And being thus furnishing with instructions, and returning home, as shee alighted from his horse to enter into that house where his daughter lay (being the next vnto Mary Smiths) shee then stood leaning ouer her shop window, whom hee knew to be that person, which was shewed vnto him, and she cursed him passing by, and told his daughter that her Father had beene with a Wisard. And the next day following after they had put in practise the directions giuen, she affirmed to diuers of the neighbours, that Drake the afflicted womans father, had beene to aske counsell, and made a Witch Cake, but shee would learne how they came to haue that knowledge: yet for the present she found helpe, and was freed from the languishing and other conflicts wherewith she was assaulted by the space of sixe weekes.
After this, being married vnto Iames Scot, a great Cat which kept with this Witch (of whose infernall both purposes and practises wee now speake) frequented their house; and vpon doing some scathe, her husband moued therwith, thrust it twice through with his sword: which notwithstanding those wounds receiued, ran away: then he stroke it with all his force vpon the head with a great pike staffe, yet could not kill her; but shee leapt after this vpward almost a yard from the boords of that chamber where she now was, and crept downe: which hee perceiuing, willed his lad (a boy of foureteene yeares) to dragge her to the muck-hill, but was not able; and therefore put her into a sacke, and being in the same, still moued and stirred. Whereupon they put her out againe, and cast her vnder a paire of staires, purposing in the morning, to get more helpe, and carry her away; but then could not be found, though all the doores that night were locked, and neuer heard what afterward became thereof.
Not long after, this Witch came forth with a Birchin broome, and threatned to lay it vpon the head of Elizabeth Scot, and defiled her cloathes therewith, as she swept the street before her shop doore, and that in the sight of her husband, who not digesting this indignity offered vnto his wife, threatned that if she had any such fits, as she endured being a Widow before marriage, hee would hang her. At this she clapped her hands, and said hee killed her Cat. And within two or three dayes after this enterchange of words betweene them, his wife was perplexed with the like paine and griefe at her heart, as formerly she had beene; and that for two dayes and a night: wherefore her husband went to this wrathfull and malicious person, assuring that if his wife did not amend, hee would accuse her to the Magistirate, and cause the [a]rigor of the law to be executed vpon her, which is due to such malefactors. These things were done some three yeares sithence. The party troubled yet liueth, but in no confirmed health, nor perfect soundnesse of body.
[a.] Witches can by no meanes bee so easily brought to recall the mischiefe they haue done, as by threats and stripes. Remigius in Dæmonolatria, lib 3. c. 3.
Her wicked practises against Cicely Balye.
A third subiect whereupon this wrathfull womans anger wrought, was Cicely Balye, then seruant to Robert Coulton, now wife of William Vaux, who sweeping the street before her maisters doore vpon a Saturday in the euening, Mary Smith began to pick a quarrell about the manner of sweeping, and said vnto her she was a great fat-tail'd sow, but that fatnesse should shortly be pulled downe and abated. And the next night being Sunday immediatly following, a Cat came vnto her, sate vpon her breast, with which she was grieuously tormented, and so oppressed, that she could not without great difficulty draw her breath, and at the same instant did perfectly see the said Mary in the chamber where she lay, who (as she conceiued) set that Cat vpon her, and immediatly after fell sicke, languished, and grew exceeding leane; and so continued for the space of halfe a yeare together, during the whole continuance in her maisters seruice; vntill departing from him, she dwelt with one Mistres Garoway, and then began to bee amended in her health, and recouer of her former pining sicknesse: for this Witch had said, that so long as she dwelt neere her, she should not be well, but grow from euill to worse.
Thus euery light trifle (for what can be lesse then sweeping of a lttle dust awry?) can minister matter to set on fire a wrathfull indignation, and inflame it vnto desired reuenge, the Diuell being willing to apprehend and take hold vpon such an occasion, that so he might do some pleasing office to his bond-slaue, whom she adored in submisse manner, vpon her knees, with strange gestures, vttering many mumuring, broken, and imperfect speeches, as this Cicely did both heare and see, there being no other partition between the chamber wherein shee performed these rites, and the house of her maister with whom she then dwelt, but only a thin seeling of boord, through a cranny or rift of whereof she looked, listned attentiuely vnto her words, and beheld diligently her behauiour, and might haue seene and heard much more, but that she was with the present spectacle so affrighted, that she hastened downe in much feare and distemper.
Her wicked practise against Edmund Newton.
The fourth endammaged by this Hagge, was one Edmund Newton: the discontentment did arise from this ground; Because hee had bought seuerall bargaines of Holland cheese, and sold them againe, by which she thought her benefit to be somewhat impaired, vsing the like kinde of trading. The manner of her dealing with him was in this sort. At euery seuerall time buying Cheese he was grieously afflicted, being thrice, and at the last either she or a spirit in her likenesse did appeare vnto him, and whisked about his face (as he lay in bed) a wet cloath of very loathsome sauour; after which hee did see one cloathed in russet with a little bush beard, who told him hee was sent to looke vpon his fore legge, and would heale it; but rising to shew the same perceiuing hee had clouen feet, refused that offer, who then (these being no vaine conceits, or phantasies, but well aduised and diligently considered obseruances) suddenly vanished out of sight. After this she sent her Impes, a Toad, and Crabs crawling about the house, which was a shoppe planchered with boords, where his seruants (hee being a Shooemaker) did worke: one of which tooke that toad, put it into the fire, where it made a groaning noyse for one quarter of an houre before it was consumed; during which time Mary Smith who sent it, did endure, (as was reported) torturing paines, testifying the felt griefe by her out-cryes then made.
The sicknesse which he first sustained, was in manner of a madnesse or phrensie, yet with some interposed release of extremity: so that for thirteene or foureteene weekes together hee would be of perfect memory, other times distracted and depriued of all sence. Also the ioynts and parts of his body were benummed, besides other pains and greifes from which hee is not yet freed, but continueth in great weakenesse, disabled to performe any labour, whereby hee may get sufficient and competent maintenance. And by the councel of some, sending for this woman by whom hee was wronged, that he might scratch her (for this hath gone as currant, and may plead prescription for warrant a* foule sinne among Christians to thinke one Witch-craft can driue out another) his nailes turned like feathers, hauing no strength to lay his hands vpon her.