Before

Sir EDWARD BROMLEY Knight, one of his Maiesties Iustices of Assize at Lancaster:  as hereafter followeth. viz.

     Iennet Bierley.
     Ellen Bierley.
     Iane Southworth.

Thus haue we for a time left the Graund Witches of the Forrest of Pendle, to the good consideration of a verie sufficient Iury of worthy Gentlemen of their Co[=u]trey.  We are now come to the famous Witches of Salmesbury, as the Countrey called them, who by such a subtill practise and conspiracie of a Seminarie Priest,[K3_b_1] or, as the best in this Honorable Assembly thinke, a Iesuite, whereof this Countie of Lancaster hath good store,[K3_b_2] who by reason of the generall entertainement they find, and great maintenance they haue, resort hither, being farre from the Eye of Iustice, and therefore, Procul a fulmine; are now brought to the Barre, to receiue their Triall, and such a young witnesse prepared and instructed to giue Euidence against them, that it must be the Act of GOD that must be the means to discouer their Practises and Murthers, and by an infant:  but how and in what sort Almightie GOD deliuered them from the stroake of Death, when the Axe was layd to the Tree, and made frustrate the practise of this bloudie Butcher, it shall appeare vnto you vpon their Arraignement and Triall, whereunto they are now come.

Master Thomas Couel, who hath the charge of the prisoners in the Castle at Lancaster, was commaunded to bring forth the said

     Jennet Bierley,
     Ellen Bierley,
     Jane Southworth,

to the Barre to receiue their Triall.

Indictment.

The said Iennet Bierley, Ellen Bierley, and Iane Southworth of Salmesbury, in the Countie of Lancaster, being indicted, for that they and euery of them felloniously had practised, exercised, and vsed diuerse deuillish and wicked Arts, called Witchcrafts, Inchauntments, Charmes, and Sorceries, in and vpon one Grace Sowerbuts:  so that by meanes thereof her bodie wasted and consumed, Contra formam Statuti &c.  Et Contra Pacem dicti Domini Regis Coronam & dignitatem &c.

To this Indictment vpon their Arraignement, they pleaded Not-Guiltie; and for the Triall of their liues put themselues vpon GOD and their Countrey.

Whereupon Master Sheriffe of the Countie of Lancaster, by direction of the Court, made returne of a very sufficient Iurie to passe betweene the Kings Maiestie and them, vpon their liues and deaths, with such others as follow in order.

The Prisoners being now at the Barre vpon their Triall, Grace Sowerbutts, the daughter of Thomas Sowerbutts, about the age of foureteene yeares, was produced to giue Euidence for the Kings Maiestie against them:  who standing vp, she was commaunded to point out the Prisoners, which shee did, and said as followeth, viz