And there they parted, with refolution to execute their deuillish and bloudie practises, for the deliuerance of their friends, vntill they came to meete here, where their power and ftrength was gone. And now finding her Meanes was gone, fhee cried out for Mercie. Whereupon fhee being taken away, the next in order was her fonne Iames Deuice, whom fhee and her Mother, old Dembdike, brought to act his part in this wofull Tra

THE

ARRAIGNMENT

and Triall of IAMES

DEVICE,

Sonne of ELIZABETH DEVICE, of the Forrest of Pendle, within the Countie of Lancafter aforefaid, Laborer, for Witchcraft; Vpon Tuefday the eighteenth of Auguft, at the Afsifes and generall Gaole-Deliuerie holden at Lancaster

Before

Sir EDVVARD BROMLEY Knight, one of his Maiefties Iuftices of Afsife at Lancafter.

James Deuice.

His wicked and miferable Wretch, whether by practife, or meanes, to bring himfelfe to some vntimely death, and thereby to auoide his Tryall by his

Countrey, and iuft iudgement of the Law; or afhamed to bee openly charged with fo many deuillish practifes, and fo much innocent bloud as hee had spilt; or by reafon of his Imprifonment fo long time before his Tryall (which was with more fauour, commiferation, and reliefe then hee deferued) I know not: But being brought forth to the

Barre,

Barre, to receiue his Triall before this worthie Iudge, and fo Honourable and Worfhipfull an Affembly of Iuftices for this feruice, was fo infenfible, weake, and vnable in all thinges, as he could neither fpeake, heare, or stand, but was holden vp when hee was brought to the place of his Arraignement, to receiue his triall.

This Iames Deuice of the Forreft of Pendle, being brought to the Barre, was there according to the forme, order, and courfe, Indicted and Arraigned; for that hee Felloniously had practifed, vfed, and exercifed diuers wicked and deuillifh Arts, called Witch-crafts, Inchauntments, Charmes, and Sorceries, in, and vpon one Anne Towneley, wife of Henrie Towneley of the Carre, in the Countie of Lancafter Gentleman, and her by force of the fame, felloniously had killed. Contra pacem, &c.

The faid Iames Deuice was the fecond time Indicted and Arraigned in the fame manner and forme, for the death of Iohn Duckworth, by witch-craft. Contra pa

cem, &c.

To these two feuerall Indictments vpon his Arraignment, he pleaded not guiltie, and for the triall of his life put himselfe vpon God and his Countrie.

So as now the Gentlemen of the Iurie of life and death ftand charged to finde, whether he be guiltie of these, or either of them.

Whereupon Mafter Nowel humbly prayed Master Towneley might be called, who attended to profecute and giue euidence against him for the King's Majestie, and that the particular Examinations taken before him and others, might be openly published & read in Court, in the hearing of the Prifoner.

But because it were infinite to bring him to his particular Triall for euery offence, which hee hath committed in his time, and euery practice wherein he hath had his hand: I shall proceede in order with the Euidence remayning vpon Record against him, amongst the Records of the Crowne; both how, and in what fort hee came to be a witch: and fhew you what apparant proofe there is to charge him with the death of these two feuerall perfons, for the which hee now ftandeth vpon his triall for al the rest of his deuillifh practifes, incantantions, murders, charmes, forceries, meetings to confult with Witches, to execute mifchiefe (take them as they are against him vpon Record:) Enough, I doubt not. For thefe with the courfe of his life will serue his turne to deliuer you from the danger of him that neuer tooke felicitie in any things, but in reuenge, bloud, & mischiefe with crying out vnto God for vengeance; which hath now at the length brought him to the place where hee ftandes to receiue his Triall with more honor, fauour, and refpect, then fuch a Monster in Nature doth deferue; And I doubt not, but in due time by the Iuftice of the Law, to an vntimely

and fhamefull

death.

The

The Examination of IAMES DEVICE, fonne of ELIZABETH DEVICE, of the Forrest of Pendle, in the Countie of Lancaster, Labourer. Taken the feuen and twentieth day of Aprill, Annoq; Reg. Regis IACOBI, Angliæ, &c. x°. & Scotia Quadragefimo quinto.

Before

ROGER NOWEL, and NICHOLAS BANNESTER, Efquires: two of his Maiefties Iuftices of Peace within the faid Countie.

НЕ

two

E faith, that vpon Sheare Thursday was yeares, his Grand-Mother Elizabeth Sothernes, alias Dembdike, did bid him this Examinate goe to the Church to receive the Communion (the next day after being Good Friday) and then not to eate the Bread the Minifter gaue him, but to bring it and deliuer it to fuch a thing as fhould meet him in his way homewards: Notwithstanding her perfwafions, this Examinate did eate the Bread and fo in his comming homeward fome fortie roodes off the faid Church, there met him a thing in the shape of a Hare, who fpoke vnto this Examinate, and asked him whether hee had brought the Bread that his Grand-mother had bidden him, or no? whereupon this Examinate anfwered, hee had not: and thereupon the faid thing threatned to pull this Examinate in peeces, and fo this Examinate thereupon marked himselfe to God, and fo the faid thing vanifhed out of this Examinates fight. And within fome foure daies after that, there appeared in this Examinates fight, hard by the new Church in Pendle, a thing like vnto a browne