Witchcraft discovered and punished.
Or, the Tryals and Condemnation of three Notorious Witches, who were Tryed
the last Assizes, holden at the Castle of Exeter, in the County of Devon: where they received Sentance
for Death, for bewitching several Persons, destroying Ships at Sea, and Cattel by Land, etc.
To the Tune of, Doctor Faustus: or, Fortune my Foe.
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NOw listen to my Song good People all,
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And I shall tell what lately did befall,
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At Exeter, a place in Devonshire,
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The like whereof of late you nere did hear.
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At the last Assizes held at Exeter,
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Three Aged Women that Imprisoned were
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For Witches, and that many had destroyd;
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Were thither brought in order to be tryd.
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For Witchcraft, that Old Wicked Sin,
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Which they for long time had continued in:
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And joynd with Satan, to destroy the good,
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Hurt Innocents, and shed their harmless blood.
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But now it most apparent does appear,
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That they will now for such their deeds pay dear:
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For Satan having lulld their Souls asleep,
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Refuses Company with them to keep.
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A known deceiver he long time has been,
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To help Poor Mortals into dangerous Sin;
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Thereby to cut them off, that so they may,
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Be plungd in Hell, and there be made his Prey.
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So these Malicious Women at the last,
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Having done mischiefs, were by Justice cast:
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For it appeard they Children had destroyd,
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Lamed Cattel, and the Aged much annoyd.
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Having Familiars always at their beck,
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Their Wicked Rage on Mortals for to wreck:
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It being provd they used Wicked Charms,
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To Murther Men, and bring about sad harms.
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And that they had about their Bodys strange
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And Proper Tokens of their Wicked Change:
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As Pledges that to have their cruel will,
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Their Souls they gave unto the Prince of Hell.
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The Country round where they did live came in,
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And all at once their sad complaints begin:
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One lost a Child, the other lost a Kine,
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This his brave Horses, that his hopeful Swine.
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One had his Wife bewitched, the other his Friend,
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Because in some things they the Witch offend:
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For which they labour under cruel pain,
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In vain seek remedy, but none can gain.
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But Roar in cruel sort, and loudly cry,
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Destroy the Witch, and end our misery:
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Some used Charms by Mountabanks set down,
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Those cheating Quacks, that swarm in every Town.
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But alls in vain, no rest at all they find,
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For why? all Witches to cruelty are enclind:
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And do delight to hear sad dying groans,
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And such laments, as woud pierre Marble Stones.
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But now the Hand of Heaven has found them out,
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And they to Justice must pay Lives, past doubt:
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One of these Wicked Wretches did confess,
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She Four Score Years of Age was, and no less.
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And that she had deserved long before,
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To be sent packing to the Stigian shore:
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For the great mischiefs she so oft had done,
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And wondered that her Life so long had run.
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She said the Devil came with her along,
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Through Crouds of People, and bid her be strong:
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And she no hand should have, but like a Lyer,
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At the Prison Door he fled, and nere came nigh her.
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The rest aloud, cravd Mercy for their Sins,
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Or else the great deceiver her Soul gains;
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For they had been lewd Livers many a day,
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And therefore did desire that all would Pray
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To God, to Pardon them, while thus they lie
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Condemned for their Wicked Deeds to Die:
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Which may each Christian do, that they may find
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Rest for their Souls, though Wicked once inclind.
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