The Examination and Confession of certaine Wytches at Chensforde in the Countie of Essex, before the Quenes maiesties Judges, the xxvi. daye of July. Anno. 1566, at the Assise holden there as then, and one of them put to death for the same offence, as their examination declareth more at large [by John Phillips] |
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 | The Examination and Confession of certaine Wytches at Chensforde |  |
The Preface.
My tremblinge hande for feare doth quake,my dolour doth excede:
My ioyes decrese to tēder teares
my sportes are turnd in dede.
The gredy guifs of grysly griefe,
so gripe my restles harte:
& my pore pen can scantly shewe,
the passions of my smarte.
Drawe nere you patrones with your babes,
come viewe this haples happe:
In flushing fluddes of fominge teares
your tender bewtyes lappe.
Ye matrones milde drawe nere in haste,
this yrksome acte beholde:
Then Nature shall her rufull playnts,
by you her Nimphes vnfolde.
Eche wight in whom the skilfull skyll,
of natures arte is shown:
Surrender may them selues to me,
this cruell acte to mone.
The heapes of griefe so hugie are,
that sobbes must nedes abounde:
Yea shrilly shrickes to passe the skies,
your voyces shall redounde.
The dolour nowe so doutfull is,
that skante my warbling penne:
Can forth expresse the sence thereof,
vnto the sonnes of men.
Agayne the blubringe teares whych glide,
from my poore pincked eyes:
Besmerde my face that scarce I can,
my inwarde griefes supprise.
One while I blushe for shame to showe,
these pageantes worthy blame:
Some other time my thoughtes me let,
these bluddy factes to name.
my dampes are passinge great:
My clogged ioyntes benomd with feare,
haue got Dame sorrowes seat
Her massy mace with direful stroke,
hath stroke my members all:
But these Periphrases I leaue,
and will discourse my thrall.
Which to conceaue each reader wyll,
well way I do not doubt:
Of late in Chenceforde towne deare friendes,
before the noble route.
Of Iudges iust plast in that seate,
by our moste famous Queene:
Iudgement to giue as iustice leades,
as daily well is seene.
The Sessions there by order kepte,
offenders to correct:
Thre feminine dames attached were,
whom Sathan had infect.
With Belials sprite whose sorcery did,
the simple so molest:
That when they woulde with present death,
they were full sore opprest.
Here after shall succede the actes,
that they them selues haue wrought:
As they them selues confessed haue,
to iudgement being brought.
Which thing when thou haste viewed well,
good Reader do then praye:
To God the Lorde that he from vs,
woulde witches take away.
But thus I ende hapinge thou wilte,
my trauell well accept:
And iudge the truth when thou haste hearde,
of this the full effect.
Finis Prolog.
An exhortacion to all faithfull men wyllinge them to set Gods feare before their eyes and Sathans practises vtterly to despise annexed to the same, profitable for euery Christian man to reade and to imbrace.
Behold these acts & scan thē well,behold their peruers way:
these left ye lord these did his truth
which shold haue ben their stay:
In them such power sathan had,
that Christ they did refuse:
his precious blud shed thē to saue
to much they did abuse.
Sin death and hell did spreade their flagge,
in them they bare the sway:
His worde was yrkesome to their hartes,
they walked farre astray.
What tender harte woulde god renounce,
who woulde his gospell leaue:
What godly one woulde hate his lorde,
and vnto Sathan cleaue.
What wight woulde gods good benefites,
so lightly nowe esteme:
Which sent his Christ into the worlde,
from hell vs to redeme.
Who by his might did vanquishe sinne,
and layed Sathan waste:
By whose dere death eternall lyfe,
his flocke shall surely taste.
His loue to vs his creatures did,
in ample wise excede:
to saue vs he decrede.
What durat harte or selly brest,
coulde finde Christe to repaye:
With such contempte as did these ymphes,
which here beholde ye may.
What matrones harte woulde hyde the skyll,
of Nature that meke dame:
And toyle by such vngodly artes,
to extinguishe cleane the same.
I meane if God shoulde sende encrease,
and multiply her sede:
Woulde she frequent it to destroy,
by wicked meanes in dede.
I thinke no tender harte coulde finde,
an infantes bloude to spill:
Nor yet no spoused wife I thinke,
her husbande dere woulde kyll
Sith that by witchcraft witches vse,
all euilles to sequest:
Let such as feare the liuynge God,
their practises detest.
Sith whoredome in the same I saye,
her force doth plainly showe:
Let euery wight the same abhorre,
and scape infernall wo.
Sith this arte doth such yll conteyne,
as swearinges manifolde:
Let faithfull hartes forsake the same,
and fixe on Christ their holde.
Sith by that practise vile dere frendes,
man slaughter put in vre:
Let vs contemne those godles actes,
and leade a life most pure.
Sith Christ the rocke of lastinge life,
must cleane renounsed be:
must haue the dignitie.
What cursed state shall they abyde,
Which Christ their guide refuse:
And study still the deuilles minde,
by practise still to vse.
Did Christ in vayne bestowe his bloude,
to saue our soules from hell:
Did Christ in vaine prepare the heauens,
for his elect to dwell.
Not so I iudge, why shoulde we then,
his lawe and worde contemne:
The scripture doth rebellious folke,
euerlastingly condemne.
I meane such as his worde detest,
his lawe condemneth playne:
To taste with him whom they do serue,
in hell eternall payne.
Such as do in sinne delighte,
frequenting mischiefe styll:
Be Sathans owne, for Iesus Christe,
for his deny them wyll.
Sith Christ in heauen will them forsake,
which him in earth denye:
Let vs henceforth learne so to walke,
his name to magnifye.
Let vs that swearers be in dede,
our swearinge cleane refrayne:
So shall we scape the gredy gulphes,
of hell and burninge payne.
Let whoremongers which whoredome vse,
cast cleane away the same:
And pardon craue, for Christ is prest,
for to forgeue the blame.
Let such men as delight in sinne,
forsake their sinfull waies:
may tende the Lorde to prayse.
Let filthy swynishe dronkardes nowe,
abhorred in Gods sight:
Leaue of their quaffing in excesse,
in modesty delight.
Then shall Gods armes be opened wide,
vs wretches to embrace:
And with his sainctes in his kingedome,
he will vs surely place.
To whych kingedome for Christes sake,
vouchsafe thy flocke to bringe:
That we as thy electes deare God,
to thee may prayses singe.
quoth Iohn Phillips
Finis.
| The Examination and Confession of certaine Wytches at Chensforde | |