[margin:] Richard Portriffe mayor, John Styner, Richard Fowtrell, Alexander Fowkes
Examinations taken before Richard Portriffe Mayor of the ancient town of Rye in the county of Sussex and the jurats of the same town, the 14th day of November anno regni domini nostri Jacobi dei gratia regis nunc anglie etc. sexto etc. Scotie 42nd, 1608.
Thomas Tompkins of Sandwich in the county of Kent, grocer, aged 50 years or thereabouts -----yned sayeth as followeth viz.
---------- being imprisoned within the town of Rye abo[ut]---- months past upon a certain action commenced aga[inst]-- him at the suit of one William Bishop, it was chanced that this examinate had conference with Susan Swapper, being a person condemned (as this examinate hath heard) for felony and witchcraft.
And upon divers and sundry matters which the said Susan at large delivered unto me him concerning Mistress Taylor and her, she the said Susan said that upon a time Mistress Taylor did set upon the board certain bread and meat for her the said Susan to eat, she having been about certain business before for the said Mistress Taylor. And she the said Susan putting a piece of meat in to her mouth, could not eat put the same, but the same rolled up and down in her --- mouth and she nor put her hand back again but was forced against her will to dance up and down the house and could in no wise stay herself, until Mistress Taylor did bid her stay and come away. And this was done before Mistress Taylor’s mother, and they both did laugh [at]----- her.
And further the said Sus[an]------ that the said Mistress Taylor did tell her the said --- upon a time saying unto her,
“Susan, I will tell thee of a pretty jest that was done this night,” and the said Susan did say unto her,
“What is that?” Then said she
“John Cheston and his wife have been feared this night, and like ?tobe pulled out of their beds. And therefore I pray thee, Sue, go up to the spirits to know who did it.”
Whereupon the said Susan went up, and there she saw the spirits. And one of the spirits said unto her
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