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fits, she declared, That she had seen the apparition of the said Rose, who threatened to torment her. In this manner she continued from the 1st of December, until this present time of trial; having likewise vomited up divers pins (produced here in court.) This maid was present in court, but could not speak to declare her knowledge, but fell into most violent fits when she was brought before Rose Cullender.

Ann Baldwin sworn and examined, deposeth the same thing as touching the bewitching of the said Aon Durent.

As concerning Jane Bocking, who was so weak, she could not be brought to the assizes: Diana Bocking sworn and examined, deposed, That she lived in the same town of Leystoff, and that her said daughter having been formerly afflicted with swooning fits recovered well of them, and so continued for a certain time; and upon the first of February last, she was taken also with great pain in her stomach, like pricking with pins; and afterwards fell into swooning fits, and so continued till the deponents coming to the assizes, having during the same time taken little or no food, but daily vomiting crooked pins; and upon Sunday last raised seven pins. And whilst her fits were upon her she would spread forth her arms with her hands open, and use postures as if she catched at something, and would instantly close her hands again; which being iminediately forced open, they found several pins diversly crooked, but could neither see nor perceive how or in what manner they were conveyed thither. At another time, the same Jane being in another of her fits, talked as if she were discoursing with some persons in the room, (though she would give no answer nor seem to take notice of any person then present) and would in like manner cast abroad her arms, saying, I will not have it, I will not have it; and at last she said, Then I will have it, and so waving her arm with her hand open, she would presently close the same, which instantly forced open, they found in it a lath-nail. In her fits she would ferquently complain of Rose Cullender and Amy Duny, saying, That now she saw Rose Cullender standing at the bed's feet, and another time at the bed's-head, and so in other places. At last she was stricken dumb and could not speak one word, though her fits were not upon her, and so she continued for some days, and at last her speech came to her again, and she desired her mother to get her some meat; and being demanded the reason why she could not speak in so long time? She answered, That Amy Duny would not suffer her to speak. This lath-nail, and divers of the pins, were produced in court.

As concerning Susan Chandler, one other of the parties supposed to be bewitched and present in court:

Mary Chandler mother of the said Susan, sworn and examined, deposed and said, That about the beginning of February last past, the

said Rose Cullender and Amy Duny were charged by Mr. Samuel Pacy for bewitching of his daughters. And a warrant being granted at the request of the said Mr. Pacy, by sir Edmund Bacon baronet, one of the justices of the peace for the county of Suffolk, to bring them before him, and they being brought before him were examined, and confessed nothing. He gave order that they should be searched; whereupon this deponent with five others were appointed to do the same: and coming to the house of Rose Cullender, they did acquaint her with what they were come about, and asked whether she was contented that they should search her? She did not oppose it, whereupou they began at her head, and so stript her naked, and in the lower part of her belly they found a thing like a teat of an inch long, they questioned her about it, and she said, That she had got a strain by carrying of water which caused that excrescence. But upon narrower search, they found in her privy parts three more excrescencies or teats, but smaller than the former: this deponent farther saith, That in the long teat at the end thereof there was a little hole, and it appeared unto them as if it had been lately sucked, and upon the straining of it there issued out white milky matter.

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And this deponent farther saith, That her said daughter (being of the age of 18 years) was then in service in the said town of Leystoff, and rising up early the next morning to wash, this Rose Cullender appeared to her, and took her by the hand, whereat she was much affrighted, and went forthwith to her mother, (being in the same town) and ac quainted her with what she had seen; but being extremely terrified, she fell extreme sick, much grieved at her stomach; and that night after, being in bed with another young woman, she suddenly shrieked out, and fell into such extreme fits as if she were distracted, crying against Rose Cullender; saying, she would come to bed to her. She continued in this manner beating and wearing herself, insomuch, that this deponent was glad to get help to attend her. In her intervals she would declare, That some time she saw Rose Cullender, at another time with a great dog with her she also vomited up divers crooked pins; and sometimes she was stricken with blindness, and at another time she was dumb, and so she appeared to be in court when the trial of the prisoners was; for she was not able to speak her knowledge; but being brought into the court at the trial, she suddenly fell into her fits, and being carried out of the court again, within the space of half an hour she came to herself and recovered her speech, and thereupon was immediately brought into the court, and asked by the court, whether she was in condition to take an oath, and to give evi. dence, she said she could. But when she was sworn, and asked what she could say against either of the prisoners? Before she could make any answer, she fell into her fits, shriek

ing out in a miserable manner, crying burn her, burn her, which were all the words she could speak.

Robert Chandler father of the said Susan gave in the same evidence, that his wife Mary Chandler had given; only as to the searching of Rose Cullender as aforesaid.

And last they might privately see when they were touched, by the said Rose Cullender, they were blinded with their own aprons, and the touching took the same effect as before.

There was an ingenious person that objected, there might be a great fallacy in this experi ment, and there ought not to be any stress put This was the sum and substance of the Evi- | upon this to convict the parties, for the children denee which was given against the prisoners might counterfeit this their distemper, and per concerning the bewitching of the children beceiving what was done to them, they might in dfore mentioned. At the hearing this evidence such manner suddenly alter the motion and there were divers known persons, as Mr. Ser- gesture of their bodies, on purpose to induce jeant Keeling, Mr. Serjeant Earl, and Mr. persons to believe that they were not natural, Serjeant Barnard, present. Mr. Serjeant but wrought strangely by the touch of the priKeeling seemed much unsatisfied with it, and thought it not sufficient to convict the prisoners: for admitting that the children were in truth bewitched, yet said he, it can never be applied to the prisoners, upon the imagination only of the parties afflicted; for if that might be alloweed, no person whatsoever can be in safety, for e perhaps they might fancy another person, who ts might altogether be innocent in such matters.

There was also Dr. Brown of Norwich, a person of great knowledge; who after this evidence given, and upon view of the three persons in Court, was desired to give his opinion, what he did conceive of them: and he was clearly of opinion, that the persons were bewitched; and said, That in Denmark there had been lately a great discovery of witches, who used the very same way of afflicting persons, by conveying pins into them, and crooked as these pins were, with needles and nails. And his opinion was, That the devil in such cases did work upon the bodies of men and women, upon a natural foundation, (that is) to stir up, and excite such humours super-abounding in their bodies to a great excess, whereby he did in an extraordinary manner afflict them with such distempers as their bodies were most subject to, as particularly appeared in these children; for he conceived, that these swooning fits were natural, and nothing else but that they call the mother, but only heightened to a great excess by the subtilty of the devil, cooperating with the malice of these which we term witches, at whose instance he doth these villanies.

Besides the particulars above-mentioned touching the said persons bewitched, there were many other things objected against them for a further proof and manifestation that the said children were bewitched.

As first, during the time of the Trial, there were some experiments made with the persons afflicted, by bringing the persons to touch them; and it was observed, that when they were in the midst of their fits, to all men's apprehension wholly deprived of all sense and understanding, closing their fists in such manner, as that the strongest man in the Court could not force them open; yet by the least touch of one of these supposed witches, Rose Cullender by name, they would suddenly shriek out opening their hands, which accident would not happen by the touch of any other person.

soners.

Wherefore to avoid this scruple it was privately desired by the judge, that the lord Cornwallis, sir Edmund Bacon, and Mr. Serjeant Keeling, and some other gentlemen there in Court, would attend one of the distempered persons in the farther part of the Hall, whilst she was in her fits, and then to send for one of the witches, to try what would then happen, which they did accordingly: and Amy Duny was conveyed from the bar and brought to the maid: they put an apron before her eyes, and then one other person touched her hand, which produced the same effect as the touch of the witch did in the Court. Whereupon the gentlemen returned, openly protesting, that they did believe the whole transaction of this business was a mere imposture.

This put the Court and all persons into a stand. Bat at length Mr. Pacy did declare, That possibly the maid might be deceived by a suspicion that the witch touched her when she did not. For he had observed divers times, that although they could not speak, but were deprived of the use of their tongues and limbs, that their understandings were perfect, for that they have related divers things which have been when they were in their fits, after they were recovered out of them. This saying of Mr. Pacy was found to be true afterwards, when his daughter was fully recovered (as she afterwards was,) as shall in due time be related: For she was asked, whether she did hear and understand any thing that was dene and acted in the Court, during the time that she lay as one deprived of her understanding? and she said, she did and by the opinions of some, this experiment, (which others would have a fallacy) was rather a confirmation that the parties were really bewitched, than otherwise: for say they, it is not possible that any should counterfeit such distempers, being accompanied with such various circumstances, much less children; and for so long time, and yet undis covered by their parents and relations: For no man can suppose that they should all conspire together, (being out of several families, and, as they affirm, no way related one to the other, and scarce of familiar acquaintance) to do an act of this nature whereby no benefit or advantage could redound to any of the parties, but a guilty conscience for perjuring themselves in taking the lives of two poor simple women

away, and there appears no malice in the case. For the prisoners themselves did scarce so much as object it. Wherefore, say they, it is very evident that the parties were bewitched, and that when they apprehend or understand by any means, that the persons who have done them this wrong are near, or touch them; then their spirits being more than ordinarily moved with rage and anger at them being present, they do use more violent gestures of their bodies, and extend forth their hands, as desirous to lay hold upon them; which at other times not having the same occasion, the instance there falls not out the same.

2ndly, One John Soam of Leystoff aforesaid, yeoman, a sufficient person, deposeth, that not long since, in harvest time he had three carts which brought bome his harvest, and as they were going into the field to load, one of the carts wrenched the window of Rose Cullender's house, whereupon she came out in a great rage and threatened this deponent for doing that wrong, so they passed along into the fields and loaded all the three carts, the other two carts returned safe home, and back again, twice loaded - that day afterwards; but as to this cart which touched Rose Cullender's house, after it was loaded, it was overturned twice or thrice that day; and after that they had loaded it again the second or third time, as they brought it,through the gate which leadeth out of the field into the town, the cart stuck so fast in the gates-head, that they could not possibly get it through, but were inforced to cut down the post of the gate to make the cart pass through, although they could not perceive that the cart did of either side touch the gate-posts. And this deponent further saith, that after they had got it through the gate-way, they did with much difficulty get it home into the yard; but for all that they could do, they could not get the cart near unto the place where they should unload the corn, but were fain to unload it at a great distance from the place, and when they began to unload they found much difficulty therein, it being so hard a labour that they were tired that first came; and when others came to assist them, their noses burst forth a bleeding: so they were fain to desist and leave it until the next morning, and then they unloaded it without any difficulty at all.

Robert Sherringham also deposeth against Rose Cullender, that about two years since, passing along the street with his cart and horses the axletree of his cart touched her house, and broke down some part of it, at which she was very much displeased, threatening him, that his horses should suffer for it; and so it happened, for all those horses, being four in number, died within a short time after: since that time he hath had great losses by the sudden dying of his other cattle; so soon as his sows pigged, the pigs would leap and caper, and immediately fall down and die. Also, not long after, he was taken with a lameness in his limbs that he could neither go nor stand for some days. After all this, he was very much vexed with

great number of lice of an extraordinary big. ness, and although he many times shitted inself, yet he was not any thing the better, but would swarm again with them; so that in the conclusion he was forced to burn all his clothes, being two suits of apparel, and then was clean from them.

As concerning Amy Duny, one Richard Spencer deposeth, that about the first of September last, he heard her say at his house, that the devil would not let her rest until she were

revenged on one Cornelius Sandeswell's wife.

Ann Sandeswell, wife unto the above-said Cornelius, deposed, that about seven or eight years since, she having bought a certain number of geese, meeting with Amy Duny, she told her, if she did not fetch her geese home they would all be destroyed: which in a few days after it came to pass.

Afterwards the said Amy became tenant to this deponent's husband for a house, who told her, that if she looked not well to such a chininey in her house that the same would fall: whereupon this deponent replied, that it was a new one; but not minding much her words, at that time they parted. But in a short time the chimney fell down according as the said Amy had said.

Also this deponent farther saith, that her brother being a fisherman, and using to go into the Northern Seas, she desired him to send her a firkin of fish, which he did accordingly; and she having notice that the said firkin was brought into Leystoff-Road, she desired a boatman to bring it ashore with the other goods they were to bring; and she going down to meet the boat-man to receive her fish, desired the said Amy to go along with her to help her home with it; Amy replied, she would go when she had it. And thereupon this deponent went to the shore without her, and demanded of the boat-man the firkin, they told her, that they could not keep it in the boat from falling into the sea, and they thought it was gone to the devil, for they never saw the like before. And being demanded by this deponent, whether any other goods in the boat were likewise lost as well as hers? they answered not any.

This was the substance of the whole evidence given against the prisoners at the bar; who being demanded, what they had to say for themselves? they replied, nothing material to any thing that was proved against them. Where upon, the judge in giving his direction to the jury, told them, that he would not repeat the evidence unto them, lest by so doing he should wrong the evidence on the one side or on the other. Only this acquainted them, that they had two things to enquire after. Fist, Whe ther or no these children were bewitched? Secondly, Whether the prisoners at the bar were guilty of it?

That there were such creatures as witches he made no doubt at all; For first, the scriptures had affirmed so much. Secondly, the wisdom of all nations had provided laws against such persons, which is an argument of their confidence

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speech and health? And Mr. Pacy did affirm, That within less than half an hour after the witches were convicted, they were all of them restored, and slept well that night, feeling no pain; only Susan Chandler felt a pain like pricking of pins in her stomach.

to the court, but Ann Durent was so fearful to After, they were all of them brought down behold them, that she desired she might not sce them. The other two continued in the court, and they affirmed in the face of the country, and before the witches themselves, what before hath been deposed by their friends and relations; the prisoners not much contradicting them. In conclusion, the judge and all the court were fully satisfied with the verdict, and thereupon gave judgment against the witches that they should be hanged.

They were much urged to confess, but would

not.

That morning we departed for Cambridge, but no reprieve was granted: And they were executed on Monday the 17th of March following, but they confessed nothing.

220. The Trial of Mr. BENJAMIN KEACH, at the Assizes at Aylsbury, in Buckinghamshire, for a Libel: 17 CHARLES II. A. D.

1665.

BENJAMIN Keach of Winslow, in the County of Bucks, having wrote a little book, entitled, "The Child's Instructor; or, A New and Easy Primmer :" in which were contained several things contrary to the doctrine and ceremonies of the church of England; as, That infants ought not to be baptized; That laymen may preach the Gospel; That Christ shall reign personally upon the earth in the latter day, &c. He had no sooner got it printed, and some of them sent down to him, but one Mr. Strafford, a justice of the peace for that county, received information of it. Whereapon, taking a constable with him, he went in quest of the said books; and coming to the house of Mr. Keach, found and seized several of them, bound Mr. Keach over to answer for it at the next assizes in a recognizance of 100l. and two sureties with him in 501. each.

The next Assize holden for the said county was at Aylsbury on the 8th and 9th of October 1664. Lord Chief Justice Hyde being Judge. On the 1st of which days, in the forenoon, Mr. Keach was called upon; who answering to his name, was brought to the bar, and examined as follows:

Judge. Did you write this book? [Holding out one of the Primmers in his hand.]

Keach. I writ most of it.

Judge. What have you to do to take other men's trades out of their hands? I believe you can preach as well as write books. Thus it is to let you, and such as you are, have the Scripture to wrest to your own destruction. You

have made in your book a new Creed: I have seen three Creeds before; but I never saw a fourth till you made one.

Keach. I have not made a Creed, but a con fession of the Christian faith.

Judge. Well, that is a Creed then.

Keach. Your lordship said you had never seen but three Creeds; but thousands of Christians have made a confession of their faith.

After this the Judge observed to the Court several things which were writen in the said book, concerning Baptism and the Ministers of the Gospel, which were contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England, and so a breach of the Act of Uniformity.

Keach. My lord, as to those things

Judge. You shall not preach here, nor give the reasons of your damnable doctine,* to seduce and infect his majesty's subjects These are not things for such as you are to medde with, and to pretend to write books of divinity: but I will try you for it before I sleep.

After this he gave directions to the Clerk to draw up the Indictment; and the witnesses were sworn, and ordered to stand by the Cerk till the Indictment was finished, and then togo with it to the grand inquest.

Upon the cruelty, brutality, and illegality of the conduct of Chief Justice Hyde in this Trial, see the observations of Mr. Dunning (afterwards lord Ashburton) in his Speech in the House of Commons, December 6th 1770. See Cobb. Parl, Hist.

Judge. Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, I shall send you presently a bill against one that

hath taken upon him to write a new Primmer for the instruction of your children: He is a base and dangerous fellow; and if this be suffered, children by learning of it will become such as he is, and therefore I hope you will do your duty.

The Indictment being long, took so much time to draw it up, that the Trial did not come on till the next day.

The next day, the Court being set, the Grand Jury found the bill, and brought it in indorsed Billa vera.

ba? 4. Because the fleshy seed is cast

out: Though God under that dispensation did receive infants in a lineal way by generation, yet he that hath the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, that shutteth and no man openeth, hath shut up that way into the Church; and hath opened the door of regeneration, receiving in none but believers. 2. What then is the state of infants? A. Infants that die are members of the kingdom of Glory, though they be 'not members of the visible Church. 2. Do they then that bring in infants in a fleshly "and lineal way, err from the way of truth? A. Yea, they do; for they make not God's holy word their rule, but do presume to open a door that Christ hath shut, and none "ought to open.' And also in another place thou hast wickedly and maliciously composed "A short Confession of the Christian 'Faith;" wherein thou hast affirmed this con

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Trinity, in these plain English words: I also believe that he rose again the third day from "the dead, and ascended into Heaven above, "and there now sitteth on the right hand of God the Father; and from thence he shell come again at the appointed time of the "Father to reign personally upon the earth,

Clerk. Benjamin Keach, come to the bar. Mr. Keach comes to the bar. Clerk. Hear your Charge. Thou art here indicted by the name of Benjamin Keach, of the parish of Winslow, in the county of Bucks: For that thou being a seditious, heretical, and ' schismatical person, evilly and maliciouslycerning the second person in the Blessed 'disposed, and disaffected to his majesty's geverument, and the government of the Church of England, didst maliciously and wickedly, on the 1st day of May, in the 16th year of the reign of our sovereign lord the king, write, print, and publish, or cause to be written, printed, and published, one seditious and venomous book, entitled, "The Child's Instructor; or, A New and Easy Primmer;" 'wherein are contained by way of Question ' and Answer, these damnable positions, contrary to the book of Common Prayer, and the Liturgy of the Church of England: That 'is to say, in one place you have thus written

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2. Who are the right subjects of baptism? "A. Believers, or godly men and women only, "who can make confession of their faith and "' repentance.' And in another place you 'have maliciously and wickedly written these words; 2. How shall it then go with the Saints? A. O, very well. It is the day they have longed for: Then they shall hear that sentence, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inhert the kingdom prepared for you; and so shill they reign with Christ on the "earth a thousand years, even on Mount Sion, in New Jerusalem; for there will Christ's "throne le, on which they must sit down with " him.' Then follows this Question, with the Answer thereto, in these plain English words: 2. When shall the wicked and the fallen anges, which be the Devils, be judged? A. When the thousand years shall be expired, the shall the rest of the devils be raised, and then shall be the general and last judg ment, then shall all the rest of the dead and devils be judged by Christ and his glorified saints; and they being arraigned and judged, "the wicked shall be condemned, and east by angels into the lake of fire, there to be burned for ever and ever.'

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In another place thou hast wickedly and 'maliciously written these plain English words:

2. Why may not infants be received into the Church now, as they were under the

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and to be judge of the quick and dead.' 'And in another place thou hast wickedly and 'maliciously affirmed these things concerning true Gospel-Ministers, in these plain English 'words following: Christ hath not chosen the

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wise and prudent man after the flesh, not "great doctors and rabbies; Not many mighty "and noble, saith Paul, are called: but rather "the poor and despised, even tradesmen, and

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such-like, as was Matthew, Peter, Andrew, "Paul, and others. And Christ's true minis"ters have not their learning and wisdom from men, or from universities, or human schools for human learning. Arts and sciences are "not essential to making of a true minister, but the gifts of God, which cannot be bought with silver and gold; and also as they have freely received the gift, so they do freely administer: They do not preach for hire, for gain and filthy lucre: They are not like the false teachers, who look for gain from their quarter; who eat the fat, and "clothe themselves with the wool, and kill "them that are fed; those that put not into "their mouths, they prepare war against: "Also they are not Lords over God's heritage,

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they rule them not by force and cruelty, "neither have they power to force and compel men to believe and obey their doctrines, but are only to persuade and intreat; for this is the way of the Gospel, as Christ taught them :'

And many other things hast thou seditiously, wickedly, and maliciously written in the said book, to the great displeasure of Almighty God, the scandal of the liturgy of the church of England, the disaffection of the king's peo ple to his majesty's government, the danger of

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