nd Margaret Johnson,
accused of killing Henry Heape, and wasting and impairing the body of
Jennet Shackleton--but there was no proof against her, save certain witch
marks, which, however, were indisputable, and on the finding of which she
was soon brought to confess. She said that, seven or eight years since,
she was in a mighty rage against life and the world in general, when there
appeared to her the devil like a man, dressed all in black tied about with
silk points, who offered her all she might wish or want in return for her
soul; telling her that she might kill man or beast as she should desire,
and take her revenge when she would; and that if she did but call
"Mamillion" when she wanted him, he would come on the instant and do as he
was bid. So "after a sollicitacion or two, she contracted and condicioned
with the said devill or spiritt for her soul," and henceforth became one
of the most notorious of the Lancashire witches. She confessed that she
was at the great witch-meeting held at Harestones, in Pendle, on All
Saints'-day last past, and again at another the Sunday after; and that all
the witches rode there on horses, and went to consult on the killing of
men and beasts; and that "there was one devill or spiritt that was more
greate and grand devill than the rest, and yf anie witch desired to have
such an one, they might have such an one to kill or hurt anie body." She
said, too, which was a new idea on her part, that the sharp-boned witches
were more powerful and malignant than those with "biggs" only; and then
she wandered off, and accused certain of her neighbours, of whom one,
"Pickhamer's wife, was the most greate, grand, and auncyent witch." Then
she told her audience that if any witch desired to be carried to any
place, a cat, or a dog, or a rod would convey them away; but not their
bodies, only their souls in the likeness of their bodies. The judge was
not quite satisfied with either Edmund Robinson's depositions or
Margaret's confessions, and for all that the jury brought in a verdict of
guilty, managed to get a reprieve, and to send up some of the accused to
London. He managed also to interest the king, Charles I., who had not his
father's craze on the subject; and Charles ordered the bishop to make a
special examination of the case, and send in his report. By this time,
too, Edmund and his father were separated, and the boy fully examined;
when at last he confessed to the entire worthlessness and fraud