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cause_n	believe_v	good_a	great_a	1,387	5	2.5396	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81077	The kingdom of darkness: or the history of dæmons, specters, witches, apparitions, possessions, disturbances, and other wonderful and supernatural delusions, mischievous feats, and malicious impostures of the Devil Containing near fourscore memorable relations, forreign and domestick, both antient and modern. Collected from authentick records, real attestations, credible evidences, and asserted by authors of undoubted verity. Together with a preface obviating the common objections and allegations of the sadduces and atheists of the age, who deny the being of spirits, witches, &c. With pictures of several memorable accidents. By R. B. Licensed and entred according to order.	R. B., 1632?-1725?; Drapentier, Jan, fl. 1674-1713.	1688 (1688)	Wing C7342; ESTC R224752	121,198	192

the Hall Window throwing stones toward the Entry though there was no body in the Hall at that time sometimes they should hear a dismal hollow whistling otherwhile the noise of the trotting of an horse and snorting but nothing seen Mr. Walton went up the great Bay in his Boat to a Farm he had there and being haling wood and timber to the Boat he was disturbed by the stones as before at home He carried a stirrup iron from the house down to the Boat and there left it but while he was going up to the house the iron came jingling after him through the Woods and returned to the house and then went back again and at last quite away being never more heard of Their Anchor leapt over-board several times as they were going home and stopt the Boat A Cheese hath been taken out of the Press and crumbled all over the floor A piece of iron wherewith they weighed up the Cheese-press stuck into the wall and a kettle was hung up thereon several cocks of English hay mowed near the house were taken and hung upon Trees and some made into small wisps and scattered all about the Kitchin with divers other such tricks wherewith they were treated They were sometimes quiet for a week and much hoped all was past but then their vexation returned as much or more than ever The man was very much hurt with some of the stones thrown at him but the Summer after the disturbance ceased Remark Provid p. 161. IX THE same year another strange Accident is related which happened to Nicholas Desborough of Hartford in New-England who was strangely molested with stones pieces of earth cobs of Indian corn and other things falling upon and about him which sometimes came in through the door sometimes through the window sometimes down the Chimney and other times they seem'd to fall from the floor of the Chamber which yet was very close sometimes he met with them in his shop the yard the barn and in the field at work In the house such things happened frequently not only in the night but in the day time if the man himself was at home but never when his wife was at home alone There was no great violence in their motion for though several Persons in the Family and others also were struck with the things thrown by an invisible hand yet they were not hurt thereby Only the man himself had once his arm somewhat pained by a blow given him and at another time bloud was drawn from his leg by a scratch he received This molestation began soon after a controversy arose between Desborough and another Person about a Chest of cloths which the other affirmed Desborough did unjustly retain and thus it continued for some months though with several intermissions A while after the mans barn was burnt and all his corn in it but by what means it came to pass is not known Hereupon in a little while some to whom the matter was referred ordered Desborough to restore the cloths to the Person who complained of wrong after which he was not troubled as before Some of the stones hurled were of considerable bigness one of them weighed four pounds but generally they were small One time a piece of clay came down the Chimney falling on the Table which stood at some distance from it The people of the house threw it on the hearth where it lay a considerable time They went to supper which whilst they were doing the piece of clay was lifted up by an invisible hand and fell upon the Table taking it up they found it hot having lain so long before the fire as to be so Essay Provid p. 159. X. IN October 1671. a Maid named Elizabeth Knap of Groton in New-England was taken after a very strange manner sometimes weeping sometimes laughing sometimes roaring hideously with violent motions and agitations of her body crying out Money Money c. In November following her tongue for many hours together was drawn like a semicircle up to the roof of her mouth not to be removed though some tried with their fingers to do it Six men were scarce able to hold her in some of her Fits but she would skip about the House yelling and looking with a most frightful aspect Dec. 7. Her Tongue was drawn out of her mouth to an extraordinary length and now a Daemon or Spirit began manifestly to speak in her Many words were uttered without any motion of her lips which was a clear demonstration that the voice was not her own ●ometimes words were spoken seeming to proceed out of her throat when her mouth was shat Sometimes with her mouth wide open without moving either lips or tongue The things then uttered were chiefly railings and revilings of Mr. Willard the worthy Minister of that Town Also the Daemon belched forth horrid and nefandous blasphemies exalting himself above the most High. After this she was taken speechless for some time One thing more is worthy of Remark concerning this miserable creature she cried out in some of her Fits that a woman one of her neighbours appeared to her and was the cause of her affliction The Person thus accused was a very sober religious woman who thereupon with the advice of Friends visited the poor Wretch and though she was in one of her Fits having her eyes shut when the innocent Person impeached by her came in yet could she so powerful were Satans operations upon her declare who was there and could tell the touch of that woman from any one else But this good woman thus accused and abused by a malicious Devil prayed earnestly with and for the possessed creature after which she confessed that Satan had deluded her making her believe evil of her good neighbour without any cause Nor did she after that complain of any apparition or disturbance from such an one yea she said That the Devil ba● himself in the likeness and shape of divers tormented her and then told her it was not he but they that did it Ibidem p. 140. XI VEry remarkable was that Providence wherein Ann Cole of Hartford in New-England was concerned She was accounted a very religious woman and of a good conversation yet in 1662. Living then in her Fathers house who was likewise esteemed a serious Christian she was taken with very strange Fits wherein her tongue was improved by a Daemon to utter things she knew nothing of sometimes the discourse would hold a considerable time The general tendency whereof was that such and such Persons who were named were consulting how they might carry on mischievous designs against her and divers others mentioning several waies they should take for that end perticularly that they should afflict her body take away her good name and the like The general answer made among the Daemons was She runs to the Rock This continuing some hours the Daemons said Let us confound her language that she may tell no more tales After this she uttered many things

her no hurt And about three nights after there came a white thing to her and the night after a gray one who spoke and told her they would not harm her but help her to a husband who should maintain her ever after and that afterward they came into her bed every other night and suckt the lower parts of her body Upon these Informations and Confessions Elizabeth Clark was Arraigned Convicted and Executed at Chelmsford March 27. 1645. Inform. Witches p. 6. LXXV ANN Leach of Misley in Essex was likewise apprehended for the same horrid Crime of Witchcraft at that time against whom Richard Edwards of Mannintree deposed That one Sunday afternoon driving his Cows home by her house a black Cow of his which he judged to be very well fell down and died two days after and the next day passing by her house again a white Cow fell down and died in the very same place and being both opened there could be no disease discovered which might occasion their death He likewise declared that some months before he had a Child nursed by one Goody Wiles who dwelt near Elizabeth Clark and Elizabeth Gooding another Witch which Child was taken with strange Fits extending the limbs and rowling the eyes and in two days died and he verily believes Ann Leach and Elizabeth Gooding were the death of his Child and so it appear'd by Ann Leaches own Confession which follows Ann Leach being examined said That she had a grey Imp sent her and that she with Elizabeth Clark and Gooding sent their Imps about a year before to kill a black and white Cow of Mr. Edwards which was done accordingly there were three Imps sent a black a grey and a white She likewise confest that thirty years before she sent a gray Imp to kill two Horses of Mr. Braggs of Misley out of malice to his Wife who told her she was suspected to be a naughty woman And that she and Gooding sent each of them an Imp to murder Mr. Edwards Child hers being white and the others black and that she had her white Imp and two others of Robert Peirces Wife of Stoak in Suffolk he being her brother and that these Imps went from one to the other doing mischief wherever they went and that if she did not imploy them she was never well but when she sent them to act her revenge she was very healthy that they usually suckt these Teats which were discovered on her body and often spoke to her in an hollow voice which she plainly understood assuring her she should never feel hell torments she confessed further that upon a small quarrel with Elizabeth the daughter of Robert Kirk of Mannintree about a Quoif which the Maid refused to give her she sent her Imp to destroy her who accordingly lay languishing a whole year and then died And that she sent her grey Imp to kill the daughter of the Widdow Rawlins of Misley because she was put out of her farm and Mrs. Rawlins put in She also confest that she knew of Elizabeth Goodings sending an Imp to vex and torment John Taylors Wife of Mannintree and would have discovered it but the Devil would not suffer her and lastly that about eight weeks before Elizabeth Gooding Ann West and her self met at the house of Eliz. Clark where there was a book read wherein there was no goodness She was likewise tryed and executed at Chelmsford the same year 1645. Ibidem p. 8. LXX HEllen the Wife of Thomas Clark and daughter to Ann Leach was also accused for Witchcraft at the same time Richard Glascocks Wife of Mannintree deposed That there happening some difference between Edward Parsleys Wife and this Hellen she heard Hellen say as she passed by their door that Mary their eldest daughter should rue for it whereupon the Maid instantly fell sick and died six weeks after Edward Parsley her Father confirmed the same and said he did verily believe Hellen Clark was the cause of her death who being her self examined confest That about six weeks before the Devil appeared to her in in her house in the likeness of a white Dog and that she called this Imp or Familiar Spirit Elimanzer and that she often fed it and that the Spirit spoke to her very audible and bid her deny Jesus Christ which she did then assent to but denied that she killed the young Maid She was executed at Mannintree April 15. 1645. Ibidem p. 10. LXXI ANN West and Rebecca her daughter were likewise of this black Society against whom Prudence the Wife of Thomas Hart of Lawford in Essex deposed upon Oath that about eight weeks before going one Sunday to the Parish Church about half a mile from her house being about twenty weeks gone with Child and to her thinking very well and healthy upon a sudden she was taken with great pains and miscarried before she came home And about two months after one night when she was in bed something fell down upon her right side but being dark she could not discover its shape and that she was presently taken lame on that side with extraordinary pains and burning and was certainly perswaded that Ann and Rebecca West were the cause of her pains having expressed much malice toward het and counted her their greatest enemy Mr. John Edes a Minister deposed That Rebec●● West confessed to him that about seven years before she began to have familiarity with the Devil by the instigation of her mother Ann West and that he appeared in several shapes As once like a proper young man who desired to have familiarity with her promising that he would then do what she desired and avenge her on her enemies requiring her also to deny God and put her faith and trust in him which being agreed to she ordered him to avenge her on one Thomas Hart of Lawford by killing his Son who was soon after taken sick and died whereupon Rebecca told the Minister she thought the Devil could do like God in destroying whom he pleased after which she gave him entertainment and he lay with her as a man She likewise confest to him that when she lived at Rivenhall in Essex her Mother came and told her The barley corn was picked up meaning that the Son of one George Francis a chief Inhabitant of that Town was dead and his father very much fuspected he was bewitched to death and her mother hearing of it said Be it unto him according to his Faith. Mr. Matthew Hopkins deposed upon Oath that going to the Prison where Rebecca West and five others were he asked her how she first came to be a Witch who told him that her mother and she going one evening after Sunset toward Mannintree her Mother sharged her to keep secret whatever she saw which she promising to do they went both to the house of Elizabeth Clark where they found her together with Ann Leach Elizabeth Gooding and Hellen Clark and that instantly the Devil appeared in the

frightned some men to death The day approaching they made them ready and related all these strange passages to their neighbours and then began to consider why they had not the wit to open the door and fly from the house which had been easier than to light a candle but they thought it was so ordered that they might undergo this tryal and by this means the good man had the courage to continue in the house till he died yet seldom wanted some of these Companions with him concluding the worst was past as indeed it was A few weeks after he and his wife went one Sunday to Church to Carstorfin a Village two miles from Edenburg In the evening they supt there at an Inn and stepping out of door upon some natural occasion he was instantly surprized with a vehement savering and trembling all over his body However going thence with an intent to get home that night he was accompanied with divers Crows flying about him and almost keeping pace with him 〈◊〉 he came to Portsburg a part of the Suburbs of the City where they left him and he went to his own house These Crows my dear says he do progno●icate that I must dye shortly He presently fell sick of an excessive pain in his head and died a while after Just at this time a Gentleman at Tranent a Town about seven miles from Edenburg whose Sollicitor this man was in managing his Law Affairs keeping his papers upon that account and had a singular kindness for this Thomas who was likewise very complaisant to his Master This Gentleman being in bed one morning with his wife his Nurse lying in a Trundle-bed under them the Nurse was much affrighted with something like a Cloud moving up and down in the room whereupon she call'd her Master and Mistriss who waking saw the Cloud He thereupon skipt nimbly out of his bed and drew his Sword and going to bed again laid it by his side and recommended his Family to God For a while it continued in the same dark form but soon after they all saw the perfect body of a man walking about the room at which the Gentleman behaved himself more like a Christian than a Combatant At last the Apparition lookt him full in the face and stood by him with a pale and gastly countenance whereat the Gentleman with much resolution said to the Spectre What art thou Art thou my dear Friend Thomas Coltheart Art thou dead my Friend Tell me if thou hast any commission to me from Almighty God tell it me and it shall be welcome The Ghost held up its hand three times waving and shaking it toward him and immediately disappeared This happened about the very hour as was computed wherein the Agent died The Sunday after his death among others th●● accompanied him to his grave some of the City Ministers were there and by chance a friend of the ●ceased thanked one of them for his company and 〈◊〉 It was pitty that some of you did not see him before he 〈◊〉 The Minister asked if there were any thing remar●able in his sickness Who told him so much that the Minister made a visit to the Widdow who welcome● him with tears in her eyes After she had composed her self he prayed with her and then she related to him all the foregoing particulars and when she came to tell him about the little Dog she said that in that very chair where he now sat the Dog lay sleeping The Minister rising up Come saies he since this is the Chair in the name of Almighty God I will see his Chamber too and so went to see the little room from which the Apparitions came In the mean time a Gentleman came in and running to the Minister imbraced him strictly both shedding tears He was the same Person to whom the Ghost of the dead husband appeared at Tranent the very hour he expired at Edenburg He told them likewise that the same morning the Ghost appeared to him he was resolved to attend a Nobleman of Scotland from Lithington to Edenburg but this Apparition discomposing his wife he was prevented But told the Widdow that he came to see her with the first opportunity and get an account of his Papers being much concerned with what he saw at his house These relations coming to the knowledge of the aforesaid Nobleman he related them before many of the Nobility Invis World. p. XIX THE mention of those little Creatures that danced so prettily in the foregoing Narrative recalls to my mind what I find related by Sierra a famous Author concerning Fairies to this effect That there lived in his time in Spain a Noble and beautiful Virgin who was very remarkable for her excellency their Needle insomuch that happy did that Courties think himself who could purchase the smallest price though at an unvaluable price It happened 〈◊〉 day that this admirable Needle-woman sat working ●ther Garden when casting her eye aside on some 〈◊〉 Flower or Teee she saw as she imagined a little Gentleman yet one that shewed great Nobility by his clothing come riding toward her from behind a ●ed of flowers She was much surprized how any one should come into the Garden but more at the Stature of the Person who though on Horseback exceeded not a foot in height and had reason to believe her eyes deceived her but the gallant spurring his horse up the Garden made it not long though his Horse was little before he came to her Then approaching the Lady with all due observance after some Complements he acquaints her with the cause of his bold arrival That forasmuch as he was Prince of the Faines and did intend to celebrate his marriage on such a day he desired she would please to make some Points for him and his Queen against the time appointed The Lady consented to his demand and he took his leave but whether business caused her to forget or the strangeness of the thing made her neglect the work as judging her sight was deceived it so fell out that when the appointed time came the work was not ready The hour wherein she had promised the Fairy Prince some fruits of her needle happened to be one day as she was at dinner with many Noble Persons having then quite forgot her promise when on a sudden casting her eye to the door she saw a mighty Train of Fairies come in so that sixing her eyes on them who were invisible to the rest of the Company and remembring how she had neglected her promise she sat as one amazed and astonisht all her Friends But at last the Train mounting the Table as they were prancing their Horses round the brim of a large dish of White-broth an Officer that seemed too busy in making way before them fell into the dish which caused the Lady to bu●● into a sudden fit of laughter and thereby to recover her senses When the whole Fairy Company 〈◊〉 come upon the Table so that the brims of every

the reason they suffer no Fly nor other living creature to touch him and upon this account only watch him so diligently and not out of any fear they have lest the Devil should take away his body as some affirm It is uncertain how long they lye in this manner but it is commonly according as the place where they make their discovery is nearer or farther off but the time never exceeds twenty fours hours let the place be at never so great a distance After which he awakes and as we have said shews some tokens to confirm their belief of what he relates to them Several Inhabitants of Kiema in Lapland were apprehended in 1671. with Drums for this purpose of so large a size that they could not be removed from thence but were burnt in the place Among these Laplanders there was one of fourscore years of age that confessed he was bred up in this Art from his Childhood who in 1670. upon some quarrel about a pair of Mittens caused a Countreyman of Kiema to be drowned in a Cataract for which he was condemned to dye and in order to that was to be carried in chains to the next Town in Bothnia but in the Journey he contrived so by his Art that on a sudden though he seemed well and lusty he died on the Sledge which he had often foretold he would sooner do than fall into the Hangmans hands Hist Lapland p. 58. XLVII THese Laplanders have likewise Magical Darts of Lead about a finger in length by which they execute their revenge upon their enemies and according to the greatness of the injury received they wound them with cankrous swellings either in the arms or legs which by the extremity of its pain kills them in three days time They shoot these darts to what distance they please and that so right too that they seldom miss their aim They have likewise another Devilish instrument of vengeance called a Ga● much like a Fly but really thought to be some little Devil of which the Finlanders in Norway who exceed others in this art keep great numbers in a leathern bag and dispatch dayly some of them abroad Of whom this Story is related that happened not long since An Inhabitant of Helieland who is still alive going toward the mountains of Norway to hunt Bears came to a Cave under the side of an Hill where he found an Image rudely shapen which was the Idol of some Finlanders near this stood a Ganesk or Magical Bag or Satchel he opened it and found therein several blewish Flyes crawling about which they call Gans or Spirits and are dayly sent out by the Finlanders to execute their devilish designs And it is related that the Finlanders cannot live peaceably except they let out of their satchel every day one of these Flyes or Devils But if the Gan can find no man to destroy after they have sent him out which they seldom do upon no account at all then he roves about at a venture and kills the first thing he meets with Sometimes they command it to go into the mountains to cleave Rocks asunder However these Conjurers will for very trivial causes send out their Gan to ruin men This they use likewise as well against one another as strangers nay sometimes against those whom they know are their equals in the art Of this kind there happened a notable passage betwixt two Finlanders one of them called Asbioren Gankonge from his great knowledge in the art the other upon some small difference concerning their Skill or some such triflle would have destroyed Asbioren but was still prevented by his too powerful art till at last finding an opportunity as Asbioren lay sleeping under a rock he immediately dispatcht away a Gan that cleft the rock in sunder and tumbled it upon him This happened in the time of Peter Claud not long before he writ his History Some of their Conjurers are contented only with the power to expel them and free men from the mischief that they do them as also to Beasts This is remarkable among them that they can hurt no man with their Gan except they first know his Parents name Now all that the Finlanders and Finlappers of Norway effect by their Gan the Laplanders do by a thing that they call Tyre This Tyre is a round ball about the bigness of a walnut or small apple made of the finest hair of a beast or else of moss very smooth and so light that it seems hollow its colour is a mixture of yellow green and ash but so that the yellow may appear most I had one of them given me saith my Author by a Gentleman This Tyre they say is quickned and moved by a particular art it is sold by the Laplanders and he who buys it may hurt whom he pleases therewith They perswade themselves and others that by the Tyre they can send either Serpents Toads Mice or what they please into the body of any man to make his torment the greater It goes like a whirlwind and as swift as an arrow and destroys the first man or beast that it lights on of which there are dayly too many Instances in that Countrey which abounds with these miserable Vassals of the Devil Ibidem p. 60. XLVIII ANother thing wherein the Laplanders have for many ages been accounted famous or rather infamous is their selling of Winds to Saylers to which they have proper instruments as well as in the rest of their wretched Sciences They tye three magical knots in a cord when they unty the first knot there blows a favourable gale of Wind when the second a brisker when the third the Sea and wind grow mighty stormy and tempestuous so that they will neither be able to direct their Ship avoid the rocks or so much as stand upon the Decks or handle their tackle Now those that are skilled in this art have command chiefly over the winds that blew at their birth so that this wind principally obeys one man that another as if they obtained this power when they first received their breath And from hence they are able to stop the course of Ships and according to the different affections they have for Merchants can make the Sea either calmer or more tempestuous Ibidem p. 58. XLIX BEfore we leave these Northern Countreys it may not be improper to give an account of some Specters and Illusions of Satan in the seventeen Islands of Feroe Subject to the King of Denmark and all inhabited as they are published in the Danish Tongue by Lucas Jacobson M. A. and Provost of the Churches there which I shall give you in his own words translated into English Satan hath endeavoured to delude the People of these Islands and to cause them to renounce the True Religion by several methods and perswades them to hold their old Traditions and evil customs which they do secretly and diligently observe so that it is a wonder the Devil doth not oftner appear and disquiet them

The Minister preached upon the words of the Father concerning his Lunatick Child in St. Mark 9.22 And oft times it hath cast him into the fire and into the water to destr●● him and the Preacher briefly noted That whatever the Devil might pretend to those ever wh●● he had got any power yet his cheif●●●d and ●●●●gn always was to destroy the poor Creature both Soul and ●ody This truth being seriously applied by the Minister to Hob Grieve and the rest of the p●●●tent Wizzards and Witches they were so affected therewith that they all cryed out with a dreadful and lamentable noise Alas this is a most certa●● truth Oh what will become of us poor wretches Oh pray for us But Hob Grieve especially witnessed to that truth by a general declaration in the face of the whole congregation That he had experience of the certainty thereof For said he there is no trusting in the Devils promises for once in Musselburg water when I had a heavy load at my back he thought to have drowned me there and since I came into prison he cast me into the fire to destroy me as is well known to the Preacher and Magistrates of the place with many others And concluded with an exhortation to all to beware of Satan for whatever he saies or does his only purpose is to ruin you and that you will find to be the effect of all his temptations as we by doleful experience know too well this day LIX IN August the same year 1649. One Elizabeth Grabam was apprehended upon some threatning words she had spoke in her drunkenness to John Runkins wife at Kilwinning in Scotland upon which the poor woman ten days after fell sick and died Elizabeth or Bessie Graham was hereupon ●●pected of Witchcraft and imprisoned thirteen weeks during which saith the Relator who was a Minister of the place I repaired to her but found her very impenitent In all her discourse she was so subtle that I could not get any advantage by her words so that I sometimes thought she was an innocent woman and was much grieved for her hard usage if it could have been helpt and secretly wished she had never been medled with Yea I could have been glad she might make her escape so I were ignorant of it for I much feared all we could prove against her would not be sufficient evidence to bring her to a Tryal Or if she were tryed I doubted the Jury would not condemn her unless I advised them thereto since we knew nothing but that she had a bad report and I was very loth to be so far concerned and if I had not and she should have got her liberty I should have then been blamed for not advising them to condemn her At this instant one Alexander Bogs who was counted very Skilful in discovering Teats and Marks of the Devil being sent for to her came and found the Mark upon her back bone wherein he thrust a great brass pin of which she was not sensible neither did any bloud follow when it was drawn out I judged this but a small evidence in respect of what I afterward found yet this somewhat inclined the Judges to send her Process to Edenburgh where with some difficulty a Commission was granted to try her But then my fears augmented for the chiefest man in the Parish refused to appear against her professing he thought all that was proved against her were only idle stories and some of the Judges were also of that opinion however I my self could not but think her guilty after which there was further evidence thereof For Nov. 28. in the evening I went to exhort her to a confession Alexander Symson the Church Officer and my own servant being present but when I had used many arguments in vain we left her Coming to the stair head I resolved to hearken a little what she would say by her self in a very short space she began to discourse as if some body had been with her Her voice was so low I could not understand what she said only one Sentence whereby I perceived she was relating that I had accused her and she had denyed Soon after I heard another voice whispering as it were to her which I presently apprehended to be Satan this discourse continued some time she speaking and the other voice answering in a long sentence which none of us could understand yea sometimes he began to speak before she had ended so that we could hear two voices at once At this Alexander Symson was so affrighted that he cryed out though I exhorted him with a loud voice not to fear and so we came all down stairs I being much satisfied that the business became still more clear There are several other remarkable passages concerning Elizabeth Graham before her death which make it evident that she was guilty of Witchcraft though she died obstinate and impenitent Nov. 13. She seemed inclined to a confession and promised William Wats to tell me to morrow all that was in her heart when I came to her Wats only being present she said she heartily repented her mis-spending so much time but especially her malice toward me which she affirmed the Devil tempted her to All which time she spoke with a very low voice so that we could scarce hear her though we desired her to speak out and asked her the reason of it she replyed That when she endeavoured to speak any thing that was for her Souls good she was scarce able to utter it but if she desired to scold and rail as she used to do the Devil gave her strength to speak as loud as ever she did A while after I seriously demanded whether she was guilty of Witchcraft or not At which words she stared with her eyes round about the room and I verily believe she saw the Devil for immediately after she began to rail at me though just before she had confest that her malice toward me was one chief cause of her grief and still as she proceeded in railing her voice became stronger and louder till at last she spake as loud as ever before The Monday after I again visited her and then she was very bitter and malicious in her language to me I questioned her what ground of confidence she had that it would be well with her Soul She replyed She had no grounds yet for she had been a very wicked woman and had not yet repented but she yet hoped she should get repentance and get Heaven and a change wrought in her and though she was to live but a short while yet she was sure of it and that I should soon see it I thought she had spoke this in her rage but in the afternoon some came and told me that she was fallen to prayers and in many good words exprest her own vileness and the hopes of Gods mercy in which strain she continued till night when I coming to see her found her as before aggravating her guilt and

shape of a Dog then came two Kitlins and after them two Dogs more who all seemed to reverence Elizabeth Clark skipping into her lap and kissing her and then kist all in the room except her self Whereupon one of the Witches askt her Mother if her daughter were acquainted with the business who assuring them of her secrecy Ann Leach pulled out a Book and swore her not to reveal any thing she saw or heard and if she did she should endure more torments than there could be in Hell Whereupon she again ingaged to be silent They told her she must never confess any thing though the rope were about her neck and she ready to be hanged To which after she had given her absolute ingagement the Devil leapt up into her lap and kissed her promising to perform whatever she would desire About half a year after the Devil appeared as she was going to bed and said he would marry her which she could not refuse whereupon he kissed her but was as cold as clay and then took her by the hand leading her about the room and promised to be her loving husband till death and to avenge her of all her Enemies She likewise obliging her self to be his obedient Wife till death and to deny God and Christ Jesus She confest that after this she sent him to kill the Son of Thomas Hart who died within a fortnight and thereupon she took the Devil for her God and thought he could do as God. Rebecca West being likewise examined before the Justices at Mannintree confessed that all was true concerning their meeting at Elizabeth Clarks where they spent some time in praying to their familiar Spirits and then every one made their desires known to them Elizabeth Clark requested her Spirit that Mr. Edwards might be met withal at a Bridge near her house and that his Horse might be frighted and he thrown down and never rise again Mr. Edwards deposed that at the same place his Horse started and greatly indangered him and he heard something about the house cry Ah Ah much like a Polcat and that with great difficulty he saved himself from being thrown off his Horse Elizabeth Gooding desired her Imp to kill Robert Taylors Horse for suspecting her to be a Witch which was done accordingly Hellen Clark required her to kill some Hoggs of a Neighbours Ann Leach that a Cow might be lamed and Ann West her Mother desired her Spirit to free her from all her enemies and to have no trouble And she her self desired that Thomas Harts Wife might be taken lame of her right side after which they departed appointing the next meeting at Elizabeth Goodings House For these and several other notorious crimes Ann West was sentenced and executed at Mannintree Elizabeth Gooding at Chelmsford And the Bill found against Rebecca West by the Grand Jury but was acquitted by the Jury of life and death Ibid. p. 14. LXXII ROse Hallybread was another of this black Regiment against whom Robert Turner of St. Osyth in Essex deposed That about eight days before his Servant was taken sick shaking shrieking and crying out of Rose Hallybread that she had bewitched him and that he sometimes crowed like a Cock sometimes barked like a Dog and sometimes groaned violently beyond the ordinary course of nature and though but a youth strugled with so much strength that four or five lusty men were not able to hold him down in his bed and sometimes he would sing several strange songs and tunes his mouth not being opened nor his lips so much as stirring all the time of his singing She being examined confest That about sixteen years before one Goody Hagtree brought an Imp to her house which she entertained and fed it with Oatmeal and suckled it on her body a year and an half and then lost it She confessed likewise that about half a year before one Joyce Boanes brought to her another Imp in the likeness of a small gray bird which she received and carried to the house of one Thomas Toakly of St. Osyths and put it under his door after which Toaklys Son languished and died calling and crying out upon her that she was the cause of his death She also declared that about eight days before Susan Cock Margaret Landish and Joyce Boanes brought to her house three Imps which Joyce taking her Imp too carried them all four to Robert Turners to torment his Servant because he refused to give them some chips his Master being a Carpenter and that he forthwith fell sick and oft barkt like a Dog and she believed those four Imps were the cause of his death Rose Hallybread was for this wickedness condemned to be hanged but died in Chelmsford Jayd May 9. 1645. Ibidem p. 16. LXXIII Joyce Boanes being examined about the same business confessed That about thirteen years before she had two Imps which came into her bed in the likeness of Mice and sucked on her body and that she afterward imployed them to go and kill ten or twelve Lambs belonging to one Richard Welch of St. Osyths which was done accordingly And then to the house of one Thomas Clinch where they killed a Calf a Sheep and a Lamb And that she carried the four Imps aforementioned to kill Robert Turners Servant and that her Imp called Rug made him bark like a Dog Rose Hallybreads forced him to sing several times in the greatest extremity of his pains Susan Gocks compelled him to crow like a Cock and the Imp of Margaret Landish caused him to groan in an extraordinary manner Upon this confession and other evidence Joyce Boanes was condemned and executed at Chelmsford May 11. 1645. Ibidem p. 20. LXXIV Susan Cock upon Examination confest That Margery Stoakes her mother lying upon her death bed and she coming to see her her mother privately desired her to entertain two Imps which she said would do her good And that the same night her mother died the two Imps came to her accordingly and suckt on her body one of them being like a Mouse which she called Susan and the other yellow about the bigness of a Cat which she named Bessie and that she imployed Bessie with three Imps more belonging to the three Witches abovementioned to kill ten or twelve sheep of John Spalls against whom she had much malice because being with Child and desiring some Curds of his Wife she denied either to give or sell her any She also confest that what was said about Robert Turners servant was true and further that she and Margaret Landish sent their Imps to one Thomas Mannocks of St. Osyth which killed six or seven of his Hogs in revenge for his refusing to relieve her and saying she was a young Woman and able to work for her living She and Marguret Landish were both condemned and executed at Chelmsford May 12. 1645. with several others Yea so great a number of these Vassals of Satan were discovered about this time that there were Thirty tryed at once