The Examination and voluntarie Confession
of Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, taken
at the Fence in the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie
of Lancaster, the second day of Aprill, Anno Regni
Regis Iacobi Angliæ, Franciæ, & Hiberniæ, decimo
& Scotiæ xlv.
Before
Roger Nowel, Esquire, one of his Maiesties
Iustices of Peace within the Countie of Lancaster.
SHe the said Examinate saith, That shee was sent for by the wife of Iohn Moore, to helpe drinke that was forspoken or bewitched: at which time shee vsed this Prayer for the amending of it, viz.
A Charme.[E2b]
Three Biters hast thou bitten,
The Hart, ill Eye, ill Tonge:
Three bitter shall be thy Boote,
Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost
a Gods name,
Fiue Pater-nosters, fiue Auies,
and a Creede,
In worship of fiue wounds
of our Lord.
After which time that this Examinate had vsed these prayers, and amended her drinke, the said Moores wife did chide this Examinate, and was grieued at her.
And thereupon this Examinate called for her Deuill Fancie, and bad him goe bite a browne Cow of the said Moores by the head, and make the Cow goe madde: and the Deuill then, in the likenesse of a browne Dogge, went to the said Cow, and bit her: which Cow went madde accordingly, and died within six weekes next after, or thereabouts.
Also this Examinate saith, That she perceiuing Anthonie Nutter of Pendle to fauour Elizabeth Sothernes, alias Dembdike,[E3a1] she, this Examinate, called Fancie to her, (who appeared like a man) and bad him goe kill a Cow of the said Anthonies; which the said Deuill did, and that Cow died also.
And further this Examinate saith, That the Deuill, or Fancie, hath taken most of her sight away from her. And further this Examinate saith, That in Summer last, saue one, the said Deuill, or Fancie, came vpon this Examinate in the night time: and at diuerse and sundry times in the likenesse of a Beare, gaping as though he would haue wearied this Examinate.[E3a2] And the last time of all shee, this Examinate, saw him, was vpon Thursday last yeare but one, next before Midsummer day, in the euening, like a Beare, and this Examinate would not then speake vnto him, for the which the said Deuill pulled this Examinate downe.