CHAPTER X.

EVENING ENTERTAINMENTS.

Other amusements were reserved for the evening.
While revelry was again held in the great hall; while
the tables groaned, for the third time since morning, with
good cheer, and the ruby wine, which seemed to gush
from inexhaustible fountains, mantled in the silver
flagons; while seneschal, sewer, and pantler, with the
yeomen of the buttery and kitchen, were again actively
engaged in their vocations ; while of the three hundred
guests more than half, as if insatiate, again vied with each
other in prowess with the trencher and the goblet ; —
while in the words of old Taylor, the Water Poet, but
who was no water-drinker, and who thus sang of the
hospitality of the men of Manchester, in the early part
of the seventeenth century — they had

" Roast, boil'd. bak'd, too, too much, white, claret, sack.
Nothing they thought too heavy or too hot,
Can followed can, and pot succeeded pot,"

— during this time preparations were making for fresh
entertainments out of doors.

THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES. 309

The gardens at Hoghton Tower, though necessarily
confined in space, owing to their situation on the brow
of a hill, were beautifully laid out. and commanded from
their balustred terraces magnificent views of the sur-
rounding country. Below them lay the well-wooded
park, skirted by the silvery Darwen, wTith the fair
village of Walton-le-Dale immediately beyond it, the
proud town of Preston further on, and the single-coned
Nese Point rising majestically in the distance. The prin-
cipal garden constituted a square, and was divided with
mathematical precision, according to the formal taste of
the time, into smaller squares, with a broad well-kept
gravel walk at each angle. These plots were arranged
in various figures and devices — such as the cinq- foil,
the flower-de-luce, the trefoil, the lozenge, the fret,
the diamond, the cross-bow, and the oval, — all very ela-
borate and intricate in design. Besides these knots, as
they were termed, there were labyrinths, and clipped
yew-tree walks, and that indispensable requisite to a
garden at the period, a maze. In the centre was a
grassy eminence, surmounted by a pavilion; in front
of which spread a grass plot, of smoothest turf, ordi-
narily used as a bowling-green. At the lower end of this
a temporary stage was erected, for the masque about to
be represented before the King. Torches were kindled,
and numerous lamps burned in the branches of the
adjoining trees ; but they were scarcely needed, for
the moon being at the full, the glorious effulgence shed
by her upon the scene rendered all other light pale and
ineffectual.

310 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

After supper, at which the drinking was deeper
than at dinner, the whole of the revellers repaired to
the garden, full of frolic and merriment, and well-dis-
posed for any diversion in store for them. The King
was conducted to the bowling-green by his host, pre-
ceded by a crowd of attendants bearing odoriferous
torches, but the royal gait being somewhat un-
steady, the aid of Sir Gilbert Hoghton's arm was re-
quired to keep the Monarch from stumbling. The
rest of the Bacchanalians followed, and, elated as they
were, it will not be wondered that they put very little
restraint upon themselves, but shouted, sang, danced,
and indulged in all kinds of licence.

Opposite the stage prepared for the masquers a plat-
form had been reared, in front of which, was a chair for
the King, with seats for the nobles and principal guests
behind it. The sides were hung with curtains of crim-
son velvet fringed with gold ; the roof decorated like a
canopy ; so that it had a very magnificent effect. James
lolled back in his chair, and jested loudly and rather
indecorously with the various personages as they took
their places around him. In less than five minutes the
whole of the green was filled with the revellers, and
great was the pushing and jostling, the laughing and
screaming, that ensued among them. Silence was then
enjoined by Sir John Finett, who had stationed him-
self on the steps of the stage, and at this command
the assemblage became comparatively quiet, though now
and then a half-suppressed titter or a smothered
scream would break out. Amid this silence, the

THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES. 311

King's voice could be distinctly heard, and his coarse
jests reached the ears of all the astonished audience,
provoking many a severe comment from the elders, and
much secret laughter from the juniors.

The masque began. Two tutelar deities appeared on
the stage. They were followed by a band of foresters
clad in Lincoln green, with bows at their backs. The
first deity wore a white linen tunic, with flesh-coloured
hose and red buskins, and had a purple taffeta mantle
over his shoulders. In his hand he held a palm branch,
and a garland of the same leaves was woven round his
brow. The second household god was a big brawny
varlet, wild and shaggy in appearance, being clothed
in the skins of beasts, with sandals of untanned cow-
hide. On his head was a garland of oak leaves ; and from
his neck hung a horn. He was armed with a huntino--
spear and wood-knife, and attended by a large Lanca-
shire mastiff. Advancing to the front of the stage, the
foremost personage thus addressed the Monarch —

" This day, great King for government admired!
Which these thy subjects have so much desired,
Shall be kept holy in their heart's best treasure,
And vow'd to James as is this month to Caesar.
And now the landlord of this ancient Tower,
Thrice fortunate to see this happy hour,
Whose trembling heart thy presence sets on fire,
Unto this house — the heart of all our shire — ■
Does bid thee cordial welcome, and would speak it,
In higher notes, but extreme joy doth break it.
He makes his guest most welcome, in his eyes
Love tears do sit, not he that shouts and cries.
And we the antique guardians of this place, —

312 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

I of this bouse— be of the fruitful chace, —

Since the bold Iloghtons from this bill took name,

Who with the stiff, unbridled Saxons came,

And so have flourished in this fairer clirne

Successively from that to this our time,

Still offering up to our immortal powers

Sweet incense, wine, and odoriferous flowers ;

While sacred Vesta, in her virgin tire,

With vows and wishes tends the hallowed fire.

Now seeing that thy Majesty is thus

Greater than household deities like us,

We render up to thy more powerful guard,

This Tower. This knight is thine— be is thy ward.

For by thy helping and auspicious hand,

He and his home shall ever, ever stand

And flourish, in despite of envious fate ;

And then live, like Augustus, fortunate.

And long, long mayst thou live ! — To which both men,

And guardian angels cry — " Amen ! amen !"

James, who had demeaned himself critically during
the delivery of the address, observed at its close to Sir
Richard Hoghton, who was standing immediately be-
hind his chair, " We cannot say meikle for the rhymes,
which are but indifferently strung together, but the
sentiments are leal and gude, and that is a' we care for."

On this, the second tutelar divinity advanced, and
throwing himself into an attitude, as if bewildered by
the august presence in which he stood, exclaimed —

"Thou greatest of mortals!" —

And then stopped, as if utterly confounded.

The Kino; looked at him for a moment, and then roared
out — " Weel, gude man, your commencement is perti-
nent and true enough, and though we be ' the greatest

THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES. 313

of mortals,' as ye style us, dinna fash yourself about
our grandeur, but go on, as if we were nae better nor
wiser than your ain simple sell."

But instead of encouraging the dumb-founded deity,
this speech completely upset him. He hastily re-
treated ; and in trying to screen himself behind the hunts-
men fell back from the stage, and his hound leapt after
him. The incident, whether premeditated or not,
amused the spectators much more than any speech he
could have delivered, and the King joined heartily in
the merriment.

Silence being again restored, the first divinity came
forward once more, and spoke thus : —

" Dread lord ! thy Majesty hath stricken dumb,
His weaker god-head ; if to himself he come,
Unto thy service straight he will commend
These foresters, and charge them to attend
Thy pleasure in this park, and show such sport
To the chief huntsman and thy princely court,
As the small circle of this round affords,
And be more ready than he was in words."*

11 Weel spoken, and to the purpose, gude fellow,"
cried James. " And we take this opportuning of assuring
our worthy host, in the presence of his other guests, that
we have never had better sport in park or forest than we
have this day enjoyed — have never eaten better cheer,
nor quaffed better wine than at his board — and altoge-
ther, have never been more hospitably welcomed."

* These speeches, given by Nichols as derived from the family
records of Sir Henry Philip Hoghton, Bart., were actually deli-
vered at a masque represented on the occasion of King James's
visit to Ho<rhton Tower.

314 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

Sir Richard was overwhelmed by his Majesty's com-
mendation.

" I have done nothing my gracious liege," he said,
" to merit such acknowledgment on your part, and the
delight I experience is only tempered by my utter
unworthiness."

" Hout-tout ! man," replied James, jocularly, "ye
merit a vast deal mair than we hae said to you. But
gude folk dinna always get their deserts. Ye ken that,
Sir Richard. And now, ha'e ye not some ither drolleries
in store for us?"

The baronet replied in the affirmative, and soon
afterwards the stage was occupied by a new class of
performers, and a drollery commenced, which kept the
audience in one continual roar of laughter so long
as it lasted. And yet none of the parts had been
studied, the actors entirely trusting to their own powers
of comedy to carry it out. The principal character was
the Cap Justice, enacted by Sir John Finett, who
took occasion in the course of the performance to lam-
poon and satirise most of the eminent legal characters of
the day, mimicking the voices and manner of the
three justices — Crooke, Hoghton, and Doddridge — so
admirably that his hearers were well-nigh convulsed,
and the three learned gentlemen, who sat near the
King, though fully conscious of the ridicule applied
to them, were obliged to laugh with the rest. But
the unsparing satirist was not content with this, but
went on, with most of the other attendants upon the
King, and being intimately versed in Court scandal, he

THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES. 315

directed his lash with telling effect. Asa contrast to the
malicious pleasantry of the Cap Justice, were the gambols
and jests of Robin Gocdfellow — a merry imp, who,
if he led people into mischief, was always ready to
get them out of it. Then there was a dance by Bill
Huckler, old Crambo, and Tom o' Bedlam, the half-
crazed individual already mentioned, as being among
the crowd in the base court. This was applauded to
the echo, and consequently repeated. But the most
diverting scene of all was that in which Jem Tospot
and the three Doll Wangos appeared. Though given
in the broadest vernacular of the county, and scarcely
intelligible to the whole of the company, the dialogue
of this part of the piece was so life-like and natural,
that every one recognised its truth, while the situations
arranged with the slightest effort, and on the spur of
the moment, were extremely ludicrous. The scene was
supposed to take place in a small Lancashire alehouse,
where a jovial pedlar was carousing, and where being
visited by his three sweethearts, — each of whom he
privately declared to be the favourite — he had to recon-
cile their differences, and keep them'all in good humour.
Familiar with the character in all its aspects, Nicholas
played it to the life ; and to do them justice, Dames
Baldwyn, Tetlow, and Nance Redferne, were but little,
if at all inferior to him. There was a reality in their
jealous quarrelling that gave infinite zest to the per-
formance.

" Saul o' my body!" exclaimed James, admiringly,
u those are three braw women. Ane of them maun be

316 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

sax feet, if she is an inch, and weel made and weel favourt
too. Zounds! Sir Richard, there's nae standing the
spells o' your Lancashire Witches. High-born and
low-born, they are a' alike. I wad their only witchcraft
lay in their een. I should then hae the less fear of
'em. But have ye aught more? for it is growing late,
and ye ken we hae something to de in that pavilion."

" Only a merry dance, my liege, in which a man will
appear in a dendrological foliage of fronds," replied the
baronet.

James laughed at the description, and soon after-
wards, a party of mummers, male and female, clad in
various grotesque garbs, appeared on the stage. In the
midst of them was the " dendrological man," enclosed
in a framework of green boughs, like that borne by a
modern Jack-in-the-green. A ring was formed by the
mummers, and the round commenced to lively music.

While the mazy measure was proceeding, Nance Red-
feme, who had quitted the stage with Nicholas, and
now stood close to him among the spectators, said, in
a low tone, " Look there !"

The squire glanced in the direction indicated, and
to his surprise and terror, distinguished among the
crowd at a little distance, the figure of a Cistcrtian
monk.

"He is invisible to every eye except our own," whis-
pered Nance, " and is come to tell me it is time."

" Time for what?" demanded Nicholas.

" Time for you to seize those two accursed Devices,
Jem and his mother," replied Nance. " They are both

THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES. 317

on yon boards. Jem is the man in the tree, and Elizabeth
is the owd crone in the red kirtle and high-crowned hat.
Yo win knoa her feaw feace when yo pluck off her
mask."

" The monk is gone," cried Nicholas, " I have kept
my eyes steadily fixed on him, and he has melted into
air. What has he to do with the Devices ?"

" He is their fate," returned Nance, " an ey ha' acted
under his orders. Boh mount, an seize them. Ey win
ge wi' ye."

Forcing his way through the crowd, Nicholas ran
up the steps, and followed by Nance, sprang upon
the stage. His appearance occasioned considerable
surprise, but as he was recognised by the spectators as the
jolly Jem Tospot, who had so recently diverted them,
and his companion as one of the three Doll Wangos,
m anticipation of some more fun, they received him
with a round of applause. But without stopping to
acknowledge it, or being for a moment diverted from his
purpose, Nicholas seized the old crone, and consigning
her to Nance, caught hold of the leafy frame in which
the man was encased, and pulled him from under it.
But he began to think he had unkennelled the wrong
fox, for the man, though a tall fellow, bore no re-
semblance to Jem Device ; while when the crone's mask
was plucked off, she was found to be a comely young
woman. Meanwhile, all around was in an uproar, and
amidst a hurricane of hisses, yells, and other indica-
tions of displeasure from the spectators, several of the

318 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

mummers demanded the meaning of such a strange
and unwarrantable proceeding.

"They are a couple of witches,"" cried Nicholas;
il this is Jem Device and his mother Elizabeth."

w My name is nother Jem nor Device," cried the
man.

" Nor mine, Elizabeth/' screamed the woman.

"We know the Devices," cried two or three voices
w and these are none of 'em."

Nicholas was perplexed. The storm increased;
Threats accompanied the hisses ; when luckily he espied
a ring on the man's finger. He instantly seized his
hand, and held it up to the general gaze.

" A proof ! — a proof," he cried. " This sapphire
ring was given by the King to my cousin, Richard
Assheton, this morning, and stolen from him by Jem
Device/'

" Examine their features again," said Nance Redferne,
waving her hands over them. " Yo win aw knoa them
now/5

The woman's face instantly altered. Many years
being added to it in a breath. The man changed
equally. The utmost astonishment was evinced by all
at the transformation, and the bystanders who had
spoken before, now cried out loudly — " We know them
perfectly now. They are the two Devices."

By this time an officer, attended by a party of hal-
berdiers, had mounted the boards, and the two prisoners
were delivered to their custody by Nicholas.

THE LANCASHIKE WITCHES. 319

u Howd!" cried the man; " Ey win no longer deny
my name. Ey am Jem Device, an this is my mother,
Elizabeth. Boh a warse offender than either on us
stonds afore yo. This woman is Nance Redferne, gran-
dowter of the owd hag Mother Chattox. Ey charge
her vvi' makin' wax images, an' stickin' pins in 'em,
wi' intent to kill folk. Hoo wad ha' kilt me mysel', wi'
her devilry, if ey hadna bin too strong for her — an'
that's why hoo bears me malice, an' has betrayed me
to Squoire Nicholas Assheton. Seize her, an' ca' me
as a witness agen her."

And as Nance was secured, he laughed malignantly.

" Ey care not," replied Nance. " Ey am now re-
venged on you both."

While this impromptu performance took place, as
much to the surprise of James as of any one else,
and while he was desiring Sir Richard Hoghton to
ascertain what it all meant — at the very moment that
the two Devices and Nance removed from the stage, an
usher approached the Monarch, and said that Master
Potts entreated a moment's audience of his Majesty.

" Potts !" exclaimed James, somewhat confused.
* Wha is he ? — ah, yes ! I recollect — a witch-finder.
Weel, let him approach."

Accordingly, the next moment the little attorney,
whose face was evidently charged with some tremen-
dous intelligence, was ushered into the king's presence.

After a profound reverence, he said, "May it please
your Majesty, I have something for your private ear."

" Aweel, then," replied James, " approach us mair

320 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

closely. What hae ye got to say, sir? Aught mair
axient these witches?"

" A great deal, sire," said Potts, in an impressive
tone. " Something dreadful has happened — something
terrible."

"Eh! what!" exclaimed. James, looking alarmed.
11 What is it, man? Speak !"

" Murder? sire, — murder has been done," said Potts,
in low thrilling accents.

" Murder !" exclaimed James, horror-stricken. "Tell
us a' about it and without more ado."

But Potts was still circumspect. With an air of
deepest mystery, he approached his head, as near as he
dared to that of the Monarch, and. whispered in his ear.

"Can this , be true?" cried James. "If sae — it is
very shocking — very sad."

" It is too true, as your Majesty will find on investi-
gation," replied Potts. " The little girl I told you of,
Jennet Device, saw it done."

" Weel, weel, there is nae accounting for human
frailty and wickedness," said James. " Let a' necessary
steps be taken at once. We will consider what to do.
But dy'e hear, sir — dinna let the bairn Jennet go. Haud
her fast. Dy'e mind that? Now go, and cause the
guilty party to be put under arrest."

And on receiving this command Master Potts de-
parted.

Scarcely was he gone, than Nicholas Assheton came
up to the railing of the platform, and imploring his
Majesty's forgiveness for the disturbance he had occa-

THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES. 321

sioned, explained that it had been owing to the seizure
of the two Devices, who for some wicked but unex-
plained purpose, had contrived to introduce themselves,
under various disguises, into the Tower.

" Ye did right to arrest the miscreants, sir," said
James. " But hae ye heard wmat has happened ?'

" No, my liege," replied Nicholas, alarmed by the
King's manner, " what is it?"

" Come nearer, and ye shall learn," replied James,
61 for wre wadna hae it bruited abroad, though if true,
as we canna doubt, it will be known soon enough."

And as the squire bent forward, he imparted some
intelligence to him, which instantly changed the expres-
sion of the latter to one of mingled horror and rage.

"It is false, sire," he cried. " I will answer for her
innocence with my life. She could not do it. Your
Majesty's patience is abused. It is Jennet who has
done it — not she. But I will unravel the terrible mys-
tery. You have the other two wretches prisoners, and
can enforce the truth from them."

" We will essay to do so," replied James ; " but we
have also another prisoner."

" Christopher Demdike," said Nicholas.
" Ay, Christopher Demdike," rejoined James. " But
another besides him — Mistress Nutter. You stare, sir ;
but it is true. She is in yonder pavilion. We ken
fu' weel wha assisted her flight, and wha concealed
her, Master Potts has told us a'. It is weel fo' you
that your puir kinsman, Richard Assheton, did us

YOL. III. Y

322 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

sic gude service at the boar-hunt to-day. We shall
not now be unmindful of it, even though he cannot
send us the ring we gave him."

" It is here, sire," replied Nicholas. " It was stolen
from him by the villain Jem Device. The poor youth
meant to use it for Alizon. I now deliver it to your
Majesty as coming from him in her behalf."

" And we sae receive it," replied the Monarch,
brushing away the moisture that gathered thickly in his
eyes.

At this moment, a tall personage, wrapped in a cloak,
who appeared to be an officer of the guard, approached
the railing.

" I am come to inform your Majesty that Christopher
Demdike has just died of his wounds," said this per-
sonage.

" And sae, he has had a strae death after a'," rejoined
James. " Weel, we are sorry for it."

" His portion will be eternal bale," observed the
officer.

" How know you that, sir?" demanded the King,
sharply. " You are not his judge."

"■ I witnessed his end, sire," replied the officer ; u and
no man who died as he died can be saved. The Fiend
was beside him at the death- throes."

" Save us!" exclaimed James. " Ye dinna say so?
God's santie ! man, but this is grewsome, and gars the
flesh creep on one's banes. Let his foul carcase be taen
awa', and hangit on a gibbet on the hill where Malkin

THE LANCASHIKE WITCHES. 323

Tower aince stood, as a warning to a' sic heinous
offenders."

As the King ceased speaking, Master Potts appeared,
out of breath and greatly excited.

" She has escaped, sire," he cried.

" Wha ! Jennet!" exclaimed James. " If sae, we
will hang you in her stead."

" No, sire, Alizon," replied Potts. " I can no
where find her ; nor " and he hesitated.

11 Weel — weel — it is nae great matter," replied
James, as if relieved, and with a glance of satisfaction
at Nicholas.

" I know where Alizon is, sire," said the officer.

" Indeed !" exclaimed James. "This fellow is
strangely officious," he muttered to himself. " And
where may she be, sir ?" he added, aloud.

" I will produce her within a quarter of an hour in
yonder pavilion," replied the officer, — " and all that
Master Potts has been unable to find."

" Your Majesty may trust him," observed Nicholas,
who had attentively regarded the officer. " Depend
upon it he will make good his words."

" You think so ?" cried the King. " Then we will
put him to the test. You will engage to confront
Alizon with her mother ?" he added, to the officer.

"I will, sire," replied the other. "But I shall
require the assistance of a dozen men."

" Take twenty if you will," replied the King, — " I
am impatient to see what you can do."

y2

324 THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES.

"In a quarter of a minute all shall be ready within
the pavilion, sire," replied the officer. " You have
seen one masque to-night — but you shall now behold a
different one — the masque of death."

And he disappeared.

Nicholas felt sure he would accomplish his task, for
he had recognised in him the Cistertian monk.

"Where is Sir Richard Assheton, of Middleton ?"
inquired the King.

" He left the Tower with his daughter Dorothy,
immediately after the banquet," replied Nicholas.

" I am glad of it — right glad," replied the Monarch;
" the terrible intelligence can be the better broken to
them. If it had come upon them suddenly, it might
have been fatal — especially to the puir lassie. Let Sir
Ralph Assheton, of Whalley, come to me — and Master
Roger Nowell, of Read."

" Your Majesty shall be obeyed," replied Sir Richard
Hoghton.

The King then gave some instructions respecting
the prisoners, and bade Master Potts have Jennet in
readiness.

And now to see what terrible thing had happened.

THE LANCASHIEE WITCHES. 325