hunted her in view, till, at last, the huntsman, perceiving the hare almost spent, and making towards a great bush, he ran on the other side of the bush to take her up, and preserve her from the dogs; but, as soon as he laid hands on her, it proved to be Julian Cox, who had her head grovelling on the ground. He, knowing her, was affrighted, so that the hair on his head stood on end, and he spake to her, and asked her what brought her there? But she was so far out of breath that she could not make him any answer: his dogs also came up, with full cry, to recover the game, and smelt at her, and so left off hunting any farther. And the huntsman, with the dogs, went home presently, sadly affrighted.
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‘Thirdly, Another swore that Julian passed by his yard while his beasts were in milking, and stooping down, scored upon the ground for some small time. During which time his cattle ran mad, and some ran their heads against trees, and some of them died speedily: Whereupon, concluding they were bewitched, he was, after, advised to this experiment, to find out the Witch, viz. to cut off the ears of the bewitched beasts, and burn them; and that the witch would be in misery, and could not rest till they were plucked out. Which he tried; and while they were burning, Julian Cox came into the house, raging and scolding, that they had abused her without a cause; but she went presently to the fire, and took the ears which were burning and then she was quiet.
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‘The prisoner was called for up to the next bar in the court, and demanded if she could say the Lord’s Prayer? She said, she could, and went over the prayer readily till she came to that petition. Then she said And lead us into temptation, or, And lead us not into no temptation, but could not say, And lead us not into temptation, though she was directed to say it after one that repeated it to her, distinctly, but she could not repeat it otherwise than is expressed already; though tried to do it near half a score times in the open Court. After all which the Jury found her guilty, and, judgement having been given, within three or four days, she was executed without any confession of the fact.’
‘Elizabeth Styles, her confession of her Witchcraft January 26 and 30 and Feb. 7, 1664. before Robert Hunt Esqre.52 She then confessed, That the Devil, about ten years since, appeared to her in the shape of a handsome man, and after, of a black dog. That he promised her money, and that she should live gallantly, and have the pleasure of the world for 12 Years, if she would with her own blood, sign his paper, which was to give her soul to him, and observe his laws, and that he might suck her blood. This, after four solicitations, the examinant promised him to do. Upon which, he pricked the fourth finger of her right Hand, between the middle and upper joint (where the sign, at the Examination, remained) with a drop or two of blood, she signed the paper with an O. Upon this, the Devil gave her Sixpence, and vanished with the paper.
‘That, since, he hath appeared to her in the shape of a man, and did so on Wednesday seven night past: but more usually, he appears in the likeness of a dog, or cat, or a Fly like a Miller; in which last (shape) he usually sucks her on the Poll, about four of the Clock in the morning; and did so Jan. 27, and that it usually is pain to her to be so sucked.
‘That when she hath a desire to do harm, she calls the Spirit by the name of Robin; to whom, when he appeareth, she useth these words, O Satan, give me my purpose. She then tells him that he should so appear to her, was part of her contract with him.
‘That about a Month ago, he appearing, she desired him to torment one Elizabeth Hill, and to thrust thorns unto her Flesh, which he promised to do, and the next Time he appeared, he told her he had done it.
‘That a little above a month since, this Examinant, Alice Duke, Ann Bishop, and Mary Penny, met about nine of the clock, in the night, in the common near Trister Gate, where they met a man in black Cloaths, with a little band, to whom they did courtesie and due observance; and the examinant verily believes that this was the Devil. At that time Alice Duke brought a picture in Wax, which was for Elizabeth Hill: The man in black took it in his Arms, anointed it’s Forehead, and said, I baptize thee with this oyl, and used some other words. He was God father, and the examinant and Anne Bishop, God mothers; they called it Elizabeth or Bess. Then the man in black, this examinant, Anne Bishop, and Alice Duke, stuck thorns into several places of the Neck, Hand wrist, Fingers, and other parts of the said picture. After which they had wine, cakes and roast meat, (all brought by the man in black,) which they did eat and drink; they danced and were merry, were bodily there, and their cloaths.
‘... She saith, before they are carried to their meetings, they anoint their foreheads and hand wrists with Oyl the Spirit brings them, (which smells raw) and then they are carried in a very short time; using these words as they pass, Thout, tout a tout, tout, throughout and about; and when they go off from their meetings, they say, Rentum Tormentum.
‘That, at their first meeting the man in black bids them welcome, and they all make low obeysance to him, and he delivers some wax candles, like little torches, which they give back again at parting. When they anoint themselves, they use a long form of words, and when they stick thorns in the picture of any they would torment, they say, A pox on thee, I’ll spite thee.
‘That, at every meeting, before the Spirit vanishes away, he appoints the next meeting, place and time; and at his departure there is a foul smell. At their meeting, they have usually Wine or good beer, cakes, meat or the like; they eat and drink really; when they meet in their bodies, dance also, and have musick. The man in black sits at the hither End, and Anne Bishop usually sat next to him: He useth some words before meat, and none after; his voice is audible, but very low.
‘That they are sometimes carried in their bodies and their clothes, sometimes without, and, as the examinant thinks, only their spirits are present; yet they know one another.... The man in black sometimes plays on a pipe or cittern, and the company dances: at last the Devil vanisheth, and all are carried to their several homes, in a short space. At their parting, they say, Hey boy, merry meet, merry part.’
The story of the trial of Rose Cullender and Amy Duny at Bury St. Edmund’s, before Sir Matthew Hale in 1664, has been often told, but in one particular it differs from other cases of witchcraft.
‘Diana Bocking Sworn and Examined, Deposed. That she lived in the same Town of Leystoff, and that her said Daughter having been formerly Afflicted with swooning fits, recovered well of them, and so continued for a certain time; and, upon the First of February last, she was taken, also, with great pain in her Stomach, like pricking with Pins; and, afterwards, fell into swooning fitts, and so continued till the Deponents coming to the Assizes, having during the same time taken little or no food, but daily vomiting crooked Pins; and, upon Sunday last, raised Seven Pins. And, whilst her fits were upon her, she would spread both her Arms, with her hands open, and use postures as if she catched at something, and would instantly close her hands again; which being immediately forced open, they found several Pins diversely crooked, but could neither see nor perceive how, or in what manner they were conveyed thither. At another time, the same Jane being in another of her fitts, talked as if she were discoursing with some persons in the Room (though she would give no answer, nor seem to take notice of any person then present) and would in like manner cast abroad her Arms, saying, I will not have it, I will not have it; and at last, she said, Then I will have it, and so waving her Arm with her hand open, she would presently close the same; which, instantly forced open, they found in it a Lath-Nail.’
The two witches were executed, neither confessing.
Chapter XIX.
The Case of Mary Hill of Beckington—The Confession of Alice Huson—Florence Newton of Youghal—Temperance Lloyd (or Floyd), Mary Trembles, and Susannah Edwards.
But this case of vomiting pins is as nothing compared with the following, which is taken from Baxter’s ‘Certainty