THE ARRAIGNMENT and Triall of MARGARET PEARSON of Paddiham, in the Countie of Lancafter, for Witchcraft; the nineteenth of August, 1612. at the Afsifes and Generall Gaole-deliuerie, holden at Lancafter, Before Sir EDVVARD BROMLEY Knight, one of his Maiefties Iuftices of Afsife at Lancaster. Margaret Pearfon. Hus farre haue I proceeded in hope your patience will endure the end of this discourfe, which craues time, and were better not begunne at all, then not perfected. This Margaret Pearfon was the wife of Edward Pearfon of Paddiham, in the Countie of Lancafter; little inferiour in her wicked and malicious courfe of life to any that hath gone before her: A very dangerous Witch of long continuance, generally fufpected and feared in all parts of the Countrie, and of all good people neare her, and not without great caufe: For whofoeuer gaue her any iuft occafion of offence, fhee tor mented mented with great miferie, or cut off their children, goods, or friends. This wicked and vngodly Witch reuenged her furie vpon goods, fo that euery one neare her fuftained great loffe. I place her in the end of these notorious Witches, by reafon 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 defert, 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 thee hath been a Witch, the Deuill and fhee knows beft. The Accufations, Depofitions, and particular Examinations vpon Record against her are infinite, and were able to fill a large Volume; But fince thee is now only to receiue her Triall for this laft offence. I shall proceede against her in order, and fet forth what matter we haue vpon Record, to charge her withall. This Margaret Pearfon, Prifoner in the Caftle at Lancafter Being brought to the Barre before the great Seat of Iuftice; was there according to the courfe and order of the Law Indicted and Arraigned, for that shee had practifed, exercifed, and vfed her diuellifh and wicked Arts, called Witchcrafts, Inchantments, Charmes and Sorceries, and one Mare of the goods and Chattels of one Dodgefon of Padiham, in the Countie of Lancafter, wickedly, malicioufly, 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 felfe vpon God and her Countrie. So as now the Gentlemen of the Iurie of her offence and death, ftand charged with her as with others. The Euidence against Margaret Pearfon, The Examination and Euidence of ANNE WHITTLE, alias CHATTOX. Against MARGARET PEARSON, Prifoner at the Barre. He faid Anne Chattox being examined faith, That the wife of one Pearfon of Paddiham, is a very euill Woman, and confeffed to this Examinate, that shee is a Witch, and hath a Spirit which came to her the first time in likeneffe of a Man, and clouen footed, and that fhee the faid Pearfons wife hath done very much harme to one Dodgefons goods, who came in at a loope-hole into the faid Dodgefons Stable, and fhee and her Spirit together did fit vpon his Horfe or Mare, vntill the faid Horfe or Mare died. And likewife, that thee the faid Pearfons wife did confeffe vnto her this Examinate, that thee bewitched vnto death one Childers wife, and her Daughter, and that thee the faid Pearfons wife is as ill as fhee. The The Examination of IENNET BOOTH, Воотн, of Paddiham, in the Countie of Lancafter, the ninth day of August 1612. Before NICHOLAS BANNESTER, Efquire; one of his Maiefties Iuftices of Peace in the Countie of Lancaster. Ennet, the wife of Iames Booth, of Paddiham, vpon her oath faith, That the Friday next after, the faid Pearfons wife, was committed to the Gaole at Lancaster, this Examinate was carding in the faid Pearfons houfe, hauing a little child with her, and willed the faid Margerie to giue her a little Milke, to make her faid child a little meat, who fetcht this Examinate fome, and put it in a pan; this examinat meaning to fet it on the fire, found the faid fire very ill, and taking vp a ftick that lay by her, and brake it in three or foure peeces, and laid vpon the coales to kindle the fame, then fet the pan and milke on the fire and when the milke was boild to this Examinates content, fhe tooke the pan wherein the milke was, off the faid fire, and with all, vnder the bottome of the fame, there came a Toade, or a thing very like a Toade, and to this Examinates thinking came out of the fire, together with the faid Pan, and vnder the bottome of the fame, and that the faid Margerie did carrie the said Toade out of the faid houfe in a paire of tonges; But what shee the said Margerie did therewith, this Examinate knoweth not. After this were diuers witneffes examined against her in open Court, viua voce, to proue the death of the Mare, and diuers other vild and odious practifes by her committed, who vpon their Examinations made it so apparant to the Iurie as there was no queftion; But because the fact is of no great importance, in refpect her life is not in queftion 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 of fence, the penaltie of the Law is as much as her good Neighbours doe require, which is to be deliuered from the companie of fuch a dangerous, wicked, and malicious Witch. The |