Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	life_n	spirit_n	word_n	6,734	5	4.2614	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55798	The witch of the woodlands, or, The coblers new translation written by L.P.	L. P. (Laurence Price), fl. 1625-1680?	1655 (1655)	Wing P3391; ESTC R13421	7,496	21

backe againe to him for he supposed that she had gone forth to fetch companie to cut his throat but whilst he was thus thinking in came the old woman with thrée more of her Disciples with every one of them a light Torch in her hand crying out all at once that they would be revenged on Robin the Cobler for all his Whore-hunting tricks These foure female Witches could transforme themselves into any humane shape at their owne pleasure so she that Robin tooke to be his mother-in-law brought in an ugly Beare at her héeles another brought a ravening Wolfe and the third brought a sharp long broad bladed knife poore Robin although the weather was cold and the Bed-clothes very thin yet he was hot enough for being in a stinking feare he covered himselfe over head and eares all save one hole that was in the cover-lid which he now and then closely péept out at but burst not to stir for his life but now begins the game The grand Witch of the Companie otherwise called the Landlady of the house put her hand under the bed and pulled out a Taber and a Pipe and plaid such a fit that it lasted till it was within two houres of day all this while the other three Witches danc'd the Irish Hay with their héeles upwards meane time poore Robin the Cobler lay a bed and bepist himselfe till at last two quarts run through the bed upon the ground whether it were done for joy or for feare I le leave that to other such as himselfe to consider of but when the Musicke was ended the Beare began to rore and the Woolfe began to howle for food then said the old Witch I have in the house the bravest breakfast for your two Familiars that they have feasted on ever since they devoured the two damnable Whores which were bewitcht as they rode in a Coach towards a Bawdy-house in London and now since that Witches have power of none but Swearers and Cursers Théeves and dissemblers Pimps Bawds and panders whores and Whore-hunters and such like manner of people let us make the best use of our time that we may And now you shall sée what a gallant prize I have lighted upon by chance There was a merry disposed Cobler which dwelling not far from the Towne of Rumney who was every day used to drinke swagger swear and dominéere and oftentimes he would say that he car'd not a turd for all the Witches in the World and that he had a trick to defend himselfe from the power of Witches which was by washing his hands and saying his Prayers every morning before hée went forth of the doores but although he served God in the morning he served the Devill ere night for there was hardly one day in the weeke but he would goe a whoring and oftentimes he would intice honest Wenches to sinne by his dissembling spéeches and his false forswearing himselfe making them believe that if he got them with child he would marry with them amongst the rest he got three Widdowes daughters with childe all in one night making every one of them believe and swearing that he would marry with them the morrow after which he never did intend but at last Good-wife Webb the Widdow forc'd him to marry her daughter which being done the other two Wenches which he had gotten with childe being delivered brought him their two children to kéep so as he got them all thrée with childe in one night so they brought him three children to kéep in one day these things he thought that Witches had not knowne but my Imps spent not their time in vaine for I every night sent forth my familiar Imp Madge of Wakefield in the likenesse of a blacke Cat which told me of every thing that Robin the Cobler did doe but the archest piece of Roguerie that ever he did in all his life was done to a Widdow woman in the Ille of Thanet for he promis'd her marriage and made her sell her Widdowes Estate for foure and twenty pound and told her that if she would lend him the money to buy him Leather that he would be married to her on Thursday next and wisht that if he did not doe according to his promise that he might be torne in pieces with Woolves and Beares but he never came backe to the Widdow againe And last of all he run away from his Wife and thée Children and now he lies under that Coverlid When the other thrée Witches had heard this discoverie they all leapt for joy and the thrée familiar spirits which went in the shape of a Wolfe a Beare and a blacke Cat were ready to teare the Witches to pieces for victuals they were so hungry then said one of them to the rest séeing hee wisht that hee might be devoured by Wolves and Beares he shall have his wish and he shall presently be cut in quarters and the Wolfe shall have his Heart Liver and Lungs for his breakfast the Beare shall have his Paunch and Bowels and the Cat shall have his privy members to gnaw upon Nay quoth the older Witch it shall not be so for he shall not have so pleasant a death as you speake of but we will have a little more sport with him before he dyes That very word procured some comfort to Robins languishing spirits for he had rather chuse to lead a sorrowfull life then to dye a sudden death And now to be briefe in the matter they pul'd the Bed-clothes from off him and made him stand up starke naked as ever he was borne before them the Wolfe bit him by the throat the Beare bit him by the bum and the Cat bit him by the members and every one drew bloud of him but did him no great harme at that time Now said the old Witch we have markt you for our owne and therewithall she past sentence upon him that he should have three dayes punishment for his former offences and afterwards he was to be eaten up alive the first of the thrée dayes he was to be transformed into the shape of a Fox and to be chased with Dogs from morning till night Here Robin the Cobler like a Fox doth run Before the Dogs whose rage he cannot shun The second day he was to be a riding Nag and to carry the Witch whither she pleased The third day he was to be an Owle and to fly from one place to another all the day long so having agréed upon the matter as soone as the day appeared Robin the Cobler was to be a fox and so out of the doores they set him a running and having transform'd themselves into the shape of dogs followed close at his héeles and every time they overtooke him they bit him by the buttockes and nipt him most devillishly for they had no mercy in their téeth The next day they transform'd him into the shape of a Horse and so the Witches got upon his backe thrée of them at a time and rid him over