Witchcraft -- England; Witchcraft -- Great Britain; Witchcraft -- Scotland
Ales Newman was also condemned and executed; being obstinate to the last;
denying the four counts with which she was charged, viz. her imps, the
slaughter of her own husband, of John Johnson, and of his wife. But
William Hoke deposed that on his death-bed her husband had been
perpetually crying out against her, saying, "Dost thou not see--dost thou
not see?" meaning the imp with which she tormented him, and which he
strove vainly to beat away. Seeing her obstinacy, Brian Darcy told her
that he would sever her and her spirits asunder; to which she answered
quickly, "Nay," sayth shee, "that shal ye not, for I will carry them with
mee." Then seeing that they took note of her words, she added, "if I have
any." The admission was enough, and she was hanged.
Elizabeth Bennet denied that she had had any hand in the bewitching to
death Johnson or his wife, saying that the aforesaid Ales had done it all.
But William Bonner had his stone ready for her on the other side, accusing
her of bewitching his wife, for "shee, being sickely and sore troubled,
the said Elizabeth vsed speeches unto her, saying, a goode woman howe art
thou loden, and then clasped her in her armes and kissed her. Wherevpon
presently after her vpper Lippe swelled and was very bigge, and her eyes
much sunked into her head, and shee hath lain sithence in a very strange
case." Yet these two women were familiar friends, and "did accompanie much
together;" which shows that friendship was as dangerous as enmity in those
mad times when the swelling of a lip, or the familiarity of a house pet,
could bring the best of a district to the gallows. And then Ursley Kemp's
testimony was remembered against Elizabeth, and the mysteries of Suckin
and Liard sought to be fathomed. Elizabeth at the first was obdurate and
would confess to nothing beyond that she had certainly a pot, but no wool
therein, and no imps to lay on it; but at last she too was persuaded by
Brian Darcy's fine false words; so falling on her knees, "distilling
tears," she made her public moan. William Byet and she dwelt as neighbours
together, she said, living as neighbours should, well and easily; but
latterly they had fallen out, because William called her "old Trot" and
"old witch," and "did ban and curse her and her cattle." So she replied
with calling him "knave," saying, "Wind it vp Byet, for it will light vpon
yourself." And Byet's beast died forthwith. Then Byet's wife beat her
swine with great "gybels," and made them sick; and once she ran a
pitchfork through the side of one so that it was dead, and when the
butcher who bought it came to dress and cut it up, it proved "a messel,"
so she had no money for it, for the butcher would not keep it and she was
forced to take it back again. So far was only the ordinary quarrelling of
ill-tempered country folk, and nothing very damaging to confess to; but
now Brian Darcy's fair words drew from her all about her imp Suckin, a he
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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