Part 12 (2/2)

[2] _Cal. St. P., Dom._, 1634-1635, 152.

[3] _Ibid._, 141.

[4] This is of course theory; _cf._ Daudet's story of his childhood in ”_Le Pape est mort_.”

[5] There seem to be five different sources for the original deposition of young Robinson. Thomas D. Whitaker, _History ... of Whalley_ (3d ed., 1818), 213, has an imperfect transcript of the deposition as given in the Bodleian, Dodsworth MSS., 61, ff. 45-46. James Crossley in his introduction to Potts, _Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the countie of Lancaster_ (Chetham Soc.), lix-lxxii, has copied the deposition given by Whitaker. Thomas Wright, _Narratives of Sorcery and Magic_, II, 112-114, has given the story from a copy of this and of other depositions in Lord Londesborough's MSS. Webster prints a third copy, _Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft_, 347-349. A fourth is in Edward Baines, _History of the ... county ... of Lancaster_, ed. of 1836, I, 604, and is taken from Brit. Mus., Harleian MSS., cod. 6854, f. 26 b. A fifth is in the Bodleian, Rawlinson MSS., D, 399, f. 211. Wright's source we have not in detail, but the other four, while differing slightly as to punctuation, spelling, and names, agree remarkably well as to the details of the story.

[6] _Cal. St. P., Dom._, 1634-1635, 152.

[7] John Stearne, _A Confirmation and Discovery of Witchcraft ...

together with the Confessions of many of those executed since May 1645_ (London, 1648), 11, says that in Lancas.h.i.+re ”nineteene a.s.sembled.”

Robinson's deposition as printed by Webster, _Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft_, gives nineteen names.

[8] Webster, _op. cit._, 277.

[9] The boy, in his first examinations at London, said he had made up the story himself.

[10] It is a curious thing that one of the justices of the peace was John Starchie, who had been one of the bewitched boys of the Starchie family at Cleworth in 1597. See above, ch. IV. See Baines, _Lancaster_, ed. of 1868-1870, I, 204.

[11] This incident is related by Webster, _op. cit._, 276-278. Webster tells us that the boy was yet living when he wrote, and that he himself had heard the whole story from his mouth more than once. He appends to his volume the original deposition of the lad (at Padiham, February 10 1633/4).

[12] These are given in the same deposition, but the deposition probably represents the boy's statement at the a.s.sizes.

[13] The father had been a witness at the Lancas.h.i.+re trials in 1612. See Baines, _Lancaster_, ed. of 1868-1870, I, 204-205.

[14] That is, of course, so far as we have evidence. It is a little dangerous to hold to absolute negatives.

[15] Webster, _op. cit._, 277. Pelham on May 16, 1634, wrote: ”It is said that 19 are condemned and ... 60 already discovered.” _Cal. St. P., Dom._, 1634-1635, 26.

[16] It had been reported in London that witches had raised a storm from which Charles had suffered at sea. Pelham's letter, _ibid._

[17] _Ibid._, 77. See also Council Register (MS.), Charles I, vol. IV, p. 658.

[18] _Hist. MSS. Comm. Reports_, XII, 2, p. 53. The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster wrote in the meantime that the judges had been to see him. What was to be done with the witches?

[19] See _Hist. MSS. Comm. Reports_, X, 2, p. 147; and _Cal. St. P., Dom., 1634-1635_, 98.

[20] _Cal. St. P., Dom._, 1634-1635, 98, 129. See also Council Register (MS.), Chas. I, vol. V, p. 56.

[21] _Cal. St. P., Dom._, 1634-1635, 129.

[22] Webster, _op. cit._, 277, says that they were examined ”after by His Majesty and the Council.”

[23] See Council Register (MS.), Charles I, vol. IV, p. 657.

[24] _Cal. St. P., Dom., 1634-1635_, 141.

[25] _Ibid._, 152.

[26] _Farington Papers_ (Chetham Soc, no. 39, 1856), 27.

[27] _Hist. MSS. Comm. Reports_, XII, 2, p. 77.

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