Ellen Bierley saith, Shee saw Master Thompson, alias Southworth, sixe or eight weeks before she was committed, and thinketh the said Priest was the practiser with Grace Sowerbutts, to accuse her of Witchcraft, and knoweth no cause why he should so doe, but because she goeth to the Church.
Signum, + Iennet Bierley.
Signum, £ Iane Southworth.
Signum, Φ Ellen Bierley.
William Leigh.
Edward Chisnall.
These Examinations being taken, they were brought into the Court, and there openly in the presence of this great Audience published, and declared to the Iurie of Life and Death; and thereupon the Gentlemen of their Iury required to consider of them. For although they stood vpon their Triall, for matter of Fact of Witchcraft, Murther, and much more of the like nature: yet in respect all their Accusations did appeare to bee practise: they were now to consider of them, and to acquit them. Thus were these poore Innocent creatures, by the great care and paines of this honorable Iudge, deliuered from the danger of this conspiracie; this bloudie practise of the Priest laid open: of whose fact I may lawfully say; Etiam si ego tacuero clamabunt lapides.
These are but ordinary with Priests and Iesuites: no respect of Bloud, kindred, or friendship, can moue them to forbeare their Conspiracies: for when he had laboured treacherously to seduce and conuert them, and yet could doe no good; then deuised he this meanes.
God of his great mercie deliuer vs all from them and their damnable conspiracies: and when any of his Maiesties subiects, so free and innocent as these, shall come in question, grant them as honorable a Triall, as Reuerend and worthy a Iudge to sit in Iudgement vpon them; and in the end as speedie a deliuerance. And for that which I haue heard of them; seene with my eyes, and taken paines to Reade of them: My humble prayer shall be to God Almightie. Vt Conuertantur ne pereant. Aut confundantur ne noceant.
To conclude, because the discourse of these three women of Salmesbury
hath beene long and troublesome to you; it is heere placed amongst
the Witches, by special order and commandement, to set forth to
the World the practise and conspiracie of this bloudy Butcher.
And because I haue presented to your view a Kalender in
the Frontispice of this Booke, of twentie notorious
Witches: I shall shew you their deliuerance in
order, as they came to their Arraignement
and Triall euery day, and as the
Gentlemen of euery Iury for
life and death stood
charged with
them.