the work of castigation proceeded, one
of the hounds became like the wife of a man named Dickenson, living in
the neighbourhood, and the other hound turned into the shape of a
little boy. The woman beseeched Robinson not to tell she was a witch.
Little Edmund imprudently said he would not keep the secret, whereupon
she transformed the boy that had appeared as a greyhound into a white
horse. Dickenson's wife took Edmund, and mounted the horse with him.
Before they had ridden more than a quarter of a mile they came to a
new house, where threescore persons were assembled at a splendid
entertainment. Ample supplies came down by six visitors pulling as
many ropes. By this operation smoking-hot joints, lumps of butter, and
milk in abundance fell into basins placed under the ropes. Little
Edmund ran away, but before he reached his father's house a boy with
cloven feet attacked him most unmercifully, cutting his face and ears.
What the result would have been none can tell, had not two horsemen
come forward and rescued Edmund from the evil spirit. The case being
reported to Charles I., he instructed one of his bishops to make
special inquiry into the matter. The bishop did not credit the boy's
statement, so the king ordered the liberation of several women
identified by the boy as having been concerned in the witch
proceedings at the new house.

At one time a band of Essex witches, numbering not less than thirteen,
killed people, cattle, and horses, caused sickness, destroyed milk,
beer, and batches of bread by their wicked arts, and sent their imps
to burn dwelling houses, barns, and corn.

The witches of Northamptonshire were famous in their day and
generation. Agnes Brown and Johan Vaughan were grievously implicated.
They, out of revenge against Mrs. Belcher for insulting Johan, Agnes
Brown's daughter, griped and gnawed the lady's body, and put her mouth
awry. Mrs. Belcher's brother, Alexander, went to the witches' house to
draw their blood, and thereby counteract their enchantments. He
repeatedly struck at them, but some unseen power warded off the blows.
He returned home without performing the task he undertook, and without
doing his sister any good. Naturally enough, Agnes Brown and Johan
were offended at the attempted outrage; and they, by their witchcraft,
laid the young man on a bed of sickness. The witches were apprehended
and lodged in Northampton gaol. Hither did Mrs. Belcher and her
brother proceed, to draw blood