Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	witch_n	woman_n	word_n	31	3	3.5632	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02753	A discouery of the fraudulent practises of Iohn Darrel Bacheler of Artes in his proceedings concerning the pretended possession and dispossession of William Somers at Nottingham: of Thomas Darling, the boy of Burton at Caldwall: and of Katherine Wright at Mansfield, & Whittington: and of his dealings with one Mary Couper at Nottingham, detecting in some sort the deceitfull trade in these latter dayes of casting out deuils.; Discovery of the fraudulent practises of John Darrel	Harsnett, Samuel, 1561-1631.	1599 (1599)	STC 12883; ESTC S103824	204,500	314

such shapes and I confesse that I haue affirmed so much vnto others but cannot depose that so I haue affirmed vnto her howbeit I belieue if I haue not spoken so much vnto her yet I haue done it to others in her hearing But Mary Cooper deposeth thus The relation which I made before the iudges at the assises of my seeing strange sights and apparitions as the apparition of cattes and flames of fire with the rest I had dreamed of them by night in a dreame onely and when I had told M. Darrell what I had dreamed he perswaded me that it was no dreame but a true vision and bad mee say auowe that I had seene those cattes and flames of fire in deed By this his perswasion I did so say auow and caused it to be belief or a truth You heare in this deposition some mention of the Iudges whereupon it is fit to remember vnto you what a very straunge and malicious practise was vndertaken to haue procured the death of a poore woman one Alice Freeman vpon pretence that she was a witch This Alice Freeman was one of those whome Somers had named for witches is allied to M. Freeman an Alderman Iustice of peace in Nottingham This M. Freeman as it seemeth had no liking of M. Darrelles proceedings with Somers which stirred vppe great hatred and malice against him which because M. Darrell and his adherentes could not execute vpon him they thought they would be reuenged vpon his kinswoman It is said but vntruely by some of M. Darrels friends that before the detecting of Alice Freemon for a witch it was not reported in Nottingham that Somers was a dissembler thereby inferring that the offence taken by her detection was the cause that raised vp a slaunder forsooth of Somers dissimulation therefore no maruaile if M. Darrell his associates were greatly inflamed therewith Now this Alice Freeman hauing escaped that imputation in respect of Somers for that his bewitching was one while laid vpon the Darbishire witch and afterwards vpon the Worcestershire witch a practise was vndertaken to charge the said poore woman Alice Freeman to haue bewitched to death the childe before mentioned of this Marie Cooper and that she likewise was the cause of the said Maries trouble and vexation as hauing bewitched her in like manner This conceite being thrust into Marie Coopers head she charged the said Alice with that fellonie her inditement was framed at the next Assizes she was arraigned M. Darrell was one amongst diuers that gaue in euidence against the woman grounding himselfe much vppon Somers detecting of her for a witch and matters were so prosecuted against her as had not the Iudges in their wisedome discerned somewhat rectified their courses to a due issue it is verily thought the poore woman being founde guilty by the great enquest had beene condemned to death Of these particulars there are no depositions sauing what Mary Cooper her selfe hath confessed vpon her oath Howbeit that the said Alice was so dealt with it will not bee denied But let vs heare Mary Cooper I was procured saith she by Mistris Gray George Small and his wife M. Power and his wife to prosecute the matter of inditement which I preferred against Alice Freeman at the Assizes for a witch and I receiued money of mistres Gray to pay for the bill of inditement and likewise I receiued instructions from amongst them to frame in euidence and they likewise vrged me to moue for the good behauiour against Alice Freeman when she was acquitted But in my conscience I am perswaded and was perswaded of the said Alice Freeman that she was neuer any witch and I did all that I attempted against her at the vrging of the parties aforesaid Besides as soone as Alice Freeman was acquitted I went as I was willed before to Mistris Darrell M. Power and his wife Mistres Aldridge were met together and stayed for me and then and there M. Darrell and the rest were earnest with mee to frame a petition to my Lorde Anderson and notwithstanding the acquiting aforesaid to offer to take it vpon my oath that the said Alice Freeman had bewitched not onely my child for the which before she had beene indited and acquited but also my selfe and they framed and gaue me a petition accordingly but my conscience pricked me not to deliuer it If his be true which is thus deposed it is but agreeable vnto the violent humours that raigne in that kinde of people But sure the practise was fowle and therefore it was feared as it seemeth to be detected For after that Somers was in examination at London the said Mary had a shrewd caution giuen her She deposeth thereof in this sorte Maister Darrell saith she and the rest aboue named meaning Mrs. Gray Maister Power and his wife and Mrs. Aldridge told me that I must beware for if any hole could be espied in my coate I should be sent for to London as my brother William was This Mary Cooper hauing continued about three or foure weekes in her said dissimulation she did leaue off those practises as her brother saith without any assistance of M. Darrell to dispossesse her and hath beene well euer since And M. Aldridge afterwardes she grew to bee indifferently well and so doth continue onely she complaineth that she hath a kind of stirring in her bellie But in deede as information is giuen the poore woman liueth orderly and well amongst her neighbors and is not otherwise troubled then it happeneth out vppon occasion with other women Onely it seemeth she is in great feare of some hard measure to be offred vnto her vpon the comming to light of her examination For thus she deposeth Now that I haue from my conscience told the truth in this matter I shall be so pointed at reuiled and abused in the open streetes of the towne as I shall grow wearie of my life For the meeting with which inconuenience it is wished and not doubted that the Magistrates in Nottingham will be carefull Vnto these notable exploites of M. Darrels concerning Mary Cooper Katherine Wright the boy of Burton William Somers something might bee added of his pretended dispossessing the seuen so often mentioned in Lancashire out of one Maister Mores examination confession touching that matter His said examination is in the Registers office to her Maiesties Commissioners for causes ecclesiasticall where all the rest of the aforesaid examinations do remaine And if any will take the paines to peruse it he shal find that M. Darrel and M. Mores course held with those in Lancashire was as vaine and ridiculous as with any of the other The authour of the Briefe Narration after hee hath taken his pleasure against the proceedinges of her Maiesties Commissioners and such as they deputed for the better examination of these causes as disdaining and scorning them he writeth iudgeing other men of likelihood by his owne corrupt conscience in this

out against him besides the Confession of Somers it remayneth to note how many of his friendes were kindled and what choler they shewde by deprauing not onely of such lawful courses as were taken to finde out the truth but also of those persons that had to deale therein notwithstanding they were oft desired but to stay themselues and suspend their iudgements vntill the cause were througly examined heard and determined Diuerse of them came vp to London in secret corners exclaimed bitterly against his committing to prison iustifying by many deuises his former actions Those who had dealt in his behalfe at Nottingham thinking by his imprisonment themselues to bee touched ceased not to solicite great personages in his behalfe Hard wordes were giuen out against such as had M. Darrell in examination and the rest also of her Maiesties said Commission A letter was written to the Lord Bishoppe of London threatning him with the authority of great persons who were said but falsly to haue taken vpon them the defence of M. Darrell and resembling both him and another of Honor as the author termeth them to the two false Iudges that condemned guiltlesse Susanna and to the Scribes and Pharisees that tooke councell together to put Christ to death But of that which is more worthy of reprehension in them it might in some sorte haue beene borne with as the common Prouerbe sayeth for loosers to haue their wordes so for them to haue taken their pleasure in speaking what they liste whilest the matter did hang in suspence and was but in the way of triall But now seeing that after long deliberation M. Darrell hath been iudged for a dissembler as is before expressed which might haue satisfied any reasonable men it cannot but be thought a verie outragious course to continue such like their bolde and rayling lewdnes and with some increase thereof to publish their choller and stomackes in printe giuing forth at their pleasures some other written copies containing the like stuffe They that imagine Somers was not possessed but did counterfaite sayeth the Preface doe by consequence deny the soueraignity of our Sauiour in the action And one of the written Pamphelites To deny the worke of the Deuils and God in the dispossession of Somers may seem to be after a sort to denye them in the Gospel Indeed if M. Darrels credite were as good in saying that Somers was possessed and that by his and his fellowes meanes he was dispossessed as the Euangelistes and Apostles ought to bee when they tell vs of diuerse that were possessed in Christes time whom our Sauiour did not onely himselfe deliuer but gaue power also to them and others to doe the like then their said Collections were pertinent Otherwise many false knaues from time to time hauing deluded the people with hypocrisie and pretence of casting out deuils it is a suggestion of Sathan for any to collect that thereby the saide actions of our Sauiour his Apostles are in any sort blemished but let them rayle on The proceedinges against M. Darrell and others sayeth the Author of the briefe Narration Haue beene verie violent And againe being brought before the seate of Iustice they who at the same time gaue gentle audience to Papists Arrians Atheistes and Blasphemers wold not permit M. Darrell to speake anie thing almost in his owne defence And the Author of the Preface to M. Darrels Apologie M. Darrell hetherto could not obtaine so much as patient audience or any iudiciall course of proceeding Againe Their proceedinges haue beene indirect contrary to the royall commaundement of her Maiestie her lawes and lawfull Liberties of her loyall Subiectes And againe the saide Narration his Iudges became parties pleaders and accusers Againe also M. Darrell and M. More are now imprisoned for giuing testimony to the truth Again let men beware in crediting false rumors against those holy men of God who doe now or shal hereafter suffer in this holy cause Againe the Deuill and his Agents conspire in one complotte against this mightie worke of the Lord Iesus It seemeth so euidentlie to bee the finger of God as though we our selues should forsake it as with Iudas to betray our Maister Yea with Pharao set our selues to obscure it Yet the Lord if he loue vs wil rather make the stones to cry and vtter it yea the deuels themselues to acknowledge it then it shall be hid Again when they haue had their swinge but a little they will be ashamed of their owne folly Againe I would aduise them that slaunder this worke and persecute the seruants of God without cause to take heed least they be found euen fighters against God He that sitteth in Heauen sees their deuises and laughes them to scorne and they and all their conspiracies plots slaunderinges and reuilinges shall consume like a snaile And againe when the Saduces Gallenistes and Naturalistes of our time haue considered of the matter wee will expect some new obiections In the meane season let him that is filthy bee filthy still but doe Sathan what hee can wisedome shall bee iustified of her children These are children indeed To what ripenes in rayling thinke you they wil grow by the time they be men It is true that there is a wisedom whose children by their outward appearance they may well bee accounted Of which wisedome S. Iames speaking sayeth If yee haue bitter enuying c. reioyce not neyther bee lyers against the truth for this wisedome descendeth not from aboue but is earthy sensuall and diuellish And S. Iude commeth also as neere them who maketh it a particular note of false seducers to speake euill of them who are in authoritie Now as concerning the witnesses that are vsed in this matter the said Wisedomes children are mightily as it seemeth offended with them and with such also as did examine them The witnesses saith the Preface that voluntarily offred to be deposed for the truth were repulsed all partiall persons that could bee thought vpon were presently called Also the Narrator These proper Commissioners refused such as were willing to iustifie the truth vpon their oathes they picked out whom they listed and wrote what pleased them And a third writeth thus to the Bishop of London concerning himselfe others in authoritie You condemne the guiltlesse seruants of God vpon Somers bare report onely excepting eight or nine false witnesses who say that they thinke in their consciences that the said Somers did but counterfait If these fellows words or writings deserued any answere the truth in this behalf were sufficient to stop their throats being so wide open sepulchers of falshood and corruption But their tongues are their owne and of likelihood they are determined if they can as it is in the Psalme to preuaile with them Howbeit as by the way and a little to cleare these calumniations be it obserued that the whole number of witnesses produced against M. Darrell being about fortie and foure thirtie and foure of them at the least