered at Yor() declared the whole prosecution to be an
act of malice. !E *he Yor(shire poet and gentleman)
Edward Fairfa.) who made such an ado about the
sic(ness of his two daughters in !1DD and would hae
n 4e continues) H ,ome doe maintaine 6but how wisely let the wiser
&udge7 that all %itchcraft spo(en of either by holy writers) or testified by
other writers to hae beene among the heathen or in later dales) hath
beene and is no more but either meere Cousinage Nhe had been reading
,cotO) or Collusion) so that in the opinion of those men) the ;erill hath
neer done) nor can do anything by %itches.H *he %itches of ?orth'
amptonshire) ... A E.
u Potts) *he %onderfull ;iscoerie . . . ) F E erso.
D/# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
sent si. creatures to the gallows for it) was ery fran(
in describing the opposition he met. *he accused
women found supporters among the Hbest able and
most understanding.H n *here were) he thought) three
(inds of people who were doubters in these mattersM
those who attributed too much to natural causes and
who were content to call clear cases of bewitchment
conulsions) those who when witchcraft was broached
tal(ed about fairies and H wal(ing ghosts)H and lastly
those who belieed there were no witches. H >f this
opinion I hear and see there be many) some of them
men of worth) religious and honest.H n
*he pamphlet+writers of @ames's reign had ad&usted
themseles to meet opposition. *hose of the Ciil
%ars and the Commonwealth were prepared to meet
ridicule.H H *here are some)H says the narrator of a
Yor(shire story) H who are of opinion that there are
no ;iells nor any witches. . . . 9en in this Age are
grown so wic(ed) that they are apt to beliee there
are no greater ;iells than themseles.H n Another
n Fairfa.) A ;iscount of %itchcraft 6Philobiblon ,oc.7) ia.
HIbid.) so.
H>ne notable instance must be mentioned. H4. F.)H the narrator
of the Esse. affair of !1E/ 6A true and e.act Relation7 not only recog+
nised the strong position of those who doubted) but was by no means
e.treme himself. H I doubt not)H he wrote) H but these things may
seeme as incredible unto some) as they are matter of admiration unto
others .... *he greatest doubt and -uestion will be) whether it be in
the power of the ;eil to perform such asportation and locall trans+
lation of the bodies of %itches .... And whether these supernaturall
wor(s) which are aboe the power of man to do) and proper only to
,pirits) whether they are reall or only imaginary and fained.H *he
writer concludes that the ;eil has power to dispose and transport
bodies) but) as to changing them into animals) he thin(s these are
H but &ugling transmutations.H
n *he most true and wondtrfutt ?arration of two women bewitched
in Yor(shire5 . . . 6!1/$7.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# D/!
writer) to bolster up his story before a s(eptical public)
declares that he is H ery chary and hard enough to be+
liee passages of this nature.H w
%e hae said that the narrators of witch stories
fortified themseles against ridicule. *hat ridicule
obiously must hae found fre-uent e.pression in
conersation) but sometimes it een crept into the
newspapers and tracts of the day. *he Ciil %ars
had deeloped a regular :ondon press. %e hae
already met with e.pressions of serious opinion from
it.H =ut not all were of that sort. In !1/E the 9 er+
curius ;emocritus) the Punch of its time) too( occa+
sion to ma(e fun of the stories of the supernatural then
in circulation. *here was) it declared) a strange story
of a trance and apparition) a ghost was said to be
abroad) a woman had hanged herself in a tobacco
pipe. %ith ery broad humor the &ournal too( off the
strange reports of the time and concluded with the
warning that in H these distempered times H it was not
safe for an Hidle+pated womanH to loo( up at the
s(ies. $!
*he same moc(ing incredulity had manifested itself
in !1E$ in a little brochure entitled) *he ;eil seen at
,t. Albans) =eing a true Relation how the ;eill was
seen there in a Cellar) in the li(eness of a Ram5 and
how a =utcher came and cut his throat) and sold some
of it) and dressed the rest for himself e) initing many
n H Relation of a 9emorable Piece of %itchcraft at %elton near
;aentry)H in Blanill) ,adducismus *rmmphtrtus 6:ondon) !1$!7) pt.
ii) D12+D1$.
H,ee aboe) pp. !3#+!$#) for an e.pression about the persecution in
!1E/.
n 9crcurius ;emocritus) February $+!/) !1/E.
D/D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
to supper) who did eat of itH *he story was a cleer
parody of the demon tracts that had come out so
fre-uently in the e.citing times of the wars. *he
writer made his point clear when he declared that his
story was of e-ual alue with anything that H =ritan+
nicus H eer wrote.H *he importance of these indica+
tions may be oerestimated. =ut they do mean that
there were those bold enough to ma(e fun. A decade
or two later ridicule became a two+edged (nife) cutting
superstition right and left. =ut een under the terri+
bly serious Puritans s(epticism began to aail itself
of that weapon) a weapon of which it could hardly be
disarmed.
In following the history of opinion we must needs
mention again some of the incidents of certain cases
dealt with in earlier chapters) incidents that indicate
the growing force of doubt. *he reader has hardly
forgotten the outcome of the :ancashire cases in !122.
*here =ishop =ridgeman and the (ing) if they did not
discredit witchcraft) discredited its manifestation in
the particular instance. $E As for %illiam 4arey) he
had probably gien up his faith in the whole business
after the little incident at ?ewmar(et.H %hen we
come to the time of the Ciil %ars we cannot forget
!! !1E$. *his must be distinguished from *he ;wels ;elusion . . . )
!1E") 6see aboe) ch. IF) note $7) which deals with two witches e.+
ecttted at ,t. Alban's.
< *he truth is that the newspapers) pamphlets) etc) were full of such
stories. And they were belieed by many intelligent men. 4e who runs
through %hiteloc(e's 9emorials may read that the man was e.ceeding
superstitious. %hether it be the report of the horseman seen in the air
or the stories of witches at =erwic() %hiteloc(e was e-ually interested.
%hile he was merely recording the reports of others) there is not a
sign of s(epticism.
9 ,ee aboe) pp. !/D+!/3.
9 ,ee aboe) pp. !1#+ !1a.
:I*ERA*URE) !1#2+!11# D/2
that ,tearne and 4op(ins met opposition) not alone
from the 4untingdon minister) but from a large party
in ?orfol() who finally forced the witchfinder to de+
fend himself in court. ?or can we forget the witch+
pric(er of =erwic( who was sent a+flying bac( to his
natie northern soil) nor the persistent 9rs. 9uschamp
who tramped oer ?orthumberland see(ing a warrant
and finding none.
*he course of opinion is a circuitous one. %e hae
followed its windings in and out through more than
half a century. %e hae listened as respectfully as
possible to the agaries of country parsons and unier+
sity preachers) we hae heard from scholars) from
gentlemen) from &urists and men of affairs) from phy+
sicians and philosophers. It matters little now what
they thought or said) but it did matter then. %e hae
seen how easy a thing it was to fall into the error that
a middle course was nearest truth. =road was the
way and many there were that wal(ed therein. Yet
een those who traelled that highway found their
direction shifting. For there was progress in opinion.
%ith eery decade the traellers) as well those who
strayed aside as those who followed the crowd) were
getting a little nearer to truth.
C4AP*ER F:
%itchcraft under Charles II and @ames II.
?o period of English history saw a wider interest in
both the theory and the practice of witchcraft than the
years that followed the Restoration. *hroughout the
course of the twenty+eight years that spanned the sec+
ond rule of the ,tuarts) the ;eil manifested himself
in many forms and with unusual fre-uency. Especially
within the first half of that regime his appearances were
so thrilling in character that the enemies of the new
(ing might ery well hae said that the Eil >ne) li(e
Charles) had come to his own again. All oer the realm
the witches were popping up. If the total number of
trials and of e.ecutions did not foot up to the figures
of @ames Fs reign or to those of the Ciil %ar) the
alarm was neertheless more widely distributed than
eer before. In no less than twenty counties of Eng+
land witches were discoered and fetched to court. Up
to this time) so far at any rate as the printed records
show) the southwestern counties had been but little
troubled. ?ow ,omerset) ;eon) and Cornwall were
the storm centre of the panic. In the north Yor(shire
began to win for itself the reputation as a centre of ac+
tiity that had long been held by :ancashire. ?ot that
the witch was a new criminal in Yor(shire courts. ;ur+
ing the Ciil %ars and the troubled years that followed
the discoerers had been actie. =ut with the reign of
Charles II their 0eal increased mightily. Yet) if they
had neer before fetched in so many Hsuspected
</E
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D//
parties H to the court of the &ustice of the peace) they
had neer before been so often baffled by the outcome.
Among the many such cases (nown to us during this
time there is no mention of a coniction. ! In Aent there
was a flic(ering reial of the old hatred of witches. In
the year that Charles gained the throne the city of Can+
terbury sent some women to the gibbet. ?ot so in Es+
se.. In that county not a single case during this period
has been left on record. In 9iddlese.) a county which
from the days of Eli0abeth through to the Restoration
had maintained a ery een pace G a stray coniction
now and then among many ac-uittals G the reign of
Charles II saw nothing more serious than some com+
mitments and releases upon bail. In the 9idland coun+
ties) where superstition had flourished in the days of
@ames I) there were now occasional tales of possession
and ague charges which rarely reached the ears of the
assi0e &udges. ?orthampton) where an incendiary
witch was sentenced) constituted the single e.ception.
In East Anglia there was &ust enough stir to proe that
the days of 9atthew 4op(ins had not been forgotten.
It needs no pointing out that a large proportion of the
cases were but a repetition of earlier trials. If a dif+
ference is discernible) it is in the increased number of
accusations that too( their start in strange diseases
called possessions. ,ince the close of the si.teenth
century and the end of @ohn ;arrel's actiities) the
accounts of possession had fallen off sensibly) but the
last third of the seenteenth century saw a distinct re+
ial of this tendency to assign certain forms of dis+
ease to the operation of the ;eil. %e hae references
! ,ee Raine) e\:) Yor( ;epositions 6,urtee< ,oc7) preface) .0..
!$
a&1 %I*C4CRAF* I, E,B:A,;
to many cases) but only in e.ceptional i nstances are the
details gien. >lier 4eywood) one of the eminent ;is+
senters of northern England) fasted and prayed with
his co+wor(ers oer die conulsie and hysterical boys
and girls in the %est Riding. ?athan ;odgson was
left after long fastings in H a ery sensible melting
frame)H< bat the troubles returned and led) as we shall
see in another connection) to ery tragic results. *he
Puritan cle r g ym en do not seem) howeer) to hae had
any highly deeloped method of e.orcism or to hae
loo(ed upon cases of possession in a light ery different
from that in which they would hae loo(ed upon ordin+
ary illnesses.
Among the =aptists of Yor(shire there was a pos+
session that roused wide comment 9ary 4all of :ittle
Baddesden in 4ertfordshire) daughter of a smith) was
possessed in the fall of !112 with two spirits who were
said to hae come to her riding down the chimney upon
a stic(. *he spirits declared through the girl that Bood+
wife 4arwood had sent them) and when that suspected
woman was brought into the girl's presence the spirits
cried out) H >h) Boodwife 4arwood) are you comeR G
that is well 5 ... we hae endeaored to choa( her but
cannot)H and) when 9istress 4arwood left) the spirits
begged to go with her.<
In ,outhwar( @ames =arrow) the son of @ohn =ar+
row) was long possessed) and neither H doctors) astrolo+
'@owph =utler. :ift tf 4tymaoi 6:ondon) !$E!7) !13) and 4ey+
H HH Ui) ad. @. 4. *omer 6=righonae) !,,!+!$,/7. I) !""5 III)
sod) who wu one of the leading ;iaacntcn of bii time)
credited with e.treme lupermition. In noting the death of
! hi< parent< beliered bewitched) he wrote) W >h that they
li hand.H ;iary) I) 2$3.
;rage) ;wimenemeitia 6:ondon) !11/7) 2!+2$.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D/3
gers) nor apothecaries H could help him. 4e was ta(en
to the Catholics) but to no purpose. Finally he was
cast among a H poor dispirited people whom the :ord
owned as instruments in his hand to do this great
wor(.H E =y the H poor dispirited people H the =aptists
were almost certainly meant.< =y their assistance he
seems to hae been cured. ,o also was 4annah Crump
of %arwic() who had been afflicted by witchcraft and
put in a :ondon hospital. *hrough prayer and fasting
she was entirely recoered.
9ary 4all had been ta(en to ;octor %oodhouse of
=er(hampstead) H a man famous for curing bewitched
persons.H %oodhouse's name comes up now and again
in the records of his time. 4e was in fact a ery typi+
cal specimen of the witch doctor. %hen 9ary 4all's
case had been submitted to him he had cut off the ends
of her nails and H with somewhat he added H hung them
in the chimney oer night before ma(ing a diagnosis. 1
4e professed to find stolen goods as well and fell foul
of the courts in one instance) probably because the
woman who consulted him could not pay the shilling
f ee. * 4e was arraigned and spent a term in prison. ?o
doubt many of the witch physicians (new the inside of
prisons and had returned afterwards to successful
I *he :ord's Arm ,tretched >ut) . . . or a *rue Relation of the wonder+
ful ;elierance of @ames =arrow . . . 6:ondon) !11E7.
I Compare ;rage) op. cit.) 21) 2") ED) with *he :ord's Arm ,tretched
>ut) !3. 9ary 4all) whose cure ;rage celebrates) had friends among
the =aptists. ;rage seems to connect her case with those of =arrow
and 4annah Crump) both of whom were helped by that H dispirited
people H whom the author of *he :ord's Arm ,tretched >ut e.alts.
I ;rage) op) cit)) 2E.
* Yor(shire ?otes and 8ueries) I 6=radford) !$$/7) <1Q =ut a
physician in %inchester Par() whom 4annah Crump had consulted)
had as(ed fie pounds to unbewitch her.
D/$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
practice. Redman) Hwhom some say is a Con&urer)
others say) 4e is an honest and able phisitian)H had
been in prison) but neertheless he had afterwards
H abundance of Practice H and was much tal(ed about
H in remote parts)H all this in spite of the fact that he
was H unlearned in the languages.H <
Usually) of course) the witch doctor was a poor
woman who was ery happy to get a penny fee now
and then) but who ran a greater ris( of the gallows
than her male competitors. 4er reputation) which
brought her a little money from the sic( and from
those who had lost aluables) made her at the same
time a successful beggar. *hose whom she importuned
were afraid to refuse her. =ut she was in constant
peril. If she resented ill treatment) if she gae in ill
wishes as much as she too() she was sure to hear from
it before a stern &ustice of the peace. It can hardly be
doubted that a large proportion) after the Restoration
as in eery other period) of those finally hanged for
witchcraft) had in fact made claims to s(ill in magic
arts. %ithout -uestion some of them had een traded
on the fear they inspired. ?ot a few of the wretched
creatures fetched to Yor( castle to be tried were H in+
chanters.H
Cery often) indeed) a woman who was nothing more
than a midwife) with some little (nowledge of medicine
perhaps) would easily be classed by the public among
the regular witch doctors and so come to hae a bad
name. %hether she lied up to her name or notG<
and the temptation to do so would be great G she would
from that time be sub&ect to suspicion) and might at
I ;rage) op. cit.) 2".
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D/"
_
length become a prey to the &ustice of the peace. 9rs.
Pepper was no more than a midwife who made also
certain simple medical e.aminations) but when one of
her patients was H strangely handled H she was ta(en
to court.< 9argaret ,tothard was probably) so far as
we can piece together her story) a woman who had
been successful in calming fretful children and had so
gained for herself a reputation as a witch. ;oubtless
she had ac-uired in time a few of the charmer's tric(s
that enhanced her reputation and increased her prac+
tice. *his was all ery well until one of her patients
happened to die. *hen she was carried to ?ewcastle
and would probably hae suffered death) had it not
been for a wise &udge. ! <
*hese are typical cases. *he would+be healer of the
sic( ran a ris() and it was not always alone from fail+
ure to cure. If a witch doctor found himself unable
to bring relief to a patient) it was easy to suggest that
some other witch doctor G and such were usually
women G was bewitching the patient. *here are many
instances) and they are not confined to the particular
period with which we are dealing) in which one H good
witch H started the run on the other's reputation. Een
the regular physician may sometimes hae yielded to
the temptation to crush competition.
>f course) when all the cases are considered) only a
ery small part of the H' good witches H eer fell into the
clutches of the law. *he law prescribed ery definite
penalties for their operations) but in most instances no
" Yor( ;epositions) !D3.
<< ,ee ]. 9ac(en0ie) 4istory of ?orthumberland 6?ewcastle) !$D/7)
4S 22+21. %e do not (now that the woman was e.cused) but the case
was before 4enry >gle and we may fairly guess the outcome.
D1# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
action was ta(en until after a long accumulation of Hsus+
picious circumstances)H and) een if action was ta(en)
the chances) as we hae seen) were by this time dis+
tinctly in faor of the accused.
*his is not to say) by any means) that the &udges and
&uries of England had come oer to the side of the
witch. *he period with which we are dealing was
mar(ed by a ariety of decision which betrays the per+
ple.ity of &udges and &uries. It is true) indeed) that
out of from eighty to one hundred cases where ac+
cusations are on record less than twenty witches were
hanged. *his does not mean that si. times out of
eery seen the courts were ruling against the fact of
witchcraft. In the case of the si. released there was
no ery large body of eidence against them to be con+
sidered) or perhaps no strong popular current to be
stemmed. In general) it may be said that the courts
were still bac(ing up the law of @ames I.
*o show this) it is only necessary to run oer some
of the leading trials of the period. %e shall briefly
ta(e up four trials conducted respectiely by @ustice
Archer) Chief =aron 4ale) @ustice Rainsford) and @ustice
Raymond.
@ulian Co.) who was but one of the Hpestilent
brood H of witches ferreted out in ,omerset by the ag+
gressie &ustice) Robert 4unt) was tried in !112 at
*aunton before @ustice Archer.H *he charges against
her indeed e.cited such interest all oer England) and
elicited) upon the part of disbelieers) so much derision)
that it will be worth our while to go oer the principal
points of eidence. *he chief witness against her was
u Blanill) ,adducismus *riumphatus) pt. ii) D"!+2#".
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D1!
a huntsman who told a strange tale. 4e had started a
hare and chased it behind a bush. =ut when he came
to the bush he had found @ulian Co. there) stooped
oer and -uite out of breath. Another witness had
a strange story to tell about her. ,he had inited him
to come up on her porch and ta(e a pipe of tobacco
with her. %hile he was with her) smo(ing) he saw
a toad between his legs. >n going home he had ta(en
out a pipe and smo(ed again and had again seen what
loo(ed to be the same toad between his legs. H 4e too(
the *oad out to (ill it) and to his thin(ing cut it in se+
eral pieces) but returning to his Pipe the *oad still ap+
peared. ... At length the *oad cryed) and anish'd.H
A third witness had seen the accused fly in at her win+
dow H in her full proportion.H *his tissue of eidence
was perhaps the absurdest eer used against een a
witch) but the &ury brought in a erdict of guilty. It is
not unpleasant to (now that @ustice Archer met with a
good deal of criticism for his part in the affair.
In the following year occurred the trials at =ury ,t.
Edmunds) which derie their interest and importance
largely from the position of the presiding &udge) ,ir
9atthew 4ale) who was at this time chief baron of the
e.che-uer) and was later to be chief &ustice of the
(ing's bench. 4e was allowed) according to the ad+
mission of one none too friendly to him) H on all hands
to be the most profound lawyer of his time.H tt 4ale
had been a Puritan from his youth) though not of the
rigid or theologically minded sort. In the Ciil %ars
and the eents that followed he had remained non+
!! *his is the estimate of him by ?orth) who addsM H and he (new itH
Roger ?orth) :ife of the Rt. 4on. Francis ?orth) =aron of Builford
. . . 6:ondon) !3ED7) 1D+12.
D1D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
partisan. 4e accepted office from Cromwell) though
without doubt mildly sympathi0ing with the (ing. >ne
of those who had assisted in recalling Charles II) he
rose shortly to be chief baron of the e.che-uer. Fam+
ous for his careful and reasoned interpretation of law)
he was to leae behind him a high reputation for his &us+
tice and for the e.ceptional precision of his &udg+
ments. It is not too much to say that he was one of the
greatest legal figures of his century and that his de+
cisions sered in no small degree to fi. the law.
%e should li(e to (now how far he had been brought
into contact with the sub&ect of witchcraft) but we can
do no more than guess. 4is early career had been
moulded in no small degree by ,elden) who) as has
been noted in an earlier chapter) belieed in the punish+
ment of those who claimed to be witches. It is not un+
reasonable to suppose that the Puritans with whom he
had been thrown were all of them ready to -uote
,cripture against the minions of ,atan. %e (now that
he had read some of the wor(s of 4enry 9ore) ! < and)
whether or not familiar with his chapters on witchcraft)
would hae deduced from that writer's general phil+
osophy of spirits the particular application.
*he trial concerned two women of :owestoft) Amy
;uny and Rose Cullender. *he first had been reputed
a witch and a H person of ery eil behaiour.H ,he
was in all probability related to some of those women
who had suffered at the hands of 4op(ins) and to that
connection owed her ill name. ,ome si. or seen
years before the date of the trial she had got herself
into trouble while ta(ing care of the child of a trades+
u ;iary and Correspondence of ;r. @ohn %orthington) II) pt. !
6Chethara ,oc.) no. 21) !$//7) !//.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D12
man in :owestoft. It would seem that) contrary to the
orders of the mother) she had suc(led the child. *he
child had that same night been attac(ed by fits) and a
witch doctor of Yarmouth) who was consulted) had
prescribed for it. *he reader will note that this H sus+
picious circumstance H happened seen years earlier)
and a large part of the eidence presented in court con+
cerned what had occurred from fie to seen years
before.
%e can not go into the details of a trial which
abounded in curious bits of eidence. *he main plot
indeed was an old one. *he accused woman) after she
had been discharged from employment and reproed)
had been heard to mutter threats) close upon which the
children of those she cursed) who were now the wit+
nesses against her) had fallen ill. *wo of the chil+
dren had suffered seerely and were still afflicted. *hey
had thrown up pins and een a two+penny nail. *he
nail) which was duly offered as an e.hibit in court) had
been brought to one of the children by a bee and had
been forced into the child's mouth) upon which she e.+
pelled it. *his narratie was on a leel with the other)
that flies brought croo(ed pins to the child. =oth flies
and bee) it will be understood) were the witches in
other form. A similar sort of eidence was that a
toad) which had been found as the result of the witch
doctor's directions) had been thrown into the fire) upon
which a sharp crac(ling noise ensued. %hen this in+
cident was testified to in the court the &udge inter+
rupted to as( if after the e.plosion the substance of the
toad was not to be seen in the fire. 4e was answered
in the negatie. >n the ne.t day Amy ;uny was found
to hae her face and body all scorched. ,he said to the
D1E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
witness that H she might than( her for it.H *here can
be no doubt in the world that this testimony of the co+
incident burning of the woman and the toad was re+
garded as damning proof) nor is there any reason to
beliee that the court deemed it necessary to go behind
the mere say+so of a single witness for the fact
Along with this sort of unsubstantial testimony there
was presented a monotonous mass of spectral eidence.
Apparitions of the witches were the constant occasions
for the paro.ysms of the children. In another con+
nection it will be obsered that this form of proof was
becoming increasingly common in the last part of the
seenteenth century. It can hardly be doubted that in
one way or another the use of such eidence at =ury
influenced other trials and more particularly the ,alem
cases in the ?ew %orld) where great importance was
attached to eidence of this sort.
*he usual nauseating eidence as to the ;eil's
mar(s was introduced by the testimony of the mother
of one of the children bewitched. ,he had been) a
month before) a member of a &ury of matrons ap+
pointed by a &ustice of the peace to e.amine the body of
the accused. 9ost damning proof against the woman
had been found. It is ery hard for us to understand
why 4ale allowed to testify) as one of the &ury of e.am+
ining matrons) a woman who was at the same time
mother of one of the bewitched children upon whom
the prosecution largely depended.
,o far the case for the prosecution had been ery
strong) but it was in the final e.periments in court)
which were e.pected to clinch the eidence) that a ery
serious mishap occurred. A bewitched child) eleen
years old) had been fetched into court. %ith eyes
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D1/
closed and head reclining upon the bar she had re+
mained -uiet until one of the accused was brought up)
when she at once became frantic in her effort to
scratch her. *his was tried again and again and in
eery instance produced the same result. *he per+
formance must hae had telling effect. =ut there hap+
pened to be present at the trial three ,er&eants of the
law. >ne of them) ,er&eant @ohn Aelyng) a few years
later to become chief &ustice of the (ing's bench) was
H much dissatisfied.H 4e urged the point that the mere
fact that the children were bewitched did not estab+
lish their claim to designate the authors of their mis+
fortune. *here were others present who agreed with
Aelyng in suspecting the actions of the girl on the
stand. =aron 4ale was induced) at length) to appoint
a committee of seeral gentlemen) including ,er&eant
Aelyng) to ma(e trial of the girl with her eyes coered.
An outside party was brought up to her and touched her
hand. *he girl was e.pecting that Amy ;uny would
be brought up and flew into the usual paro.ysms. *his
was what the committee had e.pected) and they de+
clared their belief that the whole transaction was a
mere imposture. >ne would hae supposed that eery
one else must come to the same conclusion) but 9r.
Pacy) the girl's father) offered an e.planation of her
mista(e that seems to hae found faor. *he maid)
he said) Hmight be deceied by a suspicion that the
%itch touched her when she did not.H >ne would sup+
pose that this subtle suggestion would hae bro(en
the spell) and that 9r. Pacy would hae been laughed
out of court Alas for the rarity of humor in seen+
teenth+century court rooms ! ?ot only was the e.plana+
D11 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
tion receied seriously) but it was) says the court re+
porter) afterwards found to be true.
In the mean time e.pert opinion had been called in.
It is hard to say whether ;r. =rowne had been re-uisi+
tioned for the case or merely happened to be present.
At all eents) he was called upon to render his opinion
as a medical man. *he name of *homas =rowne is
one eminent in English literature and not un(nown in
the annals of English medicine and science. 9ore than
twenty years earlier he had e.pressed faith in the
reality of witchcraft. !E In his Commonplace =oo() a
series of &ottings made throughout his life) he reiter+
ated his belief) but uttered a doubt as to the connection
between possession and witchcraft. ! <
%e should be glad to (now at what time =rowne
wrote this delierance 5 for) when called upon at =ury)
he made no application of his principles of caution. 4e
gae it as his opinion that the bewitchment of the two
girls was genuine. *he omiting of needles and nails
reminded him ery much of a recent case in ;enmar(.
For the moment the physician spo(e) when he said that
H these swounding Fits were ?atural.H =ut it was the
student of seenteenth+century theology who went on M
they were H heightened to a great e.cess by the subtilty
of the ;eil) co+operating with the 9alice of these
which we term %itches) at whose Instance he doth
these Cillanies.H
?o doubt =rowne's words confirmed the sentiment
of the court room and strengthened the case of the
prosecution. =ut it will not be oerloo(ed by the care+
HIn his Religio 9edici. ,ee ,ir *homas =rowne's %or(s 6ed. ,.
%il(in) :ondon) !$/!+!$/D7) II) E2.
H@%rf.) IC) 2$".
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D13
ful reader that he did not by any means commit him+
self as to the guilt of the parties at the bar.
%hen the &udge found that the prisoners had H noth+
ing material H to say for themseles he addressed the
&ury. Perhaps because he was not altogether clear in
his own mind about the merits of the case) he refused
to sum up the eidence. It is impossible for us to un+
derstand why he did not carry further the tests which
had coninced Aelyng of the fraud) or why he did not
as( -uestions which would hae uncoered the wea(+
ness of the testimony. >ne cannot but suspect that
?orth's criticism of him) that he had a H leaning to+
wards the Popular H and that he had gained such
H transcendent H authority as not easily to bear con+
tradiction)H was altogether accurate. At all eents he
passed oer the eidence and went on to declare that
there were two problems before the &uryM 6!7 were
these children bewitched) 6D7 were the prisoners at the
bar guilty of itR As to the e.istence of witches) he
neer doubted it. *he ,criptures affirmed it) and all
nations proided laws against such persons.
>n the following ,unday =aron 4ale composed a
meditation upon the sub&ect. Unfortunately it was
simply a dissertation on ,cripture te.ts and touched
upon the law at no point.
It is obious enough to the most casual student that
,ir 9atthew 4ale had a chance to anticipate the wor(
of Chief @ustice 4olt and missed it. In the nineties of the
seenteenth century) as we shall see) there was a man in
the chief &usticeship who dared to nullify the law of
@ames I. It is not too much to say that 9atthew 4ale
u Roger ?orth) op. cit.) 1!.
D1$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
by a different charge to the &ury could as easily hae
made the current of &udicial decisions run in faor of
accused witches all oer England. 4is weight was
thrown in the other direction) and the witch+triers for a
half+century to come ino(ed the name of 4ale.H
*here is an interesting though hardly trustworthy
story told by ,pea(er >nslowH G writing a century
later G that 4ale H was afterwards much altered in his
notions as to this matter) and had great concern upon
him for what had befallen these persons.H *his seems
the more doubtful because there is not a shred of proof
that 4ale's decisions occasioned a word of criticism
among his contemporaries. ! < ,o great) indeed) was the
spell of his name that not een a man li(e @ohn %ebster
dared to comment upon his decision. ?ot indeed until
nearly the middle of the eighteenth century does any+
one seem to hae felt that the decision called for
apology.
*he third noteworthy ruling in this period anent
the crime of witchcraft was made a few years later in
%iltshire by @ustice Rainsford. *he story) as he him+
self told it to a colleague) was this M H A %itch was
brought to ,alisbury and tried before him. ,ir @ames
:ong came to his Chamber) and made a heay Com+
!3 Inderwic( has gien a good illustration of 4ale's wea(ness of
characterM H I confessK' he says) H to a feeling of pain at finding him in
>ctober) !11#) sitting as a &udge at the >ld =ailey) trying and con+
demning to death batches of the regicides) men under whose orders he
had himself acted) who had been his colleagues in parliament) with
whom he had sat on committees to alter the law.H Interregnum) a !3+
2!$.
u 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) FIC) ") p. E$#.
H =ishop =urnet) in his :ife and ;eath of ,ir 9atthew 4ale 6:ondon)
!1$D7) does not seem to hae felt called upon to mention the =ury
trial at all. ,ee also :ord Campbell) :ies of the Chief @ustices 6:on+
don) !$E"7) I. /12+/13.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D1"
plaint of this %itch) and said that if she escaped) his
Estate would not be worth any *hing 5 for all the Peo+
ple would go away. It happened that the %itch was
ac-uitted) and the Anight continued e.tremely con+
cern'd 5 therefore the @udge) to sae the poor Bentle+
man's Estate) order'd the %oman to be (ept in Baol)
and that the *own should allow her Ds. 1d. per %ee( 5
for which he was ery than(ful. *he ery ne.t As+
si0es) he came to the @udge to desire his lordship would
let her come bac( to the *own. And whyR *hey
could (eep her for is. 1d. there 5 and) in the Baol) she
cost them a shilling more.H 9 Another case before @us+
tice Rainsford showed him less lenient. =y a mere
chance we hae a letter) written at the time by one of the
&ustices of the peace in 9almesbury) which sheds no lit+
tle light on this affair and on the legal status of witch+
craft at that time.< ! A certain Ann *illing had been
ta(en into custody on the complaint of 9rs. %ebb of
9almesbury. *he latter's son had swooning fits in
which he accused Ann of bewitching him. Ann *illing
made oluble confession) implicating Eli0abeth Pea+
coc( and @udith %itchell) who had) she declared) in+
eigled her into the practice of their eil arts. >ther
witches were named) and in a short time twele women
H Roger ?orth) op. tit.) !2#) !2!. *he story) as here told) ascribes
the eent to the year preceding :ord Builford's first western circuit G
i. <.) to !13E. =ut this perhaps need not be ta(en too e.actly) and the
witch was probably that Eli0abeth Peacoc( who was ac-uitted in !13#
and again in the case of !132 described aboe. At least the list of
H Indictments for witchcraft on the %estern Circuit from !13# to !3!DK'
published by Inderwic( in his ,idelights on the ,tuarts 6:ondon) !$$$7)
shows no other ac-uittal in %iltshire during this decade.
a For this letter see the Bentleman's 9aga0ine) !$2D) pt. I) E#/+E.#
E$#+E"2. *he story is confirmed in part by Inderwic('s finds in the
western Baol ;eliery records. As to the trustworthiness of this un+
(nown &ustice of the peace) see aboe) pp. !1#) !1D) and notes.
D3# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
and two men were under accusation. =ut the alder+
man of 9almesbury) who was the chief magistrate of
that town) deemed it wise before going further to call
in four of the &ustices of the peace in that subdiision
of the county. *hree of these &ustices of the peace came
and listened to the confessions) and were about to ma(e
out a mittimus for sending eleen of the accused to
,alisbury) when the fourth &ustice arried) the man
who has gien us the story. 4e was) according to his
own account) not H ery credulous in matters of %itch+
craft)H' and he made a speech to the other &ustices.
HBentlemen) what is done at this place) a =orough
remote from the centre of this large County) and almost
forty miles from ,alisbury) will be e.pended Nsicca
both by the Reerend @udges) the learned Counsayle
there . . . ) and the Bentry of the body of the County)
so that if anything be done here rashly) it will be se+
erely censured.H 4e went on to urge the danger that
the boy whose fits were the cause of so much e.cite+
ment might be an impostor) and that Ann *illing) who
had freely confessed) might be in confederacy with the
parents. *he s(eptical &ustice) who in spite of his
boasted incredulity was a belieer in the reality of
witchcraft) was successful with his colleagues. All
the accused were dismissed sae *illing) Peacoc() and
%itchell. *hey were sent to ,alisbury and tried be+
fore ,ir Richard Rainsford. Eli0abeth Peacoc() who
had been tried on similar charges before) was dis+
missed. *he other two were sentenced to be hanged.<
*en years later came a fourth remar(able ruling
against witchcraft) this time by @ustice Raymond at
*hat the &udge was ,ir Richard Rainsford appears from Inder+
wic('s list) mentioned aboe) note D#.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D3!
E.eter. ;uring the interening years there had been
cases a+plenty in England and a few hangings) but none
that had attracted comment. It was not until the sum+
mer of !1$D) when three ;eonshire women were ar+
raigned) tried) and sent to the gallows by @ustice Ray+
mondH that the public again reali0ed that witchcraft
was still upheld by the courts.
*he trials in themseles had no ery stri(ing fea+
tures. At least two of the three women had been beg+
gars 5 the other) who had been the first accused and who
had in all probability inoled her two companions)
had on two different occasions before been arraigned
but let off. *he eidence submitted against them
consisted of the usual sworn statements made by neigh+
bors to the &ustice of the peace) as well as of hardly co+
herent confessions by the accused. *he repetition of
the :ord's Prayer was gone through with and the re+
sults of e.aminations by a female &ury were detailed
ad nauseam. *he poor creatures on trial were remar(+
ably stupid) een for beings of their grade. *heir se+
eral confessions tallied with one another in hardly a
single point.
,ir *homas Raymond and ,ir Francis ?orth were
the &udges present at the E.eter assi0es. 4appily the
latter has left his impressions of this trial. !! 4e admits
that witch trials worried him because the eidence was
usually slight) but the people ery intent upon a er+
dict of guilty. 4e was ery glad that at E.eter his
colleague who sat upon the H crown side H had to bear
n A *rue and Impartial Relation of the Informations against . . . .
*emperance :loyd) 9ary *rembles) and ,usanna Edwards 6:ondon)
!1$D7. And *he *ryal) Condemnation and E.ecution of *hree %itches
. . . 6:ondon) !1$D7. ,ee also below) note a1) and appendi. A) Z 1.
9 Roger ?orth) op. cit.) !2#.
!"
D3D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
the responsibilities.H *he two women 6he seems to hae
(nown of no more7 were scarce alie as to sense and
understanding) but were Hoerwhelm'd with melan+
choly and wa(ing ;reams.H =arring confessions) the
other eidence he considered trifling) and he cites the
testimony of a witness that H he saw a cat leap in at
her 6the old woman's7 window) when it was twilight5
and this Informant farther saith that he erily be+
lieeth the said Cat to be the ;eil) and more saith notH
Raymond) declares his colleague) made no nice dis+
tinctions as to the possibility of melancholy women
contracting an opinion of themseles that was false)
but left the matter to the &ury<
%e hae already intimated that the rulings of the
courts were by no means all of them aderse to the
HAt a trial at the Yor( assi0es in !1$3 ,ir @ohn Reresby seems to
hae played about the same part that ?orth played at E.eter. ,er&eant
Powell) later to be chief &ustice) was presiding oer the case. H An
old woman was condemned for a witch. *hose who were more credulous
in points of this nature than myself) conceied the eidence to be ery
strong against her. *he boy she was said to hae bewitched fell
down on a sudden before all the court when he saw her) and would
then as suddenly return to himself again) and ery distinctly relate
the seeral in&uries "he had done himM but in all this it was obsered
the boy was free from any distortion5 that he did not foam at the
mouth) and that his fits did not leae him gradually) but all at once5
so that) upon the whole) the &udge thought it proper to repriee her.H
9emoirs and *raels of ,ir @ohn Reresby 6:ondon) !$.27) 2D".
< *here is indeed some eidence that Raymond wished not to condemn
the women) but yielded neertheless to public opinion. In a pamphlet
published fie years later it is stated that the &udge Hin his charge
to the &ury gae his >pinion that these three poor %omen 6as he sup+
posed7 were weary of their :ies) and that he thought it proper for
them to be carryed to the Parish from whence they came) and that the
Pariah should be charged with their 9aintainance5 for he thought then+
oppressing Poerty had constrained them to wish for ;eath.H Unhap+
pily the neighbors made such an outcry that the women were found
guilty and sentenced. *his is from a later and somewhat untrust+
worthy account) but it fits in well with what ?orth says of the case.
*he :ife and Conersation of *emperance Floyd) 9ary :loyd NsicO)
and ,usanna EdwardsM . . . 6:ondon) !1$37.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D32
witches. Almost contemporaneous with the far+reach+
ing sentence of ,ir 9atthew 4ale at =ury were the
trials in ,omerset) where flies and nails and needles
played a similar part) but where the outcome was ery
different. A 0ealous &ustice of the peace) Robert 4unt)
had for the last eight years been on the loo(out for
witches. In !112 he had turned @ulian Co. oer to the
tender mercies of @ustice Archer. =y !11E he had un+
coered a H hellish (not H of the wic(ed women and
was ta(ing depositions against them) wringing confes+
sions from them and sending them to gaol with all
possible speed.H *he women were of the usual class)
a herd of poor -uarrelsome) bic(ering females who
went from house to house see(ing alms. In the num+
bers of the accused the discoery resembled that at
:ancaster in !122+ !12E) as indeed it did in other ways.
A witch meeting or conenticle was confessed to. *he
county was being terrified and entertained by the most
horrible tales) when suddenly a -uietus was put upon
the affair H by some of them in authority.H A witch
chase) which during the Ciil %ars would hae led to a
tragedy) was cut short) probably through the agency
of a priy council less fearful of popular sentiment
than the assi0e &udges.
*he 9ompesson case < was of no less importance in
its time) although it belongs rather in the annals of
TH*he second part of Blanill's ,aducismus *riumphatus is full of
these depositions.
HIFor a full account of this affair see Blanill's ,odducismus *rium+
phatus) pt ii 6 preface and Relation I. Blanill had inestigated the
matter and had diligently collected all the eidence. 4e was familiar
also with what the H deriders H had to say) and we can discoer their
point of iew from his answers. ,ee also @ohn =eaumont) An 4is+
torical) Physiological and *heological *reatise of ,pirits) Apparitions)
%itchcrafts) and other 9agical Practices 6:ondon) !3#/7) 2#3+2#".
D3E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
tric(ery than in those of witchcraft. =ut the sensa+
tion which it caused in England and the controersy
waged oer it between the upholders of witchcraft
and the H ,adducees)H gie the story a considerable in+
terest and render the outcome of the trial significant.
*he only case of its sort in its time) it was neertheless
most typical of the superstition of the time. A little
town in %iltshire had been disturbed by a stray drum+
mer. *he self+constituted noise+ma(er was called to
account by a stranger in the illage) a 9r. 9ompesson
of *edworth) who on e.amining the man's license saw
that it had been forged and too( it away from him.
*his) at any rate) was 9r. 9ompesson's story as to
how he had incurred the ill will of the man. *he
drummer too( his reenge in a singular way. %ithin
a few days the 9ompesson family at *edworth began
to be annoyed at night by strange noises or drummings
on the roofs. All the phenomena and manifestations
which we associate with a modern haunted+house story
were obsered by this alarmed family of the seen+
teenth century. *he little girls were (noc(ed about in
their beds at night) a stout serant was forcibly held
hand and foot) the children's shoes were thrown about)
the chairs glided about the room. It would seem
that all this bold horse+play must soon hae been e.+
posed) but it went on merrily. %heneer any tune was
called for) it was gien on the drum. *he family
=ible was thrown upside down into the ashes. For
three wee(s) howeer) the spirits ceased operations
during the lying+in of 9rs. 9ompesson. =ut they
sedulously aoided the family serants) especially when
those retainers happened to be armed with swords.
%ell they might) for we are told that on one occasion)
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D3/
after a pistol shot had been fired at the place where
they were heard) blood was found on the spot. In
another instance) according to 9r. 9ompesson's own
account) there were seen figures) H in the shape of
9en) who) as soon as a Bun was discharg'd) would
shuffle away together into an Arbour.H
It is clear enough that a somewhat clumsy fraud
was being imposed upon 9r. 9ompesson. A contem+
porary writer tells us he was told that it was done by
Htwo Young %omen in the 4ouse with a design to
scare thence 9r. 9ompesson's 9other.H H From
other sources it is -uite certain that the in&ured drum+
mer had a hand in the affair. A ery similar game had
been played at %oodstoc( in !1E") anc < formed a com+
edy situation of which ,cott ma(es brilliant use in his
noel of that name. Indeed) it is -uite possible that the
drummer) who had been a soldier of Cromwell's) was
inspired by a memory of that affair.
=ut there was no one to detect the fraud) as at %ood+
stoc(. *edworth became a 9ecca for those interested
in the supernatural. >ne of the isitors was @oseph
Blanill) at this time a young man of twenty+seen)
later to become a member of the Royal ,ociety and
chaplain in ordinary to the (ing. *he spirits were less
noisy5 they were always somewhat restrained before
isitors) but scratched on bed sheets and panted in dog
fashion) till Blanill was thoroughly ta(en in. For the
rest of his life this psychic e.perimenter fought a liter+
ary war oer this case with those who made fun of it.
%hile we cannot proe it) we may guess with some
confidence that this episode was the beginning of the
special interest in the supernatural upon Blanill's
n Ibid.) 2#".
D31 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
part which was later to ma(e him the arch+defender
of the witchcraft superstition in his generation.
4ow wide an interest the matter eo(ed may be
&udged from the warm discussions upon it at Cam+
bridge) and from the royal interest in it which induced
Charles to send down a committee of inestigation.
Curiously enough) the spirits were singularly and most
e.traordinarily -uiet when the royal inestigators were
at wor() a fact to which delighted s(eptics pointed
with satisfaction.
>ne wonders that the drummer) who must hae
(nown that his name would be connected with the
affair) failed to reali0e the ris( he was running from
the witch hunters. 4e was indicted on minor felonies
of another sort) but the charges which 9ompesson
brought against him seem to hae been passed oer.
*he man was condemned for stealing and was trans+
ported. %ith his departure the troubles at *edworth
ceased. =ut the drummer) in some way) escaped and
returned to England. *he angry 9ompesson now
brought him to the assi0es as a felon on the strength
of the statute of @ames I. Unhappily we hae no de+
tails of this trial) nor do we (now een the name of the
&udge 5 but we do (now that the &ury gae a erdict of
ac-uittal.
In !13! Cornwall was stirred up oer a witch whose
crimes were said to be directed against the state. ,he
had hindered the English fleet in their war against the
;utch) she had caused a bull to (ill one of the enemies
in Parliament of the ?on+Conformists) she had been
responsible for the barrenness of the -ueen. And for
all these political crimes the chief eidence was that
some cats had been seen playing 6H dancing H7 near her
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D33
house. ,he was committed) along with seeral other
women who were accused. Although at the assi0es
they were all proed to hae had cats and rats about
them) they went free. $#
In !1$D) the same year in which the three women
of ;eonshire had been condemned) there was a trial
at ,outhwar() &ust outside of :ondon) which resulted
in a erdict of ac-uittal. *he case had many of the
usual features) but in two points was uni-ue. @oan
=utts was accused of haing bewitched a child that
had been ta(en with fits.H ?ineteen or twenty wit+
nesses testified against the witch. >ne of the wit<
nesses heard her say that) if she had not bewitched the
child) if all the deils in hell could help her) she would
bewitch it. @oan admitted the words) but said that
she had spo(en them in passion. ,he then turned on
one of the witnesses and declared that he had gien
himself to the ;eil) body and soul. Chief @ustice
Pemberton was presiding) and he called her to order
for this attac( on a witness) and then catechi0ed her as
to her means of (nowing the fact. *he woman had
thoughtlessly laid herself open by her own words to
the most serious suspicion. In spite of this) howeer)
the &ury brought her in not guilty) H to the great ama0e+
ment of some) . . . yet others who consider the great
difficulty in proing a %itch) thought the &ury could do
no less than ac-uit her.H
*his was) during the period) the one trial in or near
:ondon of which we hae details. *here can be no
m Col. ,t. P.) ;am.) i1fi) !#/) !3!.
H %e hae two accounts of this affairM ,trang< and %onderful ?ew<
from Yowell in ,urry 6!1$!7) and An Account of the *ryal and E.+
amination of @oan =uts 6!1$D7.
D3$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
doubt that the courts in :ondon and the icinity were
beginning to ignore cases of witchcraft After !13#
there were no more trials of the sort in 9iddlese..
*he reader will remember that @ustice ?orth had
-uestioned the e-uity of @ustice Raymond's decision at
E.eter. 4e has told us the story of a trial at *aunton+
;ean) where he himself had to try a witch.H A ten+
year+old girl) who was ta(ing strange fits and spitting
out pins) was the witness against an old man whom
she accused of bewitching her. *he defendant made
H a ;efence as orderly and well e.pressed as I eer
heard spo(e.H *he &udge then as(ed the &ustice of the
peace who had committed the man his opinion. 4e
said that he belieed the girl) H doubling herself in her
Fit) as being conulsed) bent her 4ead down close to
her ,tomacher) and with her 9outh) too( Pins out of
the Edge of that) and then) righting herself a little)
spit them into some =y+stander's 4ands.H H *he ,um
of it was 9alice) *hreatening) and Circumstances of
Imposture in the Birl.H As the &udge went downstairs
after the man had been ac-uitted) H an hideous old
woman H cried to him) H 9y :ord) Forty Years ago
they would hae hang'd me for a %itch) and they could
not 5 and now they would hae hang'd my poor ,on.H
*he fie cases we hae cited) while not so celebrated
as those on the other side) were -uite as representatie
of what was going on in England. It is to be regretted
that we hae not the records by which to compute the
ac-uittals of this period. In a large number of cases
where we hae depositions we hae no statement of the
outcome. *his is particularly true of Yor(shire. As
has been pointed out in the earlier part of the chapter)
TIRoger ?orth) op. cit.) !2!+!2D.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D3"
we can be sure that most of these cases were dis+
missed or were neer brought to trial.
%hen we come to the -uestion of the forms of ei+
dence presented during this period) we hae a story
that has been told before. Female &uries) conulsie
children or child pretenders) we hae met them all
before. *wo or three differences may neertheless be
noted. *he use of spectral eidence was becoming in+
creasingly common. *he spectres) as always) assumed
weird forms. ?icholas Rames's wife 6at :ongwit+
ton) in the north7 saw Eli0abeth Fenwic( and the ;eil
dancing together.H A sic( boy in Cornwall saw a
H %oman in a blue @er(in and Red Petticoat with Yel+
low and Breen patches)H who was -uic(ly identified
and put in hold. !E ,ometimes the spectres were more
material. @ane 9ilburne of ?ewcastle testified that
;orothy ,tranger) in the form of a cat) had leaped upon
her and held her to the ground for a -uarter of an
hour H A H =arber's boy H in Cambridge had escaped
from a spectral woman in the isle of Ely) but she fol+
lowed him to Cambridge and (illed him with a blow.
H 4e had the e.act mar( in his forehead) being dead)
where the ,piritual %oman did hit him alie.H H It is un+
necessary to multiply cases. *he Collection of 9odern
Relations is full of the same sort of eidence.
It has been seen that in nearly eery epoch of witch
history the oluntary and inoluntary confessions of
< Yor( ;epositions) DE3.
9 A *rue Account . . . of one @ohn *on(en) of Pensans in Cornwall
. . . 6!1$17. For other e.amples of spectral eidence see Yor( ;eposi+
tions) $$5 Roberts) ,outhern Counties 6:ondon) !$/17) /2/+/D15 Bentle+
man's 9aga0ine) !$2a) pt. II) E$".
u Yor( ;epositions) !! a) !!2.
9 ;rage) ;aimonomageia) ia.
D$# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
the accused had greatly simplified the difficulties of
prosecution. *he witches whom 9atthew 4op(ins
discoered were too ready to confess to enormous and
unnatural crimes. In this respect there is a mar(ed
change in the period of the later ,tuarts. Eli0abeth
,tyle of ,omerset in !112 and the three ;eonshire
witches of !1$D were the only ones who made
confessions. Eli0abeth ,tyleH had probably been
H watched)H in spite of Blanill's statement to the con+
trary) perhaps somewhat in the same torturing way as
the ,uffol( witches whom 4op(ins H discoered)H and
her wild confession showed the effect. *he ;eonshire
women were half+witted creatures) of the type that had
always been most oluble in confession 5 but such were
now e.ceptions.
*his means one of two things. Either the witches
of the Restoration were by some chance a more intelli+
gent set) or they were showing more spirit than eer
before because they had more supporters and fairer
treatment in court. It is -uite possible that both sup+
positions hae in them some elements of truth. As the
belief in the powers of witches deeloped in form and
theory) it came to draw within its radius more groups
of people. In its earlier stages the attac( upon the
witch had been in part the community's way of rid+
ding itself of a disreputable member. =y the time that
the process of attac( had been deeloped for a cen+
tury) it had become less impersonal. Personal hatreds
were now more often the occasion of accusation. In+
diidual malice was playing a larger role. In conse+
-uence those who were accused were more often those
)* For an account of her case) see Blanill) ,adducismus *riumphatus)
pt. ii) !D3+!E1.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D$!
who were capable of fighting for themseles or who
had friends to bac( them. And those friends were
more numerous and 0ealous because the attitude of
the public and of the courts was more friendly to the
accused witch. *his e.planation is at best) howeer)
nothing more than a suggestion. %e hae not the ma+
terial for confident generali0ation.
>ne other form of eidence must be mentioned. *he
town of ?ewcastle) which in !1E" had sent to ,cotland
for a witchfinder) was able in !132 to ma(e use of
home+grown talent. In this instance it was a woman)
Ann Armstrong) who implicated a score of her neigh+
bors and at length went around pointing out witches.
,he was a smooth+witted woman who was probably
ta(ing a shrewd method of turning off charges against
herself. 4er testimony dealt with witch gatherings
or conenticles held at arious times and places. ,he
told whom she had seen there and what they had said
about their crimes. ,he told of their feasts and of their
dances. Poor woman) she had herself been compelled
to sing for them while they danced. ?or was this the
worst. ,he had been terribly misused. ,he had been
often turned into a horse) then bridled and ridden.H
It would not be worth while to go further into Ann
Armstrong's stories. It is enough to remar( that she
offered details) as to harm done to certain indiiduals
in certain ways) which tallied closely with the sworn
statements of those indiiduals as to what had hap+
pened to them at the times specified. *he conclusion
cannot be aoided that the female witchfinder had been
at no small pains to get een such minute details in e.+
act form. ,he had gathered together all the witch
H Yor( ;epositions) !"!+@#!.
D$D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
stories of that part of ?orthumberland and had em+
bodied them in her account of the confessions made at
the H conenticles.H
%hat was the ruling of the court on all this eidence
we do not (now. %e hae only one instance in which
any eidence was ruled out. *hat was at the trial of
@ulian Co. in !112. @ustice Archer tried an e.peri+
ment in that trial) but before doing so he e.plained to
the court that no account was to be ta(en of the result
in ma(ing up their erdict. 4e had heard that a witch
could not repeat the petition in the :ord's Prayer)
H :ead us not into temptation.H *he witch indeed
failed to meet the test.H
In the course of this period we hae two trials that
reeal a connection between witchcraft and other
crimes. Perhaps it would be fairer to say that the
charge of witchcraft was sometimes made when other
crimes were suspected) but could not be proed. *he
first case concerned a rich farmer in ?orthamptonshire
who had gained the ill will of a woman named Ann
Foster. *hirty of his sheep were found dead with
their H :eggs bro(e in pieces) and their =ones all shat+
tered in their ,(ins.H A little later his house and barns
were set on fire. Ann Foster was brought to trial for
using witchcraft against him) confessed to it) and was
hanged. E#
*he other case was at =rightling in ,usse.) not far
from :ondon. *here a. woman who was suspected as
the one who had told a serant that @oseph Cruther's
HFor a complete account of the @ulian Co. case see Blani4) ,md+
dueismus *riutnphatus) pt) ii) !"!+D#".
UI A Full and *rue Relation of the *ryal . . . of Ann Foster . . . 6:on+
don) !13E7.
U?;ER C4AR:E, II A?; @A9E, II D$2
house would be burned G a prophecy which came true
ery shortly G was accused as a witch. ,he had been
accused years before at the 9aidstone assi0es) but had
gone free. *his time she was H watched H for twenty+
four hours and four ministers (ept a fast oer the
affair.< !
*hese cases are worth something as an indication that
the charge of witchcraft was still a method of getting
rid of people whom the community feared.
At the beginning of this chapter the years !11# to
!1$$ .were mar(ed off as constituting a single epoch in
the history of the superstition. Yet those years
were by no means characteri0ed by the same sort of
court erdicts. *he si.ties saw a decided increase oer
the years of the Commonwealth in the number of trials
and in the number of e.ecutions. *he seenties wit+
nessed a rapid dropping off in both figures. Een more
so the eighties. =y the close of the eighties the ac+
counts of witchcraft were e.ceedingly rare. *he de+
cisions of the courts in the matter were in a state of
fluctuation. *wo things were happening. *he &us+
tices of the peace were growing much more reluctant
to send accused witches to the assi0e courts 5 and the
itinerant &udges as a body were) in spite of the decisions
of 4ale and Raymond) more careful in witch trials
than eer before) and more li(ely to withstand public
sentiment.
*he changes of opinion) as reflected in the literature
of the time) especially in the literature of the sub&ect)
will show the same tendencies. %e shall ta(e them up
in the ne.t chapter.
n ,usse. Archaeological Collections) FCIII) !!!+!!2.
C4AP*ER FII.
Blanill and %ebster and the :iterary %ar oer
%itchcraft) !11#!1$$.
In an earlier chapter we followed the progress of
opinion from @ames I to the Restoration. %e saw
that in the course of little more than a half+century
the centre of the controersy had been considerably
shiftedM we noted that there was a growing body of
intelligent men who discredited the stories of witch+
craft and were een inclined to laugh at them. It is
now our purpose to go on with the history of opinion
from the point at which we left off to the reolution
of !1$$. %e shall discoer that the body of literature
on the sub&ect was enormously increased. %e shall
see that a larger and more representatie group of men
were e.pressing themseles on the matter. *he con+
troersialists were no longer bushwhac(ers) but crafty
warriors who &oined battle after loo(ing oer the field
and measuring their forces. *he groundwor(s of phil+
osophy were tested) the bases of religious faith e.+
amined. *he days of s(irmishing about the ordeal
of water and the test of the ;eil's mar(s were gone
by. *he combatants were now to fight oer the reality
or unreality of supernatural phenomena. %e shall
obsere that the battle was less one+sided than eer
before and that the assailants of superstition) who up
to this time had been outnumbered) now fought on at
least een terms with their enemies. %e shall see too
that the non+participants and onloo(ers were more
D$E
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ D$/
ready than eer before to &oin themseles to the party
of attac(.
*he struggle was indeed a miniature war and in the
main was fought ery fairly. =ut it was natural that
those who disbelieed should resort to ridicule. It was
a form of attac( to which their opponents e.posed
themseles by their faith in the utterly absurd stories
of silly women. Cerantes with his ;on 8ui.ote
laughed chialry out of Europe) and there was a class
in society that would willingly hae laughed witch+
craft out of England. *heir onslaught was one most
difficult to repel. ?eertheless the defenders of witch+
craft met the challenge s-uarely. %ith unwearying
patience and absolute confidence in their cause they
collected the testimonies for their narraties and then
said to those who laughed M 4ere are the facts 5 what
are you going to do about themR
*he last chapter told of the alarms in ,omerset and
in %ilts and showed what a stir they produced in Eng+
land. In connection with those affairs was mentioned
the name of that brae researcher) 9r. Blanill. *he
history of the witch literature of this period is little
more than an account of @oseph Blanill) of his opin+
ions) of his controersies) of his disciples and his op+
ponents. It is not too much to say that in Blanill the
superstition found its ablest adocate. In acute+
ness of logical distinction) in the cleerness and bril+
liance of his intellectual sword+play) he e.celled all
others before and after who sought to defend the belief
in witchcraft. 4e was a man entitled to spea( with
some authority. A member of E.eter College at >.+
ford) he had been in !11E elected a fellow of the re+
cently founded Royal ,ociety and was in sympathy
D$1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
with its point of iew. At the same time he was a phil+
osopher of no small influence in his generation.
4is intellectual position is not difficult to determine.
4e was an opponent of the >.ford scholasticism and
inclined towards a school of thought represented by
Robert Fludd) the two Caughans) 4enry 9ore) and
Can 4elmont) ! men who had drun( deeply of the cabal+
istic writers) disciples of Paracelsus and Pico della
9irandola. It would be foolhardy indeed for a layman
to attempt an elucidation of the subtleties either of this
philosophy or of the processes of BlaniU's philosophi+
cal reasoning. 4is point of iew was partially un+
folded in the ,cepsis ,cientifica) published in !11/ < and
dedicated to tCie Royal ,ociety. In this treatise he
pointed out our present ignorance of phenomena and
our inability to determine their real character) owing
to the sub&ectiity of our perceptions of them) and
insisted conse-uently upon the danger of dogmatism.
4e himself had drawn but a coc(le+shell of water
from the ocean of (nowledge. 4is notion of spirit G
if his wor(s on witchcraft may be trusted G seems to
hae been that it is a light and inisible form of matter
capable of detachment from or infusion into more
solid substances G precisely the idea of 4enry 9ore.
Religiously) it would not be far wrong to call him a
reconstructionist G to use a much abused and e.ceed+
ingly modern term. 4e did not) indeed) admit the e.+
istence of any gap between religion and science that
needed bridging oer) but the trend of his teaching)
! Ferris Brecnslct) @oseph Blanill 6?ew Yor() !"##7) D/2. *he
writer wishes to ac(nowledge his indebtedness to 9r. Brecnslet's e.+
cellent boo( on Blanill.
! *he ,cepsis ,cientifica was really *he Conity of ;ogmatising 6!11!7
recast.
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ D$3
though he would hardly hae admitted it) was to show
that the mysteries of reealed religion belong in the
field of une.plored science.< It was his confidence in
the far possibilities opened by inestigation in that field)
together with the cabalistic notions he had absorbed)
which rendered him so willing to become a student of
psychical phenomena.
:ittle wonder) then) that he found the 9ompesson
and ,omerset cases material to his hand and that he
sei0ed upon them eagerly as irrefutable proof of de+
moniacal agency. 4is first tas() indeed) was to proe
the alleged facts 5 these once established) they could be
readily fitted into a comprehensie scheme of reasoning.
In !111 he issued a small olume) ,ome Philosophical
Considerations touching %itches and %itchcraft.
9ost of the first edition was burned in the fire of :on+
don) but the boo( was reprinted. Already by !11$ it
had reached a fourth impression. E In this edition the
wor( too( the new title A =low at 9odern ,adducism)
and it was republished again in !1$! with further ad+
ditions as ,adducismus *riumphatus) which might be
translated HUnbelief Con-uered.H $ *he wor( con+
tinued to be called for faster than the publisher could
supply the demand) and went through seeral more
< ,ee) for e.ample) the introductory essay by @ohn >wen in his
edition 6:ondon) !$$/7) of the ,cepsis ,cientifica) ..ii) ..i.. ,ee also
,adducismus *riumphatus 6citations are all from the edition of !1$!7)
3. !2.
E ,o at least says :eslie ,tephen) ;iet. ?at. =iog. Blanill himself)
in Essays on ,eeral Important ,ub&ects 6!1317) says that the si.th
essay) H Philosophical Considerations against 9odern ,adducism)H had
been printed four times already) i. e.) before !131. *he edition of !11$
had been reised.
" *his edition was dedicated to Charles) ;u(e of Richmond and :eno.)
since 4is Brace had been H pleased to commend the first and more
imperfect Edition.H
D#
D$$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
reisions and reimpressions. >ne of the most popular
boo(s of the generation) it proed to be Blanill's great+
est title to contemporary fame. *he success of the
wor( was no doubt due in large measure to the collec+
tion of witch stories 5 but these had been inserted by the
author as the groundwor( of his argument. 4e recog+
ni0ed) as no one on his side of the controersy had done
before) the force of the arguments made by the oppo+
sition. *hey were good points) but to them all he of+
fered one short answer G the eidence of proed fact<
*hat such transformations as were ascribed to the
witches were ridiculous) that contracts between the
;eil and agents who were already under his control
were absurd) that the ;eil would neer put himself
at the nod and bec( of miserable women) and that
Proidence would not permit 4is children to be thus
buff eted by the eil one M these were the current ob&ec+
tions 5 ' and to them all Blanill replied that one positie
fact is worth a thousand negatie arguments. In+
numerable frauds had been e.posed. Yes) he (new it)<
but here were well authenticated cases that were not
fraud. Blanill put the issue s-uarely. 4is confidence
in his case at once wins admiration. 4e was thor+
oughly sincere. *he fly in the ointment was of course
that his best authenticated cases could not stand any
careful criticism. 4e had been furnished the narra+
ties which he used by H honest and honourable
friends.H Yet) if this scientific inestigator could be
< ,adducitmus *riumphatus) Preface) F 2 erso) F E5 see alio p. !#.
In the second part see Preface) Aa aG Aa 2. In seeral other places
he has insisted upon this point
f ,ee ibid.) " ft.) !$ ff.) ai ff.) 2E ff.
I@9rf.) 2a. 2E.
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ D$"
duped) as he had been at *edworth) much more those
worthy but credulous friends whom he -uoted.
From a simple assertion that he was presenting facts
Blanill went on to ma(e a plea used often nowadays
in another connection by defenders of miracles. If the
ordinary mind) he said) could not understand H eery
thing done by 9athematics and 9echanical ArtificeK' '
how much more would een the most (nowing of us
fail to understand the power of witches. *his propo+
sition) the reader can see) was nothing more than a
wor(ing out of one of the principles of his philosophy.
*here can be no doubt that he would hae ta(en the
same ground about miraclesK a position that must
hae alarmed many of his contemporaries.
In spite of his emphasis of fact) Blanill was as ready
as any to enter into a theological dis-uisition. Into
those rarefied regions of thought we shall not follow
him. It will perhaps not be out of order) howeer)
to note two or three points that were thoroughly typical
of his reasoning. *o the contention that) if a wic(ed
spirit could wor( harm by the use of a witch) it should
be able to do so without any intermediary and so to
harass all of man(ind all of the time) he answered that
the designs of demons are leelled at the soul and
can in conse-uence best be carried on in secretH *o
the argument that when one considers the H ileness of
men H one would e.pect that the eil spirits would prac+
tise their arts not on a few but on a great many) he
replied that men are not liable to be troubled by them
till they hae forfeited the H tutelary care and oersight
I3%d.) ! !+ ! 2.
H ,ec) for e.ample) ibid.) $$+$".
!! Ibid.) D L+D3.
D"# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
of the better spirits)H and) furthermore) spirits find it
difficult to assume such shapes as are necessary for
H their Correspondence with %itches.H It is a hard
thing for spirits Hto force their thin and tenuious
bodies into a isible consistence. . . . For) in this Action)
their =odies must needs be e.ceedingly compress'd.H H
*o the ob&ection that the belief in eil beings ma(es it
plausible that the miracles of the =ible were wrought
by the agency of deils) ! < he replied that the miracles
of the Bospel are notoriously contrary to the tendency)
aims) and interests of the (ingdom of dar(ness. !E *he
suggestion that witches would not renounce eternal
happiness for short and triial pleasures here) !! he sil+
enced by saying that H 9an(ind acts sometimes to pro+
digious degrees of brutishness.H
It is needless to go further in -uoting his arguments.
;oubtless both -uestions and answers seem -uibbles
to the present+day reader) but the force of BlaniU's
replies from the point of iew of his contemporaries
must not be underestimated. 4e was indeed the first
defender of witchcraft who in any reasoned manner
tried to clear up the problems proposed by the opposi+
tion. 4is answers were without -uestion the best that
could be gien.
It is easy for us to forget the theological bac(ground
of seenteenth+century English thought. Bien a per+
sonal ;eil who is constantly intriguing against the
(ingdom of Bod 6and who would then hae dared to
deny such a premiseR7) grant that the ;eil has
9 ,adducitmns *riumphatus) 2".
u Ibid.) /Y+/2.
9 *o the argument that witches are not mentioned in the ?ew
*estament he retorted that neither is ?orth America 6ibid.) $a7.
<<Ibid.) 3$.
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ D"!
supernatural powers 6and there were ,cripture te.ts
to proe it7) and it was but a short step to the
belief in witches. *he truth is that BlanilPs
theories were much more firmly grounded on the bed+
roc( of seenteenth+century theology than those of his
opponents. 4is opponents were attempting to use
common sense) but it was a sort of common sense
which) howeer little they saw it) must undermine the
current religious conictions.
Blanill was indeed e.ceedingly up+to+date in his
own time. ?ot but that he had read the learned old
authors. 4e was familiar with what H the great Epis+
copius H had to say) he had dipped into Reginald ,cot
and deemed him too H ridiculous H to answer.H =ut he
cared far more about the arguments that he heard ad+
anced in eery+day conersation. *hese were the
arguments that he attempted to answer. 4is wor( re+
flected the current discussions of the sub&ect. It was)
indeed) the growing opposition among those whom he
met that stirred him most. ?ot without sadness he
recogni0ed that H most of the looser Bentry and small
pretenders to Philosophy and %it are generally de+
riders of the belief of %itches and Apparitions.HH
:i(e an animal at bay) he turned fiercely on them.
H :et them en&oy the >pinion of their own ,uperlatie
@udgements H and run madly after ,cot) 4obbes) and
>sborne. It was) in truth) a danger to religion that he
was trying to ward off. >ne of the fundamentals of
religion was at sta(e. *he denial of witchcraft was a
phase of prealent atheism. *hose that gie up the
belief in witches) gie up that in the ;eil) then that
!1 ?eertheless he too( up some of ,cot's points.
!3 ,adducismus *riumphatus) Preface.
D"D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
in the immortality of the soul. ! < *he -uestion at issue
was the reality of the spirit world.
It can be seen why the man was tremendously in
earnest. >ne may indeed wonder if his intensity of
feeling on the matter was not responsible for his ac+
cepting as bona fide narraties those which his com+
mon sense should hae made him re&ect. In defending
the authenticity of the remar(able stories told by the
accusers of @ulian Co.)H he was guilty of a degree of
credulity that passes belief. Perhaps the reader will
recall the incident of the hunted rabbit that anished
behind a bush and was transformed into a panting
woman) no other than the accused @ulian Co.. *his
tale must indeed hae strained Blanill's utmost ca+
pacity of belief. Yet he rose braely to the occasion.
;etermined not to gie up any well+supported fact) he
urged that probably the ;eil had sent a spirit to ta(e
the apparent form of the hare while he had hurried
the woman to the bush and had presumably (ept her
inisible until she was found by the boy. It was the
?emesis of a bad cause that its greatest defender
should hae let himself indulge in such absurdities.
In truth we may be permitted to wonder if the phil+
osopher was altogether true to his own position. In
his ,cepsis ,cien4fica he had tal(ed hopefully about the
possibility that science might e.plain what as yet
seemed supernatural.H *his came perilously near to
saying that the realms of the supernatural) when e.+
plored) would turn out to be natural and sub&ect to
natural law. If this were true) what would become of
n ,adducismus *riumphatus) pt ii) 2.
H ,ee ibid.) pt. ii) Relation CIII.
H,cepsis ,citntifica 6ed. of !$$/7) i3"<
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ 2"2
all those bulwar(s of religion furnished by the wonders
of witchcraftR It loo(s ery much as if Blanill had
let an inconsistency creep into his philosophy.
It was two years after Blanill's first enture that
9eric Casaubon issued his wor( entitled >f Credulity
and Incredulity in *hings ?atural) Ciil) and ;iine<
>n account of illness) howeer) as he tells the reader in
his preface) he had been unable to complete the boo()
and it dealt only with H *hings ?atural H and H *hings
Ciil.H H*hings ;iineH became the theme of a
separate olume) which appeared in !13# under the
title >f Credulity and Incredulity in *hings ;iine
and ,piritualM wherein . . . the business of %itches and
%itchcraft) against a late %riter) NisO fully Argued
and ;isputed. *he interest of this scholar in the sub+
&ect of witchcraft was) as we hae seen) by no means
recent. %hen a young rector in ,omerset he had at+
tended a trial of witches) -uite possibly the identical
trial that had moed =ernard to appeal to grand &ury+
men. %e hae noted in an earlier chapterH that Ca+
saubon in !1/E) writing on Enthusiasm) had touched
lightly upon the sub&ect. It will be recalled that he had
come ery near to -uestioning the alue of confessions.
Fie years later) in prefacing a Relation of what passed
between ;r. ;ee and some ,pirits) he had anticipated
the conclusions of his Credulity and Incredulity. *hose
conclusions were mainly in accord with Blanill. %ith
a good will he admitted that the denying of witches
was a H ery plausible cause.H ?othing was more liable
n :ondon) 011$. It was reprinted in !13a with the title A *reatise
proing ,pirits) %itches) and ,upernatural >perations by pregnant
instances and eidences.
H,ee aboe) pp. D2"+DE#.
D"E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
to be fraud than the e.hibitions gien at trials) nothing
less trustworthy than the accounts of what witches
had done. *oo many cases originated in the ignorance
of ministers who were on the loo(+out H in eery wild
notion or phansie H for a H suggestion of the ;eil.H <
=ut) li(e Blanill) and indeed li(e the spiritualists of
to+day) he insisted that many cases of fraud do not
establish a negatie. *here is a ery large body of nar+
raties so authentic that to doubt them would be ei+
dence of infidelity. Casaubon rarely doubted) although
he sought to (eep the doubting spirit. It was hard for
him not to beliee what he had read or had been told.
4e was naturally credulous) particularly when he read
the stories of the classical writers. For this attitude
of mind he was hardly to be censured. Criticism was
but beginning to be applied to the tales of Roman and
Bree( writers. *heir wor(s were full of stories of
magic and enchantment) and it was not easy for a se+
enteenth+century student to sha(e himself free from
their authority. ?or would Casaubon hae wished to
do so. 4e belonged to the past both by religion and
training) and he must be rec(oned among the upholders
of superstition.H<
In the ne.t year) !11") @ohn %agstaffe) a graduate
of >riel College who had applied himself to H the study
of learning and politics)H issued a little boo() *he 8ues+
tion of %itchcraft ;ebated. %agstaffe was a unier+
sity man of no reputation. H A little croo(ed man and
of a despicable presence)H he was dubbed by the >.+
< >f Credulity and Incredulity) D") 2#.
9 4e characteri0es Reginald ,cot as an illiterate wretch) but admits
that he had neer read him. It was %ierus whom he chiefly sought
to confute.
*4E U*ERARY %AR) !11#+ !1$$ D"s
ford wags the little wi0ard < ?eertheless he had
something to say and he gained no small hearing. 9any
of his arguments were purely theological and need
not be repeated. =ut he made two good points. *he
notions about witches find their origin in Hheathen
fables.H *his was an undercutting blow at those who
insisted on the belief in witchcraft as an essential of
Christian faith 5 and %agstaffe) moreoer) made good
his case. 4is second argument was one which no less
needed to be emphasi0ed. Coincidence) he belieed)
accounts for a great deal of the ine.plicable in witch+
craft narraties <
%ithin two years the boo( appeared again) much en+
larged) and it was later translated into Berman. It
was answered by two men G by Casaubon in the sec+
ond part of his Credulity w and by an author who signed
himself H R. *.H < Casaubon added nothing new) nor
did H R. *.)H who threshed oer old theological straw.
*he same can hardly be said of :odowic( 9uggleton)
a seenteenth+century ;owie who would fain hae been
a prophet of a new dispensation. 4e put out an e.+
position of the %itch of Endor that was entirely ration+
alistic< %itches) he maintained) had no spirits but
their own wic(ed imaginations. ,aul was simply the
dupe of a woman pretender.
An antidote to this serious literature may be men+
tioned in passing. *here was published at :ondon) in
< 4e was gien also to H strong and high tasted li-uors.<' Anthony
a %ood) Athena< >.onienses 6:ondon) !1"!+!1"D5 2d ed.) with additions)
:ondon) !$ !2+ !$D#7) ed. of !$!2+!$D#) III) !!+!E.
!$ *he 8uestion of %itchcraft ;ebated 6:ondon) !11"7) 1E.
w !13# 6see aboe) p. 2"27.
< *he >pinion of %itchcraft Cindicated. In an Answer to a =oo(
Intituled *he 8uestion of %itchcraft ;ebated 6:ondon) !13#7.
<S A *rue Interpretation of the %itch of Endor 6:ondon) !11"7.
D"$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
the sub&ect of witchcraft. Probably that interest dates
from an e.perience of his one ,unday afternoon oer
forty years before he published his boo(. It will be re+
called that the boy Robinson) accuser of the :ancashire
women in !12E) had been brought into his Yor(shire
congregation at an afternoon serice and had come
off ery poorly when cross+-uestioned by the curi+
ous minister. From that time %ebster had been a
doubter. ?ow and again in the course of his Yor(+
shire and :ancashire pastorates he had come into con+
tact with superstition. 4e was no philosopher) this Yor(+
shire doctor of souls and bodies) nor was he more than a
country scientist) and his reasoning against witchcraft
fell short G as Professor Aittredge has clearly pointed
out H G of scientific rationalism. *hat was a high mar(
and few there were in the seenteenth century who
attained unto it. =ut it is not too much to say that
@ohn %ebster was the heir and successor to ,cot. 4e
carried weight by the force of his attac() if not by its
brilliancy.H 4e was by no means always consistent)
but he struc( sturdy blows. 4e was seldom original)
but he felled his opponents.
9any of his strongest arguments) of course) were
old. It was nothing new that the %itch of Endor was
an impostor. It was 9uggleton's notion) and it went
bac( indeed to ,cot. *he emphasi0ing of the part
played by imagination was as old as the oldest English
opponent of witch persecution. *he e.planation of
certain strange phenomena as entrilo-uism G a matter
H,ee B. :. Aittredge) H?otes on %itchcraft)H in American Anti+
-uarian ,oc.) Proceedings) n. $.) FCIII 6!"#1+ !"#37) !1"+!31.
H*here is) howeer) no little brilliance and insight in some of
%ebster's reasoning.
f+ < ++ )
6t
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+ !1$$ D""
that %ebster had inestigated painsta(ingly G this had
been urged before. %ebster himself did not beliee
that new arguments were needed. 4e had felt that the
H impious and Popish opinions of the too much magni+
fied powers of ;emons and %itches) in this ?ation
were pretty well -uashed and silencedH by arious
writers and by the Hgrae proceedings of many
learned &udges.H =ut it was when he found that two
beneficed 9inisters)H Casaubon and Blanill) had
afresh espoused so bad a cause H that he had been
impelled to reiew their grounds.
As the reader may already hae guessed) %ebster)
li(e so many of his predecessors) dealt largely in theo+
logical and scriptural arguments. It was along this
line) indeed) that he made his most important contri+
bution to the controersy then going on. Blanill had
urged that disbelief in witchcraft was but one step in
the path to atheism. ?o witches) no spirits) no immor+
tality) no Bod) were the se-uences of Blanill's reason+
ing. In answer %ebster urged that the denial of the
e.istence of witches G i. e.) of creatures endued with
power from the ;eil to perform supernatural won+
ders G had nothing to do with the e.istence of angels
or spirits. %e must rely upon other grounds for a be+
lief in the spirit world. ,tories of apparitions are no
proof) because we cannot be sure that those apparitions
are made or caused by spirits. %e hae no certain
ground for belieing in a spirit world but the testimony
of ,cripture.H
=ut if we grant the e.istence of spirits G to modern+
i0e the form of %ebster's argument G we do not there+
m ;isplaying of ,upposed %itchcraft) 2$+E!.
2## %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
by proe the e.istence of witches. *he ?ew *esta+
ment tells of arious sorts of H deceiing Imposters)
;iiners) or %itches)H but amongst them all Hthere
were none that had made a isible league with the
;eilK' *here was no mention of transformation into
cats) dogs) or woles. E < It is hard to see how the most
literal students of the ,criptures could hae eaded
this argument. *he ,criptures said a great deal about
the ;eil) about demoniacs) and about witches and
magicians G whateer they might mean by those terms.
%hy did they not spea( at all of the compacts between
the ;eil and witchesR %hy did they leae out the
ery essential of the witch+monger's loreR
All this needed to be urged at a time when the
adocates of witchcraft were crying H %olf P wolf P H
to the Christian people of England. In other words)
%ebster was rendering it possible for the purely or+
thodo. to gie up what Blanill had called a bulwar(
of religion and still to cling to their orthodo.y.
It is much to the credit of %ebster that he spo(e
out plainly concerning the obscenity of what was e.+
torted from the witches. ?o one who has not read for
himself can hae any notion of the ile character of the
charges and confessions embodied in the witch pam+
phlets. It is an aspect of the -uestion which has not been
discussed in these pages. %ebster states the facts with+
out e.aggeration M< H For the most of them are not
credible) by reason of their obscenity and filthiness5
for chast ears would tingle to hear such bawdy and
immodest lyes 5 and what pure and sober minds would
not nauseate and startle to understand such unclean
<X ;isplaying of ,upposed %itchcraft) /2.
UK9<.. 1$.
*4E U*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ 2#!
stories . . . R ,urely een the impurity of it may be
sufficient to oerthrow the credibility of it) especially
among Christians.H Professor =urr has said that H it
was) indeed) no small part of the eil of the matter)
that it so long debauched the imagination of Christen+
domK' +
%e hae said that %ebster denied the e.istence of
witches) that is) of those who performed supernatural
deeds. =ut) li(e ,cot) he e.plicitly refrained from
denying the e.istence of witches in toto. 4e was)
in fact) much more satisfactory than ,cot 5 for he e.+
plained &ust what was his residuum of belief. 4e be+
lieed that witches were eil+minded creatures inspired
by the ;eil) who by the use of poisons and natural
means un(nown to most men harmed and (illed their
fellow+beings< >f course he would hae insisted
that a large proportion of all those charged with being
such were mere dealers in fraud or the ictims of false
accusation) but the remainder of the cases he would
hae e.plained in this purely natural way.
?ow) if this was not scientific rationalism) it was
at least straight+out s(epticism as to the super+
natural in witchcraft. 9oreoer there are cases
enough in the annals of witchcraft that loo( ery much
as if poison were used. *he drawbac( of course is
that %ebster) li(e ,cot) had not disabused his mind
of all superstition. Professor Aittredge in his dis+
cussion of %ebster has pointed this out carefully.
%ebster belieed that the bodies of those that had
been murdered bleed at the touch of the murderer. 4e
<<*A< ICitch+Ptrsocutions 6Uniersity of Pennsylania *ranslations
and Reprints) ol. Ill) no. E7) reised ed. 6Philadelphia) !"#27) p. !.
U ;isplaying of ,upposed %itchcraft) 2E3+DE$.
28D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
belieed) too) in a sort of H astral spirit)H u and he
seems to hae been coninced of the truth of appari+
tions< *hese were phenomena that he belieed to be
substantiated by e.perience. >n different grounds)
by a priori reasoning from scriptural premises) he ar+
ried at the conclusion that Bod ma(es use of eil
angels H as the e.ecutioners of his &ustice to chasten
the godly) and to restrain or destroy the wic(ed.H <
*his is and was essentially a theological conception.
=ut there was no small gap between this and the no+
tion that spirits act in supernatural ways in our eery+
day world. And there was nothing more inconsistent
in failing to bridge this gap than in the position of the
Christian people today who beliee in a spirit world
and yet discredit without e.amination all that is of+
fered as new eidence of its e.istence.
*he truth is that %ebster was too busy at destroying
the fortifications of his opponents to ta(e the trouble to
build up defences for himself. =ut it is not too much
to call him the most effectie of the seenteenth century
assailants of witch persecution in England. E! 4e had
this adantage oer all who had gone before) that a
large and increasing body of intelligent people were
with him. 4e spo(e in full conscipusness of strong
support. It was for his opponents to assume the de+
fensie.
%e hae called @ohn %ebster's a great name in the
literature of our sub&ect) and we hae gien our rea+
<< ;isplaying of ,upposed %itchcraft) 2#$) 2!a ff. *he astral spirit
which he conceied was not tanli(e 9ore's and Blanill's +H thin and
tenuous substance.H
I Ibid.) 2"E ff.
E# Ibid.) aio+2D$.
H*he author of *he ;octrine of ;eils 6see aboe) note 2a7) waa
thorough+going enough) but his wor( seems to hare attracted much less
attention.
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ 2#2
sons for so thin(ing. Yet it would be a mista(e to
suppose that he created any such sensation in his time
as did his arch+opponent) Blanill. 4is wor( neer
went into a second edition. *here are but few refer+
ences to it in the writings of the time) and those are in
wor(s deoted to the defence of the belief. =en&amin
Camfield) a :eicestershire rector) wrote an unim+
portant boo( on Angels and their 9inistriesR and in
an appendi. assailed %ebster. @oseph Blanill turned
fiercely upon him with new proofs of what he called
facts) and be-ueathed the wor( at his death to 4enry
9ore) who in the seeral following editions of the ,ad+
ducismus *riumphatus attac(ed him with no little bit+
terness.
%e may s(ip oer three lesser writers on witchcraft
;uring the early eighties @ohn =rinley) 4enry 4ally+
well) and Richard =oet launched their little boats into
the sea of controersy. =rinley was a bold plagiarist
of =ernard) 4allywell a logical but dull reasoner from
the =ible) =oet a wea(ened solution of Blanill.<
%e turn now from the special literature of witch+
craft to a s(etch of the incidental eidences of opinion.
E$ :ondon) !13$.
H@ohn =rinley) HBentleman)H brought out in !1$# A ;iscoery of
the Impostures of %itches and Astrologers. Portions of his boo(
would pasa for good thin(ing until one awa(ens to the feeling that he
has read something li(e this before. As a matter of fact =rinley had
stolen the line of thought and much of the phrasing from Richard =er+
nard 6!1D3) see aboe) pp. D2E+D217) and without giing any credit. A
second edition of =rinley's wor( was issued in !1$1. It was the same
in eery respect sae that the dedication was omitted and the title
changed to A ;iscourse Proing by ,cripture and Reason and the =est
Authors Ancient and 9odern that there are %itches.
4enry 4allywell) a Cambridge master of arts and sometime fellow
of Christ's College) issued in !1$! 9elampronoea) or a ;iscourse of the
Polity and Aingdom of ;ar(ness) *ogether with a ,olution of the chief+
est >b&ections brought against the =eing of %itches. 4allywell was
ai
2#E %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
>f these we hae a larger body than eer before) too
large indeed to handle in detail. It would be idle
to -uote from the chap+boo(s on witch episodes their
raisons d'etre. It all comes to this M they were written
to confute disbelieers. *hey refer slightingly and
een bitterly to those who oppose belief) not howeer
Hhout admitting their numbers and influence. It will
more to our purpose to e.amine the opinions of
i as they uttered them on the bench) in the pulpit)
I in the other wal(s of practical life.
Ce hae already had occasion to learn what the
ges were thin(ing. %e listened to 9atthew 4ale
ile he uttered the pronouncement that was heard all
r England and een in the ?orth American colonies.
5 e.istence of witches) he affirmed solemnly) is
ed by ,cripture and by the uniersality of laws
inst them. @ustice Rainsford in the following years
@ustice Raymond about twenty years later seem
hae ta(en 4ale's iew of the matter. >n the
her in the long list of Cambridge men who defended tuperttition.
set ibout to will the H oer+confident E.ploderi of Immaterial
tanee< H b& i courie of logical deductiona from ,cripture. 4as
iae ia alow reading.
chard =oet) H Bentleman.H gae the world in !1$E Panimuumium.
\4 ;til'l Claytltr5 bring a furlhtr =low to 9iedtr< ,add<eriim.
re waa nothing new about hii diacuialon) which be dedicate< to ;r.
ry 9ore. 4la attitude waa defensie in the e.treme. 4e waa con+
Md with indignation at disbelieersM H *hey oppose their simple ipst
againat the moat un-uestionable *eathnoniea H 5 they een dare
affront that relation of the ;emon of *edworth.H 4e waa indeed
down oer the situation. 4e himself relates a ery patent &n+
Me of witchcraft in ,omerset5 yet) despite the fact that numerous
iciant agreed on the matter) no H &ustice waa applyed.H >ne of
rt'i chief purpose< in hla wor( waa to ahow H the Confederacy of
ral Pones and Roman Pricnts with the ;eil.H 4e ma(e< one im+
Tsl admiaaion in regard to witchcraft5 namely) that the confessionP
itches might aometimea be the reanlt of H a ;eep 9elancholy) or
5 *erronr that they may hae been under.H
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) ! 11a+ ! 1$$ 2#/
other side were to be rec(oned ,ir @ohn Reresby and
Francis ?orth. ?either of them was -uite outspo(en)
fearing the rage of the people and the charge of athe+
ism. =oth sought to sae the ictims of persecution)
but rather by e.posing the deceptions of the accusers
than by denying witchcraft itself. From the ast num+
ber of ac-uittals in the seenties and the sudden drop+
ping off in the number of witch trials in the eighties
we (now that there must hae been many other &udges
who were ac-uitting witches or -uietly ignoring the
charges against them. ;oubtless Aelyng) who) as a
spectator at =ury) had shown his s(epticism as to the ac+
cusations) had when he later became a chief &ustice
been one of those who refused to condemn witches.
From scientific men there were few utterances.
Although we shall in another connection show that
a goodly number from the Royal ,ociety cherished
ery definite beliefs G or disbeliefs G on the sub&ect)
we hae the opinions of but two men who were pro+
fessionally scientists) ,ir *homas =rowne and ,ir
Robert =oyle. =rowne we hae already met at the
=ury trial. It may reasonably be -uestioned whether
he was really a man of science. Certainly he was a
physician of eminence. *he attitude he too( when an
e.pert witness at =ury) it will be recalled) was -uite
consistent with the opinion gien in his Commonplace
=oo(. H%e are noways doubtful)H he wrote) Hthat
there are witches) but hae not always been satisfied
in the application of their witchcrafts.H H ,o spo(e
the famous physician of ?orwich. =ut a man whose
opinion was of much more conse-uence was ,ir Rob+
H %or(s) ed. of !$2/!$21) IC) 2$"+
2#1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ert =oyle. =oyle was a chemist and H natural philos+
opher.H 4e was the discoerer of the air pump) was
elected president of the Royal ,ociety) and was alto+
gether one of the greatest non+political figures in the
reign of Charles II. %hile he neer) so far as we
(now) discussed witchcraft in the abstract) he fathered
a French story that was brought into England) the
story of the ;emon of 9ascon. 4e turned the story
oer to Blanill to be used in his list of authentic
narraties 5 and) when it was later reported that he had
pronounced the demon story an imposture) he too(
pains to deny the report in a letter to Blanill. $!
>f literary men we hae) as of scientists) but two.
Aubrey) the H delitescent H anti-uarian and %ill %im+
ble of his time) still credited witchcraft) as he credited
all sorts of narraties of ghosts and apparitions. It
was less a matter of reason than of sentiment. *he
dramatist ,hadwell had the same feeling for literary
alues. In his preface to the play) *he :ancashire
%itches) he e.plained that he pictured the witches as
real lest the people should want H diersion)H and lest
he should be called H atheistical by a preailing party
who ta(e it ill that the power of the ;eil should be
lessen'd.H n =ut ,hadwell) although not seriously in+
u For =oyle's opinions see also %ebster) ;isplaying of ,upposed
%itchcraft) 2E$.
1D 4e says alsoM HFor my part I am . . . somewhat cotie of be+
lief. *he eidences I hae represented are natural) i0.) slight) and
friolous) such as poor old women were wont to be hang'd upon.H *he
play may be found in all editions of ,hadwell's wor(s. I hae
used the rare priately printed olume in which) under the title of
*he Poetry of %itchcraft 6=ri.ton 4ill) !$/27. @. >. 4alliwell N+PhillipsO
united this play of ,hadwell's with that of 4eywood and =rome on
*he late :ancashire %itches. *hese two plays) so similar in title) that
of 4eywood and =rome in !12E) based on the case of !122) and that of
,hadwell in .1$a) based on the affair of .1.a) must not be confused.
,ee aboe pp. .ai) !/$+!1#) 2EE+2E/.
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ 2#3
terested in any side of the sub&ect sae in its use as lit+
erary material) included himself among the group who
had gien up belief.
%hat philosophers thought we may guess from the
all+perading influence of 4obbes in this generation.
%e hae already seen) howeer) that 4enry 9ore)H
whose influence in his time was not to be despised)
wrote earnestly and often in support of belief. >ne
other philosopher may be mentioned. Ralph Cud+
worth) in his *rue Intellectual ,ystem) touched on con+
federacies with the ;eil and remar(ed in passing that
Hthere hath been so full an attestationH of these
things H that those our so confident E.ploders of them)
in this present Age) can hardly escape the suspicion
of haing some 4an(ring towards Atheism.HH *his
was Blanill oer again. It remains to notice the opin+
ions of clergymen. *he history of witch literature has
been in no small degree the record of clerical opinion.
Blanill) Casaubon) 9uggleton) Camfield) and 4ally+
well were all clergymen. Fortunately we hae the opin+
ions of at least half a do0en other churchmen. It will
be remembered that >lier 4eywood) the famous ?on+
Conformist preacher of :ancashire) belieed) though
not too implicitly) in witchcraft.H ,o did ,amuel
Clar(e) Puritan diine and hagiographer.H >n the
same side must be rec(oned ?athaniel %anley) com+
piler of a curious wor( on *he %onders of the :ittle
n ,ee aboe) pp. D2$+D2".
<<*h< *rue Intellectual ,ystem of the Unierse 6:ondon) !13$7)
3#D.
,ee aboe) p. D/1 and note.
9 ,ee his :ies of ,undry Eminent Persons 6:ondon) !1$27! i3<S a(o
his 9irrour or :oo(ing Blass) =oth for ,aints and ,inners 6:ondon)
!1/3+!13!7) I) 2/+2$5 II) !/#+!$2.
2#$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
%orld.H A greater name was that of Isaac =arrow)
master of *rinity) teacher of Isaac ?ewton) and one
of the best preachers of his time. 4e declared that
to suppose all witch stories fictions was to Hcharge
the world with both e.treme Canity and 9alignity.H <
%e can cite only one diine on the other side. *his
was ,amuel Par(er) who in his time played many
parts) but who is chiefly remembered as the =ishop of
>.ford during the troubles of @ames II with the uni+
ersity. Par(er was one of the most disli(ed ecclesi+
astics of his time) but he deseres praise at any rate
for his stand as to witchcraft. %e do not (now the
details of his opinions 5 indeed we hae nothing more
than the fact that in a correspondence with Blanill
he -uestioned the opinions of that distinguished protag+
onist of witchcraft.H
=y this time it must be clear that there is possible no
hard and fast discrimination by groups between those
that belieed in witchcraft and those that did not %e
may say cautiously that through the seenties and
eighties the &udges) and probably too the &ustices of the
peace< were coming to disbeliee. %ith een greater
caution we may enture the assertion that the clergy)
both Anglican and ?on+Conformist) were still clinging
to the superstition. Further generali0ation would be
e.tremely ha0ardous. It loo(s) howeer) from the
eidence already presented) as well as from some to
be gien in another connection G in discussing the
w :ondon) !13$5 see pp. /!/+/!$.
9 %or(s 6ed. of Edinburgh) !$E!7) II) !1a.
9 Blanill) ,adducumus *riumphatus) $#.
m =y the eighties it is ery clear that the &ustices were ceasing to
press charges against witches.
!
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#!1$$ 2#"
Royal ,ocietyH G as if the scientists had not ta(en
such a stand as was to be e.pected of them.
%hen we e.amine the attitude of those who scoffed
at the stories ouched for by Blanill and 9ore it be+
comes eident that they assumed that practically all
thin(ing men were with them. In other words) they
belieed that their group comprised the intellectual
men of the time. ?ow) it would be easy to rush to the
conclusion that all men who thought in conentional
ways would faor witchcraft) and that those who too(
unconentional iews would be arrayed on the other
side) but this would be a mista(e. Blanill was an e.+
ceedingly original man) while 9uggleton was uncom+
monly commonplace 5 and there were numbered among
those who held to the old opinion men of high intelli+
gence and brilliant talents.
%e must search) then) for some other basis of classi+
fication. Blanill gies us an interesting suggestion.
In withering tone he spea(s of the H looser gentry and
lesser pretenders to wit.H 4ere is a possible line of
cleaage. 9ight it be that the more worldly+minded
among the county families) that those too who com+
prised what we may call) in the absence of a better term)
the H smart set)H and the literary sets of :ondon) were
especially the HderidersH of superstitionR It is not
hard to beliee that ,hadwell) the worldly =ishop
Par(er) and the polished ,ir %illiam *emple < would
fairly reflect the opinions of that class. ,o too the
diarist Pepys) who found Blanill H not ery coninc+
ing.H %e can conceie how the ridicule of the super+
9 In an article to be published separately.
U ,ee his essay H>f PoetryH in his %or(s 6:ondon) !$.E7) III)
E2#+E2 S.
2!# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
natural might hae become the fad of a certain social
group. *he 9ompesson affair undoubtedly possessed
I of humor5 the wild tales about Amy ;uny
se Cullender would hae been uncommonly
b) had they not produced such tragic results)
e stories spun about @ulian Co. the witch ac+
auld go no farther. *hey had reached the cul+
i of nonsense. ?ow) it is conceiable that the
an might not see the humor of it) nor the ph.il+
) nor the scholar 5 but the worldly+minded :on+
sho cared less about te.ts in :eiticus than did
er) who (new more about coffee+houses and
nd who cultiated cleer people with assiduity)
etter deeloped sense of humor. It was not
that he should smile -ui00ically when told
eird stories from the country. 4e may not
Tndered ery deeply on the abstract -uestion
! widely G perhaps he had seen Ady's boo( or
oer ,cot's G but) when he met (een men in
ip who were laughing -uietly at narraties of
ift) he laughed too. And so) -uite unobtrus+
r+ithout blare of trumpets) s(epticism would
society. It would be useless for Blanill and
t call aloud) or for the people to rage. *he
who mingled in the worldly life of the capital
Sff 5 and the country gentry who too( their cue
em would follow suit
Turse this is theory. It would re-uire a larger
eidence than we can hope to gather on this
to proe that the change of opinion that was
i(ing place spread at first through the higher
rata and was to reach the lower leels only by
ration. Yet such an hypothesis fits in nicely
*4E :I*ERARY %AR) !11#+!1$$ 2!!
with certain facts. It has already been seen that the
trials for witchcraft dropped off ery suddenly to+
wards the end of the period we are considering. *he
drop was accounted for by the changed attitude of
&udges and of &ustices of the peace. *he &udges aoided
trying witches< the &ustices were less diligent in dis+
coering them. =ut the eidence that we had about
men of other occupations was less encouraging. It
loo(ed as if those who dispensed &ustice were in ad+
ance of the clergy) of the scholars) physicians) and
scientists of their time. 4ad the 9aster of *rinity)
or the physician of ?orwich) or the discoerer of the
air pump been the &ustices of the peace for England) it
is not incredible that superstition would hae flour+
ished for another generation. %as it because the men
of the law possessed more of the matter+of+factness
supposed to be a heritage of eery Englishman R %as
it because their special training gae them a saner out+
loo(R ?o doubt both elements help to e.plain the
difference. =ut is it not possible to beliee that the
social grouping of these men had an influenceR *he
itinerant &ustices and the &ustices of the peace were re+
cruited from the gentry) as none of the other classes
were. 9en li(e Reresby and ?orth inherited the tra+
ditions of their class 5 they spent part of the year in
:ondon and (new the tal( of the town. Can we doubt
that their decisions were influenced by that factR *he
country &ustice of the peace was remoed often enough
from metropolitan influences) but he was usually -uic(
to catch the feelings of his own class.
< @ustice @effreys and @ustice 4erbert both ac-uitted witches according
to F. A. Inderwic() ,ide+lights on the ,tuarts 6ad ed.) :ondon) !$"!7)
!3E.
2!D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
If our theory be true that the &urists were in ad+
ance of other professions and that they were sprung
of a higher stoc() it is of course some confirmation of
the larger theory that witchcraft was first discredited
among the gentry. Yet) as we hae said before) this
is at best a guess as to how the decline of belief too(
place and must be accepted only proisionally. %e
hae seen that there are other assertions about the
progress of thought in this period that may be entured
with much confidence. *here had been great changes
of opinion. It would not be fair to say that the moe+
ment towards s(epticism had been accelerated. Rather)
the moement which had its inception bac( in the days
of Reginald ,cot and had found in the last days of
@ames I a second impulse) which had been -uietly
gaining force in the thirties) forties) and fifties) was
now under full headway. Common sense was com+
ing into its own.
C4AP*ER FIII.
*he Final ;ecline.
In the history of witchcraft the years from !1$$ to
!3!$ may be grouped together as comprising a period.
*his is not to say that the year of the Reolution
mar(ed any transition in the course of the supersti+
tion. It did not. =ut we hae entured to employ it
as a conenient date with which to bound the influences
of the Restoration. *he year !3!$ deries its impor+
tance for us from the publication) in that year) of Fran+
cis 4utchinson's 4istorical Essay on %itchcraft) a
boo( which) it is not too much to say) gae the final
blow to the belief in England. !
%e spea( of fi.ing a date by which to bound the in+
fluences of the Restoration. ?ow) as a matter of fact)
there is something arbitrary about any date. *he
influences at wor( during the preious period went
steadily on. *he heathen raged) and the people imag+
ined a ain thing. *he great proletariat hated witches as
much as eer. =ut the &ustices of the peace and the
itinerant &udges were getting oer their fear of popu+
lar opinion and were refusing to listen to the accusa+
tions that were brought before them. *he situation
was in some respects the same as it had been in the
later seenties and throughout the eighties. Yet there
were certain features that distinguished the period.
>ne of them was the increased use of e.orcism. *he
! ,ee below) pp. 2ED+2E2.
2!2
24 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
e.pelling of eil spirits had been a sub&ect of great
controersy almost a century before. *he practice
had by no means been forgotten in the mean time) but
it had gained little public notice. ?ow the dispos+
sessors of the ;eil came to the front again long
enough to whet the animosity between Puritans and
Anglicans in :ancashire. =ut this neer became more
than a pamphlet controersy. *he other feature of
the period was far more significant. *he last e.e+
cutions for witchcraft in England were probably those
at E.eter in !1$D.< For a whole generation the courts
had been frowning on witch prosecution. ?ow there
arose in England &udges who definitely nullified
the law on the statute+boo(. =y the decisions of Pow+
ell and Par(er) and most of all by those of 4olt) the
statute of the first year of @ames I was practically
made obsolete twenty+fie or fifty years before its ac+
tual repeal in !321. %e shall see that the gradual
brea(ing down of the law by the &udges did not ta(e
place without a struggle. At the famous trial in 4ert+
ford in !3!D the whole sub&ect of the ;eil and his
relation to witches came up again in its most definite
form) and was fought out in the court room and at
the bar of public opinion. It was) howeer) but the
last rallying and counter+charging on a battle+field
where %ebster and Blanill had led the hosts at mid+
day. *he issue) indeed) was now ery specific. >er
T%e are assuming that the cases at ?orthampton in !3#/ and at
4untingdon in !3.1 hae no basis of fact. At ?orthampton two
women) according to the pamphlet account) had been hanged and burnt5
at 4untingdon) according to another account) a woman and her daughter.
It is possible that these pamphlets deal with historical eents5 but the
probabilities are all against that supposition. For a discussion of the
matter in detail see below) appendi. A) f !#.
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 2!/
the abstract -uestion of witchcraft there was nothing
new to be said. 4ere) howeer) was a specific instance.
%hat was to be done with itR >er that there was
waged a merry war. >f course the conclusion was
foregone. It had indeed been anticipated by the action
of the bench.
%e shall see that with the nullification of the law
the common people began to ta(e the law into their
own hands. %e shall note that) as a conse-uence)
there was an increase in the number of swimming or+
deals and other illegal procedures.
*he story of the :ancashire demonomania is not
unli(e the story of %illiam ,omers in ?ottingham a
century before. In this case there was no @ohn ;arrel)
and the e.orcists were probably honest but deluded
men. *he affair started at the illage of ,urey) near
to the superstition+brewing Pendle Forest. *he pos+
sessed boy) Richard ;ugdale) was a gardener and ser+
ant about nineteen years of age.< In April) !1$") he
was sei0ed with fits in which he was asserted to spea(
:atin and Bree( and to preach against the sins of the
place. %hateer his pretensions were) he seemed
a good sub&ect for e.orcism. ,ome of the Catholics
are said to hae tampered with him) and then seeral
Puritan clergymen of the community too( him in
hand. For eight months they held wee(ly fasts for
his recoery5 but their efforts were not so successful
as they had hoped. *hey began to suspect witchcraft <
and were about to ta(e steps towards the prosecution
< For his early history see *he ,urey ;emoniac() . . . or) an Account
of ,atan's . . . Actings) In and about the =ody of Richard ;ugdale
. . . 6:ondon) !1"37.
< *he Catholics do not seem) so far as the account goes) to hae said
anything about witchcraft.
2!1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
of the party suspected.< *his came to nothing) but
;ugdale at length grew better. 4e was relieed of his
fits 5 and the clergymen) who had neer entirely gi-n
up their efforts to cure him) hastened to claim the
credit. 9ore than a do0en of the dissenting preachers)
among them Richard Fran(land) >lier 4eywood)<
and other well (nown Puritan leaders in northern
England) had lent their support to *homas @ollie) who
had ta(en the leading part in the praying and fasting.
From :ondon) Richard =a.ter) perhaps the best (nown
Puritan of his time) had sent a re-uest for some ac+
count of the wonder) in order to insert it in his forth+
coming boo( on the spirit world. *his led to a plan
for printing a complete narratie of what had hap+
pened 5 but the plan was allowed to lapse with the death
of =a.terK 9eantime) howeer) the publication in
:ondon of the 9athers' accounts of the ?ew England
trials of !1"D < caused a new call for the story of Rich+
ard ;ugdale. It was prepared and sent to :ondon5
and there in some mysterious way the manuscript was
lost. " It was) howeer) rewritten and appeared in !1"3
< *he ,urey ;emoniac() E"5 Jachary *aylor) *he ,urey Impostor)
being an answer to a . . . Pamphlet) =n4tnled *he ,urey ;emoniac(
6:ondon) !1"37) D!+DD)
U H ?. ?.)H *he :ancashire :eite Rebu(ed) or a Cindication of the
;issenters from Popery . ) . 6:ondon) !1"$7) 2+E5 see also the preface
of *he ,urey ;emoniac()
! !bid)
I *he %onders of the Inisible %orld M being an Account of the *ryals
of . ) ) %itches ... in ?ew England 6:ondon) !1"27) by Cotton 9ather)
and A Further Account of the *ryals of the ?ew+England %itches
6:ondon) !1"27) by Increase 9ather. ,ee preface to *he ,urey
;emoniac()
'*homas @ollie told a curious tale about how the manuscript had
been forcibly ta(en from the man who was carrying it to the press by
a group of armed men on the ,trand. ,ee ibid.
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 2!3
as *he ,urey ;emoniac() or an Account of ,trange
and ;readful Actings in and about the =ody of Rich+
ard ;ugdale. *he preface was signed by si. minis+
ters) including those already named 5 but the boo( was
probably written by *homas @ollie and @ohn Carring+
ton. ! < *he reality of the possession was attested by
depositions ta(en before two :ancashire &ustices of the
peace. *he aim of the wor( was) of course) to add one
more contemporary lin( to the chain of eidence for
the supernatural. It was clear to the diines who
stroe with the possessed boy that his case was of
e.actly the same sort as those in the ?ew *estament.
9oreoer) his recoery was a proof of the power of
prayer.
?ow ?on+Conformity was strong in :ancashire)
and the Anglican church as well as the goernment
had fpr many years been at no little pains to put it
down. 4ere was a chance to stri(e the Puritans at
one of their wea(est spots) and the Church of England
was not slow to use its opportunity. Jachary *aylor)
rector of %igan and chaplain to the =ishop of Ches+
ter) had already familiari0ed himself with the methods
of the e.orcists. In the preious year he had attac(ed
the Catholics of :ancashire for an e.orcism which
they claimed to hae accomplished within his parish. !2
Pleased with his new role) he found in *homas @ollie
2# Ale.ander Bordon in his article on *homas @ollie) ;iet. ?at. =iog.)
says that the pamphlet was drafted by @ollie and e.panded by Carring+
ton. Jachary *aylor) in his answer to it 6*he ,urey Impostor'7) con+
stantly names 9r. Carrington as the author. H ?. ?.)H in *he :an+
cashire :eite Rebu(ed) also assumes that Carrington was the author.
n *he ;eil *urned Casuist) or the Cheats of Rome :aid open in the
E.orcism of a ;espairing ;eil. . . . =y Jachary *aylor) . <. . 6:on+
don) !1"17.
2!$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
a sheep ready for the shearing.H 4e hastened to pub+
lish *he ,urey Impostor)H in which) with a ery good
<ie made an assault upon the reality of ;ugdale's
harged that he had been pre+instructed by the
lies) and that the ?on+Conformist clergymen
see(ing a rich harest from the miracles they
i wor(. ,elf+glorification was their aim. 4e
fun of the seeral diines engaged in the affair)
erased them of tric(ery and presumption in their
ct of the case.H
course *aylor was answered) and with a bitter+
M-ual to his own. *homas @ollie replied in A
cation of the ,urey ;emoniac(. H I will not
ny Paper)H wrote the mild @ollie) H and offend
5ader with those scurrilous and ridiculous Pas+
in this Page. >) the Eructations of an e.ul
5d 4eart I 4ow desperately wic(ed is the 4eart
shall not go into the details of the controersy)
really degenerated into a sectarian s-uabble.H
Qnly discussion of the sub&ect that approached
;tU *urned Cunul.
indication of thi ,nrty ;tmoniac() !3.
lor replied to @ollie'< Cindication of the ,urey ;imoniae( in
flh Q pamphlet entitled Popiry) ,uperstition) Ignoranct amd
f . . . iry fully proed ... in the ,urty Imposture. *hen
he :ancashire :eitt Rebu(ed) by the un(nown writer) H ?. ?+)H
riewa we gie in the te.t. *aylor Aenu to hae answered in
to H ?. ?.H which called forth a scathing reply 6!1"$7 In *hr
ire :ein Rebu(ed) or a Farther Cindication of the ;issmtert.
rlor'i reply) which came out in !1"") was entitled Popery) ,uper+
Ignnranct) and Anaery Ctmftu'd and fully Proed em t(t
@ittt4leri. . . .
#+ HP HPR)G c< w X] ,S *CU+<.
U W< <H Yf<<<< S < i< tS U<
yio %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
in ,omersetshire and in and around :ondon. ?ot
without a struggle was 4is ,atanic 9a&esty surren+
dering his hold.
TW r e turn from this controersy to follow the deci+
i of those eminent &udges who were nullifying the
ite against witches. %e hae already mentioned
5 names) those of 4olt) Powell) and Par(er. *his
Qt because they were the only &urists who were
ig erdicts of ac-uittal G we (now that there must
M been others G but because their names are lin(ed
significant decisions. %ithout doubt Chief @us+
4olt did more than any other man in English
try to end the prosecution of witches. @ustice
ell was not so brae a man) but he happened to
ide oer one of the most bitterly contested of all
P) and his erdict sered to reaffirm the precedents
y 4olt. It was @ustice Par(er's fortune to try the
rase of witchcraft in England)
alt became chief &ustice of the (ing's bench on the
ssion of %illiam and 9ary. ?ot one of the great
es in English &udicial rolls) his decided stand
ist superstition ma(es him great in the history of
ticraft. %here and when he had ac-uired his s(ep+
attitude we do not (now. *he time was past
i such an attitude was unusual. In any case) from
moment he assumed the chief &usticeship he set
Melf directly against the punishment of witchcraft)
remier of the English &udiciary his e.ample meant
M as much as his own rulings. And their cumula+
effect was not slight. %e (now of no less than
Mn trials where as presiding officer he was instru+
ct in securing a erdict of ac-uittal. In :ondon)
&swich) at =ury) at E.eter) in Cornwall) and in
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 2D!
other parts of the realm) these erdicts were rendered)
and they could not fail to influence opinion and to
affect the decisions of other &udges. *hree of the
trials we shall go oer briefly G those at =ury) E.eter)
and ,outhwar(.
In !1"E he tried 9other 9unnings at =ury ,t. Ed+
munds) !$ where his great predecessor 4ale had con+
demned two women. 9other 9unnings had declared
that a landlord should lie nose upward in the church+
yard before the ne.t ,aturday) and) sure enough) her
prophecy had come true. ?eertheless) in spite of this
and other testimony) she was ac-uitted. *wo years
later 4olt tried Eli0abeth 4orner at E.eter) where
Raymond had condemned three women in !1$D.
=ishop *relawny of E.eter had sent his sub+dean)
:auncelot =lac(burne 6later to be Archbishop of
Yor(7 ) to loo( into the case) and his report adds some+
thing to the account which 4utchinson has gien us.H
Eli0abeth was seen H three nights together upon a large
down in the same place) as if rising out of the ground.H
It was certified against her by a witness that she had
drifen a red+hot nail H into the witche's left foot+step)
upon which she went lame) and) being search'd) her
leg and foot appear'd to be red and fiery.H *hese
testimonies were the H most material against her)H as
well as the eidence of the mother of some possessed
children) who declared that her daughter had wal(ed
up a wall nine feet high four or fie times bac(wards
!" For an account of this case see Francis 4utchinson) 4istorical Essay
on %itchcraft 6:ondon) !3 !$7) E2U 4utchinson had made an inyesti+
gation of the case when in =ury) and he had also 4olt's notes of the
trial.
2# 4utchinson had 4olt's notes on this case) as on the preceding5 ibid.)
E/< =lac(burne's letter is printed in ?otes and 8ueries) ist series) FI)
E"$+E"") and reprinted in =rand) Popular Anti-uities 6!"#/7) II) 1E$+1E".
2DD %I*C4CRAF* @? E?B:A?;
and forwards) her face and the fore part of her body
parallel to the ceiling) saying that =etty 4orner
carried her up. In closing the narratie the arch+
deacon wrote without commentM H9y :ord Chief
@ustice by his -uestions and manner of hemming up
the eidence seem'd to me to beliee nothing of witch+
ery at all) and to disbeliee the fact of wal(ing up the
wall which was sworn by the mother.H 4e added)
H the &ury brought her in not guiltyK'
*he case of ,arah 9oordi(e of :ondon ersus
Richard 4athaway< ! ma(es een clearer the attitude
of 4olt. ,arah 9oordi(e) or 9orduc() had been
accused years before by a Richard 4athaway of caus+
ing his illness. >n seeral occasions he had scratched
her. Persecuted by the rabble) she had beta(en herself
from ,outhwar( to :ondon. *hither Richard 4atha+
way followed her and soon had seeral churches pray+
ing for his recoery. ,he had appealed to a magistrate
for protection) had been refused) and had been tried at
the assi0es in Buildford) where she was ac-uitted. =y
this time) howeer) a good many people had begun to
thin( 4athaway a cheat. 4e was arrested and put
under the care of a surgeon) who watched him closely
and soon discoered that the fasts which were a fea+
ture of his pretended fits were false. *his was not
the first time that he had been proed an impostor.
>n an earlier occasion he had been trapped into
scratching a woman whom he erroneously supposed
to be ,arah 9orduc(. In spite of all e.posures) how+
$! ,ec *he *ryal of Richard 4athaway) . . . For endeaouring to
ta(e away the :ife of ,arah 9orduc() For being a %itch . . . 6:on+
don) !3#a7) and A Full and *rue Account of the Apprehending and
*a(ing of 9rs. ,arah 9oordi(e) . . . accused . . . for haing =ewitched
one Richard 4et(eway . . . 5 see alto 4utchinson) op. tit.) <<E+<a$.
FI?A: ;ECU?E 2D2
eer) he stuc( to his pretended fits and was at length
brought before the assi0es at ,outhwar( on the charge
of attempting to ta(e away the life of ,arah 9oor+
di(e for being a witch. It is refreshing to (now that
a clergyman) ;r. 9artin) had espoused the cause of
the witch and had aided in bringing 4athaway to
&udgment. Chief @ustice 4olt and =aron 4atsell
presided oer the court)H and there seems to hae been
no doubt about the outcome. *he &ury H without go+
ing from the bar H brought 4athaway in guilty < *he
erdict was significant. Pretenders had got themseles
into trouble before) but were soon out. *he =oy of
=ilston had been reproed 5 the young Robinson) who
would hae sent to the gallows a do0en fellow+crea+
tures) thought it hard that he was (ept a few months
confined in :ondon.<< A series of cases in the reign
of Charles I had shown that it was ne.t to impossible
to recoer damages for being slandered as a witch)
though in the time of the Commonwealth one woman
had come out of a suit with fie shillings to her credit.
>f course) when a man of distinction was slandered)
circumstances were altered. At some time ery close
SPU\<.) 2D1.
TA somewhat similar case at 4ammersmith met with the same treat+
ment) if the pamphlet account may be trusted. ,usanna Fowles pre+
tended to be possessed in such a way that she could not use the name of
Bod or Christ. *he application of a red+hot iron to her head in the
midst of her fits was drastic but effectual. ,he cried out H >h :ord)H
and so proed herself a H notorious :yar.H ,he was sent to the house
of correction) where) reports the unfeeling pamphleteer) H ,he is now
beating hemp.H Another pamphlet) howeer) gies a ery different
ersion. According to this account) ,usan) under Papist influences)
pretended to be possessed in such a way that she was continually blas+
pheming. ,he was indicted for blasphemy) fined) and sentenced to
stand in the pillory. 6For the graphic titles of these contradictory pam+
phlets and of a folio broadside on the same sub&ect) see appendi. A) V 3.
9 Probably not by any court erdict) but through the priy council.
2DE %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
to the trial of 4athaway) Eli0abeth 4ole of ;erby+
shire was summoned to the assi0es for accusing ,ir
4enry 4emlo(e) a well (nown baronet) of witchcraft+ /E
,uch a charge against a man of position was a serious
matter. =ut the 9oordi(e+4athaway case was on a
plane entirely different from any of these cases. ,arah
9orduc( was not a woman of position) yet her
accuser was punished) probably by a long imprison+
ment. It was a precedent that would be a greater safe+
guard to supposed witches than many ac-uittals.
@ustice Powell was not to wield the authority of 4olt M
yet he made one decision the effects of which were far+
reaching. It was in the trial of @ane %enham at 4ert+
ford in !3!D. *he trial of this woman was in a sense
her own doing. ,he was a widow who had done wash+
ing by the day. For a long time she had been suspected
of witchcraft by a neighboring farmer) so much so
that) when a serant of his began to act -ueerly) he
at once laid the blame on the widow. @ane applied to
,ir 4enry Chauncy) &ustice of the peace) for a war+
rant against her accuser. 4e was let off with a fine
of a shilling) and she was instructed by 9r. Bardi+
ner) the clergyman) to lie more peaceably.H ,o ended
the first act. In the ne.t scene of this dramatic case a
female serant of the Reerend 9r. Bardiner's) a maid
&ust getting well of a bro(en (nee) was discoered
alone in a room undressed H to her shift H and holding
a bundle of stic(s. %hen as(ed to account for her
condition by 9rs. Bardiner) she had a curious story
u ,ee @. C. Co.) *hree Centuries of ;erbyshire Annals 6:ondon)
!$"#7) II) "#.
m @ane %enham 6broadside75 see also A Full and Impartial Account
of the ;iscoery of ,orcery and %itchcraft) Prodis' d by @ane %enham
. . . 6:ondon) !3!a7.
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 2</
to tell. H %hen she was left alone she found a strange
Roaming in her head) . . . her 9ind ran upon @ane
%enham and she thought she must run some whither
. . . she climbed oer a Fie+=ar+Bate) and ran along
the 4ighway up a 4ill ... as far as a Place called
4ac(ney+:ane) where she loo('d behind her) and saw
a little >ld %oman 9uffled in a Riding+hood.H *his
dame had as(ed whither she was going) had told her to
pluc( some stic(s from an oa( tree) had bade her
bundle them in her gown) and) last and most wonder+
ful) had gien her a large croo(ed pin.H 9rs. Bardi+
ner) so the account goes) too( the stic(s and threw
them into the fire. PrestoP @ane %enham came into
the room) pretending an errand. It was afterwards
found out that the errand was fictitious.
All this raised a stir. *he tale was absolutely orig+
inal) it was no less remar(able. A maid with a
bro(en (nee had run a half+mile and bac( in seen
minutes) ery good time considering the circumstances.
>n the ne.t day the maid) despite the (nee and the
fits she had meantime contracted) was sent out on an
errand. ,he met @ane %enham and that woman -uite
properly berated her for the stories she had set going)
whereupon the maid's fits were worse than eer. *hen)
while seeral people carefully watched her) she re+
peated her former long distance run) leaping oer a
fie+bar gate H as nimbly as a greyhound.H
@ane %enham was now imprisoned by the &ustice
of the peace) who collected with all speed the eidence
against her. In this he was aided by the Reerend
Francis =ragge) rector of %al(erne) and the Reerend
!3 *his narratie is gien in great detail in A Full and Impartial Ac+
count. It is of course referred to in nearly all the other pamphlets.
2D1 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
9r. ,trutt) icar of Audley. *he wretched woman
as(ed the &ustice to let her submit to the ordeal of
HH'H)H but he refused) pronouncing it illegal and un+
iable. 9eantime) the Re. 9r. ,trutt used the
Qf the :ord's Prayer< a test that had been dis+
d for half a century. ,he failed to say the prayer
t) and alleged in e.cuse that H she was much dis
d in her head)H as well she might be. =ut other
nee came in against her rapidly. ,he had been
it stealing turnips) and had -uite submissiely
b A pardon) saying that she had no ictuals that
)nd no money to buy any< >n the ery ne.t day
nan who gae this eidence had lost one of his
Q and found another H ta(en strangely) s(ipping
landing upon its head.H ' *here were other e-ually
scraps of testimony. %e need not go into them)
two officious clergymen busied themseles with
intil one of them was able to wring some sort of
ifession from her. It was a narratie in which
ried to account for the strange conduct of Anne
ne and made a failure of it.< A few days later)
e presence of three clergymen and a &ustice of
&eace) she was urged to repeat her confession
as H full of E-uiocations and Easions)H and
I t %tnham 6broadside7 aee alio A Pull and Impartial Account)
S %nham 6broadside75 aee aiao A Putt and Impartial Ac
u %cn(am 6broadside75 UU alio A Putt and Impartial Ac+
waa enggeated by aome who did not beliee @ane guilty) that ahe
Ted from unhappirieaa and a deaire to be out of the world. %itch+
Iarthtr ;uploy'd. Containing 6I7 A< Account of the %itchcraft
Td by @am %tnhom) . . . 6K@7 An Antwtr to... >b&ection again<
Ting and Poutr of %ilchfi . . . 6:ondon) !3!!7) &&.
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 2D3
when pressed told her e.aminers that they H lay in wait
for her :ifeK'
=ragge and ,trutt had shown a great deal of energy
in collecting eidence. Yet) when the case came to
trial) the woman was accused only of dealing with a
spirit in the shape of a cat. *his was done on the
adice of a lawyer. Unfortunately we hae no details
about his reasons) but it would loo( ery much as if
the lawyer recogni0ed that the testimony collected by
the ministers would no longer influence the court) and
belieed that the one charge of using a cat as a spirit
might be substantiated. *he assi0es were largely at+
tended. H ,o ast a number of People)H writes an eye+
witness) H hae not been together at the Assi0es in the
memory of 9an.H ! < =esides the eidence brought in
by the &ustice of the peace) who led the prosecution with
igor) the Re. 9r. =ragge) who was not to be re+
pressed because the charges had been limited) gae
some most remar(able testimony about the stuffing
of Anne *home's pillow. It was full of ca(es of
small feathers fastened together with some iscous
matter resembling much the H ointment made of dead
men's fleshH mentioned by 9r. Blanill. =ragge
had done a piece of research upon the stuff and dis+
coered that the particles were arranged in geometri+
cal forms with e-ual numbers in each part.< / @ustice
Powell called for the pillow) but had to be content
with the witness's word) for the pillow had been
burnt. Arthur Chauncy) who was probably a relatie
U A Full and Impartial Account) DE.
u An Account of the *ryal) E.amination and Condemnation of @ane
%enham.
u A FullH and Impartial Account) D3.
22$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
of the &ustice of the peace) offered to show the &udge
pins ta(en from Anne *horne. It was needless) replied
the &udge) he supposed they were croo(ed pins < *he
leaders of the prosecution seem to hae felt that the
T'G '+&e was sneering at them throughout the trial. %hen
ie *horne was in a fit) and the Reerend 9r. Chis+
) being permitted to pray oer her) read the office
the isitation of the sic() @ustice Powell moc(ingly
mented H *hat he had heard there were Forms of
Trcism in the Romish :iturgy) but (new not that we
any in our Church.H H It must hae been a great
ppointment to these Anglican clergymen that Powell
M the case so lightly. %hen it was testified against
accused that she was accustomed to fly) Powell is
to hae said to her) HYou may) there is no law
inst flying.H H *his indeed is -uite in (eeping with
man as described by ,wift M H an old fellow with
r hairs) who was the merriest old gentleman I eer
) spo(e pleasing things) and chuc(led till he cried
in.H
n spite of Powell's obious opinion on the trial)
Mould not hinder a coniction. ?o doubt the &ury
e greatly swayed by the crowds. *he &udge seems
hae gone through the form of condemning the
nan) but too( pains to see that she was reprieed.H
E Full and Impartial Account) li.
Ibid.) 2 / .
Ior this atory I hae found no contemporary testimony. *he earliest
Me that I can find ia Ale.ander Chalmers's =iographical ;ictionary
idon) !$!D+!$!37) FFC) !E$ U. . Powell7.
inter of Bilaton) who had followed the trial. 4utchinson) 4i<.
at Estay an %itchcraft) !2#) >n fail death ahe was supported by the
and Countess of Cowpcr) and lied until !32#. Robert Clutter+
) 4illary and Anli-nititi of tht County of 4ertford 6:ondon)
+iga&7) II) E1!) note.
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 2<"
In the mean time her affair) li(e that of Richard ;ug+
dale) had become a matter of sectarian -uarrel. It was
stated by the enemies of @ane %enham that she was
supported in prison by the ;issenters)H although they
said that up to this time she had neer been a church+
going woman. It was the ;ugdale case oer again)
sae that the parties were reersed. *hen Puritans
had been arrayed on the side of superstition5 now
some of the Anglicans seem to hae espoused that
cause.< ! >f course the stir produced was greater. 9is+
tress @ane found herself H the discourse of the town H
in :ondon) and a pamphlet controersy ensued that
was -uite as heated as that between *homas @ollie
and Jachary *aylor. ?o less than ten brochures were
issued. *he &ustice of the peace allowed his story of the
case to be published and the Reerend 9r. =ragge
rushed into print with a boo( that went through fie
editions. ?eedless to say) the defenders of @ane %en+
ham and of the &udge who released her were not hesi+
tant in replying. A physician who did not sign his
name directed crushing ridicule against the whole af+
fair) E < while a defender of @ustice Powell considered
the case in a mild+mannered fashion M he did not deny
the possibility of witchcraft) but made a (een im+
peachment of the trustworthiness of the witnesses
against the woman. E$
E# %itchcraft Farther ;isplayed) introduction.
E! ,ec the dedication to @ustice Powell in *he Case of the 4ertford+
shire %itchcraft Consider' d 6:ondon) !3!a7.
E$ A Full Confutation of %itchcraft5 9ore particularly of the ;epo+
sitions against @ane %enham. . . . In a :etter from a Physician in
4ertfordshire) to his Friend in :ondon 6:ondon) !3!D7.
U *he Case of the 4ertfordshire %itchcraft Considered. For more as
to these discussions see below) ch. FIC.
22# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
=ut we cannot linger oer the details of this contro+
ersy. @ustice Powell had stirred up a hornets' nest of
opposition) but it meant little. EE *he insects could bu00 5
but their stingers were drawn.
*he last trial for witchcraft was conducted in !3!3
at :eicester by @ustice Par(er. E < Curiously enough) the
circumstances connected with it ma(e it eident that
crudest forms of superstition were still alie. ;ecency
forbids that we should narrate the details of the
methods used to demonstrate the guilt of the suspected
parties. ?o less than twenty+fie people banded them+
seles against H>ld woman ?orton and daughterH
and put them through tests of the most approed
character. It need hardly be said that the swimming
ordeal was tried and that both creatures H swam li(e
a cor(.H *he persecutors then set to wor( to H fetch
blood of the witches.H In this they had Hgood suc+
cess)H but the witches Hwould be so stubborn) that
they were often forced to call the constable to bring
assistance of a number of persons to hold them by
force to be blooded. )) < *he Hold witchH was also
stripped and searched H public(ly before a great num+
ber of good women.H *he most brutal and illegal of
all forms of witch procedure had been reied) as if
to celebrate the last appearance of the ;eil. =ut the
rest of the story is pleasanter. %hen the case came
EE It seems) howeer) that the efforts of :ady Frances to
bring about @ane's e.ecution in spite of the &udge were feared by @ane's
friends. ,ee *he Impossibility of %itchcraft) . . . In which the ;e+
positions against @ane ICenham . . . are Confuted . . . 6:ondon) !3!a7)
ad ed. 6in the =odleian7) 21.
E$ ,ee =rit 9us.) Add. 9,,.) 2/)$2$) f. E#E.
<I *hey could H get no blood of them by ,cratching so they used greac
pins and such Instruments for that purpose.H
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 22!
before the grand &ury at the assi0es) oer which @ustice
Par(er was presiding) H the bill was not found.H
%ith this the story of English trials comes to an end.
*he statute of @ames I had been practically -uashed)
and) though it was not to be ta(en from the law boo(s
for nineteen years) it now meant nothing. It was
ery hard for the great common people to reali0e what
had happened. As the law was brea(ing down they
had shown an increasing tendency to ta(e &ustice into
their own hands. In the case with which we hae
&ust been dealing we hae seen the accusers infringing
the personal rights of the indiidual) and calling in the
constables to help them in their utterly unlawful per+
formances. *his was not new. As early as !1"!) if
4utchinson may be trusted) there were H seeral tried
by swimming in ,uffol() Esse.) Cambridgeshire) and
?orthamptonshire and some were drowned.H It
would be easy to add other and later accounts) E3 but we
must be content with one. E$ *he widow Coman) in
Esse.) had recently lost her husband 5 and her pastor)
the Reerend 9r. =oys) went to cheer her in her mel+
ancholy. =ecause he had heard her accounted a witch
he -uestioned her closely and receied a nonchalant
admission of relations with the ;eil. *hat astounded
him. %hen he sought to in-uire more closely) he was
put off. H =utter is eight pence a pound and Cheese
a groat a pound)H murmured the woman) and the
clergyman left in bewilderment. =ut he came bac( in
the afternoon) and she raed so wildly that he con+
E3 ,ee 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) I) !1#5 see also C. @.
=ilson) County Fol( :ore) :eicestershire and Rutland 6Fol( :ore ,oc. y
i$",7. ,i',<<
H*he Case of %itchcraft at Coggeshail) Esse.) in the year !1"#.
=eing the narratie of the Re. @. =oys . . . 6:ondon) !"#!7.
22D %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
eluded her confession was but H a distraction in her
head.H *wo women) howeer) worried from her fur+
ther and more startling confessions. *he minister
returned) bringing with him H 9r. Boldsmith and 9r.
Brimes)H two of the disbelieing H spar(s of the age.H
*he rest of the story may be told as it is gien in an+
other account) a diary of the time. H @uly 2d) !1"") the
widow Coman was put into the rier to see if she
would sin(e) . . . and she did not sin(e but swim) . . .
and she was tryed again @uly !") and then she swam
again. @uly DE the widow was tryed a third time by
putting her into the rier and she swam. ;ecember D3.
*he widow Coman that was counted a witch was
buried.H *he interening lin(s need hardly be sup+
plied) but the Reerend 9r. =oys has gien themM
H whether by the cold she got in the water) or by some
other means) she fell ery ill and dyed.H
It must hae been ery dierting) this e.perimentation
by water) and it had become so popular by the begin+
ning of the eighteenth century that Chief @ustice 4olt H
is said to hae ruled that in the future) where swimming
had fatal results) those responsible would be prose+
cuted for murder. ,uch a declaration perhaps caused
some disuse of the method for a time) but it was re+
ied in the second third of the eighteenth century.
Popular feeling still arrayed itself against the witch.
If the increasing use of the swimming ordeal was the
answer to the non+enforcement of the @acobean stat+
ute) it was the answer of the ignorant classes. *heir
influence was bound to diminish. =ut another possible
conse-uence of the brea(ing down of the law may be
9 =y tome Par(er is gien the credit. I cannot find the original
authority.
FI?A: ;EC:I?E 222
suggested. 9r. Inderwic() who has loo(ed much into
English witchcraft) says that Hfrom !1$1 to !3!D . . .the
charges and conictions of malicious in&ury to property
in burning haystac(s) barns) and houses) and malicious
in&uries to persons and to cattle increased enor+
mously.H H *his is ery interesting) if true) and it seems
-uite in accord with the history of witchcraft that it
should be true. Again and again we hae seen that the
charge of witchcraft was a weapon of prosecutors who
could not proe other suspected crimes. As the charges
of witchcraft fell off) accusations for other crimes
would naturally be multiplied 5 and) now that it was no
longer easy to lay eerything to the witch of a com+
munity) the number of the accused would also grow.
%e are now at the end of the witch trials. In
another chapter we shall trace the history of opinion
through this last period. %ith the dismissal of the
?orton women at :eicester) the courts were through
with witch trials.
9 Inderwic() ,idelights on the ,tuarts) !3E) !3/.
C4AP*ER FIC.
*he Cuose of the :iterary Co(tboweest.
In the last chapter we mentioned die cm iUue t sy
oer @ane %cnham. In attempting in this chapter to
show the currents and cross+currents of opinion during
the last period of witch history in England) we cannot
omit some account of the pamphlet war oer the 4ert+
fordshire witch. It will not be worth while) howeer)
to ta(e up in detail the arguments of the upholders
of the superstition. *he Re. 9r. =ragge was clearly
on the defensie. *here were) he admitted sadly)
Hseeral gentlemen who would not beliee that there are
any witches since the time of our ,aiour @esus Christ.<<
4e struc( the same note when he spo(e of those who
disbelieed Hon the pre&udices of education only.'<
%ith great satisfaction the clergyman -uoted the de+
cision of ,ir 9atthew 4ale in !11E.<
*he opinions of the opposition are more entertaining)
if their wor(s did not hae so wide a sale. *he phy+
sician who wrote to his friend in :ondon po(ed fun
at the witchmongers. It was dangerous to do so) he ad+
mitted) H especially in the Country) where to ma(e the
least ;oubt is a =adge of Infidelity.H < As for him) he
enied the priileges of the town. 4e proceeded to
ta(e up the case of Anne *home. 4er seen+minute
mile run with a bro(en (nee was certainly pu00ling.
If it was only a iolent E.tention of the Rotula)
! %itchcraft Farther ;isplayed.
<A Full Confutation of %itchcraft) <
22E
u
C:>,E >F *4E :I*ERARY C>?*R>CER,Y 22/
something might be allow'd M but it is hard to tell what
this was) your Country =one+,etters seldom plaguing
their heads with ;istinctions.H ' *he H Ciciousness of
Anne *horn's optic(s)H< the silly character of the
clergyman's eidence) and the spiritual &uggles at e.+
orcism)H all these things roused his merriment. As
for @ane's confession) it was the result of ensnaring
-uestions. " 4e seemed to hold the clergy particularly
responsible for witch cases and adised them to be
more conersant with the history of diseases and to
in-uire more narrowly into the physical causes of
things.
A defender of @ustice Powell) probably 4enry ,teb+
bing) later an eminent diine but now a young Cam+
bridge master of arts) entered the controersy. 4e
was not altogether a s(eptic about witchcraft in gen+
eral) but his purpose was to show that the eidence
against @ane %enham was wea(. *he two chief wit+
nesses) 9atthew Bilston and Anne *horne) were
H much disturbed in their Imaginations.H *here were
many absurdities in their stories. 4e cited the story
of Anne *home's mile run in seen minutes. %ho
(new that it was seen minutesR *here was no one
timing her when she started. 4ow was it (nown that
she went half a mileR And) supposing these narra+
ties were true) would they proe anythingR *he
writer too( up piece after piece of the eidence in this
way and showed its absurdity. ,ome of his criticisms
are amusing G he attac(ed silly testimony in such a
solemn way G yet he had) too) his sense of fun. It had
" ibid.) ii.
'Ibid.) 2$.
IIbid.) s+
<Ibid.) D2+2E.
I2
221 %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
been alleged) he wrote) that the witch's flesh) when
pric(ed) emitted no blood) but a thin watery matter.
H9r. Chauncy) it is li(e) e.pected that @ane %en+
ham's =lood shou'd hae been as rich and as florid as
that of Anne *home's) or of any other Cirgin of about
!1. 4e ma(es no difference) I see) between the =eef
and 9utton Regimen) and that of *urnips and %ater+
gruel.H * 9oreoer) he urges) it is well (nown that
fright congeals the blood.<
%e need not go further into this discussion. 9r.
=ragge and his friends re+entered the fray at once) and
then another writer proed with elaborate argument
that there had neer been such a thing as witchcraft.
*he controersy was growing dull) but it had not been
without alue. It had been) on the whole) an uncon+
entional discussion of the sub&ect and had shown ery
clearly the street+corner point of iew. =ut we must
turn to the more formal treatises. >nly three of them
need be noticed) those of Richard =a.ter) @ohn
=eaumont) and Richard =oulton. All of these writers
had been affected by the accounts of the ,alem witch+
craft in ?ew England. *he opinions of Blanill and
9atthew 4ale had been carried to America and now
were brought bac( to fortify belief in England. Rich+
ard =a.ter was most clearly influenced by the accounts
of what had happened in the ?ew %orld. *he 9athers
were his friends and fellow Puritans) and their testi+
mony was not to be doubted for a minute. =ut
=a.ter needed no conincing. 4e had long preached
* *he Case of the 4ertfordshire %itchcraft Considered) 3D.
IIf certain phrases may be trusted) this writer was interested in the
case largely because it had become a cause of sectarian combat and he
hoped to stri(e at the church.
C:>,E >F *4E :I*ERARY C>?*R>CER,Y 223
and written about the danger of witches. In a sermon
on the 4oly Bhost in the fifties he had shown a wide
ac-uaintance with foreign wor(s on demonology.' In
a ;efence of the Christian ReligionW written seeral
years later) he recogni0ed that the malice of the ac+
cusers and the melancholy of the accused were
responsible for some cases) but such cases were
e.ceptions. If any one doubted that there were
bona fide cases) let him tal( to the &udges and ministers
yet liing in ,uffol() ?orfol() and Esse.. *hey could
tell him of many of the confessions made in the 4op+
(ins period. =a.ter had not only tal(ed on witchcraft
with Puritan ministers) but had corresponded as well
with Blanill) with whom) although Blanill was an
Anglican) he seems to hae been on ery friendly
terms. !! ?or is it li(ely that in the many conersations
he held with his neighbor) ,ir 9atthew 4ale)H the ei+
dence from witchcraft for a spiritual world had been
neglected. *he sub&ect must hae come up in his
conersations with another friend) Robert =oyle. ! <
=oyle's interest in such matters was of course a scien+
tific one. =a.ter) li(e Blanill) loo(ed at them from
a religious point of iew. In the classic ,aint's Eer+
lasting Rest he drew his fourth argument for the fu+
< ,ee =a.ter's %or(s 6:ondon) !$D3+!$2#7) FF) D//+D3!.
S ,ee ibid.) FFI) $3.
U %. >rme in his :ife of Richard =a.ter 6:ondon) !$2#7) I) E2/)
gays that the =a.ter 9,,. contain seeral letters from Blanill to
=a.ter.
H ,ee 9emoirs of Richard =a.ter by ;r. =ates 6in =iographical
Collections) or :ies and Characters from the %or(s of the Reerend
9r) =a.ter and ;r. =ates) !31#7) 4) /!) 32.
HIbid.) D15 see also =a.ter's ;ying *houghts) in %or(s) FCIII) D$E)
where he refers to the ;emon of 9ascon) a story for which =oyle) as
we hae seen) had stood sponsor in England.
22$ %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
ture happiness and misery of man from the ;eil's
compact with witches.H *o this point he reerted in
his ;ying *houghts. 4is Certainty of the %orld of
,pirits) in which he too( up the sub&ect of witchcraft
in more detail) was written but a few months before
his death. H %hen Bod first awa(ened me) to thin(
with preparing seriousness of my Condition after
;eath) I had not any obsered ;oubts of the Reality
of ,pirits. . . . =ut) when Bod had gien me peace
of Conscience) ,atan Assaulted me with those worse
*emptations. ... I found that my Faith of ,uper+
natural Reelation must be more than a =elieing
9an and that if it had not a firm foundation) . . .
een sure Eidence of Cerity) ... it was not li(e . . .
to ma(e my ;eath to be safe and comfortable. . . .
I tell the Reader) that he may see why I hae ta(en
this ,ub&ect as so necessary) why I am ending my :ife
with the publication of these 4istorical :etters and
Collections) which I dare say hae such Eidence as
will leae eery ,adduce that readeth them) either
coninced) or utterly without e.cuse. )m
=y the H Collection H he meant) of course) the nar+
raties brought out in his Certainty of the %orld of
,pirits G published in !1" !. It is unnecessary to reiew
its arguments here. *hey were an elaboration of those
already used in earlier wor(s. *oo much has been
made of this boo(. =a.ter had the feer for publi+
cation. It was a lean year when he dashed off less
than two wor(s. 4is wife told him once that he
would write better if he wrote less. Probably she
was thin(ing of his style) and she was doubtless right.
H Ch. CII) sect i) in %or(s) FFII) Lay
u Certainty of tht %orld of ,pirits 6:ondon) !1"!7) preface.
C:>,E >F *4E :I*ERARY C>?*R>CER,Y 22"
=ut it was true) too) of his thin(ing 5 and none of his
productions show this more than his hurried boo( on
spirits and witches. !1
=eaumont and =oulton may be passed oer -uic(ly.
=eaumont H had read widely in the witch literature of
England and other countries5 !$ he had read indeed
with some care) as is eidenced by the fact that he had
compared 4op(ins's and ,tearne's accounts of the
same eents and found them not altogether consistent.
?eertheless =eaumont neer thought of -uestioning
the reality of witchcraft phenomena) and his chief aim
in writing was to answer *he %orld =ewitched) the
great wor( of a ;utch theologian) =althasar =e((er)
H who laughs at all these things of this ?ature as done
by 4umane contriance.H !" =e((er's bold boo( was
. < *wo other collectors of witch stories desere perhaps a note here)
for each prefaced his collection with a discussion of witchcraft. *he
:ondon publisher ?athaniel Crouch) who wrote much for his own press
under the pseudonym of H R. =.H 6later e.panded to H Richard =ur+
ton H7r published as early as .1$$ 6not !3#1) as says the ;iet. ?at.
=iog.7 *he Aingdom of ;ar(nessM or *he 4istory of ;amons) ,pecters)
%itches) . . . Containing near Fourscore memorable Relations) . . . *o+
gether with a Preface obiating the common >b&ections and Allegations
of the , adduces NsicO and Atheists of the Age) . . . with Pictures.
Edward ,tephens) first lawyer) then clergyman) but always a pam+
phleteer) brought out in !1"2 A Collection of 9odern Relations concern'
ing %itches and %itchcraft) to which was prefaced ,ir 9atthew 4ale's
9editations concerning the 9ercy of Bod in presering us from the
9alice and Power of Eil Angels and a dissertation of his own on
8uestions concerning %itchcraft.
!! An 4istorical) Physiological) and *heological *reatise of ,pirits)
Apparitions) %itchcraft and other 9agical Practices 6:ondon) !3#/7.
;edicated to H@ohn) Earl of Cartraiy.H
H,ee for e.ample) ibid.) 12) 3#) 3!) 3/) !2#+!2/) !1/) D#E) D$") 2#1.
u =altha0ar =e((er's ;e =et oer de %e ere Id 6:eeuwarden and Am+
sterdam) !1"!+!1"27) was a most telling attac( upon the reality of witch+
craft) and) through arious translations) was read all oer Europe.
*he first part was translated and published in :ondon in !1"/ as
*he %orld =ewitched) and was republished in !3## as *he %orld
*urn'd upside down.
2E# %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
indeed gaining wide notice5 but this reply to it was
entirely commonplace. Richard =oulton) sometime of
=rasenose College) published ten years later) in !3!/)
A Compleat 4istory of 9agic. It was a boo( thrown
together in a hapha0ard way from earlier authors) and
was written rather to sell than to conince. ,een
years later a second edition was brought out) in which
the writer inserted an answer to 4utchinson.
=efore ta(ing up 4utchinson's wor( we shall turn
aside to collect those stray fragments of opinion that
indicate in which direction the wind was blowing.
Among those who wrote on nearly related topics) one
comparatiely obscure name deseres mention. ;r.
Richard =urthogge published in !1"E an Essay upon
Reason and the ?ature of ,pirits) a boo( which was
dedicated to @ohn :oc(e. 4e touched on witchcraft
in passing. H 9ost of the relations)H he wrote) H do)
upon impartial E.amination) proe either Impostures
of 9alicious) or 9ista(es of Ignorant and ,upersti+
tious persons 5 yet some come so well Attested that it
were to bid defiance to all 4uman *estimony to re+
fuse them belief.H <
*his was the last stand of those who still belieed.
,hall we) they as(ed) discredit all human testimonyR
It was practically the belief of =ishop %illiam :loyd
of %orcester) who) while he urged his clergy to gie
up their notions about witches) was inclined to beliee
that the ;eil still operates in the Bentile world and
among the Pagans.H @oseph Addison was e-ually
$# Essay upon Reason and the ?ature of ,pirits) !"/.
U B. P. R. @ames) ed.) :etters Illustratie of the Reign of %illiam
!!!) . . . addressed to the ;u(e of ,hrewsbury) by @ames Cernon) Es-.
6:ondon) !$E!7) II) 2#D+2#2.
C:>,E >F *4E U*ERARY C>?*R>CER,Y 2E!
unwilling to ta(e a radical iew. H *here are)H he wrote
in the ,pectator for @uly !E) !3! !) Hsome opinions
in which a man should stand neuter. ... It is with this
temper of mind that I consider the sub&ect of witch+
craft. ... I endeaour to suspend my belief till I hear
more certain accounts. ... I beliee in general that
there is) and has been) such a thing as witchcraft 5 but
at the same time can gie no credit to any particular
instance of it.H n *he force of credulity among the
country people he fully recogni0ed. 4is ,ir Roger de
Coerley) who was a &ustice of the peace) and his chap+
lain were) he said) too often compelled to put an end
to the witch+swimming e.periments of the people.
If this was belief) it was at least a harmless sort.
It was almost e.actly the position of @ames @ohnstone)
former secretary for ,cotland) who) writing from
:ondon to the chancellor of ,cotland) declared his be+
lief in the e.istence of witches) but called attention to
the fact that the parliaments of France and other &udi+
catories had gien up the trying of them because it
was impossible to distinguish possession from H nature
in disorder.H<<
=ut there were those who were ready to assert a
downright negatie. *he 9ar-uis of 4alifa. in the
Political) 9oral and 9iscellaneous *houghts and Re+
flections which he wrote 6or) at least) completed7 in !1"E)
noted H It is a fundamental . . . that there were witches
G much sha(en of late.H < ,ecretary of ,tate Cernon
and the ;u(e of ,hrewsbury were both of them s(ep+
n ,pectator) no. !!3.
n 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) FIC) 2) p. !2a.
9 4. C. Fo.croft) cc:) :ife and :etters of ,ir Beorge ,aile) 9ar+
-uis of 4alifa. 6:ondon) !$"$7) II) E"2.
2ED %I*C4CRAF* I? E?B:A?;
tical about the confessions of witches< ,ir Richard
,teele lampooned the belief. H *hree young ladies of
-pr townK' he ma(es his correspondent relate) H were
indicted for witchcraft >ne by spirits loc(ed in a
bottle and magic herbs drew hundreds of men to her 5
the second cut off by night the limbs of dead bodies
and) muttering words) buried them 5 the third moulded
pieces of dough into the shapes of men) women) and
children and then heated them.H *hey H had nothing
to say in their own defence but downright denying the
facts) which)H the writer remar(s) H is li(e to aail
ery little when they come upon their trials.H H *he
parson)H he continued) H will beliee nothing of all this 5
so that the whole town cries out M ' ,hame P that one of
his cast should be such an atheistK H <
*he parson had at length assimilated the s(epticism
of the &urists and the gentry. It was) as has been said) an
Anglican clergyman who administered the last great
blow to the superstition. Francis 4utchinson's 4is+
torical Essay on %itchcraft) published in ! 3!$ 6and
again) enlarged) in !3D#7) must ran( with Reginald
,cot's ;iscoerie as one of the great classics of English
witch literature. 4utchinson had read all the accounts
of trials in England G so far as he could find them G
and had systemati0ed them in chronological order) so
as to gie a conspectus of the whole sub&ect. ,o nearly
was his point of iew that of our own day that it would
be idle to rehearse his arguments. A man with warm
sympathies for the oppressed) he had been led prob+
ably by the case of @ane %enham) with whom he had
H B*. P. R. @ames) ed.) op cii.) II) 2##. ,hrewsbury's opinion may be
inferred from Cernon's reply to him.
<S ,ee the *oiler) no. si) 9ay D$) !3#".
C:>,E >F *4E :I*ERARY C>?*R>CER,Y 2E2
tal(ed) to ma(e a personal inestigation of all cases
that came at all within the (en of those liing. %ho+
eer shall write the final story of English witchcraft
will find himself still dependent upon this eighteenth+
century historian.
4utchinson's wor( was the last chapter in the witch
controersy. *here was nothing more to say.
APPE?;ICE,.
A.G PA9P4:E* :I*ERA*URE.
Vi. G %itchcraft under Eli0abeth 6see ch. II7.
A large part of the eidence for the trials of Eli0abeth's
reign is deried from the pamphlets issued soon after the
trials. *hese pamphlets furnish a peculiar species of histori+
cal material) and it is a species so common throughout the his+
tory of English witchcraft that it deseres a brief e.amina+
tion in passing. *he pamphlets were written of course by
credulous people who easily accepted what was told them and
whose own powers of obseration were untrained. *o get
at the facts behind their marellous accounts demands the
greatest care and discrimination. ?ot only must the mir+
aculous be ruled out) but the pre&udices of the obserer must
be ta(en into account. ;id the pamphleteer himself hear
and see what he recorded) or was his account at second hand R
;id he write soon after the eents) when they were fresh in
his memoryR ;oes his narratie seem to be that of a pains+
ta(ing) careful man or otherwiseR *hese are -uestions to
be answered. In many instances) howeer) the pamphlets were
not narratie in form) but were merely abstracts of the court
proceedings and testimony. In this case) too) care must be
ta(en in using them) for the testimony damaging to the ac+
cused was li(ely to be accented) while the eidence on the other
side) if not suppressed) was not emphasi0ed. In general) how+
eer) these records of depositions are sources whose residuum
of fact it is not difficult to discoer. =oth in this and in the
narratie material the most aluable points may be gleaned
from the incidental references and statements. *he writer
has made much use of this incidental matter. *he position
of the witch in her community) the real ground of the feeling
against her upon the part of her neighbors) the way in which
the alarm spread) the processes used to elicit confession G in+
2E/
2E1 APPE?;ICE,
ferences of this sort may) the writer beliees) be often made
with a good deal of confidence %e hae ta(en for granted
that the pamphlets possess a substratum of truth. *his may
not always be the case. *he pamphleteer was writing to seU.
A fictitious narratie of witchcraft or of a witch trial was
almost as li(ely to sell as a true narratie. 9ore than once
.in the history of witch literature absolutely imaginary stories
were foisted upon the public. It is necessary to be constantly
on guard against tins type of pamphlet. Fortunately nine
tenths of the witch accounts are corroborated from other
sources. *he absence of such corroboration does not mean
that an account should be barred out) but that it should be sub+
&ected to the methods of historical criticism) and that it should
be used cautiously een if it pass that test. 4appily for us) the
plan of ma(ing a witch story to order does not seem to hae
occurred to the Eli0abethan pamphleteers. ,o far as we (now)
TII the pamphlets of that time rest upon actual eents. %e
shall ta(e them up briefly in order.
*he first was *he e.amination and confession of cerlai.e
%ytches at C(ensforde m tht Conntit of Esse. before the
8ueues maUstits @udges) tht FFCI days of @uly Anno !/11.
*he only original copy of this pamphlet is in the :ambeth
Palace library at :ondon and its binding bears the initials of
R. =. NRichard =ancroftO. *he ersified introduction is signed
by @ohn Phillips) who presumably was the author. *he pam+
phletGa blac( letter oneG was issued) in three parts) from the
press of %illiam Powell at :ondon) two of them on August
!2) the third on August D2) !/11. It has since been reprinted
by 4. =eigeP for the Pbilobiblon ,ociety) :ondon) !$1E+!$1/.
It gies abstracts of the confessions and an account of the
court interrogatories. *here is eery reason to beliee that
it is in the main an accurate account of what happened at the
Chelmsford trials in !/11. @ustice ,outhcotc) ;r. Colt) 9aster
Foscue) and Attorney+Beneral Berard are all names we can
tf or coer) the one e.ecution narrated is confirmed
phlet dealing with the trials at Chelmsford in !/3".
Qnd pamphlet) also in blac( letter) deals with the
cases of !/3". It is entitled A RehearsalP both
d true of hainous and horrible actes committed by
APPE?;ICE, 2E3
Eli0abeth ,tile) alias Roc(ingham) 9other ;utten) 9other
;eell) 9other 9argaret Fower notorious %itches appre+
hended at %insore in the Countie of =ar(s) and at Abmgton
arraigned) condemned and e.ecuted on the D$ daye of Feb+
marie last anno !/3". *his pamphlet finds confirmation by a
reference in the priy council records to the same eent [Acts
P. C) n. s.) FI) DD7. Reginald ,cot) in his ;iscoerie of %itch+
craft) !3) /E2) mentions another) a boo( of HRichard Ballis
of %indesor H H about certaine witches of %indsore e.ecuted
at Abington.H *his would seem to hae been a different ac+
count of the Abingdon affair) because ,cot also on p. /! spea(s
of some details of the Abingdon affair as to be found H in a
little pamphlet of the acts and hanging of foure witches in
anno !/3".H It is perhaps the one described by :owndes) =ibli+
ographer's 9anual of English :iterature 6p. 2"/"7 under the
title *he horrible Acts of Elis. ,tyle) alias Roc(ingham) 9other
;utton) 9other ;oell) and 9other 9argaret) E %itches e.e+
cuted at Abingdon) D1 Feb. upon Richard Balis 6:ondon)
!/3"7 or that mentioned in the ,tationers' Registers) II 6:on+
don) !$3/7) 2/D) under date of 9ay E) !/3") as A brief treatise
conteyninge the most strange and horrible crueltye of Eli0a+
beth ,ule NsicO alias =oc(ingham NsicO and hir confederates
e.ecuted at Abingdon upon Richard Balis etc.
*he second Chelmsford trials were also in !/3". *he pam+
phlet account was called A ;etection of damnable driftes) prac+
tised by three %itches arraigned at C helms f or de in Esse. at
the last Assi0es there holden) whiche were e.ecuted in Aprill
I,3"< *here are three references in this pamphlet to people
mentioned in the earlier Chelmsford pamphlet) so that the two
confirm each other.
*he third Chelmsford trials came in !/$" and were narrated
in a pamphlet entitled *he apprehension and confession of
three notorious %itches arraigned and by @ustice condemnede
in the Countye of Esse. the / day of @ulye last past. @oan
Cunny was conicted) largely on the eidence of the two
bastard sons of one of her HlewdeH daughters. *he eldest
of these boys) who was not oer ten or twele) told the court
that he had seen his grandmother cause an oa( to be blown
up by the roots during a calm. *he charges against @oan
2E$ APPE?;ICE,
Upncy concerned chiefly her dealings with toads) those against
@oan Prentice) who lied in an Esse. almshouse) had to do
with ferrets. *he three women seem to hae been brought first
before &ustices of the peace and were then tried together and
condemned by the H&udge of the circuit.H *his narratie has
no outside confirmation) but the internal eidence for its
authenticity is good. *hree men mentioned as sheriff) &ustice)
and landowner can all be identified as holding those respectie
positions in the county.
*he narratie of the ,t >ses case appeared in !/$D. It
was called A *rue and &ust Recorde of the Information) E.+
amination and Confession of all the %itches ta(en at ,t. >ses
in the countie of Esse.M whereof some were e.ecuted) and
other some entreated according to the determination of :ame.
. . . %ritten orderly) as the cases were tryed by eidence) by
%. %. *he pamphlet is merely a record of e.aminations. It
is dedicated to @ustice ;arcy5 and from slips) where the &udge
in describing his action brea(s into the first person) it is ei+
dent that it was written by the &udge himself. ,cot) who wrote
two years later) had read this pamphlet) and (new of the case
6;iscoerie) E") /ED7. *here are many references to the case by
later writers on witchcraft.
Eleen years later came the trials which brought out the
pamphletM *he most strange and admirable discoerie of the
three %itches of %arboys) arraigned) conicted and e.ecuted
at the last assises at 4untingdon. . . . ) :ondon) !/"2. Its con+
tents are reprinted by Richard =oulton) in his Com pleat 4istory
of 9agic() ,orcery) and %itchcraft 6:ondon) !3!/7) I) E"+
!/D. *here can be no doubt as to the historical character of
this pamphlet *he *hroc(morton s) the Crom wells) and the
Pic(erings were all well (nown in 4untingdonshire. An agree+
ment is still presered in the archies of the 4untingdon cor+
poration proiding that the corporation shall pay ]E# to
8ueen's College) Cambridge) in order that a sermon shall be
preached on witchcraft at 4untingdon each :ady day. *his
was continued for oer two hundred years. >ne of the last ser+
mons on this endowment was preached in !3"/ and attac(ed
the belief in witchcraft *he record of the contract is still
(ept in 8ueen's College) =rit. 9us. 9,,.) /)$E") fo: D/E. For
APPE?;ICE, 2E"
mention of the affair see ;arrel) ;etection of that sinnful
. . . disc ours of ,amuel 4arshnet) 21) 2") no5 also 4arsnett)
;iscoery of the Fraudulent Practises) "2) "3. ,eeral @acobean
writers refer to the case. %hat seems to be another edition
is in the =odleianM A *rue and Particular >bseration of a
notable Piece of %itchcraft G which is the inside heading of the
first edition. *he te.t is the same) but there are differences in
the paging.
Perhaps the most curious of all Eli0abethan witch pamphlets
is entitled *he most wonderfull and true ,torie of a certaine
%itch named Alse Booderidge of ,tapenhill) who was ar+
raigned and conicted at ;arbie) at the Assises there. As
also a true Report of the strange *orments of *homas ;ar+
ling) a boy of thirteen years of age) that was possessed by the
;eill) with his horrible Fittes and terrible apparitions by him
uttered at =urton upon *rent) in the Countie of ,tafford) and
of his marellous delierance) :ondon) !/"3. *here are two
copies of this G the only ones of which the writer (nows G
in :ambeth Palace library. *hey are e.actly ali(e) page for
page) e.cept for the last four lines of the last page) where the
wording differs. *he pamphlet is clearly one written by @ohn
;enison as an abstract of an account by @esse =ee. 4arsnett)
;iscoery of the Fraudulent Practices of @ohn ;arrel) D11+
D1") tells how these two boo(s were written. ;enison is -uoted
as to certain insertions made in his manuscript after it left
his hands) insertions which are to be found) he says) on pages
!/ and 2". *he insertions complained of by ;enison are indeed
to be found on the pages indicated of *he most wonderfull
and true ,torie of ... Alse Booderidge) thus establishing his
authorship of the pamphlet *he account by =ee) of which
this is an abstract) I hae not seen. Alse Booderidge was put
through many e.aminations and finally died in prison. H ,he
should hae been e.ecuted) but that her spirit (illed her in
prison.H @ohn ;arrel was one of those who sought to help
the boy who had been bewitched by Alice. ;arrel) howeer)
receies only passing mention from the author of this pam+
phlet. *he narratie does not agree ery well in matters
of detail with the ;arrel tracts) although in the main outlines
it is similar to them. It is ery crudely put together) and)
2/# APPE?;ICE,
while it was doubtless a sincere effort to present the truth)
must not be too implicitly depended upon.
*wo pamphlets are hidden away in the bac( of the *riall of
9aist. ;orrel 6see below) V D7. *he first 6pp. "D+"17 deals
with the trial of ;oll =artham of ,hadbroo( in ,uffol(. ,he
was tried by .the chief &ustice and hanged the !Dth of @uly)
!/"". *he second 6pp. ""+!#27 narrates the trial of Anne
Aer(e before H :orde AndersonK' the 2#th of ;ecember) !/"".
,he also went to the gallows.
*here are other pamphlets referred to in :owndes) etc)
which we hae been unable to find. >ne of them is *he Ar+
raignment and E.ecution of 2 detestable %itches) @ohn ?ew+
ell) @oane his wife) and 4e lien Calles5 two e.ecuted at =ar+
nett) and one at =raynford) ! ;ec. J/#/. A second bears the
title *he seerall Facts of %itchcrafts approed on 9argaret
4as(ett of ,tanmore) !/$/. =lac( letter. Another pamphlet
in the same year deals with what is doubtless the same case.
It is An Account of 9argaret 4ac(et) a notorious %itch) who
consumed a young 9an to ;eath) rotted his =oweUs and bac(
bone asunder) who was e.ecuted at *iborn) !" Feb. i&,L.
:ondon) !/$/. A fourth pamphlet is *he E.amination and
Confession of a notorious %itch named 9other Arnold) alias
%hitecote) alias Blastonbury) at the Assise of =umtwood in
@<hQ '/3E+ who was hanged for %itchcraft at =ar(ing. !/3/+
*he title *he case of Agnes =ridges and Rachel Pinder)
created by 4a0litt) Collections and ?otes) !$13+!$31) out of the
mention by 4olinshed of a printed account) means but *he
discloysing) etc. 6see p. 2/!7. *he caseG see 4olinshed)
Chronicles 6:ondon) !$#$7) IC) 2D/) and ,tow) Annates 6:on+
don) !12!7) p. 13$) who put the affair in .!/3EG was not ol
witchcraft) but of pretended possession. ,ee aboe) p. /".
*o this period must belong also A true report of three
,traunge %itches) lately found at ?ewnham Regis) mentioned
by 4a0litt 64andboo() p. D2#7. I hae not seen it5 but the
printer is gien as H @. Charlewood)H and Charlewood printed
between !/1D and !/"2+ *he ,tationers' Registers) !/3#+!Y3
6:ondon5 ,ha(espeare ,oc.) !$E"7) II) 2D) mention also the
licensing in !/33 of *he =oo(e of %itchesG whatem that
may hae been.
APPE?;ICE, 2/!
Among pamphlets dealing with affairs nearly related to
witchcraft may be mentioned the following M
A short treatise declaringe the detestable wic(ednesse of
magicall sciences) as ? ecromancie)Coniuration of ,pirit es)Curi+
ouse Astrologie and such ly(e . . . 9ade by Francis Co.e. N:on+
don) !/1!.O =lac( letter. Co.e had been pardoned by the 8ueen.
*he E.amination of @ohn %alsh) before 9aster *homas
%illiams) Commissary to the Reerend father in Bod) %il+
liam) bishop of E.cester) upon certayne Interrogatories touch+
yng %ytch+crafte and ,orcerye) in the presence of diers
gentlemen and others) the FF of August) !/11. !/11. =lac(
letter. @ohn Ashton 6*he ;eil in =ritain and America) :on+
don) !$"1) p. D#D7 has called this the H earliest English printed
boo( on witchcraft pure and simple H 5 but it did not deal with
witches and it was preceded by the first Chelmsford pamphlet.
*he discloysing of a late counterfeyted possession by the
deyl in two maydens within the Citie of :ondon. N!/3E.O
=lac( letter. *he case is that of Agnes =ridges and Rachel
Pinder) mentioned aboe 6pp. /") 2/!7.
*he %onderfull %or(e of Bod shewed upon a Chylde)
whose name is %illiam %ithers) being in the *owne of %al+
sam . . . ,uffol() who) being Eleen Yeeres of age) laye in a
*raunce the ,pace of *enne ;ays . . . and hath continued the
,pace of *hree %ee(s) :ondon) !/$!. %ritten by @ohn Phil+
lips. *his pamphlet is mentioned by ,idney :ee in his article
on @ohn Phillips in the ;iet. ?at. =iog.
A 9ost %ic(ed wor(e of a %retched %itch 6the li(e
whereof none can record these manie yeares in England7
wrought on the Person of one Richard =urt) serant to
9aister Edling of %oodhall in the Parrish of Pinner in the
Countie of 9yddlese.) a myle beyond 4arrow. :atelie com+
mitted in 9arch last) An. !/"D and newly recogni0ed acord+
ing to the truth. =y B. =. maister of Artes. N:ondon) !/"2.O
,ee 4a0litt) Collections and ?otes) !$13+!$33. *he pamphlet
may be found in the library of :ambeth Palace. *he story
is a curious one 5 no action seems to hae been ta(en.
A defensatie against the poyson of supposed prophecies)
not hitherto confuted by the penne of any man5 which being
eyther uppon the warrant and authority of old paynted boo(es)
DE
2/D APPE?;ICE,
e.positions of dreames) oracles) reelations) inocations of
damned spirits . . . hae been causes of great disorder in the
commonwealth and chiefly among the simple and unlearned
people. 4enry 4oward) afterwards Earl of ?orthampton)
was the author of this H defensatie.H It appeared about !/$!+
!/Y2) and was reised and reissued in !1D !.
*hree Eli0abethan ballads on witches are noted by 4a0litt)
=ibliographical Collections and ?dtes) Dd series 6:ondon)
!$$D7 M A warnynge to wytches) published in !/$/) *he scratch+
inge of the wytches) published in !/3") and A lamentable songe
of *hree %ytches of %arbos) and e.ecuted at 4untingdon)
published in !/"2. Already in !/1D+2 Ha bo(e intituled A
poosye in forme of a isyon) agaynste wytche Crafte) and
,osyrye)H written Hin myterH by @ohn 4all) had been pub+
lished 6,tationers' Registers) !//3+!/3#) p. 3$7.
,ome notion of the first step in the Eli0abethan procedure
against a witch may be gathered from the specimens of Hin+
dictmentsH gien in the old formula boo( of %illiam %est)
,imboleography 6pt ii) first printed in !/"E7. *hree specimens
are gien5 two are of indictments HFor (illing a man by
witchcraft upon the statute of Anno /. of the 8ueene)H the
third is H For bewitching a 4orse) whereby he wasted and be+
came worse.H As the documents in such bodies of models are
usually genuine papers with only a suppression of the names)
it is probable that the dates assigned to the indictments noted G
the 2Eth and 2/th years of Eli0abeth G are the true ones) and
that the initials gien) H,. =. de C in comit 4. idua)H
H 9arg< :. de A. in com' E. ,pinster)H and H ,ara =. de C
in comitatu Eb. idua)H are those of the actual culprits and
of their residences. Yor(shire is clearly one of the counties
meant. It was) moreoer) %est's own county.
V D G *he E.orcists 6see ch. IC7.
*he account of Eli0abethan e.orcism which we hae gien
is necessarily one+sided. It deals only with the Puritan moe+
mentGif ;an+el's wor( may be so calledG and does not treat
the Catholic e.orcists. %e hae omitted the performances of
Father %eston and his coad&utors because they had little or no
APPE?;ICE, 2/2
relation to the sub&ect of witchcraft. *hose who wish to
follow up this sub&ect can find a readable discussion of it by
*. B. :aw in the ?ineteenth Century for 9arch) !$"E) H ;eil
4unting in Eli0abethan England.H
It is a rather curious fact that the Puritan e.orcist has
neer) e.cept for a few pages by ,. R. 9aitland) in his Puritan
*haumaturgy 6:ondon) !$ED7) been made a study. %ithout
doubt he) his supporters) and his enemies were able between
them to ma(e a noise in their own time. *o be coninced of
that one need only read the early seenteenth+century dram+
atists. It may possibly be that ;arrel was not the mere im+
postor his enemies pictured him. ;espite his tric(ery it may be
that he had really a certain hypnotic control oer %illiam
,omers and perhaps oer Aatherine %right.
%hateer else ;arrel may hae been) he was a ready pam+
phleteer. 4is career may easily be traced in the arious
brochures put forth) most of them from his own pen. For+
tunately we hae the other side presented by ,amuel 4arsnett)
and by two obscure clergymen) @ohn ;eacon and @ohn %al(er.
*he following is a tentatie list of the printed pamphlets deal+
ing with the sub&ect M
A =reife ?arration of the possession) dispossession) and
repossession of %illiam ,ommersM and of some proceedings
against 9r. @ohn ;orrel preacher) with aunsweres to such
ob&ections. . . . *ogether with certaine depositions ta(en at
?ottingham . . . ) !/"$. =lac( letter. *his was written either
by ;arrel or at his instigation.
An Apologie) or defence of the possession of %illiam ,om+
mers) a yong man of the towne of ?ottingham. . . . =y @ohn
;arrell) 9inister of Christ @esus. . . . N!/""RO =lac( letter.
*his wor( is undated) but) to &udge from the preface) it was
probably written soon after both ;arrel and 9ore were im+
prisoned. It is -uite clear too that it was written before 4ars+
nett's ;iscoery of the Fraudulent Practices of @ohn ;arrel)
for ;arrel says that he hears that the =ishop of :ondon is
writing a boo( against him.
*he *riall of 9oist. ;orrel) or A Collection of ;efences
against Allegations. . . . !/"". *his seems written by ;arrel
himself5 but the 4uth catalogue 6C) !1E27 ascribes it to @ames
=amford.
2/E APPE?;ICE,
A brief Apologie proing the possession of %illiam ,om+
tners. %ritten by @ohn ;orrel) a faithful 9inister of the
Bospell) but published without his (nowledge) . . . !/""+
A ;iscoery of the Fraudulent Practises of @ohn ;arrel)
=acheler of Artes . . . ) :ondon) !/"". *he HEpistle to the
Reader H is signed H ,. 4.)H !. e.) ,amuel 4arsnett) then chap+
lain to the =ishop of :ondon. *he boo( is an e.posure) in 2DE
pages) of ;arrel's arious impostures) and is based mainly on
the depositions gien in his trial at :ambeth.
A *rue ?arration of the strange and greous Ce.ation by
the ;eil of seen persons in :ancashire . . . ) !1##. %ritten by
;arrel. Reprinted in !1E! with the title A *rue Relation of
the grieous handling of %illiam ,omers of ?ottingham.
It is again reprinted in the ,omers *racts) III) and is the
best (nown of the pamphlets.
A *rue ;iscourse concerning the certaine possession and
dispossession of 3 persons in one familie in :ancashire) which
also may sere as part of an Answere to a fayned and false
;iscoerie. . . . =y Beorge 9ore) 9inister and Preacher of
the %orde of Bod . . . ) !1##. 9ore was ;arrel's associate
in the Cleworth performances and suffered imprisonment with
him.
A ;etection of that sinnful) shamful) lying) and ridiculous
disc ours of ,amuel 4arshnet. !1##. *his is ;arrel's most
abusie wor(. 4e ta(es up 4arsnett's points one by one and
attempts to answer them.
;ialogicall ;iscourses of ,pirits and ;iels by @ohn ;eacon
NandO @ohn %al(er) Preachers) :ondon) !1#!.
A ,ummarie Answere to al the 9aterial Points in amy of
9aster ;arel his boo(es) 9ore especiallie to that one =oo(e
of his) intituled) the ;octrine of the Possession and ;ispos+
session of ;emonia(s out of the word of Bod. =y @ohn ;eacon
NandO @ohn %al(er) Preachers) :ondon) !1#!. *he Hone
=oo(e H now answered is a part of ;arrel's A *rue ?arration.
*he ;iscourses are dedicated to ,ir Edmund Anderson and
other men eminent in the goernment and offer in e.cuse that
H the late bred broylcs . . . doe mightilie oer+runne the whole
Realme.H
APPE?;ICE, 2//
A ,urey of Certaine ;ialogic al ;iscourses) written by
@ohn ;eacon and @ohn %al(er . . . =y @ohn ;arrell) minister
of the gospel . . . ) !1#D.
*he Rep lie of @ohn ;arrell) to the Answer of @ohn ;eacon)
and @ohn %al(er concerning the doctrine of the Possession
and ;ispossession of ;emonia(es . . . ) !1#D.
4arsnett's second wor( must not be omitted from our ac+
count In his famous ;eclaration of Egregious Popish Im+
postures) !1#2 and !1#/) he shows to een better adantage than
in the earlier wor( his remar(able talents as an e.poser and
gies freer play to his wic(ed humor.
A *rue and =reife Report of 9ary Bloer's Ce.ation) and
of her delierance by the meanes of fastinge and prayer. . . .
=y @ohn ,wan) student in ;iinitie . . . ) !1#2.
*his narrates another e.orcism in which a number of clergy+
men participated. ,wan) the author) in his dedication to the
(ing) ta(es up the cudgels igorously against 4arsnett. Eli0a+
beth @ac(son was accused of haing bewitched her) and was
indicted. @ustice Anderson tried the case and showed him+
self a confirmed belieer in witchcraft. =ut the (ing was of
another mind and sent) to e.amine the girl) a physician) ;r.
Edward @orden) who detected her imposture and e.plained
it in his pamphlet) A brief e discourse of a disease called the
,uffocation of the 9other) %ritten uppon occasion which
hath beene of late ta(en thereby) to suspect possession of an
eill spirit. . . . 6:ondon) !1#27. 4e was opposed by the
author of a boo( still unprinted) H 9ary Bloer's late woefull
case ... by ,tephen =radwell. . . . !1#2 H 6=rit. 9us.) ,loane)
$2!7. =ut see also below) appendi. C) under !1#D+!1#2.
>ne other pamphlet dealing with this same episode must
be mentioned. 4utchinson) 4istorical Essay on %itchcraft)
and Beorge ,inclar) ,atan's Inisible %orld ;iscoered 6Ed+
inburgh) !1$/7) had seen an account by the Re. :ewis 4ughes
6in his Certaine Brieances7 of the case of 9other @ac(son) who
was accused of bewitching 9ary Bloer. Although 4ughes's
tale was not here published until !1E!+D) the eents with which
it deals must all hae ta(en place in !1#D or !1#2. ,ir @ohn
Croo( is mentioned as recorder of :ondon and ,ir Edmund
Anderson as chief &ustice. H R. =.)H in *he Aingdom of ;ar(+
2/1 APPE?;ICE,
ness 6:ondon) !1$$7) gies the story in detail) although misled)
li(e 4utchinson) into assigning it to !1ED.
It remains to mention certain e.orcist pamphlets of which
we possess only the titles M
A history of the case of Catherine %right. ?o date5 writ+
ten presumably by ;arrel and gien by him to 9rs. Fol&ambe)
afterwards :ady =owes. ,ee C 4. and *. Cooper) Athenae
Cantabrigienses 6Cambridge) !$/$+!$1!7) II) 2$!.
;arrel says that there was a boo( printed about H 9argaret
4arrison of =urnham+Ulpe in ?orfol( and her e.ation by
,athan.H ,ee ;etection of that sinnfuU . . . discours of ,amuel
4arshnet) 21) and ,urey of Certaine ;ialogical ;iscourses) /E.
*he strange ?ewes out of ,ommersetshire) Anno !/$E)
tearmed) a dreadfulP discourse of the dispossessing of one
9argaret Cooper at ;itchet) from a deill in the U(enes of a
headless e beare. Referred to by 4arsnett) ;iscoery of the
Fraudulent Practises of @ohn ;arrel) !3.
A ballad seems to hae been written about the ,omers
case. E.tracts from it are gien by 4arsnett) ibid.) 2E) iaa
V 2< G @ames I and %itchcraft and ?otable @acobean Cases
6see chs. C) CI7.
*he 9ost Cruell and =loody 9urther committed by an Inn+
(eepers %ife called Annis ;ell) and her ,onne Beorge ;ell)
Foure Yeares since. . . . %ith the seerall %itch+crofts and
most damnable practices of one Iohane 4arrison and her
;aughter) upon seeral persons men and women at Royston)
who were all e.ecuted at 4artford the E of August last past
!1#1. ,o far as the writer (nows) there is no contemporary
reference to confirm the e.ecutions mentioned in this pam+
phlet. *he story itself is a rather curious one with a certain
literary flaor. *his) howeer) need not weigh against it It
seems possible rather than probable that the narratie is a
fabrication.
*he seerall notorious and lewd Cosenages of Iohn %est
and Alice %est) falsely called the Aing and 8ueens of Fayries
. . . conicted . . . !1!2) :ondon) !1!2. *his might pass in cat+
APPE?;ICE, 2/3
alogues as a witch pamphlet. It is an account of two cleer
swindlers and of their punishment.
*he %itches of ?orthamptonshire.
Agnes =rowne a Arthur =UI
@oane Caughan @ 4e lien @en(enson < %itches.
9ary =arber
%ho were all e.ecuted at ?orthampton the DD. of
@uly last. !1!D.
Concerning this same affair there is an account in 9,.)
HA briefe abstract of the arraignment of nine witches at
?orthampton) @uly D!) !1D! H 6=rit. 9us.) ,loane) "3D7. *his
narratie has) in common with the printed narratie) the story
of 9istress =elcher's and 9aster Aery's sufferings from
witchcraft It mentions also Agnes =rown and @oan =rown
6or Caughan7 who) according to the other account) were
hanged. All the other names are different. =ut it is neer+
theless not hard to reconcile the two accounts. *he Hbriefe
abstractH deals with the testimony ta(en before the &ustices
of the peace on two charges 5 the %itches of ?orthamptonshire
with the final outcome at the assi0es. *hree of those finally
hanged were not concerned in the first accusations and were
brought in from outlying districts. >n the other hand) most
of those who were first accused by =elcher and Aery seem
not to hae been indicted.
*he %onderfull ;iscoerie of %itches in the co untie of :an+
caster. %ith the Arraignement and *riall of ?ineteene notori+
ous %itches) at the Assises and generall Baole delier ie) holden
at the Castle of :ancaster) upon 9unday) the seenteenth of
August last) !1!D. =efore ,ir @ames A It ham) and ,ir Edward
=romley. . . . *ogether with the Arraignement and *riall of
@ennet Preston) at the Assises holden at the Castle of Yor(e) the
seen and twentieth day of @ulie last past. . . . Published and
set forth by commandement of his 9a&esties @ustices of Assise
in the ?orth Parts. =y *homas Potts) Es-. :ondon) !1!2.
Reprinted by the Chetham ,oc) @. Crossley) ed.) !$Es *homas
Potts has gien us in this boo( the fullest of all English witch
accounts. ?o other narratie offers such an opportunity to
e.amine the character of eidence as well as the court pro+
2/$ APPE?;ICE,
cedure. Potts was ery superstitious) but his account is in
good faith.
%itches Apprehended) E.amined and E.ecuted) for notable
illanies by them committed both by :and and %ater. %ith
a strange and most true trial how to (now whether a woman
be a %itch or not. :ondon) !1!2. =odleian.
A =oo(e of the %ytches :ately condemned and e.ecuted at
=edford) !1!D+!1!2. I hae seen no copy of this pamphlet)
the title of which is gien by Edward Arber) *ranscript of
the Registers of the Company of ,tationers of :ondon) !//E+
!1E# 6:ondon) !$3/+ !$#E7) III) D2Eb. . . . *he story is without
doubt the same as that told in the preceding pamphlet %e
hae no absolutely contemporary reference to this case. Eld+
ward Fairfa.) who wrote in !1DD) had heard of the case G prob+
ably) howeer) from the pamphlet itself. =ut we can be -uite
certain that the narratie was based on an actual trial and
coniction. ,ome of the incidental details gien are such as
no fabricator would insert.
In the 9,.) H4ow to discoer a witch)H =rit. 9us.) Add.
9,,.) 21)13E) f. !E$) there is a reference to a detail of 9other
,utton's ordeal not gien in the pamphlet I hae used.
A *reatise of %itchcraft. . . . %ith a true ?arration of the
%itchcrafts which 9ary ,mith) wife of 4enry ,mith) Bloer)
did practise . . . and lastly) of her death and e.ecution . . . =y
Ale.ander Roberts) =. ;. and Preacher of Bods %ord at Aings+
:inne in ?ortfol(e. :ondon) !1!1. *he case of 9ary ,mith
is ta(en up at p. E/. *his account was dedicated to the
H9aiorH and aldermen) etc) of HAings :inneH and was no
doubt semi+official It is reprinted in 4owell) ,tate *rials) II.
*he %onderful ;iscoerie of the %itchcrafts of 9argaret
and Phillip Flower) daughters of @oan Flower neere =eer
CastleM e.ecuted at :incolne) 9arch !!) !1!$. %ho were spe+
cially arraigned and condemned before ,ir 4enry 4obart and
,ir Edward =romley) @udges of Assise) for confessing them+
seles actors in the destruction of 4enry) :ord Rosse) with
their damnable practises against others the Children of the
Right 4onourable Francis Earle of Rutland. *ogether with
the seerall E.aminations and Confessions of Anne =a(er
@oan %illimot) and Ellen Breene) %itches in :eicestershire)
APPE?;ICE, 2/"
:ondon) !1!". For confirmation of the Rutlandshire witch+
craft see Cat. ,t. P.) ;otn.) !1!"+!1D2) !D" 5 4ist. 9,,. Comm.
Reports) Rutland) IC) /!E. ,ee also Bentleman's 9aga0ine)
:FFI C f pt. ii) "#" M H >n the monument of Francis) si.th earl
of Rutland) in =ottesford church) :eicestershire) it is recorded
that by his second lady he had 'two ,ons) both which died
in their infancy by wic(ed practices and sorcery.' H
Another pamphlet seems to hae been issued about the af+
fairM ,trange and wonderfull %itchcrafts) discoering the
damnable Practises of seen %itches against the :ies of cer+
tain noble Personages and others of this Aingdom5 with an ap+
proed *riall how to find out either %itch or any Apprentice
to %itchcraft) !1D!. Another edition in !12/5 see :owndes.
*he %onderfull disc oer ie of Eli0abeth ,awyer. . . . late of
Edmonton) her coniction) condemnation and ;eath. . . .
%ritten by 4enry Boodcole) 9inister of the word of Bod)
and her continuall Cisiter in the Baole of ?ewgate. . . . !1D!.
*he Reerend 9r. Boodcole wrote a plain) unimaginatie story)
the main facts of which we cannot doubt. *hey are supported
moreoer by ;e((cr and Ford's play) *he %itch of Edmon+
ton) which appeared within a year. Boodcole refers to the
HballetsH written about this case.
*he =oy of =ilsonM or A *rue ;iscoery of the :ate ?otori+
ous Impostures of Certaine Romish Priests in their pretended
E.orcisme) or e.pulsion of the ;well out of d young =oy)
named %illiam Perry. . . . :ondon) !1DD. Preface signed by
Rye. =addeley. *his is an account of a famous imposture.
It is really a pamphlet against the Catholic e.orcists. >n pp.
E/+/E is gien a reprint of the Catholic account of the affair5
on pp. //+3/ the e.posure of the imposture is related. %e can
confirm this acount by Arthur %ilson) :ife and Reign of
@ames I) !#3+!!!) and by @ohn %ebster) ;isplaying of ,up+
posed %itchcraft) D3E.
A ;iscourse of %itchcraft As it was acted in the Family
of 9r. Edward Fairfa. of Fuystone in the County of Yor()
in the year !1D!. Edited by R. 9onc(ton 9ilnes 6the later
:ord 4oughton7 for ol. C of 9iscellanies of the Philo+
biblon ,oc. 6:ondon) !$/$+!$/") D#" pages7. *he editor says
the original 9,. is still in e.istence. Edward Fairfa. was a
21# APPE?;ICE,
natural brother of ,ir *homas Fairfa. of ;enton. 4e trans+
lated into English erse *asso's @erusalem ;elwerti) and
accomplished other poetic feats. 4is account of his children's
bewitchment and of their trances is ery detailed. *he boc(
was again published at 4arrogate in !$$D) under the title oi
;amonologiaM a ;iscourse on %itchcraft) with an introduction
and notes by %illiam Brainge.
g E. G 9atthew 4op(ins 6see ch CIII7.
A 9ost certain) strange and true ;iscoery of a %itch) ,it+
ing oerta(en by some of the Parliament Forces) as she ms
standing on a small Planc(+board and sayling on it oer At
Rier of ?ewbury) *ogether with the strange and true mamtr
of her death. !1E2. *he tale told here is a curious one. *he sol+
diers saw a woman crossing the rier on a plan() decided that
she was a witch) and resoled to shoot her. H ,he caugbt
their bullets in her hands and chew'd them.H %hen the
Heines that erosse the temples of the headH were scratched
so as to bleed) she lost her power and was (illed by a pistol
shot &ust below the ear. It is not improbable that this dis+
torted tale was based on an actual happening in the war. ,cU
9ercurius Coicus) ,eptember D!+D$) !1E2.
A Confirmation and ;iscoery of %itch+craft . . . togtthtr
with the Confessions of many of those e.ecuted since 9tr&
!1EL. .. . =y @ohn ,teame :ondon) !1E$.
*he E.amination) Confession) *riall) and E.ecution Sl
@oane %il4ford) @oan Cariden and @ane 4ottM who were e.e+
cuted at Feersham) in Aent . . . all attested under the haSi
of Robert Breenstreet) 9otor of Feersham. :ondon) !1E,
*his pamphlet has no outside eidence to confirm its state+
as eery appearance of being a true record ol
e.act Relation of the seerall Information)
ind Confessions of the late %itches arraig<ti
\t the County of Esse.. %ho were orraigtti
at the late ,essions) holden at Chelmesford bt+
4onorable Robert) Earle of %arwic(<) Usd
9a&esties @ustices of Peace) the 2" of @uly ifai
!1E/. Reprinted :ondon) !$235 also embodied
APPE?;ICE, 21!
in 4owell) ,late *rials. *his is a ery careful statement of the
court e.aminations) drawn up by H 4. F.H In names and de+
tails it has points of coincidence with the *rue Relation about
the =ury affair5 see ne.t paragraph below. It is supported)
too) by Arthur %ilson's account of the affair5 see Francis
Pec() ;esiderata Curiosa 6ed. of :ondon) !33"7) II) E31.
A *rue Relation of the Araignment of eighteene %itches
at ,t. Edmundsbury) D3th August !1E/. . . . As also a :ist of
the names of those that were e.ecuted. :ondon) !1E/. *here
is abundance of corroboratie eidence for the details gien
in this pamphlet It fits in with the account of the Esse.
witches5 its details are amplified by ,tearne) Confirmation
of %itchcraft) Clar(e) :ies of sundry Eminent Persons) @ohn
%al(er) ,uffering of the Clergy . . . in the Brand Rebellion
6:ondon) !3!E7) and others. *he narratie was written in the
interim between the first and second trials at =ury.
,trange and fearfull newes from Plaisto in the parish of
%estham neere =ow foure miles from :ondon) :ondon) !1E/.
Unimportant.
*he :owes against %itches and Con&uration) and ,ome brief
?otes and >bserations for the ;iscoery of %itches. =eing
ery Usefull for these *imes wherein the ;eil reignes and
preailes. . . . Also *he Confession of 9other :a(eland) who
was arraigned and condemned for a %itch at Ipswich in ,uf+
fol(e. ...=y authority. :ondon) !1E/. *he writer of this pam+
phlet ac(nowledges his indebtedness to Potts) ;iscoerie of
%itches in the countie of :ancaster 6!1!27) and to =ernard)
Buide to Brand @urymen 6!1D37. *hese boo(s had been used
by ,tearne and doubtless by 4op(ins. *his pamphlet e.presses
4op(ins's ideas) it is written in 4op(ins's styleG so far as we
(now itG and it may hae been the wor( of the witch+finder
himself. *hat might e.plain) too) the H by H H' H ' H<H
title.
,ignes and %onders from 4eaen. . . . I
coery of %itches m ,tepney Parish. An\
more were e.ecuted in ,uffol( this last Asi
;iell came to ,offarn to a Farmers hous
Bentlewoman on horse bac(e. :ondon) Nit
Chelmsford) ,uffol() and ?orfol( trials.
21D APPE?;ICE,
*he %itches of 4untingdon) their E.aminations and Con+
fessions . . . ) :ondon) !1E1. *his wor( is dedicated to the
&ustices of the peace for the county of 4untingdon 5 the dedica+
tion is signed by @ohn ;aenport. *hree of the witches whose
accusations are here presented are mentioned by ,tearne 6Con+
firmation of %itchcraft) n) !2) D#+D!) ED7.
*he ;iscoery of %itchesM in answer to seeraU 8ueries)
lately ;eliered to the @udges of Assise for the County of
?orfol(. And now published by 9atthew 4op(ins) %itch+
finder. For the =enefit of the %hole Aingdome. . . . :ondon)
!1E3. 4op(ins's and ,tearne's accounts fit into each other and
are the two best sources for ch. CIII.
*he N;OIell in Aent) or 4is strange ;elusions at ,and+
witch) :ondon) !1E3. 4as nothing to do with witches 5 shows
the spirit of the times.
A strange and true Relation of a Young %oman possest
with the ;eill. =y name @oyce ;oey dwelling at =ewdley
neer %orcester . . . as it was certified in a :etter from 9r.
@ames ;olt on unto 9r. *ho. Broome) Ironmonger oer against
,epulchres Church in :ondon. . . . Also a :etter from Cam+
bridge) wherein is related the late conference between the
;eil 6in the shape of a 9r. of Arts7 and one As(boumer)
a ,choller of ,. @ohns Colledge . . . who was afterwards
carried away by him and neer heard of since onely his Bown
found in the Rier) :ondon) !1E3. In the first narratie a
woman after hearing a sermon fell into fits. *he second nar+
ratie was probably based upon a combination of facts and
rumor.
*he Full *ryals) E.amination and Condemnation of Four
?otorious %itches) At the Assises held in %orcester on *use+
day the Eth of 9arch . . . As also *heir Confessions and last
;ying ,peeches at the place of E.ecution) with other Ama0+
ing Particulars . . . ) :ondon) printed by HI. %.)H no date.
Another edition of this pamphlet 6in the =odleian7 bears
the date !3## and was printed for H @. 9.H in Fleet street. *his
is a most interesting e.ample of a made+to+order witch pam+
phlet. *he preface ma(es one suspect its characterM Hthe
following narratie coming to my hand.H *he accused were
Rebecca %est) 9argaret :andis) ,usan Coo() and Rose 4al+
APPE?;ICE, 212
lybread. ?ow) all these women were tried at Chelmsford in
!1E/) and their e.aminations and confessions printed in A
true and e.act Relatione *he wording has been changed a
little) seeral things hae been added) but the facts are sim+
ilar5 see A true and e.act Relation) !#) n) !2+!/) D3. %hen
the author of the %orcester pamphlet came to narrate the
e.ecution he wandered away from his te.t and inented some
new particulars. *he women were H burnt at the sta(.H *hey
made a Hyelling and howling.H *wo of them were ery
Hstubborn and refractory.H Cf. below) V !#.
*he ;eill seen at ,t. Albans) =eing a true Relation 4ow
the ;eill was seen there in a Cellar) in the li(eness e of a Ram5
and how a =utcher came and cut his throat) and sold some of
it) and dressed the rest for himself e) initing many to supper
. . . ) !1E$. A cleer lampoon.
V /. G Commonwealth and Protectorate 6see ch. IF7.
*he ;iels ;elusions or A faithfull relation of @ohn Palmer
and Elisabeth Anott two notorious %itches lately condemned
at the ,essions of >yer and *erminer in ,t Albans . . . ) !1E".
*he narratie purports to be ta(en from a letter sent from
,t. Alban's. It deals with the practices of two good witches
who were finally discoered to be blac( witches. *he tale has
no outside confirmation.
%onderfull ?ews from the ?orth)+ >r a *rue Relation of
the ,ad and Brieous *orments Inflicted upon the =odies of
three Children of 9r. Beorge 9uschamp) late of the County of
?orthumberland) by %itchcraft) . ... As also the prosecution
of the sayd %itches) as by >aths) and their own Confessions
will appear and by the Indictment found by the @ury against
one of them) at the ,essions of the Peace held at Alnwic()
the DE day of April !1/#) :ondon) !1/#. Preface signedM
H*hine) 9ary 9oore.H *his pamphlet bears all through the
mar(s of a true narratie. It is written eidently by a friend
of the 9istress 9uschamp who had such difficulty in persuad+
ing the north country &ustices) &udges) and sheriffs to act
*he names and the circumstances fit in with other (nown facts.
*he strange %itch at Breenwich haunting a %ench) !1/#.
Unimportant.
A ,trange %itch at Breenwich) !1/#.
21E APPE?;ICE,
*he last two pamphlets are mentioned by :owndes. *he
second pamphlet I hae not seen5 as) howeer) :owndes cites
the title of the first incorrectly) it is ery possible that he has
gien two titles for the same pamphlet.
*he %itch of %apping) or an E.act and Perfect Relation
of the :ife and ;eilish Practises of @oan Peterson) who dwelt
in ,pruce Island) near %apping5 %ho was condemned for
practising %itchcraft) and sentenced to be 4anged at *yburn)
on 9unday the nth of April) !1/D) :ondon) !1/D.
A ;eclaration in Answer to seeral lying Pamphlets con+
cerning the %itch of %apping) . . . shewing the =loudy Plot
and wic(ed Conspiracy of one Abraham Candenhemde) *homas
Crompton) *homas Collet) and others) :ondon) !1/D. *his
pamphlet is described aboe) pp. D!E+D!/.
*he *ryall and E.aminations of 9rs. @oan Peterson before
the 4onourable =ench at the ,essions house in the >ld =ay ley
yesterday. N!1/DO. *his states the case against 9istress @oan
in the title) but 6unless the =ritish 9useum copy is imperfect7
gies no details.
;octor :amb's ;arling) or ,trange and terrible ?ews from
,alisbury5 =eing A true) e.act) and perfect Relation of the
great and wonderful Contract and Engagement made between
the ;eil) and 9istris Anne =odenham5 with the manner
how she could transform herself into the shape of a 9astie
;og) a blac( :yon) a white =ear) a %oolf) a =ull) and a Cat
. . . *he *ryal) E.aminations) and Confession . . . before the
:ord Chief =aron %ild. . . . =y @ames NEdmondfO =ower)
Cleric) :ondon) !1/2. *his is the first account of the affair and
is a rather crude one.
;octor :amb Reied) or) %itchcraft condemn' d in Anne
=odenham . . . who was Arraigned and E.ecuted the :ent
Assi0es last at ,alisbury) before the Right 4onourable the
:ord Chief =aron %ild) @udge of the Assise. . . . =y Ed+
mond =ower) an eye and ear %itness of her E.amination and
Confession) :ondon) !1/2. =ower's second and more de+
tailed account It is dedicated to the &udge by the writer) who
had a large part in the affair and fre-uently interiewed the
witch. 4e does not present a record of e.aminations) but
gies a detailed narratie of the entire affair. 4e throws out
APPE?;ICE, 21,
hints about certain phases of the case and rouses curiosity
without satisfying it 4is story of Anne =odenham is) how+
eer) clear and interesting. *he celebrated Aubrey refers to
the case in his Remaines of Bentilisme and @udaisme) D1!.
4is account) which tallies well with that of =ower) he seems
to hae deried from Anthony Ettric( H of the 9iddle *em+
ple)H who was a Hcurious obserer of the whole trial:H
A Prodigious and *ragicall 4istory of the Arraignment)
*ryall) Confession) and Condemnation of si. %itches at
9aidstone) in Aent) at the Assises there held in @uly) Fryday
2#) this present year) !1/D. =efore the Right 4onourable)
Peter %arburton. . . . Collected from the >bserations of E.
B. Bent) a learned person) present at their Coniction and
Condemnation) and digested by 4. F. Bent.) :ondon) !1/D.
It is a pity that the digesting was not omitted. *he account)
howeer) is trustworthy. 9ention is made of this trial by
Elias Ashmole in his ;iary 6:ondon) !3!37 and by *he Faith+
ful ,cout) @uly 2#+August 3) !1/D.
*he most true and wonderfull ?arration of two women
bewitched in Yor(shireM %ho comming to the Assi0es at Yor(
to gie in Eidence against the %itch after a most horrible
noise to the terror and ama0ement of all the beholders) did
omit forth before the @udges) Pins) wool. . . . Also a most
true Relation of a young 9aid . . . who . . . did . . . omit
forth wadds of straw) with pins a crosse in them) iron ?ails)
?eedles) . . . as it is attested under the hand of that most f am+
our Phisitian ;octor 4enry 4eers) . . . !1/$. In the =od+
leian. *he writer of this pamphlet had little information to
gie and seems to hae got it at second or third hand.
A more E.act Relation of the most lamentable and horrid
Contract which :ydia Rogers) liing in Pump+Ally in %ap+
ping) made with the ;iel . . . *ogether with the great pains
and prayers of many eminent ;iines) . . . !1/$. In the =od+
leian. *his is a HRelation of a woman who heretofore pro+
fessing Religion in the purity thereof fel afterwards to be a
sectary) and then to be ac-uainted with Astrologers) and after+
wards with the ;iel himself.H A poor woman Hnaturally
inclined to melancholy H belieed she had made a contract with
the ;eil. H9any 9inisters are dayly with her.H
211 APPE?;ICE,
*he ,nare of the ;eill ;iscoeredM >r) A *rue and per+
fect Relation of the sad and deplorable Condition of :&^
the %ife of @ohn Rogers 4ouse Carpenter) liing in Bree<+
ban( in Pumpe alley in %appin. . . . Also her E.ammat(<
by 9r) @ohnson the 9inister of %appin) and her Confesses<.
As also in what a sad Condition she continues) . . . :oodca
!1/$. Another tract against the =aptists. In spite of :&dia
Rogers's supposed contract with the ;eil) she does not sees
to hae been brought into court
,trange and *errible ?ewes from Cambridge) being A tnu
Relation of the 8ua(ers bewitching of 9ary Philips ...U<<
the shape of a =ay 9are) riding her from ;int on towards t(i
Uniersity. %ith the manner how she became isible agon
... in her own :i(eness and ,hape) with her sides all rent ad
torn) as if they had been spur+galled) . . . and the ?antes of the
8ua(ers brought to tryal on Friday last at the Assises held aP
Cambridge . . . ) :ondon) !1/". *his is mentioned by @obs
Ashton in the bibliographical appendi. to his *he ;eil S
=ritain and America)
*he @ust ;eil of %oodstoc() or a true narratie of the sec+
erall apparitions) the frights and punishments inflicted upon the
Rumpish commissioners sent thither to surey the manors
and houses belonging to 4is 9a&esty. !11#. %ood) Athenee
>.onienses 6ed. of !$!37) III) 2"$) ascribes this to *homas
%iddowes. It was on the affair described in this pamphlet
that %alter ,cott based his noel %oodstoc(. *he story
gien in the pamphlet may be found in ,inclar's ,atan's In+
isible %orld ;iscoered. *he writer has not seen the orig+
inal pamphlet
V 1. G Charles II and @ames II 6see ch. FI7.
*he Power of %itchcraft) =eing a most strange but true
Relation of the most miraculous and wonderful delierance of
one 9r. %illiam 4arrison of Cambden in the County of
Bloucester) ,teward to the :ady ?owel. . . . ) :ondon) !11D.
A *rue and Perfect Account of the E.amination) Confes+
sion) *ryal) Condemnation and E.ecution of @oan Perry and
her two ,ons . . . for the supposed murder of %illiam 4arri+
son) Bent. . . . ) :ondon) !131. *hese are really not witchcraft
APPE?;ICE, 213
pamphlets. 9r. 4arrison disappears) three people are charged
with his murder and hanged. 9r. 4arrison comes bac( from
*ur(ey in two years and tells a story of his disappearance
which leads to the supposition that he was transported thither
by witchcraft.
A *ryal of %itches at the assises held at =ury ,t. Edmonds
for the County of ,uffol(5 on the tenth day of 9arch) !11E)
:ondon) !1$D5 another edition) !3!1. *he writer of this tract
writes in introducing itM H*his *ryal of %itches hath lain a
long time in a priate Bentleman's 4ands in the Country) it
being gien to him by the Person that too( it in the Court for
his own satisfaction.H *his is the much -uoted case before
,ir 9atthew 4ale. *he pamphlet presents one of the most
detailed accounts of the court procedure in a witch case.
*he :ord's Arm ,tretched >ut in an Answer of Prayer or a
*rue Relation of the wonderful ;elierance of @ames =arrow)
the ,on of @ohn =arrow of > laes ,outhwar() :ondon) !11E.
*his seems to be a =aptist pamphlet.
*he wonder of ,uffol(e) being a true relation of one that
reports he made a league with the ;eil for three years) to do
mischief) and now brea(s open houses) robs people daily) . . .
and can neither be shot nor ta(en) but leaps oer walls fifteen feet
high) runs fie or si. miles in a -uarter of an hour) and some+
times anishes in the midst of multitudes that go to ta(e him.
Faithfully written in a letter from a solemn person) dated not
long since) to a friend in ,hip+yard) near *emple+bar) and
ready to be attested by hundreds . . . ) :ondon) !133. *his
is mentioned in the Bentleman's 9aga0ine) !$D") pt. ii) /$E. I
hae not seen a copy of the pamphlet.
;aimonomageiaM a small *reatise of ,ic(nesses and ;iseases
from %itchcraft and ,upernatural Causes. . . . =eing useful
to others besides Physicians) in that it confutes Atheistical)
,adducistical) and ,ceptical Principles and Imaginations . . . )
:ondon) !11/. *hough its title+page bears no name) the author
was undoubtedly that H%illiam ;rage) ;. P. N;octor of
PhysicO at 4itchin)H in 4ertfordshire) to whose larger treatise
on medicine 6first printed in !11E as A Physical ?osonomy)
then in !111 as *he Practice of Physic() and again in !11$ as
Physical E.periments7 it seems to be a usual appendage. It is
S/
21$ APPE?;ICE,
so) at least) in the Cornell copy of the first edition and in the
4arard copy of the third) and is so described by the ;iet.
?at. =iog. and by the =ritish 9useum catalogue.
4artford+shire %onder. >r) ,trange ?ews from %are)
=eing an E.act and true Relation of one @ane ,tretton . . I
who hath been isited in a strange (ind of manner by e.+
traordinary and unusual fits . . . ) :ondon) !11". *he title
gies the clue to this story. *he narrator ma(es it clear that
a certain woman was suspected of the bewitchment.
A 9agicall Cision) >r a Perfect ;iscoery of the Fallacies
of %itchcraft) As it was lately represented in a pleasant sweet
;ream to a 4olysweet ,ister) a faithful and pretious Assertor
of the Family of the ,tand+4ups) for preseration of i(e
,aints from being tainted with the heresies of the Congre+
gation of the ;oe+:ittles) :ondon) !132. I hae not seen this.
It is mentioned by 4a0litt) =ibliographical Collections) fourth
series) s. . %itchcraft.
A Full and *rue Relation of *he *ryal) Condemnation) and
E.ecution of Ann Foster . . . at the place of E.ecution at
?orthampton) %ith the 9anner how she by her 9alice and
%itchcraft set all the =arns and Corn on Fire . . . and be+
witched a whole Floc( of ,heep . . . ) :ondon) !13E. *his
narratie has no confirmation from other sources) yet its de+
tails are so susceptible of natural e.planation that they war+
rant a presumption of its truth.
,trange ?ews from Arpington near =e.by in AentM =eing
a *rue ?arratie of a yong 9aid who was Possest with seeral
;eils . . . ) :ondon) !13".
,trange and %onderful ?ews from Yowell in ,urry5 Bi+
ing a *rue and @ust Account of >ne Elisabeth =urgess) %ho
was most strangely =ewitched and *ortured at a sad rate)
:ondon) !1$!.
An Account of the *ryal and E.amination of @oan =uts)
for being a Common %itch and Inchantress) before the Right
4onourable ,ir Francis Pemberton) :ord Chief @ustice) ot
the Assi0es . . . !1$D. ,ingle leaf.
*he four brochures ne.t to be described deal with the same
affair and substantially agree.
*he *ryal) Condemnation) and E.ecution of *hree %itches)
APPE?;ICE, 21"
is. *emperance Floyd) 9ary Floyd) and ,usanna Edwards.
%ho were Arraigned at E.eter on the !$th of August) !1$D.
. . . :ondon) !1$D. Confirmed by the records of the gaol deli+
eries e.amined by 9r. Inderwic( 6,ide+:ights on the ,tuarts)
p. !"D7.
A *rue and Impartial Relation of the Informations against
*hree %itches) i0. *emperance :loyd) 9ary *rembles) and
,usanna Edwards) who were Indicted) Arraigned) and Con+
icted at the Assi0es holden ...at .. . E.on) Aug. !E) !1$D. %ith
their seeral Confessions . . . as also *heir . . . =ehaiour) at
the . . . E.ecution on the *wenty fifth of the said 9onth) :on+
don) !1$D. *his) the fullest account 6E# pp.7< gies correctly the
names of these three women) whom I still beliee the last put
to death for witchcraft in England.
%itchcraft discoered and punished. >r the *ryals and
Condemnation of three ?otorious %itches) who were *ryed
the last Assises) holden at the Castle of E.eter . . . where they
receied sentence of ;eath) for bewitching seeralP Persons)
destroying ,hips at ,ea) and Cattel by :and. *o the *une of
;octor Faustus5 or Fortune my Foe. In the Ro.burghe Col+
lection at the =ritish 9useum. =roadside. A ballad of !3
stan0as 6E lines each7 giing the story of the affair.
*he :ife and Conersation of *emperance Floyd) 9ary
:loyd and ,usanna Edwards . . . 5 :ately Condemned at
E.eter Assises5 together with a full Account of their first
Agreement with the ;eilM %ith the manner how they prose+
cuted their deilish ,orceries . . . ) :ondon) !1$3.
A Full and *rue Account of the Proceedings at the ,essions
of >yer and *erminer . . . which began at the ,essions 4ouse
in the >ld =ay ley on *hursday) @une !st) and Ended on Fry+
day) @une Dnd) !1$D. %herein is Contained the *ryal of many
notorious 9alefactors . . . but more especially the *ryall of
@ane Aent for %itchcraft. *his pamphlet is a brief summary
of seeral cases &ust finished and has eery eidence of being
a faithful account. It is to be found in the library of :in+
coln's Inn.
,trange and ;readful ?ews from the *own of ;eptford in
the County of Aent) =eing a Full) *rue) and ,ad Relation of
one Anne Arthur. !1$EK/. >ne leaf) folio.
23# APPE?;ICE,
,trange newes from ,hadwell) being a . . . relation of the
death of Alice Fowler) who had for many years been accounted
a witch. :ondon) !1$/. E pp. In the library of the Earl of
Crawford. I hae not seen it.
A *rue Account of a ,trange and %onderful Relation of
one @ohn *on(en) of Pensans in Cornwall) said to be =e+
witched by some %omenM two of which on ,uspition are com+
mitted to Prison) :ondon) !1$1. In the =odleian. *his nar+
ratie is confirmed by Inderwic%s records.
?ews from Panier Alley5 or a *rue Relation of ,ome
Pran(s the ;eil hath lately ployfd with a Plaster Pot there)
:ondon) !1$3. In the =odleian. A curious tract ?o trial
V 3. G *he FInal ;ecline) 9iscellaneous Pamphlets 6sec
ch. FIII7.
A faithful narratie of the . . . fits which . . . *homas
,patchet . . . was under by witchcraft . . . ) !1"2. Unim+
portant
*he ,econd Part of the =oy of =ilson) >r a *rue and Par+
ticular Relation of the Imposter ,usanna Fowles) wife of @ohn
Fowles of 4ammersmith in the Co. of 9idd.) who pretended
herself to be possessed ) :ondon) !1"$.
A Full and *rue Account =oth of the :ifeM And also the
9anner and 9ethod of carrying on the ;elusions) =las+
phemies) and ?otorious Cheats of ,usan Fowls) as the same
was Contried) Plotted) Inented) and 9anaged by wic(ed
Popish Priests and other Papists.
*he trial of ,usannah Fowles) of 4ammersmith) for blas+
pheming @esus Christ) and cursing the :orffs Prayer ) :on+
don) !1"$.
*hese three pamphlets tell the story of a woman who was
Han impostor and ?otorious :yarH5 they hae little to do
with witchcraft. ,ee aboe) ch. FIII) note D2.
*he Case of %itchcraft at Cogge shall) Esse.) in the year
!1"". =eing the ?arratie of the Re. K. =oys) 9inister of
the Parish. Printed from his manuscript in the possession of
the publisher 6A. Russell ,mith7) :ondon) !"#!.
A *rue and Impartial Account of the ;ar( and 4ellish
Power of %itchcraft) :ately E.ercised on the =ody of the
APPE?;ICE, 23i
Reerend 9r. %ood) 9inister of =odtnyn. In a :etter from
a Bentleman there) to his Friend in E.on) in Confirmation
thereof) E.eter) !3##.
A Full and *rue Account of the Apprehending and *a(ing
of 9rs. ,arah 9o or di(e) %ho is accused for a %itch) =eing
ta(en near Paul's %harf . . . for haeing =ewitched one Rich+
ard 4etheway. . . . %ith her E.amination before the Right
%orshipful ,ir *homas :ane) ,ir >en =uc(ingham) and
;r. 4ambleton in = owe +lane. !3#!. *his account can be erified
and filled out from the records of the trial of 4athaway) printed
in 4owell) ,tate *rials) FIC) 12"+1"1.
A short Account of the *rial held at ,urry Assises) in the
=orough of ,outhwar(5 on an Information against Richard
4athway . . . for Riot and Assault) :ondon) !3#D.
*he *ryal of Richard 4athaway) upon an Information For
being a Cheat and Impostor) For endeaouring to ta(e away
*he :ife of ,arah 9orduc() For being a %itch at ,urry
Asssi0es . . . ) :ondon) !3#D.
A Full and *rue Account of the ;iscoering) Apprehend+
ing and ta(ing of a ?otorious %itch) who was carried before
@ustice =ateman in %ell+Close on ,unday) @uly the D2. *o+
gether with her E.amination and Commitment to =ridewel)
Cler( enwel) :ondon) !3#E. ,igned at the end) H*ho. Breen+
wel.H ,ingle page.
An Account of the *ryals) E.amination) and Condemnation
of Elinor ,haw and 9ary Phillips . . . ) !3#/.
*he ?orthamptonshire %itches . . . ) !3#/.
*he second of these is the completer account. *hey are by
the same author and are probably fabrications 5 see below) V !#.
*he %hole *rial of 9rs. 9ary 4ic(s and her ;aughter
Eli0abeth . . . ) !3!1. ,ee below) V !#.
V $.G *he ,u(ey Pamphlets 6see ch. FIII7.
*he ;eil *urned Casuist) or the Cheats of Rome :aid open
in the E.orcism of a ;espairing ;eil at the 4ouse of *homas
Pennington in >riel. . . . =y Jachary *aylor) 9. A.) Chaplain
to the Right reerend Father in Bod) ?icholas) :ord =ishop
of Chester) and Rector of %igan) :ondon) !1"1.
23D APPE?;ICE,
*he ,urey ;emoniac() >r an Account of ,atan's ,trange
and ;readful Actings) In and about the =ody of Richard ;ug+
dale of ,urey) near %halley in :ancashire. And 4ow he was
;ispossest by Bods blessing on the Fastings and Prayers of
diers 9inisters and People) :ondon) !1"3. Fishwic() ?ote+
boo( of @ollie 6Chetham ,oc.7) p. ..i says this was written
by *homas @ollie and @ohn Carrington. *he preface is signed
by H *homas @olly H and fie other clergymen. Probably @ollie
wrote the pamphlet and Carrington reised it. ,ee aboe) ch.
FIII) note !#. @ollie disclaimed the sole responsibility for it.
,ee his Cindication) 3. *aylor in *he ,urey Impostor as+
sumes that Carrington wrote *he ,urey ;emoniac( 5 see e. g.
p. D!.
*he ,urey Imposter) being an answer to a late Fanatical
Pamphlet) entituled *he ,urey ;emoniac(. =y Jachary *ay+
lor. :ondon) !1"3.
A Cindication of the ,urey ;emoniac( as no ImposterM >r)
A Reply to a certain Pamphlet publish' d by 9r< Jach. *aylor)
called *he ,urey Imposter. ... =y *. @.) :ondon) !1"$. %rit+
ten by @ollie.
Popery) ,upersitition) Ignorance and Anaery ery un&ustly
by a letter in the general pretended5 but as far as was charg'd
ery fully proed upon the ;issenters that were concerned in
the ,urey Imposture. !1"$. %ritten by Jachary *aylor.
*he :ancashire :eite Rebu(ed) or a Cindication of the
;issenters from Popery) ,uperstition) Ignorance) and Anaery)
un&ustly Charged on them by 9r. Jachary *aylor. . . . :ondon)
i1c@$. ,igned H ?. ?. 5 H see aboe ch. FIII) note !3.
*he :ancashire :eite Rebu(ed) or a Farther Cindication)
!1"$. *his seems to hae been an answer to a H letter to 9r.
?. ?.H which *aylor had published. %e hae) howeer) no
other mention of such a letter.
Popery) ,uperstition) Ignorance) and Anaery) Confessed
and fully Proed on the ,urey ;issenters) from a ,econd
:etter of an Apostate Friend) to Jach. *aylor. *o which is
added a Refutation of *. @ollie's Cindication . . . ) :ondon)
!1"". %ritten by Jachary *aylor.
A Refutation of 9r. *. @olly's Cindication of the ;eil in
;ugdale5 >r) *he ,urey ;emoniac() :ondon) !1"".
APPE?;ICE, 232
It is not worth while to gie any critical appraisement of
these pamphlets. *hey were all controersial and all dealt with
the case of Richard ;ugdale. Jachary *aylor had the best
of it. *he Puritan clergymen who bac(ed up *homas @ollie
in his claims seem gradually to hae withdrawn their support.
V ". G *he %enham Pamphlets 6see ch. FIII7.
An Account of the *ryal) E.amination) and Condemnation
of @ane %enham) on an Indictment of %itchcraft) for =e+
witching of 9atthew Bilston and Anne *home of %alcorne)
in the County of 4ertford. . . . =efore the Right 4onourable
9r. @ustice Powell) and is ordered for E.ecution on ,aturday
come ,eennight the !/th. >ne page.
A Full and Impartial Account of the ;iscoery of ,orcery
and %itchcraft) Practised by @ane %enham of %al(erne in
4ertfordshire) upon the bodies of Anne *horn) Anne ,treet)
^c. . . . till she . . . receiiKd ,entence of ;eath for the same)
9arch E) !3!!+!D) :ondon) !3!D. Anonymous) but confessedly
written by Francis =ragge. !st ed. in Cornell library and
=rit 9us. 5 Dd ed. in =rit 9us. 5 2d ed. in =rit 9us. 6,loane)
2<"E27 Q and =odleian5 Eth ed. in =rit 9us.5 /th ed. in 4arard
library M all published within the year.
%itchcraft Farther ;isplay ! d. Containing 6K7 An Account
of the %itchcraft practised by @ane %enham of %al(erne) in
4ertfordshire7 since her Condemnation) upon the bodies of
Anne *home and Anne ,treet. . . . 6KK7 An Answer to the
most general >b&ections against the =eing and Power of
%itchesM %ith some Remar(s upon the Case of @ane %enham
in particular) and on 9r. @ustice PoweCs procedure therein.
. . . :ondon) !3 !D. Introduction signed by HF. =.H NFrancis
=raggeO) who was the author.
A Full Confutation of %itchcraftM 9ore particularly of the
;epositions against @ane %enham) :ately Condemned for a
%itch5 at 4ertford. In which the 9odern ?otions of %itches
are oerthrown) and the III Conse-uences of such ;octrines
are e.posed by Arguments5 proing that) %itchcraft is Priest+
craft . . . In a :etter from a Physician in 4ertfordshire) to
his Friend in :ondon. :ondon) !3!D.
23E APPE?;ICE,
*he Impossibility of %itchcraft) Plainly Proing) From
,cripture and Reason) *hat there neer was a %itch5 and
that it is both Irrational and Impious to beliee there eer
was. In which the ;epositions against @ane %enham) :ately
*rtfd and Condemn f d for a %itch) at 4ertford) are Confuted
and E.pos' d) :ondon) !3!D. !st ed. in =rit 9us.5 Dd ed. f
containing additional material) in the =odleian. *he author
of this pamphlet in his preface intimates that its substance had
earlier been published by him in the Protestant Post =oy.
*he =elief of %itchcraft CindicatedM proing from ,crip+
ture) there hae been %itches5 and from Reason) that there
may be ,uch still. In answer to a late Pamphlet) Intituled)
*he Impossibility of %itchcraft . . . ) =y B. R.) A. 9.) :on+
don) !3!D.
*he Case of the 4ertfordshire %itchcraft Considered. =e+
ing an E.amination of a =oo( entitPd) A Full and Impartial
Account . . . ) :ondon) !3!D. ;edicated to ,ir @ohn Powell.
In the Cornell copy of this boo(let a manuscript note on the
title+page) in an eighteenth century hand) ascribes it to H *he
Rector of *herfield in 4ertfordshire) or his Curate)H while
at the end of the dedication what seems the same hand has
signed the names) H4enry ,tebbing or *homas ,herloc(.' !
=ut ,tebbing was in !3!D still a fellow at Cambridge) and
,herloc() later =ishop of :ondon) was 9aster of the *emple
and Chaplain to 8ueen Anne. ,ee ;iet. ?at. =iog.
A ;efense of the Proceedings against @ane %enham) where+
in the Possibility and Reality of %itchcraft are ;emonstrated
from ,cripture. . . . In Answer to *wo Pamphlets) EntituledM
6I7 *he Impossibility of %itchcraft) etc. 6II7 A Full Con+
futation of %itchcraft) =y Francis =ragge) A. =.) . . . :on+
don) !3!D.
*he Impossibility of %itchcraft Further ;emonstrated)
=oth from ,cripture and Reason . . . with some Cursory
Remar(s on two trifling Pamphlets in ;efence of the e.istence
of %itches. =y the Author of *he Impossiblity of %itch+
craft) !3!D. In the =odleian.
@ane %enham. =roadside. *he writer of this leaflet
claims to hae transcribed his account from an account in
APPE?;ICE, 23/
H@udge Clancy's own handH. Chauncy was the &ustice of
the peace who with =ragge stood behind the prosecution.
It is ery hard to straighten out the authorship of these ari+
ous pamphlets. *he Re. 9r. =ragge wrote seeral. *he Re.
9r. Bardiner and the Re. 9r. ,trutt) who were actie in the
case) may hae written two of them. *he topographer Bough)
writing about !3$#) declared that the late ;r. ,tebbing had as
a young man participated in the controersy. Francis
4utchinson was an interested spectator) but probably did not
contribute to the literature of the sub&ect
A short secondary account is that of %. =. Berish) A 4ert+
fordshire %itch5 or the ,tory of @ane %enham) the H %ise
%oman of %al(ern.H
In the =rit 9us.) ,loane 9,,.) 2)"E2) there is a continu+
ation of the pamphlet discussion) based chiefly) howeer) upon
Blanill and other writers.
V !#. G Criticism of the ?orthampton and 4untingdon Pam+
phlets of !3#/ and !3!1 6see ch. FIII) note !#7.
An Account of *he *ryals) E.amination and Condemnation
of Elinor ,haw and 9ary Phillips 6*wo notorious %itches7
on %ednesday the 3th of 9arch !3#/) for =ewitching a
%oman) and two children. . . . %ith an Account of their
strange Confessions. *his is signed) at the end) H Ralph ;ais)
9arch $) !3#/.H It was followed ery shortly by a completer
acccount) written after the e.ecution) and entitledM
*he ?orthamptonshire %itches) =eing a true and faithful
account of the =irths) Educations) :ies) and Conersations
of Elinor ,haw and 9ary Phillips 6*he two notorious
%itches7 *hat were E.ecuted at ?orthampton on ,aturday)
9arch the !3th) !3#/ . . . with their full Confession to the
9inister) and last ;ying ,peeches at the place of E.ecution)
the li(e neer before heard of. . . . Communicated in a :etter
last Post) from 9r. Ralph ;ais of ?orthampton) to 9r.
%illiam ,imons) 9erchantt in :ondon) :ondon) !3#/.
%ith these two pamphlets we wish to compare another)
which was apparently published in !3!1 and was entitled M *he
%hole *rial and E.amination of 9rs. 9ary 4ic(s and her
;aughter Elisabeth) =ut of ?ine Years of Age) who were
231 APPE,;ICE,
Condemn " d the last Assi0es held at 4untingdon far %itch+
craft) and there E.ecuted on ,aturday) the D$th of @uly !3!1
. . . the li(e neer heard before5 their =ehaiour with seeral
;iines who came to conerse with 'em whilst under their
sentence of ;eath5 and last ;ying ,peeches and Confession at
the place of e.ecution) :ondon) !3!1. *here is a copy in the
=odleian :ibrary.
*he two ?orthamptonshire pamphlets and the 4untingdon+
shire pamphlet hae been set by themseles because they ap+
pear to hae been written by one hand. 9oreoer) it loo(s ery
much as if they were downright fabrications foisted upon the
public by a man who had already in !3## made to order an
unhistorical pamphlet. *o show this) it will be necessary to
reiew briefly the facts about the %orcester pamphlet de+
scribed aboe) V E. %hat seems to be the second edition of a
pamphlet entitled *he full *ryalls) E.aminations and Con+
demnations of Four ?otorious %itches) At the Assises held
at %orcester on *useday the Eth of 9arch) was published at
:ondon with the date !3#a It purports to tell the story of one
of the cases that came up during 9atthew 4op(ins's career in
!1E/+!1E3. It has been uniersally acceptedG een by *homas
%right) Ashton) %. 4. ;. Adams) and Inderwic(. An e.+
amination shows) howeer) that it was made oer from the
Chelmsford pamphlet of !1E/. *he author shows little ingenu+
ity) for he steals not only the confessions of four witches at
that trial) but their names as wel: Rebecca %est) 9argaret
:andis) ,usan Coc() and Rose 4allybread had all been hanged
at Chelmsford and could hardly hae been rehanged at %or+
cester. Practically all that the writer of the %orcester pam+
phlet did was to touch oer the confessions and add thrilling
details about their e.ecutions.
?ow) it loo(s ery much as if the same writer had composed
the ?orthamptonshire pamphlets of !3#/ and the 4unting+
donshire pamphlets of !3 !1. *he erbal resemblances are
nothing less than remar(able. *he %orcester pamphlet) in
its title) tells of Htheir Confessions and :ast ;ying ,peeches
at the place of e.ecution.H *he second of the two ?orth+
amptonshire pamphlets 6the first was issued before the e.ecu+
tion7 spea(s of Htheir full Confession to the 9inister) and
APPE?;ICE, 233
last ;ying ,peeches at the place of E.ecution.H *he 4unt+
ingdonshire pamphlet closes the title with H last ;ying ,peeches
and Confession at the place of E.ecution.H *he %orcester
pamphlet uses the phrase H with other ama0ing Particulars H 5
the ?orthamptonshire pamphlet the phrase H the particulars of
their ama0ing Pran(s.H *he 4untingdon pamphlet has in this
case no similar phrase but the 4untingdon and ?orthampton+
shire pamphlets hae another phrase in common. *he ?orth+
amptonshire pamphlet says M H the li(e neer before heard of H 5
the 4untingdon pamphlet says M H the li(e neer heard before.H
*hese resemblances are in the titles. *he ?orthampton
and the fabricated %orcester pamphlets show other similari+
ties in their accounts. *he ?orthampton women were so
Hhardened in their %ic(edness that they Public(ly boasted
that their 9aster 6meaning the ;eil7 would not suffer them
to be E.ecuted but they found him a :yer.H *he %orcester
writer spea(s of the H;eil who told them to the :ast that
he would secure them from Public( Punishment) but now too
late they found him a :yer as he was from the beginning of
the %orld.H In concluding their narraties the ?orthampton+
shire and %orcestershire pamphleteers show an interesting
similarity of treatment. *he ?orthampton witches made a
H howling and lamentable noise H on receiing their sentences)
the %orcester women made a Hyelling and howling at their
e.ecutions.H
*hese resemblances may be fairly characteri0ed as stri(ing.
If it be as(ed whether the phrases -uoted are not conentional
in witch pamphlets) the answer must be in the negatie. ,o
far as the writer (nows) these phrases occur in no other of the
fifty or more witch pamphlets. *he word H notorious)H which
occurs in the titles of the %orcester and ?orthampton pam+
phlets) is a common one and would signify nothing. *he
other phrases mentioned are characteristic and distinctie.
*his similarity suggests that the three pamphlets were written
by the same hand. ,ince we (now that one of the three is a
fabrication) we are led to suspect the credibility of the other
two.
*here are) indeed) other reasons for doubting the histor+
icity of these two. A close scrutiny of the ?orthampton
23$ APPE?;ICE,
pamphlet shows that the witchcrafts there described hae the
peculiar characteristics of the witchcrafts in the palmy days of
9atthew 4op(ins and that the wording of the descriptions is
much the same. *he ?orthampton pamphlet tells of a Htall
blac( manK' who appeared to the two women. A tall blac(
man had appeared to Rebecca %est at Chelmsford in !1E/.
A much more important point is that the prisoners at ?orth+
ampton had been watched at night in order to (eep their imps
from coming in. *his night+watching was a process that had
neer) so far as our records go) been used since the 4op(ins
alarm) of which it had been the characteristic feature. %ere
there no other resemblance between the ?orthampton cases
and those at Chelmsford) this similarity would alone lead us to
suspect the credibility of the ?orthampton pamphlet Un+
fortunately the indiscreet writer of the ?orthampton narra+
tie lets other phrases belonging to !1E/ creep into his ac+
count
%hen the ?orthampton women were watched) a Hlittle
white thing about the bigness of a CatH had appeared. =ut
a H white thing about the bignesse of a Cat H had appeared to
the watchers at Chelmsford in !1E/. *his is not all. *he
?orthampton witches are said to hae (illed their ictims by
roasting and pric(ing images) a charge which had once been
common) but which) so far as the writer can recall) had not
been used since the ,omerset cases of !112. It was a charge
ery commonly used against the Chelmsford witches whom
9atthew 4op(ins prosecuted. 9oreoer the ?orthampton
witches boasted that Htheir 9aster would not suffer them to
be e.ecuted.H ?o Chelmsford witch had made that boast 5 but
9r. :owes) who was e.ecuted at =ury ,t Edmunds 6the
=ury trial was closely connected with that at Chelmsford) so
closely that the writer who had read of one would probably
hae read of the other7) had declared that he had a charm to
(eep him from the gallows.
It will be seen that these are close resemblances both in
characteristic features and in wording. =ut the most perfect
resemblance is in a confession. *he two ?orthampton women
describing their impsG creatures) by the way) that had figured
largely in the 4op(ins trialsG said that Hif the Imps were
APPE?;ICE, 23"
not constantly imploy9 to do 9ischief) they Nthe witchesO
had not their healths5 but when they were imploKd they
were ery 4eathful and %ell.H *his was almost e.actly
what Anne :eech had confessed at Chelmsford. 4er words
wereM HAnd that when *his E.aminant did not send and
employ them abroad to do mischief) she had not her .health)
but when they were imploy9) she was healthfull and well.H
%e cannot point out the same similarity between the 4unt+
ingdonshire witchcrafts of !3 !1 and the Chelmsford cases. *he
narratie of the 4untingdon case is) howeer) somewhat re+
mar(able. 9r. 4ic(s was ta(ing his nine+year+old daughter
to Ipswich one day) when she) seeing a sail at sea) too( a
H basin of water)H stirred it up) and thereby proo(ed a storm
that was li(e to hae sun( the ship) had not the father made
the child cease. >n the way home) the two passed a Hery
fine Field of Corn.H H8uoth the child again) 'Father) I can
consume all this Corn in the twin(ling of an Eye.' *he Father
supposing it not in her Power to do so) he bid to shew her in+
fernal s(ill.H *he child did so) and presently H all the Corn in
the Field became ,tubble.H 4e -uestioned her and found that
she had learned witchcraft from her mother. *he upshot of
it was that at 9r. 4ic(s's instance his wife and child were
prosecuted and hanged. *he story has been called remar(able.
Yet it is not altogether uni-ue. In !1E/ at =ury ,t. Edmunds
&ust after the Chelmsford trial there were eighteen witches
condemned) and one of them) it will be remembered) was Par+
son :owes of =randeston in ,uffol() who confessed that H he
bewitched a ship near 4arwidge5 so that with the e.treme
tempestuous ,eas raised by blusterous windes the said ship
was cast away) wherein were many passengers) who were by
this meanes swallowed up by the merciless waes.H It will be
obsered that the two stories are not altogether similar. *he
4untingdon narratie is a better tale) and it would be hardly
safe to assert that it drew its inspiration from the earlier
story. Yet) when it is remembered how unusual is the story
in English witch+lore) the supposition gains in probability.
*here is a further resemblance in the accounts. *he 4ic(s
child had bewitched a field of corn. >ne of the =ury witches)
in the narratie which tells of parson :owes) H confessed that
2^Q APPE?;ICE,
,he usually bewitcht standing corne) whereby there came great
loss to the owners thereof.H *he resemblance is hardly close
enough to merit notice in itself. %hen ta(en) howeer) in con+
nection with the other resemblances it gies cumulatie force
to the supposition that the writer of the 4untingdon pamphlet
had gone to the narraties of the 4op(ins cases for his
sources.
*here are) howeer) other reasons for doubting the 4unt+
ingdon story. A writer in ?otes and 8ueries) Dd series) C)
/#2+/#E) long ago -uestioned the narratie because of the
mention of a H @udge %ilmot)H and showed that there was no
such &udge on the bench before !3//. An e.amination of
the original pamphlet ma(es it clear) howeer) that in this
form the ob&ection is worth nothing. *he tract spea(s only
of a H@ustice %ilmot)H who) from the wording of the narra+
tie) would seem to hae conducted the e.amination pre+
liminary to the assi0es as a &ustice of the peace would. A &us+
tice of the peace would doubtless) howeer) hae belonged to
some 4untingdonshire county family. ?ow) the writer has
searched the arious records and histories of 4untingdonshire
G unfortunately they are but too few G and among the seeral
hundred 4untingdonshire names he has found no %ilmots
6and) for that matter) no 4ic(es either7. *his would seem to
ma(e the story more improbable.
In an earlier number of ?otes and 8ueries 6!st series) C)
/!E7) @ames Crossley) whose authority as to matters relating
to witchcraft is of the highest) gies cogent reasons why
the 4untingdonshire narratie could not be true. 4e recalls
the fact that 4utchinson) who made a chronological table of
cases) published his wor( in !3 !$. ?ow 4utchinson had the
help of two chief +&ustices) Par(er and Aing) and of Chief+
=aron =ury in collecting his cases5 and yet he says that the
last e.ecution for the crime in England was in !1$D. Crossley
ma(es the further strong point that the case of @ane %enham
in !3!D attracted wide attention and was the occasion of nu+
merous pamphlets. H It is scarcely possible)H he continues) H that
in four years after two persons) one only nine years old) . . .
should hae been tried and e.ecuted for witchcraft without
public attention being called to the circumstance.H 4e adds
APPE?;ICE, 2$!
that neither the 4istorical Register for !3!1 nor the files of
two :ondon newspapers for that year) though they enumerate
other conictions on the circuit) record the supposed cases.
It will be seen that e.actly the same arguments apply to the
?orthampton trials of !3#/. 4utchinson had been at e.+
traordinary pains to find out not only about @ane %enham)
but about the 9oordi(e case of !3#D. It is inconceiable that
he should hae -uite oerloo(ed the e.ecution of two women
at ?orthampton.
%e hae obsered that the ?orthampton) 4untingdon) and
%orcester pamphlets hae curious resemblances in wording to
one another 6resemblances that point to a common author+
ship7) that the %orcester narratie can be proed to be ficti+
tious) and that the 4untingdon narratie almost certainly be+
longs in the same category. %e hae shown) further) that the
?orthampton and 4untingdon stories present features of witch+
craft characteristic of the Chelmsford and =ury cases of !1E/)
from the first of which the material of the %orcester pamphlet
is drawn 5 and this fact points not only to the common author+
ship of the three tracts) but to the imaginary character of the
4untingdon and ?orthampton cases.
Against these facts there is to be presented what at first
blush seems a ery important piece of eidence. In the ?orth+
amptonshire 4istorical Collections) !st series 6?orthampton)
!$"17) there is a chapter on witchcraft in ?orthamptonshire)
copied from the ?orthamptonshire 4andboo( for !$13. *hat
chapter goes into the trials of !3#/ in detail) ma(ing copious
e.tracts from the pamphlets. In a footnote the writers sayM
H *o show that the burning actually too( place in !3#/) it may
be important to mention that there is an item of e.pense en+
tered in the oerseers' accounts for ,t. Biles parish for fag+
gots bought for the purpose.H *his in itself seems conincing.
It seems to dispose of the whole -uestion at once. *here is)
howeer) one fact that instantly casts a doubt upon this
seemingly conclusie eidence. In England) witches were
hanged) not burned. *here are not a half+do0en recorded
e.ceptions to this rule. 9other :a(eland in !1E/ was burned.
*hat is easy to e.plain. 9other :a(eland had by witchcraft
(illed her husband. =urning was the method of e.ecution
2$D APPE?;ICE,
prescribed by English law for a woman who (illed her hus+
band. *he other cases where burnings are said to hae ta(en
place were almost certainly cases that came under this rule.
=ut it does not seem possible that the ?orthampton cases
came under the rule. *he two women seem to hae had no
husbands. H Ralph ;aisK' the ostensible writer of the account)
who professed to hae (nown them from their early years)
and who was apparently glad to defame them in eery possible
way) accused them of loose liing) but not of adultery) as he
would certainly hae done) had he conceied of them as mar+
ried. It is hard to aoid the conclusion that they could not
hae been burned.
*here is a more decisie answer to this argument for the
authenticity of the pamphlet. *he supposed confirmation of it
in the ,t. Biles parish register is probably a blunder. *he Re+
erend R. 9. ,er&eantson of ,t. Peter's Rectory has been
(ind enough to e.amine for the writer the parish register of
,t Biles Church. 4e writes M H *he ,t Biles accounts briefly
state that wood was bought from time to time G probably for
melting the lead. *here is no mention of faggots nor witches
in the Church wardens' oerseers+ for+the+poor accounts. I
carefully turned out the whole contents of the parish chest.H
9r. ,er&eantson adds at the close this e.tract M H !3#/ P<d
for wood /K For ta(ing up the old lead /K.H It goes without
saying that 9r. ,er&eantson's e.amination does not proe that
there neer was a mention of the faggots bought for burning
witches5 but) when all the other eidence is ta(en into con+
sideration) this negatie eidence does establish a ery strong
presumption to that effect Certainly the supposed passage
from the oerseers' accounts can no longer be used to con+
firm the testimony of the pamphlet It loo(s ery much as if
the compilers of the ?orthamptonshire 4andboo( for !$13
had been careless in their handling of records.
It seems probable) then) that the pamphlet of !3#/ dealing
with the e.ecution of 9ary Phillips and Elinor ,haw is a
purely fictitious narratie. *he matter deries its importance
from the fact that) if the two e.ecutions in !3#/ be disproed)
the last (nown e.ecution in England is put bac( to !1$D) ten
years before the ,alem affair in 9assachusetts. *his would of
APPE?;ICE, 2$2
course hae some bearing on a recent contention 6B. :.
Aittredge) H?otes on %itchcraftK' Am. Anti-. ,ee.) Proc)
FCIII7) that Hconictions and e.ecutions for witchcraft oc+
curred in England after they had come to an end in 9assa+
chusetts.H
=.G :I,* >F PER,>?, ,E?*E?CE; *> ;EA*4 F>R
%I*C4CRAF* ;URI?B *4E REIB?
>F @A9E, I.
!. G Charged with Causing ;eath.
!1#2. Yor(shire.
9ary Pannel.
!1#1. 4ertford.
@ohanna 4arrison and her daughter.
!1!D. ?orthampton.
4elen @en(inson) Arthur =ill) 9ary =arber.
!1!D. :ancaster.
Chatto.) Eli0. ;eice) @ames ;eice) Alice ?utter)
[Catherine 4ewitt) Anne Redfearne.
!1!D. Yor(.
@ennet Preston.
!1!2. =edford.
9other ,utton and 9ary ,utton.
!1!1. 9iddlese..
Eli0abeth Rutter.
!1!1. 9iddlese..
@oan 4unt
!1!". :incoln.
9argaret and Philippa Flower.
!1D!. Edmonton.
Eli0abeth ,awyer.
D. G ?or Charged with Causing ;eath 6so far as shown by
records7.
!1#3. Rye) Aent.
*wo women entertained spirits) Hto gain wealth.H
!1!D. :ancaster.
@ohn and @ane =ulcoc() ma(ing to waste away. It
was testified against them that at 9al(ing *ower they
D1
2$E APPE?;ICE,
consented to murder) but this was apparently not in the
indictment Ac-uitted) but later conicted
Ali0on ;eice) caused to waste away.
Isabel Robey) caused illness.
!1!1. Enfield) 9iddlese..
Agnes =errye) laming and causing to languish.
!1!1. Aing's :ynn.
9ary ,mith) hanged for causing four people to lan+
guish.
!1!1. :eicester.
?ine women hanged for bewitching a boy. ,i. more
condemned on same charge) but pardoned by command
of (ing.
9i.ed Cases.
!1#3. =a(ewel:
>ur eidence as to the =a(ewell witches is too incom+
plete to assure us that they were not accused of (illing
by witchcraft
!1!D. ?orthampton.
Agnes =rown and @oane Caughan were indicted for
bewitching 9aster Aery and 9istress =elcher) Hto+
gether with the body of a young child to the death.H
CG :I,* >F CA,E, >F %I*C4CRAF*) !//$+!3!$) %I*4
REFERE?CE, *> ,>URCE, A?; :I*ERA*URE. !
!//$. @ohn *hir(le) Htaylour) detected of con&uringe)H to be
e.amined. Acts of Priy Council) n. s.) CII) 1.
,eeral persons in :ondon charged with con&uration to
be sent to the =ishop of :ondon for e.amination.
Ibid.) DD.
!//". %estminster. Certain persons e.amined on suspicion)
including probably :ady Frances *hrogmorton. Ca:
,t. P.) ;otn.) !/E3+!/$#) !ED.
! *he references In this list) together with the account) in appendi. A)
of the pamphlet literature of witchcraft) are designed to ta(e the place
of a formal bibliography. *hat the list of cases here gien is com+
plete can hardly be hoped. Crude though its materials compel it to be)
the author beliees it may proe useful. 4e hopes in the course of
thne to maCe it more complete) and to that end will gladly welcome
information respecting other trials.
APPE?;ICE, 2$/
c. !//". :ady Chandos's daughter accused and imprisoned
with Beorge *hrogmorton. =rit 9us.) Add. 9,,.)
2D)#"!) fo: !31.
!/1#. Aent. 9other =us(e of ,t @ohn's suspected by the
church authorities. Cisitations of Canterbury in
Archaologia Cantiano) FFCI) 2!.
!/1!. Co.e) alias ;eon) a Romish priest) e.amined for magic
and con&uration) and for celebrating mass. Col ,t
P.) ;om.) i/E3+</^oQ !32+
:ondon. *en men brought before the -ueen and coun+
cil on charge of H trespass) contempt) con&uration and
sorceries.H Punished with the pillory and re-uired
to renounce such practices for the future. From an
e.tract -uoted in =rit.+ 9us.) ,loane 9,,.) 2)#E2)
fol. !".
!/1/. ;orset Agnes 9ondaye to be apprehended for be+
witching 9istress Chettell. Acts P. C) n. s.) CII)
!/1/+!/32. ;urham. @ennet Pereson accused to the church
authorities. ;epositions . . . from . . . ;urham 6,ur+
tees ,oc7) "".
!/11. Chelmsford) Esse.. 9other %aterhouse hanged 5 Alice
Chandler hanged) probably at this time5 Eli0abeth
Francis probably ac-uitted. *he e.amination and
confession of certaine %ytches at Chensforde. For
the cases of Eli0abeth Francis and Alice Chandler
see also A detection of damnable driftes) A i) A
) erso.
Esse.. H=oram's wiefH probably e.amined by the
archdeacon. %. 4. 4ale) A ,eries of Precedents
and Proceedings in Criminal Causes) !EK/+!1E#)
e.tracted from the Act =oo(s of Ecclesiastical
Courts in the ;iocese of :ondon 6:ondon) !$E37)
!E3.
!/1". :yme) ;orset Ellen %al(er accused. Roberts) ,outh+
ern Counties) /D2.
!/3#. Esse.. 9a(er's wife of *heydon 9ount and Anne
Cicars of ?aestoc( e.amined by ,ir *homas ,mith.
@ohn ,trype) :ife of ,ir *homas ,mith 6ed. of >.+
ford) !$D#7) "3+!##.
2$1 APPE?;ICE,
!/3#+!/3!. Canterbury. ,eeral witches imprisoned. 9other
;ungeon presented by the grand &ury. 4ist 9,,.
Co mm. Reports) IF) pt !) !/1 b5 %m. %elfitt)
HCiis)H 9inutes collected from the Ancient Rec+
ords of Canterbury 6Canterbury) !$#!+!$#D7) no.
CI.
Fol(estone) Aent 9argaret =rowne) accused of
H unlawful practices)H banished from town for seen
years) and to be whipped at the cart's tail if found
within si. or seen miles of town. ,. @. 9ac(ie)
;escriptie and 4istorical Account of Fol(estone
6Fol(estone) !$$27) 2!".
!/3E. %estwell) Aent H >ld Alice n N?orringtonP@ arraigned
and conicted. Reginald ,cot) ;iscoerie of %itch+
craft) !2#+!2!.
9iddlese.. @oan Ellyse of %estminster conicted on
seeral indictments for witchcraft and sentenced to
be hanged. 9iddlese. County Records) !) $E.
c. !/3E. @ane *horneton accused by Rachel Pinder) who
howeer confessed to fraud. ;iscloysing of a late
counterfeyted possession.
!/3/. =urntwood) ,taffordshire. 9other Arnold hanged at
=ar(ing. From the title of a pamphlet mentioned
by :owndes M *he E.amination and Confession of a
notorious %itch named 9other Arnold) alias %hite+
cote) alias Blastonbury) at the Assise of =urntwood
in @uly) !/3E5 who was hanged for %itchcraft at
=ar(ing) !/3/. 9rs. :inton) %itch ,tories) !/2)
says that many were hanged at this time) but I can+
not find authority for the statement.
9iddlese.. Eli0abeth ;uc(e of 4armondsworth
ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records) I) "E.
Breat Yarmouth) ?orfol(. Aatharine ,mythe ac-uitted.
4enry 4arrod) H ?otes on the Records of the Cor+
poration of Breat Yarmouth)< in ?orfol( Arche+
ology) IC) DE$.
!/33. ,eaford) ,usse.. @oan %ood presented by the grand
&ury. 9. A. :ower) H9emorials of ,eaford)H in
,usse. Archaeological ,oc) Collections) CII) "$.
APPE?;ICE, ^
9iddlese.. 4elen =eriman of :aleham ac-uitted.
9iddlese. County Records) I) !#2.
Esse.. 4enry Chittam of 9uch =arfield to be tried
for coining false money and con&uring. Acts P. C)
n. s.) IF) 2"i5 F) $) 1D.
!/3$. Prescall) ,anford) and Hone Emerson) a preiste)H sus+
pected of con&uration against the -ueen. *he first
two committed. Id.) F) 2$D 5 see also 2EE< 232+
Eidence of the use of sorcery against the -ueen dis+
coered. Cat. ,t P.) ,panish) !/1$+!/D") 1!!5 see
also note to =en @onson's 9as-ue of 8ueenes 6:on+
don) ,ha(espeare ,oc.) !$E$7) 3!.
,usse.. H>ne *ree) bailiff of :ewes) and one ,mith
of ChintingH to be e.amined. Acts P. C) n. s.) F)
DD#.
!/3". Chelmsford) Esse.. *hree women e.ecuted. 9other
,taunton released because Hno manslaughter ob+
&ected against her.H A ;etection of damnable driftes.
Abingdon) =er(s. Four women hanged5 at least two
others and probably more were apprehended. A
Rehear sail both straung and true of . . . acts com+
mitted by Elisabeth ,tile . . . 5 Acts P. C) n. s.)
FI) DD5 ,cot) ;iscoerie of %itchcraft) !#) /!) /E2.
Certain persons suspected of sorcery to be e.amined
by the =ishop of :ondon. Acts P. C) n. s.) FI) 21.
,alop) %orcester) and 9ontgomery. ,amuel Cocwra
paid for Hsearching for certen persons suspected
for con&uracion.H Ibid.) D"D.
,outh war(. ,imon Pembro(e) a con&urer) brought to the
parish church of ,t ,aiour's to be tried by the
Hordinarie &udge for those parties)H but falls dead
before the opening of the trial. 4olinshed) Chron+
icles 6ed. of !/$1+!/$37) III) !D3!.
,outhampton. %idow %al(er tried by the leet &ury)
outcome un(nown. @. ,. ;aies) 4istory of ,outh+
ampton 6,outhampton) !$$27) D21.
. /3"+i/$o. ,hropshire. 9other Bare punished in the corn
mar(et. >wen and =la(eway) 4istory of ,hrews+
bury t I) /1D.
A
2$$ APPE?;ICE,
!/$a ,tanhope) ;urham. Ann Emerson accused by the
church officials. In&unctions . . . of . . . =ishop of
;urham 6,urtees ,oc7) !D1.
=uc(s. @ohn Coleman and his wife e.amined by four
&ustices of the peace at the command of the priy
council. *hey were probably released. Acts P. C) n.
s.) FI) ED35 FII) D"!
Aent. ,eeral persons to be apprehended for con&ura+
tion. Id.) FII) D!+D2.
,omerset. 4enry 4arrison and *homas %adham) sus+
pected of con&uration) to appear before the priy
council. Ibid.) DD+D2.
,omerset 4enry Fi0e of %estpenner) detected in con+
&uration) brought before the priy council. Ibid.) 2E.
Esse.. H ,ondery persones H charged with sorceries and
con&uration. Acts P. C) FII) D") 2E.
! /$!. Randoll and four others accused for Hcon&uring to
(now where treasure was hid in the earth.H Ran+
doll and three others found guilty. Randoll alone
e.ecuted. 4olinshed) Chronicles 6:ondon) !$#17)
IC) E22.
!/$!. Padstow) Cornwall. Anne Piers accused of witchcraft.
E.amination of witnesses. Cal. ,i P.) ;om.) !/$!+
Y/"#) D". ,ee also Acts P. C) n. s.) FIII) DD$.
!/$!. Rochester) Aent. 9argaret ,immons ac-uitted. ,cot)
;iscoerie) /
!/$!+$D. Colchester) Esse.. Annis 4erd accused before the
H spiritual Courte.H %itches ta(en at ,t. >ses) !/$D.
!/$D. ,t. >syth) Esse.. ,i.teen accused) one of whom was a
man. 4ow many were e.ecuted uncertain. It seems
to hae been a tradition that thirteen were e.ecuted.
,cot wrote that seenteen or eighteen were e.ecuted.
%itches ta(en at ,t. >ses) !/$D5 ,cot) ;iscoerie)
/E2.
!/$D 6or before7. H *. E.) t9aister of Art and practiser both of
physic(e) and also in times past) of certeine aine
sciencesK " condemned for con&uration) but reprieed.
,cot) ;iscoerie) E11+E1".
APPE?;ICE, 2$"
!/$D. 9iddlese.. 9argery Androwes of Cler(enwell held in
bail. 9iddlese. County Records) I) !/2.
!/$D. ;urham. Alison :awe of 4art compelled to do penance.
;enhatn *racts 6Fol(+:ore ,oc.7) II) 22D.
!/$D. Aent Boodwife ,wane of ,t. @ohn's suspected by the
church authorities. Archaol. Cant) FFCI) !".
!/$D+$2. ?ottingham. A certain =atte e.amined before the
H9eareH of ?ottingham. 4ist 9,,. Comtn. Re+
ports) FII) pt E) !E3.
!/$D+$2. Aing's :ynn. 9other Babley probably hanged. E.+
cerpt from parish register of %ells in ?orfol() in
the Bentleman's 9aga0ine) :FII 6!3"D7) "#E.
!/$2. Aingston+upon+4ull) Yor(shire. *hree women tried)
one sentenced to a year's imprisonment and the pil+
lory. @. @. ,heahan) 4istory of Aingston+upon+4ull
6:ondon) !$1E7) $1.
!/$2. Colchester) Esse.. *wo women sentenced to a year
in prison and to four appearances in the pillory. E.
:. Cutts) Colchester 6:ondon) !$$$7) !/!. 4enry
4arrod) Report on the Records of Colchester 6Col+
chester) !$1/7) !35 App.) !E.
!/$2. ,t Peter's) Aent Ellen =amfield suspected by the
church authorities. Archmot Cant) FFCI) E/.
!/$E. Breat Yarmouth) ?orfol(. Eli0abeth =utcher 6punished
before7 and @oan :ingwood condemned to be
hanged. C @. Palmer) 4istory of Breat Yarmouth)
!)D32.
!/$E. ,taffordshire. An indictment preferred against @effrey
:each. Cat ,t P.) ;om.) !/$!+!/"#) D#1.
!/$E. H*he oulde witche of RamsburyH and seeral other
Houlde witches and sorcerersH suspected. Cat ,t
P.) ;om.) !/$!+!2"#) DD#.
!/$E. Yor(. %oman) indicted for witchcraft and Hhigh
treason touching the supremacy)H condemned. Cat
,t P.) ;om.) Add. !/$#+!1D/) !D#+!D!.
!/$E. 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth =artell of ,t 9artin's+in+the+
Fields ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records) I)
!E/.
2"# APPE?;ICE,
!/$/. 9iddlese.. 9argaret 4ac(ett of ,tanmore e.ecuted.
From titles of two pamphlets mentioned by :owndes)
*he seerall Facts of %itchcrafte approed on 9ar+
garet 4as(ett . . . !/$/) and An Account of 9argaret
4ac(et) a notorious %itch . . . !/$/.
!/$/. 9iddlese.. @oan =arringer of H 4arroweelde H 64ar+
row %eald7 ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records)
I) !/3.
!/$/. ;orset @ohn 9eere e.amined. Col. ,t. P.) ;om.)
!/$!+"#) DE1+DE3.
!/$/+$1. Alnwic() ?orthumberland. *wo men and two women
committed to prison on suspicion of (illing a sheriff.
;enham *racts) II) 22D5 Cat. ,. P.) ;om.) Add. !/$#+
!1D2) !1$.
!/$1. Ec(ington) ;erbyshire. 9argaret Roper accused. ;is+
charged. 4arsnett) ;iscoery of the Fraudulent
Practises of @ohn ;arrel) 2!a
!/$1. Faersham) Aent @one Cason NCarsonO tried before
the mayor) e.ecuted 4olinshed) Chronicles 6!/$1+
!/$37) III) !/1a
!/$3. Breat Yarmouth) ?orfol(. 4elena Bill indicted. C @.
Palmer) 4istory of Breat Yarmouth) D32. 4. 4ar+
rod in ?orfol( Archeology) IC) DE$) assigns this to
!/"3. but it is probably a mista(e.
c. !/$$. A woman at R. 4. said to hae been imprisoned and
to hae died before the assi0es. Bifford) ;ialogue
6:ondon) !1#27) C.
!/$". Chelmsford) Esse.. *hree women hanged. *he ap+
prehension and confession of three notorious
%itches.
!/$". ,eeral persons to be e.amined about their dealings in
con&uration with an Italian friar. Acts P. C) n. s.)
FCII) 2!+2D.
!/$". 9rs. ;eir brought into -uestion for sorcery against
the -ueen. Charge dismissed. ,trypc) Annals of
the Reformation 6:ondon) !3#"+ !32!7) IC) 3+$.
!/"#. 9rs. ;ewse suspected of attempting to ma(e use of con+
&urors. Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !/$!+!/"#) 1EE.
!/"#. @ohn =ourne) a H sorcerer and seducer)H arrested. Acts
P. C) n. s.) FCIII) 232.
APPE?;ICE, 2"!
!/"#. =erwic(. A ,cottish witch imprisoned. @ohn ,cott)
4istory of =erwic( 6:ondon) !$$$7) !$#5 Arena+
ologia) FFF) !3D.
!/"#. ?orfol(. 9argaret Brame accused before &ustice of the
peace. ?eighbors petition in her behalf. 4ist. 9,,.
Comm. Reports) Carious) II) DE2+DEE.
!/"a Aing's :ynn. 9argaret Read burnt =en&amin 9ac(+
erell) 4istory and Anti-uities . . . of Aings :ynn
6:ondon) !32$7) D2!.
!/"#. Edmonton) 9iddlese.. Certain men ta(en for witch+
craft and con&uring. =loodhound used in pursuit
of them. Cat. ,t P.) ;om.) !/$!+!"/#) 1$".
!/"#+"!. 4ertfordshire. Indictment of @oan %hite for (illing.
4ertfordshire County ,ession Rolls) I) E.
i/"i+ @ohn Prestall suspected. Col. ,t P.) ;om.) !/"!+!/"E)
!3+!".
! /"!. 9iddlese.. ,tephen *refulbac( of %estminster gien
penalty of statute) !. e.) probably pillory. 9iddlese.
County Records) I) !"3.
!/"D. Colchester) Esse.. 9argaret Rand indicted by grand
&ury. =rit 9us.) ,towe 9,,.) $E#) fol. ED.
!/"D. Yor(shire. H,ara =. de BH e.amined. %est) ,ym+
boleography) pt II 6:ondon) !/"E7) ed. of !1! !) fol.
!2E erso 6reprinted in County Fol(+:ore) Fol(+
:ore ,oc.) !2/7. %hether the H ,. =. de C. in comit.
4.H whose indictment in the same year is printed
also by %est may possibly be the same woman can
not be determined.
!/"D. Yor(shire. 9argaret :. de A. e.amined. Ibid.
!/"2. %arboys) 4untingdonshire. 9other) daughter and
father ,amuel e.ecuted. *he most strange and
admirable discoerie of the three %itches of %ar+
boys. !/"2. ,ee also @ohn ;arrel) A ;etection of
that sinnful . . . disc ours of ,amuel 4arshnet) D#+D!)
2"+E#) no. 4arsnett) ;iscoery of the Fraudulent
Practises of @ohn ;arrel) "2) "3.
!/"E' @ane ,helley e.amined for using sorcerers to find the
time of the -ueen's death. 4ist. 9,,. Comm.)
Cecil) pt C) D/.
2"D APPE?;ICE,
I/"/S ,t Peter's Aent *wo women presented by the church
authorities. ,till suspected in !/"". Archaol. Cant)
FFCI) E1.
!/"/+ %oodbridge) ,uffol(. %itches put in the pillory.
County Fol(+:ore) ,uffol( 6Fol(+:ore ,oc.) :on+
don) !$"/7) !"2.
!/"/. @ane 9ortimer pardoned for witchcraft =odleian)
*anner 9,,.) C:FCIII) fol. D".
!/"/. ?ear =ristol) ,omerset ,eerall committed for the
Earl of ;erby's death. 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports)
IC) app.) 211 b. ,ee also E. =aines's :ancaster
6:ondon) !$3#7) D32+D3E and note.
!/"/. =arnet and =raynford) 4erts. *hree witches e.ecuted.
From title of pamphlet mentioned by :owndes)
*he Arraignment and E.ecution of 2 detestable
%itches) @ohn ?ewell) @oane his wife) and 4ellen
CallesM two e.ecuted at =omett and one at =rayn+
ford) ! ;ec. !/"/.
!/"1 6or before7. ;erbyshire. Eli0abeth %right 6mother
of Alice Booderidge7 seeral times summoned be+
fore the &ustice of the peace on suspicion. *he
most wonderfull and true ,torie of . . . Alse Bood+
eridge 6!/"37.
!/"1. =urton+upon+*rent) ;erbyshire. Alice Booderidge tried
at ;erby) conicted ;ied in prison. 4arsnett) ;is+
coery of the fraudulent Practises of @ohn ;orr el5
@ohn ;arrel) ;etection of that sinnful . . . discours
of ,amuel 4arshnet) 2$) E#5 *he most wonderfull
and true ,torie of . . . Alse Booderidge 6!/"37.
!/"1+ !/"3. :eicester. 9other Coo(e hanged. 9ary =ateson)
Records of the =orough of :eicester 6Cambridge)
!$""7) 4I) 22/+
!/"1+!/"3. :ancaster. 4artley condemned and e.ecuted.
@ohn ;arrel) *rue ?arration 6in the ,omers *racts)
III7) !3/) !315 Beorge 9ore) A *rue ;iscourse
concerning the certaine possession . . . of K persons
. . . in :ancashire) !$+DD5 @ohn ;arrel) ;etection
of that sinnful . . . discours of ,amuel 4arshnet) E#.
APPE?;ICE, 2"2
!/"3. ?ottingham. *hirteen or more accused by ,omers) at
least eight of whom were put in gaol. All but two
discharged. Alice Freeman tried at the assi0es and
finally ac-uitted. @ohn ;arrel) ;etection of that
sinnful . . . disc ours of ,amuel 4arshnet) !#"+!!!5
An Apologie or defence of the possession of %il+
liam ,ommers) :+: 25 ,amuel 4arsnett) ;iscoery
of the Fraudulent Practises of @ohn ;arrel) /) !#D)
!E#+!E!) 2D#+2DD.
!/"3. ,t. :awrence) Aent ,ibilla Ferris suspected by the
church authorities. Archaol. Cant) FFCI) !D.
!/#3. ?ottingham. %illiam ,omers accused of witchcraft as
a ruse to get him into the house of correction.
;arrel) A *rue ?arration of the . . . Ce.ation . . .
of seen persons in :ancashire) in ,omers *racts)
III) !$E5 also his =rief Apologie 6!/#"7) !3.
0 /"3+ Yor(shire. Eli0abeth 9elton of Collingham con+
demned) pardoned. Cal. ,t P.) ;omS) !/"/+!^3)
E#a
!/"3. :ancashire. Alice =rerely of Castleton condemned)
pardoned. Ibid.) E#1.
!/"3. 9iddlese.. Agnes Bodfrey of Enfield held by the &us+
tice of the peace on ]!# bail 9iddlese. County
Records) I) D23.
!/"3. ,t Andrew's in 4olborne) 9iddlese.. @osia Ryley
arraigned. HPo se mortuus in facie curie)H i. e.
Posuit se moriturum. Ibid.) DD/.
!/"3. 9iddlese.. I@elen ,po(es of ,t Biles+in+thc+Fields
ac-uitted. Ibid.) D2"!
!/"$. =erwic(. Richard ,wynbourne's wife accused. @ohn
,cott) 4istory of =erwic( 6:ondon) !$$$7) !$#.
!/"$. ,t Peter's) Aent. *wo women suspected by the church
officials 5 one of them presented again the ne.t year.
Archaol. Cant) FFCI) E1.
!/"$. Aing's :ynn. Eli0abeth 4ousegoe e.ecuted. 9ac(+
erell) 4istory and Anti-uities of Aings :ynn) D2D.
I#""< =ury ,t Edmunds) ,uffol(. @one @ordan of ,had+
broo( tried. ;arrel) A ,urey of Certaine ;ialogic
cal ;iscourses) /E.
2"E APPE?;ICE,
!/"". =ury ,t Edmunds) ,uffol(. @oane ?aylcr tried. Ibid.
!/"". =ury ,t Edmunds) ,uffol(. >liffe =artham of ,had+
broo( e.ecuted. *he *riall of 9oist. ;orrel) "D+#^
!/"". :ondon. Anne Aer(e of =o(es+wharfe e.ecuted at
H *iburn.H *he *riall of 9aist. ;orrel) #"+!#2.
!1##. 4ertford. A Hnotable witchH committed to the gaol
at 4ertford. 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Cecil
9,,.) pt. F) 2!#.
!1##. Rosa =e.well pardoned. =odleian) *anner 9,,.)
C:FCIII) fol. !#E.
!1##. ?orfol(. 9argaret Fraunces committed for a long
time. Probably released by &ustice of the peace on
new eidence. 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) F) pt
II 6Bawdy 9,,.7) 3F. ,ee also below) pp. E##) E#!.
!1##. Ipswich) ,uffol(. ,eeral con&urers suspected. Col.
,t. P.) ;om.) !2"$+!1#!) /D2.
!1#!. =ishop =urton) Yor(. *wo women apprehended for
bewitching a boy. =rit 9us.) Add. 9,,.) 2DE"1)
fol. ED b.
!1#!. 9iddlese.. Richard ?elson of ,t Aatharine's ar+
raigned. 9iddlese. County Records) I) D1#.
!1#!. ?ottingham. Ellen =ar( presented at the sessions.
Records of the =orough of ?ottingham) IC) D1#+
D1!.
!1#D. 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth Roberts of %est ;rayton in+
dicted on three charges) ac-uitted. 9iddlese.
County Records) I) D!D.
!1#D. ,affron %alden) Esse.. Alice =entley tried before the
-uarter sessions. Case probably dismissed. ;arrel)
A ,urey of Certaine ;ialogical ;iscourses) /E.
temp. Eli0. ?orthfleet) Aent. Pardon to Alice ,. for be+
witching a cow and pigs. =odleian) Rawlinson
9,,.) C E#E) fol. D#/ b.
temp. Eli0. %oman condemned to prison and pillory. Bifford)
;ialogue concerning %itches 6!1#27) : E erso.
temp. Eli0. Cambridge. *wo women perhaps hanged at this
time. 4enry 9ore) Antidote to Atheisme) III. =ut
see !1#/) Cambridge.
APPE?;ICE, 2"/
temp. Eli0. 9other %. of %. 4. said to hae been e.ecuted.
Bifford) ;ialogue concerning %itches) ; E ersoG E.
temp. Eli0. 9other %. of Breat *. said to hae been hanged.
Ibid.) C E.
temp. Eli0. %oman said to hae been hanged. Ibid.) : 2+: 2
erso.
temp. Eli0. *wo women said to hae been hanged. Ibid.)
I 2 erso.
!1#D+ !61#2. :ondon. Eli0abeth @ac(son sentenced) for bewitch+
ing 9ary Bloer) to four appearances in the pillory
and a year in prison. @ohn ,wan) A *rue and =reife
Report of 9ary Bloer's Ce.ation5 E. @orden) A
brief e discourse of . . . the ,uffocation of the
9other) !1#25 also a 9,.) 9arie Bloer's late woe+
full case . . . upon occasion of ;octor @ or dens dis+
course of the 9other) wherein hee coertly ta.eth)
first the Phisitiones which &udged her sic(nes a e.+
ation of , a than and conse-uently the sentence of
:owe and proceeding against the %itche who was
discoered to be a meanes thereof) with A defence
of the truthe against ;. K. his scandalous Impugna+
tions) by ,tephen =radwdl) !1#2. =rit 9us.) ,loane
9,,.) $2!. An account by :ewis 4ughes) ap+
pended to his Ctrtaine Brieances 6!1E!+D7) is -uoted
by ,incfar) ,atan's Inisible %orld ;iscoered
6Edinburgh) !1$/7) "/+!##5 and hence =urton [*he
Aingdom of ;ar(ness7 and 4utchinson 64istorical
Essay concerning %itchcraft7 assign a wrong date.
!1#2. Yor(shire. 9ary Pannel e.ecuted for (illing in !/"2.
9ayhall) Annals of Yor(shire 6:ondon) !$3$7) I)
/^ ,ee also R Fairfa.) A ;iscourse of %itchcraft)
!3"+!$#.
!1#2. Breat Yarmouth) ?orfol(. Ales 9oore in gaol on sus+
picion. C. @. Palmer) 4istory of Breat Yarmouth)
II) 3#.
!1#E. %ooler) ?orthumberland. Aatherine *hompson and
Anne ?eelson proceeded against by the Cicar Ben+
eral of the =ishop of ;urham. Richardson) *able
=oo() I) DE/5 @. Raine) Yor( ;epositions) !D3) note.
2"1 APPE?;ICE,
!1#/. Cambridge. A witch alarm. :etters of ,ir *homas
:a(e to Ciscount Cranbourne) @anuary !$) !1#EK/)
and of ,ir Edward Co(e to Ciscount Craybourne)
@an. D") !1#EK/) both in =rit 9us.) Add 9,,.) 1!33)
fo: E#2. *his probably is the affair referred to in
Cal. ,t P.) ;otn.) !1#2+!1!#) D!$. ?or is it impos+
sible that 4enry 9ore had this affair in mind when
he told of two women who were e.ecuted in Cam+
bridge in the time of Eli0abeth 6see aboe) temp.
Eli0.) Cambridge7 and was two or three years astray
in his rec(oning.
!1#/. ;oncaster) Yor(. @one @urdie of Rossington e.amined.
;epositions in Bentleman's 9agasine) !$/3) pt. I)
,"2+/"/+
!1#1. :outh) :incolnshire. H An Indictment against a %itche.H
R. %. Boulding) :outh >ld Corporation Records
6:outh) !$"!7) /E.
!1#1. 4ertford. @ohanna 4arrison and her daughter said to
hae been e.ecuted. *his rests upon the pamphlet
*he 9ost Cruell and =loody 9urther) . . . ,ee ap+
pendi. A) V 2.
!1#1. Richmond) Yor(shire. Ralph 9ilner ordered by -uar+
ter sessions to ma(e his submission at 9ew(arr
Church. ?orth Riding Record ,ociety) I) /$.
!1#3. 9iddlese.. Alice =radley of 4ampstead arraigned on
four bills) ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records)
II) a
!1#3. 9iddlese.. Rose 9ersam of %hitecrosse ,treet ac+
-uitted. Ibid.) II) D#.
!1#3. =a(ewell) ;erby. ,eeral women said to hae been e.e+
cuted here. ,ee Robert ,impson) A Collection of
Fragments illustratie of the 4istory and Anti-ui+
ties of ;erby 6;erby) !$D17) "#5 Bloer) 4istory of
;erby 6ed. *hos. ?oble) !$227) pt. I) ol. II) p. 1!25
@. C. Co.) *hree Centuries of ;erbyshire Annals)
II) $$. For what purports to be a detailed account
of the affair see %. Andrews) =ygone ;erbyshire)
!$#+!$E.
APPE?;ICE, 2"3
!1#3+ ! !. Rye) ,usse.. *wo women condemned by local
authorities probably discharged upon interference
from :ondon. 4ist. 9,,. Cotnm. Reports) FIII)
pt E) !21+!23) !2"+!E#) !E3+!E^
!1#$. ,imon Read pardoned. Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1#2+!1!#)
E#1.
!1!#. ?orfol(. Christian NaO %eech) pardoned in !1#E) now
again pardoned. Ibid.) "1) /"1! %as this the Chris+
tiana %ee(es of Clees Pepper) %ilts) who in !1/ !
and !1/E was again and again accused of telling
where lost goods wereR ,ee 4ist. 9,,. Cotnm.
Reports) Carious) !) !D#.
!1!#. 9iddlese.. Agnes Bodfrey of Enfield) with four bills
against her) ac-uitted on three) found guilty of (ill+
ing. File containing sentence lost 9iddlese. County
Records) II) /3+/$. Ac-uitted again in !1D!. Ibid.)
3") $#.
!1!#. :eicestershire. ;epositions ta(en by the sheriff con+
cerning Randall and other witches. 4ist. 9,,.
Cotnm. Reports) FII) pt E [9,,. of the ;u(e of
Rutland7) I) EDD.
!1! !. Carnaron. ,tory of witchcraft Hcommitted on si.
young maids.H Priy Council orders the =ishop of
=angor and the assi0e &udges to loo( into it. Cal.
,t. P.) ;om.) !1!!+!1!$) /2.
!1! !. %m. =ate) indicted twenty years before for practising
inocation) etc.) for finding treasure) pardoned. Ibid.)
D".
!1! !. *hirs() Yor(shire. Eli0abeth Coo(e presented by -uar+
ter sessions for slight crime related to witchcraft.
?orth Riding Record ,oc) I) D!2.
!1!D. :ancaster. 9argaret Pearson) who in !1!D was sen+
tenced to a year's imprisonment and the pillory) had
been twice tried before) once for (illing) and once for
bewitching a neighbor. Potts) %onderfull ;is+
coerie of %itches in the countie of :ancaster
6Chetham ,oc.) !$E/7.
!1!D. :ancaster. *en persons of Pendle sentenced to death)
one to a year's imprisonment5 eight ac-uitted in+
2"$ APPE?;ICE,
eluding three women of ,almesbury. Potts) %on+
derfull ;iscoerie of %itches) Chetham ,oc) !$E/)
=ut cf. Cooper's words [9ystery of %itchcraft)
!1!37) !/.
!1!D. Yor(. @ennet Preston sentenced to death. Potts)
%onderfull ;iscoerie of %itches.
!1!D. ?orthampton. At least four women and one man
hanged. 9any others accused) one of whom died in
gaol. *he %itches of ?orthamptonshire) !1!D5 also
=rit 9us.) ,loane 9,,.) #3D) fol. 3.
!1!2. =edford. 9other ,utton and 9ary ,utton) her daugh+
ter) of 9ilton 9iles hanged. %itches Apprehended)
E.amined and E.ecuted) !1!2. ,ee app. A) V 2)
for mention of another pamphlet on the same sub+
&ect) A =oo(e of the %ytches lately condemned and
e.ecuted. ,ee also *he %onderful ;iscoerie of . . .
9argaret and Phillip Flower) preface) and Richard
=ernard) Buide to Brand @urymen) in.
!1!2. %ilts. 9argaret Pilton of %arminster) accused at
-uarter sessions) probably released. 4ist. 9,,.
Comm. Reports) Carious) I) $1+$3.
!1!E. 9iddlese.. ;orothy 9agic( of ,t Andrew's in 4ol+
born sentenced to a year's imprisonment and four
appearances in the pillory. 9iddlese. County Rec+
ords) II) "!) D!$.
!1!/. 9iddlese.. @oan 4unt of 4ampstead) who had been)
along with her husband) twice tried and ac-uitted)
and whose accuser had been ordered to as( for+
gieness) sentenced to be hanged. 9iddlese. County
Records) II) 4i) "/) Uo) D!3+D!$.
!1!1. :eicester. ?ine women hanged on the accusation of a
boy. ,i. others accused) one of whom died in prison)
fie released after the (ing's e.amination of the
boy. Robert 4eyric('s letters from :eicester) @uly
!1 and >ctober !/) !1!1) reprinted in the Annual
Register) !$##) p. E#/. ,ee also Cal. ,. P.) ;om.)
!1!!+!1!$) 2"$) and %illiam Aelly) Royal Progresses
in :eicester 6:eicester) !$//7) pt. II) !/.
APPE?;ICE, 2""
!1!1. Aing's :ynn) ?orfol(. 9ary ,mith hanged. Ale.ander
Roberts) *reatise of %itchcraft 6:ondon) !1!17 5
9ac(erell) 4istory and Anti-uities of Aings :ynn)
D22.
!1!1. 69iddlese.. Eli0abeth Rutter of Finchley) for laming
and (illing three persons) sentenced to be hanged
9iddlese. County Records) II) !#$) D!$.
!1!1. 9iddlese.. 9argaret %ellan of :ondon accused H upon
suspition to be a witch.H Andrew Camfield held in
]E# bail to appear against her. 9iddlese. County
Records) II) !DE+!D/.
!1!3. 9iddlese.. Agnes =errye of Enfield sentenced to be
hanged. Ibid.) !!1) D!".
!1!3. 9iddlese.. Anne =ranche of *ottenham arraigned on
four counts) ac-uitted. Ibid.) D!".
!1!$. 9iddlese.. =ridget 9ea(ins ac-uitted. Ibid.) DD/.
!1!". :incoln. 9argaret and Philippa Flower hanged. *heir
mother) @oan Flower) died on the way to prison.
*he %onderful ;iscoerie of the %itchcrafts of
9argaret and Phillip Flower5 @. ?ichols) 4istory
and Anti-uities of the County of :eicester 6!3"/+
!$!/7) II) pt I) E"5 Cal ,t. P.) ;otn.) !1!"+!1D2) !D"5
4ist. 9,,. Cotntn. Reports) Rutland 9,,.) IC) /!E.
!1!". :eicester. *hree women) Anne =a(er) @oan %illimot)
Ellen Breen) accused and confessed. ;oubtless e.+
ecuted. *he %onderful ;iscoerie of the %itch+
crafts of 9argaret and Phillip Flower.
!1!". 9iddlese.. Agnes 9iller of Finchley ac-uitted. 9id+
dlese. County Records) II) !E2+!EE.
!1D#. :ondon. H >ne Peacoc() sometime a schoolmaster and
minister)H for bewitching the (ing) committed to the
*ower and tortured. %illiams) Court and *imes
of @ames I) II) D#D5 Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1!"+!1DL) !D/.
!1D#. :eicester. Bilbert ,mith) rector of ,withland) accused of
witchcraft among other things. :eicestershire and
Rutland ?otes and 8ueries) !) DE3.
!1D#. Padiham) :ancashire. %itches in prison. 4ouse and
Farm Accounts of the ,huttleworths) pt II. 6Chet+
ham ,oc) !$/17) DE#.
E## APPE?;ICE,
!1D#. ,taffordshire. %oman accused on charges of the H boy
of =ilson H ac-uitted. *he =oy of =ilson 6:ondon)
!1DD7 5 Arthur %ilson) :ife and Reign of @ames I)
!#3+ ! !D5 %ebster) ;isplaying of ,upposed %itch+
craft) D3E+D3/.
!1D !. Edmonton) 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth ,awyer hanged. *he
wonderfull discoerie of Elisabeth ,awyer) by
4enry Boodcole 6!1D!7.
!1D !. 9iddlese.. Anne =eaer) accused of murder on si.
counts) ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records) II)
3D+32. Ac-uitted again in !1D/. Ibid.) Ill) D.
!1DD. Yor(. ,i. women indicted for bewitching Edward Fair+
fa.'s children. At April assi0es two were released
upon bond) two and probably four discharged. At
the August assi0es they were again ac-uitted. Fair+
fa.) A ;iscourse of %itchcraft 6Philobiblon ,oc)
:ondon) !$/$+!$/"7.
!1DD. 9iddlese.. 9argaret Russel) alias HCountessH com+
mitted to ?ewgate by ,ir %m. ,lingsby on a charge
by :ady @ennings of in&uring her daughter. ;r. ?a+
pier diagnosed the daughter's illness as epilepsy.
=rit 9us.) Add. 9,,.) 21)13E) fo: !2E+
!1D2. Yor(shire. Eli0abeth Crearey of ?orth Allerton sen+
tenced to be set in the pillory once a -uarter. *hirs(
8uarter ,essions Records in ?orth Riding Record
,ociety 6:ondon) !$$/7) III) !33) !$!.
!1DE. =ristol *wo witches said to hae been e.ecuted. @ohn
:atimer) *he Annals of =ristol in the ,eenteenth
Century 6=ristol) !"##7) "!. :atimer -uotes from
another ''annalistH
temp. @ac IR *wo women said to hae been hanged. ,tory
doubtful. Edward Poeton) %innowing of %hite
%itchcraft 6=rit 9us.) ,loane 9,,.) !)"/E7) EI+E D +
temp. @ac. I. ?orfol(. @oane 4arey accused for scratching
Han olde witcheH there) H9other Francis nowc
deade.H 9other Francis had before been imprisoned
at ?orwich. =rit. 9us.) Add. 9,,.) D$YD2) fo: !/.
temp. @ac. I. %arwic(shire. Coentry haunted by H hellish sor+
cerers.H H*he pestilent broodH also in Cheshire.
APPE?;ICE, E#!
*homas Cooper) *he 9ystery of %itchcraft 6!1!37)
!2) !1.
temp. @ac. I. ?orwich. %itches probably accused for illness
of a child. Possibly 9other Francis was one of
them. Cooper) ibid.) HEpistle ;edicatorie.H
!1D1. *aunton) ,omerset. Edmund =ull and @oan Breedie
accused. =rit. 9us.) Add. 9,,.) 21)13E) fo: !$"5
%right) ?arraties of ,orcery and 9agic) II) !2"+
!E2. ,ee also Richard =ernard) Buide to Brand
@urymen) HEpistle ;edicatorie.H
!1D3. ;urham. ,ara 4atheric(e and @ane Urwen accused
before the Consistory Court Fol(+:ore @ournal
6:ondon) !$$37) C) !/$. 8uoted by Edward Pea+
coc( from the records of the Consistory Court of
;urham.
!1D3. :inneston) :ancaster. Eli0abeth :ondesdale accused.
Certificate of neighbors in her faor. 4ist. 9,,.
Comm. Reports) FIC) pt E 6Aenyon 9,,.7) 21.
!1D$. :eepish) ?orthumberland. @ane Robson committed.
9ac(en0ie) 4istory of ?orthumberland 6?ewcas+
tle) !$D/7) 21. 9ac(en0ie copies from the 9ic(leton
9,.
!12a :ancaster. A certain Utley said to hae been hanged
for bewitching Richard Assheton. E. =aines) :an+
caster 6ed. of !$1$+!$3#7) II) !D.
!12#. ,andwich) Aent. %oman hanged. %m. =oys) Col+
lections for an 4istory of ,andwich in Aent 6Can+
terbury) !3"D7) 3#3.
c. !12#. %ilts. H @ohn =arlowes wife H said to hae been e.e+
cuted. 9,. letter of !1$/+$1 printed in the Bentle+
man's 9aga0ine) !$2D) pt. I) E#/+E!#.
!122. :outh) :incolnshire. %itch alarm5 two searchers ap+
pointed. >ne witch indicted. Boulding) :outh
>ld Corporation Records) /E.
c. !122. :ancaster. *he father and mother of 9ary ,pencer
condemned. Col. ,. P.) ;om.) !12E+!12/) 3".
!122. ?orfol(. %oman accused. ?o arrest made. 4ist.
9,,. Comm. Reports) F) pt D 6Bawdy 9,,.7) p.
!EE.
E#D APPE?;ICE,
!122+2E. :ancaster. ,eeral witches) probably seenteen)
tried and condemned. Reprieed by the (ing. For
the many references to this affair see aboe) chap.
CII) footnotes.
!12E. Yor(shire. Four women of %est Ayton presented for
telling Hper enei(ationem el incantationem H
where certain stolen clothes were to be< found.
*hirs( 8uarter ,essions Records in ?orth Riding
Record ,ociety) IC) D#.
!12/. :ancaster. Four witches condemned. Priy Council
orders =ishop =ridgeman to e.amine them. *wo
died in gaol. *he others probably reprieed. 4ist.
9,,. Comm. Reports) FII) D 6Cowper 9,,.) II7)
33) $#.
!12/. :eicester. Agnes *edsall ac-uitted. :eicestershire and
Rutland ?otes and 8ueries) I) DE3.
!12/. . 9ary Prowting) who was a plaintiff before the
,tar Chamber) accused of witchcraft. Accuser) who
was one of the defendants) e.posed. Ca: ,t P.)
;om.) !12/) E31+E33+
c. !123. =edford. Boodwife Rose H duc(ed)H probably by of+
ficials. %m. ;rage) ;aimonomageia 6:ondon)
!11/7) E!.
!123. ,taffordshire. @oice 4unniman committed) almost cer+
tainly released. 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) II)
App.) E$ b.
!123+2$. :athom) :ancashire. Anne ,pencer e.amined and
probably committed. 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports)
FIC) E 6Aenyon 9,,.7 t //.
!12$. 9iddlese.. Alice =astard arraigned on two charges.
Ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records) III) !!D+!!2.
!1E!. 9iddlese.. >ne 4ammond of %estminster tried and
perhaps hanged. @ohn Aubrey) Remames of Bentil+
isme and @udaisme 6Fol(+:ore ,oc.7) 1!.
temp. Carol I. >.ford. %oman perhaps e.ecuted. *his
story is gien at third hand in A Collection of 9od+
ern Relations 6:ondon) !1"27) E$+E".
temp. Carol) I. ,omerset >ne or more hanged. :ater the
bewitched person) who may hae been Edmund =ull
APPE?;ICE, E#2
6see aboe) s. . !1D1) *aunton7) hanged also as a
witch. 9eric Casaubon) >f Credulity and Incre+
dulity 6:ondon) !11$7) !3#+!3!.
temp. Caro: IR *aunton ;ean. %oman ac-uitted. ?orth)
:ife of ?orth) !2!.
!1ED. 9iddlese.. ?icholas Culpepper of ,t :eonard's) ,hore+
ditch) ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records) III)
$/.
!1E2. ?ewbury) =er(s. A woman supposed to be a witch
probably shot here by the parliament forces. A
9ost certain) strange and true ;iscoery of a %itch
. . . !1E25 9ercurius Aulicus) >ct. !+$) !1E25 9er+
curius Ciicus) ,ept. D!+D$) !1E2 5 Ccrtaine Informa+
tions) ,ept. D/+>ct. D) !1E25 9ercurius =ritannicus)
>ct !#+!3) !1E2.
!1EE. ,andwich) Aent. H*he widow ;rew hanged for a
witch.H %. =oys) Collections for an 4istory of
,andwich) 3!E.
!YE/ 6@uly7. Chelmsford) Esse.. ,i.teen certainly condemned)
probably two more. Possibly eleen or twele more
at another assi0e. A true and e.act Relation . . .
of . . . the late %itches . . . at Chelmesford 6!1E/7 5
Arthur %ilson) in Pec() ;esiderata Curiosa) II)
315 4op(ins) ;iscoery of %itches) D+25 ,tearne)
Con4rmation and ;iscoery of %itchcraft) !E) !1)
21) 2$) /$) etc.5 ,ignes and %onders from 4eaen
6!1E/7) D5 HR. =.H *he Aingdom of ;ar(ness
6:ondon) !1$$7. *he fate of the seeral Esse.
witches is recorded by the *rue and E.act Relation
in marginal notes printed opposite their depositions
6but omitted in the reprint of that pamphlet in 4ow+
ell's ,tate *rials7. HR. =.)H in *he Aingdom of
;ar(ness) though his (nowledge of the Esse. cases
is ascribed to the pamphlet) gies details as to the
time and place of the e.ecutions which are often in
strange conflict with its testimony.
i1E/ 6@uly7. ?orfol(. *wenty witches said to hae been
e.ecuted. %hiteloc(e) 9emorials) I) E$3. A Perfect
;iurnal 6@uly D!+D$) !1E/7 says that there has been
E#E APPE?;ICE,
a H tryall of the ?orfol(e witches) about E# of them
and &o already e.ecuted.H ,ignes and %onders from
4eaen says that H there were E# witches arraigned
for their lies and D# e.ecuted.H
!1E/. =ury ,t Edmunds) ,uffol(. ,i.teen women and two
men e.ecuted Aug. D3. Forty or fifty more proba+
bly e.ecuted a few wee(s later. A ery large num+
ber arraigned. A manuscript 6=rit 9usY Add.
9,,.) D3)E#D) fol. !#E ff.7 mentions oer forty true
bills and fifteen or more bills not found. A *rue
Relation of the Araignment of eighteene %itches at
,t Edmundsbury 6!1E/7 5 Clar(e) :ies of ,undry
Eminent Persons) !3D5 County Fol(+:ore) ,uffol(
6Fol(+:ore ,oc7) !3$5 Ady) A Candle in the ;ar()
!#E+!#/) !!E5 9oderate Intelligencer) ,ept E+! !)
!1E/5 ,cottish ;oe) Aug. D"+,ept 1) !1E/.
,tearne mentions seeral names not mentioned in
the *rue Relation G names probably belonging to
those in the second group of the accused. >f
most of them he has -uoted the confession with+
out stating the outcome of the cases. *hey are
4empstead of Creeting) Ratcliffe of ,helley) Ran+
dall of :aenham) =edford of Rattlesden) %right
of 4itcham) Ruceuler of Powstead) Breenliefe of
=arton) =ush of =arton) Cric(e of 4itcham) Rich+
mond of =ramford) 4ammer of ?eedham) =ore+
ham of ,udbury) ,carfe of Rattlesden) Aing of
Acton) =ysac( of %aldingfield) =in(es of 4aer+
hill. In addition to these ,tearne spea(s of Eli0a+
beth 4ubbard of ,towmar(et *wo others from
,towmar(et were tried) < Boody 9ils H and u Boody
:ow.H 4ollingsworth) 4istory of ,towmar(et
6Ipswich) !$EE7) !3!+
!1E/. 9elford) ,uffol(. Ale.ander ,ussums made confes+
sion. ,tearne) 21.
!1E/. Breat Yarmouth) ?orfol(. At least nine women in+
dicted) fie of whom were condemned. *hree women
ac-uitted and one man. 9any others presented. C
@. Palmer) 4istory of Breat Yarmouth) I) D32+D3E.
APPE?;ICE, AP,
4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) IF) App.) pt I) 2D# a5
4enry 4arrod in ?orfol( Archao:) IC) DE"+D/!.
!1E/. Cornwall. Anne @effries confined in =odmin gaol and
stared by order of a &ustice of the peace. ,he
was said to be intimate with the H airy people H and
to cause marellous cures. %e do not (now the
charge against her. Finally discharged. %illiam
*urner) Remar(able Proidences 6:ondon) !1"37)
ch. $D.
!1E/. Ipswich) ,uffol(. 9other :a(eland burnt. *he :owes
against %itches 6!1E/7.
!1E/. Aing's :ynn) ?orfol(. ;orothy :ee and Brace %right
hanged. 9ac(erell) 4istory and Anti-uities of
Aing's :yrin) D21.
!1E/. Aldeburgh) ?orfol(. ,een witches hanged. 8uo+
tations from the chamberlain's accounts in ?. F.
4ele) ?otes or @ottings about Aldeburgh) E2+EE.
!1E/. Faersham) Aent. *hree women hanged) a fourth tried)
by the local authorities. *he E.amination) Confes+
sion) *riall and E.ecution of @oane %illiford) @oan
Cariden and @ane 4ott 6!1E/7.
!1E/. Rye) ,usse.. 9artha =ruff and Anne 4owsell ordered
by the H mayor of Rye and others H to be put to the
ordeal of water. 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) FIII)
pt E) D!1.
!1E/. 9iddlese.. ,eeral witches of ,tepney accused. ,ignes
and %onders from 4eaen) D+2.
!1E/+E1. Cambridgeshire. ,eeral accused) at least one or
two of whom were e.ecuted. Ady) Candle in the
;ar() !2/5 ,tearne) 2") E/5 4. 9ore) Antidote
against A theism e) !D$+!D". *his may hae been
what is referred to in BlaniU's ,adducismus *ri+
umphatus) pt. ii) D#$+D#".
!1E1. ?orthamptonshire. ,eeral witches hanged. >ne died
in prison. ,tearne) !!) D2) 2E+2/.
!1E1. 4untingdonshire. 9any accused) of whom at least
ten were e.amined and seeral e.ecuted) among
them @ohn %ynnic(. >ne woman swam and was
released. @ohn ;aenport) %itches of 4untingdon
E#1 APPE?;ICE,
6:ondon) !1E17 5 4. 9ore) Antidote against Athe+
isme) !D/5 ,tearne) !!) !2) !3) !") D#+D!) 2") ED.
!1E1. =edfordshire. Eli0abeth Burrey of Risden made con+
fession. ,tearne says a 4untingdonshire witch con+
fessed that Hat *ilbroo(e bushes in =edfordshier
. . . there met aboe twenty at one time.H 4unting+
donshire witches seem meant) but perhaps not alone.
,tearne) !!) 2!.
c. !1E1. Yarmouth) ?orfol(. ,tearne mentions a woman
who suffered here. ,tearne) /2.
!1E1. 4eptenstall) Yor(shire. Eli0abeth Crossley) 9ary
9idgley) and two other women e.amined before two
&ustices of the peace. Yor( ;epositions) 1+".
!1E3. Ely) Cambridgeshire. ,tearne mentions Hthose e.e+
cuted at Elie) a little before 9ichaelmas last) . . .
also one at Chatterish there) one at 9arch there)
and another at %imblington there) now lately found)
still to be tryed H 5 and again H one 9oores wife of
,utton) in the Isle of Elie)H who Hconfessed her
self e guilty H and was e.ecuted 5 and yet again H one
at 4eddenham in the Isle of Ely)H who Hmade a
ery large ConfessionH and must hae paid the
penalty. ,tearne) !3) D!) &Y 5 Bibbons) Ely Episcopal
Records 6:incoln) !$"!7) !!D+!!2.
!1E3. 9iddlese.. 4elen 4owson ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County
Records) III) !DE.
!1E$. 9iddlese.. =ill against Aatharine Fisher of ,tratford+
at+=ow ignored. 9iddlese. County Records) III)
!#D.
!1E$. ?orwich) ?orfol(. *wo women burnt. P. =rowne)
4istory of ?orwich 6?orwich) !$!E7) 2$.
!1E". %orcester. A :ancashire witch said to hae been tried 5
perhaps remanded to :ancashire. A Collection of
9odern Relations. *he writer says that he re+
ceied the account from a H Person of 8ualityH who
attended the trial.
!1E". 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth ,mythe of ,t 9artin's+in+the+
Fields ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records) III) !"!.
!1E". 9iddlese.. ;orothy =rumley ac-uitted. Ibid.
APPE?;ICE, E#3
!1E". ,t. Albans. @ohn Palmer and Eli0abeth Anott said to
hae been hanged for witches. *he ;iels ;e+
lusion 6!1E"7.
!1E". =erwic(. *hirty women) e.amined on the accusation
of a ,cotch witch+finder) committed to prison.
%hiteloc(e) 9emorials) III) ""5 @ohn Fuller) 4istory
of =erwic( 6Edinburgh) I3""7Q !,,+!^ giing e.+
tracts from the Build 4all =oo(s5 @ohn ,y(es)
:ocal Records 6?ewcastle) !$227) I) !#2+!#/.
!1E". Bloucester. %itch tried at the assi0es. A Collection of
9odern Relations) /D.
!1E"+/#. Yor(shire. 9ary ,y(es and ,usan =eaumont com+
mitted and searched. *he former ac-uitted) bill
against the latter ignored. Yor( ;epositions) D$.
!1E"+/#. ;urham. ,eeral witches at Bateshead e.amined)
and carried to ;urham for trial5 Ha grae for a
witchK' ,y(es) :ocal Records) I) !#/5 or ;enham
*racts 6Fol(+:ore ,oc7) II) 22$.
!1E"+/#. ?ewcastle. *hirty witches accused. Fourteen
women and one man hanged) together with a witch
from the county of ?orthumberland. Ralph Bardi+
ner) England's Brieance 6:ondon) !1//7) !#$5
,y(es) :ocal Records) I) !#2 5 @ohn =rand) 4istory
and Anti-uities of ?ewcastle 6:ondon) !3$"7) II)
E33+E3$ 5 %hiteloc(e) 9emorials) III) !D$ 5 Chronic on
9irabile 6:ondon) !$E!7) "D.
!1/#. Yor(shire. Ann 4udson of ,(ipsey charged. Yor(
;epositions) 2$) note.
!1/#. Cumberland. A Hdiscoery of witches.H ,heriff per+
ple.ed. Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !1/#) !/".
!1/#. ;erbyshire. Ann %agg of Il(eston committed for
trial. @. C. Co.) *hree Centuries of ;erbyshire
Annals) II) $$.
!1/#. 9iddlese.. @oan Roberts ac-uitted. 9iddlese. County
Records) III) D$E.
!1/#. ,tratford+at+=ow) 9iddlese.. %itch said to hae been
apprehended) but Hescaped the law.H Blanill)
,adducismus *riumphatus) pt ii) Relation FF.
!1/#. 9iddlese.. @oan Allen sentenced to be hanged. 9id+
dlese. County Records) III) D$E. *he %ee(ly Intel+
E#$ APPE?;ICE,
ligencer) >ct 3) !1/#) refers to the hanging of a witch
at the >ld =ailey) probably @oan.
!1/a :eicester. Anne Chettle searched and ac-uitted. *ried
again two years later. Result un(nown. :eicester+
shire and Rutland ?otes and 8ueries) I) DE3 5 @ames
*hompson) :eicester 6:eicester) !$E"7) E#1.
!1/#. Alnwic(. ;orothy ,winow) wife of a colonel) indicted.
?othing further came of it %onderfull ?ews from
the ?orth 6!1/#7.
!1/#. 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth ,mith ac-uitted. 9iddlese.
County Records) III) D1E.
c. !1/#+1#. ,t Alban's) 4erts. *wo witches suspected and
probably tried ;rage) ;aimonomageia 6!11/7) E#+E!.
!1/!. Yor(shire. 9argaret 9orton ac-uitted. Yor( ;epo+
sitions) 2$.
!1/ !. 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth :anam of ,tepney ac-uitted.
9iddlese. County Records) III) D#D) D$/.
!1/!. Colchester) Esse.. @ohn :oc( sentenced to one year's
imprisonment and four appearances in the pillory.
=rit 9us.) ,towe 9,,.) $E#) fol. E2+
!1/D. Yor(shire. 4ester France of 4uddersfield accused be+
fore the &ustice of the peace. Yor( ;epositions) /!.
!1/D. 9aidstone) Aent. ,i. women hanged) others indicted
A Prodigious and *ragicall 4istory of the Arraign+
ment ... of si. %itches at 9aidstone ... by
H4. F. Bent)H !1/D5 *he Faithful ,cout) @uly 2#+
Aug. 3) !1/D 5 Ashmole's ;iary in :ies of Ashmole
and :illy 6:ondon) !33E7) 2i1.
!1/D. 9iddlese.. @oan Peterson of %apping ac-uitted on
one charge) found guilty on another) and hanged
9iddlese. County Records) III) DY3 5 *he %itch of
%apping 5 A ;eclaration in Answer to seeral lying
Pamphlets concerning the %itch of %apping5 *he
*ryall and E.aminations of 9rs. @oan Peterson5
French Intelligencer) Apr. 1+!2) !1/D5 9ercurius
;emocritus) Apr. 3+!E) !1/D5 %ee(ly Intelligencer)
April 1+!2) !1/D5 Faithful ,cout) Apr. "+!1) !1/D.
APPE?;ICE, E#"
!1/D. :ondon. ,usan ,impson ac-uitted A *rue and Per+
feet :ist of the ?ames of those Prisoners in ?ew+
gate 6:ondon) !1/D7.
!1/D. %orcester. Catherine 4u.ley of Eesham) charged
with bewitching a nine+year+old girl) hanged. =a.+
ter) Certainty of the %orld of ,pirits 6:ondon) !1"!7)
EE+E/. =a.ter's narratie was sent him by H the now
9inister of the place.H
!1/D. 9iddlese.. *emperance Fossett of %hitechapel ac+
-uitted. 9iddlese. County Records) III) D#b D$$.
!1/D. 9iddlese.. 9argery ,cott of ,t 9artin's+in+the+Fields
ac-uitted. Ibid.) D#".
!1/D. ,carborough) Yor(shire. Anne 9archant or 4unnam
accused and searched. @. =. =a(er) 4istory of
,carborough 6:ondon) !$$D7) E$!) using local
records.
!1/D. ;urham. Francis Adamson and G Powle e.ecuted.
Richardson) *able =oo() I) D$1.
!1/D. E.eter) ;eonshire. @oan =a(er committed. Cotton)
Bleanings . . . Relatie to the 4istory of . . . E.eter
6E.eter) !$337) !E"+
!1/D. %ilts. %illiam ,tarr accused and searched. 4ist.
9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) I) !D3.
!1/D+/2. Cornwall. A witch near :and's End accused) and
accuses others. Eight sent to :aunceston gao: ,ome
probably e.ecuted 6see aboe) p. D!$ and footnotes
DE) D/7. 9ercurius Politicus) ?o. DE+;ec D)
!1/25 R. and >. =. Peter) *he 4istories of :aun+
ceston and ;unheed 6Plymouth) !$$/7) D$/. ,ee
also =urthogge) Essay upon Reason and the ?ature
of ,pirits 6:ondon) !1"E7) !"1.
!1/2. %ilts. @oan =a(er of the ;ei0es ma(es complaint
because two persons hae reported her to be a witch.
4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) I) !D3. Is this
the @oan =a(er of E.eter mentioned a few lines
aboeR
!1/2. %ilts. @oan Price of 9almesbury and Eli0abeth =ee+
man of the ;ei0es indicted) the latter committed
to the assi0es. Ibid.
E io APPE?;ICE,
!1/2. Yor(shire. Eli0abeth :ambe accused. Yor( ;eposi+
tions) /$.
!1/2. 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth ?ewman of %hitechapel ac+
-uitted on one charge) found guilty on another) and
sentenced to be hanged. 9iddlese. County Rec+
ords) III) D!3) D!$) D$".
!1/2. 9iddlese.. =arbara =artle of ,tepney ac-uitted. Ibid.)
D!1.
!1/2. :eeds) Yor(shire. Isabel Emott indicted for witch+
craft upon cattle. 4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) IF) pt
!) 2D/ b.
!1/2. ,alisbury) %ilts. Anne =odenham of Fisherton Anger
hanged. ;octor :amb Reied 5 ;octor :amb's
;arling5 Aubrey) Fol(+:ore and Bentilisme 6Fol(+
:ore ,oc7) D1! 5 4enry 9ore) An Antidote against
Atheisme) b(. Ill) chap. CII.
!1/E. Yor(shire. Anne Breene of Bargrae e.amined. Yor(
;epositions) 1E+1/.
!1/E. Yor(shire. Eli0abeth Roberts of =eerley e.amined.
Ibid.) 13.
!1/E. %ilts. Christiana %ee(es of Bees Pepper) who had
been twice before accused in recent sessions) charged
with telling where lost goods could be found.
H>ther con&urersH charged at the same time.
4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) I) !D#. ,ec
aboe) !1!#) ?orfol(.
!1/E. E.eter. ;iana Crosse committed. Cotton) Bleanings
. . . Relatie to the 4istory of . . . E.eter) !/#.
!1/E. %ilts. Eli0abeth :oudon committed on suspicion.
4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) Carious) I) !D".
!1/E. %hitechapel) 9iddlese.. Brace =o.e) arraigned on three
charges) ac-uitted. Ac-uitted again in !1/1. 9id+
dlese. County Records) III) DD2) D"2.
!1//. Yor(shire. Aatherine Earle committed and searched
Yor( ;epositions) 1".
!1//. ,alisbury. 9argaret Byngell conicted. Pardoned by
the :ord Protector. F. A. Inderwic() *he Inter+
regnum) !$$+!$".
APPE?;ICE, E! !
!1//. =ury ,t. Edmunds) ,uffol(. 9other and daughter
=oram said to hae been hanged. 4utchinson) An
4istorical Essay concerning %itchcraft) 2$.
!1/1. Yor(shire. @ennet and Beorge =enton of %a(efield
e.amined. Yor( ;epositions) 3E.
!1/1. Yor(shire. %illiam and 9ary %ade committed for
bewitching the daughter of :ady 9allory. Yor(
;epositions) 3/+3$.
!1/3. 9iddlese.. Aatharine Eans of Fulham ac-uitted.
9iddlese. County Records) III) D12.
!1/3. 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth Crowley of ,tepney ac-uitted)
but detained in the house of correction. 9iddlese.
County Records) III) D11) D"/.
!1/3. Bisborough) Yor(shire. Robert Conyers) Hgent)H ac+
cused. ?orth Riding Record ,ociety) C) D/".
!1/$. E.eter. *homas 4arey of >a(ham) Rutlandshire)
Happrehended by order of Council by a party of
soldiersK' ac-uitted at E.eter assi0es) but detained
in custody. Cat. ,t. P.) ;otn.) i1/^ri1Lo) !1".
!1/$. Chard) ,omerset @ane =roo(s of ,hepton 9allet
hanged. Blanill) ,adducismus *riumphatus 6!1$!7)
pt ii) !D#+!DD. 6Blanill used 4unt's boo( of
e.aminations7. @. E. Farbrother) ,hepton 9allet5
notes on its history) ancient) descriptie and natural
6i$1#7) !E!.
!1/$. E.eter. @oan Furnace accused. Cotton) Bleanings . . .
Relatie to the 4istory of . . . E.eter) !/D.
!1/$. Yor(shire. ,ome women said to hae been accused by
two maids. *he woman HcastH by the &ury. *he
&udges gae a H respite.H ,tory not entirely trust+
worthy. *he most true and wonderfull ?arration
of two women bewitched in Yor(shire . . . 6!1/$7.
!1/$. %apping) 9iddlese.. :ydia Rogers accused. A 9ore
E.act Relation of the most lamentable and horrid
Contract which :ydia Rogers . . . made with the
;iel 6!1/$7. ,ee app. A) V /) for another tract
!1/$: ?orthamptonshire. ,ome witches of %elton said to
hae been e.amined. Blanill) ,adducismus *rium+
phatus 6!1$!7) pt ii) D12+D1$.
E!D APPE?;ICE,
!1/$. ,alisbury) %ilts. *he widow >rchard said to hae
been e.ecuted. From a 9,. letter of !1$/+$1)
printed in the Bentleman's 9aga0ine) !$2D) pt I)
E#/+E!#.
!1/". ?orwich) ?orfol(. Afary >lier burnt P. =rown)
4istory of ?orwich) 2". Francis =lomefield) An
Essay towards a *opographical 4istory of the
County of ?orfol( 6:ondon) !$#/+!$!#7) III) E#!.
!1/". 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth Aennett of ,tepney accused. 9id+
dlese. County Records) III) D3$) D"".
!1/"! 4ertfordshire. HBoody FreeH accused of (illing by
witchcraft 4ertfordshire County ,essions Rolls)
I) !D1) !D".
!1/"+ !11#. ?orthumberland. Eli0abeth ,impson of *yne+
mouth accused. Yor( ;epositions) $D.
!11#. %orcester. @oan =ibb of Rushoc( receied ]D# dam+
ages for being duc(ed. Bentleman's 9aga0ine) !$/1)
pt I) 2^ from a letter of @. ?oa(e of %orcester)
who used the *ownshend 9,,.
!11#. %orcester. A widow and her two daughters) and a
man) from Aidderminster) tried. H:ittle proed.H
Copied from the *ownshend 9,,. by ?ash) in his
Collections for the 4istory of %orcestershire 6!3$!+
!3""7) II) 2^
!11#. ?ewcastle. *wo suspected women detained in prison.
E.tracts from the 9unicipal Accounts of ?ewcastle+
upon+*yne in 9. A. Richardson) Reprints of Rare
*racts . . . illustratie of the 4istory of the ?orth+
ern Counties 6?ewcastle) ! $E2+!$E37) III) /3.
!11#. Canterbury) Aent ,eeral witches said to hae been
e.ecuted. %. %elfitt 6HCiisH7) 9inutes of Can+
terbury 6Canterbury) !$#!+!$#D7) no. F.
c. !11#. ,usse.. A woman who had been formerly tried at
9aidstone watched and searched. 9,. -uoted in
,usse. Archaol. Collections) FCIII) m+!!25 see
also ,amuel Clar(e) A 9irrour or :oo(ing Blasse
both for ,aints and ,inners) II) /"2+/"1.
!11!. 4ertfordshire. Frances =ailey of =ro.bourn com+
plained of abuse by those who belieed her a witch.
4ertfordshire County ,essions Rolls) I) !23.
APPE?;ICE, E!2
!11 !. ?ewcastle. @ane %atson e.amined before the mayor.
Yor( ;epositions) "D+"2.
!11!. ?ewcastle. 9argaret Catherwood and two other
women e.amined before the mayor. Ibid.) $$.
!112. ,omerset. Eli0abeth ,tyle died before e.ecution. Blan+
ill) ,adducismus *riumphatus) pt ii) !D3+!E1. For
copies of three depositions about Eli0abeth ,tyle)
see Bentleman's 9aga0ine) !$23) pt ii) D/1+D/3.
!112. *aunton) ,omerset. @ulian Co. hanged. Blanill)
,adducismus *riumphatus) pt ii) !"!+!"$.
!112+1E. ?ewcastle. ;orothy ,tranger accused before the
mayor. Yor( ;epositions) !!D+!!E.
!11E. ,omerset A Hhellish (notH of witches 64utchinson
says twele7 accused before &ustice of the peace
Robert 4unt 4is discoery stopped by Hsome of
them in authority.H Blanill) ,adducismus *ri+
umphatus) pt ii) D/1+D/3. =ut see case of Eli0abeth
,tyle aboe.
!11E. ,omerset. A witch condemned at the assi0es. ,he may
hae been one of those brought before 4unt. Cat.
,t P.) ;om.) !112+!11E) //D.
!11E. =ury ,t. Edmunds) ,uffol(. Rose Cullender and Amy
;uny condemned. A *ryal of %itches at . . . =ury
,t Edmunds 6!1$D7.
!11E. ?ewcastle. @ane ,impson) Isabell Atcheson and Aath+
arine Curry accused before the mayor. Yor( ;epo+
sitions) !DE.
!11E. Yor(. Alice 4uson and ;oll ;ilby tried. =oth made
confessions. Copied for A Collection of 9odern Re+
lations 6see p. /D7 from a paper written by the &us+
tice of the peace) Corbet
!11/. %ilts. @one 9ereweather of %ee(e in =ishop's Can+
nings committed. 4ist 9,,. Comm. Reports) Car+
ious) I) !E3.
!11/. ?ewcastle. 9rs. Pepper accused before the mayor.
Yor( ;epositions) !D3.
!11/. *hree persons conicted of murder and e.ecuted for
(illing a supposed witch. @oseph 4unter) :ife of
4eywood 6:ondon) !$ED7) !13+!1$) note.
EU APPE?;ICE,
!111. :ancashire. Four witches of 4aigh e.amined) two
committed but probably ac-uitted. Cal ,t P.) ;om.)
!11/+!111) DD/.
!113. ?ewcastle) ?orthumberland. Emmy Bas(in of :and+
gate accused before the mayor. Yor( ;epositions)
!/E+
!113. ?orfol(. A fortune+teller or con&uror condemned to
imprisonment Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !113) 2#.
!113. Ipswich) ,uffol(. *wo witches possibly imprisoned.
,tory doubtful. Cal. ,t P.) ;om.) !113+!11$) E.
!113. ;ei0es) %ilts. H An old woman H imprisoned) charged
with bewitching by ma(ing and pric(ing an image.
=lagrae) Astrological Practice 6:ondon !1$"7)
"#) !#2.
!113. :ancashire. %idow =ridge and her sister) 9argaret
:oy) both of :ierpool) accused. *he 9oore Ren+
tal 6Chetham ,oc.) !$E37) /"+1#.
!11$. ;urham. Alice Armstrong of ,trotton tried) but almost
certainly ac-uitted. *ried twice again in the ne.t
year with the same result ,y(es) :ocal Records) II)
21".
!11$. %arwic(. 9any witches H said to be in hold.H Cal ,t
P.) ;om.) !11$+!11") D/.
!11". 4ertfordshire. @ohn Allen of ,tondon indicted for call+
ing @oan 9ills a witch. 4ertfordshire County ,es+
sions Rolls) I) D!3.
!13#. Yor(shire. Anne %il(inson ac-uitted. Yor( ;eposi+
tions) !31 and note.
!13#. :atton %ilts. @ane *ownshend accused. 4ist. 9,,.
Comm. Reports) Carious. I) !/#+!/!.
!13#. %ilts. Eli0abeth Peacoc( ac-uitted. ,ee Inderwic(<s
list of witch trials in the western circuit) in his
,idelights on the ,tuarts 6:ondon) !$$$7) !"#+!"E.
4ereafter the reference HInderwic(H will mean
this list ,ee also aboe) p. D1") note.
!13#. ;eonshire. Eli0abeth Eburye and Aliena %alter ac+
-uitted. Inderwic(.
!13#. ,omerset Anne ,lade ac-uitted on two indictments.
Inderwic(.
APPE?;ICE, E!/
!13#. =uc(s. Ann Clar(e reprieed. Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.) !13#)
2$$.
!13!. ;eonshire. @ohanna Elford ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
! 13 !. ;eonshire. 9argaret 4eddon ac-uitted on two in+
dictments. Inderwic(.
!13!. Falmouth. ,eeral witches ac-uitted. Cal. ,t. P.) ;om.)
!13!) !#/) !3!. Perhaps identical with the three) two
men and a woman) mentioned by Inderwic( as ac+
-uitted in Cornwall.
!13D. ,omerset. 9argaret ,teens ac-uitted on two indict+
ments. Inderwic(.
!13D. ;eonshire. Phelippa =ruen ac-uitted on four indict+
ments. Inderwic(.
!13D. %ilts. Eli0abeth 9ills ac-uitted on two indictments.
Inderwic(.
!13D. %ilts. Eli0abeth Peacoc() who had been ac-uitted two
years before) ac-uitted on fie indictments. @udith
%itchell ac-uitted on two) found guilty on a third.
,he and Ann *illing sentenced to e.ecution. *hey
must hae been reprieed. Inderwic(5 Bentleman's
9aga0ine) !$2D) pt II) p. E$"+E"D.
!132. Yor(shire) ?orthumberland) and ;urham. At least
twenty+three women and si. men accused to arious
&ustices of the peace by Ann Armstrong) who con+
fessed to being present at witch meetings) and who
acted as a witch discoerer. ,ome of those whom
she accused were accused by others. 9argaret 9il+
burne) whom she seems not to hae mentioned) also
accused. Yor( ;epositions) !"!+D#D.
!13E. ?orthampton. Ann Foster said to hae been hanged
for destroying sheep and burning barns by witch+
craft A Full and *rue Relation of *he *ryal) Con+
demnation) and E.ecution of Ann Foster 6!13E7.
!13E. 9iddlese.. Eli0abeth Row of 4ac(ney held in bail for
her appearance at 8uarter ,essions. 9iddlese.
County Records) IC) ED+E2.
!13E. ,outhton) ,omerset @ohn and Agnes Anipp ac-uitted.
Inderwic(.
D$
E!1 APPE?;ICE,
!13ER 6see aboe) p. D1") note7. ,alisbury. %oman ac-uitted)
but (ept in gaol. ?orth) :ife of ?orth< !2#) !2!.
!13E+3/. :ancashire. @oseph 4inchcliffe and his wife bound
oer to appear at the assi0es. 4e committed suicide
and his wife died soon after. Yor( ;epositions)
D#$5 >lier 4eywood's ;iary 6!$$!+!$$/7) I) 21D.
!13/. ,outhton) ,omerset 9artha Rylens ac-uitted on fie
indictments. Inderwic(.
!131. ;eonshire. ,usannah ;aye ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!131. Cornwall. 9ary 8ar(son ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
c. !13". Ely) Cambridgeshire. %itch condemned) but re+
prieed. 4utchinson) 4istorical Essay concerning
%itchcraft) E!.
c. !1$#. ,omerset. Anna Rawlins ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
c. !1$#. ;erbyshire. Eli0abeth 4ole of %ingerworth accused
and committed for charging a baronet with witch+
craft. @. C. Co.) *hree Centuries of ;erbyshire An+
nals) II) "#.
!1$#. Yor(shire) Eli0abeth Fen wic( of :ongwitton ac-uitted.
Yor( ;epositions) DE3.
!1$D. :ondon. @ane Aent ac-uitted. A Full and *rue Account
. . . but more especially the *ryall of @ane Aent for
%itchcraft 6!1$D7.
!1$D. ,urrey. @oan =utts ac-uitted. ,trange and %onderfull
?ews from Yowell in ,urry 6!1$!7 5 An Account
of the *ryal and E.amination of @oan =uts 6!1$D7.
!1$D. ;eonshire. *emperance :loyd ac-uitted on one in+
dictment) found guilty on another. ,usanna Edwards
and 9ary *rembles found guilty. All three e.e+
cuted. Inderwic(5 ?orth) :ife of ?orth) !2#5 see
also app. A) V 1) aboe.
!1$D+$$. ?orthumberland. 9argaret ,tothard of Edlingham
accused. E. 9ac(en0ie) 4istory of ?orthumberland)
n) 22+21.
!1$2. :ondon. @ane ;odson ac-uitted. An Account of the
%hole Proceedings at the ,essions 4olden at the
,essions 4ouse in the >ld =aily . . . 6!1$27.
APPE?;ICE, E!3
!1$2. ,omerset. Elenora) ,usannah) and 9arie 4arris) and
Anna Clar(e ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!1$E. ;eonshire. Alicia 9olland found guilty. Inderwic(.
!1$/. ;eonshire. @ane Callet ac-uitted on three indictments.
Inderwic(.
temp. Caro: II. ;eonshire. Agnes Ryder of %oodbury ac+
cused) probably committed. A. 4. A. 4amilton)
8uarter ,essions chiefly in ;eon 6:ondon) !$3$7)
DD#.
temp. Carol. II. Ipswich) ,uffol(. A woman in prison. %il+
liam ;rage) ;aimonomageia) !!.
temp. Carol. II. 4erts. *wo suspected witches of =aldoc(
duc(ed. Ibid.) E#.
temp. Carol. II. ,t. Albans) 4erts. 9an and woman impris+
oned. %oman duc(ed. Ibid.
temp. Carol. II. *aunton ;ean) ,omerset. 9an ac-uitted.
?orth) :ife of ?orth) !2!.
!1$/+$1. 9almesbury) %ilts. Fourteen persons accused) among
whom were the three women) Peacoc() *illing and
%itchell) who had been tried in !13D. Eleen set at
liberty 5 Peacoc() *illing and %itchell (ept in prison
awhile) probably released eentually. Bentleman's
9agaeine) !$2D) pt I) E$"+E#D.
!1$1. ,omerset 4onora Phippan ac-uitted on two indict+
ments. Inderwic(.
!1$1. Cornwall. @ane ?oal) alias ?ic(less) alias ?icholas)
and =etty ,ee0e committed to :aunceston gaol for
bewitching a fifteen+year+old boy. %e (now from
Inderwic( that @ane ?icholas was ac-uitted. A
*rue Account of . . . @ohn *on(en of Pensans in
Cornwall 6!1$17.
!1$3. Yor(. %itch condemned) probably reprieed. 9em+
oirs and *raels of ,ir @ohn Reresby 6:ondon)
!$!D7) 2D".
!1$3. ;orset. ;ewnes Anumerton and Eli0abeth 4engler ac+
-uitted. Inderwic(. For e.amination of first see
Roberts) ,outhern Counties) /D/+/D1.
!1$3. %ilts. 9. Parle ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
E!$ APPE?;ICE,
!1$3. ;eonshire. Abigail 4andford ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!1$". %ilts. 9argareta Young condemned but reprieed
Christiana ;unne ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!1"#. *aunton) ,omerset Eli0abeth Farrier 6Carrier7) 9ar+
garet Coombes and Ann 9oore committed. Coom+
bes died in prison at =rewton. *he other two ac+
-uitted at the assi0es. Inderwic(5 =a.ter) Certainty
of the %orld of ,pirits) 3E+3L+
!1"D. %ilts. %oman committed. 4ist. 9,,. Comtn. Re+
ports) Carious) I) !1#.
!1"2. ,uffol(. %idow Chambers of Upaston committed) died
in gaol. 4utchinson) 4istorical Essay concerning
%itchcraft) ED.
!1"2+"E. ;eonshire. ;orothy Case ac-uitted on three in+
dictments. Inderwic(.
!1"2+"E. ;eonshire. Aatherine %illiams ac-uitted. Inder+
wic(.
!1"E. =ury ,t Edmunds) ,uffol(. 9other 9unnings of 4ar+
ris ac-uitted. 4utchinson) op. cit) E2.
!1"E. ,omerset. Action brought against three men for swim+
ming 9argaret %addam. 4ist 9,,. Comm. Re+
ports) Carious) I) !1#.
!1"E. Ipswich) ,uffol(. 9argaret Elnore ac-uitted. 4utch+
inson) EE.
!1"E. Aent Ann 4art of ,andwich conicted) but went free
under a general act of pardon. %. =oys) Collections
for an 4istory of ,andwich) 3!$.
!1"E+"/. ;eonshire. Clara Roach ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!1"/. :aunceston) Cornwall. 9ary Buy or ;aye ac-uitted.
4utchinson) EE+E/5 Inderwic( gies the name as
9aria ;aye 6or Buy7 and puts the trial in ;eon+
shire in !1"1.
!1"1. ;eonshire. Eli0abeth 4orner ac-uitted on three in+
dictments) 4utchinson) E/5 Inderwic(. ,ee also
letter from sub+dean =lac(burne to the =ishop of
E.eter in =rand) Popular Anti-uities 6ed. of !"#/7)
II) 1E$+1E".
!1"=+"". %ilts. Ruth Young ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
APPE?;ICE, E!"
!3##. ;orset Anne Brantly and 9argaretta %ay ac-uitted.
Inderwic(.
!3##+!#. :ancashire. A woman of Chowbent searched and
committed. ;ied before the assi0es. 9,. -uoted by
4arland and %il(inson) :ancashire Fol(+:ore
6:ondon) !$137) D#35 also E. =aines) :ancaster)
II) D#2.
!3#!. ,outhwar(. ,arah 9orduc() who had been before ac+
-uitted at Buildford) and who had unsuccessfully ap+
pealed to a &ustice in :ondon against her perse+
cutor) tried and ac-uitted. 4utchinson) E1. *he
*ryal of Richard 4athaway 6!3#D75 A Full and
*rue Account of the Apprehending and *a(ing of
9rs. ,arah 9o or di(e 6!3#!7 5 A short Account of
the *rial held at ,urry Assi0es) in the =orough of
,outhwar( 6!3#D7. ,ee aboe) app. A) V 3.
!3#!. Aingston) ,urrey. %oman ac-uitted. ?otes and
8ueries 6April !#) !"#"7) -uoting from the :ondon
Post of Aug. !+E) !3#!.
!3#!+#D. ;eonshire. ,usanna 4anoer ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!3#D+#2. %ilts. @oanna *anner ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!3#E. 9iddlese.. ,arah Briffiths committed to =ridewell.
A Full and *rue Account of a ?otorious %itch
6:ondon) !3#E7.
!3#/. ?orthampton. *wo women said to hae been burned
here. ,tory improbable. ,ee aboe) appendi. A)
V !#.
!3#3. ,omerset. 9aria ,teens ac-uitted. Inderwic(.
!3 !D. 4ertford. @ane %enham condemned) but reprieed.
,ee footnotes to chapter FIII and app. A) V ".
!3!1. 4untingdon. *wo witches) a mother and daughter)
said to hae been e.ecuted here. ,tory improbable.
,ee aboe) app. A) V !#.
!3!3. :eicester. @ane Clar( and her daughter said to hae
been tried. :eicestershire and Rutland ?otes and
8ueries) I) DE3.
!3!3. :eicester. 9other ?orton and her daughter ac-uitted.
=rit 9us.) Add. 9,,.) 2/)$2$) fol. E#E.
ED# APPE?;ICE,
I am unwilling to close this wor( without an e.pression of
my gratitude to the libraries) on both sides of the sea) which
hae so generously welcomed me to the use of their boo(s
and pamphlets on English witchcraft G many of them e.+
cessiely rare and precious. *hey hae made possible this
study. 9y debt is especially great to the libraries of the =rit+
ish 9useum and of :ambeth Palace at :ondon) to the =od+
leian :ibrary at >.ford) and in America to the =oston
Athenaeum and to the uniersity libraries of Yale and 4arard.
*o the unrialled %hite collection at Cornell my obligation is
deepest of all.
I?;EF.
Abbot) Beorge) Archbishop of Can+
terbury) !E! n. 6 D22+D2E
Abbott) Alice) !2a n.
Abingdon) D3) 2E3) 2$3
Account of the . . . Proceeding<
. . . in the >ld =aily) cited) E!1
Acton) E#E
Acts of the Priy Council) cited) D1
n.) a$ n.) 2# n.) 2E3) 2$E. 2</f
2$$) 2"#
Adams) %. 4. ;aenport) cited)
!$$ n.) 231
Adamson) Francis) E#"
Addison) @oseph) 2E#<2E!
Ady) *homas) D2$) DE!+DE2) 2!#.
Cited) !$#) !$E n.) DD/ n.) E#E
Agrippa) Cornelius) 1D
Allan) :ucy) cited) !E2 n.
Aldeburgh) !$D) !$2) !"! n.) !"2)
D## n.) E#/
Alene) case of) !2
Alfred the Breat) D
Allen) @oan) E#$) E!E
Alnwic() 2"#) E#$
Altharn) ,ir @ames) !!D) !.2) !D/
Anderson) ,ir Edmund) /!) /1 nU)
3$) $E) !#D) 2/#) 2/E) 2//
Andrews) %illiam) cited) !23 n.)
2"1
Anne) Princess of ;enmar() her
marriage to @ames I) "E
Annual Register) cited) !E! n n 2"$
Archalogio) cited) !# n.) 2"!
Archaologia Cantiana) cited) D! n.)
D" n.) 2$/) 2$") 2"<. 2"2
Archer) @ohn) D32) D$D5 conducts
Co. trial) D1#<D1!
Armstrong) Ann) D$!+D$D) E!/
Arnold) 9other) 2$1
Ashmole) Elias) cited) D!1) 21/) E#$
Ashmolean 9useum) at >.ford)
D!1
Ashton) @ohn) cited) !$$ n.) 2/!)
211) 231
Ashwell) @ohn) 3
Aspine) 9artha) !#3
Assembly) the witch. ,ee ,abbath
Assheton) R.) !/$ n.) E# .
Atcheson) Isabell) E.2
Aubrey) @ohn) his credulity) 2#1.
Cited) !1D n.) D!D n.) 21/) E#D)
E.#
Audley) icar of) 2D1
Autobiography of Edward Under+
hill) cited) !2 n.
Aery) H9aster)H ..o) !2#<!2D)
2/3< 2$E
=.) R. ,ee =urton) Richard.
=acon) Francis) DE1+DE3. Cited)
DE1 n.) DE3 n.
=addeley) Richard) !E! n.) !ED n.)
2/"
=ailey) Frances) E.D
=ailey) the >ld) !#$ n.
=aines) Edward) e(ed) !E3 n.) !E"
n.) !/# n.) !/$ n.) 2"<) E#!) E!"
=a(er) Ale.ander) !/E
=a(er) Anne) !22 n.) 2""
=a(er) @. =.) cited) E#"
=a(er) @oan) of ;ei0es) D.3) E#"
=a(er) @oan) of E.eter) E#"
=a(er) 9other) /"+1#
=a(ewell) affair of) !23) 2$E) 2"1
=aldoc() E!3
=amfield) Ellen) 2$"
=amford) @ames) 2/2
=ancroft) Richard) as =ishop of
:ondon) $E+$"5 as Archbishop of
Canterbury) $$ n.) $") D22) 2E1)
2/2
=angor) =ishop of) 2"3
=arber) 9ary) 2$2
=ar() Ellen) 2"E
ED!
EDD
I?;EF
=ar(ing) 2$1
=arlowe) wife of @ohn) E#!
=arnet) 2"a
=arringer) @oan) 2"#
=arrow) ;r.) of Cambridge) E3
=arrow) Isaac) 2#$ and n.) 2!!
=arrow) @ames) 2/1+2/3
=arrow) @ohn) 2/1
=artell) Eli0abeth) 2$"
=artham) ;oll) 2/#
=artham) >liffe) 2"E
=artle) =arbara) E!#
=arton) E#E
=arton) Eli0abeth) the H 4#I3 9aid
of Aent)H /$
=asel) !/ n.
=astard) Alice) E#@
=atcombe) 2E) 221
=ate) %illiam) 2"3
=ates) ;r.) cited) 223 n.
=ateson) 9ary) cited) 2"2
=ath and %ells) =ishop of) !1a n.
=ath and %ells) chancellor of the
=ishop of) 22/
=atte) 2$"
=a.ter) Richard) 31 n.) !"1) 2!1)
221+22"< Cited) 2!1 n.) 223 n.)
22$ n. t E#") E!$
=eaumont) @ohn) 221) 22". Cited)
232 n. f 23/ n.
=eaumont) ,usan) E#3
=eaer) Anne) E##
=edford) ;uchess of) E) ") E"
=edford) trials at) no) !!3) !2/+
!21) 2$2) 2"$) E#2) E#E
=edfordshire) !#3) D./) !!$) !.")
!3" n.) !$3) 2## n.) E#1
=ee) @esse) 2E"
=eeman) Eli0abeth) E#"
=eigel) 4.) 2E1
=e((er) =altha0ar) 22"
=el and the ;ragon) boo( of) "3
=elcher) Eli0abeth) !2#+!22) 22#)
2/3) 2$E
=el oir Castle) witchcraft at) !2D+
!2E
=ennett) Eli0abeth) E2+E2
=ennett) Berase) 2!"
=entham) *homas) =ishop of Co+
entry and :ichfield) !/ n.
=entley) Alice) 2"E
=enton) Beorge) E.!
=enton) @ennet) E.!
=er.mmn) 4elen) 2$3
=er(hampstead) 2/3
=er(s) 2$3. Ed2
=ernard) Richard) !1/) 22E+221)
2E!) 2"2) 2#2 n.) 21!) E#F. Cited)
2"$
=errye) Agnes) 2$E) 2""
=erwic() 2# .) 2#1) 2#3) 2#") 2/2
S.) 2/2) 2"F) 2"2) E#3
=eerley) E.#
=e.well) Rosa) /2 n.) 2"E
=ibb) @oan) E.2
=ill) Arthur) !#1+!#3) <2< n.) 2$2
=ilson) boy of. ,ee =ilston
=ilson) *homas) =ishop of %in+
chester) 22E
=ilston) boy of) !E#) !E!+!E2) !/!)
! / <S 2<2) E##
=in(es) Anne) !"2 n.) E#E
=ishop =urton) 2"E
=ishop's Cannings) E.2
=lac(burne) :auncelot) 22!) E.$
=lac(mail) charge of) !E") !/2
=lagrae) @oseph) cited) E.E
=lomefield) Francis) cited) E!2
=odenham) Anne) trial of) 2.#+2.2)
21/) EHQ
=odine 6=odin7) 1" n.
=odmin) E#/
=ohemia) 8ueen of) !/$
=o(es+wharfe) 2"E
=olingbro(e) Roger) $) "
=oram) mother and daughter) E.!
=oram) wife of) 2$/
=oreham of ,udbury) E#E
=ottesford) !2E n.
=oulton) Richard) 221) 22"c2E#Q 2E$
=ourne) @ohn) 2"#
=oet) Richard) 2#2 and n.
=ower) Edmond) 2.2) 2.1) 21E) 21/
=owes) :ady) 2/1
=owes) ,ir *homas) !13 n.
=o.e) Brace) E.#
=oyle) ,ir Robert) 223 and n.5
opinions of) 2#/+2#1 and n.
=oys) the Re. 9r.) 22!+222
=oys) %illiam) cited E#!) E#2) E.$
I?;EF
E<2
=racton) cited) !D$ n.
=radley) Alice) 2"1
=radwell) ,tephen) cited) 2"/
=ragge) Francis) 2D/+221) 232<23/
=ramford) E#E
=ranche) Anne) 2""
=rand) @ohn) cited) ao$ n.) 2a ! n.)
E#3
=randeaton) !3/) !3" n.) 23"
=raynford) 2"2
=rerely) Alice) 2"2
=rereton) ,ir %illiam) !/$. Cited)
!/$ n.
=rewton) E!$
=ridewell) E!"
=ridge) widow) E!E
=ridgeman) 4enry) =iahop of
Cheater) !/2+!/3) E#a
=ridges) Agnea) 2# n.) /") $$ n.)
2/i
=rightling) D$D
=rinley) @ohn) 2#2
=ristol) .i$) 2"a) E##
=ritannicua) 2/D
=ritton) /) 1. Cited) !D$
=rome) Richard) !/") 2EE) 2#1
=romley) ,ir Edward) !!2) !D/) !2E
=roo(s) @ane) aai) D22 ) E! .
=rown) Agnea) trial of) 2/) 21) ..o)
H/. 2/3< 2$E
=rown) @oan) !2#) !2!) !2a) 2/3
=rowne) 9argaret) 2$1
=rowne) P.) cited) E#1
=rowne) Richard) !$2 n.
=rowne) ,ir *homas) 211+D13) 2#/)
2i.
=ro.bourn) E.2
=ruen) Philippa) E./
=ruff) 9artha) E#/
=rumley) ;orothy) E#1
=ucer) 9artin) !/ n.) $$ n.
=uc(ingham) Beorge Cilliers) ;u(e
of) !2E n.
=uc(inghamshire) 3E) 2$$) E!/
=ulcoc() @ane and @ohn) 2$@
=ull) Edmund) E#!) E#2
=uUinger) !/ n.
=urghley) %illiam Cecil) :ord) !"
n.) 2/ n.) 23
=urman) Charles) cited) 2!1 n.
=urnet) =iahop Bilbert) DE$ n.
Cited) 211 n.
=urnham+UIpe) 2/1
=urntwood) 2$1
=urr) Beorge :.) cited) 2 n.) 2# . n.
=urthogge) Richard) 2E#. Cited)
2!$ n. f E#"
=urton) Richard 6H R. =.H7S 22"
n. Cited) 2"/) E#2
=urton) Robert) 2E/
=urton) boy of) named by =en
@onson) "2. ,ee also ,terling)
*homas
=urton+upon+ *rent) 31) $/) 2"2
=ury) *homas) 2$#
=ury ,t Edmunds) . 33+!$!) !"2)
!"E) 2##) 2#E) 21!+213) 2#/) 22 .)
21!) 23$) 23") 2"2< 2"E) E#E< EH.
Ei2S E!$
=ush) of =arton) E#E
=ua(e) 9other) 2$/
=utcher) Eli0abeth) 2$"
=utler's 4udibras on 9atthew
4op(ins) !1/) !"E
=utts) @oan) trial of) 233) E.1
=yett) %illiam) E1 n.
=yles) Andrew) 2/
=yrom) 9argaret) /2
=ysac() of %aldingfield) E#E
Calamy) Edmund) the elder) !3$
Calendar of Patent Rolls) cited) 3 n.
Calendar of the Proceedings of the
Committee for the Adance of
9oney) cited) !1E n.
Calendars of ,tate Papers) cited)
21 n. and passim
Calin) 1E) 1/) $3 n.
Cambridge) !2") !3" n.) 23") 2"1
Cambridge Uniersity) E$) $") 22$)
mo) 22L) 22$) 231) 23E5 8ueen'a
College) !E2) 2E$5 Christ's Col+
lege) 2235 Emmanuel College)
aa$ n.5 *rinity College) 2#$
Cambridgeshire) ...) !$E) aoo n.)
22 .) E#/) E#1) E.1
Camneld) Andrew) 2""
Camfield) =en&amin) 2#2) 2#3
EDE
I?;EF
Canterbury) D#!) 2//) 2$/) 2$1) E!D
Canterbury) Archbishop of. ,ee
%arham) %illiam5 Cramner)
*homas5 Par(er) 9atthew5 Brin+
dall) Edmund5 %bitgift) @ohn5
=ancroft) Richard5 Abbot)
Beorge
Carirary) @ohn) Earl of) 22" a.
Bariden) @oan) 2#! n.) E#/
Carnaron) !.$) 2"3
Carr) Robert) D2D
Carrier) Eli0abeth) E!$
Carrington) @ohn) 2!3) 2." n.) 23D
Carsboggil) laird of) "1
Carter) Richard) !3# n.
Casaubon) 9eric) D2$+DE#) D"2+D"")
2#3. Cited) DEE n.) D"2 n.) D"E
n.) E#2
Cason) @oan) trial of) /E) 2"#
Castleton) 2"2
Cecil) %illiam) :ord =urghley.
,ee =urghley
Celles) Cystley) E/
Certain< Informations) cited) E#2
Chalmers) Ale.ander) cited) 2D$ n.
Chamberlain) letter of) !!/ n.
Chambers) widow) E!$
Chandler) Alice) case of) 2$ n.) 2$/
Chandler) Eli0abeth) !$3 n.
Chandler) 9ary) !$/
Chandler) R.) D!D
Chandoa) daughter of :ady) 2$/
Chapboo() the witch) 22
Chard) DD!) E!!
Charles I) !E1) !/D) !/E) !/$) !1!)
i""S <2ES 2225 growth of s(epti+
cism as to witches in his reign)
!1D+!12
Charles II) DE$) D/E) D1D) D31) 2#15
witchcraft in his reign) D//
Charlewood) @.) 2/#
Chatterish) E#1
Chatto.) Anne) !#") !D!+!DD) !D1
n` FD3) 2$2
Chaucer) Beoffrey) $"
Chauncy) Arthur) 2D3
Chauncy) ,ir 4enry) 2DE) 2D1) 23/
Chelmsford) 2E+E!. E2. E1) !11+!3E)
!3$) .$$ n.) D##) D#E) 2E1) 212)
23<. 23$S 2$/) 2$3. 2<QS E##) E#25
trials of !/11 at) 2E+2$) 2$s5
trials of !/3" I<. 2$+E#) 2$35
trials of !2$" at) E#. 2"#5 trials
of !1E/ at) !11+!3E) E#2
Cherrie) of *hrapston) case of) !$E<
!$L
Cheshire) !!$) D22 n.
Chester) =ishop of. ,ee =ridge+
Chettell) H9istress)H 2$/
Chettle) Anne) D.$) E#$
Chichester) =ishop of) !D. ,ee
also 4arsnett) ,amuel
Chinting) 2$3
Chiahull) the Re. 9r.) 2D$
Chittam) 4enry) 2$3
Chowbent) E<"
Christ's College) Cambridge) DD3
Chronicon 9irabUe) cited) D#$ n.)
E#3
Church) the trials for s o rcery wa+
der) 1+$5 statute of 4enry CIII
not aimed to limit) !#5 state
ready to reclaim &urisdiction
from) DE5 penalties under) D$)
2#5 gradual transfer to state of
witchcraft cases) 2#+2!
Clar(e) of Aeiston) !$/+!$1
Clar(e) Ann) E!/) E!3
Clar(e) Eli0abeth) !11+!3/
Clar(e) 4elen) !1"
Clar(e) @ane) !E!+!ED) E!"
Clar(e) ,ir Robert) /E
Clar(e) ,amuel) cited) !33) 2#3)
21!) E#E) ESs
Clar(e) %illiam) his letter to
,pea(er :enthall) DD/ n.
Clar(son) 9ary) E.1
Cler(enwell) 2$"
Clerea) Pepper) 2"3) E.#
Cleworth) /D) !E" n.
Clinton) :ord) !D
Clouues) %illiam) DE n.
Clutterbuc() Robert) cited) 2D$ n.
Cobbett) %illiam) cited) !#D n.
Cobham) Eleanor) ;uchess of
Bloucester) E) $
Cobham) :ord) !D
I?;EF
E</
Coc() ,usan) 21a) 231
Cocwra) ,amuel) 2$3
Co(e) ,ir Edward) !#D) !/D) DD$.
Cited) !D$ n.) 2"1
Colchester) 2$$) 2$"< 2" !. E#$
Cole) 4enry) @ewel's controersy
with) !1 n.
Cole) *homas) 2E. 2E1
Coleman) @ohn) 2$$
Collection of 9odem Relations)
D3") 22" UI Cited) !E1 n.) !$!
n.) E#a) E#1) E#3) E.2
Collingham) 2"2
Coman) widow) case of) 22F+22<
Commission of >yer and *erminer)
!3$) !"D) D##
Committee of =oth Aingdoms) D##
Commons' @ournal) cited) !3 n.)
!#2 n.
Conyers) Robert) E!!
Coo(e) Elisabeth) 2"3
Coo(e) 9other) 2"D
Coombes) 9argaret) E.$
Cooper) C. 4. and *.) cited) 2/1
Cooper) @ohn) $D n.
Cooper) *homas) DD3) D2!+D2D) DED.
Cited) 2"$) E<!
Corbet) E!2
Corbolt. ,ee Bodbolt
Cornwall) D!3) D!$) DD!) DDE) 2/E.
D31+D33) D3") 2D#) 2$$) E#,. EU"S
E!/) E!1) E!3) E!$
Cornwall) 4enry) !3# n.
Cosyn) Edmund) D/
Cotta) @ohn) DD3) DD"+D2!) D2/) D23<
DE2. Cited) !2# n.) D2# n.) D2! n.
Cotton) %illiam) cited) D!3 n.) DD!
n.) DDE n.) E\Q"S E! oS Eii
Council of ,tate) D!/) D!") DD/)
DD1
Council Register) cited) !/D n.)
!/E n.) !// n.
HCountessH 69argaret Russel7)
E##
County Fol( :ore) ,uffol() cited)
!1/ tl) !31 n.) !3" n.) !"E n.)
2"D) E#E
Court of 4igh Commission) $E)
$1+$3
Coentry) D2D n.) E##
Coentry and :ichfield) =ishop of.
,ee =entham) *homas
Coerdale) 9iles) !/ n.) 2! n.
Coer ley) ,ir Roger de) 2E!
Cowper) Earl and Countess of)
2D$ n.
Co.) @ohn Charles) cited) !23 n.)
'D!" n.) 2DE n.) 2"1
Co.) @ulian) trial of) D1#+D1!) D32.
D$D) D"D) 2!#) E!2
Co.) Richard) !/ n.
Co.e) Francis) trial of) 2! U<IS 2/ SI
2$/
Cranbourne) Ciscount) !!/ n.) 2"1
Cranmer) *homas) Archbishop of
Canterbury) !D) /" n.
Crearey) Eli0abeth) E##
Creeting) E#E
Cric(e) E#E
Criminal Chronology of Yor( Cas+
tle) cited) DDE
Cromwell) ,ir 4enry) E$) /#
Cromwell) :ady) E$
Cromwell) >lier) E$ n.) D#3. D!D
n.) D./) Di"Q DD1) D23 n.) D3/
Cromwell) Richard) DD#) DD1
Cromwell) + *homas) !"
Crosse) ;iana) DD2+DDE) EH
Crossley) Eli0abeth) E#1) E.!
Crossley) @ames) cited) !DE n.) !E3
n.) 2/3. 2$o
Crouch) ?athaniel) 22" a+
Crump) 4annah) D/3
Cruther) @oseph) D$D
Cudworth) Ralph) 2#3
Cullender) Rose) D1D) 2!#) E.2
Culpepper) ?icholas) E#2
Cumberland) DD#) DDE) DD/) E#3
Cunny) @oan) 2E3
Curry) Aatharine) E!2
Cushman) :. %.) cited) DEE n.
;amages awarded accused) 2DE
;aners) ,ir @ohn) D!/
;arcy) =rian) E!) ED) EE n+S E/< E1<
n.) 2E$
;arling) *homas) 31+3$) $#) $/
ED1
I?;EF
;arrel) @ohn) 3E+$3t "Si F2$) 2//)
2F/Q 2E". 2/a+2/1. Cited) 2"!)
2"a) 2"2) 2"E
;aenport) @ohn) !$3 n.) 21a
;aentry) D/!
;aies) @. ,.) cited) $ n.
;ait) Ralph) 23/) 2$a
;aye) 9ary) E!$
;aye) ,usannah) E!1
;eacon) @ohn) 2/2) 2/E
;ee) @ohn) /D+/2) 3"
;eir) 9rs.) 2"#
;e((er) *homas) DEE. Cited) !!D
n.S 2/"
;el Rio) D2E
;emdi(e) >ld 6Eli0abeth ,outh+
erns7) F2F+I2$
;enham) 3E n.
;enham) ,ir @ohn) 22/
;enham *racts) cited) 2# n.) D!"
n.) 2$"< 2"#) E#3
;enison) @ohn) 3$ n.) 2E"
;enton) 21#
;erby) 2"a
;erby) Archdeacon of) $2
;erby) Earl of) 2"a
;erbyshire) /a) $!) !!$) !23) a !")
2DE) 2"#) 2"<) 2"1) E#3
;escartes) 22$
;eell) 9other) D$ n.
;eice) Ali0on) ... n.) 2$E
;eice) Eli0abeth) !#$ n.) !D"+!D1)
2$2
;eice) @ames) !D1+!D3) 2$2
;eice) @ennet) !!2) !D1+!D3
;ei0es) D!3) E#"< E<E
;eonshire) 2/E) D33) E#") E.E+E."
;ewse) 9rs.) 2"#
;iary) A) or an E.act @oumaU)
eited) !3E n.
;ic(onson) Frances) !E3) . /D+!1#
;ilby) ;oll) E.2
;istribution of witchcraft) !.$+!.")
!E1) DDE) D/E+D//
;octrine of ;eils) *he) D"1+2"3)
2#a n.
;odgson) ?athan) 2/1
;odson) @ane) E.1
;oncaster) 2"1
;orrington) ;octor) /# n.
;orset) 2$/) 2"#) E!3. E<"
;orset) 9ar-uis of) .a
;rage) %illiam) 213. Cited) D/1+
2/$ n.) D3" n.) E#D) E#$) E.3
;rew) widow) E#2
;uc(e) Eli0abeth) 2$1
;ugdale) Richard) 2./+2D#) 2D")
232
;uncane) Befllis) torture of) "/
;ungeon) 9other) 2$1
;unne) Christiana) E!$
;uny) Amy) trial of) 21D+D13) 2 I> S
EF2
;urham) !!") !E1) D.#) D!$) D."
n.) 2$$) 2$"< 2"/) E#!) E#3) E#"S
EU) E./
;urham) =ishop of) !D5 his In+
&unctions) cited) 2$$
;urham) ;epositions . . . from the
Court of) cited) D! n.) D" n.)
2$/
;urham) icar+general of the
=ishop of) !!3
;utten) 9other) D$ a.
E.) *.) < 9aister of Art)H 2$$
Earle) Aatherine) DD2) E.#
East Anglia) /!) H") !$E) !"3. 2//
Eburye) Eli0abeth) E.E
Ecldngton) 2"#
Edlingham) E.1
Edmonds) 9r.) D2/ n.
Edmonton) !#$) !!D) !21 n.) 2$2)
2"F) E##
Edward I) 1
Edward IC) E. "
Edward CI) !D) $$
Edwards) Richard) !1"+!3#
Edwards) ,usanna) D3!+D32) 21$+
21") E.1
Elford) @ohanna) E./
Eli0abeth) 2/+"D) "25 number of e.+
ecutions in her reign compared
with number under @ames) !#/+
.o15 spectral eidence in her
reign) ..o5 distribution of witch
cases) ..$
Ellyse) @oan) 2$1
I?;EF
ED3
Elnore) 9argaret) E!$
Ely) !$". <3"< E#1) E!1
Ely) =ishop of) !D) !/ n.) D2E
Emerson) a priest) 2$3
Emerson) Ann) 2$$
Emott) Isabel) E!#
Emmanuel College) Cambridge)
as$ n.
Endor) witch of) ,cot's e.plana+
tion of) 1D5 Filmer's e.planation
of) DE! 5 9uggleton's e.planation
XfS Y"/5 %ebster's e.planation
of) D"$
Enfield) 2$E) 2"2) 2""
Enger) 9aster) .io+i.i) !!3) !!$
and n.) !2/+!21
Esse.) 21) E!) 3# n.) "# n.) !!") !E1)
!/$) !11+!3E) !"D) !"/) aa$ n.)
22!+2L<) 223) 2$/< 2$3< 2$$) 2$"t
2"#) 2"!) 2"E< E#2< E#$
Esse.) Countess of) !EE n.) 222+
22E
Esse.) Earl of) 22E
Ettric() Anthony) 21/
Eans) Aatharine) E.!
Eesham) E#"
E.eter) 2! n.) 2!1) 22 .) 222) 23#+
232) 23$) 2D#+2D!) E#") E!#) E! .
E.eter) =ishop of) E.$
E.eter College) >.ford) D$/
Eye) witch of) E
F.) 4.) !32) 21!
Fairclough) ,amuel) !11 n.) !33)
!3$
Fairfa.) Edward) ...) !EE+!E/) 2E"+
D/#) 2/$) 2/"< Cited) !#D n.)
!E2 .i.) 2/# n.) 2"/) E##
Fairfa.) ,ir *homas) 21#
Faithful ,cout) *he) cited) 2.2
n.) 2!1) 21/) E#$
Falmouth) E./
Farbrother) @. E.) cited) E.!
Farington Papers) cited) !// n.
Farnworth) Richard) 2E# n.
Farrier) Eli0abeth) !!$
Faersham) /E) 2# .) 2"#) E#/
Female &uries) .o$) !.2) !3!) 21E)
<3iS <3"S 22#
Fenner) Edward) in %arboys trials)
E"+,>
Fenwic() Eli0abeth) 23") E.1
Ferris) ,ibilla) 2"2
Fian) ;r.) "E+"1
Filmer) ,ir Robert) 22$) DE!. Cited)
DE! n.
Finchingfield) 22$ n.
Finchley) 2""
Fisher) Aatharine) E#1
Fisherton+ Anger) D!!) E.#
Fishwic() cited) 232
Fi0e) 4enry) 2$$
Flagellum ;ttmcnum) 3" n.
Fleta) /
Flower) @oan and her daughters
69argaret and Philippa7) case
of) !!/) !!" n.) !2Y+!2E. 2$2.
2""
Fludd) Robert) 2$1
Fol&ambe) 9rs. ,ee =owes) :ady
Fol( :ore @ournal) *he) cited) 2E
n.) E#F
Fol(estone) 2$1
Ford) @ohn) 2/"
Fortescue) ,ir Anthony) case of)
<2
Fortescue) ,ir @ohn) 2E< 2E1
u Foscue) 9aster.H ,ee Fortescue)
,ir @ohn
Fossett) *emperance) E#"
Foster) Ann) trial of) 2$2) E./
Fowles) ,usanna) case of) 222 n.
Fo.croft) 4. C) cited) 2E! n.
France) 4ester) E#$
Francis) Eli0abeth) her two trials)
2/+Eo) 2$/
Francis) 9other) E##) E# .
Fran(fort) !/ n.
Fran(land) Richard) 2!1) 2!"
Fraunces) 9argaret) 2"E
Free) Boody) E.2
Freeman) Alice) $E) 2"2
Freeman) 9ary) $2
French Intelligencer) cited) 2.2 n.)
2./ n.) E#$
Fulham) E.!
Fuller) @ohn) cited) E#3
ED$
I?;EF
Fuller) *homas) cited) "# n.) !2"
n.) !E# n.) !E2) !EE) D#3 n.
Fustis ;emonum) cited) 3" n.
Babley) 9other) 2$"
Baddesden) little) D/1
Bairdner) @ames) cited) " n.
Ballis) Richard) 2E3
Bardiner) 9r. and 9rs.) 2DE
Bardiner) the Re. 9r.) 23s
Bardiner) Catherine) !2D n.
Bardiner) Ralph) cited) D#$) D#"
n.) E#3
Bargrae) E!#
Bare) 9other) 2$3
Baa(in) Emmy) E!E
Bateahead) D!#) D!" n.) E#3
Baule) @ohn) !1/) !3E+!3/) .$1+
!$3) !"D) !"1) D21+D23) DE!) DED
Bee) @ohn) cited) !2" n.
Benea) !E) !/) $3 n.) D22
Bentleman's 9ogasine) cited) "/
n.) !E" n.) !1# n.) D1" n.) D3" n.)
2/". 213. 2$"< 2"1) E#!) Eia)
E!2) E!/. E!3
Berard) ,ir Bilbert) 2E) 2E1
Berish) %. =.) cited) 23/
Bibbons) A.) cited) !$" n.) E#1
Bibson) HCos.)H DDD
Bifford) Beorge) /E) /3 n.) 3#+3D)
DED) DE2. Cited) 2"#) 2"E) 2"/
Bill) 4elena) 2"#
Bilston) 2D$ n.
Bilston) 9atthew) 22/
Bisborough) E! .
Blance of a witch) instances of)
!!!) !!a) !2/
Blanill) @oseph) .oi) !"1 n.) D2$)
D32+D31) D$/+Y"2) 2"3) D"") 2##)
2#2) 2#1) 2#3) 2#") 2.#) 2!E)
2<3t 221) 223. Cited) DD! n.)
DDD n.) D/! n.) D1# n.) 2#$ n.)
E#/) E#$) E! .) E.2
Blobe theatre) *he) !/"
Bloucester) ao$) E#3
Bloucester) ;uchess of) E) $
Bloucester) Richard of) "
Bloer) 9ary) !2$) 2//) 2"/
Bloer) ,tephen) cited) 2"1
Bodbold) @ohn) !3$) !"D
Bodfrey) Agnes) 2"2) 2"3
Boldsmith) 9r.) 22D
HBood %itches)H D!+D3) D") DD#)
DD") D/"+D1#
Boodcole) 4enry) !! a) 2/"
Booderidge) Alse) 31+3$) 2E") 2"D
Booding) Eli0abeth) !1"+!3#
Bough) Richard) 23/
Boulding) R. %.) cited) 2"1) E#!
Bordon) Re. Ale.ander) cited)
2!3 n.) 2." .u
Brainge) %illiam) 21#
Brame) 9argaret) 2"!
H Brantam's curse)H $$
Brantly) Anne) E."
Breat ,taughton) !$1+!$3
HBreat *.)H H9other %. of)H
2"/
Breat Yarmouth) .$i) 2$1. ,ee
also Yarmouth
Breedie) @oan) E#!
Breen) Ellen) 2""
Breene) Anne) E!#
Breene) Ellen) F22 n.
Breenleife) 9ary 6of Alresford7)
F3#+!3!
H Breenliefe of =arton)H E#E
Breenslet) Ferris) cited) D$1 n.
Breenwel) *homas) 23!
Breenwich) !/E
Breell) 9argaret) EE
Briffiths) ,arah) E."
Brimes) 9r.) 22D
Brimston) ,ir 4arbottle) !13 n.
Brindall) Edmund) =p. of :ondon)
then Abp. of Canterbury) !/ n.
Buildford) 2DD
Builford) =aron. ,et Francis
?orth
Bunpowder Plot) !D2< <2<
Burney) Eli0abeth) E#1
Buy) 9ary) E!$
Byngell) 9argaret) DD/) E!#
4aba((u() transportation of) "3
4ac(ett) 9argaret) 2"#
4ac(ney) E./
4aigh) E.E
I?;EF
ED"
4ale) ,ir 9atthew) 13) D1!.D1$)
2<2. 2#E) 2D!) 22E. 221) 223) 22"
n.) 213
4ale) %illiam 4.) cited) !# n.) D!
n.) DD n.) D" n.) 2$/
4alifa.) 9ar-ttia of) opinion of)
2Ei
4all) @ohn) 2/D
4all) @oseph) =iahop) !$#
4all) 9ary) D/1) D/3
4alliwell+ Phillips) @. >.) !ED n.)
2#1 n.
4allybread) Rose) 21D) 231
4airKwell) 4enry) 2#2 and n.) 2#E<
2#3
4amilton) A. 4. A.) cited) E.3
4ammer) E#E
4ammersmith) case at) 2D2 n.
4ammond) of %estminster) E#D
4ampstead) 2"1) 2"$
4ampton Court) !2
4andford) Abigail) E!$
4anoer) ,usanna) E!"
4ansen) @.) cited) 2 n.
4arington) ,ir @ohn) !E# n.
4arland and %il(inson) cited) E!"
4armondsworth) 2$1
4arris) Alice) D2D n.
4arris) Eleonora) E!3
4arris) Eli0abeth) D#! n.
4arris) 9arie) E!3
4arris) ,usannah) E!"
4arrison) 9r.) EE
4arrison) 4enry) 2$$
4arrison) @ohanna) of Royston)
!#$+!#") HI. !2/. 2$2. 2"1
4arrison) 9argaret) 2/1
4arrison) %illiam) 213
4arrod) 4.) cited) !$D n.) 2$1)
2$"< 2"#) E#s
4arrogate) 21#
4arrow) %eald) 2"#
4arsnett) ,amuel) later Abp. of
Yor() is) s.) $/+"<. i2<S <<3Q
222. 2E". 2/2+2/1. Cited) 2"#+
2"2
4art) 2$"
4art) Anne) E!$
4art) Prudence) !3#
4art 4all) >.ford) /3
4artis) E!$
4artley) Edmund) /D) 3"+$#) 2"D
4arey) Babriel) 1" n.
4arey) @oane) E##
4arey) *homas) E!!
4arey) %illiam) !/E) !1#+!1D
4arwood) Boodwife) D/1
4atfield Peerel) E!
4athaway) Richard) 2DD+2DE) 23!
4atheric(e) ,ara) E#!
4atsell) ,ir 4enry) 2D2
4aerhill) E#E
4a0litt) %. C) cited) 2/#+2/D) 21$
4eddenham) E#1
4eddon) 9argaret) E!/
4ele) ?. F.) cited) !$2 n.) !"! n.)
D## n.) E#/
4emlo(e) ,ir 4enry) 2DE
4empstead) E#E
4engler) Eli0abeth) E.3
4enry IC) E) 3
4enry CI) E) 3
4enry CIII) ao) 2#) /$ n. ,ee
also ,tatutes.
4eptenatall) E#1
4erbert) ,ir Edward) 2!! n.
4erd) Annis) EE) 2$$
4ereford) =ishop of) !D) D/ a.
4ertford) trials at !2E+!2/) 2!E)
2YE+22#) 2$2. 2"E. 2"1) E!"
4ertfordshire) !!$) 213) 23E) 2"!)
2"a) E#$) E!D) E!E) E.3
4ertfordshire County ,essions)
Rolls) cited) D! n.) DD! n.) 2"!)
E!D) E!E
4ewitt) Aatherine) 2$2
4eylyn) Peter) cited) !E2 n.
4eyr(() Robert) DE!) 2"$
4eywood) >lier) D/1) 2#3) 2!1
2!". Cited) E!1
4eywood) *homas) 2#1 n. 5 play of)
!/$+!/"5 opinions e.pressed in
play of) DEE+DE/. Cited) DEE n.
4ic(e) 9r.) 23"
4inchcliffe) @oseph) E.1
4ist. 9,,. Comm. Reports) cited)
!!E n.) and passim thereafter
4itcham) E#E
E2#
I?;EF
4itchin) 213
4oarstones) !E$) !/1
4obftrt) ,ir 4enry) !2E
4obbes) *homas) DE!) 2E1+2E")
2"!) 2#3
4olborn) 2"2< 2"$
4ole) Eli0abeth) case of) 2DE
4olinshed) cited) /E<//< /" n +S 2/#)
2$3. 2$$) 2"#
4olland) 4enry) 3D n.
4ollingsworth) A. B.) cited) !$2
n.) E#E
4olt) ,ir @ohn) 2135 nullified stat+
ute of @ames I5 gae repeated ac+
-uittals) 22#+2D25 his ruling on
the water ordeal) 222
4omes) ?athaniel) opinions of)
2E#. Cited) 2E# n.
4oo(e) %illiam) E/ n.
4op(ins) @ames) D1E
4op(ins) 9atthew) !1E+2#/) 22")
231) 23$
4opwood) 9r.) 3" n.
4orace) $"
4orner) Eli0abeth) 22!+222) E.$
4ott) @ane) ao. n.) E#/
4oughton) :ord) 2/"
4ousegoe) Eli0abeth) 2"2
4oward) 4enry) later Earl of
?orthampton) 2/2
4owell) @ames) .$o) F"/) 2E/
4owell) *. =. and *. @.) cited) !!1
nu) !EE n.) 222 n.
4owsell) Anne) E#/
4owson) 4elen) E#1
4ubbard) Eli0abeth) E#E
4uddersfield) E#$
4udson) Ann) E#3
4ughes) :ewis) 2//. E"/
4ulton) @ohn) 2#"
4umphrey) of Bloucester) ;u(e) $
4unnam) Anne) E#"
4unniman) @o(e) !1D n.) E#2
4unt) widow) E/ n.
4unt) @oan) 2$2) 2"$
4unt) Robert) 21#) 232) E!!) E.2
4unter) @oseph) cited) "a n.) 2/1
n.) E.2
4untingdon) E"+/<S !$/ n.) 2## n.)
223 n.) 2!E n.) 2E$) 21D) 23/)
2$2< E!"
4untingdonshire) E3+/'< !$/<!$3)
!"2) 221) 2E$) 23/+2$2Q E#/
4uson) Alice) E.2
4utchinson) Francis) !3/) !"/+!"$)
2<2) 2D!) 22!< 2E#+2E2< 2//. 23/<
2$#) 2$!. Cited) .. n.) !3" n.)
22!+222 n.) 22$ n.) 2"/) EH <
E!2) E!1) E!$
4u.ley) Catherine) 2.1) E#"
Il(eston) E#3
Images) alleged use of in witch+
craft) 1) /"+1#) !#"+..o) !2/+F23
Incendiarism ascribed to witch+
craft) 2$2+2$2) 222
Inderwic() F. A.) cited) 2#! n.)
22/ n.) 221 n.) a1$ n.) 21" n.)
23# n.) 2! . n.) 222. 23^< EHQQ
E!E+E!"
Ipswich) !1E) !3/. !$2) 22#) 2"E)
E#/) E!E) Ei3S E.$
@ac(son) Eli0abeth) !2$) 2//) 2"/
@ames I) 1") "# n.) "2< H". !2#)
!2a) !2E. I23+FE/) !E1) !1/) !$".
2#2) 223) 22$) 22" n.) 222) 22E)
2E!+2E2) 2E3) 2/#) 2/E) 2//) 21#)
213) 231) 2!2) 2!E) 22F. 4is
,cottish e.perience) "2+"15 his
;ctmonologU) "3+!#!5 his statute
and its effect) !#!+!#"5 distri+
bution of witchcraft in his realm)
! ! $+! !"5 his changing attitude)
!2$+!E/
@ames II) 2#$
@ames) B. P. R.S cited) 2E# U+S
2E< n.
@effreys) Beorge) =aron) 2.! n.
@effries) Anne) E#/
@en(inson) 4elen) 2$2
@ennings) :ady) E##
@eopardy) neglect of legal restric+
tion on) .s$ and n.) !E/ n.
@ewel) @ohn) =ishop of ,alisbury)
!/+!3
@oan of Arc) 22#
I?;EF
E2i
@ohnson) 9argaret) !/E) !/1) !/3.
F,"
@ohnson) %. ,.) cited) DEE n.
@ohnstone) @ames) 2E!
@ollie) *homas) 2.1<2.") 2D") 23D+
232
@ones) @. >.) cited) !1E n.) !$! n.)
! $a n.) !$$ n.
@onson) =en) "!+"D) DEE) 2$3
@ordan) @ane) 2"2
@orden) ;r. Edward) !2$) 2//) 2"/
@ourdemain) 9argery) 3+"
@urdie) @one) 2"1
Aeiston) !$/
Aelly) %illiam) cited) !E! n.) 2"$
Aelyng) ,ir @ohn) D1/) D13) 2#/
Aemp) Ursley) trial of) EF) E2
Aennet) Eli0abeth) E!D
Aent) Di n.) /E) /3) 1#) !!") D#!)
</,f 2/#) 2$2. 2$/Q 2$1) 2$$) 2$".
2"#) 2"2) 2"2) 2"E< E\H) E#2Q
E#/) E#$) E.D) E.1) E.$
Aent) 4oly 9aid of. ,ee =arton)
Eli0abeth
Aer(e) Anne) 2"E
Aer(e) @oan) /!
Aidderminster) E.D
Aimbolton) !$1
Aing) of Acton) E#E
Aing) Peter) 2$#
Aing's :ynn) /E) !! 1+! !3) !$2)
a2iS 2/$) 2$E. 2$"< 2"i. 2"2)
2"") E#/
Aingston) E!"
Aingston+upon+4uU) 2$"
Aittredge) B. :.) cited) D"$) 2#!)
2$2
Anipp) Agnes and @ohn) E./
Anott) Eli0abeth) D#$ n)) E#3
Anowles) ,ir %illiam) !/E
Anumerton) ;ewnes) E.3
:a(e) ,ir *homas) !./ n.) 2"1
:a(eland) 9other) .$a) D## n.)
2$ .) E#/
:aleham) 2$3
:ambe) ;r.) D!!
:ambe) Eli0abeth) E!#
<"
:ambeth) 2/E
:anam) Eli0abeth) E#$
:ancashire) /D) 3$+$!) "D) ! #$+! !2)
!!/+!!1) !!$) !2#+!2#) !E1+!1#)
DD" n.) 2#3) 2U+2I") 2"2< 2"")
E#D) E#1) E.E) E.1) E."5 ,tarchie
affair) 3$+$!) "D5 trials of !1! D)
!D#+!2#5 trials of !12E) !E1+!/15
;ugdale affair of !1$") 2./+2!"
:ancaster) !D#) !/!) !/1) !/$) !3!)
DDE) D32) 2$2) 2"D) 2"3) E#!)
E#D
:ancaster) chancellor of the
;uchy of) !/2 n.
:andgate) E.E
:andis) 9argaret) 21D) 231
:and's End) D.3+D.$) E#"
:angton) %alter) 1
:athom) E#D
:atimer) @ohn) cited) E##
:atton) E.E
:aunceston) D.$ n.) E#") E!$
:aenham) E#E
:aw) @ohn) !! . n.
:aw) *. B.) cited) 3E n.) $3 n.)
2/2
:awe) Alison) 2$"
:ea) 4. C) his definition of a
witch) E. Cited) 2 n.) "" n.
:each) @effrey) 2$"
:ec(y) %. E. 4.) !"1
:ee) ;orothy) E#/
:eech) Anne) !3#) !3E) 23"
:eeds) D.") E.#
:eepish) E# .
:egge) cited) !2$ n.) DD/ n.
:eicester) /E) !." n.) !D#) !E#+!E!)
2!$) 22\Q+22iS 2$E< 2"') 2"$) 2""<
E#D) E#$) E!"
:eicester) Records of the =orough
of) cited) /E n.
:eicestershire) /!) ..$) !22 n.) !E1)
2/") 2"3
:eicestershire and Rutland) ?otes
and 8ueries) cited) D.$ n.) 2"")
E#D) E#$) E!"
:eringston) Anne) D.E
:ewes) 2$3
:ichfield) =ishop of 6%alter
E2<
I?;EF
:angton7) 15 6*homas 9orton7)
ia.+ia<) !/a
:.ebermann) F.) died) a n.
:incoln) !!$) !." ^.) .ao5 trials of
!1!$+!1!") !2a) 2$2) 2""
:incoln) =ishop of) 3) $) .a) E") so
:incolnshire) 2"1) E#!
:ingwood) @oan) 2$"
:inneston) E# .
:inton) 9rs. :ynn) dted) 2" n.) "/
n.) 2$1
:ister) 9r.) ... note) ..a) !<"
:ittle Beddeaden) 2/1
:ierpool) E!E
:loyd) *emperance) D3!+!32) 21$+
21") E.1
:loyd) %illiam) =ishop of %or+
cester) 2E#
:loynd's wife) !/#
:oc() @ohn) E#$
:oc(e) @ohn) 2E#
:odge) Edmund) dted) !2" n.
:odge) ,ir >lier) D2$
:ondesdale) Eli0abeth) E#!
:ondon) ") as) <1) 2# n.) Li) /")
J/E< !/") !1#) !32) !33) D.# n.)
a.1) 233+23$) 2#") 2So) 2<<) 2<2)
2<") 2$Et 2$/) 2"E) 2"/) 2"") E#"<
EiU
:ondon) =ishop of) $) " n.) .a) 2#
n.) $E) 2$E) 2$3+ ,ee oho Brin+
dall) E.5 =ancroft) R.
:ondon Post) cited) E!"
:ong) ,ir @ames) s1$
:ongwitton) D3") E!1
:ords' @ournal) cited) .oa n.) !#2 n.
:ord's Prayer) testing of witches
by) E#) $#) 23!) a$a) 2a<
:othbury) 2# n.) $$ n.
:ondon) Eli0abeth) E.#
:outh) 2"1) E# .
:ow) Boody) E#E
:ower) 9. A.) cited) 2$1
:owes) @ohn) case of) !1/ n.) !3/+
t3". !"3) 23$. 23"
:owestoft) a1a) 212
:owndes) cited) 2E3) 2/#) 2/") 21E)
2$1) 2"#) 2"D
:oy) 9argaret) E.E
:ucas) 4ugh) ..a
:ucaa) @ane) ..o n.) ..a
:uther) 9artin) attitude of) to+
wards e.orcism) $3 n.
:yme) 2$/
:ynn. ,ee Aing's :ynn
9ac(en0ie) E.) cited) 2/" n<) E#!)
E!1
9ac(erell) =en&amin) dted) 2"!)
2"2) 2"") E#/
9aclrie) ,. @.) cited) 2$1
9ago9ino of ,condatt) cited) !31
n.) !"3 n.
9agic() ;orothy) 2"$
9aidstone) cases at) 2!/+2!1) 22$)
2E!) 2$2) E#$) EH
9aitland) ,. R.) cited) 2/2
9alborne) ,ir @ohn) boo( of) 12
9aiden) E!) /E) 3# n.
9al(ing *ower) meeting of witches
at) FF2) !22+!2") !E3) FE$) 2$2
9allory) :ady Eli0abeth) 222) E.!
9almesbury) alarm at) 21"+23#)
E#") E!3
9atter) wife of) 2$s
9anchester) 3"
9anners) Francis) Earl of Rutland)
!22+!2E) 2/"
9anners) :ord Francis) !22) !2E n.
9anners) :ord 4enry) !2E n.
9anners) :ady Aatherine) !2E n.
9anningtree) !1E) !1/) !32) !"2)
!"E
9ansfield) 3/
9anahip) cited) .$a n.
9anwood) ,ir Roger) /1
9archant) Anne) E#"
9argaret) 9other) s$ n.
9ar(s) use of as a test of witch+
craft) 21) E#) E/) 33) "") !#$)
!/!) !/E+F/,) U/1<F/3) !13) !"#)
a.$) 22") U2#) 2E2) 2E2) <^E) U$E)
22#
9artin) ;r.) 222
9ary I) !E) !/ tu) /2
9ary) 8ueen of ,cots) !$) nL) 21)
/2
9ascon) ;emon of) 2#1) 223 n.
I?;EF
E22
9ason) of Faersham) /E
9ason) @ames) and his opinions)
22" n.
9assachusetts) trials in) /#) 21E)
2.1) 2$2
9athers) the 6Cotton and In+
crease7) 2!1) 221
9atthews) Brace) 2!1+2!3
9ayhall) @ohn) cited) 2"/
9ealdns) =ridget) 2""
9eere) @ohn) 2"#
9elford) E#E
9elton) Eli0abeth) 2"2
9ercurius Aulicus) cited) E#2
9ercurius Citricus) cited) 21#) E#2
9ercurius ;emocritus) cited) 2!2
n.) 2/! n.) E#$
9trcurius Politicus) cited) 2!$ n.)
E#"
9ereweather) @one) E.2
9erlin) 22#
9erril) Boodman) !3! n.
9erriman) R. =.) cited) 3E n.
9ersam) Rose) 2"1
9ew(arr Church) 2"1
9iddlese.) /!) 3E) !!$) DE1) !3E)
2#i) 2#$ n.) 22#) 22E) 22/) 23$)
2$2+2$3) 2$o+2"ES 2"1+E##) E#s)
E#2. E#/+E!<. Ei/. Ei"
9iddlese. County Records) cited)
2! n.) 22# n.) 2$1) and passim
thereafter
9iddleton) *homas) 2EE
9idgley) 9ary) E#1
9idwife as a witch) D! and n.) E!)
2/$+2/"
9ilburne) @ane) 23"
9ilburne) 9argaret) E!/
9iller) Agnes) 2""
9ills) Eli0abeth) E./
9ills) @oan) E.E
9ilner) Ralph) !!3) 2"1
9ilnes) R. 9onc(ton) !#2 n.) 2/"
9ils) Boody) E#E
9ilton) @ohn) 2E!) 23$
9ilton) 9iles) 2"$
9istley+cum+9anningtree) !1E n.
9ob law) !!3) 2!/
9oderate Intelligencer) its opinion
of the =ury e.ecutions in !1E/)
!3"+!$#. Cited) !33 n.) !$# n.)
E#E
9olland) Alicia) E.3
9ompcsson affair) 232) 231) 2.#
9ondaye) Agnes) 2$/
9ontague) @ames) =p. of %in+
chester) "3 n.
9ontgomery) 2$3
9oone) 9argaret) !3# n.
9oordi(e) ,arah) case of) 222+22E)
E."
9oore) wife of) !$" n.) E#1
9oore) Ales) 2"/
9oore) Ann) E.$
9oore) 9ary) 212
9oore Rental) *he) cited) E.E
9orduc() ,arah. ,ee 9oordi(e
9ore) Beorge) $!) $E+$/) 2/2) 2/E.
Cited) 3$ n.) 3" n.) $# n.) 2"2
9ore) 4enry) 22$+2E#) 2E2) 212)
2$1) 2"3) 2#2) 2#3) 2#") 2.#.
Cited) 2! . n` 22") 2"E) 2"1) E#/)
E.#
9ore) ,ir *homas) /" n.
9ortimer) @ane) /2 n.) 2"2
9orton) 9argaret) E#$
9orton) *homas) =ishop of :ich+
field) !E! n.) !E2) !/2
9uch) =arfield) 2$3
9uggleton) :odowic() and witch+
craft) 2"/) 2"$) 2#3) 2#". Cited)
2"/ n.
9unnings) 9other) trial of) 22 .)
E.$
9uschamp) 9rs.) 2.#) 2.$) 2/2)
212
9uschamp) Beorge) 2#") 2.#
?.) ?.) 2.$ n.) 232
?ail) @. B.) cited) .$. n.
?apier) ;r.) E##
?apier) =arbara) "1
?ash) @. R.) cited) E!2
?ash) *homas) cited) 1" n.
?aestoc() 2$/
?aylor) @oane) 2"E
?eedham) E#E
E2E
I?;EF
?elson) Richard) 2"E
?eelson) Anne) 2"/
?ew England. ,ee 9assachusetts
?ew Romney) /"
?ewbury) E#2
?ewcastle) ao.) D#3+D#$) D/") <3"S
2$!) E#3) Ait) EUS EU
?ewell) ,ir 4enry) D3) <$
?ewgate) !$2 n.) E##
?ewgale) A *rue and Perfect :ist
of the Prisoners in) cited) E#"
?ewman) Ales) E/ nS
?ewman) Eli0abeth) E!#
?ewman) %illiam) E/ n.
?ewmar(et) !2E) .1.
?ewton) Isaac) 2#$
?icholas 6or ?icldess7) @ane) E.3
?ichols) @ohn) cited) D2E n.) !E! n.)
2""
?icholson) =rinsley) /$) 1a) 3# n.
?icolas) ,ir 4arris) cited) $ n.
?oa(e) @.) E!a
?oal) @ane) E.3
?orfol() !"2) aoo n.) 22!) D/2)
223) 2/1) 2$1) 2$#+2"!) 2"E) 2"/)
2"3. 2""+E#US E#2+E#1) E<#) E!<!
EFE
?orfol( Archeology) cited) .$a)
2$1) 2##) E#/
?orrington) Alice) /") 2$1
?orrington) 9ildred) /") 1D
?orth) Francis) =aron Builford)
D1" n.) D3 ! f "3D) D3$) 2#/) 2H
?orth) Roger) D13. Cited) D1! n.)
D1" n.) D3! n.) D3$ n.) E#2) E.1)
E.3
?orth Allerton) E##
?orth Riding 6of Yor(shire7) !.3
?orth Riding Record ,ociety) !.E
n.) !!3 n.) !1D n.
?orthampton) F#1+!!D) !./) ..$)
F!" n.) .ao) !2#+!2D) !$E) DD")
D2#) D//) 2.E n+S 2/3) 23/+2$2.
E!/. E!"
?orthampton) 4enry 4oward) Earl
of) 2/a
?orthamptonshire) !$E) D## n.) D$D)
22F) E#/. EH
?orthamptonshire 4andboo() 2$!+
2$a
?orthamptonshire 4istorical Col+
lections) 2$!
?orthfield) *homas) 3
?orthfleet) 2"E
?orthumberland) /a) !E1) D#$ a.)
D#") D!#) DD#) DDE) D$D) 2"#<
2"/. E#F) E#3. E.a) E.E. E</.
E.1
?orton) mother and daughter) 22#)
222. E!"
?orwich) 3 n.) E##) E#F) E#1) EH
?orwich) =ishop of) 3 SIS $) !/ ...)
$"
?otes and 8ueries) cited) !1E n))
2D . n.) 2$#) E.$) E."
?ottingham) 3/) $!+$1) ..$) 2Y/.
2$". 2"2. 2"E
?ottingham) Records of the =or+
ough of) cited) 2"E
?ottinghamshire) /!) <2E
?owell) Roger) !D2
?utter) Alice) trial of) !!2. H1)
!D1+!D3) 2$2
?utter) Christopher) !D3
?utter) Robert) !D$
>a(ham) EH
>gle) 4enry) D#$) D#") </" n.
>ld =ailey) .o$ n)) D.2
>lier) 9ary) E.D
>nslow) ,pea(er) D1$
>rchard) widow) E.D
>rchard) ?.) D"1 n.
>riel College) >.ford) D"E
>rme) %.) cited) 223 ...
>sborne) Francis) FE2+ FEE. <E/+
DE1) D"!. Cited) !E! .l) !E2.
DE1 n. )
>wen) @ohn) cited) D$3 n.
>wen) and =la(eway) cited) a. n.)
2$3
>.ford) ,amuel Par(er) =ishop
of) 2#$) 2#"
>.ford) .s) 12) FE1 n.) D.1) D$/.
E#D
>.ford Uniersity) !2!) D.1) D$/5
4art 4all) /35 >riel College)
2"E5 *rinity College) !2!+!2<
I?;EF
E2/
Pacy) 9r.) <1L
Padiham) !/# n. t 2""
Padston) 2$$
Palmer) C @.) cited) !$D n. t 2$")
2"#
Palmer) @ohn) D#$ n.
Pannel) 9ary) 2$2) 2"/
Paracelsus) D$1
Paris) Uniersity of) formulated
theory concerning pacts with
,atan) 2
Par(er) 9atthew) Archbishop of
Canterbury) 2#) $$ n.
Par(er) ,amuel) =ishop of >.ford)
2#$) 2#"
Par(er) *homas) Earl of 9accles+
field) 2!E) 2D#) 22#+22!) 22< n.)
2$#
Par(huret) @ohn) =ishop of ?or+
wich) !/ n.
Parle) 9.) E!3
Parliamentary 4istory) cited) is
n.` !#! o.
Peacoc() a schoolmaster) tortured)
!!/ n.) 2""
Peacoc() Edward) E#!
Peacoc() Eli0abeth) D1") 23#) E.E)
Ei/S EF3
Pearson) 9argaret) 2"3
Pechey) @oan) E/ n.
Pec() Francis) cited) !3s n.) E#2
Pec(ham) ,ir Beorge) 3E n.
Pelham) !/! n.
Pellican) cited) !/ n.
Pemberton) ,ir Francis) D33
Pembro(e) ,imon) 2$3
Pembro(e 4all) Cambridge) $"
Pendle 4ill) or Forest) 0&i) !E3)
2i/) 2"3
Pepper) 9rs.) D/") E!2
Pcpyt< ,amuel) 2#"
Pereson) @ennet) 2$/
Perfect ;iurnal) A) cited) E#2
Per(ins) %illiam) DD3+D2#) DE#)
DE!) DED) DE2
Perry) %illiam) the Hboy of =us+
ton)H ! E#+ . ED
Peter 9artyr) !1 n.
Peter) R. and >. =.) cited) D.$ n.)
E#"
Peterson) @oan) case of) D.2+D./)
E#$
Petty treason) its penalty not to
be confused with that of witch+
craft) !$D
Phillips) Boody) !$2
Phillips) @ohn) 2E1) 2/!
Phillips) 9ary) 2$D
Phippan) 4onora) E!3
Pic(ering) Bilbert) E3) !2! n.
Pic(ering) ,ir Bilbert) !2! n.
Pic(ering) 4enry) E$
Pic(ering) *homas) DD$ n.
Pic(erings) the) 2E$
Pico della 9irandola) D$1
Piers) Anne) 2$$
Pi(e) :. >.) cited) 3
Pillory) punishment of) 2#) //) !#E)
HE
Pilton) 9argaret) 2"$
Pinder) Rachel) 2# n.) /") $$) 2/!)
2$1
Pitcairn) Robert) cited) "/ n.
Plato) D2$
Pleasant *reatise of %itches) A)
D"1
Plummer) Colonel) 2D$ n.
Poeton) Edward) cited) E##
Pole) Arthur) D/
Pole) Edmund) D/
Polloc( and 9aitland) cited) 1 and
n.) 3 n.
Popham) ,ir @ohn) 2/E
Potts) *homas) !!D) !.2) !.1) !D/)
!<") . 2#) DE") 2/3+2/$) 21!.
Cited) !#/+!2# n.) passim) 2"3)
2"$
Powell) ,ir @ohn) D3D n.) 2.E) 2D#)
22E) 2Y3+2D$) 2D") 22#) 22/)
23E
Powell) :ady) D.E+D./
Powell) %illiam) 2E1
Powle) G ) E3"
Powstead) E#E
Pregnancy) plea of) in delay of
e.ecution) /#) "1
Prentice) @oan) 2E$
E21
I?;EF
Presbyterian party) its part in
4op(ins crusade) !"/+D#!
Prestall) @ohn) D/) 2<3< 2"3
Preston) @ennet) !!! n.) !!D) !D")
2E". 2$2Q 2"$
Price) @oan) E#"
Priy Council) its dealings with
sorcerers) in the later 9iddle
Ages) E+!#5 its campaign against
con&urers under Eli0abeth) D1+
D35 the Abingdon trials) D3+D$)
2# n.5 the Chelmsford trials) 2E5
;ee's case) /2+/E5 =arrel's) $35
its part in the statute of @ames I)
!#25 in the :ancashire trials of
!122) !/D) !//) !/15 in the ,om+
erset cases of !11E) D32. ,ee also
Acts of the Priy Council and
Council Register.
Protestant Post =oy) *he) 23E
Prowting) 9ary) E#D
8ueen's College) Cambridge) !E2)
2E$
R.) B.) 23E
R.) 4.) 2"#
Rainsford) ,ir Richard) D1#) D1$+
D1") D1"+D3#) 2#E
Rames) ?icholas) wife of) D3"
Ramsay) ,ir @. R.) cited) " n.
Ramsbury) 2$"
Rand) 9argaret) 2"!
Randall) 2"3
Randall) of :aenham) E#E
Randoll) 2$$
Ratcliffe) E#E
Ratcliffe) Agnes) !21 n.
Rattlesden) E#E
Rawlins) Anna) E!1
Raymond) ,ir *homas) D1#) D3#+
D3!) D3!+D3D) D3$) D$2) 2#E. 2<i
Read) @oan) D!3
Read) 9argaret) 2"!
Read) ,imon) 2"3
Redfearne) Anne) !D1 n.) !D3+!D$)
2$2
Redman) D/$
Repington) Philip) =p. of :in+
coin) 3
Reresby) ,ir @ohn) D3D n.) 2#/) 2!!.
Cited) E!3
Rhymes) %itch) DE) 31
Rich) Robert) Earl of %arwic()
!3D) !3$) D##
Richard III) "
Richardson) 9. A.) cited) !!3 n.)
D." n.) 2"/) E#") E!D
Richmond) of =ramford) E#E
Richmond 6Yor(shire7) 2"1
Richmond and :eno.) ;u(e of)
a$ 3
Risden) !$$ n.) E#1
Riet) @ohn) !11
Roach) Clara) E!$
Roberts) Ale.ander) DD3) D2!) D2/.
Cited) !!3 n.) D2! n.) 2"".
Roberta) Eli0abeth) 2"E) E!#
Roberts) Beorge) cited) D3" n.)
2$/) E<3
Roberta) @oan) E#3
Robey) Isabel) 2$E
Robinson) Edmund) !E1+!/3) D"$)
2<2
Robson) @ane) E# .
Rochester) 12) 2$$
Rodes) ,ara) D.$
Rogers) :ydia) 211) E!!
Roper) 9argaret) 3/) 2"#
Rose) Boodwife) E#D
Rossington) 2"1
Rous) Francis) DE#
Row) Eli0abeth) E!/
Ro.burghe Club) cited) "/ n.
Royal ,ociety) the) D3/) D$/) D$1)
2#/) 2#1) 2#$+2#"
Royston) !#") ...
Ruceuler) E#E
Rushoc() E!D
Russel) 9argaret) E##
Rutland) Earl of. ,ee 9anners.
Rutlandshire) E.!
Rutter) Eli0abeth) 2$2) 2""
Ryder) Agnes) E.3
Rye) !.1) 2$2) 2"3S Ed/
Rylena) 9artha) E.1
Ryley) @osia) 2"2
Rymer) cited) 3
I?;EF
E23
,.) Alice) /2 n. f 2"E
,abbath) the %itch) 2) !!2< H2.
!DE) iEUS S11) !3#) .$1) D2") D32)
D$ !+D$ &
,affron %alden) 2"E
,aint Alban's) D#$ n.) D/a n.) 212)
E#3) E#$) E!3
,aint Andrew's in 4olborne) 2"2)
.2"$
,aint Biles's) ?orthampton) 2$D
,aint Biles+in+thc+Fields) 2"2
,aint @ohn's) Aent) 2$/) 2$"
,aint Aatharine's) 2"E
,aint :awrence) 2"2
,aint :eonard's) ,horeditch) E#2
,aint 9artin's+in+the+Fields) 2$")
E#1) E#"
,aint 9ary's) ?ottingham) $2
,aint >syth's) E!+E1) /$) 3#) !D/)
2$$
,aint Paul's) !25 public penance in)
/"
,aint Paul's) ;ean of ) ! ! n.
,aint Peter's) Aent) 2$") 2"D) 2"2
,aint ,aiour's) ,outhwar() 2$3
,alem. ,ee 9assachusetts
,alisbury) D!D) DD/) D1$) D3#+D3!)
Eio) ES
,alisbury) =ishop of. ,ee @ewel)
@ohn
,almesbury) witches of) !D$+!D")
2"$
,alop 6,hropshire7) 2$3
,ammon) 9argerie) E2) EE) E/ n.
,ampson) Agnes) torture of) "/
,amuel) Agnes) E"
,amuel) Alice) trial of) E3<2!
,amuel) @ohn) E"
,amuel) 9other. ,ee Alice ,am+
uel
,amuels) the 6of %arboys7) !#")
2"!
,andwich) E#!) E#2) E!$
,anford) 2$3
,awyer) Eli0abeth) trial of) !#$ n. y
!! D) !21) n.) 2$2) E##
,carborough) D!") E#"
,carfe) of Rattlesden) E#E
,chwebel) @ohann) !/ n.
,cory) @ohn) =ishop of 4ereford)
!/ n.
,cot) 9argery) E#"
,cot) Reginald) /!) //) /3+3<. $")
"#) "3S !E<. !1#) DD3) DD$+D2!)
<2/. <2". YE!) DED) DE2) DE"+ 2"!)
D"E U+IS <"L) D"$) 2#!) 2!#) 2H)
2ED. Cited) D# n.) D$ n.) E1 n.)
D"1 n.) 2E3) 2E$) 2$1) 2$3) 2$$
,cot) ,ir *homas) /1
,cotland) Register of the Priy
Council of) cited "1 n.
,cotland and the Commonwealth)
cited) DD/
,cots+4all) /3
,cott) @ohn) cited) 2"!) 2"2
,cott) ,ir %alter) !"1) D3L. Cited)
i""U n.S 211
,cottish ;oe) *he) cited) E#E
,eaford) 2$1
,eccombe) *homas) cited) !1E n.)
!$! n.
,ee0e) =etty) E!3
,elden) @ohn) DE1+DE$) D1D. Cited)
DE3 n.) DE$ n.
,er&eantson) Rer. R. 9.) 2$D
,ewel) %illiam) D"1 n.
,hadbroo() 2/#) 2"2) 2"E
,had well) *homas) .si) 2#"5 his
opinions) 2#1+2#3
,ha(espeare) %illiam) used 4ars+
nett) "!5 allusions in *welfth
?ight of) "D5 his witch+lore) DE2
,haloc() Anthony) !3! n.
,haw) Elinor) 2$D
,heahan) @. @.) cited) 2$"
,helley) E#E
,helley) @ane) 2"!
,hepton) 9allet) E!!
,herloc() *homas) 23E
,hip *aern) at Breenwich) !/E
,hore) @ane) "
,horeditch) E#2
,hrewsbury) Earl of) !D) !" n.) D1
,hrewsbury) ;u(e of) 2E!
,hropshire 6,alop7) 2$3
,huttleworths) 4ouse and Farm
Accounts of the) cited) 2""
,immons) 9argaret) 2$$
E2$
I?;EF
,impson) Eli0abeth) E!2
,impson) @ane) E.2
,impson) Robert) cited) 2"1
,impson) ,uaan) E#"
,inclar 6or ,inclair7) Beorge) cited)
2//. 211) 2"/
,lripsey) E#3
,lade) Anne) E!E
,lingaby) ,ir %illiam) E##
,mith) of Chinting) 2$3
,mith) Charlotte Fell) cited) /2 n.
,mith) Eli0abeth) E#$
,mith) Elleine) 2" n.) E#
,mith) Bilbert) 2""
,mith) 9ary) 22!) 2/$) 2$E) 2""
,mith) ,ir *homas) 2/ n.) 2$/
,mithfield) "
,mythe) Eli0abeth) E#1
,mythe) Aatharine) 2$1
,omers) %illiam) /!) $!+$1) "a)
2i/t 2/2. 2"2
,omerset) !E1) aao) 222) 22E) 22E)
D/E< <^\QQ <32) D$#) D$/) D"2)
22#) 2$$) 2"D) 2"2. E#!) E#2)
E!!) EI2+EJ"
,omerset) the protector) repeal of
felonies during his protectorate)
.a5 attitude of) !2
,orcery) distinguished from witch<
craft) 2<E
,outhampton) 2$3
,outhampton) Earl of) .a
,outhcole) @ustice) 2E1
,outhcote) @ohn) 2E
,outherns) Eli0abeth. ,ee ;cm+
dflce
,outhton) E!/) E!1
,outhwar() !1E) D/1) D33) 2D!)
222. 2$3) E!"
,outhwell) *homas) $
,outhworth. ,ee 9aster *homp+
son
,owerbutts) Brace) part in ,almes+
bury cases) !D$+!2") !2") !E#)
!/!
,pectator) *he) 2E! n.
,pectral eidence) ..o+.0i) !2! n.)
!$E) Dl$) DD!+D22) D2/+D21) D12+
21E. 23") 23" n.
,peier) !/ n.
,pencer) Anne) E#2
,pencer) 9ary) !/2) !/3) !/") !1#)
E#F
,po(es) 4elen) 2"2
,taffordshire) ..$) !E!) !E1) 2$1)
2$") E##) E#2
,tanford Riers) 2E
,tanhope) 2$$
,tanmore) 2"#
,tar Chamber) ;ee e.amined by
the) /D
,tarchie) 9rs.) 3" n.
,tarchie) @ohn) !E" n.
,tarchie) ?icholas) children of)
3$+$ .) !/$
,tarr) %illiam) E#"
,tationers' Registers) cited) 2E3<
2/#) 2/Y) 2/$
,tatutesM . Edward CI) cap. .ii
6repeal of felonies7) !D5 2
4enry CIII) cap. ad) ion.5 22
4enry CIII) cap. iii) !#+!D5 /
Eli0abeth) cap. .i) /) !E) !/) !3)
!#!+!#D5 . @ames I) cap. .ii) !#D+
!#E. 2FE
,taunton) 9other) 2" n.) 2$3
,tearne) @ohn) !1E+D#/ passim 6in
te.t and notes7) 22") 21!) 21D)
E#E. Cited) E#2+E#1.
,tebbing) 4enry) 22/) 23E) 23/
,teele) ,ir Richard) 2E2
,tephen) ,ir @. P.) cited) .o n`
.. n.
,tephen) :eslie) cited) 2$3 n.
,tephens) Edward) 22" n.
,tepney) E#/) E#$) E.#) E.!) E!2
,terland) 9r.) $2
,teens) 9argaret) E!/
,teens) 9aria) E."
,toU) Elmer) cited) 2EE n.
,tonden) E!E
,tothard) 9argaret) 2/") E.1
,tow) @ohn) cited) /" n.) 2/#
,towmar(et) !$2) E#E
,tranger) ;orothy) 23") E.2
,trangridge) >ld) 22$
,trassburg) !/ n.
,tratford+at+=ow) E#1) E#3
I?;EF
E2"
,trotton) E.E
,trutt) the Re. 9r.) 221) 2D3) 23/
,trype) @ohn) cited) !1 nu) !3 n.)
D/ n.) D1 n.) "3 n.) 2$/) 2"#
,tuart) Charles) ;u(e of Rich+
mond and :eno.) D$3
,tudley 4all) DD2
,tyle) Eli0abeth) D$#) E.2
,udbury) E#E
,uffol() !1E) ! 1L n.) !3/) !31 ^.)
!$2) !#E) !"/) !"3< UE) 223) 2/#)
23"< 2"a) 2"2) 2"E. EdES E\Q/S EHS
E!2) EQES Ei3Q Ei$
,uffol( Institute of Archeology)
Proceedings of) !31 n.
,urey) affair of. ,ee ;ugdale
,urrey) E!1) E."
,usse.) D$D) 2$1) 2$3) 2"3i Ed/S
E.D
,usse. Archmological Collections)
Y$2 n.) 2$1) E!D
,ussums) Ale.ander) E#E
,utton) E#1
,utton) 9ary) !!#+!!!) !.$ n.) !21)
2$2) 2"$
,utton) 9other) !#3+!#$) !!/) !.3)
!2,+!21) 2/$) 2$2< 2"$
,wan) @ohn) "# n.) 2//. Cited) 2"/
,wan Inn) 9aidstone) D.2
,wane) Boodwife) 2$"
,winow) Colonel) D#"
,winow) ;orothy) D#"+D!#) Di.) E#$
,withland) 2""
,wynbourne) Richard) wife of)
2"2
,y(es) @ohn) cited) 2# n.) E#3) E.E
,y(es) 9ary) D!$) E#3
*.) R.) D"/
*albot) Charles) ;u(e of ,hrews+
bury) 2E!+2E<
*albot) Beorge) Earl of ,hrews+
bury) !" n.) D1
*anner) @oanna) E."
*oiler) *he) 2ED nu
*aunton) D2E) D2/) D1#) E#!) E#2)
E.2) EF3) E!$
*aunton+;ean) D3$) E.3
*aylor) Robert) !3#
*aylor) Jachary) 2!3+2!$) 2D")
23a. 232
*edsall) Agnes) E#D
*edworth) affair of) D3E+D31) 2#2 n.
*empest) 4enry) D.$
*emple) ,ir %illiam) 2#"
*endering) @ohn) E! n.
*est of bleeding of dead body) !!D)
2# .5 of repetition of certain
words) E") !#"5 of thatch+burn<
ing) FFD5 of swimming 6see
%ater) ordeal of7
*heodore of *arsus) D
*herfield) 23E
*heydon) 9ount) 2$/
*hieery and %itchcraft) !DD) DDD)
2<1
*hirple) 23E
*hirslc< 2"3
*hompson) @ames) cited) D#!) n.)
E#$
*hompson) Aatherine) 2"/
*hompson) 9aster) !D"
*home) Anne) accuser of @ane
%enham) 2DE+22#) 22E+221
*horneton) @ane) 2$1
*horpe) =en&amin) cited) D n.
*hrapston) !$E+!$/
*hroc(morton) ,ir Robert) E3) /#
*hroc(mortons) the) 2E$
*hrogmorton) Beorge) 2$/
*hrogmorton) :ady Frances) 2$E
*hurlow) Brace) E!) ED
*ichmarsh) !2! n.
*ilbroo(+bushes) .$$ n.
*illing) Ann) D1"+D3#) E./) E.3
*olbooth) the) "1
*orture) of Alse Booderidge) 335
by the bootes) "15 of Peacoc()
!!/ n.) D#25 perhaps used at
:incoln) !2E5 un(nown to Eng+
lish law) !135 of :owes) by wal(+
ing) !31+!335 4op(ins's and
,tearne's theory and practice
as to) D#D+D#E5 adocated by
Per(ins) DD"5 by scratching) 22#5
by swimming 6see %ater) or+
deal of7
*ottenham) 2""
EE#
I?;EF
*owns) independent &urisdiction
of) /E+//) !!1+!!3) D#!
*ownshend) @ane) E!E
*radescant) @ohn) D!1
*ransportation of witches through
the air) 2) "3) D2") 2E1
*reasure+see(ers) D#
*ree5 2$3
*refulbac() ,tephen) 2"!
*relawny) ,ir @onathan) =ishop of
E.eter) 2D!
*rembles) 9ary) D3!+D3b) 21$+21")
E!1
*rinity College) >.ford) !2!+!2D5
9aster of. ,ee Isaac =arrow
*urner) %illiam) cited) E#/
*welfth ?ight) allusions in) "D
*wo *errible ,ea+Fights) cited)
DD/ n.
*yburn) /!. 2"E
*ynemouth) E.D
Under hill) Edward) Autobiography
of) cited) !2
Upaston) E!$
Upney) @oan) 2E3
Upsala) "E
Urwen) @ane) E#!
Utley) hanged at :ancaster) !/$)
E#!
U.bridge) 3E n.
Cairus) :eonardus) /$ n.
Callet) @ane) E!3
Can 4elmont) D$1
Carden) @. *.) cited) !"E n.
Caughan) @oan) 2$E
Caughans) the two 64enry and
*homas7) D$1
Cau.) :ord) 3E n.
Cernon) @ames) 2E!+2E<
Cetter) *heodor) cited) !/ n.
Cicars) Anne) 2$/
Cic(ers) A. 4.) cited) " n.
Cictoria 4istory of Esse.) cited)
"# n.
Cirley) @ohn) 3
%.) 9other) of Breat *.) 2"/
%.) 9other) of %. 4.) 2"/
9
%. %.H and the ,t. >syta's
pamphlet) E1) 1D n.
%addam) 9argaret) E!$
%ade) 9ary) DD2) E! .
%ade) %illiam) DD!) DD2) E.!
%adham) *homas) 2$$
%agg) Ann) E#3
%agstaffe) @ohn) D"E+D"/) D"3
%a(efield) DD#+DD!) E.!
%aldmgneld) E#E
%al(er) widow) 2$3
%al(er) Ellen) 2$/
%al(er) @ohn) 2/2) 2/E
%al(er) @ohn 6another7) cited) 21!
%al(erne) 2D/
%allis) @oane) !$/) n.) !$3 n.
%alsh) @ohn) trial of) 2! n.
%alter) Aliena) E.E
%alter) ,ir @ohn) D2/
%alton) Colonel Calentine) !$3)
D23) n.
%anley) ?athaniel) 2#3+ Cited)
2#$ n.
%apping) E#$) E!!
%arboys) trials at) E3+/ !) !#" n.)
!2!) !E2) !1#) !$/) aai) DD" n.)
2" .
%arburton) ,ir Peter) !ED
%arburton) Peter) D./
%arden of the Cin-ue Ports) !.1
%arham) %illiam) Abp. of Canter+
bury) /$ n.
%arminster) 2"$
%arwic() D/3) E.E
%arwic() Earl of. ,ee Rich
%ashington) ,ir @ohn) !$/
H%atchingH of witches) prac+
tised by 4op(ins and ,tearne)
!135 Baule's description) !3/5
,tearne's e.planation) !"#5
,tearne's description) D#D5 prob+
ably practised on Eli0abeth ,tyle)
D$#5 practised on a ,usse.
woman) D$2
%ater) ordeal of) @ames recom+
mends it) ""5 its use on the Con+
tinent) "" n.5 in reign of @ames)
!#1+!#$) .i$ n.) !2D5 stopped in
,uffol() !3$5 in 4untingdon+
I?;EF
EE!
Thire) !$35 its use by 4op(ins
and ,tearne) !"!+!"D5 story
that 4op(ins was put to it)
!"E5 use at Faersham) so. n.5
Per(ins's opinion) DD$5 Cotta's)
D2#5 =ernard's) 22/5 Ady's) DEs5
its decline) 2E2) D$E5 increased
use of it as an illegal process)
2</S 22 !5 forbidden in @ane
%enham's case) 2D15 at :eices+
ter) 22#5 in Esse.) 22<<2 2<5 by
4olt or Par(er) 22s5 by Addi+
son's ,ir Roger de Coerley and
his chaplain) 2E!
%aterhouse) 9other Agnes) trial
of) 2/+2$) E# SIS E/+ 2$,
%aterhouse) @oan) 21
%atson) @ane) E!2
%ay) 9argaretta) E!"
%ayt) 9rs.) !3E
%ebb) 9rs.) D1"
%ebb) Boodwife) 2"
%ebster) @ohn) !E!) !E3 n.) !E$+
!/!) !/!) <1$) D"3+2X2. 2UE+
Cited) 2#1 n.) 2/") E##
%eech) Christian) 2"3
%ee(e) E.2
%ee(es) Christiana) 2"3) E.#
%tt(ly InUl(gtnctr) cited) a. 2
n.) E#$
%eight) 9rs.) !3E
%elfitt) %illiam) cited) E!s
%ella.n) 9argaret) 2""
%ells) 2$"
%ells) Archdeacon of) D2/
%elton) D/!) E.!
%enham) !1E
%enham) @ane) trial of) 2<E+22#)
2$#) 2$!) E."5 controersy oer)
22E+2215 her trial the occasion
of 4utchinson's boo() 2ED+2E2
%entworth) :ord) !D
%est) Andrew) EE
%est) Anne) !1") and n.) !3!
%est) Rebecca) !1") !3#) !3!) 21D)
231
%est) %illiam) cited) 2/D) 2"!
%est Ayton) E#D
%est ;rayton) 2"E
%est Riding) Yor(shire) D/1
%estminster) disputation of) !1 n.5
cases at) !2"+ 2$E< 2$<S 2"<S E#2
%eston) Father) 3E n.) $3) 2/a
%estpenner) 2$$
%estwell) >ld Alice of) /") 2$1
%eyer 6%ier) %ierus7) @ohann)
1a) 3" n.) "3) DD" n.
%hita(er) *homas ;.) cited) !E3 n.
%hite) @oan) 2"!
%httechapel) E#"+E.#
%hitecroase ,treet) 2"1
%hitgift) @ohn) Archbishop of
Canterbury) 3E) $E) $$ n.
%hitehall) !2E
%hiteloc(e) =ulstrode) DD1) D/D n.
Cited) !3D n.) !3" n.) !$! n.)
D# . n.) D#1 n.) D#3 n.) E#2) E#3
%tc(ham) %illiam) =ishop of :in+
coln) /#
%iddowes) *homas) cited) 211
%iddrington) *homas) D#3 n.
%ier) %ierus. ,__ %eyer
%igan) !/1
%ildridge) *. *.) cited) !23 n.
%illdns) ;aid) cited) .o n.
%il(inson) Anne) E!E
%illiams) Aatherine) E.$
%illiams) Robert) cited) 2""
%illiford) @oan) D# . n.) E#/
%illimot) @oan) !." n.) !22 n.)
2""
%ilson) Alice) !#" n.
%ilson) Arthur) !E2 n.) !3D n.) !32.
Cited) 2/") E##) E#2
%ilts) !E1) si.) DDE) D1$) D1" n.)
23E. <$/S 2"3) 2"$) E#!) E#". EQo t
E.D+E.E) E!3<E!"
%imblington) E#1
%inch) ,ir 4umphrey) !ED
%inchester) =ishop of. ,et
*homas =ilson) and @ames 9on+
tague
%inchester Par() D/3 n.
%indeban() ,ecretary) !/D) !//
%indsor) F2") 2E3
%indsor) ;ean of) and Abingdon
trials) D$
EED
I?;EF
%ingerworth) E!1
%itchaU) @udith) D1") E3#) E!/) E!3
%itchfinder) ;arrel as a) 3/+$25
4op(ins as a) !1/+2#/5 a ,cotch
pric(er as a) D#1+D#$5 Ann Arm+
strong as a) D$!+D$D
%olsey) *homas) Abp. of Yor()
!") /" n.
%omen) proportion of to men in
indictments for witchcraft) !.E5
of wires to spinsters and to wid+
ows) ! !E+H/
%ood) Anthony s) cited) D"/ n.)
211
%ood) @oan) 2$1
%oodbridge) 2"s
%oodbury) E.3
%oodhouse) ;octor) D/3
%oodstoc() D3/
%ooler) 2"/
%orcester) 3) si 1) 231) 2$3) E#1)
E#". Eia
%orcester) =ishop of) is) 2E#
%orcestershire) D#$ n.
%orthington) @ohn) cited) !$# n.
%right) Eli0abeth) 31) 3$ n.) 2"D
%right) Brace) E#/
%right) Aatherine) 3/) $/) 2/2
%right) *homas) .oo) !$$ n.) 231.
Cited) D n.) 1 n.) 3 n.) " n.) !" n.)
</ a.) "/ n.) !## n.) !E3 n.) E#!
%rottesley) :ord) !1D a.
%ylde) @ohn) D!D
%ynnic() @ohn) !$/ il) !$3 n.)
E#/
Yarmouth) /E) !$!) !$2) !"") D#!)
D12) E#1. ,ee also Yarmouth)
Breat
Yarmouth) Breat) 2$#) 2"#) 2"/)
E#E
Young) 9argareta) E!$
Young) Ruth) E!$
Yor() ! ..) us) !!") !D") !EE) D!$)
DD#) DD" n.) DE") 2$2) 2$#) 2"E)
2"$) E\.QQ EF2. E!3
Yor() Archbishop of) $2
Yor( Castle) D/$
Yor( ;eposition<) D.$ n. Cited)
passim thereafter
Yor(shire) /D) !!$) !EE) !E1) !E"+
!/#) D.#) DD!) DDD) DD2) 2/E)
Y/1) D3$) 2/a) 2$2. 2$". 2"!) 2"2.
2"/+2"3< E##) E#D) E#1+E.!< E!E+
E!1
Yor(shire ?otes and 8ueries)
cited) D/3 n.
Jurich) !E) !/ n.) $3 n.
Jurich :etters) cited) !3 n.
Jweibruc(en) !/ n.
C>U?*%AY :I=RARY
4C DE2R C
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