Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, &c./Appendix/Lancashire Witches Tract
THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES,
Chapter I.
The Lancashire Witch's Tentation, and of the Devil's appearing to her in sundry shapes and giving her money.
Lancashire is a famous and noted place, abounding with rivers, hills, woods, pastures, and pleasant towns, many of which are of great antiquity. It has also been famous for witches, and the strange pranks they played. Therefore, since the name of Lancashire witches has been so frequent in the mouths of old and young, and many imperfect stories have been rumoured abroad, it would doubtless tend to the satisfaction of the reader to give some account of them in their merry sports and pastimes.
Some time since lived one Mother Cuthbert, in a little hovel at the bottom of a hill, called Wood and Mountain Hill [Pendle], in Lancashire. This woman had two lusty daughters, who both carded and spun for their living, yet were very poor, which made them often repine at and lament their want. One day as Mother Cuthbert was sauntering about the hill-side, picking the wool off the bushes, out started a thing like a rabbit, which ran about two or three times and then changed into a hound, and afterwards into a man, which made the old beldame to tremble, yet she had no power to run away. So putting a purse of money in her hand, and charging her to be there the next day, he immediately vanished away, and old Mother Cuthbert returned home, being somewhat disturbed between jealousy and fear.
Chapter II.
Strange and wonderful apparitions; how one witch had power to make another; and other strange things.
The old woman opened not her purse until she came home, and then found in it ten angels; so, calling to her daughters, she told them what had happened. The wenches rejoiced that the treasure of the house had increased, that they might stuff themselves with beef and pudding which they had long been strangers to; and advised their mother to go again as he had ordered, and so she did. The first thing she saw was a tree rising out of the ground which moved towards her, and, to her surprise, multiplied into a very thick wood round her, so that she was afraid of losing herself, when on a sudden she saw a house, and heard the sound of musick. This appeared most strange; however, she took courage and went towards it, when she found a great many women all dancing and revelling; and the house appeared like a stately palace, and the tables were furnished with a great variety of delicacies. The dance being ended, she was desired to sit at the table with the rest, but she scrupled it at first, till at length, being hungry, she fell roundly to. After dinner the matron which received her, by striking the floor with her wand, caused divers of the familiars, in the shape of cats, bears, apes, &c., to enter and dance antic dances, whilst she played on the gridiron and tongs. This done, taking Mother Cuthbert aside, she demanded how she liked the cheer and sport? She answered, very well; but desired to know where she was and her company? Mother Crady then told her that she was Witch of Penmure [Penmaenmawr], a great mountain in Wales, and the rest were her countrywomen of the same faculty; and being desirous to have her of the fraternity [sisterhood?] she had contrived this way to entertain her, to show that she might always live jocund and merry. Mother Cuthbert, overcome with persuasions, consented, when immediately they anointed her breast with a certain ointment, then, speaking a charm or two, they gave her the rest to use upon occasion, and also in another box a little thing like a mole, that was to be her imp. So, all mounting upon a coal-staff, away they flew and she with them; but they left her at the door of her own house, and kept still on their way with the wind.
Chapter III.
A Lancashire witch enchants the Mayor of the town, who had caused her to be whipped; with the circumstances attending.
Mother Cuthebrt being thus entered into the society of witches, by the force of her ointment, and counsel of her imp, who could speak when he pleased, and turn himself into divers shapes, finding the power she had, began to play many pranks.
Sometime before this, the Mayor of Lancaster had caused Mother Cuthbert to be whipped, for breaking his pales to make her a fire in the cold winter, which she resented much; and now, knowing her power to revenge it, she trudges thither, where she found him carousing with many friends. She took an opportunity to slip a letter into his hands, and retired unknown, which he had no sooner perused, but telling his company he must run a race, he immediately went into the next room, and stripped himself stark naked, then taking a hand whip, he ran into the street, lashing his sides and back, crying "There he goes! I win! I win!" Whilst the people followed, calling him to stay, thinking he was distracted, yet he ran on to the further end of the town, lashing himself till he was bloody. At which time, coming to his wits, he was in the greatest consternation, swearing the devil had put this trick upon him; for all the time he imagined he had been on horseback, and was riding a race, not feeling the lashes he gave himself till he had completed his number, and filled the measure of the witch's resentment.
Chapter IV.
The old woman's two daughters become witches, and one of them, in the shape of a mare, is revenged upon her false sweetheart and rival.
Mother Cuthbert, growing more and more perfect in her art, resolved to bring in her daughters for a snack and thereupon communicates to them all that had befallen her. They were content to be ruled by the mother, and she anointed them, and used the best means she was able to make them perfect in their new trade.
Their names were Margery and Cicely. The first was courted by Roger Clodpate, a plain, downright country fellow; but he was wheedled from her by Dorothy, a gentleman's dairymaid not far distant. This vexed Margery, and made her resolved to be revenged for it; so one day as they went abroad in the fields about courtship, she, by casting up dust in the air and other enchantments, raised up a mighty storm of rain, which so swelled the ditches that they overflowed in their way and stopped them; but as they began to think of going back, Margery immediately transformed herself into the shape of a black mare, and came gently towards them; when Roger, glad of the opportunity, first mounted his sweetheart, and then got up himself. But they were no sooner in the middle of the water than she threw them heels overhead, and ran away laughing, soon recovering her shape; while Roger and Dorothy were in a piteous case, and forced to trudge home, like drowned rats, with the story of their unfortunate disaster.
Chapter V.
A witch rescues a man, who was going to goal, and plagues the bailiffs, by leading them a dance over hedge and ditch.
A poor man, being arrested by a cruel creditor for debt, and he not being able to pay it, they were carrying him to Lancaster Gaol, when Mother Cuthbert met them, and desired to know the matter. The officers answered her very surlily, pushing her aside, which, raising her choler, she said, "But you shall let him go before we do part." And they said he should not. Whereupon she bade the poor man stop his ears close; and then she drew out a pipe which had been given her by the Witch of Penmure, and then set piping, and led them through hedges and thorns, over ditches, banks, and poles, sometimes tumbling, and other times tearing and bruising their flesh, while the poor fellow got time enough to make his escape; but the catchpoles cried out for mercy, thinking the devil had led them a dance. At length she left them in the middle of a stinking pond, to shift for themselves.
Chapter VI.
Of a Lancashire witch being in love with a gentleman; of her haunting him in the shape of a hare, and obtaining her ends.
Cicely, the youngest daughter of the Lancashire witch, being in love with a gentleman's son about a mile from their home, was resolved to have him in her arms at any rate; wherefore, knowing he admired hunting, she often turned herself into a hare to make him sport, and still drew him towards her mother's house; for when he went that way he was used to call to chat with them, the which caused in Cicely the first fatal passion. But once this had liked to have proved fatal; for the charm wanting somewhat of its force, one of the foremost hounds catched her by the haunches, just as she was entering her creep-hole, and gave her a terrible pinch; and happy was it for her that she was so near, or her loving had been for ever spoiled. The young man, commonly losing the hare about this house, began to wonder, and supposing it to have run in at the sink, he entered the house, where he found Cicely rubbing of her back; but not meeting what he sought, nor looking for such a transformation, he departed, and she for the future grew cautious of showing him any more sport of that kind. But when he was going to be married to a beautiful young gentlewoman, she by enchantment caused the lady to lose herself in a wood, and there cast her in a deep sleep for a day and a night. In the meantime she personated the bride; but knowing it could not long continue, she cast him likewise into a deep sleep, and then fetched the young lady to his arms, that when they both awaked, they thought they had been all the time together.
Chapter VII.
Mother Cuthbert enchants several thieves, and takes away the money; with the manner of setting spells.
Old Mother Cuthbert going along the road, she overheard some thieves bragging of a mighty purchase they had made, whereupon she resolved to herself that she would come in for a share; and accordingly she muttered some words, on which the horses began for to stumble, which made them [not the horses, but the thieves] curse and swear. At length they supposed they heard the rattling of clubs and staves, as if the whole city had been up in arms to seize them; and finding they could not spur their horses on, nor make them stir a foot, they got off, leaving the portmanteaus behind them, and ran away on foot. The prize she conveyed home, and hearing some poor people had been robbed, she gave them back what they had lost. The fright the rogues were put into was caused by enchantment, in which she was so good a proficient, that she would often set spells on the highway, so that any being robbed, the rogues had no power to get away.
The description of a spell.—A spell is a piece of paper written with magical characters, fixed in a critical season of the moon and conjunction of the planets; or, sometimes, by repeating mystical words. But of these there are many sorts.
Chapter VIII.
The manner of a witch-feast; or, a general meeting.
There being a general meeting of the witches, to consult for merry pranks, and to be even with any who had injured them, one of them must needs bring her husband with her; but charged him and made him promise that, whatever he saw or heard, he should not speak a word of it. To this he promised to be obedient. He was carried thither in the night, but he knew not what way; and there he found a stately palace (to his thinking), furnished with goods of exceeding value; and it shined in the night with artificial lights as at noonday. Here they had all manner of good cheer, and he was as frolicsome as the merriest. The man observed his covenant till he came to eat, when, looking about and seeing no salt (for it seems witches never use any), he, before he was aware, cried out, "What, in God's name, have we no salt here?" Upon this, all the lights immediately went out, and the company flew away; so dreadful is the name of God to those servants of Satan. Storms of rain and hail, attended with lightning and terrible claps of thunder, ensued. The rain poured on him, the wind blew, and instead of a palace, when daylight appeared, he found himself in an old uncovered barn, about twenty miles from home. And from that time he never desired to go with his wife to see curiosities.
Chapter IX.
The Humours of Roger and Doll, with the manner how they were served by a Lancashire Witch.
Roger and Dorothy being got in a merry humour, one day meeting with Margery, began to swear at her, and called her "Leaden Heels," but she passed by as if she minded it not. They had not far to go before there was a stile to go over;—but when they was on the top, they could not get down on either side, fancying there was ponds of water round about them, till some travellers came by, who, finding them thus mounted on the wooden horse in a strange posture, made them dismount. However, not satisfied, she watched their motions, and found them in a barn that stood by the road, where the cows used to be driven in to be milked. There, being seated upon the straw, toying together, and wondering at what had happened, ... Margery, who stood there invisible, sprinkled Roger with a certain dust, which changed his very countenance, making it appear to his mistress like an ass's head; which so frighted her, that she gave a lusty spring, and throwing him quite down, she got up, running, and crying out, "The devil! the devil!" This so terrified Roger, that he followed, crying out, "What ails you, my dear?—what ails you?" In this manner, to the laughter of a great number of people, they ran until they were so tired, they were forced to lie down, being no longer able to hold out. Thus, at this time, her revenge was satisfied.
Chapter X.
How some Witches, revelling in a gentleman's house, served the servants who surprised them.
It happened one time that a great number of Lancashire witches were revelling in a gentleman's house in his absence, and making merry with what they found, the dogs not daring to stir—they having, it seems, the power to strike them mute. However, during the frolic, some of the servants came home, and, thinking they had been ordinary thieves, went to seize them. But they happened to catch a Tartar; for, each taking one, they flew away with them, who in vain called for help, till they had lodged them on the top of very high trees; and then raised prodigious storms of thunder and lightning, with hard showers of rain, they left them there to do penance for their intrusion.
Chapter XI.
A brief Treatise on Witches in general, with several things worthy of notice.
About this time great search was made after witches, and many were apprehended, but most of them gave the hangman and the gaoler the slip; though some hold that when a witch is taken she hath no power to avoid justice. It happened as some of them were going in a cart to be tried, a coach passed by in which appeared a person like a judge, who, calling to one, bid her to be of good cheer and take comfort, for neither she nor any of her company should be harmed; and on that night all the prison locks flew open, and they made their escape; and many, when they had been cast into the water for a trial, have swam like a cork. One of them boasted she could go over the sea in an egg shell. It is held on all hands that they adore the devil, and become his bond-slaves, to have for a term of years their pleasure and revenge. And indeed many of them are more mischievous than others in laming and destropng of cattle, and in drowning ships at sea, by raising storms. But the Lancashire Witches we see, chiefly divert themselves in merriment, and are therefore found to be more sociable than the rest.
Chapter XII.
A short description of the famous Lapland Witches.
The Lapland witches, they tell us, can send wind to sailors, and take delight in nothing more than raising of storms and tempests, which they effect by repeating certain charms, and throwing up sand into the air. The best way to avoid their power is to believe in God, who will not suffer them to hurt us; for here they are held to be restrained. As many mistake their children and relations to be bewitched when they die of distempers somewhat strange to the unskilful, so one poor woman or other is falsely accused of things which they are entirely ignorant of. So it has often happened.
This may suffice as to what comically or really happened, or related to witches; or such as are imagined to be possessed with evil and familiar spirits.