At the Assizes, held at Bury St. Edmonds, for the county of Suffolk, the 10th day of March, in the 16th year of the reign of King Charles II. before Sir Matthew Hale, Kt. Lord Chief Baron of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer ; Rose Cullender and Amy Duny, widows, both of Leystoff, in the county aforesaid, were severally indicted for bewitching Elizabeth and Anne Durent, Jane Bocking, Susan Chandler, William Durent, Elizabeth and Deborah Pacey. And the said Cullender and Duny, being arraigned upon the said indictments, pleaded not guilty.

The evidence whereupon these persons were convicted of witchcraft, stands upon divers particular circumstances.

Three of the parties above-named, viz. Anne Durent, Susan Chandler, and Elizabeth Pacy were brought to Burv, to the assizes, and were in a reasonable good condition; but that morning they came into the Hall to give instructions for the drawing of their bills of indictment-, tin- three persons fell into strange and violent fits, •creaming out in a most dismal manner, so that they could not in any wise give instructions to the court. 1 although they did after some certain space recover nut of their fits, yet they were every one of them struck dumb, so that none of them could speak neither at that time, DOT during the assize, until the conviction of the Mipposed win

concerning William Durent, being an infant, DM mother Dorothy Durent sworn and examined, deposed in open court :

That about the tenth of March, Nono Caroli Secundi, she having a special occasion to go from home, and having none in her house to take care of her said child, it then sucking, desired Amy Duny, her neighbour, to look to her child, during her absence, for which she promised her to give her a penny. But the said Dorothy Durent desired the said Amy not to suckle her child, and laid a great charge upon her not to do it. Upon which it was asked by the court, why she did give that direction, she being an old woman, and not capable of giving suck? it was answered by the said Dorothy Durent, that she very well knew that she did not give suck, but that for some years before, she had gone under the reputation of a witch, which was one cause made her give her the caution : another was, that it was customary with old women, that if they did look after a sucking child, and nothing would please it but the breast, they did use to please the child to give it the breast, and it did please the child, but it sucked nothing but wind, which did the child hurt. Nevertheless, after the departure of this deponent, the said Amy did suckle the child : and after the return of the said Dorothy, the said Amy did acquaint her, that she had given suck to the child contrary to her command. Whereupon the deponent was very angry with the said Amy for the same; at which the said Amy was much discontented, and used many high expressions and threatening speeches towards her, telling her, that she had as good have done otherwise than to have found fault with her, and so departed out of her house : and that very night, her son fell into strange fits of swooning, and was held in such terrible manner, that she was much affrighted therewith, and so con- tinued for divers weeks. And the said examinant farther said, that she being exceedingly troubled at her child's distemper, did go to a certain person, named Doctor Jacob, who liveth at Yarmouth, who had the reputation in the country to help children that were bewitched ; who advised her to hang up the child's blanket in the chimney-corner all day, and at night when she put the child to bed, to put it into the said blanket, and if she found anything in it, she should not be afraid, but throw it into the fire. And this deponent did according to his direction, and at night when she took down the blanket with an intent to put her child therein, there fell out of the same a great toad, which ran up and down the hearth, and she having a young lad only with her in the house, desired him to catch the toad, and throw it into the fire, which the youth did accordingly, and held it there with the tongs ; and as soon as it was in the fire it made a great and horrible noise, and after a space there was a flashing in the fire like gunpowder, making a noise like the discharge of a pistol, and thereupon the toad was no more seen nor heard. It was asked by the court, if that after the noise and flashing, the substance of the toad was not seen to consume in the fire ? and it was answered by the said Dorothy Durent, that after the flashing and noise, there was no more seen than if there had been none there. The next day there came a young woman, a kinswoman of the said Amy, and a neighbour of this deponent, and told this deponent that her aunt (meaning the said Amy) was in a most lamentable condition, having her face all scorched with fire, and that she was sitting alone in her house, in her smock, without any fire. And thereupon this deponent went into the house of the said Amy Duny, to see her, and I her in the same condition as was related to her; for her face, her legs, and thighs, which this deponent saw, seemed very much scorched and burnt with fire, at which this deponent seemed much rider, an 1 asked the said Amy how she came into that sad con- dition ? and the said Amy replied, she might thank her for it, for that >he thi> deponent was the cause thereof, but that she should live to see some of her children dead, and herself upon crutches. And this deponent farther saith, that after the burning of the said toad, her child recovered and was well again, and was living at the time of the assizes. And this deponent farther saith,That about the 6th day arch, 1 1 Car. II. her daughter Elizabeth Durent, being about the age of ten years, was taken in like manner as her first child was, and in her fits complained much of Amy Duny, and said, That she did appear to her, and afflict her in such manner as the former. And she this deponent going to the apothecaries for something for her said child, when she did return to her own house, she found the said Amy Duny there, and asked her what she did do there? and her answer was, that she came to see her child, and to give it some water. But she this deponent, was very angry with her, and thrust her forth of her doors ; and when she was out of doors, she said, You need not be so angry, for your child will not live long: and this was on a Saturday, and the child died on the Monday following; the cause of whose death this deponent verily believeth was occasioned by the witchcraft of the said Amy Duny : for that the said Amy hath been long reputed to be a witch, and a person of very evil behaviour, whose kindred and relations have been many of them accused for witchcraft, and some of them have been condemned.

The said deponent further saith, that not long after the death of her daughter, Elizabeth Durent, she this deponent was taken with a lameness in both her legs, from the knees downward, that she was fain to go upon crutches, and that she had no other use of them but only to bear a little upon them till she did remove her crutches, and so continued till the time of the assizes, when the witch came to be tried, and was there upon her crutches : — the court asked her, if at the time she was taken with this lameness, it were with her according to the custom of women ? Her answer was, that it was so, and that she never had any stoppages of those things, but when she was with child.

This is i! mce of her evidence to this indict-

ment.

There wnm one tiling very remarkable, that after she

had gone upon crutches for upwards of three years, and

went upon them at the time of the assizes iii the court

i she gave her evidence, and upon the jury's brino--

by which the said Amy Duny was

^reat admiration of all persons, the

" tnj D restored to the use of her

limbs, and went home without making use of her

crutcl

£16 CASE OF WITCHCRAFT.

TI. As concerning Elizabeth and Deborah Pacy, the first of the age of eleven years, the other of the age of nine years or thereabouts: as to the elder, she was brought into the court at the time of the instructions given to draw up the indictments, and afterwards at the time of trial of the said prisoners, but could not speak one word all the time, and for the most part she re- mained as one wholly senseless, as one in a deep sleep, and could move no part of her body, and all the motion of life that appeared in her was, that as she lay upon cushions in the court upon her back, her stomach and belly, by the drawing of her breath, would arise to a great height : and after the said Elizabeth had lain a long time on the table in the court, she came a little to herself and sat up, but could neither see nor speak, but was sensible of what was said to her, and after a while she laid her head on the bar of the court with a cushion under it, and her hand and apron upon that, and there she lay a good space of time : and by the direction of the judge, Amy Duny was privately brought to Eliza- beth Pacy, and she touched her hand ; whereupon the child, without so much as seeing her, for her eyes were closed all the while, suddenly leaped up, and catched Amy Duny by the hand, and afterwards by the face ; and with her nails scratched her till blood came, and would by no means leave her till she was taken from her, and afterwards the child would still be pressing towards her, and making signs of anger conceived against her.

Deborah the younger daughter was held in such ex- treme danger, that her parents wholly despaired of her life, and therefore could not bring her to the assizes.

The evidence which was given concerning these two children was to this effect.

Samuel Pacy a merchant of LeystofF, aforesaid, (a man who carried himself with much soberness during the trial, from whom proceeded no words either of passion or malice, though his children were so greatly afflicted,) sworn and examined, deposeth :

That his younger daughter Deborah, upon Thursday the 10th of October last, was suddenly taken with a lameness in her legs, so that she could not stand, neither had she any strength in her limbs to support her, and so she continued until the 17th day of the same month, which day being fair and sunshiny, the child desired to be

AT BURY ST. EDMONDS. 217

carried on the East part of the house, to be set upon the bank which Jookcth upon the sea; and whilst she was sitting there, Amy Duny came to this deponent's house to buy some herrings, but be- ing denied, she went away discontented, but presently returned again, and was denied, and likewise the third time, and was denied as at first ; and at her last going away, she went away grumbling ; but what she said was not perfectly understood. But at the very came instant of time, the said child was taken with most violent fits, feeling most extreme pain in her stomach, like the pricking of pins, and screaming out in a most dreadful manner like unto a whelp, and not like unto a sensible creature. And in this extre- mity the child continued to the great grief of the parents until the 30tn of the same month. During this time, this deponent sent for one Dr. Feavor, a doctor of physic, to take his advice concerning his child's distemper; the doctor being come, he saw the child in those fits, but could not conjecture (as he then told this deponent, and afterwards affirmed in open court, at this trial) what might be the cause of the child's affliction. And this deponent farther saith, that by reason of the circumstances aforesaid, and in regard Amy Duny is a woman of an ill fame, and commonly reported to be a witch and sorceress, and for the said child in her fits would cry out on Amy Duny, as the cause of her malady, and that she did affright her with apparitions of her person (as the child in the intervals of her fits related) he, this deponent, did suspect the said Amy Duny to be a witch, and charged her with the injury and wrong to his child, and caused her to be set in the stocks on the 28th of the same Octo- ber : and during the time of her continuance there, one Alice Let- tafidgt and Jane Buxton, demanding of her (as they also affirmed in court upon their oaths) what should be the reason of Mr. Pacy's child's distemper? telling her, that she was suspected to be the cause thereof; she replied, " Air. Pacy keeps a great stir about hig child, but let him stay until he hath done as much by his children, as I have done by mine." And being further examined, what she had done to her children? she answered, "that she had been fain to open her child's mouth with a tap to give it victuals."

And the said deponent further deposeth, that within two days after speaking of the said words, being the thirtieth of October, the eldest daughter, Elizabeth, fell into extreme fits, insomuch, that they could not open her mouth to give her breath, to preserve her life without the help of a tap, which they were enforced to use; and the younger child was in the like manner afflicted, so that they used the same also for her relief.

And further, the said children being grievously afflicted would severally complain in their extremity, and also in the intervals, that Amy Duny (together with one other woman whose person and clothes they described) did thus afflict them, their apparitions ap- pearing before them, to their great terror and astonishment : and sometimes they would cry out, there stands Amy Duny, and there Rose Cullender; the other person troubling them. Their fits were various : sometimes they were lame on one side of their bodies, soem- times on the other : sometimes a soreness over their whole bodies, to that they could endure none to touch them : at other time* they

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218

CASE OF WITCHCRAFT

would be restored to the perfect use of their limbs, and deprived of their hearing ; at other times of their sight, at other times of their speech ; sometimes by the space of one day, sometimes for two ; and once they were wholly deprived of their speech for eight days to- gether, and then restored to their speech again. At other times they would fall into swoonings, and upon the recovery to their speech they would cough extremely, and bring up much phlegm, and with the same crooked pins, and one time a two-penny nail, with a very broad head, which pins (amounting to forty or more) together with the two-penny nail, were produced ;in court, with the affirmation of the said deponent, that he was present when the said nail was vo- mited up, and also most of the pins. Commonly at the end of every fit they would cast up a pin, and sometimes they would have four or five fits one day.

In this manner the said children continued with this deponent for the space of two months, during which time in their intervals this deponent would cause them to read some chapters in the New Testa- ment. Whereupon this deponent several times observed, that they would read till they came to the name of Lord, or Jesus, or Christ ; and then before they could pronounce either of the said words they would suddenly fall into their fits. But when they came to the name of Satan, or the devil, they would clap their fingers upon the book, crying out, " this bites, but makes me speak right well."

At such time as they were recovered^out of their fits (occasioned as this deponent conceives, upon their naming of Lord, or Jesus, or Christ) this deponent hath demanded of them, what is the cause they cannot pronounce those words, they reply and say, " that Amy Duny kaith, I must not use that name."

And farther, the said children, after their fits were past, would tell, how that Amy Duny, and Rose Cullender, would appear be- fore them, holding their fists at them, threatening, " that if they related either what they saw or heard, that they would torment them ten times more than ever they did before."

In their fits they would cry out, there stands Amy Duny, or Rose Cullender; and sometimes in one place and sometimes in another, running with great violence to the place where they fancied them to stand, striking at them as if they were present; they would appear to them sometimes spinning, and sometimes reeling, or in other postures, deriding or threatening them.

And this deponent farther saith, that his children being thus tor- mented by all the space aforesaid, and finding no hopes of amend- ment, he sent them to his sister's house, one Margaret Arnold, who lived at Yarmouth, to make trial, whether the change of the air might do them any good. And how, and in what manner they were afterwards held, he, this deponent, refers himself to the testimony of his said sister.

1 Margaret Arnold, sworn and examined, saith, that the said Eliza- beth and Deborah Pacy came to her house, about the thirtieth of November last, her brother acquainted her, that he thought they were bewitched, for that they vomited pins ; and farther informed her of the several passages which occurred at his own house. This deponent said, that she gave no credit to that which was related to

AT BURY 6T. EDMONDS. 219

her, conceiving possibly the children might use some deceit in put- tin- pins in their mouths themselves. Wherefore this deponent unpinned their clothes, and left not so much as one pin upon them, but sewed all the clothes they wore, instead of pinning of them. But this deponent saith, that notwithstanding all this care and circum- spection of hers, the children afterwards raised, at several times, at least thirty pins in her presence, and had most fierce and violent fits upon them.

The children would in their fits cry out against Rose Cullender and Amy Duny, affirming that they saw them ; and they threatened to torment them ten times more, if they complained of them. At some times the children (only) would see things run up and down the house in the appearance of mice; and one of them suddenly snapt one with the tongs, and threw it into the fire, and it screaked out like a rat.

At another time, the younger child being'free from her fits went out of doors to take a little fresh air, and presently a little thing like a bee flew upon her face, and would have gone into her mouth ; whereupon the child ran in all haste to the door to get into the house again, screeching out in a most terrible manner; whereupon, this deponent made haste to come to her, but before she could get to her, the child fell into her swooning fit, and at last with much pain, straining herself, she vomited up a two-penny nail with a broad head : and after that the child had raised up the nail she came to her understanding ; and being demanded by this deponent, how she came by this nail ? She answered, " that the bee brought this nail and forced it into her mouth."

And at other times, the elder child declared unto this deponent, that during the time of her fits, she saw flies come unto her, and bring with them in their mouths crooked pins ; and after the child had thus declared the same, she fell again into violent fits, and after- wards raised several pins.

At another time, tnis deponent declares that the said elder child, sitting by the fire, suddenly started up and said, " she saw a mouse," and she crept under the table looking after it, and at length she put something in her apron, saying, " she had caught it;" and immediately she ran to the fire and threw it in, and there did appear to this deponent something like the flashing of gunpowder, though she confessed she saw nothing in the child's hand.

At another time the said child being speechless, but otherwise of perfect understanding, ran about the house holding her apron, cry- ' hush, hush," as if there had been some poultry in the house; but this deponent could perceive nothing; but at last she saw the child stoop,"as if she had caught at something, and put it into her apron, and afterwards made as if she had thrown it into the fire ; but this deponent could not discover any thing: but the child after- wards being restored to her speech, she, this deponent, demanded of her, what she saw at the time she used such a posture? who an- swered, " that she saw a duck."

At another time the younger daughter being recovered out of her fits, declared, " that Amy Duny had been with her, and that she

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220 CASE OF WITCHCRAFT

tempted her to drown herself, and to cut her throat, or otherwise to destroy herself."

At another time, in their fits, they both of them cried out upon Rose Cullender and Amy Duny, complaining against them; «* why do not you come yourselves, but send your imps to torment us?"

These several passages, as most remarkable, the said deponent did particularly set down as they daily happened, and for the reasons aforesaid, she doth verily believe in her conscience that the children were bewitched, and by the said Amy Duny and Rose Cullender ; though at first she could hardly be induced to believe it.

As concerning Anne Durent, one other of the parties, supposed to be bewitched, present in court.

Edmund Durent, her father, sworn and examined, said, that he also lived in the said town of LeystofF, and that the said Rose Cul- lender, about the latter end of November last, came into this depon- ent's house to buy some herrings of his wife, but being denied by her, the said Rose returned in a disconcerted manner; and upon the first of December after, his daughter, Anne Durent, was very sorely afflicted in her stomach, and felt great pain, like the pricking of pins, and then fell into swooning fits, and after the recovery from her fits she declared, " that she had seen the apparition of the said Rose, who threatened to torment her." In this manner she continu- ed from the first of December, until this present time of trial; hav- ing likewise vomited up divers pins (produced here in court.) This maid was present in court, but could not speak to declare her know- ledge, but fell into violent fits when brought before Rose Cullender.

Anne Baldwin, sworn and examined, deposeth the same thing as touching the bewitching of the said Anne Du- rent.

As concerning Jane Bocking, who was so weak she could not be brought to the assizes —

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 fits, and so continued till the deponent's coming to the assizes, having during the same time taken no food, but daily vomited crooked pins, and upon Sunday last raised seven pins. And whilst her fits were upon her, she would spread forth her arms with her hands open, and use postures, as if she caught at something, and would instantly close her hands again, which being immediately forced open, they found several pins diversly crooked, but could neither see nor perceive how, or in what man- ner they were conveyed thither. At another time the same Jane being in another of her fits, 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,

AT BURY ST. EDMONDS. 221

which being instantly forced open, they found in it a lath-nail. In her fits she would frequently complain of Rose Cullender and Amy Duny, saying, that now she suw Rose Cullender standing at the bed s feet, and another time at the bed's head, and so in other places. At last she was stricken dumb, and could not speak one word, though her fits were not upon her, and so she continued for some days, and at last her speech came to her again, and she desired her mother to get her some meat, and being demanded the reason why she could not speak in so long a time ? she answered, that Amy Duny would not suffer her to speak. This lath-nail, and divers of the pins were produced in court.

As concerning Susan Chandler, one other of the parties supposed to be bewitched, and present in court.

Mar}' Chandler, mother of the said Susan, sworn and examined, deposed and said, that about the beginning of February last past, the said Rose Cullender and Amy Duny were charged by Mr. Samuel Pacy, for bewitching of his daughters. And a warrant being granted at the request of the said Mr. Pacy, by Sir Ed. Bacon, Bt. one of the justices of the peace for the county of Suffolk, to bring them before him, and they being brought before him, were examined, and confessed nothing. He gava order that they should be searched ; whereupon this deponent with five others were appointed to do the same ; and coming to the house of Rose Cullender, they did acquaint her with what they were come about, and asked whether she was contented that they should search her? she did not oppose it, whereupon they began at her head, and so stripped her naked, and in the lower part of her belly they found a thing like a teat, of an inch lon^ ; they questioned her about it, and she said, that she had got a strain by carrying of water, which caused that excrescence. But upon narrower search, they found in her privy parts three more excrescencies or teats, but smaller than the former. This deponent farther saith, that in the long teat, at the end thereof, there was a little hole, and it appeared unto them as if it had been lately sucked, and upon the straining of it, there issued out white milky matter.

And this deponent farther saith, that her said daughter being of the age of eighteen years, was then in service in the said town of Levstoff, and rising up early the next morning to wash, this Rose Cullender appeared to her, and took her by the hand, whereat she was much affrightened, and went forthwith to her mother, being in the same town, and acquainted her with what she had seen ; but being extremely terrified, she fell extremely sick, much grieved at her stomach, and that night after being in bed with another young woman, she suddenly shrieked out, and fell into such, extreme fits, as if she were distracted, crying against Rose Cullender saying, a she would come to bed her. She continued in this manner, beating and tearing herself, insomuch, that this deponent was glad to get help to attend her. In her intervals 6he would declare, that some time she saw Rose Cullender, at another time, with a great dog with her. She also vomited up divers crooked pini, and sometimes she was stricken with blindness, and at another time she was dumb, and so she appeared to be in court, when the trial of the prisoners was, for she was not able to speak her knowledge ; but

£&2 CASE OF WITCHCRAFT

being brought into the court at the trial, she suddenly fell into he/ fits, and being carried out of the court again, within the space of half an hour she came to herself, and recovered her speech, and thereupon was immediately brought into the court, and asked by the couit, whether she was in condition to take an oath, and to give evidence she said she could. But when she was sworn, and asked what she could say against either of the prisoners ? before she could make any answer, she fell into her fits, shrieking out in a miserable manner, crying, " burn her, burn her," which were all the words she could speak.

Robert Chandler, father of the said Susan, gave in the same evidence, that his wife Mary Chandler had given ; only as to the searching Rose Cullender, as aforesaid.

This was the sum and substance of the evidence which was given against the prisoners, concerning the bewitch- ing of the children before mentioned. At the hearing this evidence there were divers known persons, as Mr. Serjeant Keeling, Mr. Serjeant Earl, and Mr. Serjeant Barnard, present. Mr. Serjeant Keeling seemed much dissatisfied with it, and thought it not sufficient to con- vict the prisoners; for admitting the children were in truth bewitched, yet, said he, it can never be applied to the prisoners, upon the imagination of the parties afflicted ; for if that might be allowed, no person what- soever can be in safety, for perhaps they might fancy another person, who might altogether be innocent in, such matters.

There was also Dr. Brown of Norwich, a person of great knowledge ; who after this evidence given, and upon view of the three persons in court,, was desired to inform the court, what he conceived of them; and be was clearly of opinion, that the persons were be- witched; and said, that in Denmark there had beert lately a great discovery of witches, who used the very same way of afflicting persons, by conveying pins into* them, and crooked as these pins were, with needles and nails. And his opinion was, that the devil in such cases- did work upon the bodies of men and women, upon a natural foundation, that is, to stir up 3 and excite such humours superabounding in their bodies to a great ex- cess, whereby he did in an extraordinary manner afflict them with such distempers as their bodies were most: subject to, as particularly appeared in these children ; for he conceived, that these swooning fits were natural r , and nothing else than what they call the mother, but only

AT BURY ST. EDMONDS. " 223

itened to a great excess by the subtilty of the devil, co-operating with the malice of these whom we term

cnes, at whose instance he doth these villanies.

Betides the particulars above-mentioned, touching the said persons bewitched, there were many other things objected against them, for a further proof and manifes- tation that the said children were bewitched.

And iirst, during the time of the trial, there were some i -iments made with the persons afflicted, by bringing the persons to touch them; and it was observed, that when they were in the midst of their fits, to all men's apprehension wholly deprived of all sense and under- standing, closing their fists in such manner, as that the strongest man in the court could not force them open ; yet by the least touch of one of these supposed witches, Rose Cullender by name, they would suddenly scream out, opening their hands, which accident would not hap- pen by the touch of any other person.

And lest they might privately see when they were touched by the said Rose Cullender, they were blinded with their aprons, and the touching took the same effect Bl before.

There was an ingenious person that objected, there might be a great fallacy in this experiment, and there ought not to be any stress put upon this to convict the parties; for the children might counterfeit this their distemper, and pereeiving what was done to them, they might in such manner suddenly alter the motion and

festure of their bodies, on purpose to induce persons to elieve that they were not natural, but wrought strangely by the touch of the prisoners.

Wherefore to avoid this scruple, it was privately de- (1 by the judge, that the Lord Cornwallis, Sir Edmund Bacon, and Mr. Serjeant Keeling, and some other gentleman there in court, would attend one of the distempered persons in the farther part of the hall, whikt she was in her fits, and then to send for one of the witches, to try what would then happen, which they did accordingly; and Amy Duny was conveyed from the bar, and brought to the maid : they put an apron before her eyes, and then one other person touched her hand, which produced the same effect as the touch of the witch did in the court. Whereupon the gentlemen

224 CASE OF WITCHCRAFT

returned, openly protesting, thai they did believe the whole transaction of this business was a mere imposture. This put the court, and all persons, into a stand. But at length Mr. Pacy did declare, that possibly the maid might be deceived, by a suspicion that the witch touched her when she did not. For he had observed divers times> that although they could not speak, but were deprived of the use of their tongues and limbs, that their understandings were perfect, for that they have related divers things which have been when they were in their fits, after they were recovered out of them. This saying of Mr. Pacy was found to be true after- wards, when his daughter was fully recovered (as she afterwards was) as shall in due time be related : for she was asked, whether she did hear and understand any thing that was done and acted in the court, during the time that she lay as one deprived of her understanding ? and she said, she did ; and by the opinions of some, this experiment, (which others would have a fallacy) was rather a confirmation that the parties were really be- witched, than otherwise : for, say they, it is not possible that any should counterfeit such distempers, being ac- companied with such various circumstances, much less children ; and for so long time, and yet undiscovered by their parents and relations : for no man can suppose that they should all conspire together, (being out of several fa- milies, and, as they affirm, no way related one to the other, and scarce of familiar acquaintance) to do an act of this nature, whereby no benefit or advantage could re- dound to any of the parties, but a guilty conscience for perjuring themselves in taking the lives of two poor simple women away, and there appears no malice in the case. For the prisoners themselves did scarce so much as object it. Wherefore, say they, it is very evident, that the parties were bewitched, and that when they apprehend or understand by any means, that the persons who have done them this wrong are near, or touch them ; then their spirits being more than ordinarily moved with rage and anger at them being present, they do use more violent gestures of their bodies, and extend forth their hands, as desirous to lay hold upon them; which at other times not having the same occasion, the instance there falls not out the same.

AT BUKY 6T. EDMONDS. 225

SMly. One John Soam, of Ley stoff aforesaid, yeoman, a sufficient person,

Deposeth, tnat not long since, in harvest time, he had three cart* which brought home his harvest, and as they were going into the field to load, one of the carts wrenched the window of Rose Cullen- der's house ; whereupon she came out in a great rage, and threatened this deponent fordoing that wrong, and so they passed along into the fields, and loaded all the three carts, the other two carts returned safe home, and back again, twice loaded that day afterwards; but as to this cart which touched Rose Cullender's house, after it was loaded, it was overturned twice or thrice that day ; and after that they had loaded it again the second or third time, as they brought it through the gate which leadeth out of the field into the town, the cart •tuck so fast in the gateVhead, that they could not possibly get it through, but were forced to cut down the post of the gate to make the cart pass through, although they could not perceive that the cart did of either side touch the gate-posts. And this deponent further saith, that after they had got it through the gate-way, they did with much difficulty get it home into the yard ; but for all that they could do, they could not get the cart near unto the place where they should unload the corn, but were fain to unload it at a great distance from the place, and when they began to unload they found much difficulty therein, it being so hard a labour that they were tired that first came; and when others came to assist them, their noses burst forth a bleeding; so they were fain to desist, and leave it until the next morning, and then they unloaded it without any difficulty at all.

Robert Sherringham also deposeth against Rose Cullender,

That about two years since, passing along the street with his cart and horses, the axle-tree of his cart touched her house, and broke down some part of it, at which she was very much displeased threatening him, that his horses should suffer for it; and so it hap- pened, for all those horses, being four in number, died within a »hort time after : since that time he hath had great losses by the sudden dying of his other cattle ; so soon as his sows pigged, the pigs would leap and caper, and immediately fall down and die. Also, not long after, he was taken with a lameness in his limbs that he could neither go nor stand for some days. After all this, he was very much vexed with great number of lice of an extraordinary big- ness, and although he many times shifted himself, yet he was not any thing the better, but would swarm again with them ; so that in the conclusion he was forced to burn all his cloathes, being two suits of apparel, and then was clean from them.

As concerning Amy Dunv, one Richard Spencer Deposeth, that about the 1st ot September last, he heard her say â– thai bouse, that the devil would not let her rest until she were revenged on one Cornelius Sander well's wife.

Anne SanderweH, irife unto the abovesaid Cornelius, Deposed, that about seven or eight years since, she having txn a certain number of geese, meeting with Amy Duny, she told her,

L 3

H%6 CASE OF WITCHCRAFT

if she did not fetch her geese home they would all be destroyed : which in a few days came to pass.

If Afterwards the said Amy became tenant to this deponent's hus- band for a house, who told her, that if she looked not well to such a chimney in her house, that the same would fall : whereupon this deponent replied, that it was a new one ; but not minding much her words, at that time they parted. But in a short time the chim- ney fell down according as the said Amy had said.

Also this deponent farther saith, that her brother being a fisher- man, and having to go into the Northern Seas, she desired him to send her a firkin of fish, which he did accordingly ; and she having notice that the said firkin was brought into Leystoff-road, she desired a boatman to bring it ashore with the other goods they were to bring; and she going down to meet the boatman to receive her fishy desired the said Amy to go along with her to help her home with it ; Amy replied, she would go when she had it. And thereupon this deponent went to the shore without her, and demanded of the 4 boatman the firkin, they told her, that they could not keep it in the boat from falling into the sea, and they thought it was gone to the devil, for they never saw the like before. And being demanded by this deponent, whether any other goods in the boat were likewise lost as well as hers ? They answered, not any.

This was the substance of the whole evidence giver* against the prisoners at the bar ; who being demanded what they had to say for themselves, they replied, no- thing material to any thing that was proved against them. Whereupon the judge, in giving his direction to> the jury, told them that he would not repeat the evi- dence unto them, lest by so doing he should wrong the evidence on the one side or on the other. Only this he acquainted them with, that they had two things to in- quire after. First, Whether or no these children were bewitched. Secondly, Whether the prisoners at the bar were guilty of it.

That there were such creatures as witches, he made no doubt at all ; for, 1st, The Scriptures had affirmed so much. 2dly, The wisdom of all nations had provided laws against such persons, which is an argument of their confidence of such a crime. And such hath been the judgment of this kingdom, as appears by that act of parliament which hath provided punishments propor- tionable to the quality of the offence ; and desired them strictly to observe their evidence ; and desired the great God of heaven to direct their hearts in this weighty thing they had in hand ; for to condemn the innocent, and to let the guilty go free, were both an abomination to the Lord.

With this short direction the jury departed from the bar, and within the space of half an hour returned, and brought thorn ID guilty upon the several indictments, which were thirteen in number, whereupon they stood indicted.

This was upon Thursday, in the afternoon, March 13, 160&

The next morning, the three children, with their parents, came to the Lord Chief Baron Hale's lodgings, who all of them spake perfectly, and were in as good health as ever they were; only Susan Chandler, by on of her great affliction, looked very thin and wan. And their friends were asked at what time they were restored thus to their speech and health, and Mr. Pacy did affirm, that within less than half an hour after the witches were convicted, they were all of them restored, and slept well that night, feeling no pain ; only Susan Chandler felt a pain like pricking of pins in her stomach.

Afterwards they were all brought down to the court ; but Anne Durent was so afraid to behold them, that she desired she might not see them. The other two continued in the court, and they affirmed in the face of the country, and before the witches themselves, what before had been deposed by their friends and relations, — the prisoners not much contradicting them. In conclusion, the judge and all the court were fully satisfied with the verdict, and thereupon gave judgment against the witches, that they should be hanged.

They were much urged to confess, but would not.

That morning the judges departed for Cambridge, but no reprieve was granted ; and they were executed on Monday the 17th of March following, but they confessed nothing to the last.