fathers Barne, laid vnder a little hay and straw, and from thence was
carried into this Examinates house, and there laid till the Monday at
night following: during which time shee did not speak, but lay as if
she had beene dead.

* * * * *

_The Examination of_ IOHN SINGLETON:
_Taken at Salmesbury, in the Countie of Lancaster,
the seuenth day of August_: Anno Reg. Regis IACOBI
Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, Fidei Defensor. &c.
Decimo & Scotiae, xlvj.

Before

ROBERT HOVLDEN,[L4_b_1] _Esquire, one of his Maiesties
Iustices of Peace in the County of Lancaster._

Against

IENNET BIERLEY, ELLEN BIERLEY, _and_
IANE SOVTHWORTH, _which hereafter followeth._

The said Examinate vpon his oath saith, That hee hath often heard
his old Master, Sir _Iohn Southworth_[L4_b_2] Knight, now deceased,
say, touching the late wife of _Iohn Southworth_, now in the Gaole,
for suspition of Witchcraft: That the said wife was as he thought an
euill woman, and a Witch: and he said that he was sorry for her
husband, that was his kinsman, for he thought she would kill him. And
this Examinate further saith, That the said Sir _Iohn Southworth_ in
his comming or going betweene his owne house at Salmesbury, and the
Towne of Preston, did for the most part forbeare to passe by the
house, where the said wife dwelled, though it was his nearest and best
way; and rode another way, only for feare of the said wife, as this
Examinate verily thinketh.

* * * * *

_The Examination of_ WILLIAM
ALKER _of Salmesbury, in the Countie of Lancaster,
Yeoman: Taken the fifteenth day of Aprill_, Anno Reg.
Regis IACOBI, Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, Decimo
& Scotiae, quadragesimo quinto.

Before

ROBERT HOVLDEN, _one of his Maiesties Iustices
of Peace in the County of Lancaster: Against_ IENNET
BIERLEY, ELLEN BIERLEY, _and_ IANE BIERLEY,
_which hereafter followeth._ viz.

The said Examinate vpon his oath saith, That hee hath seene the
said Sir _Iohn Southworth_ shunne to meet the said wife of _Iohn
Southworth_, now Prisoner in the Gaole, when he came neere where she
was. And hath heard the said Sir _Iohn Southworth_ say, that he liked
her not, and that he doubted she would bewitch him.

Here was likewise _Thomas Sowerbutts_, father of _Grace Sowerbutts_,
examined vpon his oath, and many other witnesses to little purpose:
who being examined by the Court, could depose little against them: