Lastly he was put to the most seuere and cruell paine in the world, called
the bootes, who after he had receiued three strokes, being enquired if he
would confesse his damnable acts and wicked life, his tung would not serue
him to speak, in respect wherof the rest of the witches willed to search
his tung, vnder which was found two pinnes thrust vp into the head,
whereupon the witches did laye, _Now is the Charme stinted_, and shewed
that those charmed Pinnes were the cause he could not confesse any thing:
then was he immediatly released of the bootes, brought before the King,
his confession was taken, and his owne hand willingly set ther-vnto, which
contained as followeth.
First, that at the generall meetinges of those witches, hee was alwayes
preasent: that he was Clarke to all those that were in subiection to the
Diuels seruice, bearing the name of witches, that alwaye he did take their
othes for their true seruice to the Diuell, and that he wrot for them such
matters as the Diuell still pleased to commaund him.
Item, he confessed that by his witchcrafte he did bewitch a Gentleman
dwelling neere to the Saltpans, where the said Doctor kept Schoole, onely
for being enamoured of a Gentlewoman whome he loued himselfe: by meanes of
which his Sorcerye, witchcraft and diuelish practises, he caused the said
Gentleman that once in xxiiij. howres he fell into a lunacie and madnes,
and so continued one whole hower together, and for the veritie of the
same, he caused the Gentleman to be brought before the Kinges Maiestie,
which was vpon the xxiiij. day of December last, and being in his
Maiesties Chamber, suddenly he gaue a great scritch and fell into a
madnes, sometime bending himselfe, and sometime capring so directly vp,
that his head did touch the seeling of the Chamber, to the great
admiration of his Maiestie and others then present: so that all the
Gentlemen in the Chamber were not able to holde him, vntill they called in
more helpe, who together bound him hand and foot: and suffering the said
gentleman to lye still vntill his furye were past, he within an hower came
againe to himselfe, when being demaunded of the Kings Maiestie what he saw
or did all that while, answered that he had been in a sound sleepe.
Item the said Doctor did also confesse that he had vsed means sundry times
to obtain his purpose and wicked intent of the same Gentlewoman, and
seeing himselfe disapointed of his intention, he determined by all waies
he might to obtaine the same, trusting by coniuring, witchcraft and
Sorcery to obtaine it in this manner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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