A prodigious & tragicall history of the arraignment, tryall, confession, and condemnation of six witches at Maidstone, in Kent, at the assizes there held in July, Fryday 30. this present year. 1652. Before the Right Honorable, Peter Warburton, one of the Justices of the Common Pleas. / Collected from the observations of E.G. Gent. (a learned person, present at their conviction and condemnation) and digested by H.F. Gent. To which is added a true relation of one Mrs. Atkins a mercers wife in Warwick, who was strangely caried away from her house in July last, and hath not been heard of since. E. G., gent. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A85451 of text R202164 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E673_19). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A85451 Wing G13 Thomason E673_19 ESTC R202164 99862559 99862559 114722 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A85451) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 114722) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 103:E673[19]) A prodigious & tragicall history of the arraignment, tryall, confession, and condemnation of six witches at Maidstone, in Kent, at the assizes there held in July, Fryday 30. this present year. 1652. Before the Right Honorable, Peter Warburton, one of the Justices of the Common Pleas. / Collected from the observations of E.G. Gent. (a learned person, present at their conviction and condemnation) and digested by H.F. Gent. To which is added a true relation of one Mrs. Atkins a mercers wife in Warwick, who was strangely caried away from her house in July last, and hath not been heard of since. E. G., gent. H. F., gent. 8 p. Printed for Richard Harper, in Smithfield, London : 1652. Annotation on Thomason copy: "August 12". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Witchcraft -- England -- Early works to 1800. A85451 R202164 (Thomason E673_19). civilwar no A prodigious & tragicall history of the arraignment, tryall, confession, and condemnation of six witches at Maidstone, in Kent, at the assiz E. G., gent. 1652 1854 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-04 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-04 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-05 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2007-05 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Prodigious & Tragicall HISTORY OF THE Arraignment , Tryall , Confession , and Condemnation of six Witches at Maidstone , in Kent , at the Assizes there held in July , Fryday 30. this present Year . 1652. Before the Right Honorable , Peter Warburton , one of the Justices of the Common Pleas . Collected from the Observations of E. G. Gent. ( a learned person , present at their Conviction and Condemnation ) and digested by H. F. Gent. To which is added a true Relation of one Mrs. Atkins a Mercers Wife in Warwick , who was strangely caried away from her House in July last , and hath not been heard of since . LONDON , Printed for Richard Harper , in Smithfield . 1652. Kent the first Christian , last conquered , and one of the most flourishing and fruitful Provinces of England , is the Scene , and the beautifull Town of Maidstone , the Stage , whereon this Tragicall Story was publickly acted , at Maidstone Assizes , last past . AMongst many others that then made their entrance , and were presented as suspected of Witch-craft , before the Reverend and honourable Judge Warburton , who then sate Judge over criminall Offendors : the most notorious were , Anne Ashby , alias Cobler , Anne Martyn , Mary Browne , Mildred Wright , and Anne Wilson , all of Cranbrooke , a Market Town in Kent , and Mary Read of Lenham in the same County ; all which were convicted of the execrable and Diabolicall crime of Witch-craft , and for the same received sentence of death , on Friday the 30. day of July last ; of whose actions and confessions I shall give you a few particulars , but those you will confesse , very rare and remarkable . Anne Ashby alias Cobler , who was the chief Actresse , and who had the greatest part in this Tragedy , and Anne Martyn , confessed at the time of their triall , that the Divell had known them carnally , and that they had no hurt by it . The said Ashby alias Cobler , in view of this Observator , fell into an extasie before the Bench , and swell'd into a monstrous and vast bigness , screeching and crying out very dolefully ; and being recovered , and demanded if the Divell at that time had possessed her , she replyed she knew not that , but she said that the spirit Rug came out of her mouth like a Mouse . And further concerning this spirit Rug , it is reported , that the said Ashby alias Cobler being under Examination before a Justice of Peace , before whom she was carried by certain Souldiers of Colonell Humfreys Regiment ; at the same time of her examination , a certain Groom that was in presence said come Rug into my mouth , which Groom , as it is reported , died within a fortnight after , near unto the City of London . The said Anne Ashby further confessed , that the Divell had given them a piece of flesh , which whensoever they should touch , they should thereby affect their desires . That this flesh lay hid amongst grasse , in a certain place which she named , where upon search it was found accordingly . This flesh was of a sinnewy substance , and scorched , and was seen and felt by this Observator , and reserved for publique view , at the sign of the Swan in Maidstone . The said Anne Ashby , Anne Martyn , and one other of their Associates , after they were cast , and upon the pronunciation of Judgement against them , pleaded that they were with child pregnant , but confessed it was not by any man , but by the Divell . One Dock of Gresham , alias Cresham , Doctor to Anne Ashby , is committed to close imprisonment , and not permitted to speak with any person , without the presence of his Keeper . A Pin being thrust to the head into one of their arms , the party did not feele it , neither did it draw bloud from her , which was Mary Browne , Anne Wilson , or Mildred Wright . Mary Read of Lenham had a visible Teat under her tongue , and did shew it to many , and it was likewise seen by this Observator . It is likewise to be noted , that the aforesaid Anne Ashby , alias Cobler , during the time of her extasie , when she swell'd in that prodigious manner before mentioned , uttered many speeches which did greatly amaze and astonish the Auditory , proceeding from her in that manner , of which there was no small number of Witnesses , in so great and generall a confluence of people , some of which the Observator remembreth , but forbears at present to set down the particulars . So upon the proceedings aforesaid , and the evidences brought in against them , the said Anne Ashby , alias Cobler , Anne Martyn , Mary Browne , Anne Wilson , and Mildred Wright of Cranbrook , and Mary Read of Lenham , being legally convicted , were according to the Laws of this Nation , adjudged to be hanged , at the common place of Execution . Some there were that wished rather they might be burnt to Ashes ; alledging , that it was a received opinion amongst many , that the body of a Witch being burnt , her bloud is prevented thereby from becomming hereditary to her Progeny in the same evill , which by hanging is not ; but whether this opinion be erroneous , or not , I am not to dispute . Besides these former six condemned Witches , there were at the same time some others of Greanes Arraigned , who although sentence of death did not then passe against them , yet one whose name was Creed , was by three severall Indictments found guilty by the Grand Jury , consisting of persons of good integrity , and estates . And in the aforesaid black List , were mustred one Reynolds , and one Wilson , with both their Wives . It is supposed that nine children , besides a man and a woman , were bewitched ; 500 pounds worth of Cattel lost , and much Corn at Sea wrack'd , by Witchcraft . They confessed they had bewitched a child , that had been languishing along time ; this child died about the time of their trials , whose pourtraicture in wax was found , where they had laid it , under the Threshold of a doore . To this discourse the bodies of three Children lately found at Chatham , may have some reference , which however it will not be much amisse to insert here ; although it be doubtfull , whether their deaths be to be attributed to Sorcery , or any other violent means ; two of these bodies appeared but in part , the rest being consumed ; the third was the entire body of a Male-child , having a Navell five inches long . And here you may observe the hellish and infernall estate of those wretched deluded people , calld Witches , whom their Grand-master the Devill , at one time or other leaves in the lurch ; as here you may perceive in the Story of these miserable Wretches , who deservedly received the Sentence of Condemnation , as aforesayd ; for it is written , Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live . A true Relation of one Mrs. Atkins , a Mercers Wife in Warwick , who was strangely carried away from her house in July last , and hath not been heard of since . IN Warwick Town one Mrs. Katherine Atkins , a Mercers Wife , standing at her door on Saturday night , the 24. July , 1652. A certain unknown Woman came to her and sayd , Mistris , pray give me two-pence , she answered , two-pences are not so plentifull , and that she would give her no Mony . Pray Mistris , sayd she , then give me that Pin , so she took the Pin off her sleeve and gave her , for which she was very thankfull , and was going away . Mistris Atkins seeing her so thankfull for a Pin , called her again , and told her if she would stay , she would fetch some Victuals for her , or give her some thread , or something out of the shop . She answered , she would have nothing else , and bid a pox of her Victuals , and swore ( by God ) saying , You shall be an hundred miles off within this week , when you shall want two-pence as much as I , and so she went grumbling away . Hereupon the sayd Mistris Atkins was much troubled in mind , and did advise with some Friends what were best to be done in such a case , but receiving no resolution from any one what to do , she attended the Event what might befall within such a time , and upon the 29. of July , she exprest to a Kinsman Mr. Nicholas Bikar , that she was much troubled about the foresayd businesse , but hoped the time was so near expired , that it would come to nothing . But the sayd Thursday night betwixt the houres of 8. and 9. She going into the Shop , and returning thence in the Entry adjoyning to the sayd Shop , she was immediately gone , by what means and whither we do not know , nor can we hear of upon enquiry made to this present . The desire of her Husband and Friends is of all the Inhabitants of this Nation , That if they hear of any such party in such a lost condition as is before expressed : That there may be speedy notice given thereof to her Husband in Warwick , and that all convenient provisions both of Horse and mony may be made for the conveying of her to the place aforesayd , and such as shall take pains , or be at expences herein shall be sufficiently recompenced for the same , with many thanks . It 's likewise desired that the Ministers in London , and elsewhere , where the notice of these presents shall come , would be pleased to present her sad condition to God in their severall Congregations . The truth hereof we testifie , whose names are subscribed . John Hallford , Richard Vennour , Minister in Warwick . Hen. Butler , Minister in Warwick . Joseph Fisher , Minister . FINIS .