Let not my assertion seem strange to the Ingenious Reader, who seems to affirm this (by some incredulous) story, concerning the subsequent matter; nor will I trouble you with a long prologue to stir you to believe that which so many letters have verified, concerning the matter in hand, but so it was.
The Assizes being held at Exon (alias) Exeter, on the 18th of August, 1682. It happened that there was three persons Arraigned for witchcraft whose names take as followeth, (viz.) Temperance Floyd, Mary Floyd, and Susannah Edwards, all dwelling in one town, in the aforesaid County of Devon, namely Bideford, by some called Bythford, all three being stricken in years, which might have taught them more grace; but Man's Enemy, Soul's destroyer, and the author of wickedness so prevailed with them that they made an Interchange accepting a Hell for an Heaven, rather willing to please the Devil than the Great Creator whose smiles are more precious than refined Gold, the loss of whose love is no less than Everlasting Destruction. These I say, these poor souls (aiming at nothing but ruin) embrace folly instead of wisdom, present pleasure for eternal pain; take Flames for Crowns, Misery for Happiness, change God for a Devil and a soul for Hell. It is so much to be lamented that these persons should take delight in nothing more than to Converse with Devils, who reason tells seeks nothing but Destruction, God's dishonour, and Man's overthrow, to (if it were possible) empty Heaven and fill Hell. I come now to the particulars. The aforesaid Persons whose names are already inserted came to their Tryal having been sometime before accused of Witchcraft, and for that cause Imprisonment; when they came to the Bar, their indictment was read, and though the Devil had so much power over them, yet they had not Impudence enough to deny what they were accused for: Intemperate Temperance Floyd, who was the eldest of the three, pleaded to the indictment, and owned the accusation, acknowledging she had been in league with the Devil 20 years and upwards, and that in the term of those years she had been guilty of many cruelties, and by Hellish power afflicted both Man and Beast; but now to the other Two who were instructed in that Damnable art of Witchcraft by the above named Temperance Floyd, they acknowledged that they had served five years with her to learn her accursed art, and during the term of those years they saw and were acquainted with many wonderful and unlawful tricks. For they owned that they had not been idle in their Hellish practices, but had served him faithfully, who will reward them gratefully for their Diabolical Indulgence. We have an account of some of their Wicked, Inhuman, Accursed, Damnable, and Preposterous action. But let us chiefly mind the Eldest and worst of these Three, namely Temperance Floyd. Let her be the substance of our matter, who was the introducer and cause of the other two's overthrow. These wicked wretches being all of one mind, at last began to exercise their Devilish Arts, and upon one Mr. Hann, a minister in those parts; a person of good repute and Honest Conversation, who sought his soul's eternal happiness, while they designed their everlasting Ruin. These Hellish agents intended Mischief and misery to the person of Mr. Hann: but the overruling Power prevented them; but because they could not be suffered to exercise their Diabolicism upon his body, they thought they would be some other way Revenged, so witch like, they laid their Diabolical Charms upon his cattle, so that those cows that used to give milk, when they came to be milked they gave blood, to the great astonishment of the milkers; but finding themselves outcast from everlasting happiness, they grew insolent in their Cursed Conceits, resolving to make use of that art which they should so deadly pay for. But I too much insist upon the Old hag whose cruelties are and were sufficiently manifested by her own confession at her Tryal, the other Two witches being somewhat younger than the Old Shape of Prince Lucifer, who acknowledged themselves to have been servants to the Old one for five years to learn the art and mystery of Hellish, Damnable, Accursed and Most to be Lamented Witchcraft; and in the term of these 5 years grew to be as dexterous as their Devilish Tutor, trying their experiments upon Man and Beast to the injury of both, but the Old one confessed plainly that she had caused several Ships at sea to be cast away, with loss of many men's lives and the prejudice of many others. She confessed also that the Devil lay carnally with her for Nine Nights together, and that she had Paps about her an Inch long, which the Devil us'd to suck to Provoke her to Letchery; but the other two seemed to be more Pensive than she, for they confessed that she was the Introducer of their Misery, and that they had served both the Devil and her five years' slavery, to understand the ready way to everlasting Destruction. But Heaven's Vengeance never fails to follow such offenders who do wickedly, presumptuously and prophanely make use of the Devil to satisfy their Impious wills. But to proceed, this old witch whose name was Temperance Floyd, was without doubt perfectly Resolute, not minding what should become of her Immortal soul, but rather Impudently owned at, as well as after her Tryal, so Audacious, that she had done many wicked Exploits by the Power (not virtue) of her Hellish Discipline: She confessed that she had been Instrumental to the Death of several, namely one Hannah Thomas, by pretence of love, Squeezing her in her arms so long till the blood gushed out of her mouth; she confessed that she and the other two had been the death of Two more, besides several others that they had lamed by their Hellish Art; they confessed that they had been the destruction of many cattle, both small and great, and many more things too tedious to relate; being asked at their trial to say the Lord's Prayer, they answered, that they could not except it were backwards; they said the Devil used to be with them on Nights in Several Shapes, sometimes like a Hound, who Hunted before them (but without doubt he hunted for Souls). There were many more accusations laid against them, which they all owned (except one) which was about causing a ship to be sunk, and a boy that fell from the Topmast of another ship and so broke his neck or as some say Drowned in the Sea. It being asked how long they had been in league with the Devil, one of them said twenty years she had been his Familiar Acquaintance, the other two were of lesser standing, but long enough to Ruin their Precious Souls. They also Asserted that the Devil came with them to the Prison Door, and there left them much like what he is, the Author of Lies, the Inventor of Mischief, the Betrayer of Souls, the unsatisfied deceiver and God's Enemy. All these things being Confessed by their own Tongues, it is not strange to think that Judgment past upon them regularly in such cases. But now to proceed. As to the manner of their Deportment going to the place of Execution. It is certainly affirmed the old witch Temperance Floyd went all the way Eating and was seemingly unconcerned, but Mary Floyd was very obstinate, and would not go, but lay down, insomuch that they forc'd to tye her on a horse's back, for she was very loath to receive her deserved Doom. But when they came to the place of Execution, they desired the Minister to pray for them, and that part of the 40th Psalm might be sung; which was accordingly done, and presently after the Executioner did his office.
Thus have you heard of the wicked life and Miserable death of three Gross Offenders, who slighted God's Commandments, despised a Christ and embraced a Devil, lost Heaven to purchase Hell, at the dear rate of their Immortal Souls. Let this then be a caution for all Sinners to forsake Sin and Satan, whose end and design is to ruin Souls, to enslave Mortals, and without doubt, were it possible, to pull God's Almighty Majesty out of his everlasting Throne. 'Tis great pitty that some have so little esteem of their Jewels which Jesus Christ the Son of the Almighty, purchased at so dear a rate, yet vile Sinners never call to mind, or at least very seldom, what Labyrinths of Misery they involve themselves in, how they crush Christ, and how they wound his already wounded side for sinners: But now to conclude, take a poor sinners advice, walk uprightly and justly, and let not the fruition of present enjoyment, cause you to neglect Eternal Happiness, the enjoyments of which is beyond Expression and the loss thereof Eternal Misery, Destruction, and Ruin.