Trials (Witchcraft) -- England -- Devon; Witchcraft -- England -- Devon
The said informant being brought before us by some of the constables of
the said borrough, upon the complaint of Thomas Eastchurch of Biddiford
aforesaid, gent, and charged upon suspicion of having used some Magical
art, sorcery, or witchcraft upon the body of Grace Thomas of Biddiford,
spinster; and to have had discourse or familiarity with the Devil in
the shape of a Black man; and being demanded how long since she had
discourse or familiarity with the Devil in the likeness of a Black
man, saith--That about the 30th of September last she met the Devil
in the likeness of a Black man about the middle of the afternoon of
that day, in a certain street or lane in the town of Biddiford, called
Higher Gunstone Lane, and then and there he did tempt and solicit her
to go with him to the house of the said Thomas Eastchurch to torment
the body of the said Grace Thomas, which this examinant at first did
refuse to do, but afterwards by the temptation and persuasion of the
Devil she did go to the house of the said Thomas Eastchurch, and that
she went upstairs after the said black man, and confesseth that both
of them went up into the chamber where the said Grace Thomas was, and
that there they found one Anne Wakely, the wife of William Wakely of
Biddiford, rubbing and stroking one of the arms of the said Grace
Thomas. And the said Examinant doth further confess that she did then
and there pinch with the nails of her fingers the said Grace Thomas,
in her shoulders, arms, thighs, and legs, and that afterwards they
came down into the street together; and that there this examinant did
see something in the form of a grey or braget cat; and saith that the
said cat went into the said Thomas Eastchurch shop. The said Examinant
being further demanded, whether she went any more unto the said Thomas
Eastchurch house, saith and confesseth that the day following she came
again to the said Thomas Eastchurch's house invisible and was not seen
by any person; but there this examinant did meet with the braget cat
as aforesaid, and the said cat did retire and leap back into the said
Thomas Eastchurch's shop. The said Examinant being further demanded
when she was at the said Thomas Eastchurch the last time, saith that
she was there upon Friday the 30th of June last, and that the Devil
in the shape of the said Black man was there with her; and that they
went up again into the said chamber, where she found the said Grace
Thomas lying on her bed in a very sad condition, notwithstanding which
she this examinant and the said black man did torment her again: and
saith and confesseth that she this examinant had almost drawn her out
of her bed, and that on purpose to put the said Grace out of her life.
And further saith that the Black man (or rather the Devil) did promise
this examinant, that no one should discover her. And confesseth that
the said Black man or the Devil did suck her teats, which she now hath
in her secret parts: and that she did kneel down to him in the street,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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