ely to
open the eyes of any one willing to be blind.

THE SECOND CURSE OF PENDLE.[128]

We have seen what Lancashire was in sixteen hundred and twelve: it was not
much better twenty-one years later; for in 1633 we find that Pendle Forest
was still of bad repute, and that traditions of old Demdike and her rival
Mother Chattox yet floated round the Malkin Tower, and hid, spectre-like,
in the rough and desert places of the barren waste. Who ever knew of evil
example waiting for its followers? What Mothers Demdike and Chattox had
done in their day, their children and grandchildren were ready to do after
them. The world will never lose its old women, "toothless, blear-eyed,
foul-tongued, malicious," for whom love died out and sin came in long
years ago; and Edmund Robinson, son of Ned of Roughs, was one of those
specially appointed by Providence to bring such evildoers to their reward.

Edmund, then about eleven years of age (how many of these sad stories come
from children and young creatures!), lived with his father in Pendle
Forest; lived poorly enough, but not without some kind of romance and
interest; for on the 10th day of February, 1633, he made the following
deposition:--

"Who upon oath informeth, being examined concerning the great meeting of
the Witches of Pendle, saith that upon All Saints' Day last past, he, this
Informer, being with one Henry Parker, a near-door neighbour to him in
Wheatley-lane, desired the said Parker to give him leave to gather some
Bulloes, which he did. In gathering whereof he saw two Grayhounds, viz., a
black and a brown one, come running over the next field towards him, he
verily thinking the one of them to be Mr. Nutter's, and the other to be
Mr. Robinson's, the said Gentlemen then having such like. And saith, the
said Grayhounds came to him, and fawned on him, they having about their
necks either of them a Collar, unto each of which was tied a String; which
Collars (as this Informer affirmeth) did shine like Gold. And he thinking
that some either of Mr. Nutters or Mr. Robinsons Family should have
followed them; yet seeing no body to follow them, he took the same
Grayhounds, thinking to course with them. And presently a Hare did rise
very near before him. At the sight whereof he cried Loo, Loo, Loo: but the
Doggs would not run. Whereupon he being very angry took them, and with the
strings that were about their Collars, tied them to a little bush at the
next hedge, and with a switch