Discovery of Witches Part 15

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THE ARRAIGNMENT _and Triall of_ ALICE NUTTER, _of the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie of Lancaster, for Witch-craft; upon Wednesday the nineteenth of August, at the a.s.sizes and generall Gaole deliuerie, holden at Lancaster._

Before

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

_Alice Nutter._[O3_a_]

The two degrees of persons which chiefly practise Witch-craft, are such, as are in great miserie and pouertie, for such the Deuill allures to follow him, by promising great riches, and worldly commoditie; Others, though rich, yet burne in a desperate desire of Reuenge; Hee allures them by promises, to get their turne satisfied to their hearts contentment, as in the whole proceedings against old _Chattox_: the examinations of old _Dembdike_; and her children, there was not one of them, but have declared the like, when the Deuill first a.s.saulted them.

But to attempt this woman in that sort, the Diuel had small meanes: For it is certaine she was a rich woman; had a great estate, and children of good hope: in the common opinion of the world, of good temper, free from enuy or malice; yet whether by the meanes of the rest of the Witches, or some vnfortunate occasion, shee was drawne to fall to this wicked course of life, I know not: but hither shee is now come to receiue her Triall, both for Murder, and many other vilde and d.a.m.nable practises.

Great was the care and paines of his Lords.h.i.+p, to make triall of the Innocencie of this woman, as shall appeare vnto you vpon the Examination of _Iennet Deuice_, in open Court, at the time of her Arraignement and Triall; by an extraordinary meanes of Triall, to marke her out from the rest.

It is very certaine she was of the Grand-counsell at Malking-Tower vpon Good-Friday, and was there present, which was a very great argument to condemne her.

This _Alice Nutter_, Prisoner in the Castle at Lancaster: Being brought to the Barre before the Great Seat of Iustice; was there according to the former order and course Indicted and Arraigned, for that she felloniously had practised, exercised, and vsed her diuellish and wicked Arts, called _Witchcrafts_, _Inchantments_, _Charmes_ and _Sorceries_, in and vpon _Henry Mitton_: and him the said _Henry Mitton_, by force of the same Witchcrafts, felloniously did kill and murther. _Contra formam Statuti_, &c. _Et Contra Pacem_, &c.

Vpon her Arraignement, to this Indictment shee pleaded not guiltie; and for the triall of her life, put her selfe vpon G.o.d and the Countrey.

So as now the Gentlemen of the Iury of life and death stand charged with her, as with others.

_The Euidence against_ Alice Nutter _Prisoner at the Barre._

_The Examination of_ IAMES DEVICE _sonne of_ ELIZABETH DEVICE: _Taken the seuen and twentieth day of Aprill_: Anno Reg. Regis IACOBI Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, Fidei Defensor. &c.

Decimo & Scotiae, xlvj.

Before

ROGER NOWEL _and_ NICHOLAS BANESTER, _two of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the Countie of Lancaster. Against Alice Nutter._

The said Examinate saith vpon his oath, That hee heard his Grand-mother say, about a yeare ago, that his mother, called _Elizabeth Deuice_, and his Grand-mother, and the wife of _Richard Nutter_, [Sidenote: _Alice Nutter_ the Prisoner.] of the Rough-Lee aforesaid, had killed one _Henry Mitton_, of the Rough-Lee aforesaid, by Witchcraft. The reason wherefore he was so killed, was for that this Examinats said Grand-mother had asked the said _Mitton_ a penny: and hee denying her thereof; thereupon shee procured his death as aforesaid.

_The Examination of_ ELIZABETH DEVICE, _mother of the said_ IAMES DEVICE.

Against

ALICE NVTTER, _wife of_ RICHARD NVTTER, _Prisoner at the Barre, vpon her Arraignement and Triall._

Before

ROGER NOWEL _and_ NICHOLAS BANESTER, _Esquires, the day and yeare aforesaid._

This Examinate vpon her oath confesseth, and saith, That she, with the wife of _Richard Nutter_, called _Alice Nutter_, Prisoner at the Barre; and this Examinates said mother, _Elizabeth Sotherne_, alias _Old Demdike_; ioyned altogether, and bewitched the said _Henry Mitton_ to death.

This Examinate further saith, That vpon Good-friday last, there dined at this examinats house two women of Burneley Parish, whose names the said _Richard Nutters_ wife, _Alice Nutter_, now Prisoner at the Barre, doth know.

_The Examination of_ IAMES DEVICE _aforesaid._

Against

_The said_ ALICE NVTTER, _the daye and yeare aforesaid._

The said Examinate vpon his oath saith, That vpon Good-Friday about twelue of the clocke in the day time, there dined in this Examinats said mothers house, a number of persons, whereof three were men, with this Examinate, and the rest women: and that they mette there for these three causes following, as this Examinats said mother told this Examinate.

The first was for the naming of the Spirit, which _Alizon Deuice_, now Prisoner at Lancaster, had, but did not name him, because she was not there.

The second cause was, for the deliuerie of his said Grand-mother; this Examinates said sister, _Alizon_; the said _Anne Chattox_, and her daughter _Redferne_; killing the Gaoler at Lancaster, and before the next a.s.sizes to blow vp the Castle there; to the end that the foresaid Prisoners might by that meanes make an escape, and get away: all which this Examinate then heard them conferre of.

And he also saith, The names of such Witches as were on Good-Friday at this Examinats said Grand-mothers house, and now this Examinates owne mothers, for so many of them as he doth know, were amongst others, _Alice Nutter_, mother of _Myles Nutter_, now Prisoner at the Barre.

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 time they were forth of the doores, were gotten on horse-backe, like vnto Foales, some of one colour, and some of another; and _Prestons_ wife was the last: and when shee got on horse-back, they all presently vanished out of this Examinates sight: and before their said parting away, they all appointed to meete at the said _Prestons_ wifes house that day twelue month, at which time the said _Prestons_ wife promised to make them a great feast: and if they had occasion to meete in the meane time, then should warning be giuen to meet up[=o] Romleys Moore.

_The Examination and Euidence of_ IENNET DEVICE, _daughter of_ ELIZABETH DEVICE.

Against

ALICE NVTTER, _Prisoner at the Barre._

The said Examinate saith, That on Good-Friday last, there was about 20. persons, whereof only two were men (to this Examinates remembrance) at her said Grand-mothers house at Malking-Tower, about twelue of the clock; all which persons, this Examinats said mother tould her, were Witches. And she further saith, she knoweth the names of six of them, _viz._ the wife of _Hugh Hargreiues_ vnder Pendle, _Christopher Howgate_ of Pendle, Vncle to this Examinat and _Elizabeth_ his wife; and _d.i.c.k Myles_ wife of the Rough-Lee, _Christopher Iacks_ of Thorniholme, and his wife; and the names of the residue, she this Examinate doth not know.

After these Examinations were openly read, his Lords.h.i.+p being very suspitious of the accusation of this yong wench _Iennet Deuice_, commanded one to take her away into the vpper Hall, intending in the meane time to make Triall of her Euidence, and the Accusation especially against this woman, who is charged to haue beene at Malking-Tower, at this great meeting. Master _Couel_ was commanded to set all his prisoners by themselues, and betwixt euery Witch another Prisoner, and some other strange women amongst them, so as no man could iudge the one from the other: and these being set in order before the Court from the prisoners, then was the Wench _Iennet Deuice_ commaunded to be brought into the Court: and being set before my Lord, he tooke great paines to examine her of euery particular Point, What women were at Malking-Tower vpon Good-Friday? How she knew them? What were the names of any of them? And how she knew them to be such as she named?

In the end being examined by my Lord,[P2_a_1] Whether she knew them that were there by their faces, if she saw them? she told my Lord she should: whereupon in the presence of this great Audience, in open Court, she went and tooke _Alice Nutter_, this prisoner, by the hand, and accused her to be one: and told her in what place shee sat at the Feast at Malking-Tower, at the great a.s.sembly of the Witches, and who sat next her: what conference they had, and all the rest of their proceedings at large, without any manner of contrarietie.

Being demaunded further by his Lords.h.i.+p, Whether she knew _Iohan a Style_?[P2_a_2] she alledged, she knew no such wom[=a] to be there, neither did she euer heare her name.

This could be no forged or false Accusation, but the very Act of G.o.d to discouer her.

Thus was no meanes left to doe her all indifferent fauour, but it was vsed to saue her life; and to this shee could giue no answere.

But nothing would serue: for old _Dembdike_, old _Chattox_, and others, had charged her with innocent bloud, which cries out for Reuenge, and will be satisfied. And therefore Almightie G.o.d, in his Iustice, hath cut her off.

And here I leaue her, vntill shee come to her Execution, where you shall heare shee died very impenitent; insomuch as her owne children were neuer able to moue her to confesse any particular offence, or declare any thing, euen in _Articulo Mortis_: which was a very fearefull thing to all that were present, who knew shee was guiltie.

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THE ARRAIGNMENT _and Triall of_ KATHERINE HEWIT, _Wife of_ IOHN HEWIT, _alias_ MOVLD-HEELES,[P3_a_]