THE SUFFOLK WITCHES. 477 



none in the house to take care of her infant child William, 

 requested Amy Duny to see to him, for which said Amy was 

 promised a penny. Great stress was laid that Amy should 

 not do something to the infant that, as will appear, she did 

 do (for particulars consult original). 



When Mrs. Durent goes to reclaim her young William, 

 and learns that Amy has done by the sweet child exactly 

 what she was admonished not to do, then came words and 

 some exchange of eloquence. Deponent waxed angry with 

 said Amy, whereupon said Amy was disconcerted. She did 

 use evil speech, telling mamma, amongst other things, * that 

 she had as good to have done otherwise than to have found 

 fault with her; and so departed out of her house.' 



That very night baby fell into strange swoundings, and 

 so continued for divers weeks. Deponent then in her anguish 

 did go to a certain person named Dr. Jacob, who did live at 

 Yarmouth one having great reputation in the country for 

 helping children that were bewitched. The doctor's advice 

 to mamma will seem peculiar something that had been more 

 appropriately told to the marines than to a baron of his ma- 

 jesty's Exchequer. Peculiar or not, it either took effect, or 

 there was perjury, or else hallucination. 



'Hang up,' said Dr. Jacob to Mrs. Durent, 'hang up 

 young William's blanket in the chimney-corner all day. At 

 night, before wrapping the blanket about him, look well to 

 see if anything be there. Whatever you find, fear not,' 

 quoth Dr. Jacob. ( Dead or alive, cast it into the fire.' All 

 this did deponent. Going to take down the blanket at night, 

 with intent to put William therein, out fell a prodigious toad ! 

 It did run up and down the hearth. 



Now there did live with deponent a certain youth, to 

 whom she spoke, * Catch that toad and throw it into the fire,' 

 she said. And the youth did catch the toad with a pair of 

 tongs, and did hold the toad in the fire. Then did the toad 

 make a great and a horrible noise ; then after a space, was 



