Chapter I: Preface

To my thinking, all modern English books on the Devil and his works are unsatisfactory. They all run in the same groove, give the same cases of witchcraft, and, moreover, not one of them is illustrated. I have endeavoured to remedy this by localizing my facts, and by reproducing all the engravings I could find suitable to my purpose.

I have also tried to give a succinct account of demonology and witchcraft in England and America, by adducing authorities not usually given, and by a painstaking research into old cases, carefully taking everything from original sources, and bringing to light very many cases never before republished.

For the benefit of students, I have given--as an Appendix--a list of the books consulted in the preparation of this work, which, however, the student must remember is not an exhaustive bibliography on the subject, but only applies to this book, whose _raison d’être_ is its localization.

The frontispiece is supposed to be the only specimen of Satanic caligraphy in existence, and is taken from the ‘Introductio in Chaldaicam Linguam,’ etc., by Albonesi (Pavia, 1532). The author says that by the conjuration of Ludovico Spoletano the Devil was called up, and adjured to write a legible and clear answer to a question asked him. Some invisible power took the pen, which seemed suspended in the air, and rapidly wrote what is facsimiled. The writing was given to Albonesi (who, however, confesses that no one can decipher it), and his chief printer reproduced it very accurately. I am told by experts that in some of the characters may be found a trace of Amharic, a language spoken in its purity in the province of Amhara (Ethiopia), and which, according to a legend, was the primeval language spoken in Eden.

JOHN ASHTON.

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

Universal Belief in the Personality of the Devil, as
portrayed by the British Artist--Arguments in Favour of his
Personality--Ballad--‘Terrible and Seasonable Warning to
Young Men’ 1

CHAPTER II.

‘Strange and True News from Westmoreland’--‘The Politic
Wife’--‘How the Devill, though subtle, was guld by a
Scold’--‘The Devil’s Oak’--Raising the Devil--Arguments in
Favour of Devils--The Number of Devils 13

CHAPTER III.

‘The Just Devil of Woodstock’--Metrical Version--Presumed
Genuine History of ‘The Just Devil of Woodstock’ 28

CHAPTER IV.

‘The Dæmon of Tedworth’ 47

CHAPTER V.

‘The Dæmon of Burton’--‘Strange and Wonderful News from
Yowel, in Surrey’--The Story of Mrs. Jermin--A Case at
Welton--‘The Relation of James Sherring’ 60

CHAPTER VI.

A Demon in Gilbert Campbell’s Family--Case of Sir William
York--Case of Ian Smagge--Disturbances at Stockwell 72

CHAPTER VII.

Possession by, and casting out, Devils--The Church and
Exorcisms--Earlier Exorcists--‘The Strange and Grievous
Vexation by the Devil of 7 Persons in Lancashire’ 85

CHAPTER VIII.

James I. on Possession--The Vexation of Alexander Nyndge--
‘Wonderful News from Buckinghamshire’--Sale of a Devil 113

CHAPTER IX.

The Witch of Endor--The ‘Mulier Malefica’ of Berkeley--
Northern Witches 129

CHAPTER X.

The Legal Witch--James I. on Witches--Reginald Scot on
Witches--Addison on Witches 139

CHAPTER XI.

How a Witch was made--Her Compact with the Devil--Hell
Broth--Homage and Feasting--The Witches’ Sabbat 148

CHAPTER XII.

Familiar Spirits--Matthew Hopkins, the ‘Witch-finder’--
Prince Rupert’s dog Boy--Unguents used for transporting
Witches from Place to Place--Their Festivities at the
Sabbat 157

CHAPTER XIII.

Waxen Figures--Witches change into Animals--Witch
Marks--Testimony against Witches--Tests for, and
Examination of, Witches 175

CHAPTER XIV.

Legislation against Witches--Punishment--Last Executions
for Witchcraft--Inability to weep and sink--Modern Cases
of Witchcraft 191

CHAPTER XV.

Commencement of Witchcraft in England--Dame Eleanor
Cobham--Jane Shore--Lord Huntingford--Cases from the
Calendars of State Papers--Earliest Printed Case, that of
John Walsh--Elizabeth Stile--Three Witches tried at
Chelmsford--Witches of St. Osyth--Witches of
Warboys--Witches of Northamptonshire 199

CHAPTER XVI.

The Lancashire Witches--Janet Preston--Margaret and Philip
Flower--Anne Baker, Joane Willimot, and Ellen Greene--
Elizabeth Sawyer--Mary Smith--Joan Williford, Joan Cariden,
and Jane Hott 220

CHAPTER XVII.

Confessions of Witches executed in Essex--The Witches of
Huntingdon--‘Wonderful News from the North’--Trial of Six
Witches at Maidstone--Trial of Four Witches at Worcester--A
Lancashire Witch tried at Worcester--A Tewkesbury Witch 234

CHAPTER XVIII.

A Case of Vomiting Stones, etc., at Evesham--Anne
Bodenham--Julian Cox--Elizabeth Styles--Rose Cullender and
Amy Duny 246

CHAPTER XIX.

The Case of Mary Hill of Beckington--The Confession of
Alice Huson--Florence Newton of Youghal--Temperance Lloyd
(or Floyd), Mary Trembles, and Susannah Edwards 260

CHAPTER XX.

Elizabeth Horner--Pardons for Witchcraft--A Witch taken in
London--Sarah Mordike--An Impostor convicted--Case of Jane
Wenham--The Last Witch hanged in England 273

CHAPTER XXI.

Scotch Witches--Bessie Dunlop--Alesoun Peirson--Dr. John
Fian--The Devil a Preacher--Examination of Agnes
Sampson--Confession of Issobel Gowdie 287

CHAPTER XXII.

Early Witchcraft in Scotland--Lady Glamys--Bessie
Dunlop--Lady Foulis--Numerous Cases 301

CHAPTER XXIII.

Witchcraft in America--In Illinois: Moreau and Emmanuel--In
Virginia: Case of Grace Sherwood--In Pennsylvania: Two
Swedish Women--In South Carolina--In Connecticut: Many
Cases--In Massachusetts: Margaret Jones; Mary Parsons; Ann
Hibbins; Other Cases 311

CHAPTER XXIV.

Cotton and Increase Mather--The Case of Goodwin’s
Daughter--That of Mr. Philip Smith--The Story of the Salem
Witchcrafts--List of Victims--Release of Suspects--Reversal
of Attainder, and Compensation 326

APPENDIX 340

THE DEVIL IN BRITAIN AND AMERICA