concerning a wicked slander cast upon a Quaker; but the author
of the said libel was ashamed to subscribe his name to it. Also,
this contains an answer to John Bunion's paper, touching the said
imagined witchcraft, which he hath given forth to your wonderment,
as he saith; but it is also proved a lie and a slander by many
credible witnesses hereafter mentioned.'[201] It narrates that
Margaret Pryor, of Long Stanton, indicted, on the 28th July, 1659,
the widow Morlin, a Quaker lady, for having, on the 29th November,
1657, took her out of bed from her husband in the night, put a
bridle in her mouth, and transformed her into a bay mare, and with
a Quaker, William Allen, rode upon her to Maddenly House, a distance
of four miles; that they made her fast to the latch of the door,
while she saw them partake of a feast of mutton, rabbits, and lamb
[lamb in November!!]; that they shone like angels, and talked of
doctrine, and that she knew some of the guests; that her feet were
a little sore, but not her hands, nor was she dirty. In examining
her, the judge elicited that she made no mention of the story for
a year and three-quarters, and that her deposition then was that
some evil spirit changed her into a bay-horse; that her hands and
feet were lamentably bruised, and changed as black as a coal; that
she had her chemise on, which was all bloody, from her sides being
rent and torn with the spurs. All this was unknown to her husband;
nor had she accounted for her chemise so strangely fitting a horse
or mare. It was proved that the complainant had received money for
bringing the charge, and pretended to have burnt some of her hair
with elder-bark, as a counter-charm to prevent it happening again.
The judge summed up with observing that it was a mere dream or
phantasy, and that the complainant was the sorceress, by practicing
incantations in burning her hair and bark. The jury found a verdict
of--not guilty; and thus two innocent persons were saved by an