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
The said _Grace Sowerbutts_ vpon her oath saith, That for the space
of some yeares now last past shee hath beene haunted and vexed with
some women, who haue vsed to come to her: which women, shee sayth,
were _Iennet Bierley_, this Informers Grand-mother; _Ellen Bierley_,
wife to _Henry Bierley_; _Iane Southworth_, late the wife of _Iohn
Southworth_, and one _Old Doewife_, all of Salmesburie aforesaid. And
shee saith, That now lately those foure women did violently draw her
by the haire of the head, and layd her on the toppe of a Hay-mowe, in
the said _Henry Bierleyes_ Barne. And shee saith further, That not
long after the said _Iennet Bierley_ did meete this Examinate neere
vnto the place where shee dwellleth, and first appeared in her owne
likenesse, and after that in the likenesse of a blacke Dogge, and as
this Examinate did goe ouer a Style, shee picked her off:[K4_b_]
howbeit shee saith shee had no hurt then, but rose againe, and went to
her Aunts in Osbaldeston, and returned backe againe to her Fathers
house the same night, being fetched home by her father. And she saith,
That in her way home-wards shee did then tell her Father, how shee
had beene dealt withall both then and at sundry times before that; and
before that time she neuer told any bodie thereof: and being examined
why she did not, she sayth, she could not speake thereof, though she
desired so to doe. And she further sayth, That vpon Saterday, being
the fourth of this instant Aprill, shee this Examinate going towards
Salmesbury bote, to meete her mother, comming from Preston, shee saw
the said _Iennet Bierley_, who met this Examinate at a place called
the Two Brigges, first in her owne shape, and afterwardes in the
likenesse of a blacke Dogge, with two legges, which Dogge went close
by the left side of this Examinate, till they came to a Pitte of
Water, and then the said Dogge spake, and persuaded this Examinate to
drowne her selfe there, saying, it was a faire and an easie death:
Whereupon this Examinate thought there came one to her in a white
sheete, and carried her away from the said Pitte, vpon the comming
whereof the said blacke Dogge departed away; and shortly after the
said white thing departed also: And after this Examinate had gone
further on her way, about the length of two or three Fields, the said
blacke Dogge did meete her againe, and going on her left side, as
aforesaid, did carrie her into a Barne of one _Hugh Walshmans_,[L_a_]
neere there by, and layed her vpon the Barne-floore, and couered this
Examinate with Straw on her bodie, and Haye on her head, and the Dogge
it selfe lay on the toppe of the said Straw, but how long the said
Dogge lay there, this Examinate cannot tell, nor how long her selfe
lay there: for shee sayth, That vpon her lying downe there, as
aforesaid, her Speech and Senses were taken from her: and the first
time shee knew where shee was, shee was layed vpon a bedde in the said
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account