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Title: The Lancashire Witches
A Romance of Pendle Forest

Author: William Harrison Ainsworth

Release Date: March 29, 2005 [EBook #15493]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration: NICHOLAS ASSHETON AND THE THREE DOLL WANGOS LEAVING
HOGHTON HALL.]

THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.
A Romance of Pendle Forest.

By
William Harrison Ainsworth, Esq.

_Sir Jeffery_.--Is there a justice in Lancashire has so much
skill in witches as I have? Nay, I'll speak a proud word; you
shall turn me loose against any Witch-finder in Europe. I'd
make an ass of Hopkins if he were alive.--SHADWELL.

Third Edition.

Illustrated by John Gilbert.

London:
George Routledge & Co., Farringdon Street.
1854.

To
James Crossley, Esq.,
(of Manchester,)

President of the Chetham Society,
And the Learned Editor Of
"The Discoverie of Witches in the County of Lancaster,"--

The groundwork of the following pages,--
This Romance,
undertaken at his suggestion,
is inscribed
by his old, and sincerely attached friend,
The Author.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

The Last Abbot of Whalley.

I. THE BEACON ON PENDLE HILL
II. THE ERUPTION
III. WHALLEY ABBEY
IV. THE MALEDICTION
V. THE MIDNIGHT MASS
VI. TETER ET FORTIS CARCER
VII. THE ABBEY MILL
VIII. THE EXECUTIONER
IX. WISWALL HALL
X. THE HOLEHOUSES

BOOK THE FIRST.

Alizon Device.

I. THE MAY QUEEN
II. THE BLACK CAT AND THE WHITE DOVE
III. THE ASSHETONS
IV. ALICE NUTTER
V. MOTHER CHATTOX
VI. THE ORDEAL BY SWIMMING
VII. THE RUINED CONVENTUAL CHURCH
VIII. THE REVELATION
IX. THE TWO PORTRAITS IN THE BANQUETING-HALL
X. THE NOCTURNAL MEETING

BOOK THE SECOND.

Pendle Forest.

I. FLINT
II. READ HALL
III. THE BOGGART'S GLEN
IV. THE REEVE OF THE FOREST
V. BESS'S O' TH' BOOTH
VI. TH