Discovery of Witches Part 21

_Jennet Preston._

Many haue vndertaken to write great discourses of Witches and many more dispute and speake of them. And it were not much if as many wrote of them as could write at al, to set forth to the world the particular Rites and Secrets of their vnlawfull Artes, with their infinite and wonderfull practises which many men little feare till they seaze vpon them. As by this late wonderfull discouerie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster may appeare, wherein I find such apparant matter to satisfie the World, how dangerous and malitious a Witch this _Iennet Preston_ was, How vnfit to liue, hauing once so great mercie extended to her: And againe to reuiue her practises, and returne to her former course of life; that I thinke it necessarie not to let the memorie of her life and death die with her; But to place her next to her fellowes and to set forth the Arraignement Triall and Conviction of her, with her offences for which she was condemned and executed.

And although shee died for her offence before the rest, I yet can afford her no better place then in the end of this Booke in respect the proceedings was in an other Countie;

You that were husband to this _Iennet Preston_; her friends and kinsfolkes, who haue not beene sparing to deuise so scandalous a slander out of the malice of your hearts, as that shee was maliciously prosecuted by Master _Lister_ and others; Her life vniustly taken away by practise; and that (euen at the Gallowes where shee died impenitent and void of all feare or grace) she died an Innocent woman, because she would confesse nothing: You I say may not hold it strange, though at this time, being not only moued in conscience, but directed, for example sake, with that which I haue to report of her, I suffer you not to wander any further, but with this short discourse oppose your idle conceipts able to seduce others: And by Charmes of Imputations and slander, laid vpon the Iustice of the Land, to cleare her that was iustly condemned and executed for her offence; That this _Iennet Preston_ was for many yeares well thought of and esteemed by Master _Lister_ who afterwards died for it Had free accesse to his house, kind respect and entertainment; nothing denied her she stood in need of. Which of you that dwelleth neare them in Crauen but can and will witnesse it? which might haue incouraged a Woman of any good condition to haue runne a better course.

The fauour and goodnesse of this Gentleman Master _Lister_ now liuing, at his first entrance after the death of his Father extended towards her, and the reliefe she had at all times, with many other fauours that succeeded from time to time, are so palpable and euident to all men as no man can denie them. These were sufficient motiues to haue perswaded her from the murder of so good a friend.

But such was her execrable Ingrat.i.tude, as euen this grace and goodnesse was the cause of his miserable and vntimely death. And euen in the beginning of his greatest fauours extended to her, began shee to worke this mischiefe, according to the course of all Witches.

This _Iennet Preston_, whose Arraignment and Triall, with the particular Euidence against her I am now to set forth vnto you, one that liued at Gisborne in Crauen, in the Countie of Yorke, neare Master _Lister_ of Westbie, against whom she practised much mischiefe; for hauing cut off _Thomas Lister_ Esquire, father to this gentleman now liuing,[Y_a_1] shee reuenged her selfe vpon his sonne: who in short time receiued great losse in his goods and cattell by her meanes.

These things in time did beget suspition, and at the a.s.sizes and Generall Gaole deliuerie holden at the Castle of Yorke in Lent last past, before my Lord _Bromley_, shee was Indicted and Arraigned for the murder of a Child of one _Dodg-sonnes_,[Y_a_2] but by the fauour and mercifull consideration of the Iurie thereof acquited.

But this fauour and mercie was no sooner extended towardes her, and shee set at libertie, But shee began to practise the utter ruine and ouerthrow of the name and bloud of this Gentleman.

And the better to execute her mischiefe and wicked intent, within foure dayes after her deliuerance out of the Castle at Yorke, went to the great a.s.sembly of Witches at _Malking-Tower_ vpon Good-friday last: to praye aide and helpe, for the murder of Master _Lister_, in respect he had prosecuted against her at the same a.s.sizes.

Which it pleased G.o.d in his mercie to discouer, and in the end, howsoeuer he had blinded her, as he did the King of aegypt and his Instruments, for the brighter euidence of his own powerfull glory: Yet by a Iudiciall course and triall of the Law, cut her off, and so deliuered his people from the danger of her Deuilish and wicked practises: which you shall heare against her, at her Arraignement and Triall, which I shall now set forth to you in order as it was performed, with the wonderfull signes and tokens of G.o.d, to satisfie the Iurie to finde her guiltie of this bloudie murther, committed foure yeares since.

Indictment.

This _Iennet Preston_ being Prisoner in the Castle at Yorke, and indicted, for that shee felloniously had practised, vsed, and exercised diuerse wicked and deuillish Arts, called Witchcrafts, Inchauntments, Charmes, and Sorceries, in and vpon one _Thomas Lister_ of Westby in Crauen, in the Countie of Yorke Esquire, and by force of the same Witchcraft felloniously the said _Thomas Lister_ had killed, _Contra Pacem &c._ beeing at the Barre, was arraigned.

To this Indictment vpon her Arraignement, shee pleaded not guiltie, and for the Triall of her life put her selfe vpon G.o.d and her Countrey.

Whereupon my Lord _Altham_ commaunded Master Sheriffe of the Countie of Yorke, in open Court to returne a Iurie of sufficient Gentlemen of vnderstanding, to pa.s.se betweene our Soueraigne Lord the Kings Majestie and her, and others the Prisoners, vpon their liues and deaths; who were afterwards sworne, according to the forme and order of the Court, the prisoner being admitted to her lawfull challenge.

Which being done, and the Prisoner at the Barre to receiue her Tryall, Master _Heyber_,[Y2_a_] one of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the same County, hauing taken great paines in the proceedings against her; and being best instructed of any man of all the particular points of Euidence against her, humbly prayed, the witnesses hereafter following might be examined against her, and the seuerall Examinations, taken before Master _Nowel_, and certified, might openly bee published against her; which hereafter follow in order, _viz._

_The Euidence for the Kings Maiestie_

Against

IENNET PRESTON, _Prisoner at the Barre._

Hereupon were diuerse Examinations taken and read openly against her, to induce and satisfie the Gentlemen of the Iurie of Life and Death, to finde she was a Witch; and many other circ.u.mstances for the death of M. _Lister_. In the end _Anne Robinson_ and others were both examined, who vpon their Oathes declared against her, That M. _Lister_ lying in great extremitie, vpon his death bedde, cried out vnto them that stood about him; that _Iennet Preston_ was in the house, looke where shee is, take hold of her: for G.o.ds sake shut the doores, and take her, shee cannot escape away. Looke about for her, and lay hold on her, for shee is in the house: and so cryed very often in his great paines, to them that came to visit him during his sicknesse.

_Anne Robinson_,

and

_Thomas Lister_,

Being examined further, they both gaue this in euidence against her, That when Master _Lister_ lay vpon his death-bedde, hee cryed out in great extremitie; _Iennet Preston_ lyes heauie vpon me, _Prestons_ wife lies heauie vpon me; helpe me, helpe me: and so departed, crying out against her.

These, with many other witnesses, were further examined, and deposed, That _Iennet Preston_, the Prisoner at the Barre, being brought to M.

_Lister_ after hee was dead, & layd out to be wound vp in his winding-sheet, the said _Iennet Preston_ comming to touch the dead corpes, they bled fresh bloud presently,[Y3_a_] in the presence of all that were there present: Which hath euer beene held a great argument to induce a Iurie to hold him guiltie that shall be accused of Murther, and hath seldome, or neuer, fayled in the Tryall.

But these were not alone: for this wicked and bloud-thirstie Witch was no sooner deliuered at the a.s.sises holden at Yorke in Lent last past, being indicted, arraigned, and by the fauor and mercie of the Iurie found not guiltie, for the murther of a Child by Witch-craft: but vpon the Friday following, beeing Good-Friday, shee rode in hast to the great meeting at Malking-Tower, and there prayed aide for the murther of M. _Thomas Lister:_ as at large shall appeare, by the seuerall Examinations hereafter following; sent to these a.s.sises from Master _Nowel_ and other his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the Countie of Lancaster, to be giuen in euidence against her, vpon her Triall, _viz._

_The Examination and Euidence of_ IAMES DEVICE, _of the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie of Lancaster, Labourer, taken at the house of_ IAMES WILSEY, _of the Forrest of Pendle in the Countie of Lancaster, the seuen and twentieth day of Aprill_, Anno Reg. Regis IACOBI Angliae, &c. Decimo ac Scotiae quadragesimo quinto.

Before

ROGER NOWEL _and_ NICHOLAS BANESTER, _Esquires, two of his Maiesties Iustices of the Peace within the Countie of Lancaster_, viz.

This Examinate saith, That vpon Good-Friday last about twelue of the clocke in the day-time, there dined in this Examinates said mothers house a number of persons, whereof three were men, with this Examinate, and the rest women: and that they met there for these three causes following (as this Examinates said mother told this Examinate): First was for the naming of the Spirit, which _Alizon Deuice_, now Prisoner at Lancaster, had, but did not name him, because shee was not there. The second cause was for the deliuery 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 that end the aforesaid Prisoners might by that meanes make an escape and get away. All which this Examinate then heard them conferre of. And the third cause was, for that there was a woman dwelling in Gilburne Parish, who came into this Examinates said Grand-mothers house, who there came, and craued a.s.sistance of the rest of them that were then there, for the killing of Master _Lister_ of Westby: because, as she then said, he had borne malice vnto her, and had thought to haue put her away at the last a.s.sizes at Yorke; but could not. And then this Examinat heard the said woman say, that her power was not strong enough to doe it her selfe, being now lesse then before time it had beene.

And he also further saith, that the said _Prestons_ wife had a Spirit with her like unto a white Foale, with a blacke-spot in the forehead.

And further, this Examinat saith, That since the said meeting, as aforesaid, this Examinate hath beene brought to the wife of one _Preston_ in Gisburne Parish aforesaid, by _Henry Hargreiues_ of Goldshey, to see whether shee was the woman that came amongst the said Witches, on the said last Good-Friday, to craue their aide and a.s.sistance for the killing of the said Master _Lister_: and hauing had full view of her; hee this Examinate confesseth, That shee was the selfe-same woman which came amongst the said Witches on the said last Good-Friday, for their aide for the killing of the said Master _Lister_; and that brought the Spirit with her, in the shape of a White Foale, as aforesaid.

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 they were forth of the doores, were gotten on horse-backe like vnto Foales, some of one colour, some of another, and _Prestons_ wife was the last; and when she got on horse-backe, they all presently vanished out of this Examinats 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 meet in the meane time, then should warning bee giuen that they all should meete vpon Romles-Moore. And this Examinate further saith, That at the said feast at Malking-Tower, this Examinat heard them all giue their consents to put the said Master _Thomas Lister_ of Westby to death: and after Master _Lister_ should be made away by Witchcraft, then al the said Witches gaue their consents to ioyne altogether to hancke Master _Leonard Lister_,[Z_a_] when he should come to dwell at the Sowgill, and so put him to death.

_The Examination of_ HENRIE HARGREIVES _of Goldshey-booth, in the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie of Lancaster Yeoman, taken the fifth day of May_, Anno Reg. Regis IACOBI Angliae, &c. Decimo, ac Scociae quadragesimo quinto.

Before

ROGER NOWEL, NICHOLAS BANNESTER, _and_ ROBERT HOLDEN, _Esquires; three of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace within the said Countie._

This Examinat vpon his oath saith, That _Anne Whittle_, alias _Chattox_, confessed vnto him, that she knoweth one _Prestons_ wife neere Gisburne, and that the said _Prestons_ wife should haue beene at the said feast, vpon the said Good-Friday, and that shee was an ill woman, and had done Master _Lister_ of Westby great hurt.

_The Examination of_ ELIZABETH DEVICE, _mother of_ IAMES DEVICE, _taken before_ ROGER NOWEL _and_ NICHOLAS BANESTER, _Esquires, the day and yeare aforesaid_, viz.

The said _Elizabeth Deuice_ vpon her Examination confesseth, That vpon Good-Friday last, there dined at this Examinats house, which she hath said are Witches, and doth verily thinke them to be Witches; and their names are those whom _Iames Deuice_ hath formerly spoken of to be there.

She also confesseth in all things touching the killing of Master _Lister_ of Westby, as the said _Iames Deuice_ hath before confessed.

And the said _Elizabeth Deuice_ also further saith, That at the said meeting at Malking-Tower, as aforesaid, the said _Katherine Hewyt_ and _Iohn Bulc.o.c.k_, with all the rest then there, gaue their consents, with the said _Prestons_ wife, for the killing of the said Master _Lister_. And for the killing of the said Master _Leonard Lister_, she this Examinate saith in all things, as the said _Iames Deuice_ hath before confessed in his Examination.

_The Examination of_ IENNET DEVICE, _daughter of_ ELIZABETH _late wife of_ IOHN DEVICE, _of the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie of Lancaster, about the age of nine yeares or thereabouts, taken the day and yeare aboue-said:_

Before

ROGER NOWEL _and_ NICHOLAS BANESTER, _Esquires, two of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the Countie of Lancaster._