At Cleworth in Lancashire within the parish of Leigh , ther dweleth one Nicholas Starchie gentleman who having only two children it went thus with them in the beginning of februari 1594 first Anne his daughter being 9 Yeares olde , was taken with a dumpish and heauie countenaunce and with a certaine fearefull starting and pulling together of her body ▪ about a weeke after Iohn Starchie his sonne of the age of 10 yeares , as he was going to the schoole was compelled to shout , neither was able to staie himselfe . after the waxed worse and worse , falling into often and extreame fits , M Starchie seeking for remidy , after 9 or 10 weekes , heard of one Edmund Hartlay a coniurer to whom he repaired , made knowne his greife , & with large profers craued his helpe . Hartlay comes , and after he had vsed certaine popish charmes and hearbs by degrees , the children were at quiet , and so continued , seeming to be well almost a yeare and halfe . all which time Hart. came often to visit them . at length he fained as thought he would haue gone into another country , but wether M Star . might not know : when he begane to goe his way , Iohn fell of bleedinge , then presently he was sent for again , who affirmed that if he had bene 40 rodes of , no man could hau stanched him . & thus it fell out at other tims

M Starchie herevpon feareing lest his children would be troubled in his absence , & he vncertaine where to find him , offered to giue him his table to tarie with them , and so he did for a certaine spac● but after couenaunted with him to giue him an annuel pension of 40s for his assistance in time of neede : which pension was assured him in writing , and began at Michaels day 1598. wherwith Hartlaye not beinge satisfed , desiered more , an house and ground : whervnto because M Starchi would not accord , he threatened in a fume ( M Starchie being absent but in the heareing of diuers ) that if he would not fulfil his minde , he would make such a shout as neuer was at Cleworth and so therwas indeed , not only vpon the day and at the instant of there dispossession , but also the day before : when 7. of them both the afternoone and in the euening , sentforth such a strange supernaturall , and fearfull noyse or loud whupping , as the like vndoubtedly was neuer hard at Cleworth , nor it I think in England . this he said in September 1596. & one the 17 day of Nouember folowing they both began to be troubled againe after so long rest .

On a certaine time Hartlay went with M Starchy to his fathers house in Whally parishe , where he was tormented sore all night . The next day , beinge recouered , he went into a little wood , not farr from the house where he maide a circle about a yarde and halfe wyde , deuidingit into 4 partes , making a crosse at every Diuision : and when he had finished his worke , he came to M Starchie and desiered him to go and tread out the circle , saying , I may not treade it out my selfe , and further , I will meete with them that went about my death . when M starchie saw this wreched The 1. or . 2. weeke of Lent Mistres Starchie required them all . 5. to tell her how they were handled , that certaine knowledge might be had thereof to the preachers : this sheweth that the deuill transformed himselfe , and appeared vnto them like an angell of ●ight they all ; answered , that an angell like a doue was come from god , & that they must follow him to heauen , which way soeuer he would lead them , though it were through neuer so litle a hole , for he toulde them he coulde drawe them through , and soe they ran vnder the beds , And Elizabeth Hardman was vnder a bedde making a hole , and beinge asked what she did ? she said that she must goe through the wall for she on the one side , and her lad on the other would soone make a hole . she would ( on a time ) haue leaped out of the casement through the glasse windowe .

About a fortnight or . 3. weekes before their deliuery , Elinor Hollande and Elizabeth Hardman foretould how many fits they shoulde haue before they slept . and to morrowe quoth El. Hol. in the forenoone I must haue a fit of 3 howers long . when the tyme came shee bad them set the hower glasse . they set it behind her out of her sight , her eys also was closed . she was senclesse , & speachlesse , saue the noting of the time , which she truly noted : saying , ther is a quareter , the halfe hower , and as the glasse was runne out , she sayd turne the glasse , & thus did she 3. tymes or 3. howers . after comming to herselfe she said Iesus blesse mee . which all of them vsually said at the end of ther fites . In like manner did El. Hard. for 2. howers , who beinge demaunded how the knewe this , answered that a white Doue told them so .

About the 19 of march the 4 youngest went on ther knees all morning vntil afternoone , ● the fleed from all the familye & neighbours into other chambers , calling them deuils with hornes creeping vnder the bed . when they had the vse of theire feete , their tongues were taken from them .

when Maister Hopwood a Iustice of peace came of purpose to take their testimony against Edmond Hartley to Lancaster Assises and had them before him to that end , they were speachlesse , and that daye he gott no answer of them , being called out of one chamber into an other , they sank down by the way speachlesse . when they spake they complayned that Edmonde would not suffer them to speake against hym .

At the same time Iane Ashton a maid seruant in the house ( the. 7. possessed person of the age of . 30. yeares ) began to bark and houle when she shold haue gon to bear witnes against Edmund Hartley . whervpon one of them in her fit said ah Edmond dost thou trouble her nowe when she shold testify against thee ? This was the second time that she was troubled . Almost a yeare before , it first tooke her in her throat , as if she had a pyn sticking there , whervpon she strayned her selfe so sore that she got vp bloud , & for two dayes was very sicke , Mistirs starchie iest gly said , Iane is sicke of the hooke , nay quoth Hartlay I assure you it is no hooke for if your owne daughter or any other had bene in the same place the had bene so serued . As I remember I hard them say that Iane Ashton had gone into Hartlays chamber & looked into his chest .

About the 21. of March El. Hol. & El. Hard. for 3 daye & 3 nights to gether could nether eate nor drinke , nor speake to any except it were on to another , & to ther lads . saue that their lads gaue them leaue ( as the said ) the one to eate a toast & drink , the other a sower milk posset . And it . notwiihstanding that permission thei said he was angry that thei had eaten . & told them that thie should not be quiet , vntil the had cast it vp a gaine so the vomited saying , take it to thee , here it is againe , for thou gauest vs lisence to eate it , & nowe thou art angry . & if the went about to swallow a litle drink the were so taken by the throat , that the pict 〈◊〉 vp againe . The 3 night about 8 a cloke El H●l : being asked when she would or could slepe , answred , that ther were 4 houers it to come . before she could slepe . about an houre & halfe of that time she tooke a distafe , & spane both faster & finer then at any tym before . when she had done spinning she said vnto them , now shall I worke you all . and thencforth was so extreamly handled , that tvo could scarcely rule & hold her . at lengh reuerting she said I haue bene sleeping 3 daies & 3 nights , and now I faint with hunger .

About a weeke before there deliuerance some of the youngest vsed these kind of speaches : thou naughtie lad , thou makest vs sicke . for thou knowest the preachers will come shortly .

This generally was obserued in the 5 youngest , that when the gaue themselues to any sporte , the had rest & were pleasaunt though the time was longe . their parents report beyng at a playe in a neighbour gentlemans house many houres together , the were quyet all the tyme ( Hartlay boested that he had kept them so longe quyet ) but one the contrary as soone as the went about any godly exercise the were trobled . And thus much brifly touching those 6 at Cleworth , & the strange accedents which fell out there , as also how in all probabilitie it came to be so with them . now let vs returne to Marg Byrom of Salford , who came to be vexed in like sort , by the appoyntment of God , & by the same mediat hand , the devil , and Hartlay the coniurer .

The 10 of Ianuary ( beyng the 4 day after her trouble begane ) as shee sate by the kitchyne fyre , shee was throwne towardes the fire , lyinge alonge hard by the chimneye barres as though shee should haue bene rosted . Thence the drwe her and hauinge continued a longe tyme in the fitte and recouerynge , about halfe an houer after , as s●ee satte in a Chaire , shee was throwne headlonge vnder the boarde but had no harme , and thus was she suddenly and violently cast sundrie times after .

She being desired to tel how her fits held her , said that she thought , somthing rouled in her belly like a calfe and laye euer on her left side & when it rose vp from her belly towardes her hart , she thought the head and nose therof had bene full of nailes , wherwith being pricked she was compelled to scrike aloud with veri paine and feare . when her belly was swollen , it lift her vp , & so bounsed that it would picke of the hand of him that held her downe , & somtyme the parti himselfe that held her farr of . when her belly slaked there went out of hir mouth a coulde breath , ( that made her mouth very coulde ) which caused her to barke and houle , then plumpte it downe into her body like a colde longe whetstone on her left side when her belly was smale , then was the rest of her body be numed with colde , wherwith shee so quaked , that her teeth chattered in her head , and if she went to warme her , she was presenly pickt backward .

About the end of Ianuary from M Starchies , hom she went to Salford , a towne adioyning to Manchester , accompanyed with Hartlay and on other . the next morninge as Hartlay prayed ouer her in afite , came one M Palmer a preacher of Manchester , who asked him what he was doinge : he answeared prayinge thou pray , thou canst not pray , quoth he . what prayer canst thou say , none saide he , but the Lordes prayer . say it , quoth he the which as I remember he coulde not say . he then as a priuat man examined him , and after had him before two Iustices of peace : from whom he brought him by ther appointment to Marg. Byr : to heare what she could say against him : but as soone as she saw him shee straightwaye became speachlesse , and was cast downe backwardes , and so did the 2 tyme . and 5. tymes was dumbe when Hartlay came in her sight , this morning as she came to the fier , she sawe a great blacke dogge , with a monstrous taile , a long chaine open mouth comming apace tawardes her , and running by her left side cast her on her face hard by the fier , houlding her tounge for halfe an hower , but leavinge at libertie her eyes and handes . a litle after a bygg blacke catt staringe fearfully at her came runinge by her left side and threwe her backward taking from her the vse both of her eyes and handes , which with yes king were euer losed . about halfe hower after that fit : it came like a bige mouse and lept vpon her left knee , cast her backward , took a waye her tongue , eyes , and sences , that she lay as dead , and when she came to any feeling , it puft vp her bellye as afore . these visions and fites ordinarely troubled her for 6 weeks every day on the day time as is said . & commonly everi night it sat ( as she though ) on her head very heavi laying ( as it semed to her ) 4. great figers on her browes , that she was not able to open her eies . otfen times she cried to her mother , that the should sit from of her Head , asking who it was that held her ●oe straight . & though she could not ster her head , it hir kerchefe was pulled of her head thrice commonly , she notwithstanding lying still as a stocke from 9 to 3 in the morning , about which time it departed in departing somtimes gaue her a great thumpe , on the hinder parte of her head , that it was verye sore for 2 Dayes after .

Sixe times within those 6. weekes the sperit would not suffer her to eate or drincke , it tooke awaye also her stomake . if shee offered to drincke ( at the earnest motion of others ) it cast her and the drincke downe to gether . At other tymes shee did eate greedily , slossinge vp her meate like a greedy dogge , or hogge , that her mother and her freindes , weare ashamed of her . styll shee was hungrye and cryed for more , saying shee had nothing , though she spared no kinde of meate : allwas fish that cam to nett . After abundance of meate her belly semed neuer the fuller , that she marueiled which waye it went .

The 10 of febuari it pulled her as she thought in an hundred peeces . ther came out of her mouth such a stincking smoke , and breath that shee could not endure it her selfe . her voyce and crying were quite altered , and so continued till night . But her breath stank soe yll a day and a nyght after , that her neighboures could not enduer to come neare her .

Often her sences were taken a way , and she maid as styfe as iron , and oft as dead even breathlesse . it made her speake sharplye , hastely , and by snatches : somtimes it made a loud noyse in her bellye , like that in the bellye of a great troting horse .

The two next nights before the day of her examination concerning Hartlay , appeared the deuill in the liknesse of Hartlay requesting her to take heed what she sayd , and to speake the truth , for the time was come promissing her siiluer and gould . she answered ( thinking it to be Hartlay ) that the truth she had spoken already , & that she would not favour him neither for siluer nor gold : the 2 night he departed saying doe as thou wilt . the day before Hartlay his execution was a sore day vnto her , after which euery day she went to morning prayer , & was neuer troubled in the Church save the 1 day , wheron it took her about the middest of the sermon , in heaving vp her shoulders , depriuing her of her sences after the recouery of her sences , it tooke away the vse of her leggs : and thus it molested her in the Church , to the admvration of the people , about an hower and halfe .

At the a●●ices at Lancaster was Hartlay condemned and hanged the making of his circle was chefly his ouerthrowe which he denyed , but breaking the rope he after confessed it .