at Northampton.

Master Avery and his friends (or perhaps because of some other devilish practice they had committed in the countryside) were apprehended and brought to Northampton Jail by Sir William Saunders of Cottesbrooke, Knight. While the text says Master Avery was apprehended, historical records of these 1612 trials indicate it was the accused witches, Agnes Browne and Joan Vaughan, who were arrested following Avery's accusations.

The brother and the sister were brought to that same place, still desiring to scratch the witches. original: "scratch the Witches"; a common folk belief held that if a bewitched person could scratch the witch and draw blood, the spell would be broken. Whether this act is merely observed out of superstition by some, or whether others have found through experience that there is any power to help in this kind of action, I do not care to inquire; I only understand that many have attempted to practice it, though I do not know how successfully.

But this gentleman and his sister, having been brought to the jail where these witches were detained, finally got a sight of them. While the witches were being held during their fits, the siblings drew blood from them by scratching, and they were suddenly delivered from their pain. However, they were no sooner out of sight of the women than they fell again into their old trances and were more violently tormented than before; for when mischief is once afoot, she grows so headstrong in a short time that she is hardly curbed.

Not long after, Master Avery and his sister, having been in Northampton and having drawn blood from the witches, were both riding homeward in one coach. There appeared to their view a man and a woman riding together upon a black horse. Master Avery, having spotted them from a distance and noting many strange gestures from them, suddenly spoke to those who were nearby and (as if prophetically) cried out these words: "Either they or their horses shall presently miscarry." original: "miscarry"; meaning to meet with a sudden accident, injury, or disaster. And immediately the hor—