Witches Executed

tormented his sister, following rage rather than reason, ran suddenly toward the house of the said Agnes Browne with the purpose of dragging both the mother and the daughter to his sister so that she might draw blood original: "draw blud on"; a common folk belief of the time held that if a victim could scratch a witch and draw blood, the spell would be broken and the victim would find relief. from them. But as he came near the house, he was suddenly stopped and could not enter. Whether it was a paralysis through his fear, or that the spirits had the power to stop him, I cannot judge; but he reported upon his return that he was forcibly stayed and could not, for the life of him, go any further forward. It is reported in the country that he is a gentleman of stout courage. He tried two or three times afterward to go to the house, but in the same place where he was first stopped, he was still stopped. It seems the devil stood there like a sentinel and kept his station well.

Upon this, Master Avery—being sorry and much aggrieved that he could not help his sister in this tormenting distress, and finding also that no medicine original: "physicke"; refers to medical remedies or the practice of medicine. could do her any good or bring her relief—took a sorrowful leave and heavily departed for his own home.

The imp original: "Impe"; in this context, a familiar spirit or a lesser demon serving a witch. of this mother, and both imps of the Devil, being glad that they were out of his reach, showed immediately that they had longer arms than he. For he felt, within a short time after his arrival home, that he was not out of their reach; being by the devilish practices of these two hell-hounds original: "hel-hounds"; a derogatory term used to describe those believed to be in league with the devil. suddenly and grievously tormented in the same manner and with the same fits as his sister. This continued until these two witches, either by the procurement of