birch" in such cases, "as a specifical
medicine, antipathetical to demons." One can only lament that this
valuable remedy was not vigorously applied in the present instance, as
well as in most others in which these juvenile sufferers appear. I
doubt whether, in the whole Materia Medica, a more powerful
_Lamia-fuge_ could have been discovered, or one which would have been
more universally successful, if applied perseveringly, whenever the
suspicious symptoms recurred. The following is, however, Drage's great
panacea in these cases, a mode of treatment which must have been
vastly popular, judging from its extensive adoption in all parts of
the country: "_Punish the witch, threaten to hang her if she helps not
the sick, scratch her and fetch blood. When she is cast into prison
the sick are some time delivered, some time he or she (they are most
females, most old women, and most poor,) must transfer the disease to
other persons, sometimes to a dog, or horse, or cow, &c. Threaten her
and beat her to remove it._"--Drage, p. 23.]

The name of Margaret Johnson does not appear in Edmund Robinson's
examination. Whether accused or not, the opportunity was too alluring
to be lost by a personage full of matter, being like old Mause
Headrigg, "as a bottle that lacketh vent," and too desirous of
notoriety, to let slip such an occasion. She made, on the 2nd of March
following, before the same justices who had taken Robinson's
examination, the following confession, which must have been considered
a most instructive one by those who were in search of some short _vade
mecum_ of the statistics of witchcraft in Pendle:--

"THE CONFESSION OF MARGARET JOHNSON.

"That betwixt seaven and eight yeares since, shee beeinge in her owne
house in _Marsden_, in a greate passion of anger and discontent, and
withall pressed with some want, there appeared unto her a spirit or
devill in ye proportion or similitude of a man, apparrelled in a suite
of blacke, tyed about with silk points, who offered yt if shee would
give him her soule hee would supply all her wants, and bringe to her
whatsoever shee did neede. And at her appointment would in revenge
either kill or hurt whom or what shee desyred, weare it man or beast.
And saith, yt after a solicitation or two shee contracted and
covenanted with ye said devill for her soule. And yt ye said devill or
spirit badde her call him by the name of _Mamilian_. And when shee
would have him to doe any thinge for h