she lived. She had one
daughter, Joan Vaughan, or Varnham, "a maide, or at least unmarried," says
the old black-letter book maliciously; "as gratious as the mother, and
both of them as farre from grace as Heaven from hell;" which Joan was "so
well brought up vnder her mother's elbow, that she hangd with her for
company vnder her mother's nose." It seems that one day, Joan, being in
the company of a certain Mistress Belcher, "a virtuous and godly
Gentlewoman of the same towne of Gilsborough, whether of purpose to giue
occasion of anger to the saide Mistris Belcher, or but to continue her
vilde and ordinary custome of behauiour, committed something either in
speech or gesture so vnfitting, and vnseeming the nature of womanhood"
that Mistress Belcher's patience could bear with her no longer. She got
up, beat Joan Vaughan, and "forced her to avoid the company." Joan went
away muttering that she would be revenged; to which replied Mrs. Belcher
stoutly, that she feared neither her nor her mother, and bade her do her
worst. Then Joan went home to her mother, and both together devised such a
punishment that Mrs. Belcher was griped and gnawed of her body, her mouth
drawn all awry, and in such powerful fits that she could scarce be held,
crying out incessantly in her fits, "Here comes Joane Vaughan, away with
Joane Vaughan!" till all the world knew that she was bewitched, and that
old Agnes Browne and her daughter had caused the trouble. Mistress
Belcher's brother, one Master Avery, hearing of his sister's sickness and
extremity, came to see her; and when he saw her, was moved to such anguish
and indignation that he must needs go to the house of the witches to hale
them to his sister, that she might draw their blood. But though he twice
essayed, he was twice arrested by some miraculous agency, spell-bound, and
unable to move hand or foot; he could not, by any possibility, advance
beyond a certain spot, whereby the witches were safe for this time at
least, "the devil, who was standing sentinel," being stronger than he.
Wherefore sorrowfully he turned back, and went home to his own place. But
these "imps of the devil" had longer arms than he, and in a very short
time he was as grievously tormented as his sister, his torments enduring
until the witches were arrested and taken to Northampton gaol. When there,
nothing would satisfy Mistress Belcher and her brother Master Avery but
that they should go to the prison and "scratch" the witch