A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718Notestein, Wallace
History
A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718
Notestein, Wallace
Witchcraft -- England -- History
A lone skeptic had little chance to beat back the wave of excitement
created by the young Robinson's stories. His success prompted him to
concoct new tales.[12] He had seen Lloynd's wife sitting on a cross-bar
in his father's chimney; he had called to her; she had not come down but
had vanished in the air. Other accounts the boy gave, but none of them
revealed the clear invention of his first narrative.
He had done his work. The justices of the peace were bringing in the
accused to the assizes at Lancaster. There Robinson was once more called
upon to render his now famous testimony. He was supported by his
father,[13] who gave evidence that on the day he had sent his boy for
the cattle he had gone after him and as he approached had heard him cry
and had found him quite "distracted." When the boy recovered himself, he
had related the story already told. This was the evidence of the father,
and together with that of the son it constituted the most telling piece
of testimony presented. But it served, as was usual in such cases, as an
opening for all those who, for any reason, thought they had grounds of
suspicion against any of their neighbors. It was recalled by one witness
that a neighbor girl could bewitch a pail and make it roll towards her.
We shall later have occasion to note the basis of fact behind this
curious accusation. There was other testimony of an equally damaging
character. But in nearly all the cases stress was laid upon the bodily
marks. In one instance, indeed, nothing else was charged.[14] The reader
will remember that in the Lancaster cases of 1612 the evidence of marks
on the body was notably absent, so notably that we were led to suspect
that it had been ruled out by the judge. That such evidence was now
reckoned important is proof that this particularly dark feature of the
witch superstition was receiving increasing emphasis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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