Margaret Pearson
T
Hus farre haue I proceeded in hope your patience will endure the end of this discourse, which craues time, and were better not begunne at all, then not perfected.
This Margaret Pearson was the wife of Edward Pearson of Paddiham, in the Countie of Lancaster; little inferiour in her wicked and malicious course of life to any that hath gone before her: A very dangerous Witch of long continuance, generally suspected and feared in all parts of the Countrie, and of all good people neare her, and not without great cause: For whosoeuer gaue her any iust occasion of offence, shee tormented with great miserie, or cut off their children, goods, or friends.
This wicked and vngodly Witch reuenged her furie vpon goods, so that euery one neare her sustained great losse. I place her in the end of these notorious Witches, by reason her iudgement is of an other Nature, according to her offence; yet had not the fauour and mercie of the Iurie beene more than her desert, you had found her next to old Dembdike; for this is the third time shee is come to receiue her Triall; one time for murder by Witch-craft; an other time for bewitching a Neighbour; now for goods.
How long shee hath been a Witch, the Deuill and shee knows best.
The Accusations, Depositions, and particular Examinations vpon Record against her are infinite, and were able to fill a large Volume; But since shee is now only to receiue her Triall for this last offence. I shall proceede against her in order, and set forth what matter we haue vpon Record, to charge her withall.
This Margaret Pearson, Prisoner in the Castle at Lancaster: Being brought to the Barre before the great Seat of Iustice; was there according to the course and order of the Law Indicted and Arraigned, for that shee had practised, exercised, and vsed her diuellish and wicked Arts, called Witchcrafts, Inchantments, Charmes and Sorceries, and one Mare of the goods and Chattels of one Dodgeson of Padiham, in the Countie of Lancaster, wickedly, maliciously, and voluntarily did kill. Contra formam Statuti, &c. Et Contra pacem dicti Domini Regis. &c.
Vpon her Arraignement to this Indictment, shee pleaded not guiltie; And for the triall of her offence put her selfe vpon God and her Countrie.
So as now the Gentlemen of the Iurie of her offence and death, stand charged with her as with others.
The Euidence against Margaret Pearson,
Prisoner at the Barre.
The Examination and Euidence of
Anne Whittle, alias Chattox.
Against
Margaret Pearson, Prisoner at the Barre.
THe said Anne Chattox being examined saith, That the wife of one Pearson of Paddiham, is a very euill Woman, and confessed to this Examinate, that shee is a Witch, and hath a Spirit which came to her the first time in likenesse of a Man, and clouen footed, and that shee the said Pearsons wife hath done very much harme to one Dodgesons goods, who came in at a loope-hole into the said Dodgesons Stable, and shee and her Spirit together did sit vpon his Horse or Mare, vntill the said Horse or Mare died. And likewise, that shee the said Pearsons wife did confesse vnto her this Examinate, that shee bewitched vnto death one Childers wife, and her Daughter, and that shee the said Pearsons wife is as ill as shee.
The Examination of Iennet Booth,
of Paddiham, in the Countie of Lancaster, the ninth day
of August 1612.
Before
Nicholas Bannester, Esquire; one of his
Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the Countie of Lancaster.
IEnnet, the wife of Iames Booth, of Paddiham, vpon her oath saith, That the Friday next after, the said Pearsons wife, was committed to the Gaole at Lancaster, this Examinate was carding in the said Pearsons house, hauing a little child with her, and willed the said Margerie to giue her a little Milke, to make her said child a little meat, who fetcht this Examinate some, and put it in a pan; this examinat meaning to set it on the fire, found the said fire very ill, and taking vp a stick that lay by her, and brake it in three or foure peeces, and laid vpon the coales to kindle the same, then set the pan and milke on the fire: and when the milke was boild to this Examinates content, she tooke the pan wherein the milke was, off the said fire, and with all, vnder the bottome of the same, there came a Toade, or a thing very like a Toade, and to this Examinates thinking came out of the fire, together with the said Pan, and vnder the bottome of the same, and that the said Margerie did carrie the said Toade out of the said house in a paire of tonges;Ta But what shee the said Margerie did therewith, this Examinate knoweth not.
After this were diuers witnesses examined against her in open Court, viua voce, to
proue the death of the Mare, and diuers other vild and odious practises by her
committed, who vpon their Examinations made it so apparant to the Iurie as
there was no question; But because the fact is of no great importance,
in respect her life is not in question by this Indictment, and the
Depositions and examinations are many, I leaue to trouble
you with any more of them, for being found guiltie of
this offence, the penaltie of the Law is as much as
her good Neighbours doe require, which is to
be deliuered from the companie of such a
dangerous wicked, and
malicious Witch.
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THE ARRAIGNMENT
and Triall of Isabel Robey
in the Countie of Lancaster, for Witch-craft: vpon Wednesday
the nineteenth of August, 1612. At the Assizes and generall
Goale-deliuery, holden at Lancaster.
Before
Sir Edward Bromley, Knight, one of his Maiesties
Iustices of Assizes at Lancaster.