She called the Devil by the Name of Bunne: The Faversham Witches (1645).

 

The Examination,
Confession,
Trial and Execution
of
Joan Williford, 
Joan Cariden
and
Jane Holt. 

Who were executed 
at Faversham in Kent
for being Witches,
on Monday
the 29. of September,
1645.

Being a true copy
of their evil lives and wicked deeds,
taken by the Mayor of Faversham
and jurors for the said inquest.

With the examination 
and confession of
Elizabeth Harris,
not yet executed.

All attested 
under the hand of
Robert Greenstreet,
Mayor of Faversham.

London,
Printed for J.G.
October 2. 1645.

The Confession of Joan Williford,
Septemb. 24. 1656,
made before the Mayor,
and other jurates.

She confessed

that the Devil
about seven years ago
did appear to her in the shape of a little dog,
and bid her to forsake God
and lean to him.

Who replied,
that she was loath to forsake him.

She confessed also
that she had a desire to be revenged upon
Thomas Letherland and Mary Woodrofe, 
now his wife.

She further said
that the Devil promised her
that she should not lack,
and that she had money sometimes brought her,
she knew not whence,
sometimes one shilling, 
sometimes eight pence,
never more at once.

She called the Devil
by the name of Bunne. 

She further says
that her retainer Buune
carried Thomas Gardler 
out of a window, 
who fell into a backside. 

She further says
that near twenty years since,
she promised her soul to the Devil.

She further says
that she gave some of her blood to the Devil,
who wrote the covenant betwixt them.

She further says
that the Devil promised to be her servant
about twenty years,
and that the time is now almost expired. 

She further says
that Jane Holt, Elizabeth Harris, Joan Argoll
were her fellows. 

She further says
that her Devil told her
that Elizabeth Harris,
about six or seven years since,
curs'd the boat of one John Woodcott,
and so it came to pass.

She further says
that the Devil promised her
that she should not sink
being thrown in water.

She further said
Goodwife Argoll cursed Mr. Mayor,
and also John Mannington,
and said 
that he should not thrive,
and so it came to pass.

She likewise says
that the Devil
sucked twice
since she came into the prison.
He came to her in the form
of a mouse. 

She being brought to the bar,
was asked,

Guilty or not guilty?

She answered,
Guilty.

When she came to the place of execution,
Mr. Mayor asked her
if she thought she deserved death?

To whom
she answered
that she did,
and that she desired 
all good people
to take warning by her,
and not to suffer themselves
to be deceived by the Devil,
neither for lucre of money,
malice or anything else,
as she had done,
but to stick to God, 
for if she had not first forsaken God, 
God would not have forsaken her.

The Examination of Joan Cariden, widow, 
taken Septemb. 25. 1645.

THIS examinant says
that about three quarters of a year ago,
as she was in the bed
about twelve or one of the clock
in the night,
there lay a rugged soft thing
upon her bosom,
which was very soft,
and she thrust it off with her hand.

And she says
that when she had thrust it away,
she thought God forsook her,
for she could never pray so well since
as she could before.

And futher says
that she verily thinks it was alive.

The Second Examination
of the said Joan Cariden, alias Argoll,
taken the same day
before the Mayor.

THIS examinant says
that in the same year
this Mayor was formerly Mayor,
the Devil came to her
in the shape of a black rugged dog
in the nighttime,
and crept into the bed with her,
and spake to her in mumbling language.

The next night,
it came to her again,
and required this examinant to deny God,
and lean to him,
and that then he would revenge her of anyone
she owed ill will to,
and thereupon
this examinant promised him her soul
upon those conditions.

And about that time
the Devil sucked this examinant,
and has divers times since sucked her,
and that it was no pain to her.

September 27. 1645.

Confess'd upon the examination of Joan Cariden 
before Master Mayor
that Goodwife Holt told her
within these two days
there was a great meeting
at Goodwife Pantery's house,
and Goodwife Dadson was there,
and Goodwife Gardner should have been there,
but did not come,
and the Devil sat
at the upper end of the table. 

The Examination of Jane Holt, widow,
taken before the Mayor and Jurates,
the 25. of September, 1645.

THIS examinant confesses
that a thing like a hedgehog
had visited her,
and came to her a great while ago,
about twenty years ago,
and that if it sucked her, 
it was in her sleep,
and the pain thereof awaked her,
and it came to her once or twice
in the month 
and sucked her,
and when it lay upon her breast,
she struck it off with her hand,
and it was as soft as a cat. 

At her first coming into the gaol,
she spake very much to the others
that were apprehended before her
to confess if they were guilty,
and stood to it very perversely
that she was clear of any such thing,
and that if they put her into the water to try her,
she should certainly sink.

But when she was put into the water,
and it was apparent she did float upon the water,
being taken forth,
a gentleman to whom before 
she had so confidently spake,
and with whom she offered to lay 
twenty shillings to one 
that she could not swim,
asked her how it was possible
she could be so impudent
as not to confess herself,
when she had so much persuaded 
the others to confess.

To whom she answered
that the Devil went hith her all the way,
and told her she should sink,
but when she was in the water,
he sat upon a crossbeam 
and laughed at her. 

THESE three
were executed on Monday last. 

The Examination of Elizabeth Harris,
the 26. of September, 1645,
before Master Mayor. 

THIS examinant says
that about 19 years ago
the Devil did appear to her
in the form of a mouse.

She further says
that she had a desire to be revenged,
and the Devil told her she should be revenged.

She called the Devil her imp.

She further says
Goodman Chilman of Nuneham
said that she stole a pig.

Then,
she desired 
that God would revenge her of him,
and the man pined away and died,
and she saw it apparent
that her imp was the cause 
of that man's death.

She further says
that the Devil bid her to forsake Christ
and lean to him,
whereupon
she says
that she scratched herself with her nails
and fetched blood from her breast,
and she wiped it with her finger,
and gave it to her imp
who wrote the covenant with it.

She further says
that a fortnight after
the Devil sucked her,
but she felt no pain.

Being demanded 
how many witches were in town,
she answered
that were a heavy sentence.

She further says
that Goodwife Dadson,
Joan Argo, William Argo's wife,
and Goodwife Cox
have very bad tongues.

She further says
that her imp did suck her
every three or four nights.

She further says
that her son being drowned
in Goodman Woodcot's high, 
she wished God might be her revenger,
which was her watchword to the Devil,
and this high was cast away, 
and she conceives 
her wish was the cause of its being cast away.

She further says
that Joan Williford told her
that her imp said
on Wednesday last
that though the boat

- she not knowing that boat - 

went cheerfully out, 
it should not come so cheerfully home.

She says further
that Goodwife Pantery 
did many times make meetings
with Goodwife Williford
and with Goodwife Holt.

She further says
that Goodwife Gardner
has a very ill tongue. 

ALL these
are true copies of examination,
one whereof is not yet executed,
and were taken before me,

Robert Greenstreet,
Mayor. 

Finis.