“These shall be to will and require you forthwith to make choice of such midwives as you shall think fit to inspect and search the bodies of those women that were lately brought by the sheriff of the County of Lancaster indicted for witchcraft and to report unto you whether they find about them any such marks as are pretended: wherein the said midwives are to receive instructions from Mr. Dr. Harvey his Majesty’s Physician and yourselves.
“Dated at Whitehall the 29 June 1634.
“H. Manchester.”
The prisoners, who were then at the Ship Tavern in Greenwich, were brought to London upon the receipt of the King’s order. They were examined and the following certificate was issued:—
“Surgeons Hall in Monkwell Street, London.
“2 July A.D. 1634.
“We in humble obedience to your Lordship’s command have this day called unto us the Chirurgeons and midwives whose names are hereunder written who have by the directions of Mr. Dr. Harvey (in our presence and his) made diligent search and inspection on those women which were lately brought up from Lancaster and find as followeth, viz.:—
“On the bodies of Jennett Hargreaves, Ffrances Dicconson and Mary Spencer nothing unnatural nor anything like a teat or mark or any sign that any such thing hath ever been.
“On the body of Margaret Johnson we find two things (which) may be called teats. The first in shape like to the teat of a bitch but in our judgement nothing but the skin as it will be drawn out after the application of leeches. The second is like the nipple or teat of a woman’s breast, but of the same colour with the rest of the skin without any hollowness or issue for any blood or juice to come from thence.”