THE END.
LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET.
Footnotes:
[1] Pitcairn’s ‘Scottish Criminal Trials.’
[2] Pitcairn’s ‘Scottish Criminal Trials.’
[3] Pitcairn.
[4] Pitcairn.
[5] Pitcairn.
[6] Pitcairn.
[7] An iron instrument so constructed, that by means of a hoop which passed over the head, a piece of iron having four prongs or points, was forcibly thrust into the mouth, two of these being directed to the tongue and palate, the others pointing outwards to each cheek. This infernal machine was secured by a padlock. At the back of the collar was fixed a ring, by which to attach to a staple in the wall of her cell.—Pitcairn’s ‘Scottish Criminal Trials.’
[8] Fountainhall says that she was convict and burnt; but is this not a mistake? Pitcairn gives the actual trial, and King James’s angry letter against the contumacious assisa.
[9] Pitcairn.
[10] Dr. Jamieson conjectures the word to signify “warm hose.” After encircling the leg with an iron framework, it was put into a moveable furnace or chauffer, and during the progress of heating the iron, the intended questions were successively put.—Note in Pitcairn’s ‘Scottish Criminal Trials.’
[11] Pitcairn’s ‘Scottish Criminal Trials.’
[12] Chambers’ ‘Domestic Annals of Scotland.’
[13] ‘Antiquarian Researches of Aberdeen, by Gavin Turriff: Spalding Club Miscellany. Chambers’ ‘Domestic Annals,’ to the end of the Aberdeen trials.
[14] Apparently untranslateable.
[15] Patrick Anderson’s MS. history of Scotland, quoted by Robert Chambers, in his ‘Domestic Annals of Scotland.’
[16] Pitcairn.
[17] Pitcairn and Chambers.
[18] Pitcairn.
[19] Pitcairn.
[20] Dalyell’s ‘Darker Superstitions of Scotland.’
[21] Scott’s ‘Demonology and Witchcraft.’
[22] Pitcairn.
[23] Pitcairn and Chambers.
[24] Star-grass, queries Pitcairn; but is it not rather fox-tree—fox-glove?
[25] Chambers, Dalyell, Pitcairn.
[26] Dalyell, quoting the judiciary records of Orkney.
[27] Hibbert, quoting the Orkney Records.
[28] Pitcairn. Sharpe’s Introduction to Law’s ‘Memorials.’
[29] Dalyell.
[30] Law’s ‘Memorials,’ (Sharpe’s Introduction,) and Dalyell.
[31] Chambers, Sinclair, Dalyell.
[32] Dalyell’s ‘Darker Superstitions.’
[33] Pitcairn. Law’s ‘Memorials.’ Chambers.
[34] Dalyell.
[35] Chambers.
[36] Chambers.
[37] Dalyell.
[38] Chambers and Law; Sharpe’s Introduction.
[39] Hibbert’s ‘Description of the Shetland Islands.’
[40] Dalyell. Evidently the same thing with a different reading:—red, rode; sool-soot, stirrup; sled, slipped; shinew, sinew.
[41] Hibbert, &c.
[42] Sinclair’s ‘Invisible World Discovered.’
[43] Pitcairn.
[44] Sinclair.
[45] To the outer room.
[46] To the inner room.
[47] Chambers.
[48] Chambers.
[49] Pitcairn and Sinclair.
[50] Chambers’ ‘Domestic Annals.’
[51] Law—Sharp’s Introduction.
[52] Dalyell.
[53] Chambers.
[54] Law’s ‘Memorials’—Sharp’s Introductory Notice.
[55] Pitcairn.
[56] On life: alive.
[57] Chambers. Sinclair. Various tracts.
[58] Chambers. Dickie. Tracts.
[59] Law’s ‘Memorials.’
[60] Chambers.
[61] Law’s ‘Memorials.’
[62] Scots’ Magazine.
[63] Sinclair’s ‘Invisible World.’
[64] Sinclair.
[65] Hibbert’s ‘Shetland Islands.’
[66] Hibbert and Sinclair.
[67] Fountainhall.
[68] Hibbert.
[69] Chambers.
[70] Watson’s Tract, printed 1698. Chambers, Dickie, and various other sources.
[71] Chambers.
[72] Chambers.
[73] Chambers; Sinclair; and an anonymous tract.
[74] Chambers.
[75] Hibbert.
[76] Law’s ‘Memorials;’ and Chambers.
[77] A crazy old Illuminatus, who had a “call,” and wrote the Tinkler’s Testament.
[78] Scott. Dickie. Chambers, &c.
[79] Dickie’s ‘Philosophy of Magic.’
[80] ‘Select Cases of Conscience.’
[81] ‘Discoverie of Witchcraft.’
[82] ‘Discoverie of Witchcraft,’ 1584.
[83] ‘Dialogue concerning Witches,’ 1603.
[84] ‘Select Cases of Conscience touching Witches and Witchcraft,’ 1646.
[85] ‘Advertisement to the Jurymen of England,’ 1653.
[86] ‘A Candle in the Dark,’ 1656.
[87] ‘Question of Witchcraft debated,’ 1669. “Wagstaffe was a little crooked man, of a despicable presence. He was laughed at by the boys of Oxford because they said he himself looked like a wizard.”
[88] ‘Displaying of Witchcraft,’ 1677.
[89] ‘Historical Essay concerning Witchcraft,’ 1720.
[90] Introduction to Potts’s ‘Discovery of Witches,’ edited by James Crossley, Esq. Chetham Society. 1845.
[91] Conjuration or invocation of any evil spirit was felony without benefit of clergy; so also to consult, covenant with, entertain, feed, or reward any evil spirit, or to take up any dead body for charms or spells; to use or practise witchcrafts, enchantment, charm, or sorcery, so that any one was lamed, killed, or pined, was felony without benefit of clergy, to be followed up by burning. Then ‘The Country Justice’ goes on to give the legal signs of a witch, and those on which a magistrate might safely act, as legal “discoveries.” She was to be found and proved by insensible marks; by teats; by imps in various shapes, such as toads, mice, flies, spiders, cats, dogs, &c.; by pictures of wax or clay; by the accusations of the afflicted; by her apparition seen by the afflicted as coming to torment them; by her own sudden or frequent inquiries at the house of the sick; by common report; by the accusations of the dying; and the bleeding of the corpse at her touch; by the testimony of children; by the afflicted vomiting pins, needles, straw, &c.; in short, by all the foolery, gravely formularized, to be found in the lies and deceptions hereafter related.
[92] Thomas Wright’s ‘Narrative of Sorcery and Magic.’ Southey’s Ballad.
[93] Thomas Wright’s ‘Narrative of Sorcery and Magic,’ and ‘Trial of Dame Alice Kyteler.’
[94] Idem.
[95] ‘Introduction to the Narrative of the Proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteler.’ By Thomas Wright. 1843.
[96] Wright’s ‘Narrative of Sorcery and Magic.’ 1851.
[97] Reginald Scot.
[98] Reginald Scot. Dr. Hutchinson.
[99] Stow.
[100] Scot, quoting a little pamphlet, without a title, which I cannot find.
[101] From an extremely rare black-letter book, entitled ‘A Detection of damnable driftes, practized by three Witches arraigned at Chelmsforde, in Essex, at the laste Assizes there holden, whiche were executed in Aprill 1579. Set forthe to discouer the Ambushementes of Sathan, whereby he would surprise us lulled in securitie, and hardened with contempte of God’s vengeance threatened for our offences. Imprinted at London, for Edward White, at the little North-dore of Paules.’
[102] Scot.
[103] ‘A true and just Recorde of the Information, Examination, and Confession of all the Witches, taken at S. Osees in the countie of Essex; whereof some were executed, and other some entreated according to the determination of lawe. Wherein all men may see what a pestilent people Witches are, and how vnworthy to lyve in a Christian Commonwealth. Written orderly, as the cases were tryed by euidence by W. W. Imprinted in London at the three Cranes, in the Vinetree, by Thomas Dawson. 1582.’
[104] This was his manner of dealing with the accused, and its falsehood, iniquity, and injustice need no comment.
[105] The names of the imps which haunted various persons was curious. A Dutch boy had Pretty Betty, Cuckow, Longtail; and Bernard gives us his list:—“Mephistophiles, Lucifer, Little Lord, Fimodes, David, Jude, Little Robin, Smack, Litefoote, Nonesuch, Lunch, Makeshift, Swash, Pluck, Blue, Catch, White, Collins, Hardname, Tibb, Hiff, Ball, Puss, Rutterkin, Dickie, Prettie, Grissel, and Jacke;” together with “Pippin, Philpot, Modu, Soforce, Hilco, Smolkin, Hillio, Hiaclito, Lustie, Huffe, Cap, Killico, Hob, Fratello, Fliberdigibbet, Hoberdidance, Tocobatto, and Lustie Jollie Jenkin.” We have seen some of these already, and those who read farther will find a few more, and some quite as quaint and odd not set down in this list.
[106] ‘A true and most dreadfull discourse of a Woman possessed with the Deuill; who, in the likenesse of a headlesse Beare, fetched her oute of her Bedde, in the presence of seven persons, most straungely roulled her thorow three Chambers, and downe a high paire of stairres on the fower and twentie of May last, 1584. At Ditchet, in Somersetshire. A matter as miraculous as ever was seen in our time. Imprinted at London for Thomas Nelson.’
[107] ‘A compleat History of Magick, Sorcery, and Witchcraft.’ By Richard Boulton. 1715.
[108] Hutchinson’s ‘Historical Essay concerning Witchcraft.’ Boulton’s ‘History of Magic.’ Harsent’s ‘Discovery of the Fravdvlent Practises of J. Darrel.’ ‘A True Relation of the Strange and Grevovs Vexation by the Devil of 7 Persons in Lancashire, and William Somers of Nottingham.’ By John Darrel. 1600.
[109] ‘A Dialogue concerning Witches and Witchcrafts.’ 1603.
[110] This is an old story, found in all books on witchcraft.
[111] George Sinclair’s ‘Satan’s Invisible World Displayed.’
[112] Hutchinson’s ‘Essay on Witchcraft.’
[113] ‘The Witches of Northamptonshire.’
| Agnes Browne, | } | Arthur Bill, | } | Witches. |
| Ioane Vaughan, | Hellen Ienkinson, | |||
| Mary Barber. | ||||
Who were all executed at Northampton the 22 of Iuly last, 1612.
‘London. Printed by Tho. Purfoot for Arthur Iohnson. 1612.’ A rare and valuable little black-letter tract.
[114] ‘The Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the County of Lancaster.’ By Thomas Potts. 1613. Thomas Wright’s ‘Narrative of Sorcery and Magic.’ 1851.
[115] “Ligh in,” perhaps lykinge, lusty, or craske.
[116] “Leath,” flexible.
[117] The chrism was the white cloth placed over the brow of a newly-baptized child in the Roman Catholic service. When children died within the month they were called chrisoms.
[118] “Farrandly,” fair, handsome.
[119] “Harne panne,” brain case, cranium.
[120] Gethsemane.
[121] “Deere,” hurt.
[122] Potts’s ‘Discovery.’ Webster’s ‘Displaying.’
[123] A ‘Treatise of Witchcraft.’ By Alexander Roberts, B.D., and Preacher of God’s word at King’s Linne in Norfolk. 1616.
[124] Tract. Printed at London by G. Eld for I. Barnes, dwelling in the long Walke, neare Christ-Church. 1619.
[125] Wright and Hutchinson.
[126] Wright, quoting Lord Londesborough’s MSS.
[127] Wright.
[128] Webster. Wright. Harleian MSS.
[129] ‘A most Certain Strange and true Discovery of a witch, being taken by some Parliamentary Forces as she was standing on a small planck-board and sayling on it over the River of Newberry. 1643.’ Evidently a political matter, and perhaps with no substratum of truth in the story at all.
[130] A collection of Modern Relations. 1693.
[131] Matthew’s own account of them in a little tract called ‘Certaine Queries Answered, which have been and are likely to be objected against Matthew Hopkins, in his way of finding out witches,’ was slightly different.—1. Holt, like a white kitling.—2. Jarmara, a fat spaniel without any legs at all, which she said she kept fat, for he sucked good blood from her body.—3. Vinegar Tom, a long-legged greyhound with an head like an ox, a long tail and broad eyes, who, when Hopkins spoke to, and bade him go to the place provided for him and his angels, transformed himself into the shape of a child of foure years without a head, and gave half a dozen turns about the house and vanished at the door.—4. Sack-and-sugar, like a black rabbit; and 5. Newes, like a polecat. Also he said that no mortal could invent such names as Elemauzer, Pyewacket, Peck in the Crown, Griezel Greedigut, &c., which, however, one of our great word-masters, Charles Dickens, would find no difficulty in doing, and which certainly have no very infernal sound in them.
[132] Baxter, Hutchinson, &c.
[133] Baxter.
[134] Tract.
[135] ‘The Laws against Witches.’ Published by Authority, 1645.
[136] ‘Collection of Modern Relations.’
[137] ‘The Devil’s Delusion.’ 1649.
[138] Baxter.
[139] Baxter’s ‘Certainty of the World of Spirits.’
[140] ‘A Prodigious and Tragicall History of the Arraignment, Tryall, Confession, and Condemnation of six Witches at Maidstone, in Kent, at the Assizes held there in July, Fryday 30, this present year 1652. Before the Right Honourable Peter Warburton, one of the Justices of the Common Pleas. Collected from the Observations of E. G. Gent, a learned Person, present at their Conviction and Condemnation, and digested by H. F. Gent.’ London: Printed for Richard Harper in Smithfield, 1652.
[141] A true Relation of one Mrs. Atkins, a Mercer’s Wife in Warwick, who was strangely carried away from her house in July last, and hath not since been heard of.
[142] Dr. George More’s ‘Antidote to Atheism.’ Dr. Lamb’s ‘Darling.’ By James Bower. 1653.
[143] Glanvil’s ‘Saducismus Triumphatus.’
[144] Reginald Scot.
[145] ‘Collection of Modern Relations.’
[146] Glanvil
[147] Glanvil.
[148] Glanvil.
[149] Tract; Published 1682.
[150] Baxter’s ‘World of Spirits.’
[151] ‘Hartfordshire Wonder; or, Strange News from Ware.’ London. Printed for John Clark, at the Bible and Harp, in West-Smith-Field, near the Hospital Gate. 1669.
[152] Boulton’s ‘Compleat History of Magick.’
[153] Baxter, Hutchinson.
[154] Dr. Hutchinson.
[155] That date seems wrong: ought it not to be 1699?
[156] Boulton’s ‘Compleat History of Magick.’ Dr. Hutchinson’s ‘Historical Essay.’
[157] Surrey in Lancashire.
[158] A Tract of one leaf in a collection of trials.
[159] Various Tracts—and ‘Thomas Wright’s Narrative.’
[160] Thomas Wright.
Transcriber’s Notes:
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