Adapted from excerpts of
The Wonderful Discovery of Witches
in the County of Lancaster, 1613,
As recorded by Thomas Potts (clerk of the court),
And from From History of Lancashire, 1867
By Thomas Baines.
NARRATOR:
A description of a witch:
She was a very old woman who had been a witch for fifty years.
She dwelt in the Forest of Pendle, a vast place, fit for her profession. What she committed in her time, no man knows.
She brought up her own children, instructed her grand-children, and took great care and pains to bring them up to be witches.
She was a general agent for the Devil in all parts: no man escaped her, or her furies.
She was a very old, withered, spent and decrepit creature.
She, in her witchcraft, was always ready to do mischief to men's goods.
She had lips ever chattering and walking: but no man knew what.
She lived in the Forest of Pendle, amongst this wicked company of dangerous witches.
She did bewitch a child to death through illness.
She was the author of calamities, a lungless hag who had scarcely sufficient breath to cool her own pottage.
She met in the Forest of Pendle, a spirit or devil in the shape of a boy.
She was contented to give away her soul.
She wanted nothing yet.
She brought upon the unfortunate the consequence of a 'bad wish'.
She was almost stark mad for the space of eight weeks.
She said the speediest way to take a man's life away by witchcraft, is to make a picture of clay, in the likeness of the person whom she means to kill.
She voluntarily confessed, that a thing like a Christian man did some times come to her, and request her to give him her soul.
She was a blear-eyed dame who flew by night over the field, on mischief bent.
She was seduced to condescend and agree to become subject unto that devilish, abominable profession of witchcraft.
She yielded to be at his command and appointment.
She should have gold, silver, and worldly wealth, at her will.
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She was an invisible agency, which in secret wasted an image made in clay before the fire, or crumbled its various parts into dust.
She might have and do what she would.
She answered, and said to a black dog, 'lame him'.
She was then blind.
She did bewitch a cow to death through illness.
She would be revenged.
She came homeward from begging.
She had a little child upon her knee.
She refused to go back to help them make pictures.
She should never dwell upon his land, if ever the ground came to him.
She bade him go revenge her.
She would not then speak to him.
She and her spirit together sat upon his horse or mare, until the horse or mare died.
She took three skulls of people, which had been buried, and then cast out of a grave, and took eight teeth.
She procured his death.
She then said he had borne malice to her.
She the witch went out of the house in her own shape and likeness.
She got on horseback, and she presently vanished out of his sight.
She appointed to meet at the wives house that day in twelve months.
She bewitched, at the new-field edge in Yorkshire, a woman.
She languished men and beasts under her charm.
She preyed alike on the learned and the vulgar.