Witch to live which implyeth a Discovery of them else it could never be put in execution and so should be a Law to no purpose Secondly from the History First Divine For it is said Saul found out Witches and executed the Law upon them or put them to death and so good King Iosiah 2 King 3. 14. Secondly we have Chronicles and many relations made of the evident discourse of Witches Thirdly the many Tryalls in our owne Country at many Assizes So it is cleere that Witches may be discovered though it cannot be denyed but that there is some difficulty therein because the secresie of the grounds of Witchcraft is so close and hidden as being one of the greatest workes of darknesse committed this day under the Sunne for that naturall causes may arise very strong and many may cunningly counterset outward appearances and Witnesses may feigne their accusations out of malice being transported with rage and uncharitablenesse and desire of revenge because of the strange imagination they have through many seeming probabilities Some for words or deeds taken in the worst sense Some upon some suddaine sight of some creature and so likewise upon burning any thing of the party suspected to be bewitched if any shall come though peradventure accidentally and so sometimes something else as thatch over the doore or such like of the parties suspected to be a Witch and so I could reckon divers instances of severall wayes which many times have produced strange and sometimes true effects which meanes have partly been the cause of the questioning of many who have been found no lesse then Witches and have suffered since the aforementioned time but I forbeare to speake any further of those wayes for I conceive them to be unlawfull altogether and not to be used for it cannot be conceived any lesse then a distrust in Gods providence in putting confidence that such meanes will make the Witch knowne and effect their desires Yet to proceed as I have said I cannot deny but those may be just grounds of suspicion and cause of questioning them but not alwayes certaine besides the unlawfulnesse held by Divines But these cannot be denyed to be just grounds as aforesaid As when one shall be given to cursing and banning with imprecations upon slight occasion and withall use threatnings to be revenged and thereupon evill to happen As Cherrie of Thrapston in Northamptonshire a very aged man who upon a small occasion of falling out with one of his Neighbours in the field where they kept Cattell one of the two I doe not now well remember which scared some Cattell off the ground where the Cattell the other kept was to goe with a Dog the said Cherrie and the other fell at odds and worded whereupon Cherrie wished that his tongue might rot out of his head the man was soone after strangely taken and his tongue did come out of his mouth hanging onely by the rootes thereof within his mouth but could not be kept all in his mouth and so continued to his death and died in a miserable condition This Cherrie confessed himself and that he was his death onely upon that occasion After which Confession that it came to be known many of the townsmen of Thrapstone aforesaid averred that he died with his tongue out and that in a manner it rotted A fearful thing to be thought of what a miserable condition the poor man died in Cherrie likewise confessed the death of two more which by his confession and those that knew their deaths died in a strange and miserable condition through his wicked cursing as he confessed and so confessed many other notorious facts he had done And being asked whether he did not do Sir Iohn Washington a Knight which lived in the same town any harm in his cattel or otherwise for that he had suffered strange losses he confessed he did and particularized the death of much cattel saying when he had reckoned up as many as he could well remember That he had been the death of so many of his that he could not reckon them all Then it was demanded of him Why he would offer it to Sir Iohn who had been so loving to him in affording him relief constantly He answered The more he gave him the more power he had over him to do him mischief for he said his Imps must be employed else they would not let him be quiet but torment him This Cherrie also confessed divers other things and harms he had done and the sealing of the Covenant with the devil with his blood to deny God and Christ and to serve him the devil for revenge with promise of freedom from hell-torments and that his Imps the last time they sucked him not long before he was searched told him they would not suck him any more but that time because he was an old man and had but little blood This Cherrie confessed presently after he was searched who died at Northampton in the Goal there the same day he should have beed tried much about the time the Grand Jury had found the Bill of Indictment against him Billa vera as it was reported miserably A just judgement of God for it was reported that a night or two before his coat was all rent right down on the back and his mouth stopped full and when it was pulled out he confessed that he had been at a bridge going into Thrapston town and had a cord found about his neck To this I might adde the aforenamed Thomazin Ratcliff who upon the falling out with another woman about the death of a childe bade her go home and look to the rest lest she lost more And one died suddenly after as before is expressed Of these kindes I could nominate divers more as you may observe in many of their Confessions and might adde implicite confessions As when a question is asked the suspected party If he or she were not the cause of such or such a thing answer is made He or she might have let me alone or not done so and so or such like As for example you may observe in most of their Confessions they did it because they had not such things as they desired or used to have as Anne Leech of Hawford in Essex confessed in her Confession besides the death of two or three the laming of a childe of one Turners It being asked her why she did it she answered Her mother might have paid her for work she had done Likewise one Anne Parker being asked why she did one Pryer mischief she answered He might have given her money upon a Thanksgiving-day as well as he gave to others but would not give her any because she was not at Church whereupon she sent her spirit to him who did accordingly And so confessed how the devil in the likenesse of a dun Dog had three drops of blood under her tongue to seal the Covenant and had a piece of paper in his hand and wrote her name thereon with her consent
her he had done he had killed two for they were lanquelled together so he killed them both which horses were killed but in such a tempest as was supposed by a Devill in Thunder untill she confessed it of her selfe Also she confessed that being at Stephen Humfries in Thorpe aforesaid and a begging for Almes hee came home well and she being at the doore he chid her or gave her such words as she liked not of As she went over the way from the house her Impe Hangman appeared to her and asked her what he should doe and she bad him goe and kill one of his Hogs which shee saw which she said he did before she was out of fight which Hog died accordingly Likewise she further confessed that she being angry with one Mr. Coppinger of Lavenham she sent her Impe Iacob to carry away bushes which he had caused to be laid to fence his fences above one load here some and there some all along by the hedge side as they were to be hedged out and in one night they were gone no man knew what way untill such time as she confessed her Impe did it But as I have since heard they were knowne to be in another mans ground who confessed they came the same night but how he knew not till then Also a young man of Denford in Northampuonshire who suffered for Witchery since the said time at Northampton Confessed that he sent one of his Impes to one Cockes Cattell of Denford because he would not let him keep them and the Cattell ranne so violently away foming that the owner had much adoe to catch them with a horse and more to get them home into his yard againe and so many other things he confessed as I could particularly instance And so for this I hope it is sufficient to give all satisfaction for all confessions or most of them at least tend to prove this in some part Those that are given to over much curiosity to seeke after vaine Knowledge in pride of heart to goe beyond others to understand secret and hidden things to know things to come Such are those as not bounding themselves within the limits of reason nor of Gods revealed will fall fowle unawares upon the Devill and are in great danger to be intrapped by him and made his slaves by his inticements Thus was Parson Lowis taken who had been a Minister as I have heard in one Parish above forty yeares in Suffolke before he was condemned but had been indited for a common imbarriter and for Witchcraft above thirty yeares before and the grand Jury as I have heard found the bill for a common imbarriter who now after he was found with the markes in his confession he confessed that in pride of heart to be equall or rather above God the Devill tooke advantage of him and hee covenanted with the Devill and sealed it with his bloud and had three Familiars or spirits which sucked on the markes found upon his body and did much harme both by Sea and Land especially by Sea for he confessed that he being at Langarfort in Suffolke where he preached as he walked upon the wall or workes there he saw a great saile of Ships passe by and that as they were sailing by one of his three Impes namely his yellow one forthwith appeared to him and asked him what hee should doe and he bade it goe and sinke such a Ship and shewed his Impe a new Ship amongst the middle of the rest as I remember one that belonged to Ipswich so he confessed the Impe went forthwith away and he stood still and viewed the Ships on the Sea as they were a sayling and perceived that Ship immediately to be in more trouble and danger then the rest for he said the water was more boystrous neere that then the rest tumbling up and downe with waves as if water had been boyled in a pot and soone after he said in a short time it sanke directly downe into the Sea as he stood and viewed it when all the rest sayled away in safety there he confessed he made fourteen widdowes in one quarter of an houre Then Mr. Hopkin as he told me for he tooke his Confession asked him if it did not grieve him to see so many men cast away in a short time and that he should be the cause of so many poore widdowes on a suddaine but he swore by his maker no he was joyfull to see what power his Impes had and so likewise confessed many other mischiefes and had a charme to keep him out of Goale and hanging as he paraphrased it himselfe but therein the Devill deceived him for he was hanged that Michaelmas time 1645. at Burie Saint Edmunds but he made a very farre larger confession which I have heard hath been printed but if it were so it was neither of Mr. Hopkins doing nor mine owne for we never printed any thing untill now I doe this he being dead but make no use of any confessions taken by him but only this for that it falleth out so fit for this purpose Yet I have heard that other confessions have been printed and some other things besides as if it had been of ours or one of our doings or at least by one of our consents when as I know he never had any hand in any and for my part I utterly renounce all former Also I may adde to this one Henry Carre of Ratlesden in Suffolke who I have heard was a Scholler fit for Cambridge if not a Cambridge Scholler and was well educated yet fell into this grievous sinne and confessed that he had two Impes which sucked on those markes I found upon him two yeeres together and came in the likenesse of Mice which he felt oft and said they were hairy and heavie and so seeming to bewaile his condition said that he had forsaken God and God him and therefore would confesse no more he said untill he came on the Gallowes to be hanged for he had confessed enough for that and then he would confesse all and make all other knowne he knew of but in the meane time he would confesse no more nor did yet he was much importuned to it but that was alwayes his answer and was arraigned at the Barre three or foure times and yet by reason of an Allarum at Cambridge the Goale delivery at Burie Saint Edmunds was adjourned for about three weekes and he died in the Goale in that time So it was conceived to be pride of heart which was the first originall cause by reason of his knowledge yet I confesse he fell into poverty before his death but as for that I thinke it is seldome or never knowne that any get estates or thrive that thus give themselves over to Satan but rather consume their estates if they have any yet the word of God sayes The wicked man thriveth as well as the godly in this world But for Witches I never knew any To these likewise might be added those observers
confessed that her wishes came to passe as for example she wished one goodman Garneham might be lame and so he was and that Master Lockweed might have Lice because he formerly accused her for sending or causing him to have some when she did it not and so he had and that her Impes used to suck her two or three times a week for nineteene yeares together And that the Mole said she should be questioned in some short time but advised her to stand out and not to confesse for if she did he would cause her to drowne her selfe or put her selfe to death and then he should have her soule and after when she was kept before she went to the Justices of Peace her Impe in the shape of a Mole came to her when those which were with her saw it not and tore her as she confessed as if he would have torne her in pieces because she had confessed This woman also confessed that when she prayed she prayed to the Devill and not to God and that she had her Impes from her mother in Law who she said spoiled her And further confessed that the Devill had the use of her body and used to come to bed to her but was soft cold and heavier so heavie as she could not speake And that her Impe like a Rat went upon her wishing to lame Ralph Roggards Horse or Mare because he said he would goe for the Searchers and so it was Besides the former markes know this that it is more easier to finde them on the brest then in any other place for that the brest is all shrunke up and the Teate thereof extended longer then any womans that gives suck be it on man or woman with a Circkle round about it as if it were sucked and insensible as aforesaid and if on a woman that gives suck that brest is drye for where the Impes suck there will come no milke but the teate will stick out longer there then the other and is nothing but skinne and will be much extended as aforesaid and easily to bee discerned by feeling of it I should thinke this should give all satisfaction that gaine Revenge feare of want or poverty or fearefulnesse of hell torments or ill parents or company yea and lust also or any one may bee a meanes to draw one to Witchchraft As for ill company bad and wicked parents and such as are over-much given to lust I will put them together and instance some few more examples As one Bush of Barton aforesaid widdow confessed that about three weekes after her husbands decease being above fiteene yeares before she was questioned the Devill appeared to her in the shape of a young black man standing by her bed side which spoke to her with a hollow voyce and came into bed to her and had the use of her body and asked her to deny God and Christ and serve him and then she should never want but should be avenged of all her enemies which she consented to then she said he kissed her and asked her for bloud which he drew out of her mouth and it dropped on a paper and that he us'd to have the use of her body two or three times a weeke and then us'd to kisse her and at no other time but as beforesaid but she said he was colder then man and heavier and could not performe nature as man and that soone after she had consented to the Covenant and given her bloud there came two things more like Mice which used to suck her about twice a week during that time and confessed how she sent an Impe to torment a Maiden who she thought was against her having reliefe at her Masters which was done but afterward this Maiden went to her and scratched her till she got bloud of her and then she confessed she had no further power over her but this is not alwayes true nor to be observed though it tooke effect there But she confessed the killing of three and twenty Turkies at one time and Cowes and how her Impes returned and told her it was done and other things then at large One more which I should thinke should be a warning to others to have a care to bring their Children up in the nurture and feare of God Of one Anne Cricke of Hitcham aforesaid widdow that she had three Impes about seven yeares together The one in the likenesse of a Sparrow called Harrie the other two in the likenesse of reddish dunne Mice called Iack and Will and they sucked her twice a weeke severally all in one night and the Devill fetched bloud on her left Arme to seale the Covenant which was to denie God and Christ and to serve him which she said she promised faintly but confessed the promise was first made by her before the Devill had her bloud Then I asked her if she did grieve for it after she had done it she answered when it was done it was too late to repent then I asked her why she did it she said she was left weake and the Devill got the upper hand of her for want of faith through want and otherwise she also confessed the Devill had the use of her body but she said she could not tell whether he performed nature or not and said she could not confesse before much company but said the Devill spoke in a hollow voyce and confessed the imployment of her Impes as the sending of her Impe Harry to Iohn Leverishes of the same Towne to kill him a Hog because she was denyed Egges and such like things and they burnt his eares and she could not keepe from going it being asked her why she went she said they must needs goe the Devill drives and so many such like things Also Susan Scot of Lauenham aforesaid complained of one Sweeting comming to her with one Golding who confessed the Devill us'd to have the use of her body and spoke to her with a great easie voyce and that she had two Impes like Cats and Dogs which sucked on those markes found upon her and how she was the Death of Thomazine the daughter of one Mr. Coppinger there and diverse other things Also one Richmond a woman which lived at Brampford confessed the Devill appeared to her in the likenesse of a man called Daniel the Prophet who bad her not be afraid of him for he was so and tooke her by the hand and bad her trust in him and he would avenge her of all her enemies and he should misse nothing for he would curse her enemies and that she after falling out with her neighbour cursed her and bad the Devill take her and she dyed after she had lyen some eight weekes as she said by her meanes because the Devill promised her revenge she confessed her Covenant was to deny God Christ and his Ministers and to serve him she said the Devill for she said so he was that she called Daniel the Prophet none shall need question it and she confessed she had