ess, since he had lost his wife by her
means. The year and a quarter and the black cat were proofs positive.
All the neighbours had taken up the cry of witchcraft against Mother
Samuel; and her personal appearance, unfortunately for her, the very
ideal of what a witch ought to be, increased the popular suspicion. It
would appear that at last the poor woman believed, even to her own
disadvantage, that she was what everybody represented her to be. Being
forcibly brought into Mr. Throgmorton's house, when his daughter Joan
was in one of her customary fits, she was commanded by him and Sir
Samuel Cromwell to expel the devil from the young lady. She was told
to repeat her exorcism, and to add, "as I am a witch, and the causer of
Lady Cromwell's death, I charge thee, fiend, to come out of her!" She
did as was required of her, and moreover confessed that her husband and
daughter were leagued with her in witchcraft, and had, like her, sold
their souls to the devil. The whole family were immediately arrested,
and sent to Huntingdon to prison.

The trial was instituted shortly afterwards before Mr. Justice Fenner,
when all the crazy girls of Mr. Throgmorton's family gave evidence
against Mother Samuel and her family. They were all three put to the
torture. The old woman confessed in her anguish that she was a
witch--that she had cast her spells upon the young ladies, and that she
had caused the death of Lady Cromwell. The father and daughter,
stronger in mind than their unfortunate wife and parent, refused to
confess anything, and asserted their innocence to the last. They were
all three condemned to be hanged, and their bodies burned. The
daughter, who was young and good-looking, excited the pity of many
persons, and she was advised to plead pregnancy, that she might gain at
least a respite from death. The poor girl refused proudly, on the
ground that she would not be accounted both a witch and a strumpet.
Her half-witted old mother caught at the idea of a few weeks' longer
life, and asserted that she was pregnant. The court was convulsed with
laughter, in which the wretched victim herself joined, and this was
accounted an additional proof that she was a witch. The whole family
were executed on the 7th of April, 1593.

Sir Samuel Cromwell, as lord of the manor, received the sum of 40
pounds out of the confiscated property of the Samuels, which he turned
into a rent-charge of 40 shillings yearly, for the endowment of an
annual