The Devil in Britain and America

Shakespeare takes up the common tale about the bewitchment of Richard III. (Act III., scene 4):

‘Gloucester. Then be your eyes the witness of their evil;Look how I am bewitch’d; behold my armIs, like a blasted sapling, wither’d up:And this is Edward’s wife, that monstrous witch,Consorted with that harlot-strumpet Shore,That, by their witchcraft, thus have markèd me.’

Monarchs in the sixteenth century were especially jealous (for their own sakes) of this trafficking with the foul fiend. According to Hutchinson, in 1541, ‘The Lord Hungerford beheaded for procuring certain Persons to conjure, that they might know how long Henry VIII. would live.’ Another authority, however, states that ‘Lord Hungerford was attainted and executed, for keeping an heretical chaplain.’

Queen Elizabeth in 1562 being suspicious of the Countess of Lenox, had her imprisoned on a trumped-up case of sorcery and witchcraft. But the Devil evidently had a spite against this Protestant Princess, for in the Calendar of State Papers for 1584 we read, ‘The Names of the Confederates against Her Majesty, who have diverse and sundry times conspired her life, and do daily confederate against her.’ Among others we find Lord Paget, Sir Geo. Hastings, Sir Thos. Hamner, ‘Ould Birtles the great devel, Darnally the sorcerer, Maude Twogood enchantresse, the ould witch of Ramsbury, several other olde witches, Gregson the north tale teller, who was one of them 3 that stole awaye the Earle of Northumberlande’s head frome one of the turrettes of York &c.’

We can scarcely wonder at the hatred of James I. of England to witches, seeing how he had been pestered with them in his realm of Scotland, two instances of which are recorded in the Calendars of State Papers. ‘1591. 21 May. Witches have been discovered in Scotland, who practised the King’s death, with the privity of Bothwell.’ ‘1600 16⁄20 Ap. The Queen of Scotland is said to be a zealous Catholic, and the King inclined thereto, because an Agnus Dei given him by the Queen had miraculously saved him in a tempest at sea, stirred up by witches, as the Witches themselves confess.’

It is a curious fact, well worthy the thinking over, that England and Europe had a comparative immunity from the assaults of the Devil, until after the Reformation, when for a time he became rampagious, troubling even the arch-Reformer Luther himself.

The earliest English printed book on witchcraft, pure and simple, that I can find is ‘The Examination of John Walsh,’ London, 1566. He confessed to having trafficked with ‘Feries’ and learned much from them respecting stolen goods and bewitched people; but in replying to his eighth interrogatory, ‘He being demaunded whether he had euer any Familiar or no; he sayth that he had one of his sayde mayster. Which Familiar (after his booke of Circles was taken from him by one Robert Baber of Crokehorne, then being Constable, in the yeare 1565) he could neuer do anything touching his Familiar, nor the use thereof, but hys Familiar dyd then depart from him, and wyll neuer come to him agayne, as he sayth. And further, he sayth upon his oth, that his familiar would sometyme come unto hym lyke a gray blackish Culuer,41 and somtyme lyke a brended Dog, and sometimes lyke a man in all proportions, sauinge that he had clouen feete.

‘Ninthly, he being demaunded howe long he had the use of the Familiar; he sayd one yeare by his sayd masters life, and iiii yeres after his death. And when he would call him for a horse stollen, or for any other matter wherein he would use him; he sayth hee must geue hym some lyuing thing, as a Chicken, a Cat, or a Dog. And further he sayth he must geue hym twoo lyuing thynges once a yeare. And at the first time when he had the Spirite, hys sayd maister did cause him to deliuer him one drop of his blud, whych bloud the Spirite did take away upon hys paw.

‘Tenthly, he sayth that when the Familiar should doo anything at his commaundment, in going any arrant; he would not go, except fyrst two wax candels of Virgin Waxe should first haue bene layd a crosse upon the Circle, wyth a little Frankensence, and saynt John’s woorte, and once lighted, and so put out agayne: which Frankensence must be layd then at euery end of the Candel, as he sayth a crosse, and also a litle Frankensence with saynt John’s woort burned upon the grounde, or euen the Familiar would go the message, and returne agayne at the houre appoynted…

‘… He being further demaunded to what end ye Spirits, in the likenes of Todes and the pictures of man or woman made in wax or clay, doo serue? He sayde, that Pictures made in wax wyll cause the partye (for whom it is made) to continue sycke twoo whole yeares ere the wax will be consumed. And, as for the Pictures of Claye, their confection is after this maner. They use to take the earth of a new made graue, the rib bone of a man or woman burned to ashes: if it be for a woman, they take the bone of a woman, if for a man, the bone of a man, and a blacke Spider, with an inner pith of an elder, tempered all in water, in which water the sayd Todes (? Images) must fyrst be washed. And after all ceremonies ended, they put a pricke, that is a pyn or a thorne in any member wher they wold haue the party greued. And if the sayde prycke be put to the harte, the party dieth within nine daies. Which Image they burne in the moste moystest place they can finde. And, as touching the using of the Todes, the which he sayth haue seueral names; soon they cal great Brownyng, or little Brownyng, or Boune, great Tom Twite, or litle Tom Twite, with other like names; Which Todes being called, the Witches strike with II withie sperres on both sydes of ye head, and saieth to the Spirit, their Pater noster backward, beginning at the ende of the Pater noster, but they wyll neuer say their Creede. And when he is stricken, they commaunde the Tode, to hurt such a man or woman as he would haue hurted. Whereto, if he swell, he will goo wher he is apointed, either to the deiry, brewhouse, or to the dry kill of malt, or to the Cattell in the field, to the stable, to the shepefold, or to any other like places, and so returne agayne to his place.

‘The bodies of men or women bee hurt by the Images before named, and mens goods and cattels be hurt by the Todes, in commaunding and using them, as aforesaid as he sayth. And if the Tode Called forth, as afore said, do not swell, then will the Witch that useth them call forth an other to do the act, which, if he do not, then will they spy another tyme when they may cause the partye to be found lacking fayth, or els to bee more voide of grace, whereby he or they may be hurt. Furthermore he saith, that whoso doth, once a day saye the Lorde’s prayer and his Creede in perfite charitie, the Witch shall haue no power on his body or goodes for that day.’

The witchcrafts of Elizabeth Stile42 and her four companions were decidedly malicious according to her printed confession, but according to her own account they did not prosper, and her state before their trial and execution seems to have been most pitiable.

‘Also this is not to be forgotten, that the said Mother Stile, beeyng at the tyme of her apprehension, so well in healthe of bodie and limmes, that she was able, and did goe on foote from Windsor unto Readyng unto the Gaile, which are twelue miles distant. Shortly after that she had made the aforesaid confession, the other Witches were apprehended, and were brought to the said Gaile, the said Mother Deuell did so bewitche her and others, (as she confessed unto the Iailer) with her Enchantments, that the use of all her limmes and senses were taken quite from her, and her Toes did rotte offe her feete, and she was laied uppon a Barrowe, as a moste uglie creature to beholde, and so brought before the Iudges, at such tyme as she was arraigned.’

In the next little book of the same year ‘A Detection of damnable driftes, practized by three Witches arraigned at Chelmissforde in Essex, at the late Assizes there holden, whiche were executed in Aprill 1579.’ In reality there were four witches, but one was not convicted, as no manslaughter could be found about her. I propose to give one little anecdote of each, whereby we shall find out something of the Devil’s appearance to witches, their families, and their extreme malice in petty things.

‘Imprimis, the saied Elizabeth Fraunces confessed that about Lent last, (as she now remembreth) she came to one Poole’s wife, her neighbour, and required some old yest of her, but beyng denied the same, she departed towardes one good wife Osborne’s house, a neighbour dwelling thereby, of whome she had yest; and, in her waie, going towards the saied good wife Osborne’s house, she cursed Poole’s wife, and badde a mischief to light uppon her, for that she would giue her no yest. Whereuppon, sodenly, in the waie, she heard a greate noise; and, presently there appered unto her a Spirite of a white colour, in seemyng like to a little rugged Dogge, standyng neere her uppon the grounde, who asked her whether she went? shee aunswered for such thinges as she wanted, and she tolde him therewith that she could gette no yeest of Poole’s wife, and therefore wished the same Spirite to goe to her and plague her, whiche the Spirite promised to doe; but, first he bad her giue him somewhat; then, she, hauing in her hand a crust of white bread, did bite a peece thereof, and threwe it uppon the grounde, whiche she thinketh he tooke up, and so went his waie: but, before he departed from her, she willed hym to plague Poole’s wife in the head, and since that she neuer sawe him, but she hath hearde by her neighbours that the same Poole’s wife was greuously pained in her head not longe after, and remayneth very sore payned still, for on saterdaie last past this Examinate Talked with her.’

In ‘The euidence giuen against Elleine Smithe of Maldon’ we find: ‘Besides, the sonne of this Mother Smith confessed that his mother did keepe three Spirites, whereof the one called by her great Dicke, was enclosed in a Wicker Bottle; the seconde named little Dicke, was putte into a Leather Bottle; And the third, termed Willet, she kept in a Wollepacke. And thereupon the house was commaunded to be searched. The Bottles and packe were found, but the Spirites were vanished awaie.’ Nevertheless this charming Master Smith had done his little utmost to hasten his mother’s immortality.

Mother Staunton, of Wimbishe, was the one who was not convicted, but things must have looked rather black against her. ‘Item, she came on a tyme to the house of one Richard Saunder of Brokewalden; and, beeyng denied Yeest, which she required of his wife, she went hir waie murmuryng, as offended with her answere, and, after her departure, the yonge child in the Cradle was taken vehemently sicke, in a merveilous strange maner, whereuppon the mother of the Childe tooke it up in her armes to comforte it, whiche beynge done, the Cradle rocked of it self, five or seuen tymes, in presence of one of the Earle of Surreis gentilmen; who, seying it, stabbed his dagger three or fower tymes into the Cradle ere it staied; merily jesting and saiyng, that he would kill the Deuill, if he would be rocked there.’

The worst I know about Mother Nokes, the last of this quatrain of witches, is as follows: ‘A Certaine Seruant to Thomas Spycer of Lamberd Ende, in Essex, yoman, sporting and passing away the time in play with a great number of youth, chaunced to snatche a paire of Gloues out of the pockette of this Mother Nokes’ Daughter, being a yong woman of the age of xxviij yeres, which he protesteth to haue done in iest. Her mother perceiuyng it, demaunded the Gloues of him, but he, geuing no greate eare to her wordes, departed towardes the feeldes to fetch home certeine Cattell. Immediately upon his departure, quoth the same Mother Nokes, to her Daughter, lette him alone, I will bounce him well enough; at which time he, being sodainely taken, and losing the use of his limmes, fell downe. There was a boye then in his Companie, by whome he sent the Gloues to Mother Nokes. Notwithstanding, his Maister was faine to cause him to be sent home in a Wheele Barrowe, and to bee laide into a bedde, wherewith his legges a crosse he lay bedred eight daies, and as yet hath not attayned to the right use of his lymmes.’

In 1582 were the witches of St. Osyth, in Essex,43 but, as they are too many to particularize, a summary, which appears at the end of the book, may best be given:

‘THE NAMES OF XIII WITCHES AND THOSE THAT HAUE BEEN BEWITCHED BY THEM

‘The Names of those persons that haue been bewitched and thereof haue dyed, and by whome, and of them that haue receiued bodyly harme &c. As appeareth upon sundrye Enformations, Examinations and Confessions, taken by the worshipfull Bryan Darcy, Esqre: And by him certified at large unto the Queene’s Maiesties Justices of Assise of the Countie of Essex, the xxix of March, 1582.

‘1. Ursley Kempe, alias Grey, bewitched to death Kempes Wife, Thorlowes Childe, Strattons Wife.

‘The said Ursley Kemp had foure spyrites, viz. their names, Tetty a hee, like a gray Cat; Jack, a hee, like a black Cat: Pygin, a she, like a black Toad, and Tyffyn, a she, like a white Lambe. The hees were to plague to death, and the shees to punish with bodily harme and to destroy cattell. Tyffyn, Ursley’s white spirit did tell her alwayes (when she asked) what the other witches had done: And by her, the most part were appelled, which spirit telled her alwayes true. As is well approued by the other Witches Confession.

‘2. Ales Newman and Ursley Kempe bewitched to death Letherdailes Childe and Strattons Wife.

‘The sayd Ales Newman had the said Ursley Kemps spirits to use at her pleasure.

‘The sayd Ales and Ursley Kempe bewitched Strattons Childe and Grace Thorlowe, whereof they did languish.

‘3. Elizabeth Bennet bewitched to death William Byet and Joan his wife, and iii of his beasts. The Wife of William Willes and William Willingalle.

‘Elizabeth Bennet bewitched William Bonners Wife, John Batler, Fortunes Childe, whereof they did languish.

‘Elizabeth Bennet had two Spirits, viz. their name Suckyn, a hee, like a blacke Dog: and Lyard, red lyke a Lyon or Hare.

‘Ales Newman bewitched to death John Johnson and his Wife, and her owne husband, as it is thought.

‘4. Ales Hunt bewitched to death Rebecca Durrant and vi beasts of one Haywardes.

‘Ales Hunt had two spirits lyke Coltes, the one blacke, the other white.

‘5. Cysley Celles bewitched to death Thomas Deaths Child. And bewitched Rosses mayde, Mary Death, whereof they did languish.

‘6. Cysley Celles and Ales Manfielde bewitched Richard Rosses horse and beasts, and caused their Impes to burne a barne with much corne.

‘Cysley Celles had two Spirits by severall names, viz. Sothrons, Herculus, Jack, or Mercury.

‘7. Ales Manfielde and Margaret Greuell bewitched to death Robert Cheston and Greuell Husband to Margaret.

‘Ales Manfielde and Margaret Greuell bewitched the widdow Cheston and her husband’s v beasts, and one bullocke, and seuerall brewinges of beere and batches of bread.

‘Ales Manfield and Margaret Greuell had in common, by agreement, iiii spirits, viz. their names, Robin, Jack, Will, Puppet, alias Magnet, whereof two were hees, and two shees, lyke unto black Cats.

‘8. Elizabeth Eustace bewitched to death Robert Stanneuette’s Childe and Thomas Crosse. And bewitched Robert Stannevette’s vii milch beasts, which gaue blood insteede of milke, and seuerall of his Swine dyed.

‘Elizabeth Eustace had iii Impes or Spirits, of coulour white, grey and black.

‘9. Annys Herde bewitched to death Richard Harrison’s wife and two wives of William Dowsing, as it is supposed. And bewitched Cartwright two beasts. Wade, sheep and lambs, &c. West, swine and pigs. Osborne, a brewing of beere, and seuerall other losses of milke and creame.

‘10. Annis Herd had vi Impes or spirites like auises and black byrdes, And vi other like Kine, of the bygnes of Rats, with short hornes: the Auises shee fed with wheat, barly, Otes and bread, the Kine with straw and hey.

‘11. Margery Sammon had two spirits like Toads, their names Tom and Robyn.

‘12. Annis Glascoke bewitched to death Mychell Steuens Childe, The base Childe at Pages, William Pages Childe.

‘13. Annis Glascocke, Joan Pechey, Joan Robinson. These haue not confessed any thing touching the hauing of spirits.’

So we see that eleven out of fourteen women confessed not only all that was alleged against them; but many of them went out of their way to oblige Queen Elizabeth’s judges, by confessing more. It seems incredible, nevertheless it is true.

Not half so interesting is ‘The most strange and admirable discouerie of the three Witches of Worboys,’ etc., London, 1593. And, besides, it is such a hackneyed case that it is not worth mentioning, save for the fact that three people were done to death for it, and that money was left for a sermon to be preached in Huntingdon, annually, in commemoration of the fact – a bequest that has now lapsed, the money, of course, disappearing into someone’s pocket.

Far rarer is the story of ‘The Witches of Northamptonshire, Agnes Browne, Joane Vaughan, Arthur Bill, Hellen Ienkenson, and Mary Barber, Witches, who were all executed at Northampton, the 22 of Iuly last, 1612.’ Unfortunately, it is too long for reproduction here in its entirety, which is a pity, as the story is told by one who would have shone as a police-court reporter to a certain section of modern journals; but a portion of it I may give:

‘This Agnes Browne led her life at Gilsborough in the county of Northampton, of poore parentage, and poorer education, one that, as shee was borne to no good, was, for want of grace neuer in the way to receiue any; euer noted to bee of an ill nature and wicked disposition, spightful and malitious, and many yeares before she died, both hated and feared among her neighbours: Being long suspected in the Towne where she dwelt, of that crime, which afterwards proved true. This Agnes Browne had a daughter whose name was Ioane Vaughan or Varnham, a maide (or at least unmarried) as gratious as the mother, and both of them as farre from grace as Heauen from Hell.

‘This Ioane was so well brought up under her mother’s elbow, that shee hangd with her for company under her mother’s nose. But to the purpose. This Ioane one day happening into the company of one Mistris Belcher, a vertuous and godly Gentlewoman of the same towne of Gilsborough, this Ioane Vaughan, whether of purpose to giue occasion of anger to the said Mistris Belcher, or but continue her vile and ordinary custome of behauiour, committed something either in speech or gesture, so unfitting and unseeming the nature of womanhood, that it displeased the most that were there present: But especially it touched the modesty of this Gentlewoman, who was much mooued with her bold and impudent demeanor, that she could not contain herselfe, but sodainely rose up and strooke her; howbeit hurt her not, but forced her to auoid the Company: which this Chicken of the Damme’s hatching, taking disdainfully, and beeing also enraged (as they that in this kind having power to harme, have neuer patience to beare) at her going out, told the Gentlewoman that shee would remember this iniury, and revenge it: To whom Mistris Belcher answered, that shee neither feared her, nor her mother; but bad her doe her worst.

‘This trull holding herselfe much disgraced, hies home in all hast to her mother; and telles her the wrong which shee suggested Mistris Belcher had done unto her: Now was the fire and the tow all enflamed: Nothing but rage and destruction: Had they had an hundred Spirits at command, the worst and the most hurtfull had been called to this counsell, and imployed about this businesse. Howbeit upon advise (if such a sinne may take or give aduise) they staied three or foure daies before they practised anything, to aduoid suspition, whether the mother aduised the daughter, or the daughter the mother, I know not, but I am sure the deuill neuer giues advise to any man or any woman in any act to be wary.

‘The matter thus sleeping (but rage and reuenge doe neuer rest) within a while was awaked, which Mistris Belcher, to her intollerable paine too soone felt: For being alone in her house, she was sodainely taken with such a griping and gnawing in her body, that shee cried out, and could scarce bee held by such as came unto her. And being carried to her bed, her face was many times so disfigured by beeing drawn awrie, that it both bred feare, and astonishment to all the beholders; and euer as shee had breath she cried, Here comes Ioane Vaughan, away with Ioane Vaughan.

‘This Gentlewoman being a long time thus strangely handled, to the great griefe of her friends, it happened that her brother, one Master Auery, hearing of his Sisters sicknesse and extremity, came to see her, and, being a sorrowfull beholder of that which before hee had heard, was much moued in his minde at his Sisters pitifull condition, and the rather, for that as hee knew not the nature of her disease, so hee was utterly ignorant of any direct way to minister cure or helpe to the same. Hee often heard her cry out against Ioane Vaughan alias Varnham, and her mother, and heard by report of the neighbours that which before had happened betwixt his Sister and the said Ioane. In so much as having confirmed his suspition that it was nothing else but Witch-craft, that tormented his Sister, following Rage rather than Reason, ran sodainly towards the house of the said Agnes Browne with purpose to draw both the mother and the daughter to his Sister for her to draw blood on; But, still as he came neere the house, hee was sodainely stopped, and could not enter, whether it was an astonishment thorough his feare, or that the Spirits had that power to stay him, I cannot iudge, but he reported at his comming backe that hee was forcibly stayed, and could not, for his life, goe any further forward; and they report, in the Country, that hee is a Gentleman of a stoute courage. Hee tried twice or thrice afterwards to goe to the house, but in the same place where he was staied at first, he was still staied: Belike, the Deuill stood there Centinell, kept his station well.

‘Upon this Master Auery beeing sory and much agrieued, that he could not helpe his Sister in this tormenting distresse; and, finding also that no physicke could doe her any good or easement, tooke a sorrowfull leaue and heauily departed home to his owne house.

‘The Impe of this Damme, and both Impes of the Deuill, being glad that they were both out of his reach, shewed presently that they had longer armes than he, for he felt, within a short time after his comming home, that hee was not out of their reach, beeing, by the deuilish practises of these two hel-houndes sodenly and grieuously tormented in the like kinde and with the like fits of his sister, which continued untill these two witches either by the procurement of Maister Auery and his friends (or for some other Deuilish practise they had committed in the Countrey) were apprehended and brought to Northampton Gaole by Sir William Saunders of Codesbrooke, Knight.

‘To which place the Brother and the Sister were brought, still desirous to scratch the Witches. Which Act, whether it be but superstitiously obserued by some; or, that experience hath found any power for helpe in this kind of Action by others, I list not to enquire, onely this I understand that many haue attempted the practising thereof, how successfully, I know not. But this Gentleman and his Sister beeing brought to the gaole where these Witches were detained, hauing once gotten sight of them, in their fits the Witches being held, by scratching, they drew blood of them, and were sodainely deliuered of their paine. Howbeit, they were no sooner out of sight, but they felle againe into their old traunces, and were more violently tormented than before: for when Mischiefe is once a foote, she growes in short time so headstrong, that she is hardly curbed.

‘Not long after, Maister Auery and his Sister hauing beene both in Northampton, and hauing drawne blood of the Witches, ryding both homewards in one Coach, there appeared to their view a man and a woman ryding both upon a blacke horse. M. Auery hauing spyed them a farre off, and noting many strange gestures from them, sodainely spake to them that were by, and (as it were Prophetically) cryed out in these words, That either they, or their Horses should presently miscarry. And, immediately, the horses fell downe dead. Whereupon Maister Auery rose up praysing ye grace and mercies of God, that he had so powerfully deliuered them, and had not suffered the foule spirits to worke the uttermost of their mischiefe upon men made after his image, but had turned their fury against Beasts. Upon this, they both hyed them home, still praysing God for their escape, and were neuer troubled after.