A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718 Part 30

Three Elizabethan ballads on witches are noted by Hazlitt, _Bibliographical Collections and Notes_, 2d series (London, 1882): _A warnynge to wytches_, published in 1585, _The scratchinge of the wytches_, published in 1579, and _A lamentable songe of Three Wytches of Warbos, and executed at Huntingdon_, published in 1593. Already in 1562-3 "a boke int.i.tuled _A poosye in forme of a visyon, agaynste wytche Crafte, and Sosyrye_," written "in myter" by John Hall, had been published (_Stationers' Registers_, 1557-1570, p. 78).

Some notion of the first step in the Elizabethan procedure against a witch may be gathered from the specimens of "indictments" given in the old formula book of William West, _Simboleography_ (pt. ii, first printed in 1594). Three specimens are given; two are of indictments "For killing a man by witchcraft upon the statute of Anno 5. of the Queene,"

the third is "For bewitching a Horse, whereby he wasted and became worse." As the doc.u.ments in such bodies of models are usually genuine papers with only a suppression of the names, it is probable that the dates a.s.signed to the indictments noted--the 34th and 35th years of Elizabeth--are the true ones, and that the initials given, "S. B. de C.

in comit. H. vidua," "Marg' L. de A. in com' E. Spinster," and "Sara B.

de C. in comitatu Eb. vidua," are those of the actual culprits and of their residences. Yorkshire is clearly one of the counties meant. It was, moreover, West's own county.

-- 2.--The Exorcists (see ch. IV).

The account of Elizabethan exorcism which we have given is necessarily one-sided. It deals only with the Puritan movement--if Darrel's work may be so called--and does not treat the Catholic exorcists. We have omitted the performances of Father Weston and his coadjutors because they had little or no relation to the subject of witchcraft. Those who wish to follow up this subject can find a readable discussion of it by T. G. Law in the _Nineteenth Century_ for March, 1894, "Devil Hunting in Elizabethan England."

It is a rather curious fact that the Puritan exorcist has never, except for a few pages by S. R. Maitland, in his _Puritan Thaumaturgy_ (London, 1842), been made a study. Without doubt he, his supporters, and his enemies were able between them to make a noise in their own time. To be convinced of that one need only read the early seventeenth-century dramatists. It may possibly be that Darrel was not the mere impostor his enemies pictured him. Despite his trickery it may be that he had really a certain hypnotic control over William Somers and perhaps over Katherine Wright.

Whatever else Darrel may have been, he was a ready pamphleteer. His career may easily be traced in the various brochures put forth, most of them from his own pen. Fortunately we have the other side presented by Samuel Harsnett, and by two obscure clergymen, John Deacon and John Walker. The following is a tentative list of the printed pamphlets dealing with the subject:

_A Breife Narration of the possession, dispossession, and repossession of William Sommers: and of some proceedings against Mr. John Dorrel preacher, with aunsweres to such objections.... Together with certaine depositions taken at Nottingham ..., 1598._ Black letter. This was written either by Darrel or at his instigation.

_An Apologie, or defence of the possession of William Sommers, a yong man of the towne of Nottingham.... By John Darrell, Minister of Christ Jesus...._ [1599?] Black letter. This work is undated, but, to judge from the preface, it was probably written soon after both Darrel and More were imprisoned. It is quite clear too that it was written before Harsnett's _Discovery of the Fraudulent Practices of John Darrel_, for Darrel says that he hears that the Bishop of London is writing a book against him.

_The Triall of Maist. Dorrel, or A Collection of Defences against Allegations.... 1599._ This seems written by Darrel himself; but the Huth catalogue (V, 1643) ascribes it to James Bamford.

_A brief Apologie proving the possession of William Sommers. Written by John Dorrel, a faithful Minister of the Gospell, but published without his knowledge.... 1599._

_A Discovery of the Fraudulent Practises of John Darrel, Bacheler of Artes ..._, London, 1599. The "Epistle to the Reader" is signed "S. H.,"

_i. e._, Samuel Harsnett, then chaplain to the Bishop of London. The book is an exposure, in 324 pages, of Darrel's various impostures, and is based mainly on the depositions given in his trial at Lambeth.

_A True Narration of the strange and grevous Vexation by the Devil of seven persons in Lancashire ..., 1600._ Written by Darrel. Reprinted in 1641 with the t.i.tle _A True Relation of the grievous handling of William Somers of Nottingham_. It is again reprinted in the _Somers Tracts_, III, and is the best known of the pamphlets.

_A True Discourse concerning the certaine possession and dispossession of 7 persons in one familie in Lancashire, which also may serve as part of an Answere to a fayned and false Discoverie.... By George More, Minister and Preacher of the Worde of G.o.d ..., 1600._ More was Darrel's a.s.sociate in the Cleworth performances and suffered imprisonment with him.

_A Detection of that sinnful, shamful, lying, and ridiculous discours of Samuel Harshnet._ 1600. This is Darrel's most abusive work. He takes up Harsnett's points one by one and attempts to answer them.

_Dialogicall Discourses of Spirits and Divels by John Deacon [and] John Walker, Preachers_, London, 1601.

_A Summarie Answere to al the Material Points in any of Master Darel his bookes, More especiallie to that one Booke of his, int.i.tuled, the Doctrine of the Possession and Dispossession of Demoniaks out of the word of G.o.d. By John Deacon [and] John Walker, Preachers_, London, 1601.

The "one Booke" now answered is a part of Darrel's _A True Narration_.

The _Discourses_ are dedicated to Sir Edmund Anderson and other men eminent in the government and offer in excuse that "the late bred broyles ... doe mightilie over-runne the whole Realme."

_A Survey of Certaine Dialogical Discourses, written by John Deacon and John Walker ... By John Darrell, minister of the gospel ..., 1602._

_The Replie of John Darrell, to the Answer of John Deacon, and John Walker concerning the doctrine of the Possession and Dispossession of Demoniakes ..., 1602._

Harsnett's second work must not be omitted from our account. In his famous _Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures_, 1603 and 1605, he shows to even better advantage than in the earlier work his remarkable talents as an exposer and gives freer play to his wicked humor.

_A True and Breife Report of Mary Glover's Vexation, and of her deliverance by the meanes of fastinge and prayer.... By John Swan, student in Divinitie ..., 1603._

This narrates another exorcism in which a number of clergymen partic.i.p.ated. Swan, the author, in his dedication to the king, takes up the cudgels vigorously against Harsnett. Elizabeth Jackson was accused of having bewitched her, and was indicted. Justice Anderson tried the case and showed himself a confirmed believer in witchcraft. But the king was of another mind and sent, to examine the girl, a physician, Dr.

Edward Jorden, who detected her imposture and explained it in his pamphlet, _A briefe discourse of a disease called the Suffocation of the Mother, Written uppon occasion which hath beene of late taken thereby, to suspect possession of an evill spirit...._ (London, 1603). He was opposed by the author of a book still unprinted, "Mary Glover's late woefull case ... by Stephen Bradwell.... 1603" (Brit. Mus., Sloane, 831). But see also below, appendix C, under 1602-1603.

One other pamphlet dealing with this same episode must be mentioned.

Hutchinson, _Historical Essay on Witchcraft_, and George Sinclar, _Satan's Invisible World Discovered_ (Edinburgh, 1685), had seen an account by the Rev. Lewis Hughes (in his _Certaine Grievances_) of the case of Mother Jackson, who was accused of bewitching Mary Glover.

Although Hughes's tale was not here published until 1641-2, the events with which it deals must all have taken place in 1602 or 1603. Sir John Crook is mentioned as recorder of London and Sir Edmund Anderson as chief justice. "R. B.," in _The Kingdom of Darkness_ (London, 1688), gives the story in detail, although misled, like Hutchinson, into a.s.signing it to 1642.

It remains to mention certain exorcist pamphlets of which we possess only the t.i.tles:

_A history of the case of Catherine Wright._ No date; written presumably by Darrel and given by him to Mrs. Foljambe, afterwards Lady Bowes. See C. H. and T. Cooper, _Athenae Cantabrigienses_ (Cambridge, 1858-1861), II, 381.

Darrel says that there was a book printed about "Margaret Harrison of Burnham-Ulpe in Norfolk and her vexation by Sathan." See _Detection of that sinnfull ... discours of Samuel Harshnet_, 36, and _Survey of Certaine Dialogical Discourses_, 54.

_The strange Newes out of Sommersetshire, Anno 1584, tearmed, a dreadfull discourse of the dispossessing of one Margaret Cooper at Ditchet, from a devill in the likenes of a headlesse beare._ Referred to by Harsnett, _Discovery of the Fraudulent Practises of John Darrel_, 17.

A ballad seems to have been written about the Somers case. Extracts from it are given by Harsnett, _ibid._, 34, 120.

-- 3.--James I and Witchcraft and Notable Jacobean Cases (see chs. V, VI).

_The Most Cruell and b.l.o.o.d.y Murther committed by an Innkeepers Wife called Annis Dell, and her Sonne George Dell, Foure Yeares since....

With the severall Witch-crafts and most d.a.m.nable practices of one Iohane Harrison and her Daughter, upon several persons men and women at Royston, who were all executed at Hartford the 4 of August last past 1606._ So far as the writer knows, there is no contemporary reference to confirm the executions mentioned in this pamphlet. The story itself is a rather curious one with a certain literary flavor. This, however, need not weigh against it. It seems possible rather than probable that the narrative is a fabrication.

_The severall notorious and lewd Cosenages of Iohn West and Alice West, falsely called the King and Queene of Fayries ... convicted ... 1613_, London, 1613. This might pa.s.s in catalogues as a witch pamphlet. It is an account of two clever swindlers and of their punishment.

_The Witches of Northamptonshire._

_Agnes Browne_ } _Arthur Bill_ } _Joane Vaughan_} _h.e.l.len Jenkenson_} _Witches._ _Mary Barber_ }

_Who were all executed at Northampton the 22. of July last. 1612._

Concerning this same affair there is an account in MS., "A briefe abstract of the arraignment of nine witches at Northampton, July 21, 1621" (Brit. Mus., Sloane, 972). This narrative has, in common with the printed narrative, the story of Mistress Belcher's and Master Avery's sufferings from witchcraft. It mentions also Agnes Brown and Joan Brown (or Vaughan) who, according to the other account, were hanged. All the other names are different. But it is nevertheless not hard to reconcile the two accounts. The "briefe abstract" deals with the testimony taken before the justices of the peace on two charges; the _Witches of Northamptonshire_ with the final outcome at the a.s.sizes. Three of those finally hanged were not concerned in the first accusations and were brought in from outlying districts. On the other hand, most of those who were first accused by Belcher and Avery seem not to have been indicted.

_The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the countie of Lancaster. With the Arraignement and Triall of Nineteene notorious Witches, at the a.s.sizes and generall Gaole deliverie, holden at the Castle of Lancaster, upon Munday, the seventeenth of August last, 1612. Before Sir James Altham, and Sir Edward Bromley.... Together with the Arraignement and Triall of Jennet Preston, at the a.s.sizes holden at the Castle of Yorke, the seven and twentieth day of Julie last past.... Published and set forth by commandement of his Majesties Justices of a.s.size in the North Parts. By Thomas Potts, Esq._ London, 1613. Reprinted by the Chetham Soc, J. Crossley, ed., 1845. Thomas Potts has given us in this book the fullest of all English witch accounts. No other narrative offers such an opportunity to examine the character of evidence as well as the court procedure. Potts was very superst.i.tious, but his account is in good faith.

_Witches Apprehended, Examined and Executed, for notable villanies by them committed both by Land and Water. With a strange and most true trial how to know whether a woman be a Witch or not._ London, 1613.

Bodleian.

_A Booke of the Wytches Lately condemned and executed at Bedford, 1612-1613._ I have seen no copy of this pamphlet, the t.i.tle of which is given by Edward Arber, _Transcript of the Registers of the Company of Stationers of London, 1554-1640_ (London, 1875-1894), III, 234b.... The story is without doubt the same as that told in the preceding pamphlet.

We have no absolutely contemporary reference to this case. Edward Fairfax, who wrote in 1622, had heard of the case--probably, however, from the pamphlet itself. But we can be quite certain that the narrative was based on an actual trial and conviction. Some of the incidental details given are such as no fabricator would insert.

In the MS., "How to discover a witch," Brit. Mus., Add. MSS., 36,674, f.

148, there is a reference to a detail of Mother Sutton's ordeal not given in the pamphlet I have used.

_A Treatise of Witchcraft.... With a true Narration of the Witchcrafts which Mary Smith, wife of Henry Smith, Glover, did practise ... and lastly, of her death and execution ... By Alexander Roberts, B. D. and Preacher of G.o.ds Word at Kings-Linne in Norffolke._ London, 1616. The case of Mary Smith is taken up at p. 45. This account was dedicated to the "Maior" and aldermen, etc., of "Kings Linne" and was no doubt semi-official. It is reprinted in Howell, _State Trials_, II.

_The Wonderful Discoverie of the Witchcrafts of Margaret and Phillip Flower, daughters of Joan Flower neere Bever Castle: executed at Lincolne, March 11, 1618. Who were specially arraigned and condemned before Sir Henry Hobart and Sir Edward Bromley, Judges of a.s.size, for confessing themselves actors in the destruction of Henry, Lord Rosse, with their d.a.m.nable practises against others the Children of the Right Honourable Francis Earle of Rutland. Together with the severall Examinations and Confessions of Anne Baker, Joan Willimot, and Ellen Greene, Witches in Leicestershire_, London, 1619. For confirmation of the Rutlandshire witchcraft see _Cal. St. P., Dom., 1619-1623_, 129; _Hist. MSS. Comm. Reports, Rutland_, IV, 514. See also _Gentleman's Magazine_, LXXIV, pt. ii, 909: "On the monument of Francis, sixth earl of Rutland, in Bottesford church, Leicestershire, it is recorded that by his second lady he had 'two Sons, both which died in their infancy by wicked practices and sorcery.'"

Another pamphlet seems to have been issued about the affair: _Strange and wonderfull Witchcrafts, discovering the d.a.m.nable Practises of seven Witches against the Lives of certain n.o.ble Personages and others of this Kingdom; with an approved Triall how to find out either Witch or any Apprentise to Witchcraft, 1621._ Another edition in 1635; see Lowndes.

_The Wonderfull discoverie of Elizabeth Sawyer ... late of Edmonton, her conviction, condemnation and Death.... Written by Henry Goodcole, Minister of the word of G.o.d, and her continuall Visiter in the Gaole of Newgate.... 1621._ The Reverend Mr. Goodcole wrote a plain, unimaginative story, the main facts of which we cannot doubt. They are supported moreover by Dekker and Ford's play, _The Witch of Edmonton_, which appeared within a year. Goodcole refers to the "ballets" written about this case.

_The Boy of Bilson: or A True Discovery of the Late Notorious Impostures of Certaine Romish Priests in their pretended Exorcisme, or expulsion of the Divell out of a young Boy, named William Perry...._ London, 1622.