Witch Stories Part 18

[75] Hibbert.

[76] Law's 'Memorials;' and Chambers.

[77] A crazy old Illuminatus, who had a "call," and wrote the Tinkler's Testament.

[78] Scott. d.i.c.kie. Chambers, &c.

[79] d.i.c.kie's 'Philosophy of Magic.'

[80] 'Select Cases of Conscience.'

[81] 'Discoverie of Witchcraft.'

[82] 'Discoverie of Witchcraft,' 1584.

[83] 'Dialogue concerning Witches,' 1603.

[84] 'Select Cases of Conscience touching Witches and Witchcraft,' 1646.

[85] 'Advertis.e.m.e.nt to the Jurymen of England,' 1653.

[86] 'A Candle in the Dark,' 1656.

[87] 'Question of Witchcraft debated,' 1669. "Wagstaffe was a little crooked man, of a despicable presence. He was laughed at by the boys of Oxford because they said he himself looked like a wizard."

[88] 'Displaying of Witchcraft,' 1677.

[89] 'Historical Essay concerning Witchcraft,' 1720.

[90] Introduction to Potts's 'Discovery of Witches,' edited by James Crossley, Esq. Chetham Society. 1845.

[91] Conjuration or invocation of any evil spirit was felony without benefit of clergy; so also to consult, covenant with, entertain, feed, or reward any evil spirit, or to take up any dead body for charms or spells; to use or practise witchcrafts, enchantment, charm, or sorcery, so that any one was lamed, killed, or pined, was felony without benefit of clergy, to be followed up by burning. Then 'The Country Justice' goes on to give the legal signs of a witch, and those on which a magistrate might safely act, as legal "discoveries." She was to be found and proved by insensible marks; by teats; by imps in various shapes, such as toads, mice, flies, spiders, cats, dogs, &c.; by pictures of wax or clay; by the accusations of the afflicted; by her apparition seen by the afflicted as coming to torment them; by her own sudden or frequent inquiries at the house of the sick; by common report; by the accusations of the dying; and the bleeding of the corpse at her touch; by the testimony of children; by the afflicted vomiting pins, needles, straw, &c.; in short, by all the foolery, gravely formularized, to be found in the lies and deceptions hereafter related.

[92] Thomas Wright's 'Narrative of Sorcery and Magic.' Southey's Ballad.

[93] Thomas Wright's 'Narrative of Sorcery and Magic,' and 'Trial of Dame Alice Kyteler.'

[94] Idem.

[95] 'Introduction to the Narrative of the Proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteler.' By Thomas Wright. 1843.

[96] Wright's 'Narrative of Sorcery and Magic.' 1851.

[97] Reginald Scot.

[98] Reginald Scot. Dr. Hutchinson.

[99] Stow.

[100] Scot, quoting a little pamphlet, without a t.i.tle, which I cannot find.

[101] From an extremely rare black-letter book, ent.i.tled 'A Detection of d.a.m.nable driftes, practized by three Witches arraigned at Chelmsforde, in Ess.e.x, at the laste a.s.sizes there holden, whiche were executed in Aprill 1579. Set forthe to discouer the Ambushementes of Sathan, whereby he would surprise us lulled in securitie, and hardened with contempte of G.o.d's vengeance threatened for our offences. Imprinted at London, for Edward White, at the little North-dore of Paules.'

[102] Scot.

[103] 'A true and just Recorde of the Information, Examination, and Confession of all the Witches, taken at S. Osees in the countie of Ess.e.x; whereof some were executed, and other some entreated according to the determination of lawe. Wherein all men may see what a pestilent people Witches are, and how vnworthy to lyve in a Christian Commonwealth. Written orderly, as the cases were tryed by euidence by W. W. Imprinted in London at the three Cranes, in the Vinetree, by Thomas Dawson. 1582.'

[104] This was his manner of dealing with the accused, and its falsehood, iniquity, and injustice need no comment.

[105] The names of the imps which haunted various persons was curious. A Dutch boy had Pretty Betty, Cuckow, Longtail; and Bernard gives us his list:--"Mephistophiles, Lucifer, Little Lord, Fimodes, David, Jude, Little Robin, Smack, Litefoote, Nonesuch, Lunch, Makes.h.i.+ft, Swash, Pluck, Blue, Catch, White, Collins, Hardname, Tibb, Hiff, Ball, Puss, Rutterkin, d.i.c.kie, Prettie, Grissel, and Jacke;" together with "Pippin, Philpot, Modu, Soforce, Hilco, Smolkin, Hillio, Hiac.l.i.to, l.u.s.tie, Huffe, Cap, Killico, Hob, Fratello, Fliberdigibbet, Hoberdidance, Tocobatto, and l.u.s.tie Jollie Jenkin." We have seen some of these already, and those who read farther will find a few more, and some quite as quaint and odd not set down in this list.

[106] 'A true and most dreadfull discourse of a Woman possessed with the Deuill; who, in the likenesse of a headlesse Beare, fetched her oute of her Bedde, in the presence of seven persons, most straungely roulled her thorow three Chambers, and downe a high paire of stairres on the fower and twentie of May last, 1584. At Ditchet, in Somersets.h.i.+re. A matter as miraculous as ever was seen in our time. Imprinted at London for Thomas Nelson.'

[107] 'A compleat History of Magick, Sorcery, and Witchcraft.' By Richard Boulton. 1715.

[108] Hutchinson's 'Historical Essay concerning Witchcraft.' Boulton's 'History of Magic.' Ha.r.s.ent's 'Discovery of the Fravdvlent Practises of J.

Darrel.' 'A True Relation of the Strange and Grevovs Vexation by the Devil of 7 Persons in Lancas.h.i.+re, and William Somers of Nottingham.' By John Darrel. 1600.

[109] 'A Dialogue concerning Witches and Witchcrafts.' 1603.

[110] This is an old story, found in all books on witchcraft.

[111] George Sinclair's 'Satan's Invisible World Displayed.'

[112] Hutchinson's 'Essay on Witchcraft.'

[113] 'The Witches of Northamptons.h.i.+re.'

Agnes Browne, } Arthur Bill, } } } Witches.

Ioane Vaughan,} h.e.l.len Ienkinson,}

Mary Barber.

Who were all executed at Northampton the 22 of Iuly last, 1612.

'London. Printed by Tho. Purfoot for Arthur Iohnson. 1612.' A rare and valuable little black-letter tract.

[114] 'The Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the County of Lancaster.' By Thomas Potts. 1613. Thomas Wright's 'Narrative of Sorcery and Magic.'

1851.

[115] "Ligh in," perhaps lykinge, l.u.s.ty, or craske.

[116] "Leath," flexible.

[117] The chrism was the white cloth placed over the brow of a newly-baptized child in the Roman Catholic service. When children died within the month they were called chrisoms.

[118] "Farrandly," fair, handsome.