that she fed him with milk porridge;
that he spoke to her audibly, bidding her deny Christ and she should never
want; which she did: but she did not kill Mary Parsley nevertheless. She
was executed at Manningtree all the same as if she had spoken sober truth.

On the 23rd of the same month Prudence Hart came to the magistrates with
an accusation. About eight weeks since, she said, being at church very
well and healthful--some twenty weeks gone with child--she was suddenly
taken with pains, and miscarried before she could be got home: and about
two months since, being in bed, something fell upon her right side, but
being dark she could not tell of what shape it was: but presently she was
taken lame on that side, and with extraordinary pains and burning, and she
believed that Anne West and Rebecca West, the daughter, were the cause of
her pains. John Edes also swelled the count of accusations. He said that
Rebecca had confessed to him that seven years since her mother incited her
to intercourse with the devil, who had since appeared to her at divers
times and in various shapes, but chiefly as a proper young man, desiring
of her such things as proper young men are wont to desire of women;
promising her that if she would yield to his wishes she should have what
she would, and especially should be avenged of her enemies; and that then
Rebecca had demanded the death of Hart's son of Lawford, who, not long
after, was taken sick and died. At which Rebecca had said "that shee
conceived hee could do as God." And furthermore, that Rebecca said, while
she lived at Rivenall her mother Anne came to her and said, "the Barley
Corn was picked up," meaning one George Francis; and that shortly after
George's father said his son was bewitched to death; to which Anne
replied, "Be it unto him according to his faith." When Rebecca was called
on the 21st of March, to answer to these charges, she confirmed all that
John Edes had said, adding a few unimportant particulars which insured the
execution of her mother in the August following; but in spite of her own
confession she herself, though found guilty by the grand jury, was
acquitted for life and death. Matthew Hopkins struck a few dashes of
colour over the canvas, telling the judges that Rebecca had told him she
was made a witch by her mother; and that when she met the four other
goodies in Clarke's house, the devil, or their familiars, had come, now in
the shape of a dog, then of two kittyns,