Discovery of Witches Part 13

_Saterday the fourth of this instant Aprill._

Which was about the very day the Witches of the Forrest of Pendle were sent to Lancaster. Now was the time for the Seminarie to instruct, accuse, and call into question these poore women: for the wrinkles of an old wiues face is good euidence to the Iurie against a Witch.[M2_a_]

And how often will the common people say (_Her eyes are sunke in her head_, G.o.d _blesse vs from her._) But old _Chattox_ had _Fancie_,[M2_b_] besides her withered face, to accuse her.

_This Examinate did goe with the said_ Iennet Bierley _her Grand-mother, and_ Ellen Bierley _her Aunt, to the house of_ Walshman, _in the night-time, to murther a Child in strange manner._

This of all the rest is impossible, to make her of their counsell, to doe murther, whome so cruelly and barbarously they pursue from day to day, and torment her. The Witches of the Forrest of Pendle were neuer so cruell nor barbarous.

_And shee also saith, the Child cried not when it was hurt._

All this time the Child was asleepe, or the Child was of an extraordinarie patience, _o inauditum facinus_!

_After they had eaten, the said three women and this Examinate daunced euery one of them with one of the Blacke things: and after, the Blacke things abused the said women._

Here is good Euidence to take away their liues. This is more proper for the Legend of Lyes, then the Euidence of a witnesse vpon Oath, before a reuerend and learned Iudge, able to conceiue this Villanie, and finde out the practise. Here is the Religious act of a Priest, but behold the euent of it.

_She describes the foure Blacke things to goe vpright, but not like Men in the face._

The Seminarie mistakes the face for the feete: For _Chattox_ and all her fellow Witches agree, the Deuill is clouen-footed: but _Fancie_ had a very good face, and was a very proper Man.

_About tenne dayes after her Examination taken at Black-borne, then she was tormented._

Still he pursues his Proiect: for hearing his Scholler had done well, he laboured she might doe more in this nature. But notwithstanding, many things are layd to be in the times when they were Papists: yet the Priest neuer tooke paines to discouer them, nor instruct his Scholler, vntill they came to Church. Then all this was the Act of G.o.d, to raise a child to open all things, and then to difcouer his plotted Tragedie. Yet in this great discouerie, the Seminarie forgot to deuise a Spirit for them.

And for _Thomas Walshman_, vpon his Oath he sayth, That his Childe had beene sicke by the s.p.a.ce of a fortnight, or three weekes, before it died. And _Grace Sowerb.u.t.ts_ saith, they tooke it out of the bedde, strucke a nayle into the Nauell, sucked bloud, layd it downe againe; and after, tooke it out of the Graue, with all the rest, as you haue heard. How these two agree, you may, vpon view of their Euidence, the better conceiue, and be able to judge.

How well this proiect, to take away the liues of three innocent poore creatures by practise and villanie; to induce a young Scholler to commit periurie, to accuse her owne Grand-mother, Aunt, &c. agrees either with the t.i.tle of a Iesuite, or the dutie of a Religious Priest, who should rather professe Sinceritie and Innocencie, then practise Trecherie: But this was lawfull; for they are Heretikes accursed, to leaue the companie of Priests; to frequent Churches, heare the word of G.o.d preached, and professe Religion sincerely.

But by the course of Times and Accidents, wise men obserue, that very seldome hath any mischieuous attempt beene vnder-taken without the direction or a.s.sistance of a Iesuit, or Seminarie Priest.

Who did not condemne these Women vpon this euidence, and hold them guiltie of this so foule and horrible murder? But Almightie G.o.d, who in his prouidence had prouided meanes for their deliuerance, although the Priest by the help of the Deuill, had prouided false witnesses to accuse them; yet G.o.d had prepared and placed in the Seate of Iustice, an vpright Iudge to sit in Iudgement vpon their liues, who after he had heard all the euidence at large against the Prisoners for the Kings Majestie, demanded of them what answere they could make. They humbly vpon their knees with weeping teares, desired him for G.o.ds cause to examine _Grace Sowerbuts_, who set her on, or by whose meanes this accusation came against them.

Immediately the countenance of this _Grace Sowerbuts_ changed: The witnesses being behinde, began to quarrell and accuse one an other. In the end his Lords.h.i.+p examined the Girle, who could not for her life make any direct answere, but strangely amazed, told him, shee was put to a Master to learne, but he told her nothing of this.

But here as his Lords.h.i.+ps care and paines was great to discouer the practises of these odious Witches of the Forrest of Pendle, and other places, now vpon their triall before him: So was he desirous to discouer this d.a.m.nable practise, to accuse these poore Women, and bring their liues in danger, and thereby to deliuer the innocent.

And as he openly deliuered it vpon the Bench, in the hearing of this great Audience: That if a Priest or Iesuit had a hand in one end of it, there would appeare to bee knauerie, and practise in the other end of it. And that it might the better appeare to the whole World, examined _Thomas Sowerbuts_, what Master taught his daughter: in generall termes, he denyed all.

The Wench had nothing to say, but her Master told her nothing of this.

In the end, some that were present told his Lords.h.i.+p the truth, and the Prisoners informed him how shee went to learne with one _Thompson_ a Seminarie Priest, who had instructed and taught her this accusation against them, because they were once obstinate Papists, and now came to Church. Here is the discouerie of this Priest, and of his whole practise. Still this fire encreased more and more, and one witnesse accusing an other, all things were laid open at large.

In the end his Lords.h.i.+p tooke away the Girle from her Father, and committed her to M. _Leigh_, a very religious Preacher,[M4_a_] and M.

_Chisnal_, two Iustices of the Peace, to be carefully examined. Who tooke great paines to examine her of euery particular point: In the end they came into the Court, and there deliuered this Examination as followeth.

_The Examination of_ GRACE SOWERBVTS, _of Salmesburie, in the Countie of Lancaster, Spinster: Taken vpon Wednesday the 19. of August 1612.

Annoq; Reg. Regis_, IACOBI _Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, Fidei Defensoris, &c. decimo & Scotiae_, xlvi.

Before

WILLIAM LEIGH, _and_ EDWARD CHISNAL, _Esquires; two of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the same Countie: At the a.s.sizes and generall Gaole deliuerie, holden at Lancaster._

By

_Direction of Sir_ EDWARD BROMLEY _Knight, one of his Maiesties Iustices of a.s.size at Lancaster._

Being demanded whether the accusation shee laid vppon her Grand-mother, _Iennet Bierley_, _Ellen Bierley_, and _Iane Southworth_, of Witchcraft, _viz._ of the killing of the child of _Thomas Walshman_, with a naile in the Nauell, the boyling, eating, and oyling, thereby to transforme themselues into diuers shapes, was true; Shee doth vtterly denie the same; or that euer shee saw any such practises done by them.

Shee further saith, that one Master _Thompson_, which she taketh to be Master _Christopher Southworth_, to whom shee was sent to learne her prayers, did perswade, counsell, and aduise her, to deale as formerly hath beene said against her said Grand-mother, Aunt, and _Southworths_ wife.

And further shee confesseth and saith, that shee neuer did know, or saw any Deuils, nor any other Visions, as formerly by her hath beene alleaged and informed.

Also shee confesseth and saith, That shee was not throwne or cast vpon the Henne-ruffe, and Hay-mow in the Barne, but that shee went vp vpon the Mow her selfe by the wall side.

Being further demanded whether shee euer was at the Church, shee saith, shee was not, but promised her after to goe to the Church, and that very willingly.

_Signum_ [Symbol: Maltese cross] Grace Sowerbuts.

_William Leigh._

_Edward Chisnal._

_The Examination of_ IENNET BIERLEY, ELLEN BIERLEY, _and_ IANE SOVTHWORTH, _of Salmesburie, in the Countie of Lancaster, Taken vpon Wednesday the nineteenth of August_ 1612.

_Annoq; Reg. Regis_, IACOBI _Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, Fidei Defensoris, &c. decimo & Scotiae_, xlvi.

Before

WILLIAM LEIGH, _and_ EDWARD CHISNAL, _Esquires; two of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the same Countie: At the a.s.sizes and generall Gaole deliuerie, holden at Lancaster._

By

_Direction of Sir_ EDWARD BROMLEY _Knight, one of his Maiesties Iustices of a.s.size at Lancaster._

_Iennet Bierley_ being demanded what shee knoweth, or hath heard, how _Grace Sowerbuts_ was brought to _Christopher Southworth_, Priest; shee answereth, that shee was brought to M. _Singletons_ house by her owne Mother, where the said Priest was, and that shee further heard her said Mother say, after her Daughter had been in her fit, that shee should be brought vnto her Master, meaning the said Priest.

And shee further saith, that shee thinketh it was by and through the Counsell of the said M. _Thomson_, alias _Southworth_, Priest, That _Grace Sowerbuts_ her Grand-child accused her of Witchcraft, and of such practises as shee is accused of: and thinketh further, the cause why the said _Thompson_, alias _Southworth_ Priest, should practise with the Wench to doe it was, for that shee went to the Church.

_Iane Southworth_ saith shee saw Master _Thompson_, alias _Southworth_, the Priest, a month or sixe weekes before she was committed to the Gaole; and had conference with him in a place called Barne-hey-lane, where and when shee challenged him for slandering her to bee a Witch: whereunto he answered, that what he had heard thereof, he heard from her mother and her Aunt: yet she, this Examinate, thinketh in her heart it was by his procurement, and is moued so to thinke, for that shee would not be disswaded from the Church.

_Ellen Bierley_ saith, Shee saw Master _Thompson_, alias _Southworth_, sixe or eight weeks before she was committed, and thinketh the said Priest was the practiser with _Grace Sowerb.u.t.ts_, to accuse her of Witchcraft, and knoweth no cause why he should so doe, but because she goeth to the Church.

_Signum_, [Symbol: Maltese cross] Iennet Bierley.

_Signum_, Iane Southworth.

_Signum_, [Symbol: Greek Phi] Ellen Bierley.