Chapter 26

Qu'au Sabbat on y blasphemoit souuent, disant chardieu, c'est vne belle chose qu'ils font blanchir pour qu'on la voye de plus loing, & puis la mangent, & quand ils l'ont mange il n'y en a plus, que les Prestres font cela pour amuser le monde, & que c'est vn beau Ianicot, qu'il y auoit plus d'acquest en sa Marionette qu'en Dieu. Et auoit veu souuent la Marionette dudit Neuillon, qui est comme vn gros crapaut tout noir, comme d'vne fourrure noire, & estoit dans vne boette cache soubs vn carreau, qui sautoit & leuoit quand on vouloit donner a manger audit crapaut. Qu'il l'a veu encore puis six sepmaines en la ruelle du lict dudict Neuillon, & qu'il a veu qu'il l'apportoit vne autre fois dans son manteau, qu'il luy a dit vne douzaine de fois, que s'il vouloit il luy en feroit auoir vne. Qu'il y auoit plus profit en icelle qu'en Dieu, & qu'il ne gagnoit rien a regarder Dieu: mais que sa Marionette luy apportoit tousiours quelque chose.

Confesse auoir faict mourir plusieurs personnes, & qu'il scait faire dancer les b[oe]ufs dans vn cercle qu'il fait, & qu'vne vieille luy apprins.

Ils furent condamnez, par sentence a estre pendus & bruslez. Appel en la Cour, ou au rapport de Monsieur Berulle, Conseiller en la seconde Chambre des Enquestes, deux Sorciers moururent. Cependant Gentien le Clerc seul, fut condamne par Arrest du 4 Feurier 1615.

APPENDIX III

A. NAMES OF WITCHES IN COVENS

1

1440. Machecoul

[Three were executed; of four equally guilty two fled, and two had died previously.]

1. Antonio Prelati 2. Bertrand Poulein 3. Etienne Corrillaut [executed] 4. Etiennette Blanchu 5. Eustache Blanchet 6. Gilles de Rais [executed] 7. Gilles de Sille [fled] 8. Henri Griart [executed] 9. Jean Rossignol [dead] 10. Lenano Ceva 11. Perrine Martin 12. Robin Romulart [dead] 13. Roger de Bricqueville [fled]

2

1582. Essex. St. Osyth

1. Ales Hunt 2. Ales Manfield 3. Ales Newman 4. Annis Glascocke 5. Annys Heade 6. Cysley Celles 7. Elizabeth Bennet 8. Elizabeth Ewstace 9. Joan Pechey 10. Joan Robinson 11. Margaret Grevell 12. Margery Sammon 13. Ursley Kemp

3

1590. North Berwick

[Those marked with a star are the nine who took part in the great attempt on James VI's life. Of these four were tried and executed. Of the rest of the Covens, Christian Tod, Donald Robson, and Robert Grierson were executed as witches in 1594, and Beigis Tod in 1608. The others appear to have escaped altogether.]

*1, 2. Agnes Sampson and her daughter 3. Agnes Stratton 4. Alexander Quhytelaw 5. Annie Richardson *6. Barbara Napier 7. Beigis Tod 8. Bessie Broune 9. Bessie Gwlene [Cowan] 10. Bessie Robson 11. Bessie Thomson 12. Bessie Wright 13. Catherine Campbell 14. Catherine Duncan 15. Catherene McGill 16. Christian Carrington 17. Christian Tod *18. Donald Robson 19. Duncan Buchanan *20. Euphemia McCalyan 21. Geillis Duncan 22. Gilbert McGill 23. Helen Lauder 24. Helen Quhyte 25. Issobell Gylour [Gylloun] 26. Issobell Lauder 27. Jannet Blandilands 28. Jonnet Campbell 29. Jonet Gaw [Gall] 30. Jonet Logan 31. Jonet Nicholson *32. Jonet Stratton 33. John Couper *34. John Fian [officer] 35. John Gordon [Gray-meill] 36. John McGill 37. Kaet Gray 38. Kait Wallace 39. Malie Geddie 40. Margrett Aitchison 41. Meg Begton 42. Meg Dunn 43. Meg Stillcart *44. Margret Thomsoun 45. Marion Bailzie 46. Marion Congilton 47, 48. Marion Linkup and her sister 49. Marion Nicholson 50. Marion Paterson 51. Marion Scheill [Shaw] 52. Marion ... [Irish Marion] 53. Masie Aitchison 54. Michael Clark 55. Richard Graham *56. Robert Grierson 57, 58. Thomas Burnhill and his wife 59, 60. ... Stobbeis [2 women] 61. Archie Henillis' wife *62. George Mott's wife 63. John Ramsay's wife 64. Nicoll Murray's wife

4

1597. Aberdeen

1

[The following were executed.]

1. Andro Man 2. Christen Reid 3. Issobell Oige 4. Issobell Richie 5. Helen Rogie 6. Jonet Grant 7. Jonet Spaldarg 8. Jonet Wishert 9. Katherine Gerard 10. Margrat Bean 11. Margrat Og 12. Marion Grant 13. Thomas Leyis [officer]

2

[The following took a leading part in the ceremonies and were tried; seven were banished; no record as to the fate of the rest.]

1. Agnes Wobster 2. Beatrice Robbie [banished] 3. Bessie Thom 4. Christen Mitchell 5. Ellen Gray 6. Elspet Leyis [banished] 7. Issobell Coky 8. Helen Fraser 9. John Leyis [banished] 10. Jonet Davidson [banished] 11. Jonet Leyis [banished] 12. Jonet Lucas [banished] 13. Violet Leyis [banished]

5

1613. Lancashire

[Ten were executed; Elizabeth Demdike died in prison; Jennet Preston was acquitted, but was executed later. I suggest Jennet Hargreaves as the thirteenth, for she was the only one who was first at Malking Tower and afterwards in prison.]

1. Alice Nutter 2. Alizon Device 3. Anne Redferne 4. Anne Whittle 5. Elizabeth Demdike [officer] 6. Elizabeth Device 7. Isobel Robey 8. James Device 9. Jane Bulcock 10. Jennet Hargreaves 11. Jennet Preston 12. John Bulcock 13. Katherine Hewit

6

1617. Guernsey

1. Collas Becquet 2. Collette du Mont [officer] 3. Isabel Becquet 4. Marie Becquet 5. The woman Fallaise 6. The woman Hardie 7. A woman she did not know 8-13. Six others there she did not know

7

1644. Queensferry

[Seven were executed.]

1. Catherine Logie 2. Catherine Thomson 3. Elspet Cant 4. Helen Hill 5. Helen Thomson 6. Isobel Young 7. Janet Lowrie 8. Janet Mowbray 9. Margaret Brown 10. Margaret Dauline 11. Marion Dauline 12. Marion Little 13. Marion Stein

8

1649. Herts. St. Albans

1. Anne Smith 2. John Lamen S^r. 3. John Lamen J^r. 4. John [? Joan] Lamen 5. John Palmer 6. John Salmon, S^r 7. Joseph Salmon 8. Judeth Salmon 9. Mary Bychance 10. Mary Lamen, S^r 11. Mary Lamen, J^r 12. Sarah Smith 13. Widow Palmer

9

1658. Alloa

1. Barbara Erskin 2. Bessie Paton 3. Elspet Black 4. James Hudston 5. James Kirk 6. Jonet Millar 7. Jonet Paterson 8. Jonet Reid 9. Kathren Black 10. Kathren Renny 11. Margret Demperstoun 12. Margret Duchall 13. Margret Tailzeour

10

1661. Forfar

[The two Covens were led, one by Helen Guthrie, the other by Helen Cothills. I have put in the first Coven the names which occur most frequently together.]

1. Agnes Sparke 2. Andrew Watson 3. Elspet Alexander 4. Elspet Bruce 5. Helen Alexander 6. Helen Guthrie [officer] 7. Isobel Dorward 8. Isobel Shyrie 9. John Tailzeour 10. Jonet Howit 11. Jonet Stout 12. Katherene Portour 13. Mary Rynd

2

1. Bessie Croket 2. Christen Whyte 3. George Ellies 4. Helen Cothills [officer] 5. Isobel Smith 6. Jonet Barrie 7. Katharene Wallace 8. Margaret Nicholl 9. Marjorie Ritchie 10. ... Finlason 11. ... Hebrone 12, 13. Two unnamed women mentioned by Katharene Portour.

11

1662. Auldearne

1. Barbara Ronald 2. Bessie Hay 3. Bessie Wilson 4. Elspet Nishie 5. Issobell Gowdie 6. Issobell Nicoll 7. Janet Breadheid 8. Janet Burnet 9. John Taylor 10. John Young [officer] 11. Jean Marten [the Maiden] 12. Margret Brodie 13. Margret Wilson

12

1662. Kinross-shire. Crook of Devon

1. Agnes Brugh 2. Agnes Murie 3. Agnes Pittendreich 4. Bessie Henderson 5. Bessie Neil 6. Christian Grieve 7. Isabel Rutherford 8. Janet Brugh 9. Janet Paton (of Crook) 10. Janet Paton (of Kilduff) 11. Margaret Huggon 12. Margaret Litster 13. Robert Wilson

13

1662. Hartford, Conn.

[Though the published records are incomplete, the number of names surviving suggests that a Coven existed here.]

1. Andrew Sanford 2. Elizabeth Seager 3. James Walkley 4. Judith Varlet 5. Mary Sanford 6. Nathaniel Greensmith 7. Rebecca Greensmith 8. William Ayres 9. Goodwife Ayres 10. Goodwife Grant 11. Goodwife Palmer 12. Goodwife Sanford

14

1662. Bute

1. Agnes ... in Gortenis 2. Annie Heyman [the Maiden] 3. Cirstine Ballantyne [the Maiden] 4. Donald McCartour 5. Elspet Galie 6. Elspeth Gray 7. Elspet NcWilliam 8. Elspeth Spence 9. Issobell More McKaw 10. Issobell NcNeill 11. Issobell NcNicoll 12. Jonet McConachie 13. Jonet McNeill 14. Jonet McNickell 15. Jonet Isack 16. Jonet Morison 17. Jonet Nicoll 18. John Galy 19. Kathrine Cristell 20. Kathrine Frissell 21. Kathrine McWilliam 22. Kathrine Moore 23. Kathrine Stewart 24. Margaret McNeill 25. Margaret McNickell 26. Margaret Ncilduy 27. Margaret NcLevin 28. Margaret NcWilliam 29. Margaret Smith 30. Marie McKaw 31. Marie More NcCuill 32. Marie Stewart 33. Patrick McKaw

[Besides eleven other incomplete names, of which five can be identified as being already mentioned above, leaving six to add to that number, i.e. thirty-nine in all.]

15

1664. Somerset

[In the first Coven I have put the names which occur most frequently together in the evidence.]

1

1. Alice Duke 2. Alice Green 3. Anne Bishop [officer] 4. Catharine Green 5. Christian Green 6. Dinah Warberton 7. Dorothy Warberton 8. Elizabeth Stile 9. Henry Walter 10. Jone Syms 11. Mary Green 12. Mary Penny 13. Mary Warberton

2

1. Christopher Ellen 2. James Bush 3. John Combes 4. John Vining 5. Julian Cox 6. Margaret Agar [officer?] 7. Margaret Clarke 8. Rachel King 9. Richard Dickes 10. Richard Lannen 11. Thomas Bolster 12. Thomas Dunning 13. ... Durnford

16

1673. Northumberland

1. Anne Driden 2. Anne Foster 3. Anne Usher 4. Elizabeth Pickering 5. John Crauforth 6. Lucy Thompson 7. Margaret Aynsley 8. Margarett (whose surname she knowes not) 9. Michael Aynsley 10. William Wright 11-13. And three more, whose names she knowes not

17

1657. Renfrewshire. Bargarran

1. Agnes Naismith 2. Alexander Anderson 3. James Lindsay 4. Janet Rodgers 5. Janet Wagh 6. Jean Fulton [officer] 7. John Lindsay 8. John Reid 9. Katherine Campbel 10. Margaret Fulton 11. Margaret Laing 12. Margaret Rodgers 13. Martha Semple

B. NAMES OF WITCHES

[Guernsey being a law unto itself in the matter of names, the following remarks refer only to England and Scotland.]

The lists of witch-names bring to light several facts as regards the women. One of these is the entire absence of Saxon names, such as Gertrude, Edith, Hilda; Old Testament names are so few in number as to be negligible; Scandinavian names are not found; the essentially Puritan names, such as Temperance, hardly occur; but the great mass of the names fall under eight heads with their dialectical differences: 1, Ann (Annis, Agnes, Annabel); 2, Alice (Alison); 3, Christian (Christen, Cirstine); 4, Elizabeth (Elspet, Isobel, Bessie); 5, Ellen (Elinor, Helen); 6, Joan (Jane, Janet, Jonet); 7, Margaret (Marget, Meg, Marjorie); 8, Marion (Mary).

At first sight the list suggests New Testament and Greek influence; and though I am not prepared to dispute this, I would point out (1) that there was a British goddess called Anna, which may account not only for all the forms of Ann but also for the terminations in Alison and Marion; (2) that the name _Christian_ clearly indicates the presence of another religion; (3) that there is at present nothing to prove that Isobel is a variant of Elizabeth--it is quite possible that Isobel was the original name and that the missionaries 'Christianized' it as Elizabeth; (4) that Helen was a pre-Christian name in Great Britain; (5) that Margaret may have been originally Marget, the spelling and pronunciation being influenced by the Greek form; and as g and y are dialectically interchangeable, Marget would be the same as, or closely allied to, the Finnish Marjatta.

If Christianity had obtained the hold on the people which the ecclesiastical writers would have us believe, the name Mary should surely have been the most common, but it hardly occurs in Great Britain before 1645, while Marion is hardly used after that date. This looks as though Marion were the earlier form, and Mary may therefore be merely the contraction of the longer name.

As regards the name Joan I can offer no explanations or suggestions. I can only call attention to its overwhelming preponderance in comparison with the others.

In the lists the names are arranged without regard to local differences of spelling. The surnames are in alphabetical order.

Abre Grinset Dunwich 1663 Agnes Allene Crook of Devon 1662 Agnes Beveridge Crook of Devon 1662 Agnes Brodie Auldearne 1662 Agnes Browne Northampton 1612 Agnes Brugh Crook of Devon 1662 Agnes Finnie Edinburgh 1644 Agnes Forbes Aberdeen 1597 Agnes Frame Aberdeen 1597 Agnes Grant Auldearne 1662 Agnes Murie Crook of Devon 1662 Agnes Naismith Bargarran 1697 Agnes Pittendreich Crook of Devon 1662 Agnes Rawsterne Lancs 1613 Agnes Sampson North Berwick 1590 Agnes Sharp Crook of Devon 1662 Agnes Sparke Forfar 1661 Agnes Stratton North Berwick 1590 Agnes Torrie Auldearne 1662 Agnes Williamson Samuelston 1662 Agnes Wobster Aberdeen 1597 Agnes ... in Gortenis Bute 1662

Alester McNiven Bute 1642 Alexander Bell Auldearne 1662 Alexander Elder Auldearne 1662 Alexander Hamilton Edinburgh 1630 Alexander Hunter East Lothian 1649 Alexander Ledy Auldearne 1662 Alexander Quhytelaw N. Berwick 1590 Alexander Shepheard Auldearne 1662 Alexander Sussums Suffolk 1646

Alice Dixon Essex 1645 Alice Dixon Northumberland 1673 Alice Duke Somerset 1664 Alice Gooderidge Burton-on-Trent 1597 Alice Gray Lancs 1613 Alice Green Somerset 1664 Ales Hunt St. Osyth 1582 Alice Huson Burton Agnes 1664 Alice Kyteler Ireland 1324 Ales Mansfield St. Osyth 1582 Ales Newman St. Osyth 1582 Alice Nutter Lancs 1613 Alice Priestley Lancs 1613 Alse Young Connecticut 1647 Alizon Device Lancs 1613 Alison Dick Kirkcaldy 1636 Alesoun Peirsoun Fifeshire 1588

Allan McKeldowie Orkney 1616

Amy Duny Essex 1645 Amie Hyndman, Snr. Bute 1662 Amie Hyndman, Jnr. Bute 1662

Andro Man Aberdeen 1597 Andrew Sanford Conn. 1662 Andrew Watson Forfar 1661

Anne Ashby Maidstone 1652 Ann Baites Northumberland 1673 Anne Baker Leicester 1619 Anne Bishop Somerset 1664 Anne Blampied Guernsey 1629 Anne Bodenham Salisbury 1633 Anne Cate Much Holland, Essex 1645 Anne Cooper Clacton, Essex 1645 Annas Craigie Crook of Devon 1662 Anne Crunkshey Lancs 1613 Anne Desborough Hunts 1646 Anne Driden Northumberland 1673 Anne Foster Northumberland 1673 Ann Foster Northampton 1674 Annis Glascocke St. Osyth 1582 Anne Grut Guernsey 1614 Annis Heade St. Osyth 1582 Annie Heyman Bute 1662 Anne Hunnam Scarborough 1651 Anne Leach Misley, Essex 1645 Anne Martyn Maidstone 1652 Anne Massq Guernsey 1617 Anne Parker Suffolk 1645 Anne Parteis Northumberland 1673 Anne Pearce Suffolk 1645 Anne Redferne Lancs 1613 Annie Richardson N. Berwick 1590 Anne Smith St. Albans 1649 Annabil Stuart Paisley 1678 Anie Tailzeour Orkney 1633 Annaple Thomson Borrowstowness 1679 Anne Usher Northumberland 1673 Anne West Lawford, Essex 1645 Anne Whitfield Northumberland 1673 Anne Whittle Lancs 1613

Anthony Hunter Northumberland 1673

Archibald Man Auldearne 1662

Arthur Bill Northampton 1612

Barbara Erskeine Alloa 1658 Barbara Friece Auldearne 1662 Barbara Napier N. Berwick 1590 Barbara Ronald Auldearne 1662

Beak Taiss Aberdeen 1597 Beigis Tod N. Berwick 1598

Beatrice Laing Pittenweem 1704 Beatrice Robbie Aberdeen 1597

Cirstine Ballantyne Bute 1662 Christian Carington N. Berwick 1597 Christian Carrington N. Berwick 1590 Christian Graham Glasgow 1622 Christian Green Somerset 1664 Christian Grieve Crook of Devon 1662 Christine Harnon Guernsey 1617 Christiane Lewingstone Leith 1597 Christen Miller Aberdeen 1597 Christen Mitchell Aberdeen 1597 Christen Reid Aberdeen 1597 Christian Saidler Edinburgh 1597 Christian Tod N. Berwick 1590 Christen Whyte Forfar 1661 Christiane Wilson Dalkeith 1661 Christian Young Crook of Devon 1662

Christopher Dixon Northumberland 1673 Christopher Ellen Somerset 1664 Christopher Hargreaves Lancs 1613 Christopher Howgate Lancs 1613

Cysley Celles St. Osyth 1582 Cecile Vaultier Guernsey 1610

Collas Becquet Guernsey 1617 Collette Becquet Guernsey 1617 Collette de l'Estal Guernsey 1622 Collette Dumont Guernsey 1617 Collette Gascoing Guernsey 1563 Collette la Gelee Guernsey 1624 Collette Robin Guernsey 1622 Collette Salmon Guernsey 1563 Collette Sauvage Guernsey 1639 Collette Tourtel Guernsey 1576

Deliverance Hobbs Salem 1692

Dinah Warberton Somerset 1664

Donald McCartour Bute 1662 Donald Robesoune N. Berwick 1590 Doll Bilby Burton Agnes 1664

Dorothy Green Northumberland 1673 Dorothy Warberton Somerset 1664

Duncan Buchquhannane N. Berwick 1590