Before,
Roger Nowel Esquire, one of the Kings Maiesties
Iustices of Peace in the said Countie, against Anne
Whittle, alias Chattox.
THe said Elizabeth Southernes saith vpon her Examination, that about halfe a yeare before Robert Nutter died, as this Examinate thinketh, this Examinate went to the house of Thomas Redfearne, which was about Mid-sommer, as this Examinate remembreth it. And there within three yards of the East end of the said house, shee saw the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, and Anne Redferne wife of the said Thomas Redferne, and Daughter of the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox: the one on the one side of the Ditch, and the other on the other: and two Pictures of Clay or Marle lying by them: and the third Picture the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, was making: and the said Anne Redferne her said Daughter, wrought her Clay or Marle to make the third picture withall. And this Examinate passing by them, the said Spirit, called Tibb, in the shape of a black Cat, appeared vnto her this Examinate, and said, turne back againe, and doe as they doe: To whom this Examinate said, what are they doing? whereunto the said Spirit said; they are making three Pictures: whereupon she asked whose pictures they were? whereunto the said Spirit said; they are the pictures of Christopher Nutter, Robert Nutter, and Marie, wife of the said Robert Nutter: But this Examinate denying to goe back to helpe them to make the Pictures aforesaid; the said Spirit seeming to be angrie, therefore shoue or pushed this Examinate into the ditch, and so shed the Milke which this Examinate had in a Can or Kit: and so thereupon the Spirit at that time vanished out of this Examinates sight: But presently after that, the said Spirit appeared to this Examinate againe in the shape of a Hare, and so went with her about a quarter of a mile, but said nothing to this Examinate, nor shee to it.
The Examination and euidence of Iames
Robinson,[Eb1] taken the day and yeare aforesaid.
Before
Roger Nowel Esquire aforesaid, against Anne
Whittle, alias Chattox, Prisoner at the Barre
as followeth. viz.
THe said Examinate saith, that about sixe yeares agoe, Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, was hired by this Examinates wife to card wooll;[Eb2] and so vpon a Friday and Saturday, shee came and carded wooll with this Examinates wife, and so the Munday then next after shee came likewise to card: and this Examinates wife hauing newly tunned drinke into Stands, which stood by the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox: and the said Ann Whittle taking a Dish or Cup, and drawing drinke seuerall times: and so neuer after that time, for some eight or nine weekes, they could haue any drinke, but spoiled, and as this Examinate thinketh was by the meanes of the said Chattox. And further he saith, that the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, and Anne Redferne her said Daughter, are commonly reputed and reported to bee Witches. And hee also saith, that about some eighteene yeares agoe, he dwelled with one Robert Nutter the elder, of Pendle aforesaid. And that yong Robert Nutter, who dwelled with his Grand-father, in the Sommer time, he fell sicke, and in his said sicknesse hee did seuerall times complaine, that hee had harme by them: and this Examinate asking him what hee meant by that word Them, He said, that he verily thought that the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, and the said Redfernes wife, had bewitched him: and the said Robert Nutter shortly after, being to goe with his then Master, called Sir Richard Shattleworth,[E2a] into Wales, this Examinate heard him say before his then going, vnto the said Thomas Redferne, that if euer he came againe he would get his Father to put the said Redferne out of his house, or he himselfe would pull it downe; to whom the said Redferne replyed, saying; when you come back againe you will be in a better minde: but he neuer came back againe, but died before Candlemas in Cheshire, as he was comming homeward.
Since the voluntarie confession and examination of a Witch, doth exceede all other euidence, I spare to trouble you with a multitude of Examinations, or Depositions of any other witnesses, by reason this bloudie fact, for the Murder of Robert Nutter, vpon so small an occasion, as to threaten to take away his owne land from such as were not worthie to inhabite or dwell vpon it, is now made by that which you haue alreadie heard, so apparant, as no indifferent man will question it, or rest vnsatisfied: I shall now proceede to set forth vnto you the rest of her actions, remaining vpon Record. And how dangerous it was for any man to liue neere these people, to giue them any occasion of offence, I leaue it to your good consideration.