Witchcraft discovered and punished.
Or, the Tryals and Condemnation of three Notorious Witches, who were Tryed
the last Assizes, holden at the Castle of Exeter, in the County of Devon: where they received Sentance
for Death, for bewitching several Persons, destroying Ships at Sea, and Cattel by Land, etc.
To the Tune of, Doctor Faustus: or, Fortune my Foe.
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NOw listen to my Song good People all, |
And I shall tell what lately did befall, |
At Exeter, a place in Devonshire, |
The like whereof of late you nere did hear. |
At the last Assizes held at Exeter, |
Three Aged Women that Imprisoned were |
For Witches, and that many had destroyd; |
Were thither brought in order to be tryd. |
For Witchcraft, that Old Wicked Sin, |
Which they for long time had continued in: |
And joynd with Satan, to destroy the good, |
Hurt Innocents, and shed their harmless blood. |
But now it most apparent does appear, |
That they will now for such their deeds pay dear: |
For Satan having lulld their Souls asleep, |
Refuses Company with them to keep. |
A known deceiver he long time has been, |
To help Poor Mortals into dangerous Sin; |
Thereby to cut them off, that so they may, |
Be plungd in Hell, and there be made his Prey. |
So these Malicious Women at the last, |
Having done mischiefs, were by Justice cast: |
For it appeard they Children had destroyd, |
Lamed Cattel, and the Aged much annoyd. |
Having Familiars always at their beck, |
Their Wicked Rage on Mortals for to wreck: |
It being provd they used Wicked Charms, |
To Murther Men, and bring about sad harms. |
And that they had about their Bodys strange |
And Proper Tokens of their Wicked Change: |
As Pledges that to have their cruel will, |
Their Souls they gave unto the Prince of Hell. |
The Country round where they did live came in, |
And all at once their sad complaints begin: |
One lost a Child, the other lost a Kine, |
This his brave Horses, that his hopeful Swine. |
One had his Wife bewitched, the other his Friend, |
Because in some things they the Witch offend: |
For which they labour under cruel pain, |
In vain seek remedy, but none can gain. |
But Roar in cruel sort, and loudly cry, |
Destroy the Witch, and end our misery: |
Some used Charms by Mountabanks set down, |
Those cheating Quacks, that swarm in every Town. |
But alls in vain, no rest at all they find, |
For why? all Witches to cruelty are enclind: |
And do delight to hear sad dying groans, |
And such laments, as woud pierre Marble Stones. |
But now the Hand of Heaven has found them out, |
And they to Justice must pay Lives, past doubt: |
One of these Wicked Wretches did confess, |
She Four Score Years of Age was, and no less. |
And that she had deserved long before, |
To be sent packing to the Stigian shore: |
For the great mischiefs she so oft had done, |
And wondered that her Life so long had run. |
She said the Devil came with her along, |
Through Crouds of People, and bid her be strong: |
And she no hand should have, but like a Lyer, |
At the Prison Door he fled, and nere came nigh her. |
The rest aloud, cravd Mercy for their Sins, |
Or else the great deceiver her Soul gains; |
For they had been lewd Livers many a day, |
And therefore did desire that all would Pray |
To God, to Pardon them, while thus they lie |
Condemned for their Wicked Deeds to Die: |
Which may each Christian do, that they may find |
Rest for their Souls, though Wicked once inclind. |
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