Before
ROBERT HOVLDEN, _one of his Maiesties Iustices
of Peace in the County of Lancaster: Against_ IENNET
BIERLEY, ELLEN BIERLEY, _and_ IANE BIERLEY,
_which hereafter followeth._ viz.
The said Examinate vpon his oath saith, That hee hath seene the
said Sir _Iohn Southworth_ shunne to meet the said wife of _Iohn
Southworth_, now Prisoner in the Gaole, when he came neere where she
was. And hath heard the said Sir _Iohn Southworth_ say, that he liked
her not, and that he doubted she would bewitch him.
Here was likewise _Thomas Sowerbutts_, father of _Grace Sowerbutts_,
examined vpon his oath, and many other witnesses to little purpose:
who being examined by the Court, could depose little against them: But
the finding of the wench vpon the hay in her counterfeit fits:
wherfore I leaue to trouble you with the particular declaration of
their Euidence against the Prisoners, In respect there was not any one
witnes able to charge them with one direct matter of Witchcraft; nor
proue any thing for the murther of the childe.
Herein, before we come to the particular declaration of that wicked
and damnable practise of this Iesuite or Seminary, I shall commend
vnto your examination and iudgement some points of her Euidence,
wherein you shal see what impossibilities are in this accusati[=o]
brought to this perfection, by the great care and paines of this
officious Doctor, Master _Thompson_ or _Southworth_, who commonly
worketh vpon the Feminine disposition, being more Passiue then Actiue.
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