162 Witcheraft in Wiltshire. 
that, ungratefully and without provocation, shee had joined with Peacock and 
Witchell to bewitch her son, who in his fitts complayned of Tilling, Peacock, 
and Witchell, for tormenting him and doing him hurt severall ways. That her 
husband and shee (Mrs. Webb) had ever been very good friends to Ann Tilling and 
her deceased husband, and had employed them in their work, when they wanted 
work, and had been many ways uppon several occasions bountiful and beneficial 
to them, even to the preventing of their utmost necessity ; uppon which Ann 
Tilling fell downe on her knees, and beg’d Mrs. Webb’s pardon, confessing she 
had been wrought on by goody Peacock and Witchell, to agree that her son 
Thomas should be bewitched ; for which shee was very sorry, and would do 
what shee could at any time to helpe him to come out of his fitts. The boy 
continuing to have his fitts, Mr. Webb complayned to the Alderman, who having 
apprehended Ann Tilling sent to the Justices above-mentioned to have their 
assistances in the examinations of Tilling and the two others above-named. 
Ann Tilling confessed before the Alderman and 3 County Justices, that herselfe, 
persuaded by and joining with Peacock and Witchell, had harmed the boy, and 
caused those fitts, which, by the helpe of theyr spirits, they had brought upon 
him ; and that, three witches being needful to doe things of that nature, Goody 
Clark being bedrid, soe that she could not goe out with them, nor they have free 
recourse to her; they had taken her, Ann Tilling, into the first 3 in Goody 
Clark’s place ; that they had consultations often with other two threes, so that 
they were 9, about avenging themselves upon theyr enimys, and that the three 
threes had often mett since shee was admitted into the first 3; shee alsoe named 
3 or 4 men and women confederates, but not frequently conversing with them. 
That when they mett altogether, it was late at night, in some one of their 
houses; and that there and then they did eate and drink all together, and con- 
sulted of their business, which was the avenging themselves uppon theyr enimys, 
Besides the three first uppon Tilling’s confession, eleven persons, 2 men and nine 
women, were apprehended and examined, theyr examinations taken in writing, 
and mittimus making, and some made and signed, for sending them to the 
County Goale. Whilst the clerks were finishing the mittimus, another Justice 
of the Peace arrived, who had not been forward, not being perhaps very credulous 
in matters of Witchcraft at least thinking that at Malmesbury they were rarer 
than they were thought to be. He was much carressed by the Alderman and the 
3 Justices, who began to despair of his company at that time, and desired him 
to read the information and confession of Ann Tilling and also the information 
of Thomas the son of Robert Webb, which having done, and seeing 14 persons 
ready to be committed to the County Goale, he was extremely concerned at the 
precipitate proceeding of his fellow Justices, and very sadly prayed that they 
would be pleased to hear him, before they proceeded further uppon the committ- 
ment of the 14 persons then apprehended. It was agreed readily that the last 
come Justice should be heard; who thereupon moved that the room might be 
ushered, and that none should remayne but the Justices and those gentlemen of 
quality that should desire to be present with them. It was done as agreed to 
and done; some gentlemen sent for, and admitted; and an audience given 
to the last Justice, who spoke words to this purpose :— 
***Gentlemen,—I see here are apprehended and designed to be committed 
many persons, against whom by the informations which I have seen, there is 
