o fit to
have the book dedicated to him as one who had acted so conspicuous a
part on the memorable occasion at Westminster? The blowing up of
Lancaster Castle and good Mr. Covel, by the conclave of witches at
Malkin's Tower, was no discreditable imitation of the grand
metropolitan drama on provincial boards.

A 2. FIRST IMPRIMATUR. "_Ja. Altham, Edw. Bromley._"] These two judges
were Barons of the Court of Exchequer, but neither of them seems to
have left a name extraordinarily distinguished for legal learning.
Altham was one of the assistants named in the commission for the trial
of the Countess of Somerset for the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury in
1616. Bromley appears, from incidental notices contained in the diary
of Nicholas Assheton, (see Whitaker's _Whalley_, third edition, page
300,) and other sources, to have frequently taken the northern
circuit. He was not of the family of Lord Chancellor Bromley, but of
another stock.

A 3. SECOND IMPRIMATUR: "_Edward Bromley. I took upon mee to reuise
and correct it._"] This revision by the judge who presided at the
trial gives a singular and unique value and authority to the work. We
have no other report of any witch trial which has an equal stamp of
authenticity. How many of the rhetorical flourishes interspersed in
the book are the property of Thomas Potts, Esquier, and how many are
the interpolation of the "excellent care" of the worthy Baron, it is
scarcely worth while to investigate. Certainly never were judge and
clerk more admirably paired. The _Shallow_ on the bench was well
reflected in the _Master Slender_ below.

B _a_. "_The number of them being knowen to exceed all others at any
time heretofore at one time to be indicted, arraigned, and receiue
their tryall._"] Probably this was the case, at least in England; but
a greater number had been convicted before, even in this country, at
one time, than were found guilty on this occasion, as it appears from
Scot, (_Discovery of Witchcraft_, page 543, edition 1584,) that
seventeen or eighteen witches were condemned at once, at St. Osith, in
Essex, in 1576, of whom an account was written by Brian Darcy, with
the names and colours of their spirits.

B _b_. "_She was a very old woman, about the age of fourescore._"] Dr.
Henry More would have styled old Demdike "An eximious example of
Moses, his Mecassephah, the word which he uses in that law,--Thou
shalt not suffer a witch to live." Margaret Agar and Julian Cox, (see