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Assertions for a specific being.

Name Description Original Text
Smack (3)A spirit from Warboys in the county of Huntingdon, known to appear in the shape of a dun chicken. Mother Alice Samuel alleged during her confession that an upright man "told her that M. Throgmorton was a hard man & would trouble her much, wherefore he would give her six spirits that should vex and torment his children, and so he did." He told her that if she called on these six spirits, they would come, and taught her to call three of them by the names of Pluck, Catch, White, and the rest with three smacks of her mouth; they all appeared to her in the shape of dun chickens. These spirits fed on blood from her chin, and the Throckmorton children's claims about these spirits were correct, and often times she did giue a privie becke or nod, with her finger or head, & then the spirits presently stopped the childrens mouths, that they could not speake untill they came out againe: & then would y children wipe their eyes and be well again." She knew the spirits had left the children alone because they "are now come into her, and are now in the bottome of her bellie, and make her so full, that she is like to burst, and this morning they caused her to be so full, that she could scant lace her cote, and that on the way as she came, they weighed so heuie, that the horse she rid on did fall downe and was not able to carrie her." These spirits would also advise her, and told her during her examination that the man who gifted them to her was named Langlad, that he had no dwelling, and had left on a sea voyage. According to the spirit Smack, who spoke often through Joan Throckmorton, Smack (3) was assigned to Mary Throckmorton by Agnes Samuel after Mother Samuel was imprisoned, and was fed blood daily from Mother Samuel's chin.The Examination of Alice Samuell of Warboyi in the Countie of Huntington, taken at Buckden the 29 day of December 1592, before the reuerend Father in God, William by Gods permission Bishop of Lincolne, Francis Crumwell, and Richard Tryce, Esquires, Iustices of her Maiesty's peace within the Countie aforesayd. She saith that she never did hurt to any, sauing to the childre in question. Being demaunded how she knoweth the said dun chicken is gone from the sayd children: shee sayth, because the sayd dun chicken, with the rest, are now come into her, and are now in the bottome of her bellie, and make her so full, that she is like to burst, and this morning they caused her to be so full, that she could scant lace her cote, and that on the way as she came, they weighed so heuie, that the horse she rid on did fall downe and was not able to carrie her. And further she sayth that the upright man of whome she hath confessed to maister Throgmorton, told her that M. Throgmorton was a hard man & would trouble her much, wherefore he would give her six spirits that should vex and torment his children, and so he did: which spirits had reward from her by sucking of her blood oftentimes when they were without her body, and that the sayd spirits did suck of her blood before she sent the forth any whither. She saith further, that whatsoever the children of M. Throg. did speake in their fits prooued true & was true: as for example, whesoever the said children said they did see the said spirits, then were the spirits there, & she did also see the. And she saith, y often times she did giue a privie becke or nod, with her finger or head, & then the spirits presently stopped the childrens mouths, that they could not speake untill they came out againe: & then would y children wipe their eyes and be well again. Further she saith, that it was taught her of a ma that did come unto her house, but where he dwell, or what his name was, she cannot tell, who told her that if she would call the said six spirits they would come: and she called them, & they appeared in the likenes of dun chickens, their names were as followeth: first, Pluck; secod, Catch; the third White; and the other three she called with her mouth with three smacks: and two of them, she (this examinate) sent to M. Ro. Throgmorton of Warbois and his wife, and they returned again, and told her that God would not suffer them to prevaile. Wherupon she (this Examinat) sent the said spirits to the children of the said M. Throg. by means of wherof they haue ben so strangely tormeted, as to the neighbours and countrie hath beene seene. She sayth further, that what the children speake in their fits in her hearing, y it was true, & so it fel out. Being asked further what the upright mans name was that gavu her the diuels, she sayd that she could not tell: wherupon she was moued to go into another chamber, & demand of her spirits what his name was, which she presently did, & there with a loud voice sayd these words as followeth O thou diuell, I charge thee in the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy-ghost, that thou tel me the name of the vpright man which gaue me the deuils: which thing she did three times, and the returned saying, that her spirits had told her y his name was Langlad. And being demaunded where the said Langland dwelled, she said she could not tell. Then was she mooued to go into the said chamber again, and demaund of her spirits where y said Langland dwelt: which also she presently did, and there with a lowd voice three times sayd, O diuell I charge thee in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy-ghost tel me where the said Langland dwelleth, then she returned and sayd that he had no dwelling. Then was she further moved to go again & demand where y said Langland was at that present, which also she did, and demaunded as before, & returned with this answer, That her spirits told her that he went on the last voiage beyond the seas.

Appears in:
Anonymous. The Most Strange and Admirable Discouerie of the Three Witches of Warboys . Unknown: 1593, 59-61