The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction - Volume 13, No. 355, February 7, 1829 by Various
page 12 of 52 (23%)
page 12 of 52 (23%)
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handsome man, and after of a black dog; that he promised her money, and
that she should live gallantly, and have the pleasure of the world for twelve years, if she would, with her blood, sign his paper, which was to give her soul to him, and observe his laws, and that he might suck her blood. This, after four solicitations, the examinant promised to do; upon which he pricked the fourth finger of her right hand, between the middle and upper joints, (where the sign at the examination remained), and with a drop or two of her blood, she signed the paper with an O. Upon this the devil gave her sixpence, and vanished with the paper. That since he hath appeared to her in the shape of a man, and did so on Wednesday sevennight past, but more usually he appears in the likeness of a dog, and cat, and a fly like a miller, in which last he usually sucks in the poll, about four of the clock in the morning, and did so January 27, and that it usually is pain to her to be so suckt." When she desired to do harm, she called _Robin_; on his appearance she opened her wants, saying, _O Satan, give me my purpose._ That a short time before, she and other witches had met a "gentleman in black" in a field, about nine o'clock at night, to devise torments for one Elizabeth Hill, who had come under their ban; they brought a waxen image of her, and the "man in black" took and anointed it, saying, _I baptize thee with this oyl_; and using other words. "He was godfather, and the examinant and Ann Bishop were godmothers." They called it Elizabeth; and the black man and weird sisters stuck thorns into various parts of the luckless image. "After which, they had wine, cakes, and roast meat, (provided by the gentleman in black,) which they did eat and drink; and they danced and were very merry," &c. Many of these unhallowed meetings took place afterwards, and their entertainer, the gentleman in black--man or devil--seems to have been a regular _gourmand_, "and never failed to bring with him abundance of excellent |
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