Witchcraft discovered and punished. Or, The tryals and condemnation of three notorious witches, who were tryed [at] the last assizes, holden at the castle of Exeter, in the county of Devon: where they received sentance for death, for bewitching several persons, destroying ships at sea, and cattel by land, &c. To the tune of, Doctor Faustus: or, Fortune my foe.

Witchcraft discovered and punished .

Or , the Tryals and Condemnation of three Notorious Witches , who were Tryed the last Assizes , holden at the Castle of Exeter , in the County of Devon : where they received Sentance for Death , for bewitching several Persons , destroying Ships at Sea , and Cattel by Land , &c.

To the Tune of , Doctor Faustus : or , Fortune my Foe .

Now listen to my Song good People all , And I shall tell what lately did befall , At Exeter , a place in Devonshire , The like whereof of late you nere did hear . At the last Assizes held at Exeter , Three Aged Women that Imprisoned were For Witches , and that many had destroy'd ; Were thither brought in order to be try'd . For Witchcraft , that Old Wicked Sin , Which they for long time had continued in : And joyn'd with Satan , to destroy the good , Hurt Innocents , and shed their harmless blood . But now it most apparent does appear , that they will now for such their deeds pay dear : For Satan having lull'd their Souls asleep , Refuses Company with them to keep . A known deceiver he long time has been , To help Poor Mortals into dangerous Sin ; Thereby to cut them off , that so they may , Be plung'd in Hell , and there he made his Prey . So these Malicious Women at the last , Having done mischiefs , were by Iustice cast : For it appear'd they Children had destroy'd , Lamed Cattel , and the Aged much annoy'd . Having Familiars always at their beck , Their Wicked Rage on Mortals for to wreck : It being prov'd they used Wicked Charms , To Murther Men , and bring about sad harms . And that they had about their Bodys strange And Proper Tokens of their Wicked Change : As Pledges that to have their cruel will , Their Souls they gave unto the Prince of Hell . The Country round where they did live came in , And all at once their sad complaints begin : One lost a Child , the other lost a Kine , This his brave Horses , that his hopeful Swine . One had his Wife bewitched , the other his Friend , Because in some things they the Witch offend : For which they labour under cruel pain , In vain seek remedy , but none can gain . But Roar in cruel sort , and loudly cry , Destroy the Witch , and end our misery : Some used Charms by Mountabanks set down , Those cheating Quacks , that swarm in every Town . But all 's in vain , no rest at all they find , For why ? all Witches to cruelty are enclin'd : And do delight to hear sad dying groans , And such laments , as wou'd pierre Marble Stones . But now the Hand of Heaven has found them out , And they to Iustice must pay Lives , past doubt : One of these Wicked Wretches did confess , She Four Score Years of Age was , and no less . And that she had deserved long before , To be sent packing to the Stigian shore : For the great mischiefs she so oft had done , And wondered that her Life so long had run . She said the Devil came with her along , Through Crouds of People , and bid her be strong : And she no hand should have , but like a Lyer , At the Prison Door he fled , and ne're came nigh her . The rest aloud , crav'd Mercy for their Sins , Or else the great deceiver her Soul gains ; For they had been lewd Livers many a day , And therefore did desire that all would Pray To God , to Pardon them , while thus they lie Condemned for their Wicked Deeds to Die : Which may each Christian do , that they may find Rest for their Souls , though Wicked once inclin'd . FINIS .