The True Story vs. Myth of Witchcraft. William Godwin
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bewitch him to death: The Moldiwarpe shee then bad go to Anne Dawse, of the same towne, and bewitch her to death, because she had called this examinate witch, jade, &c., and within one fortnight after, they both dyed.’
The case of Elizabeth Sawyer, known as the Witch of Edmonton, executed at Tyburn, April 19, 1621, is so extraordinary that I give a large portion of the tract in extenso:45
‘A true relation of the confession of Elizabeth Sawyer, spinster, after her conviction of Witchery, taken on Tuesday the 17 day of Aprill, Anno 1621, in the Gaole of Newgate, where she was prisoner, then in the presence and hearing of diuers persons whose names to verifie the same are here subscribed to this ensuyng confession, made unto me, Henry Goodcole, Minister of the word of God, Ordinary and Visiter for the Gaole of Newgate. In dialogue manner are here expressed the persons that she murthered, and the Cattell that she destroyed by the helpe of the Diuell.
‘In this manner was I inforced to speake unto her, because she might understand me, and giue unto me answere, according to my demands, for she was a very ignorant woman.
‘Question. By what meanes came you to have acquaintance with the Diuell, and when was the first time that you saw him, and how did you know that it was the Diuell?
‘Answere. The first time that the Diuell came unto me was when I was cursing, swearing, and blaspheming: he then rushed in upon me, and never before that time did I see him, or he me: and when he, namely the Diuell, came to me, the first words that he spake unto me were these: Oh! have I now found you cursing, swearing, and blaspheming? now you are mine.
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‘Question. What sayd you to the Diuell, when he came unto you and spake unto you, were you not afraide of him? If you did feare him, what sayd the Diuell then unto you?
‘Answere. I was in a very greate feare when I saw the Diuell, but hee did bid me not to feare him at all, for hee would do me no hurt at all, but would do for mee whatsoeuer I would require of him; and as he promised unto me, he alwayes did such mischiefes as I did bid him to do, both on the bodies of Christians and beastes: if I did bid him vexe them to death, as oftentimes I did so bid him, it was presently by him done.
‘Question. Whether would the Diuell bring unto you word or no, what he had done for you, at your command; and if he did bring you word, how long would it bee, before he would come unto you againe, to tell you?
‘Answere. He would alwayes bring unto me word what he had done for me within the space of a weeke; he neuer failed me at that time; and would likewise do it to Creatures and beastes two manners of wayes, which was by scratching or pinching of them.
‘Question. Of what Christians and Beastes, and how many were the number that you were the cause of their death, and what moued you to prosecute them to the death?
‘Answere. I have been by the helpe of the Diuell the meanes of many Christians’ and beasts’ death; the cause that moued mee to do it was malice and enuy; for, if anybody had angred me in any manner, I would be so revenged of them, and of their Cattell. And do now further confesse that I was the cause of those two nurse children’s death, for the which I was now indicted, and acquited by the Iury.
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‘Question. How long is it since the Diuell and you had acquaintance together, and how oftentimes in the weeke would hee come and see you, and you Company with him?
‘Answere. It is eight yeares since our first acquaintance; and three times in the weeke the Diuell would come and see me, after such his acquaintance gotten of me; he would come sometimes in the morning, and sometimes in the evening.
‘Question. In what shape would the Diuell come unto you?
‘Answere. Alwayes in the shape of a dogge, and of two collors, sometimes of blacke, and sometimes of white.
‘Question. What talke had the Diuel and you together, when that he appeared to you, and what did he aske of you—and what did you desire of him?
‘Answere. He asked of me when he came unto me, how I did, and what he should doe for mee, and demanded of mee my soule and body; threatning then to tear me in pieces if I did not grant unto him my soule and my body, which he asked of me.
‘Question. What did you after such the Diuel’s asking of you, to have your Soule and Body, and after this his threatning of you, did you for feare grant unto the Diuell his desire?
‘Answere. Yes; I granted for feare unto the Diuell his request of my soule and body; and, to seale this my promise made unto him, I then gave him leave to sucke of my bloud, the which hee asked of me.
‘Question. In what place of your body did the Diuell sucke of your bloude and whether did hee himselfe chuse the place, or did you yourselfe appoint him the place?
‘Answere. The place where the Diuell suckt my bloud was chosen by himselfe, and in that place, by continuall drawing, there is a thing in the forme of a Teate, at which the Diuell would sucke mee. And I asked the Diuell why he should sucke my bloud, and he sayd, it was to nourish him.
‘Question. Whether did you pull up your Coates or no, when the Diuell came to sucke you?
‘Answere. No. I did not, but the Diuell would put his head under my coates, and I did willingly suffer him to doe what he would.
‘Question. How long would the time bee, that the Diuell would continue sucking of you, and whether did you endure any paine, the time that hee was sucking of you?
‘Answere. He would be suckinge of me the continuance of a quarter of an houre, and when he suckt me I then felt no paine at all.
‘Question. What was the meaning that the Diuell, when he came unto you, would sometimes speake, and sometimes barke?
‘Answere. It is thus: when the Diuell spake to me, then hee was ready to doe for me what I bid him to doe; and when he came barking to mee, he then had done the mischiefe that I did bid him to doe for me. I did call the Diuell by the name of Tom.
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‘Question. Did you euer handle the Diuell when he came unto you?
‘Answere. Yes, I did stroake him on the backe, and then he would becke unto me, and wagge his tayle as being therewith contented.
‘Question. Would the Diuell come unto you all in one bignesse?
‘Answere. No; when hee came unto mee in the blacke shape, he then was biggest, and in the white the least; and when that I was praying, hee then would come unto me in the white colour.’
In another narrative46 we have a different description of the devil, and of his protean powers:
‘Marie wife of Henrie Smith, Glouer, possessed with a wrathfull indignation against some of her neighbours, in regard that they made gaine of their buying and selling Cheese, which shee (using the same trade) could not doe, or they better, (at the least in her opinion than she did,) often times cursed them, and became incensed with unruly passions, armed with a setled resolution to effect some mischieuous proiects and designs against them. The diuell, who is skilfull, and reioyceth of such an occasion offered, and knoweth how to stirre up the euill affected humours of corrupt mindes, appeared unto her amiddes these discontentments, in the shape of a blacke man, and willed that she should continue in her malice, enuy, hatred, banning and cursing, and then he would be reuenged for her upon all those to whom she wished euill: and this promise was uttered in a lowe murmuring and hissing voyce: and, at that present, they entred tearmes of a compact, he requiring that she should forsake God, and depend upon him; to which she condescended in expresse tearmes, renouncing God, and betaking herselfe unto him.
‘After this, hee presented himselfe