Bewitched--Flames issuing from a Bewitched Person's
Mouth--Tormenting a Witch--Jane Wenham's Witchcrafts
and Trial--The last Persons who suffered in England
for Witchcraft--Long List of Persons who suffered as
Witches.

Elizabeth Style, of Stoke Trister, Somersetshire, was accused, in the
year 1664, by divers persons of witchcraft. She confessed before
Robert Hunt, Esquire, a justice of the peace for the county, that the
devil, ten years before that time, had appeared to her as a handsome
young man, offered her money, said she would live gay, and have all
the pleasures of the world for twelve years, if she would with her
blood sign a document, binding herself to obey his laws, and give her
soul over to him. She agreed to do as requested; whereupon he pricked
the fourth finger of her right hand, and with a few drops of blood
that issued from the wound she signed the engagement.

When she desired to do harm, Satan gave her power according to their
agreement. About a month before her examination she desired him to
torment Elizabeth Hall by thrusting thorns into her flesh--a request
he promised to comply with. She declared that, not long before her
apprehension, she, Alice Duke, Anne Bishop, and Mary Penny met the
devil at night, in a common near Trister Gate. Their meeting
terminated with dancing and feasting.

Similar meetings subsequently took place. Before Style and her
companion witches started to midnight meetings, they anointed their
foreheads with an oil given them by a spirit. They were then carried
swiftly through the air. Sometimes they were present at the meetings
in body, but more frequently in spirit only. The devil gave them power
to injure men and cattle, either by a touch or curse. Style gave the
names of many men and women in the neighbourhood who attended the
meetings. The meetings being ended, the devil suddenly vanished or
burnt himself in flames, and the people went home, singing "Merry we
meet, merry we meet, and merry we part."

The poor miserable woman was tried before a jury of her countrymen,
and found guilty of witchcraft. Sentence of death was passed on her,
but she escaped punishment by the hands of an ordinary executioner,
for before the day fixed for her execution she died in prison.

Alice Duke, a confederate of Elizabeth Style, being brought before Mr.
Hunt for examination on a charge of witchcraft, stated that she and
Anne Bishop went to the churchyard a