¶ The Confession of Elizabeth Fraunces , late of Hatfeelde in Essex .

2 Item this Elizabeth Fraunces saieth further , that she knoweth one Elizabeth Lorde awidowe , dwellyng in the same parishe of Hatfielde and so hath doen of longe tyme , of whom she hard , that about seuen or eight yeres paste she brought drinke in a crewse , and gaue it to one Ihon Fraunces seruaunte to goodman Some of the same parishe , shortly after the taking of whiche drinke he sickened , and died .

3 Item she further confesseth that she likewise knoweth that the same Widowe Lorde , was saied to haue bewitched one Ione Robertes , seruaunte to old Higham , in a peece of an Apple cake whiche she gaue her , vpon the eatyng whereof she presently sickened , and not long after died .

4 Item she also confesseth , that she knowes one Mother Osborne , a Widowe in the same toune to be a witche , and that she hath a marke in the ende of one of her fingers like a pitt , and an other marke vppon the outside of her right legge , whiche she thinketh to bee pluckt out by her Spirit : and that one Mother Waterhouse her owne sister ( long since executed for Witch crafte ) had the self same markes , whithe she termeth ( nippes ) and she saieth that this Mother Osborne liyng lame , and complainyng of her sore legge , she the saied Elizabeth Fraunces came vnto her , and required to see her leg , whiche beeyng shewed vnto her , she the saied Elizabeth badde to pnt it into the bedde again , saiyng : that she her self knewe that the same came , by wante of well seruyng of God . And thus muche for Elizabeth Fraunces .

¶ The Euidence giuen against Elleine Smithe of Maldon .

THere was one Ihon Chaundeler dwellyng in Maldon , whose wife named Alice Chaundeler , was mother vnto this Elleine Smithe , and for Witchcrafte was executed long before , after whose execution he went vnto his daughter in lawe Ellein Smithe , and demaunded certaine money of her , whiche she had receiued of her mother his wife , by meanes of whiche money thei fell out , and in fallyng out the saied Elleine in greate rage saied vnto hym , that it had been better for hym , he had neuer fallen out with her , and so it came to passe , for the same Ihon Chaundeler confessed before his death , that after the same hower that she had saied so vnto hym , he neuer eate any meate that digested in hym , but euer it came vp againe as soone as it was done , by whiche meanes he consumed , and wasted awaie to his death .

2 The sonne of the foresaid Ellen Smithe , of the age of thirteene yeres , or there aboutes , came to the house of one Ihon Estwood of Malden , for to begge an almose , who chid the boye awaie from his doore , wherevppon he wente home and tolde his mother , and within a while after the said Estwood was taken with very greate paine in his bodie , and the same night followyng , as he satte by the fire with one of his neighbours , to their thinkyng thei did see a Ratte runne vp the Chimney , and presently it did fall doune again in the likenesse of a Tode , and takyng it vp with the tongges , thei thruste it into the fire , and so helde it in Forcesibly , it made the fire burne as blewe as Azure , and the fire was almoste out , and at the burnyng thereof the saied Ellen Smithe was in greate paine and out of quiete , wherevppon dissemblyngly she came to the house of the fore saied Ihon Estwood , and asked how all that were there did , and he saied well I thanke God , and she said , I thought you had not been well , and therefore I came to see how you did , and so went her waie .

3 Also it was auouched , and by this prisoner confessed , that where as her daughter , and the daughter of one Widowe Webbe of Maldon afore saied , did fall out and fight , the same Ellein Smithe offended thereat , meetyng good wife Webbes daughter the nexte daie , gaue her a blowe on the face , wherevpon so soone as the childe came home she sickened , and languishyng twoo daies , cried continually , awaie with the Witche , awaie with the Witch , and so died . And in the mornyng immediatly after the death of the same childe , the saied good wife Webbe espied ( as she thought ) a thyng like to a blacke Dogge goe out at her doore , and presently at the sight thereof , she fell distraught of her wittes .

4 Besides the sonne of this Mother Smith , confessed that his mother did keepe three Spirites , whereof the one called by her greate Dicke , was enclosed in a wicker Bottle : The seconde named Little Dicke , was putte into a Leather Bottle : And the third termed Willet , she kepte in a Wolle Packe . And thereuppon the house was commaunded to bee searched . The Bottles and packe were found , but the Spirites were vanished awaie .

¶ The effecte of the Euidence againste Mother Staunton , late of Wimbishe in Essex , who was arraigned , but not executed , for that no manslaughter , or murder was obiected against her .

IMprimis , this Mother Staunton , late of the parishe of Wimbishe in Essex , came to the house of one Thomas Prat of Broke Walden , Thou Farrour of Libleburie beeyng presente , and one Thomas Swallowe , and the saied Mother Staunton , beyng demaunded by one of them how she did , she aunswered , that a knaue had beaten her : saiyng she was a Witche , then saied he again , in good faithe Mother Staunton , I thinke you bee no Witche , no Maister qd she , I am none in deede , although I can tell what belongeth to that practise , of whiche woordes , the goodman of the house tooke witnesse of the aforenamed parties , and deliuered a bill subscribed mith their handes thereof , to Maister George Nicolles .

2 Item , the saied Mother Staunton came to his house an other tyme , and after certaine woordes of anger betweene hym and her , he raced her face with a Nedle , what quoth she , haue you a Flea there : and the nexte night after , the saied Pratte was so greeuously taken with tormente of his Limmes , that he neuer thought to haue liued one hower longer , which also was subscribed and sent .

3 Item , she came the third tyme by his bore with Graines , and he demaundyng a fewe of her , she asked what he would doe with them , I will giue them , saied he , to my Chickens , and snatchyng a handfull from her , did so . But after thei had tasted of them , three or fower dousen of them died , and onely one Chicken escaped of them all .

4 Item , she came on a tyme to the house of one Richard Saunder of Brokewalden , and beeyng denied Yeest , whiche she required of his wife , she went her waie murmuryng , as offended with her aunswere , and after her departure , her yonge child in the Cradle was taken vehemently sicke , in a merue●lous strange maner , wherevppon the mother of the childe tooke it vp in her armes to comforte it , whiche beyng doen , the Cradle rocked of it self , sixe or seuen tymes , in presence of one of the Earle of Surreis gentilmen , who seyng it stabbed his dagger three or fower tymes into the Cradle ere it staied : Merily iestyng and saiyng , that he would kill the Deuill , if he would bee rocked there .

5 Item , the saied Mother Staunton , came on a tyme to the house of one Robart Petie of Brookewalden , and beyng denied by his wife diuerse thynges , whiche she demaunded at once , and also charged with the stealyng of a Knife from thence , she wente her waie in greate anger , and presently after her departure , the little childe of the saied Petie fell so straungely sicke as for the space of a Weeke , as no bodie thought it would liue .

6 Item , the saied Stauntons wife , came also to one Willyam Corners house of Brokewalden vpon a Fridaie , as she had doen often in tymes paste , and beeyng denied of certaine thynges whiche she craued , as a peece of Leather &c. she asked the good wife how many children she had , who aunswered one , whiche childe beeyng then in perfite healthe , was presently taken with suche a sweate and coldnesse of bodie , and fell into suche shrickyng and staryng , wringyng and writhyng of the bodie to and fro , that all that sawe it , were doubtfull of the life of it .

7 Item , she came on a tyme to the house of Robart Cornell of Suersem , and craued a Bottle of Milke of his wife , but beyng denied it , she departed for a little while , leauyng her owne Bottle behinde her , and tooke an other with her , that belonged to the afore saied Cornell , after three daies she came againe , and requested her owne Bottle , and restored the other , crauyng Milke as before , the wife of the house alwaies suspectyng her to bee a Witche denied her requeste , and barred the doores against her , wherevpon she satte doune vppon her heeles before the doore , and made a Circle vppon the grounde with a knife . After that she digged it full of holes with in the compasse , in the sight of the saied wife , her man , and her maide , who demaundyng why she did so ? She made aunswere , that she made a shityng house for her self after that sorte , and so departed , the nexte daie the wife commyng out at the same doore , was taken sicke , and began to swell from tyme to tyme , as if she had been with child , by whiche swellyng she came so greate in bodie , as she feared she should burste : and to this daie is not restored to healthe .

8 Item , she came often to the house of one Ihon Hopwood of Walden , and had continaally her requestes , at the laste beyng denied of a Leathern thong , she went her waie offended and the same night his Geldyng in the stable , beyng the daie before in very good case , died sodainly , and afterward beyng burdeined with all , she neuer denied it .

Item , she commyng to the house of Ihon Cornell the yonger of Wimbishe , and beeyng denied her demaunde , she tooke offence , and immediatly after his cattell in steede of sweete Milke , yelded gore stinkyng blood , and one of his Kine fell into suche miserable plight , that for a certaine space , he could by no meanes recouer her .

Item , she came on a tyme to the Uicars house at Wimbishe , and beyng denied her errande by his wife ( he beeyng as then from home ) his little sonne in the Nurses lapp was taken with suche vehement sicknes , that the beholders supposed no lesse , but it would straight haue died , the saied Mother Staunton sittyng by , and hauyng touched the child before it grew sicke : but within one hower after the Uicar came home the childe recouered perfectly , and plaied as before .

Item , also she came on a tyme to the house of one Rohart Lathburie , of the same Toune , who dislikyng her dealyng , sent her home emptie , but presently after her departure , his Hogges fell sicke and died , to the number of twentie , and in the ende he burned one , whereby as he thinketh , he saued the reste : He also had a Cowe straungely caste into a narrowe gripe , and beyng holpen out in the presence of maister Henry Mordaunt , notwithstandyng the diligent care that was takn of her , she was in fewe daies three tymes like to be loste in the mite . And thus muche for Mother Staunton .

¶ The effecte of the Euidence geuen in against Mother Nokes late of Lamberd Parishe in Essex .

A Certaine Seruant to Thomas Spycer of Lamberd Ende in Essex yoman , sporting , and passing away the time in play with a great number of youth , chaunced to snatche a paire of Gloues out of the pockette of this Mother Nokes Daughter being a yong woman of the age of xxviij yeres , which he protesteth to haue done in iest . Her Mother perceiuyng it , demaunded the Gloues of him , but he geuing no greate eare to her wordes departed towardes the feeldes to fetch home certeine Cattell . Immediately vpon his departure quoth the same Mother Nokes to her Daughter , lette him alone , I will bounce him well enough , at what time he being soudainely taken , and reft of his limmes sell doune . There was a boye then in his companie by whome he sent the Gloues to Mother Nokes . Notwithstanding his Maister was faine to cause him to be set home in a Wheele Barrowe , and to bee laide into a bedde , where with his legges a crosse he lay beddred eight daies , and as yet hath not attayned to the right vse of his lymmes .

Further it was auouched that mother Nokes had saied that her housbande laie with one Tailers wife of Lamberd Ende , and with reprochfull words reuiled her saiyng at last ; thou hast a Nurse childe but thou shalte not keepe it long , and presently thereupon the Childe died .

Another affirmed , that when he had reproued the said Tailers wife , and Mother Nokes as thei were at Churche , and willed them to agree better , the same Mother Nokes in a fume aunswereth that she cared for none of them all , as longe as Tom helde on her side , meanyng her Feende .

The same man hauing a seruaunt of his at Plough , this Mother Nokes going by , asked the felowe a question but getting no aunswere of him she went her way . Forthwith one of his horses fell doune . At his coming home to dy●●er , he tolde his Maister howe the same horse was swolne about the head . His Maister at first supposyng that it came by a strype , was greately offended at the ploughman , but afterwardes vnderstandyng of Mother Nokes goyng by , and the circumstance afore mentioned , went to the said Mother Nokes and chid and threatened to haue her to her aunswere , howbeeit the Horse died .

FINIS .