"
The story made so much noise that plays were written on the subject, and
enacted. One of them is entitled, "The late Lancashire Witches, a
well-received Comedy, lately acted at the Globe on the Bank-side, by the
King's Majesty's Actors. Written by Thomas Haywood and Richard Broom.
_Aut prodesse solent, aut delectare_, 1634."
But our element is tradition, especially as illustrating ancient manners
and superstitions; we therefore give the sequel of our tale as tradition
hath preserved it.
Giles Dickisson, the merry miller at the Mill Clough, had so taken to
heart his wife's dishonesty that, as we have before observed, he grew
fretful and morose. His mill he vowed was infested with a whole legion
of these "hell-cats," as they were called; for in this shape they
presented themselves to the affrighted eyes of the miserable
yoke-fellow, as he fancied himself, to a limb of Satan. The yells and
screeches he heard o'nights from these witches and warlocks were
unbearable; and once or twice, when late at the mill, both he and Robin
had received some palpable tokens of their presence. Scratches and
bloody marks were plainly visible, and every hour brought with it some
new source of annoyance or alarm.
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