The Penguin Book of Witches

by Katherine Howe

  This examinant being asked whether he had seen Newman’s wife to come unto his mother, saith that one morning he being in a chamber with his mother, his Godmother Newman came unto her, and saith that then he heard her and his mother to chide, and to fall out. But saith before they parted they were friends and that then his mother delivered an earthen pot unto her, in the which he thinketh her spirits were, the which she carried away with her under her apron.

  And this examinant saith that within a few days after the said Newman’s wife came unto his mother, and that he heard her to tell his mother that she had sent a spirit to plague Johnson to the death and another to plague his wife.

  [ . . . ]

  [The Examination of and Confession of Ursula Kemp, alias Grey]

  The examination and confession of Ursula Kemp, alias Grey, taken at St. Osyth, and brought before me, Brian Darcy, Esquire, one of Her Majesty’s justices of the peace, the 20th day of February, 1582.

  Condemned.

  The said Ursula Kemp saith that about ten or eleven years past, she this examinant was troubled with a lameness in her bones, and for ease thereof, went to one Cocke’s wife of Weley, now deceased, who telled this examinant that she was bewitched, and at her entreaty taught her to unwitch herself. And hath her take hogs’ dung and charcoal and put them together and hold them in her left hand, and to take in the other hand a knife, and to prick the medicine three times, and then to cast the same into the fire, and to take the said knife and to make three pricks under a table, and to let the knife stick there. And after that to take three leaves of sage, and as much of herb John (alias herb grace19) and put them into ale, and drink it last at night and first in the morning, and that she taking the same had ease of her lameness.

  The said examinant saith that one Page’s wife and one Gray’s wife, being either of them lame and bewitched, she being requested and sent for to come unto them, went unto them. And saith that she knew them to be bewitched, and at their desires did minister unto them the foresaid medicine, whereupon they had speedy amendment.

  The said Brian Darcy then promising to the said Ursula that if she would deal plainly and confess the truth, that she should have favor. And so by giving her fair speeches she confessed as followeth.

  The said Ursula bursting out with weeping, fell upon her knees, and confessed that she had four spirits, whereof two of them were hes, and the other two were shes. The two he spirits were to punish and kill unto death, and the other two shes were to punish with lameness and other diseases of bodily harms, and also to destroy cattle.

  And she this examinant, being asked by what name or names she called the said spirits, and what manner of things or color they were of, confesseth and saith that the one is called Tittey, being a he, and is like a gray cat; the second called Jack, also a he, and is like a black cat; the third is called Pigeon, being a she, and is like a black toad; the fourth is called Tyffin, being a she, and is like a white lamb.

  This examinant being further asked which of the said spirits she sent to punish Thurlowe’s wife and Letherdall’s child, confessed and said that she sent Tittey to punish Thurlowe’s wife, and Pigeon Letherdall’s child.

  And this examinant, without any asking of her own free will at that present, confessed and said that she was the death of her brother Kemp’s wife, and that she sent the spirit Jack to plague her, for that her sister had called her whore and witch.

  And this examinant further confessed that upon the falling out between Thurlowe’s wife and her, she sent Tyffin the spirit unto her child, which lay in the cradle, and willed the same to rock the cradle over, so as the child might fall out thereof, and break the neck of it.

  These foresaid 5 last recited matters, being confessed by the said Ursula privately to me the said Brian Darcy, were afterward (supper being ended, and she called again before me, the said Brian) recited and particularly named unto her all which she confessed, as before in the presence of us, whole names he hereunder subscribed.

  Also after this examinant’s aforesaid confession, the said Thurlowe’s wife and Letherdall’s wife being then in my house, and she the said Letherdall’s wife having her child there also, were brought in my presence before this examinant, who, immediately after some speeches had passed between them, she this examinant burst out in tears and fell upon her knees, and asked forgiveness of the said Letherdall’s wife, and likewise of Thurlowe’s wife, and confessed that she caused Newman’s wife to send a spirit to plague the child, asking the said Letherdall’s wife, if she were not afraid that night that the spirit came unto the child, and telled her about the same hour, and said that she herself by reason thereof was in a great sweat. And this examinant confesseth that she caused the said Newman’s wife to send a spirit to Thurlowe’s wife to plague her where that thought good, et cetera.

  The said Letherdall’s child (being a woman child) at the time of this examination appeared to be in most piteous sort consumed, and the private and hinder parts thereof to be in a most strange and wonderful20 case, as it seemed to very honest women of good judgment, and not likely to live and continue any long time.

  Note also that it is specially to be considered, that the said child being an infant and not a year old, the mother thereof carrying it in her arms, to one mother Ratcliffe’s, a neighbor of hers, to have her to minister unto it, was to pass by Ursula this examinant’s house, and passing by the window, the infant cried to the mother, wo, wo, and pointed with the finger to the window wards. And likewise the child used the like as she passed homeward by the said window, at which she confessed her conscience moved her, so as she went shortly after and talked with the said Ursula, whereupon she used such speeches as moved her to complain.

  [The Second Confession and Examination of Ursula Kemp]

  The second confession and examination of Ursula Kemp, taken the 21st day of February.

  The said Ursula, being committed to the ward and keeping of the constable that night, upon some speeches that she had passed, said that she had forgotten to tell Mr. Darcy one thing, whereupon the next day she was brought before Brian Darcy, and the second time examined, who confessed and said.

  That about a quarter of a year last past, one Alice Newman, her near neighbor, came unto this examinant’s house and fell out with her, and said she was a witch, and that she would take away her witchery, and carry the same unto Mr. Darcy. But this examinant saith she thought she did not mean it, but after they had children they became friends, and so she departed carrying away with her her spirits in a pot, as this examinant saith.

  And she further saith that about Christmas last, she went to the said Alice Newman, and declared to her that Thurlowe’s wife and she were fallen out, and prayed the said Newman’s wife, to send the spirit called Tittey, unto her to plague the said Thurlowe’s wife, where that thought good. The which this examinant saith she did, and at the return of the said spirit it told this examinant that it had punished Thurlowe’s wife upon her knee. And then it had a reward by sucking blood of this examinant, and so returned as she saith to the said Alice Newman.

  This examinant saith that about three months past, she and one John Stratton fell out, and the said John called her whore and gave her other evil speeches, whereupon this examinant saith that shortly after she sent her boy for spices unto the wife of the said John. But she saith she sent her none, whereupon this examinant saith she went unto the said Newman’s wife, and told her of the falling out between Stratton and her, and requested the said Newman’s wife to send Jack the spirit unto Stratton’s wife to plague her, the which the said Alice Newman promised this examinant to do the next night, as this examinant saith she did. And the spirit told this examinant when it returned, that it had plagued her in the back even unto death. And the spirit did suck of this examinant upon the left thigh, the which when she rubbeth (she saith) it will at all times bleed.

  And she saith that then the spirit did return to the said Newman�
�s wife again, and had the like reward of her as she thanketh.

  This examinant saith, that about Friday was seeneight21 being about the ninth of February, she went unto the said Alice Newman, and did show her that one Letherdall’s wife and she were fallen out, and saith that she prayed her to send one of the spirits unto her young child. Whereunto she the said Alice answered well, she would. And this examinant saith that at that time she could have no longer talk with her, for that her husband was then present in the house. And this examinant saith that the said Alice sent the spirit Pigeon to plague the said child where that thought good, and after that it had sucked of this examinant. She saith it returned to the said Newman’s wife, and more at that time the said examinant confessed not.22

  REGINALD SCOT, THE DISCOUERIE OF WITCHCRAFT 1584

  To the modern reader, Reginald Scot might sound like a beacon of reason in a wilderness of early modern fear and superstition. Though relatively little is known about Scot, he nevertheless serves as one of the strongest skeptical voices to emerge in opposition to the common attitudes toward witches and witchcraft in early modern England. His only other known work is a well-regarded horticultural guidebook, A Perfite Platforme of a Hoppe Garden of 1574. In the decade between these two publications, witch trials in England had picked up remarkably in pace; Scot himself may have been witness to the St. Osyth witch trial. Scot appears to be a man appalled by the apparent prejudice within the legal structure of witch trials, while pitying the type of woman so often accused of such a crime. His religious belief suggests that any pretense of magic or doings outside the realm of nature is false, unprovable, invented, or worse.1 In effect, Scot argued that contemporary witch mongers were suffering from a failure of faith, ascribing powers to individuals that should be reserved only for God.

  To prove his case, Scot argued from biblical interpretation and evidence, claiming that modern translations of the Scriptures collapsed several different categories of malefactors—soothsayers, cheats, poisoners, and so forth—into the single category of “witch.”2 More than even biblical authority, however, Scot relied on empirical reason. He looked at the sort of women typically accused of witchcraft and recognized them for what they were: often poor or mentally ill, uneducated, objects of fear and disgust within their communities, and unable to defend themselves. Scot argued that these women should be shown Christian charity and compassion. Interestingly, Scot also grappled with the problem of those like Ursula Kemp, who had confessed. In that regard, Scot addressed not only those witches as understood in the ecclesiastical sense, but also those so-called cunning folk, purveyors of folk magic and charms, widespread throughout the British countryside. Scot was concerned with separating the deluded and weak members of society from the charlatans, and with revealing the errors in reason and judgment that he perceived among witch-hunters. A relatively straightforward task, it would seem, and yet Scot would remain the most ardent skeptic throughout the active period of English and North American witchcraft, serving as the inspiration for King James I’s subsequent spirited defense of witch trials in Daemonologie (1597).3

  THE DISCOUERIE OF WITCHCRAFT4

  Booke 1. Chapter 1.

  An impeachment of witches’ power in meteors and elementary bodies tending to the rebuke of such as attributed too much unto them.

  The fables of witchcraft have taken so fast hold and deep root in the heart of man that few or none can (nowadays) with patience endure the hand and correction of God. For if any adversity, grief, or sickness, or loss of children, corn, cattle, or liberty happen unto them, by and by they exclaim upon witches. As though there were no God in Israel that ordereth all things according to his will,5 punishing both just and unjust with griefs, plagues, and afflictions in manner and form as he thinketh good, but that certain old women here on earth, called witches, must needs be the contrivers of all men’s calamities, and as though they themselves were innocents, and had deserved no such punishments. Insomuch as they stick not to ride and go to such, as either are injuriously termed witches, or else are willing so to be accounted, seeking at their hands comfort and remedy in time of their tribulation, contrary to God’s will and commandment in that behalf, who bids us resort to him in all our necessities.6

  Such faithless people (I say) are also persuaded that neither hail nor snow, thunder nor lightning, rain nor tempestuous winds come from the heavens at the commandment of God, but are raised by the cunning and power of witches and conjurers; insomuch as a clap of thunder, or a gale of wind is no sooner heard, but either they run to ring bells, or cry out to burn witches, or else burn consecrated things, hoping by the smoke thereof to drive the Devil out of the air, as though spirits could be frightened7 away with such external toys. Howbeit, these are right enchantments, as Brentius affirmeth.8

  But certainly, it is neither a witch, nor devil, but a glorious God that maketh the thunder. I have read in the scriptures that God maketh the blustering tempests and whirlwinds, and I find that it is the Lord that altogether dealeth with them, and that they blow according to his will.9 But let me see any of them all rebuke and still the sea in time of tempest, as Christ did, or raise the stormy wind, as God did with his word, and I will believe in them. Hath any witch or conjurer or any creature entered into the treasures of the snow or seen the secret places of the hail, which God hath prepared against the day of trouble, battle, and war? I for my part also think with Jesus, Sir, that at God’s only commandment the snow falleth, and that the wind bloweth according to his will, who only maketh all storms to cease and who (if we keep his ordinances) will send us rain in due season and make the land to bring forth her increase and the trees of the field to give their fruit.

  [ . . . ]

  Chapter 2.

  The inconvenience growing by men’s credulity herein, with a reproof of some churchmen, which are inclined to the common conceived opinion of witches’ omnipotency, and a familiar example thereof.

  But the world is now so bewitched and overrun with this fond error, that even where a man should seek comfort and counsel, there shall he be sent (in case of necessity) from God to the Devil and from the physician to the cozening10 witch, who will not stick to take upon her, by words to heal the lame (which was proper only to Christ and to them whom he assisted with his divine power). Yea, with her familiar and charms she will take upon her to cure the blind, though in the tenth of Saint John’s gospels it be written that the Devil cannot open the eyes of the blind.11 And they attain such credit as I have heard (to my grief) some of the ministry affirm, that they have had in their parish at one instant, seventeen or eighteen witches, meaning such as could work miracles supernaturally. Whereby they manifested as well their infidelity and ignorance in conceiving God’s word, as their negligence and error in instructing their flocks. For they themselves might understand and also teach their parishioners that God only worketh great wonders and that it is he which sendeth such punishments to the wicked and such trials to the elect. According to the saying of the prophet Haggai, “I smote you with blasting and mildew, and with hail, in all the labors of your hands; and yet you turned not unto me, saith the Lord.”12 And therefore saith the same prophet in another place, “You have sown much, and bring in little.” And both in Joel and Leviticus, the like phrases and proofs are used and made.

  [ . . . ]

  But I will rehearse an example whereof I myself am not only Oculatus testis13 but have examined the cause and am to justify the truth of my report, not because I would disgrace the ministers that are godly, but to confirm my former assertion, that this absurd error is grown into the place, which should be able to expel all such ridiculous folly and impiety.

  At the assizes holden at Rochester, anno 1581, one Margaret Simons, the wife of John Simons, of Brenchlie in Kent, was arraigned for witchcraft at the instigation and complaint of diverse fond14 and malicious persons and specially by the means of one John Ferrall, vicar of that parish, with whom I talked about that matter and fou
nd him both fondly assotted in the cause and enviously bent toward her and (which is worse) as unable to make a good account of his faith as she whom he accused. That which he, for his part, laid to the poor woman’s charge, was this.

  His son (being an ungracious boy and apprentice to one Robert Scotchford clothier, dwelling in that parish of Brenchlie) passed on a day by her house, at whom by chance her little dog barked. Which thing the boy taking in evil part, drew his knife, and pursued him therewith even to her door, whom she rebuked with some such words as the boy disdained and yet nevertheless would not be persuaded to depart in a long time. At the last he returned to his master’s house and within five or six days fell sick. Then was called to mind that fray betwixt the dog and the boy: insomuch as the vicar (who thought himself so privileged, as he little mistrusted that God would visit his children with sickness) did so calculate; as he found, partly through his own judgment, and partly (as he himself told me) by the relation of other witches, that his said son was by her bewitched. Yea, he also told me, that this his son (being as it were past all cure) received perfect health at the hands of another witch.15

  He proceeded yet further against her, affirming that always in his parish church, when he desired to read most plainly, his voice so failed him as he could scant be heard at all. Which he could impute, he said, to nothing else but to her enchantment. When I advertised the poor woman hereof as being desirous to hear what she could say for herself she told me that in very deed his voice did much fail him, especially when he strained himself to speak loudest. How be it, she said, that at all times his voice was hoarse and low, which thing I perceived to be true. But sir, said she, you shall understand, that this our vicar is diseased with such a kind of hoarseness, as diverse of our neighbors in this parish, not long since, doubted that he had the French pox16 and in that respect utterly refused to communicate with him until such time as (being thereunto enjoined by M.D. Lewen the Ordinary17) he had brought from London a certificate, under the hands of two physicians, that his hoarseness proceeded from a disease in the lungs. Which certificate he published in the church, in the presence of the whole congregation. And by this means he was cured, or rather, excused of the shame of his disease. And this I know to be true by the relation of diverse honest men of that parish.18 And truly, if one of the jury had not been wiser than the other, she had been condemned thereupon, and upon other as ridiculous matters as this. For the name of a witch is so odious and her power so feared among the common people, that if the honestest body living chance to be arraigned thereupon, she shall hardly escape condemnation.19