kes' wife and a clothier's child of Dedham, both of whom
had died about a week since; and also that "the said old Beldam Weste had
the wife of one William Cole of Mannintree in handling, who deid not long
since of a pining and languishing disease," and that she had raised the
wind which sunk the hoy in which was Tom Turner's brother thirty months
agone. She also said that Beldam West had taught her all she knew; for
that one day as she was pitying her for her lameness--she had but one
leg--and for her poverty, she told her how she might get imps and be rich,
for that the imps would help her to a husband who would keep her ever
after, so that she need not be put to such miserable shifts as gathering
sticks for a living. Elizabeth Clarke then accused Elizabeth Gooding of
being one of the tribe: and Robert Taylor came forward to give
corroborative evidence against her. He said that nine weeks since,
Elizabeth Gooding came to his shop for half a pound of cheese, on trust;
that he denied it to her; whereupon she went away, "muttering and
mumbling" to herself, and soon came back with the money. That very night
his horse, which was in the stable, sound and in good condition, fell lame
and in four days' time died of a strange disease, and Elizabeth Gooding
was the cause thereof. Elizabeth Gooding "is a lewd woman, and to this
Informant's knowledge, hath kept company with the said Elizabeth Clarke,
Anne Leech, and Anne West, which Anne West hath been suspected for a Witch
many years since, and suffered imprisonment for the same." Elizabeth
Gooding contented herself with saying quietly that she was not guilty of
any one particular charged upon her in the examination of the said Robert
Taylor. Nevertheless she was executed at Chelmsford.

Richard Edwards said that twelve months since he was driving his cows near
to the house of Anne Leech, widow, when they both fell down and died in
two days; the next day his white cow fell down within a rod of the same
place, and died in a week after. In August last his child was out at nurse
at goodwife Wyles', who lived near Elizabeth Gooding and Elizabeth Clarke;
which said child was taken very sick, with rolling of the eyes, strange
fits, extending of the limbs, and in two days it died: and Elizabeth
Gooding and Anne Leech were the cause of its death.

And now poor old Anne Leech was brought on the scene, to "confess," as so
many wretched victims did. She said that she and Elizabeth Clarke and