The Devil in Britain and America

CHAPTER XVI

The foregoing sample must serve for the witches of Northamptonshire, nor will I touch on the Lancashire witches, whose story appears in nearly every modern work on witchcraft, and has been vulgarized by Harrison Ainsworth, except to give a portion of the evidence of one James Device, of the forest of Pendle, labourer, in the case of Janet or Jennet Preston, who was condemned as a witch, and executed at York in 1612.

‘And he also further saith, That the said Prestons wife had a Spirit with her like unto a white Foale, with a blacke spot in the forehead. And further this Examinate saith, That since the said meeting, as aforesaid, that he hath been brought to the house of one Preston in Gisburne Parish aforesaid, by Henry Hargreiues of Goldshey, to see whether shee was the woman that came amongst the said Witches, on the said last Good Friday, to crave their aide and assistance for the killing of the said Master Lister; and hauing had full view of her, hee, this Examinate confesseth, That she was the selfe-same woman which came amongst the said Witches on the said last Good Friday for their aide for the killing of the said Master Lister; and that brought the Spirit with her, in the shape of a White Foale, as aforesaid.

‘And this Examinate further saith, that all the said Witches went out of the said house in their owne shapes and likenesses, and they all, by that they were forth of the doores, were gotten on horse-backe like unto Foales, some of one colour, some of another, and Preston’s wife was the last; and when she got on horse-backe, they all presently vanished out of this Examinate’s sight; and before their said parting away, they all appointed to meete at the said Preston’s wife’s house that day twelve month; at which time the said Preston’s wife promised to make them a great feast; and, if they had occasion to meet in the meane time, then should warning be giuen that they should all meet upon Romles Moore. And this Examinate further saith, That at the said feast at Malkin Tower, this Examinate heard them all giue their consents to put the said Master Thomas Lister of Westby to death; and after Master Lister should haue been made away by Witchcraft, then al the said Witches gaue their consents to ioyne altogether to hancke Master Leonard Lister, when he should come to liue at the Sowgill, and so put him to death.’

Then we have ‘The Wonderful Discouerie of the Witchcrafts of Margaret and Philip Flower daughters of Ioan Flower, neere Beuer Castle: Executed at Lincoln March 11, 1618. Who were specially arraigned and condemned before Sir Henry Hobart, and Sir Edward Bromley, Iudges of Assise, for confessing themselues actors in the destruction of Henry, Lord Rosse, with their damnable practices against others the Children of the Right Honourable Francis Earle of Rutland. Together with the seuerall Examinations and Confessions of Anne Baker, Ioan Willimot, and Ellen Greene, Witches in Leicestershire.’ London, 1611.

The first case is a very ordinary one. The Flowers were discharged servants, and the children, after their leaving, sickened and died. The only remarkable part about it is, that ‘Ioane Flower, the Mother, before conviction (as they say) called for Bread and Butter, and wished it might neuer goe through her, if she were guilty of that, whereupon she was examined; so, mumbling it in her mouth, neuer spake more wordes after, but fell downe and died as she was carried to Lincolne Gaole, with a horrible excruciation of soule and body, and was buried at Ancaster.’

The portraits of the three witches do not prepossess us in their favour, and their confessions, on examination, fully bear out the feeling. Of the first: ‘Further, she saith that shee saw a hand appeare unto her, and that shee heard a voyce in the ayre say unto her: Anne Baker, saue thyselfe, for to-morrow, thou and thy maister must be slaine; and the next day her maister and shee were in a Cart together; and suddainely shee saw a flash of fire, and said her prayers, and the fire went away; and shortly after, a Crow came and picked upon her cloathes, and she said her prayers againe, and bad the Crow go to whom he was sent, and the Crow went unto her Maister, and did beat him to death, and shee, with her prayers recouered him to life; but hee was sicke for a fortnight after, and saith, that if shee had not had more knowledge than her maister, both he and shee, and all the Cattell had been slaine.’

Joan Willimot tells the following extraordinary story: ‘That shee hath a Spirit which shee calleth Pretty, which was given unto her by William Berry of Langholme, in Rutlandshire, whom she serued three yeares: and that her Master, when hee gaue it unto her, willed her to open her mouth, and hee would blow into her a Fairy which should do her good; and that shee opened her mouth, and hee did blow into her mouth; and that, presently, after his blowing, there came out of her mouth a Spirit, which stood upon the ground in the shape and forme of a Woman, which Spirit did aske of her her Soule, which shee then promised unto it, being willed thereunto by her Master.’

The third, Ellen Green, said ‘that one Ioan Willimot of Goadby came about sixe yeares since to her in the Wowlds, and purswaded this Examinate to forsake God, and betake her to the diuel, and she would give her two spirits; to which she gave her consent, and thereupon, the said Ioan Willimot called two spirits, one in the likenesse of a Kitlin, and the other of a Moldiwarp:44 the first the said Willimot called pusse, the other hisse, hisse, and they presently came to her, and she, departing, left them with this Examinate, and they leapt on her shoulder, and the Kitlin suckt under her right eare on her neck, and the Moldiwarp on the left side, in the like place. After they had suckt her, shee sent the Kitlin to a Baker of that Towne, whose name shee remembers not, who had called her Witch and stricken her; and bad her said spirit goe and bewitch him to death: The Moldiwarpe shee then bad go to Anne Dawse, of the same towne, and bewitch her to death, because she had called this examinate witch, jade, &c., and within one fortnight after, they both dyed.’

The case of Elizabeth Sawyer, known as the Witch of Edmonton, executed at Tyburn, April 19, 1621, is so extraordinary that I give a large portion of the tract in extenso:45

‘A true relation of the confession of Elizabeth Sawyer, spinster, after her conviction of Witchery, taken on Tuesday the 17 day of Aprill, Anno 1621, in the Gaole of Newgate, where she was prisoner, then in the presence and hearing of diuers persons whose names to verifie the same are here subscribed to this ensuyng confession, made unto me, Henry Goodcole, Minister of the word of God, Ordinary and Visiter for the Gaole of Newgate. In dialogue manner are here expressed the persons that she murthered, and the Cattell that she destroyed by the helpe of the Diuell.

‘In this manner was I inforced to speake unto her, because she might understand me, and giue unto me answere, according to my demands, for she was a very ignorant woman.

‘Question. By what meanes came you to have acquaintance with the Diuell, and when was the first time that you saw him, and how did you know that it was the Diuell?

‘Answere. The first time that the Diuell came unto me was when I was cursing, swearing, and blaspheming: he then rushed in upon me, and never before that time did I see him, or he me: and when he, namely the Diuell, came to me, the first words that he spake unto me were these: Oh! have I now found you cursing, swearing, and blaspheming? now you are mine.

‘Question. What sayd you to the Diuell, when he came unto you and spake unto you, were you not afraide of him? If you did feare him, what sayd the Diuell then unto you?

‘Answere. I was in a very greate feare when I saw the Diuell, but hee did bid me not to feare him at all, for hee would do me no hurt at all, but would do for mee whatsoeuer I would require of him; and as he promised unto me, he alwayes did such mischiefes as I did bid him to do, both on the bodies of Christians and beastes: if I did bid him vexe them to death, as oftentimes I did so bid him, it was presently by him done.

‘Question. Whether would the Diuell bring unto you word or no, what he had done for you, at your command; and if he did bring you word, how long would it bee, before he would come unto you againe, to tell you?

‘Answere. He would alwayes bring unto me word what he had done for me within the space of a weeke; he neuer failed me at that time; and would likewise do it to Creatures and beastes two manners of wayes, which was by scratching or pinching of them.

‘Question. Of what Christians and Beastes, and how many were the number that you were the cause of their death, and what moued you to prosecute them to the death?

‘Answere. I have been by the helpe of the Diuell the meanes of many Christians’ and beasts’ death; the cause that moued mee to do it was malice and enuy; for, if anybody had angred me in any manner, I would be so revenged of them, and of their Cattell. And do now further confesse that I was the cause of those two nurse children’s death, for the which I was now indicted, and acquited by the Iury.

‘Question. How long is it since the Diuell and you had acquaintance together, and how oftentimes in the weeke would hee come and see you, and you Company with him?

‘Answere. It is eight yeares since our first acquaintance; and three times in the weeke the Diuell would come and see me, after such his acquaintance gotten of me; he would come sometimes in the morning, and sometimes in the evening.

‘Question. In what shape would the Diuell come unto you?

‘Answere. Alwayes in the shape of a dogge, and of two collors, sometimes of blacke, and sometimes of white.

‘Question. What talke had the Diuel and you together, when that he appeared to you, and what did he aske of you – and what did you desire of him?

‘Answere. He asked of me when he came unto me, how I did, and what he should doe for mee, and demanded of mee my soule and body; threatning then to tear me in pieces if I did not grant unto him my soule and my body, which he asked of me.

‘Question. What did you after such the Diuel’s asking of you, to have your Soule and Body, and after this his threatning of you, did you for feare grant unto the Diuell his desire?

‘Answere. Yes; I granted for feare unto the Diuell his request of my soule and body; and, to seale this my promise made unto him, I then gave him leave to sucke of my bloud, the which hee asked of me.

‘Question. In what place of your body did the Diuell sucke of your bloude and whether did hee himselfe chuse the place, or did you yourselfe appoint him the place?

‘Answere. The place where the Diuell suckt my bloud was chosen by himselfe, and in that place, by continuall drawing, there is a thing in the forme of a Teate, at which the Diuell would sucke mee. And I asked the Diuell why he should sucke my bloud, and he sayd, it was to nourish him.

‘Question. Whether did you pull up your Coates or no, when the Diuell came to sucke you?

‘Answere. No. I did not, but the Diuell would put his head under my coates, and I did willingly suffer him to doe what he would.

‘Question. How long would the time bee, that the Diuell would continue sucking of you, and whether did you endure any paine, the time that hee was sucking of you?

‘Answere. He would be suckinge of me the continuance of a quarter of an houre, and when he suckt me I then felt no paine at all.

‘Question. What was the meaning that the Diuell, when he came unto you, would sometimes speake, and sometimes barke?

‘Answere. It is thus: when the Diuell spake to me, then hee was ready to doe for me what I bid him to doe; and when he came barking to mee, he then had done the mischiefe that I did bid him to doe for me. I did call the Diuell by the name of Tom.

‘Question. Did you euer handle the Diuell when he came unto you?

‘Answere. Yes, I did stroake him on the backe, and then he would becke unto me, and wagge his tayle as being therewith contented.

‘Question. Would the Diuell come unto you all in one bignesse?

‘Answere. No; when hee came unto mee in the blacke shape, he then was biggest, and in the white the least; and when that I was praying, hee then would come unto me in the white colour.’

In another narrative46 we have a different description of the devil, and of his protean powers:

‘Marie wife of Henrie Smith, Glouer, possessed with a wrathfull indignation against some of her neighbours, in regard that they made gaine of their buying and selling Cheese, which shee (using the same trade) could not doe, or they better, (at the least in her opinion than she did,) often times cursed them, and became incensed with unruly passions, armed with a setled resolution to effect some mischieuous proiects and designs against them. The diuell, who is skilfull, and reioyceth of such an occasion offered, and knoweth how to stirre up the euill affected humours of corrupt mindes, appeared unto her amiddes these discontentments, in the shape of a blacke man, and willed that she should continue in her malice, enuy, hatred, banning and cursing, and then he would be reuenged for her upon all those to whom she wished euill: and this promise was uttered in a lowe murmuring and hissing voyce: and, at that present, they entred tearmes of a compact, he requiring that she should forsake God, and depend upon him; to which she condescended in expresse tearmes, renouncing God, and betaking herselfe unto him.

‘After this, hee presented himselfe againe at sundrie times, and in other formes, as of a mist, and of a ball of fire, with some dispersed spangles of blacke, and at the last in prison (after the doome of iudgement, and sentence of condemnation was passed against her) two seuerall times, in that figure as at the first: only at the last he seemed to haue a pair of horns upon his head.’

Mary Smith, if what is written about her be true, was a very powerful witch. Many instances of her bewitching are given; but I think her spells on one John Orkton, a sailor, were the worst. She cursed him, ‘Whereupon, presently, hee grew weake, distempered in stomacke, and could digest no meate, nor other nourishment receiued, and this discrasie, or feeblenesse continued for the space of three quarters of a yeare; which time expired, the fore mentioned griefe fel downe from the stomacke into his hands and feete, so that his fingers did corrupt and were cut off; as also his toes putrified and consumed in a very strange and admirable manner. Neverthelesse, notwithstanding these calamities, so long as he was able, went still to Sea, in the goods and shippes of sundry Merchants (for it was his onely meanes of living) but neuer could make any prosperous voyage, eyther beneficiall to the Owners, or profitable to himselfe.

‘Whereupon, not willing to bee hindrance to others, and procure no good for his owne maintenance by his labours, left that trade of life, and kept home, where his former griefe encreasing, sought to obtaine help and remedie by Chirurgerie; and, for this end, went to Yarmouth, hoping to be cured by one there, who was accompted very skilfull: but no medicines applyed by the Rules of Arte and Experience, wrought any expected or hoped for effect; for both his hands and feete, which seemed in some measure, euery euening, to be healing, in the morning were found to have gone backeward, and growne far worse than before. So that the Chirurgian, perceiuing his labour to bee wholly frustrate, gaue ouer the cure, and the diseased patient still continueth in a most miserable and distressed estate, unto the which hee was brought by the hellish practises of this malitious woman, who, long before, openly in the streetes, (when, as yet, the neighbours knew of no such thing,) reioycing at the Calamity, said, Orkton now lyeth a rotting.’ She was executed January 12, 1616.

‘The Examination, Confession, Triall and Execution of Joane Williford, Joan Cariden, and Jane Hott, who were executed at Faversham in Kent, for being Witches, on Munday, the 29 of September, 1645,’ furnish us with other particulars, especially as they all confessed their crimes.

Joan Williford confessed ‘That the divell, about seven yeeres ago, did appeare to her in the shape of a little dog, and bid her to forsake God, and leane to him; who replied that she was loath to forsake him. Shee confessed also that shee had a desire to be revenged upon Thomas Letherland and Mary Woodrufe, now his wife. She further said that the divell promised her that she should not lacke, and that she had money sometimes brought her, she knew not whence, sometimes one shilling, sometimes eightpence, never more at once: shee called her Divell by the name of Bunne. She further saith, that her retainer Bunne carried Thomas Gardler out of a window, who fell into a back side. She further saith, that neere twenty years since, she promised her soule to the Divell. She further saith that she gave some of her blood to the Divell, who wrote the covenant betwixt them. She further saith that the Divell promised to be her servant about twenty yeeres, and that the time is now almost expired. She further saith that the Divell promised her that she should not sinke, being throwne into the water, and that the Divell sucked twice since she came into the prison; he came to her in the forme of a Muce.’

Joan Cariden’s confession was commonplace, but Jane Hott said that ‘a thing like a hedge hog had usually visited her, and came to her a great while agoe, about twenty yeares agoe, and that if it sucked her, it was in her sleep, and the paine thereof awaked her, and it came to her once or twice in the moneth, and sucked her, and when it lay upon her breast, she strucke it off with her hand, and that it was as soft as a Cat.

‘At her first coming into the Gaole, she spake very much to the other that were apprehended before her, to confesse if they were guilty; and stood to it very perversely that she was cleare of any such thing, and that, if they put her into the Water to try her, she should certainly sinke. But when she was put into the Water it was apparent that she did flote upon the Water. Being taken forth, a Gentleman to whom, before, she had so confidently spake, and with whom she offered to lay twenty shillings to one that she could not swim, asked her how it was possible she could be so impudent as not to confesse herselfe? To whom she answered, That the Divell went with her all the way, and told her that she should sinke; but when she was in the Water, he sate upon a Crosse beame and laughed at her.’

CHAPTER XVII

A sickening story is told in ‘A true and exact Relation of the seuerall Informations, Examinations, and Confessions of the late Witches, arraigned and executed in the County of Essex. Who were arraigned and condemned at the late Sessions, holden at Chelmesford before the Right Honorable Robert Earle of Warwicke and severall of his Majesties Iustices of Peace, the 29 of July 1645,’ etc., London, 1645. In this veritable ‘bloody assize,’ the rascally Matthew Hopkins appears, and it would almost seem as if the poor women confessed anything in order to have the luxury of dying. The charges against them were so frivolous, and the confessions so silly, that they must have either been imbecile or reckless. The following is a list of them:

The confession (!) of this latter will serve as an example of the puerility of them all.

‘This Examinant saith, that she hath four Familiars, which shee had from her mother, about two and twenty yeeres since; and that the names of the said Imps are James, Pricke eare, Robyn, and Sparrow; and three of these Imps are like Mouses, and the fourth like a Sparrow. And this Examinant saith, that to whomsoever shee sent the said Imp called Sparrow, it killed them presently; and that, first of all, she sent one of her three Imps like Mouses, to nip the Knee of one Robert Freeman, of Little Clacton, in the County of Essex, aforesaid, whom the said Imp did so lame, that the said Robert dyed on that lamenesse within half a yeere after: And this Examinant saith, that she sent her said Imp, Prickeare to kill the daughter of John Rawlins of Much-Holland aforesaid, which died accordingly within a short time after; and that she sent her said Imp Prickeare to the house of one John Tillet; which did suddenly kill the said Tillet.

‘And this Examinant saith that shee sent her said Imp Sparrow, to kill the childe of one George Parby of Much-Holland aforesaid, which child the said Imp did presently kill; and that the offence this Examinant took against the said George Parby to kill his said childe, was, because the wife of the said Parby denyed to give this Examinant a pint of Milke; and this Examinant further saith that shee sent her said Imp Sparrow to the house of Samuel Ray, which, in a very short time did kill the wife of the said Samuel; and that the cause of this Examinant’s malice against the said woman was, because shee refused to pay to this Examinant two pence which she challenged to be due to her; And that, afterwards, her said Imp Sparrow killed the said Childe of the said Samuel Ray: and this Examinant confesseth, that as soon as shee had received the said four Imps from her said mother, the said Imps spake to this Examinant, and told her, shee must deny God and Christ, which this Examinant did then assent unto.’