Nicholas Bannester, Esquire; one of his
Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the Countie of Lancaster.
IEnnet, the wife of Iames Booth, of Paddiham, vpon her oath saith, That the Friday next after, the said Pearsons wife, was committed to the Gaole at Lancaster, this Examinate was carding in the said Pearsons house, hauing a little child with her, and willed the said Margerie to giue her a little Milke, to make her said child a little meat, who fetcht this Examinate some, and put it in a pan; this examinat meaning to set it on the fire, found the said fire very ill, and taking vp a stick that lay by her, and brake it in three or foure peeces, and laid vpon the coales to kindle the same, then set the pan and milke on the fire: and when the milke was boild to this Examinates content, she tooke the pan wherein the milke was, off the said fire, and with all, vnder the bottome of the same, there came a Toade, or a thing very like a Toade, and to this Examinates thinking came out of the fire, together with the said Pan, and vnder the bottome of the same, and that the said Margerie did carrie the said Toade out of the said house in a paire of tonges;[Ta] But what shee the said Margerie did therewith, this Examinate knoweth not.
After this were diuers witnesses examined against her in open Court, viua voce, to
proue the death of the Mare, and diuers other vild and odious practises by her
committed, who vpon their Examinations made it so apparant to the Iurie as
there was no question; But because the fact is of no great importance,
in respect her life is not in question by this Indictment, and the
Depositions and examinations are many, I leaue to trouble
you with any more of them, for being found guiltie of
this offence, the penaltie of the Law is as much as
her good Neighbours doe require, which is to
be deliuered from the companie of such a
dangerous wicked, and
malicious Witch.
* *
*
THE ARRAIGNMENT
and Triall of Isabel Robey
in the Countie of Lancaster, for Witch-craft: vpon Wednesday
the nineteenth of August, 1612. At the Assizes and generall
Goale-deliuery, holden at Lancaster.
Before
Sir Edward Bromley, Knight, one of his Maiesties
Iustices of Assizes at Lancaster.
Isabel Robey.[T2a1]
Hus at one time may you behold Witches of all sorts from many places in this Countie of Lancaster which now may lawfully bee said to abound asmuch in Witches of diuers kindes as Seminaries, Iesuites, and Papists.[T2a2] Here then is the last that came to act her part in this lamentable and wofull Tragedie, wherein his Maiestie hath lost so many Subjects, Mothers their Children, Fathers their Friends, and Kinsfolkes[T2a3] the like whereof hath not beene set forth in any age. What hath the Kings Maiestie written and published in his Dæmonologie, by way of premonition and preuention, which hath not here by the first or last beene executed, put in practise or discouered? What Witches haue euer vpon their Arraignement and Trial made such open liberall and voluntarie declarations of their liues, and such confessions of their offences: The manner of their attempts and their bloudie practises, their meetings, consultations and what not? Therefore I shall now conclude with this Isabel Robey who is now come to her triall.