Observations placeholder
Bodenham, Anne – 03 Constructing a witch’s brew
Identifier
029005
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
None of the things she constructs would do anyone any harm, as such she is doing all this via suggestion.
But she establishes the bridge she needs to make this work using her own fingernails. The communication she establishes can be used to torment their conscience if indeed they are guilty of the crime suspected
A description of the experience
An Antidote Against Atheism by Henry More - Book III: Chapter VII
in a third Conjuration of hers, when the Maid was another time sent to procure some exemplary punishment upon Mr Goddard's two Daughters, who yet were unjustly, as it seems, aspersed with the suspicion of endeavouring to poison their Mother-in-law.
The Witch receiving the Wenches errand, made a Circle as formerly, and set her Pan of Coals therein, and burnt somewhat that stank extremely, and took her book and glass as before is related, and said, Belzebub, Tormentor, Lucifer and Satan appear.
And then appeared five Spirits, as she conceived, in the shapes of little ragged Boyes, which the Witch commanded to appear, and goe along with the Maid to a Meadow at Wilton, which the Witch shewed in a glass, and there to gather Vervine and Dill.
And forthwith the ragged Boyes ran away before the Maid, and she followed them to the said Meadow: and when they came thither, the ragged Boyes looked about for the Herbs, and removed the Snow in two or three places before they could finde any, and at last they found some, and brought it away with them.
And then the Maid and the Boyes returned again to the Witch, and found her in the Circle, paring her Nails: and then she took the said Herbs, and dried the same, and made Powder of some, and dried the Leaves of other, and threw bread to the Boyes, and they eat and danced as formerly; and then the Witch reading in a book they vanished away.
And the Witch gave the Maid in one paper the Powder, in another the Leaves, and in the third the paring of the Nails, all which the Maid was to give her Mistris.
· The Powder was to put in the young Gentlewomens, Miss Sarah and Miss Anne Goddard's, drink or broth, to rot their guts in their bellies;
· the Leaves to rub about the brims of the Pot, to make their teeth fall out of their heads;
· and the paring of the Nails to make them drunk and mad.
And when the Maid came home and delivered it to her Mistris, and told her the effects of the Powder and the other things, her Mistris laughed and said, That is a very brave thing indeed. But yet she had the discretion not to make use of it.