ning to
her spirit," says the bitter, uncharitable, anonymous author, "that the
power of the Law would bee stronger than the power of her art, and that
shee saw no other likelihood but that shee should be hanged as her Sonne
was like to bee: To whom her spirit answered, giuing this sorry comfort,
that shee should not bee hanged, but to preuent that shee should cut her
owne throatt. Shee, hearing this sentence and holding it definitive, in
great agony and horror of minde and conscience fell a rauing, crying out
that the irreuocable Iudgement of her death was giuen, and that shee was
damned perpetually; cursing and banning the time wherein shee was borne,
and the houre wherein shee was conceiued." A short time after "shee made
good the Deuil's worde, and to preuent the Iustice of the Law, and to
saue the hangman a labour, cut her owne throate." The poor boy was in
great misery when he heard of his mother's death, and knew now that what
despair had done for her, the tyranny of superstition would do for him;
yet "he stood out stiffly for his innocence," and when found guilty, broke
out into grievous cries, saying that he had now found the Law to have a
power above Justice, for that it had condemned an Innocent. At the gallows
he said the same thing, refusing to confess to Martha Aspine's murder, and
"thus with a dissembling Tongue, and a corrupted conscience, hee ended his
course in this world, with little hope or respect (as it seemed) of the
world to come." What became of his three familiars, Grissil, Ball, and
Jack, we are not informed, neither of what forms or functions they were,
nor of what colours or dimensions.

Grievously did Mistress Moulsho offend Ellen Jenkinson, when she caused
her to be searched for witch-marks, which of course were found; for
Helen's character was notorious, and there is no smoke without a little
fire. So Helen, in revenge, played Mistress Moulsho a trick that brought
herself to the gallows. For "at that time Mistris Moulsho had a Bucke of
clothes to be washt out. The next morning, the Mayd, when shee came to
hang them forth to dry, spyed the Cloathes, but especially Mistris
Moulsho's Smocke, to bee all bespotted with the pictures of Toades,
Snakes, and other ougly Creatures, which making her agast, she went
presently and told her mistris, who, looking on them, smild, saying
nothing else but this: 'Here are fine Hobgoblins indeede.' And being a
Gentlewoman of a stout courage, went immediately