Early Modern Witches: Witchcraft Cases in Contemporary WritingThe sixteen examples collected here describe fifteen English witchcraft cases in detail, vividly recreating events to give the reader the illusion of actually being present at witchcraft accusations, trials and hangings. But how much are we, as readers, victims of literary manipulation by the authors of these texts, and by accusers, magistrates and witches themselves? Some of the writing collected here appear in print for the first time in three centuries, while others are newly edited to give a clearer picture of sources, generic developments in writing about witchcraft, the chronologies of cases, and the biographies of the people who are trying to tell us their stories. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Examination and Confession of certaine Wytches 1566 | 10 |
The Examination of John Walsh 1566 | 25 |
A Rehearsall both straung and true 1579 | 33 |
A Detection of damnable driftes 1579 | 41 |
Richard Galis A brief treatise 1579 | 50 |
W W A true and just Recorde 1582 | 72 |
The severall factes of Witchcrafte 1585 | 125 |
A Most Wicked worke of a wretched Witch 1592 | 138 |
A memoriall of certaine most notorious witches 1595 | 146 |
The Witches of Northamptonshire 1612 | 158 |
Thomas Potts The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches 1612 | 173 |
Witches Apprehended 1613 | 266 |
Henry Goodcole The wonderfull discoverie of Elizabeth | 299 |
Bibliography and further reading | 316 |
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Common terms and phrases
accuses aforesaid Agnes Browne Agnes Waterhouse Ales Hunt Ales Newman alias Chattox Alice Nutter Alizon Device Anne Whittle Annis Herd Arraignement and Triall asked Assises assizes Barre bewitched Bierley Brian Darcey Esquire Bulcock childe Cockburn confesseth Countie of Lancaster Court daughter dayes death demaunded Demdike Devill Divell Dogge Elizabeth Bennett Elizabeth Device Esquire Essex evidence examinat Examinate saith father Forrest of Pendle further saith Gaole guiltie hath Henry hurt Indictment James Device Jennet Bierley Jennet Device Jennet Preston Joan Joan Robinson John Jurie Justices of Peace killing London Lord Majesties Justices Margaret miles mother Northamptonshire offence pamphlet Pendle Hill Potts practises Prisoner record Redferne Robert Nutter ROGER NOWEL Sathan sayde sayeth selfe severall shee saith sister sonne Spirit story strange taken thereof thing Thomas thou told Tryall tyme unto Ursley Kempe whereupon whome wicked wife witchcraft Witches yeeres