er haunches. She
managed, however, to hide herself behind a chest, and got time to
pronounce the magic words that could alone restore her to her proper
shape. They were:--

"Hare! hare!
God send thee care!
I am in a hare's likeness now;
But I shall be a woman e'en now!
Hare! hare!
God send thee care!"

If witches, when in this shape, were bitten by the dogs, they always
retained the marks in their human form; but she had never heard that
any witch had been bitten to death. When the devil appointed any
general meeting of the witches, the custom was that they should proceed
through the air mounted on broomsticks, or on corn or bean-straws,
pronouncing as they went:--

"Horse and partook, horse and go,
Horse and pellats, ho! ho! ho!"

They generally left behind them a broom, or a three-legged stool,
which, when placed in their beds and duly charmed, assumed the human
shape till their return. This was done that the neighhours might not
know when they were absent.

She added, that the devil furnished his favourite witches with servant
imps to attend upon them. These imps were called "The Roaring Lion,"
"Thief of Hell," "Wait-upon-Herself," "Ranting Roarer,"
"Care-for-Naught," &c. and were known by their liveries, which were
generally yellow, sad-dun, sea-green, pea-green, or grass-green. Satan
never called the witches by the names they had received at baptism;
neither were they allowed, in his presence, so to designate each other.
Such a breach of the infernal etiquette assuredly drew down his most
severe displeasure. But as some designation was necessary, he
re-baptized them in their own blood by the names of "Able-and-Stout,"
"Over-the-dike-with-it," "Raise-the-wind," "Pickle-nearest-the-wind,"
"Batter-them-down-Maggy," "Blow-Kale," and such like. The devil himself
was not very particular what name they called him so that it was not
"Black John." If any witch was unthinking enough to utter these words,
he would rush out upon her, and beat and buffet her unmercifully, or
tear her flesh with a wool-card. Other names he did not care about; and
once gave instructions to a noted warlock that whenever he wanted his
aid, he was to strike the ground three times and exclaim, "Rise up,
foul thief!"

Upon this confession many persons were executed. So strong was the
popular feeling, that no one once accused of witchcraft was acquitted;
at least, acquittals did not average one in a hundred trials.
Wi