s.
The struggle betwixt the cat and the lady was so great in her bed
that night, and she made so terrible a noise, that she waked her
bedfellow Mrs. C.' Whether, 'as some sager' might think, it was a
nightmare (a sort of incubus which terrified the disordered
imagination of the ancients), or some more substantial object
that disturbed the rest of the lady, it is not important to
decide; but next day Lady Cromwell was laid up with an incurable
illness. Holding out obstinately against all threats and
promises, the reputed witch was at length induced to pronounce an
exorcism, when the afflicted were immediately for the time
dispossessed. 'Next day being Christmas-eve and the Sabbath, Dr.
Donington [vicar of the parish] chose his text of repentance out
of the _Psalms_, and communicating her confession to the
assembly, directed his discourse chiefly to that purpose
to comfort a penitent heart that it might affect her. All
sermon-time Mother S. wept and lamented, and was frequently so
loud in her passions, that she drew the eyes of the congregation
upon her.' On the morrow, greatly to the disappointment of the
neighbours, she contradicted her former confession, declaring it
was extracted by surprise at finding her exorcism had relieved
the child, unconscious of what she was saying.

The case was afterwards carried before the Bishop of Lincoln. Now
greatly alarmed, the old woman made a fresh announcement that she
was really a witch; that she owned several spirits (of the nine
may be enumerated the fantastic names of Pluck, Hardname, Catch,
Smack, Blew), one of whom was used to appear in the shape of a
chicken, and suck her chin. The mother and daughters were, upon
this voluntary admission, committed to Huntingdon gaol. Of the
possessed Jane Throgmorton seems to have been most familiar with
the demons.[104]

[104] The following ravings of epilepsy, or of whatever was
the disorder of the girl, are part of the evidence of Dr.
Donington, clergyman in the town, and were narrated and
could be received as grave evidence in a court of justice.
They will serve as a specimen of the rest. The girl and the
spirit known as _Catch_ are engaged in the little by-play.
'After supper, as soon as her parents were risen, she fell
into the same fit again as before, and then became
senseless, and in a little time, opening her mouth, she
said, "Will this hold for ever? I hope it will be better one
day. From whence come yo