Discovery of Witches: The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster — John Shaqi
Discovery of Witches: The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of LancasterPotts, Thomas, active 1612-1618
History
Discovery of Witches: The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster
Potts, Thomas, active 1612-1618
Preston, Jennet, -1612; Witchcraft -- England -- Lancashire
As the only clergyman of the Church of England, that I am aware of,
who was executed for witchcraft, Lewis's case is sufficiently
interesting to merit some notice. Stearne's (vide his _Confirmation of
Witchcraft_, p. 23,) account of it, which I have not seen quoted
before, is as follows:--
"Thus was Parson Lowis taken, who had been a Minister, (as I have
heard) in one Parish above forty yeares, in Suffolke, before he was
condemned, but had been indited for a common imbarriter, and for
Witchcraft, above thirty yeares before, and the grand Jury (as I have
heard) found the bill for a common imbarriter, who now, after he was
found with the markes, in his confession, he confessed, that in pride
of heart, to be equall, or rather above God, the Devill tooke
advantage of him, and hee covenanted with the Devill, and sealed it
with his bloud, and had three Familiars or spirits, which sucked on
the markes found upon his body, and did much harme, both by Sea and
Land, especially by Sea, for he confessed, that he being at Lungarfort
in Suffolke, where he preached, as he walked upon the wall, or workes
there, he saw a great saile of Ships passe by, and that as they were
sailing by, one of his three Impes, namely his yellow one, forthwith
appeared to him, and asked him what hee should doe, and he bade it goe
and sinke such a Ship, and shewed his Impe a new Ship, amongst the
middle of the rest (as I remember) one that belonged to Ipswich, so he
confessed the Impe went forthwith away, and he stood still, and viewed
the Ships on the Sea as they were a sayling, and perceived that Ship
immediately, to be in more trouble and danger then the rest; for he
said, the water was more boystrous neere that then the rest, tumbling
up and down with waves, as if water had been boyled in a pot, and
soone after (he said) in a short time it sanke directly downe into the
Sea, as he stood and viewed it, when all the rest sayled away in
safety, there he confessed, he made fourteen widdowes in one quarter
of an houre. Then Mr. Hopkin, as he told me (for he tooke his
Confession) asked him, if it did not grieve him to see so many men
cast away, in a short time, and that he should be the cause of so many
poore widdowes on a suddaine, but he swore by his maker, no, he was
joyfull to see what power his Impes had, and so likewise confessed
many other mischiefes, and had a charme to keep him out of Goale, and
hanging, as he paraphrased it himselfe, but therein the Devill
deceived him; for he was hanged, that Michaelmas time 1645. at Burie
Saint Edmunds, but he made a very farre larger confession, which I
have heard hath been printed: but if it were so, it was neither of Mr.
Hopkins doing nor mine owne; for we never printed anything untill
now."
Hutchinson gives the explanation of this confession. What can be more
atrocious than the whole story, which is yet but the common story of
witch confessions?
"_Adv._ Then did not he confess this before the Commissioners, at the
Time of his Tryal?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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