and Iudgement, freely and indifferently bestowed and
inflicted; And aboue all thinges to bee remembred, the excellent care
of these Iudges in the Triall of offendors._

_It hath pleased them out of their respect to mee to impose this worke
vpon mee, and according to my vnderstanding, I haue taken paines to
finish, and now confirmed by their Iudgement to publish the same, for
the benefit of my Countrie. That the example of these conuicted vpon
their owne Examinations, Confessions, and Euidence at the Barre, may
worke good in others, Rather by with-holding them from, then
imboldening them to, the Atchieuing such desperate actes as these or
the like._

_These are some part of the fruits of my time spent in the Seruice of
my Countrie, Since by your Graue and Reuerend Counsell (my Good Lord)
I reduced my wauering and wandring thoughts to a more quiet harbour of
repose._

_If it please your Honours to giue them your Honourable respect, the
world may iudge them the more worthie of acceptance, to whose various
censures they are now exposed._

_God of Heauen whose eies are on them that feare him, to bee their
Protector and guide, behold your Honours with the eye of fauor, be
euermore your strong hold, and your great reward, and blesse you with
blessings in this life, Externall and Internall, Temporall and
Spirituall, and with Eternall happines in the World to come: to which
I commend your Honours; And rest both now and euer, From my Lodging
in Chancerie Lane, the sixteenth of Nouember 1612._

Your Honours

humbly deuoted

Seruant,

_Thomas Potts._

* * * * *

Vpon the Arraignement and triall of these Witches at the last
Assizes and Generall Gaole-deliuerie, holden at Lancaster, wee found
such apparent matters against them, that we thought it necessarie to
publish them to the World, and thereupon imposed the labour of this
Worke vpon this Gentleman, by reason of his place, being a Clerke at
that time in Court, imploied in the Arraignement and triall of them.

_Ja. Altham._

_Edw. Bromley._[A2]

* * * * *

_After he had taken great paines to finish it, I tooke vpon mee to
reuise and correct it, that nothing might passe but matter of Fact,
apparant against them by record. It is very little he hath inserted,
and that necessarie, to shew what their offences were, what people,
and of what condition they were: The whole proceedings and Euidence
against