164 



Witchcraft in Wiltshire. 



woman was ignorantly a Witch, acting by a precedent contract, which might be 

 nnknowne to her. The last, and such as deserve the highest punishments, are 

 those who are entered into an explicitt contract with some uncleane spirits, and 

 have had knowingly and willingly conference with such spirits, and are taught 

 by those spirits to hurt man or beast ; if beasts are hurt by Witchcraft, and the 

 author proved to be so, it is pilloring in 4 townes of the county, and actionable 

 at law, for the first offence : but if any of the King's subjects be by those means 

 kill'd, maym'd, or pyned, it is felony, without benefit of Clergy, for the first 

 offence, and this is the charge against Peacock, Tilling, and Witchell. But I 

 see not cleer evidence against Peacock or Witchell. The boyes information I 

 think should have little streese put on it, for eyther he is an imposter, or indeed 

 he is agitated by some foreigne or external power. If he imposes on us who 

 are antient and should be prudent, it will be our perpetuall shame, that a boy of 

 12 years old should not be discovered to impose on us ; but if his fitts are not 

 fayned, they must be effected by some spiritual foreigne power, and that power 

 must be of light or darkness ; that it is not of light, is as clear as he speaks in 

 another tone and other words then hee was ever heard to speeke, when he was or 

 is well ; hee reviles his father and mother, swears and curses and blasphemes 

 God, which he was never observed to doe formerly ; which deportment shows by 

 whom hee is actuated ; and truly if in such fitts he accuses any person I think 

 hee is not greatly to be heeded, for as much as those murderers are likelyer to 

 destroy the innocent than their own confederates the nocent. As for Ann 

 Tilling's evidence against herselfe, Peacock, and Witchell, it may, for ought I 

 yet see, bee a confederacy with the boyes parents, who are sayd to be ever good 

 to her, to bring in Peacocke and Witchell, who are women of very bad fame, and 

 terrible to the people. Peacocke having been lately acquitted at Salisbury upon 

 a trial for Witchcraft, and proceeding boldly since as is sayd upon confidence, 

 nobody will eyther be at the charge to prosecute her, or run the hazard of 

 her revenge, if shee shall be acquitted, or of her confederates, if she is found 

 guilty, except such a person as this Mr. Webb is reported to be, for him I doe 

 not know there. I would persuade that the boy be very well observed ; and 

 Tilling examined at several times, and with prudence, to observe whether she 

 alters her confession or information.' 



" The Alderman and the three other Justices approved what the last-come 

 Justice had proposed, and desired him earnestly to propose some methode for 

 their proceeding. Hee sayd his opinion was, that the eleven persons then in 

 custody should be set at liberty, and that Pocock, Witchell, and Tilling should 

 be retayned in restraint, but by no means to be ill used, or any tryals made on 

 their persons, as had been so usual in the lately passed times ; and alsoe hee 

 thought it might be a safe course for the Justices to send immediately for 2 or 

 more of the ablest Divines in those parts, to confer with Tilling and the other 2." 



Dr. Straton is no doubt right in his assertion that the belief in 

 witchcraft has died out — or almost died out — in Wiltshire ; certainly 

 it has in the north of the county, where we are stolid unimaginative 

 people, with very small tincture of either poetry, romance, or super- 

 stition in our natures, and doubtless in comparison with many other 



