who pretended to be bewitched, when their
eyes were covered, played off their fits and contortions at the touch of
some other person, mistaking it for that of the accused, yet "he charged
the jury without summing up the evidence, dwelling only upon the
certainty of the fact that there were witches, for which he appealed to
the Scriptures, and, as he said, to 'the wisdom of all nations;' and the
jury having convicted, the next morning left them for execution."

But we proceed with a few explanatory notices respecting that portion of
the history of this superstition, which will be found interwoven with
the traditionary matter in our text.

A number of persons, inhabitants of Pendle Forest, were apprehended in
the year 1633, upon the evidence of Edmund Robinson, a boy about eleven
years old, who deposed before two of his Majesty's justices at Padiham,
that on All-Saints'-day he was getting "bulloes," when he saw two
greyhounds--a black one and a brown one--come running over the field
towards him. When they came nigh they fawned on him, and he supposed
they belonged to some of the neighbours. He expected presently that some
one would follow; but seeing no one, he took them by a string which they
had tied to their collars, and thought he would hunt with them.
Presently a hare sprang up near to him, and he cried "Loo, loo," but the
dogs would not run. Whereupon he grew angry, and tied them to a bush for
the purpose of chastising them, but instead of the black greyhound he
now beheld a woman, the wife of one Dickisson, a neighbour; the other
was transformed into a little boy. At this sight he was much afraid, and
would have fled; but the woman stayed him and offered him a piece of
silver like a shilling if he would hold his peace. But he refused the
bribe; whereupon she pulled out a bridle and threw it over the little
boy's head, who was her familiar, and immediately he became a white
horse. The witch then took the deponent before her, and away they
galloped to a place called Malkin Tower, by the Hoarstones at Pendle. He
there beheld many persons appear in like fashion; and a great feast was
prepared, which he saw, and was invited to partake, but he refused.
Spying an opportunity, he stole away, and ran towards home. But some of
the company pursued him until he came to a narrow place called "the
Boggard-hole," where he met two horsemen; seeing which, his tormentors
left off following him. He further said, that on a certain day