Discovery of Witches Part 17

_The Examination of_ IAMES DEVICE _taken the seuen and twentieth day of Aprill aforesaid._

Before

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

Against

IOHN BVLc.o.c.k _and_ IANE BVLc.o.c.k _his mother._

This Examinate saith, That vpon Good-Friday, 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. The first was, for the naming of the Spirit which _Allison Deuice_, now prisoner at Lancaster had, but did not name him, because shee was not there. The second cause was, for the deliuerie of his said Grand-mother; this Examinates said sister _Allison_; the said _Anne Chattox_, and her daughter _Redferne_, killing the Gaoler at Lancaster, and before the next a.s.sises 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 he also sayth, That the names of such said Witches as were on Good-Friday at this Examinates said Grand-mothers house, and now this Examinates owne mothers, for so many of them as hee did know, were these, _viz._ _Iane Bulc.o.c.k_, wife of _Christopher Bulc.o.c.k_, of the Mosse end, and _Iohn_ her sonne amongst others, &c.

And this Examinate further saith, That all the said Witches went out of the said house in their own shapes and likenesses: and they all, by that they were forth of the dores, were gotten on horse-backe, like vnto Foales, some of one colour, and some of another, and _Prestons_ wife was the last: and when shee got on horse-backe, they all presently vanished out of this Examinates sight.

And further he saith, That the said _Iohn Bulc.o.c.k_ and _Iane_ his said Mother, did confesse vpon Good-Friday last at the said Malking-Tower, in the hearing of this Examinate, That they had bewitched, at the new-field Edge in Yorkeshire, a woman called _Iennet_, wife of _Iohn Deyne_, besides, her reason; and the said Womans name so bewitched, he did not heare them speake of. And this Examinate further saith, That at the said Feast at Malking-Tower this Examinate heard them all giue their consents to put the said Master _Thomas Lister_ of Westby[Q4_a_]

to death. And after Master _Lister_ should be made away by Witch-craft, then all the said Witches gaue their consents to ioyne all together, to hanck Master _Leonard Lister_, when he should come to dwell at the Cow-gill, and so put him to death.

_The Examination of_ ELIZABETH DEVICE, _Taken the day and yeare aforesaid_,

Before

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

Against

IOHN BVLc.o.c.k, _and_ IANE BVLc.o.c.k, _his mother._

This Examinate saith vpon her oath, That she doth verily thinke, that the said _Bulc.o.c.kes_ wife doth know of some Witches to bee about Padyham and Burnley.[Q4_b_]

And shee further saith, That at the said meeting at Malking-Tower, as aforesaid, _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_.

_The Examination and Euidence of_ IENNET DEVICE

Against

IOHN BVLc.o.c.kE _and_ IANE _his mother, prisoners at the Barre._

The said Examinate saith, That vpon Good-Friday last there was about twentie persons, whereof two were men, to this Examinates remembrance, at her said Grand-mothers house, called Malking-Tower aforesaid: all which persons, this Examinates said mother told her were Witches, and that she knoweth the names of sixe of the said Witches.

Then was the said _Iennet Deuice_ commaunded by his Lordship to finde and point out the said _Iohn Bulc.o.c.k_ and _Iane Bulc.o.c.k_ amongst all the rest; whereupon shee went and tooke _Iane Bulc.o.c.k_ by the hand, accused her to be one, and told her in what place shee sat at the Feast at Malking-Tower, at the great a.s.sembly of the Witches; and who sat next her: and accused the said _Iohn Bulc.o.c.k_ to turne the Spitt there;[R_a_] what conference they had, and all the rest of their proceedings at large, without any manner of contrarietie.

Shee further told his Lordship, there was a woman that came out of Craven to that Great Feast at Malking-Tower, but shee could not finde her out amongst all those women.

-- The names of the Witches at the _Great a.s.sembly and Feast at_ Malking-Tower, _viz._ vpon Good-Friday last, 1612.[R1_b_]

_Elizabeth Deuice._

_Alice Nutter._

_Katherine Hewit_, alias _Mould-heeles._

_John Bulc.o.c.k._

_Jane Bulc.o.c.k._

_Alice Graie._

_Jennet Hargraues._

_Elizabeth Hargraues._

_Christopher Howgate._ Sonne to old _Dembdike_.

_Christopher Hargraues._

_Grace Hay_, of Padiham.

_Anne Crunckshey_, of Marchden.

_Elizabeth Howgate._

_Jennet Preston_, Executed at Yorke for the Murder of Master _Lister_,

With many more, which being bound ouer to appeare at the last a.s.sizes, are since that time fled to saue themselues.

[Ill.u.s.tration: decoration]

THE ARRAIGNMENT _and Triall of_ ALIZON DEVICE, _Daughter of_ ELIZABETH DEVICE, _within the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie of Lancaster aforesaid, for Witch-craft._

_Alizon Deuice._

Behold, aboue all the rest, this lamentable spectacle of a poore distressed Pedler, how miserably hee was tormented, and what punishment hee endured for a small offence, by the wicked and d.a.m.nable practise of this odious Witch, first instructed therein by old _Dembdike_ her Grand-mother, of whose life and death with her good conditions, I haue written at large before in the beginning of this worke, out of her owne Examinations and other Records, now remayning with the Clarke of the Crowne at Lancaster: And by her Mother brought vp in this detestable course of life; wherein I pray you obserue but the manner and course of it in order, euen to the last period at her Execution, for this horrible fact, able to terrifie and astonish any man liuing.

This _Alizon Deuice_, Prisoner in the Castle of Lancaster, being brought to the Barre before the great Seat of Iustice, was there according to the former order and course indicted and arraigned, for that shee felloniously had practised, exercised, and vsed her Deuillish and wicked Arts, called _Witch-crafts_, _Inchantments_, _Charmes_, and _Sorceries_, in, and vpon one _Iohn Law_, a Petti-chapman, and him had lamed; so that his bodie wasted and consumed, &c. _Contra formam Statuti, &c. Et contra pacem dicti Domini Regis, Coronam & Dignitatem, &c._

Vpon the Arraignement, The poore Pedler, by name _Iohn Law_, being in the Castle about the Moot-hall, attending to be called, not well able to goe or stand, being led thether by his poore sonne _Abraham Law_: My Lord _Gerrard_[R3_a_] moued the Court to call the poore Pedler, who was there readie, and had attended all the a.s.sizes, to giue euidence for the Kings Majestie against the said _Alizon Deuice_, Prisoner at the Barre, euen now vpon her Triall. The Prisoner being at the Barre, & now beholding the Pedler, deformed by her Witch-craft, and transformed beyond the course of Nature, appeared to giue euidence against her; hauing not yet pleaded to her Indictment, saw it was in vaine to denie it, or stand vpon her justification: Shee humbly vpon her knees at the Barre with weeping teares, prayed the Court to heare her.

Whereupon my Lord _Bromley_ commanded shee should bee brought out from the Prisoners neare vnto the Court, and there on her knees, shee humbly asked forgiuenesse for her offence: And being required to make an open declaration or confession of her offence: Shee confessed as followeth. _viz._