The Witches of Northamptonshire

...of one Mistress Belcher, a virtuous and godly gentlewoman of the same town of Gilsborough. This Joan Vaughan, whether on purpose to give cause for anger to the said Mistress Belcher, or simply to continue her vile and ordinary habit of behavior, committed something either in speech or gesture so unfitting and unseemly for the nature of womanhood that it displeased most who were present. But it especially offended the modesty of this gentlewoman, who was so moved by her bold and impudent demeanor that she could not contain herself, but suddenly rose up and struck her; however, she did not hurt her, but forced her to leave the company. This "chicken of her mother's hatching" original: "Chicken of her Dammes hatching"; an idiom meaning she was exactly like her wicked mother., taking it with disdain and being also enraged (as those of this kind Meaning witches. who, having the power to harm, never have the patience to endure an insult), told the gentlewoman as she was going out that she would remember this injury and revenge it. To whom Mistress Belcher answered that she feared neither her nor her mother, but told her to do her worst.

This trull original: "trull"; a derogatory term for a bold, ill-behaved woman, often implying low character., holding herself to be greatly disgraced, hurries home in all haste to her mother and tells her the wrong which she suggested Mistress Belcher had done to her. Now the fire and the tow original: "tow"; the coarse, highly flammable fibers of flax or hemp. This is a metaphor for two volatile elements meeting. had met; all was inflamed. There was nothing but rage and destruction. Had they had a hundred spirits at their command, the worst and most harmful would have been called to this council and employed in this business. However, upon deliberation (if such a sin may take or give advice), they waited three or four days before they practiced any witchcraft to avoid suspicion... The text ends here on the catchword "suspis," which completes the word "suspicion."