 Section 14 of Mary Schveidler, the Amber Witch. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sissineck. Mary Schveidler, the Amber Witch, by Wilhelm Meinhold, translated by Lucy Duff Gordon. The 19th Chapter The 19th Chapter How Satan, by the permission of the most righteous God, sought altogether to ruin us and how we lost all hope. The same day, at about three in the afternoon, when I was gone to Conrad's seep his alehouse to eat something, seeing that it was now nearly two days since I had tasted awe save my tears, and he had placed before me some bread and sausage together with a mug of beer. The constable came into the room and greeted me from the sheriff, without, however, so much as touching his cap, asking whether I would not dine with his lordship, that his lordship had not remembered till now that I, by like, was still fasting, seeing the trial had lasted so long. Hereupon I made answer to the constable that I already had my dinner before me, as he saw himself, and desired that his lordship would hold me excused. Here at the fellow wondered greatly, and answered, did I not see that his lordship wished me well, albeit I had preached to him as though he were a Jew? I should think on my daughter, and be somewhat more ready to do his lordship's will, whereby per adventure all would yet end well. For his lordship was not such a rough ass as Dom Consul, and meant well by my child and me, as besiemed a righteous magistrate. After I had with some trouble rid myself of this impudent fox, I tried to eat a bit, but nothing would go down save the beer. I therefore soon sat and thought again whether I would not lodge with Conrad's seat, so as to be always near my child, item, whether I should not hand over my poor misguided flock, to M. Vigilius, the pastor of Benz, for such time as the lord still should prove me. In about an hour I saw through the window how that an empty coach drove to the castle, and the sheriff and Dom Consul straight away stepped there into with my child, item, the constable climbed up behind. Hereupon I left everything on the table and ran to the coach, asking humbly whether they were about to take my poor child, and when I heard that they were going to the Streckelberg to look after the amber, I begged them to take me also, and to suffer me to sit by my child, for who could tell how much longer I might yet sit by her. This was granted to me, and on the way the sheriff ordered me to take up my abode in the castle, and to die into his table as often as I pleased, and that he would moreover send my child her meat from his own table. For that he had a Christian heart, and well knew that we were to forgive our enemies. But I refused his kindness with my humble thanks, as my child did also, seeing we were not yet so poor that we could not maintain ourselves. As we passed by the water mill, the ungodly varlet there again thrust his head out of a hole, and pulled rye faces at my child. But, dear reader, he got something to remember it by, for the sheriff beckoned to the constable to fetch the fellow out, and after he had reproached him with the tricks he had twice played my child, the constable had to take the coachman his new whip, and to give him fifty lashes, which, God knows, were not laid on with a feather. He bellowed like a bull, which, however, no one heard for the noise of the mill-wills, and when at last he did as though he could not stir, we left him lying on the ground, and went on our way. As we drove through Eucharist a number of people flocked together, but were quiet enough save one fellow who, Salva Venya, mocked at us with unseemly gestures in the midst of the road when he saw us coming. The constable had to jump down again, but could not catch him and the others would not give him up, but pretended that they had only looked at our coach and had not marked him. Maybe this was true, and I am therefore inclined to think that it was Satan himself who did it to mock at us, for Mark, for God's sake, what happened to us on the Streckelberg. Alas, through the delusions of the falfiend we could not find the spot where we had dug for the amber. For when we came to where we thought it must be a huge hill of sand had been heaped up as by a whirlwind, and the fur twigs which my child had covered over it were gone. She was near falling in a swoon when she saw this, and wrung her hands and cried out with her savior, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? How be it the constable and the coachmen were ordered to dig, but not one bit of amber was to be found, even so big as a grain of corn, whereupon Dom Consul shook his head and violently uprated my child. And when I answered that Satan himself, as it seemed, had filled up the hollow in order to bring us all together into his power, the constable was ordered to fetch a long stake out of the corpus, which we might thrust still deeper into the sand. But no hard objectum was anywhere to be felt, withstanding the share of Dom Consul and myself, and my anguish did try everywhere with the stake. Hereupon my child besought her judges to go with her to Kosrow, where she still had much amber in her coffer, which she had found here, and that if it were the gift of the devil, it would be all changed, since it was well known that all the presents the devil makes to witches straight away turned to mud and ashes. But God be merciful to us, God be merciful to us, when we returned to Kosrow, amid the wonderment of all, the village and my daughter went to her coffer. The things therein were all tossed about and the amber gone. Hereupon she shrieked so loud that it would have softened a stone and cried out, the wicked constable hath done this. When he fetched the salve out of my coffer he stole the amber from me, unhappy made. But the constable who stood by would have torn her hair and cried out, thou witch, thou damned witch, and not enough that thou hast belied my lord, but thou must now belie me too. But Dom Consul forbade him, so that he did not dare lay hands upon her. Item. All the money was gone, which she had hoarded up from the amber she had privately sold, and which she thought already came to about ten florins. But the gown which she had worn at the arrival of the most illustrious king Gustavus Adolphus, as well as the golden chain with his effigy which he had given her, I had locked up as though it were a relic. In the chest and the vestry, among the altar and pulpit cloths. And there we found them still. And when I excused myself, therefore, saying that I had thought to have saved them up for her, there against her bridal day, she gazed with fixed and glazed eyes into the box and cried out, yes, against the day when I shall be burnt. Oh, Jesu, Jesu, Jesu. Here at Dom Consul shuddered and said, See how thou still dismite thyself with thine own words. For the sake of God and thy salvation confess, for if thou knowest thyself to be innocent, how then canst thou think that thou will be burnt? But she still looked infixedly in the face and cried aloud in Latin, Inocentia quidest inocentia, Ubi libido dominetia inocentia leve prosidium est. Hereupon Dom Consul again shuddered so that his beard wagged and said, What, dost thou indeed know Latin? Where didst thou learn the Latin? And when I answered this question as well as I was able for sobbing, he shook his head and said, I never in my life heard of a woman that knew Latin. Upon this he knelt down before her coffer and turned over everything therein and drew it away from the wall and when he found nothing he bet us show him her bed and did the same with that. This, at length, vexed the sheriff who asked him whether they should not drive back again, seeing that night was coming on. But he answered, Nay, I must first have the written paction which Satan has given her and he went on with his search until it was almost dark. But they found nothing at all, although Dom Consul together with the constable passed over no hole or corner even in the kitchen and cellar. Hereupon he got up again into the coach muttering to himself and bade my daughter sit so that she should not look upon him. And now we once more had the same spectacular with the accursed old witch Lizzie Colkin, seeing that she again sat at her door as we drove by and began to sing at the top of her voice. We praised thee, O Lord. But she screeched like a stuck pig so that Dom Consul was amazed there at. And when he had heard who she was, he asked the sheriff whether he would not that she should be seized by the constable and be tied behind the coach to run after it as we had no room for her elsewhere. For that he had often been told that all old women who had red squinting eyes and sharp voices were witches. Not to mention the suspicious things which Rhea had declared against her. But he declared that he could not do this seeing that old Lizzie was a woman in good repute and fearing God as Dom Consul might learn for himself. But that nevertheless he had had her summoned for the morrow, together with the other witnesses. Yea, in truth an excellently devout and worthy woman. For scarcely were we out of the village when so fearful a storm of thunder, lightning, wind, and hail burst over our heads the corn all around us was beaten down as with a flail and the horses before the coach were quite maddened, however it did not last long. But my poor child had to bear all the blame again in as much as Dom Consul thought that it was not old Lizzie which nevertheless was as clear as the sun at noonday but my poor daughter who brood the storm. For, beloved reader, what could it have profited her even if she had known the black art? This, however, did not strike Dom Consul and Satan by the permission of the all-righteous God was presently to use us still worse. For just as we got to the master's dam he came flying over us in the shape of a stork and dropped a frog so exactly over us that it fell into my daughter her lap. She gave a shrill scream, but I whispered to her to sit still and that I would secretly throw the frog away by one leg. But the constable had seen it and cried out, hey, sirs, hey, look at the cursed witch, what has the devil just thrown into her lap? Whereupon the sheriff and Dom Consul looked round and saw the frog which crawled in her lap and the constable after he had blown upon it three times took it up and showed it to their lordships. Here at Dom Consul began to spew and when he had done he ordered the coachman to stop, got down from the coach and said we might drive home that he felt qualmish and would go afoot and see if he got better. But first he privately whispered to the constable which, albeit we heard right well, that when he got home he should lay my poor child and change but not so as to hurt her much to which neither she nor I could answer saved by tears and sobs. But the sheriff had heard it too and when his worship was out of sight he began to stroke my child her cheeks from behind her back telling her to be easy as he also had a word to say in the matter and that the constable should not lay her in chains but that she must leave off being so hard to him as she had been hitherto and come and sit on the seat beside him that he might privately give her some good advice as to what was to be done. To this she answered with many tears that she wished to sit only by her father as she knew not how much longer she might sit by him at all and she begged for nothing more save that his lordship would leave her in peace but this he would not do but pinched her back and sides with his knees and as she bore with this seeing that there was no help for it he waxed bolder taking it for a good sign. Meanwhile Dom Consul called out close behind us for being frightened he ran just after the coach constable constable come here quick here lies a hedgehog in the midst of the road whereupon the constable jumped down from the coach this made the sheriff still bolder and at last my child rose up and said father let us also go afoot I can no longer guard myself from him here behind but he pulled her down again by her clothes and cried out angrily wait thou wicked witch I shall be to go afoot if thou art so willful thou shalt be chained to the block this very night whereupon she answered do you do that which you cannot help doing the righteous god it is to be hoped will one day do unto you what he cannot help doing meanwhile we had reached the castle and scarcely where we got out of the coach when Dom Consul who had run till he was all of a sweat came up together with the constable and straight away gave over my child into his charge so that I had scarce time to bid her farewell I was left standing on the floor below ringing my hands in the dark and harkened wither they were leading her in as much as I had not the heart to follow when Dom Consul who had stepped into a room with the sheriff looked out at the door again and called after the constable to bring Ria once more before them and when he had done so and I went into the room with them Dom Consul held a letter in his hand and after spitting thrice he began thus wilt thou still deny thou stubborn witch hear what the old knight Hans von Ninkerken writes to the court whereupon he read out to us that his son was so disturbed by the tale the accursed witch had told him that he had fallen sick from that very hour and that he the father was not much better that his son, Rudiger, had indeed at times when he went that way been to see Pastor Schweidler whom he had first known upon a journey that he swore that he wished he might turn black if he had ever used any folly or jesting with the curse of Devil's whore his daughter much less ever been with her by night on the Streckelberg or embraced her there at this dreadful news we both I mean my child and I fell down in a swoon together seeing that we had rested our last hopes on the young lord and I know not what further happened for when I came to myself my host Conrad Siep was standing over me holding a funnel between my teeth through which he ladled some warm beer down my throat and I never felt more wretched in all my life in so much that Master Siep had to undress me like a little child and to help me into bed End of Section 14 Recording by Sissineck Section 15 of Mary Schweiler, The Amber Witch This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Lynette Calkins Monument, Colorado Mary Schweiler, The Amber Witch by Wilhelm Meinhold Translated by Lucy Duff Gordon The 20th Chapter Of the Malice of the Governor and of Old Lizzie Item of the Examination of Witnesses The next morning my hairs which till datum had been mingled with grey were white as snow albeit the Lord otherwise blessed me wondrously For near daybreak a nightingale flew into the elder bush beneath my window and sang so sweetly that straight way I thought it must be a good angel for after I had harkened a while to it I was all at once able again to pray which since last Sunday I could not do and the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ began to speak within me and straight away I was of good cheer trusting that God would once more be gracious unto me his wretched child and when I had given him thanks for such great mercy I fell into a refreshing slumber and slept so long that the blessed son stood high in the heavens when I awoke and seeing that my heart was still of good cheer I sat up in my bed and sang with a loud voice be not dismayed thou little flock upon Master Seep came into the room thinking I had called him but he stood reverently waiting till I had done and after marveling at my snow-white hair he told me it was already seven item that half my congregation among others my Plowman, Klaus Neals were already assembled in his house to bear witness that day when I heard this I bade mine host forthwith send Klaus to the castle to ask when the court would open and he brought word back that no one knew seeing that Dom Consul was already gone that morning to Melenthin to see old Nienkerkin and was not yet come back this message gave me good courage and I asked the fellow whether he also had come to bear witness against my poor child to which he answered nay, I know not save good of her and I would give the fellows their due only these words surprised me and I vehemently urged him to open his heart to me but he began to weep and at last said that he knew nothing alas! he knew but too much and could then have saved my poor child if he had willed but from fear of the torture he held his peace and he since owned and I will here relate what had befallen him that very morning he had set out be times that morning so as to be alone with his sweetheart who was to go along with him she is Stefan of Zempin his daughter not Farmer Stefan but the lame Goudy Stefan and had got to Pudgla about five where he found no one in the ale house save old Lizzy Colkin who straight away hobbled up to the castle and when his sweetheart was gone home again time hung heavy in his hands and he climbed over the wall into the castle garden where he threw himself on his face behind a hedge to sleep but before long the sheriff came with old Lizzy and after they had looked all round and seen no one they went into an arbor close by him and conversed as follows Illa now that they were alone together what did she want of him? Illa she came to get the money for the witchcraft she had contrived in the village Illa of what use had all this witchcraft been to him my child so far from being frightened defied him more and more and he doubted whether he should ever have his will of her Illa he should only have patience when she was laid upon the rack she would soon learn to be fond Illa that might be but till then she Lizzy should get no money Illa what must she then do his cattle of mischief Illa yes if she felt chilly and wanted a burning faggot to warm her podix she had better moreover he thought that she had bewitched him seeing that his desire for the parson's daughter was such as he had never felt before Illa laughing he had said the same things some thirty years ago when he first came after her Illa ug that old baggage don't remind me of such things but see to it that you get three witnesses as I told you before or else me thinks they will rack your joints for you after all Illa she had the three witnesses ready and would leave the rest to him but that if she were racked she would reveal all she knew Illa hold her ugly tongue and go to the devil Illa so she would but first she must have her money Illa she should have no money till he had had his will of my daughter Illa he might at least pay her for her little pig which she herself had bewitched to death in order that she might not get into evil repute Illa she might choose one when his pigs were driven by and say she had paid for it hereupon said my class the pigs were driven by one ran into the garden the door being open and as the swine-herd followed it they parted but the witch muttered to herself now help devil help that I may but he heard no further the cowardly fellow however hid all this from me as I have said above and only said with tears that he knew nothing I believed him and sat down at the window to see when Dom Consul should return and when I saw him I rose and went to the castle the constable who was already there with my child met me before the judgment chamber alas she looked more joyful than I had seen her for a long time and smiled at me with her sweet little mouth but when she saw my snow-white hair she gave a cry which made Dom Consul throw open the door of the judgment chamber and say ha ha thou knowest well what news I have brought thee come in thou stubborn devil's brat whereupon we stepped into the chamber to him and he lift up his voice and spake to me after he had sat down with the sheriff who was by he said that yester even after he had caused me to be carried like one dead to master seep his alehouse and that my stubborn child had been brought to life again he had once more adjured her to the utmost of his power no longer to lie before the face of the living God but to confess the truth whereupon she had borne herself very unruly and had wrung her hands and wept and sobbed and asked, answered that the young nobles never could have said such things but that his father must have written them, who hated her as she had plainly seen when the Swedish king was at Kosrow that he, Dom Consul, had indeed doubted the truth of this at the time but as a just judge had gone that morning right early with the Skriba to Melanthan to question the young Lord himself that I might now see myself what horrible malice was in my daughter for that the old knight had led him to his son's bedside who still lay sick from vexation and that he had confirmed all his father had written and had cursed the scandalous she-devil, as he called my daughter for seeking to rob him of his nightly honour what sayest thou now, he continued wilt thou still deny thy great wickedness see here the protocolum which the young Lord hath signed Manupropria but the wretched maid had meanwhile fallen on the ground again and the constable had no sooner seen this than he ran into the kitchen and came back with a burning brimstone match which he was about to hold under her nose but I hindered him and sprinkled her face with water so that she opened her eyes and raised herself up by a table she then stood awhile without saying a word or regarding my sorrow at last she smiled sadly and spake thus that she clearly saw how true was that spoken by the Holy Ghost cursed be the man that trusted in man and that the faithlessness of the young Lord had surely broken her poor heart if the all-merciful God had not graciously prevented him and sent her a dream that night which she would tell not hoping to persuade the judges but to raise up the white head of her poor father after I had sat and watched all the night quoth she towards morning I heard a nightingale sing in the castle garden so sweetly that my eyes closed and I slept then me thought I was a lamb grazing quietly in my meadow at Kosrow suddenly the sheriff jumped over the hedge and turned into a wolf who seized me in his jaws and ran with me towards the Struckelberg where he had his lair I poor little lamb trembled and bleated in vain and saw death before my eyes when he laid me down before his lair where lay the she-wolf and her young but behold a hand like the hand of a man straightway came out of the bushes and touched the wolves each one with one finger and crushed them so that not was left of them save a gray powder hereupon the hand took me up and carried me back to my meadow only think, beloved reader, how I felt when I heard all this and about the dear nightingale too which no one can doubt to have been the servant of God I clasped my child with many tears and told her what had happened to me and we both won such courage and confidence as we had never yet felt to the wonderment of Dom Consul as it seemed but the sheriff turned as pale as a sheet when she stepped towards their worships and said and now do with me as you will the lamb fears not for she is in the hands of the good shepherd meanwhile Dom Comorarius came in with a scribba but was terrified as he chanced to touch my daughter's apron with the skirts of his coat and stood and scraped at his coat as a woman scrapes a fish at last after he had spat out thrice he asked the court whether it would not begin to examine witnesses seeing that all the people had been waiting some time both in the castle and at the ale-house hereunto they agreed and the constable was ordered to guard my child in his room until it should please the court to summoner I therefore went with her but we had to endure much from the impudent rogue seeing he was not ashamed to lay his arm around my child her shoulders and to ask for a kiss in mea presentia but before I could get out a word she tore herself from him and said ah that wicked knave must I complain of thee to the court hast thou forgotten what thou hast already done to me to which he answered laughing see see how coy and still sought to persuade her to be more willing and not to forget her own interest for that he meant as well by her as his master she might believe it or not with many other scandalous words besides which I have forgot for I took my child upon my knees and laid my head on her neck and we sat and wept End of Section 15 Section 16 of Mary's Fridler, The Amber Witch This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Mary's Fridler, The Amber Witch by Vilhelm Meinhold translated by Lucy Doth Gordon The 21st Chapter De Confrontatione Testium When we were summoned before the court again the whole court was full of people and some shattered when they saw us but others wept My child told the same tale as before but when our old Udse was called who sat on the bench behind so that we had not seen her the strength wherewith the Lord had gifted her was again at an end and she repeated the words of our Saviour He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me and she held fast by my chair Hordil said too could not walk straight for very grief nor could she speak for tears but she twisted and wound herself about before the court like a woman in travail but when Dom Consul threatened that the constable should presently help her to her words she testified that my child had very often got up in the night and called aloud upon the foul field Question whether she had ever heard Satan answer her? Response She never had heard him at all Question whether he had perceived that Rare had a familiar spirit and in what shape she should think upon her oath and speak the truth? Response Question whether she had ever heard her fly up the chimney? Response Nay, she had always gone softly out at the door Question whether at mornings had missed her broom or pitchfork? Response Once the broom was gone but she had found it again behind the stove and maybe left it there herself by mistake Question whether she had never heard Rare cast a spell or wish harm to this or that person? Response No, never she had always wished her neighbours nothing but good and even in the time of bitter famine she would have her own mouth to give it to others Question whether she did not know the self which had been found in Rare her coffer? Response Oh yes, her young mistress had brought it back from Volgaast for her skin and had once given her some when she had chapped hands and it had done her a vast deal of good Question whether she had anything further to say? Response No, nothing but good Here upon my man Klaus Niels was called up He also came forward in tears but answered every question with a nay and at last testified that he had never seen nor heard anything bad of my child and knew not of her doings by night seeing that he slept in a stable with the horses and that he firmly believed that evil folks and here he looked at old Lizzie had brought this misfortune upon her and that she was quite innocent When it came to the turn of this old limb of Satan who was to be the chief witness my child again declared that she would not accept old Lizzie's testimony against her and called upon the court for justice for that she had hated her from her youth up and had been longer by habit and repute a witch than she herself but the old hag cried out God forgive thee thy sins the whole village knows that I am a devout woman and one serving the Lord in all things where upon she called up old Zooter Vitan and my church warden Klaus Bulk who bore witness here too but old Pash stood and shook his head nevertheless when my child said Pash wherefore does that shape thy head he started and answered oh nothing albeit Dom Consul likewise perceived this and asked him whether he had any charge to bring against old Lizzie and if so he should give glory to God and state the same item it was competent to everyone so to do indeed the court required of him to speak out all he knew but from fear of the old dragon all were still as mice so that you might have heard the flies buzz about the ink stand wretched as I was and stretched out my arms over my amazed and faint-hearted people and spake can ye thus crucify me together with my poor child have I deserved this at all hands speak then alas will none speak I heard indeed how several wept aloud but not one spake and here upon my poor child was forced to submit and the malice of the old hag was such that she not only accused my child of the most horrible witchcraft but also reckoned to a day when she had given herself up to Satan to rob her of her maiden honour and she said that Satan had without doubt then defiled her when she could no longer heal the cattle and when they all died here upon my child said not save that she cast down her eyes and blushed deep for shame at such filthiness and to the other blasphemous slander which the old hag uttered with many tears namely that my daughter had given up her Liz's husband body and soul to Satan she answered as she had done before but when the old hag came to her rebaptism in the sea and gave out that while seeking for strawberries in the copies she had recognised my child's voice and stolen towards her and perceived these devil's doings my child fell in smiling and answered oh thou evil woman how couldst thou hear my voice speaking down by the sea being thyself in the forest upon the mountain surely thou liest seeing that the murmur of the waves would make that impossible this angered the old dragon and seeking to get out of the blunder she fell still deeper into it for she said I saw thee knew thy lips and from that I knew that thou didst call upon the paramour the devil for my child straightway replied oh thou ungodly woman thou saidst thou what in the forest when thou didst hear my voice how then up in the forest could thou see whether I who was below by the water moved my lips or not such contradictions amazed even Dom Consul and he began to threaten the old hag with the rack if she told such lies whereupon she answered and said list then whether I lie when she went naked into the water she had no mark on her body but when she came out again I saw that she had between her breasts a mark the size of a silver penny whence I perceived that the devil had given it to her although I had not seen him about her nor indeed had I seen anyone either spirit or child of man for she seemed to be quite alone hereupon the sheriff jumped up from his seat and cried search must straightway be made for this mark whereupon Dom Consul answered yea but not by us but by two women of good repute but he would not harken to what my child said that it was a mole and that she had had it from her youth up wherefore the constable his wife was sent for and Dom Consul matted somewhat into her ear and as prayers and tears were of no avail my child was forced to go with her howbeit she obtained this favour that old Lizzie Culkin was not to follow her as she would have done but our old maid Ilse I too went in my sorrows seeing that I knew not what the women might do to her she wept bitterly as they unjust her and held her hands over her eyes for very shame well a day her body was just as white as my departed wife's although in her childhood as I remember she was very yellow and I saw with amazement the mole between her breasts whereof I had never heard ought before but she suddenly screamed violently and started back seeing that the constable his wife when nobody watched her had run a needle into the mole so deep that the red blood ran down over her breasts I was sorely angered there at but the woman said that she had done it by order of the judge indeed was true but when we came back into court and the sheriff asked how it was she testified that there was a mark the size of a silver penny of a yellowish colour but that it had feeling seeing that Rare had screamed aloud when she had unperceived driven a needle therein meanwhile however Don Camerarius suddenly rose and stepping up to my child drew her eyelids asunder her fails whereupon the whole court started to their feet and looked at the little spot under her right eyelid which in truth had been left there by a sty but this none would believe Don Consul now said see Satan hath marked the unbody and soul and thou dost still continue to lie under the Holy Ghost but it shall not avail thee and thy punishment will only be the heavier oh thou shameless woman thou hast refused to accept the testimony of old Lizzie who about also refuse that these people who have all heard thee on the mountain call upon the devil like Paramore and see him appear in the likeness of a hairy giant and kiss and caress thee hereupon old Pash good wife Viltam and Zuta came forward and bear witness that they had seen this happen about midnight and that on this declaration they would live and die they told Lizzie had awakened them one Saturday night about eleven o'clock had given them a can of beer and persuaded them to follow the parson's daughter privately and to see what she did upon the mountain at first they refused but in order to get at the truth about the witchcraft in the village they had at last after a devout prayer consented and had followed her in God's name they had soon through the bushes seen the witch in the moonshine she seemed to dig and spake in some strange tongue a while where upon the grim arch fiend suddenly appeared and fell upon her neck hereupon they ran away in consternation but by the help of the almighty God on whom from the very first they had set their faith they were preserved from the power of the evil one for notwithstanding he had turned round on hearing a rustling in the bushes with no power to harm them finally it was even charged to my child as a crime that she had fainted on the road from Khazar al to Pudla and none would believe that this had been caused by vexation at old Lizzie her singing and not from a bad conscience as stated by the judge when all the witnesses had been examined Dom Consul asked her whether she had brewed the storm what was the meaning of the frog dropped into her lap it seemed the hedgehog which lay directly in his path to all of which she answered that she had caused the one as little as she knew of the other whereupon Dom Consul shook his head and asked her whether she would have an advocate or trust entirely in the good judgment of the court to this she gave answer that she would by all means have an advocate to the townmen Klaus Neals the next day to Volgast to fetch the syndicus Mickelson who is a worthy man and in whose house I have been many times when I went to the town seeing that he courteously invited me I must also note here that at this time my old Ilse came back to live with me for after the witnesses were gone she stayed behind in the chamber and came boldly up to me and besought me to suffer her once more her old master and her dear young mistress for that now she had saved her poor soul and confessed all she knew wherefore she could no longer bear to see her old masters in such woeful plight without so much as a mouthful of vitals seeing that she had heard that old wife Seep who had till datum prepared the food for me and my child often let the porridge burn it then over salted the fish moreover that I was so weakened my age and misery that I needed help and support which she would faithfully give me and was ready to sleep in a stable if needs must be that she wanted no wages for it I was only not to turn her away such kindness made my daughter to weep and she said to me behold father the good folk come back to us again think you then the good angels will forsake us forever I thank ye old Ilse thou shall indeed prepare my food for me and always bring it as far as the prison door if thou mayst come no further and mark then I pray thee what the constable does therewith this the maid promised to do and from this time forth took up her abode in the stable may God repay her at the day of judgment for what she then did for me and for my poor child end of section 16 section 17 of Mary's Fridler The Amber Witch this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Mary's Fridler The Amber Witch by Vilhelm Meinhold translated by Lucy Duff Gordon the 22nd chapter How the syndicus Dom Mickelson arrived and prepared his defence of my poor child the next day at about three o'clock p.m. Dom syndicus came driving up and got out of his coach at my inn he had a huge bag full of books with him but was not so friendly in his manner as was usual with him but very grave and silent after he had saluted me in my own room and had asked how it was possible for my child to have come to such misfortune I related to him the whole affair where at however he only shook his head on my asking him whether he would not see my child that same day he answered no he would rather study first the actor and after he had eaten of some wild duck which my old Ilse had roasted for him he would tarry no longer but straightway went up to the castle whence he did not return till the following afternoon his manner was not more friendly now than at his first coming and I followed him with sighs when he asked me to lead him to my daughter as we went in with the constable and I for the first time saw my child in chains before me she who in her whole life had never hurt a worm I again felt as though I should die for very grief but she smiled and cried out to Dom Syndicus are you indeed the good angel who will cause my chains to fall from my hands as was done of your to St. Peter to which he replied with a sigh may the Almighty grant it and as saved the chair whereon my child sat against the wall there was none other in the dungeon which was a filthy and stinking hole wherein were more woodlice than ever I saw in my life Dom Syndicus and I sat down on her bed which had been left for her at my prayer and he ordered the constable to go his ways until he should call him back hereupon he asked my child what she had to say in her justification and she had not gone far in her defence when I perceived from the shadow at the door that someone must be standing without I therefore went quickly to the door which was half open and found the impudent constable who stood there to listen this so angered Dom Syndicus that he snatched up his stuff in order to hasten his going but the arch-rogue took to his heels as soon as he saw this my child took this opportunity to tell her worshipful defensor what she had suffered from the impudence of this fellow and to beg that some other constable might be set over her seeing that this one had come to her with all designs so that she at last had shrieked aloud and beaten him on the head with her chains whereupon he had left her this Dom Syndicus promised to obtain for her but with regard to the defensio wherewith she now went on he thought it would be better to make no further mention of the impudence which the sheriff had made on her chastity for, said he as the princely central court at Volgas has to give sentence upon me this statement would do the far more harm than good seeing that the price is thereof is a cousin of the sheriff and of time goes a hunting with him besides, thou being charged with a capital crime has no fee days especially as thou can spring no witnesses against him thou couldst therefore gain no belief even if thou disconfirm the charge on the rack wherefrom moreover I am come hither to save thee the defensio these reasons seem sufficient to us both and we resolved to leave vengeance to Almighty God who seeth in secret and to complain of our wrongs to him as we might not complain to men but all my daughter said about old Lizzie item of the good report wherein she herself had till now stood with everybody he said he would write down and add thereon too as much and as well of his own as he was able so as by the help of Almighty God to save her from the torture that she was to make herself easy and commend herself to God within two days he hoped to have his defensio ready and to read it to her and now when he called the constable back again the fellow did not come but sent his wife to lock the prison and I took leave of my child with many tears dumb syndicas sold the woman the while what her impudent rogue of her husband had done that she might let him hear more of it then he sent the woman away again and came back to my daughter saying that he had forgotten to ascertain whether she really knew the Latin tongue and that she was to say her defensio over again in Latin if she was able hereupon she began and went on therewith for a quarter of an hour or more in such wise that not only dumb syndicas herself also was amazed seeing that she did not stop for a single word save the word hedgehog which we both had forgotten at the moment when she asked us what it was summa dumb syndicas summa dumb syndicas grew far more gracious when she had finished her oration and took leave of her promising her that he would set to work forthwith after this I did not see him again until the morning of the third day at ten o'clock seeing that he sat at work in a room at the castle which the sheriff had given him and also ate there as he sent me word by old Ilse when she carried him his breakfast next day at the above named time he sent the new constable for me who meanwhile had been fetched from Usdom at his desire for the sheriff was exceeding Roth when he heard that the impudent fellow had attempted my child in the prison and cried out in a rage Stefan Dunes our men die coaxing whereupon he gave him a sound thrashing with a dog whip he held in his hand to make sure that she should be at peace from him but alas the new constable was even worse than the old as will be shown hereafter his name was Master Kutner and he was a tall fellow with a grim face and a mouth so wide that at every word he said the spittle went out at the corners and stuck in his long beard like soap suds so that my child had a special fear and loathing of him moreover on all occasions he seemed to laugh in mockery and scorn as he did when he opened the prison door to us and saw my poor child sitting in her grief and distress but he straightway left us without waiting to be told whereupon Dom Syndicus drew his defense out of his pocket and read it to us we have remembered the main points thereof and I will recount them here but most of the octores we have forgotten one he began by saying that my daughter had ever till now stood in good repute as not only the whole village but even my servants bore witness ergo she could not be a witch in as much as the saviour had said a good tree could not bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Matthew chapter 7 two with regard to the witchcraft in the village that Belyke was the contrivance of old Lizzy seeing that she brought a great hatred towards Rhea and had long been in evil repute for that the parishioners dared not to speak out only from fear of the old witch wherefore Zuta, her little girl must be examined so that old Lizzy, her goodman tell her she had a familiar spirit and that she would tell it to the parson for that notwithstanding the above named was but a child select was written in Psalm 8 out of the mouth of babes and sucklings has thou ordained strength and the saviour himself appealed Matthew chapter 21 to the testimony of little children three furthermore old Lizzy might have bewitched the crops, Item the fruit trees in as much as none could believe that Rhea who had ever shown herself a dutiful child would have bewitched her own father's corn or made caterpillars come on his trees for no one according to scripture conserved two masters Item, she, old Lizzy might very well have been the woodpecker that was seen by Rhea and old Posh on the struggleburg and herself have given over her goodman to the evil one for fear of the parson in as much as Spitzel de ex prognacioni orchi asserts Item, the Malleus Mali-fekarum proves beyond doubt that the wicked children of Satan of times changed themselves into all manner of beasts as the fowl fiend himself likewise seduced our first parents in the shape of a serpent. Genesis chapter 3 That old Lizzy had most likely made the wild weather when Dom Consul was coming home with Rhea from the struggleburg seeing it was impossible that Rhea could have done it as she was sitting in the coach whereas witches when they raised storms always stand in the water and throw it over their heads backwards Item beat the stones soundly with a stick as Hanold relates wherefor she too may be knew best about the frog and the hedgehog six that Rhea was erroneously charged with that as a cluemen which ought rather to serve as her justification namely her sudden riches for the Malleus Mali-fekarum expressly says that a witch can never grow rich seeing that Satan to do dishonour to God always buys them for a vile price so that they should not betray themselves by their riches wherefor that as Rhea had grown rich she could not have got her wealth from her fowl friend from the fowl fiend but it must be true that she had found amber on the mountain that the spells of old Lizzie might have been the cause why they could not find the vein of amber again or that the sea might have washed away the cliff below as often happens were upon the top had slipped down so that only a miraculous naturality had taken place the proof which he brought forward from scripture we have quite forgotten seeing it was but middling seven with regard to her re-baptism the old hag had said herself that she had not seen the devil or any other spirit or man about Rhea wherefore she might in truth have been only naturally bathing in order to greet the king of Sweden next day seeing that the weather was hot and that bathing was not of itself sufficient to impair the modesty of her maiden for that she had as little thought any would see her as Bathsheba the daughter of Elian and wife of Uriah the Hittite who in like manner debathe herself as is written to Samuel chapter 11 verse 2 without knowing that David could see her neither could her mark be a mark given by Satan in as much as there was feeling therein ergo it must be a natural mole and it was a lie that she had it not before bathing moreover that on this point the old harlot was no wise to be believed seeing that she had fallen from one contradiction into another about it as stated in the actor 8. Neither was it just to accuse Rhea of having bewitched Pash his little daughter for as old as he was going in and out of the room Nate even sat herself down on the little girl her belly when the passer went to see her it most likely was that wicked woman who was known to have a great spite against Rhea had contrived the spell through the power of the foul fiend and by permission of the all just God for that Satan was a liar and the father of it as our Lord Christ sent John chapter 8 9. With regard to the appearance of the foul fiend in the mountain in the shape of a hairy giant that indeed was the heaviest government in as much as not only old Lizzie but likewise three trustworthy witnesses had seen him but who could tell whether it was not old Lizzie herself who had contrived this devilish apparition in order to ruin her enemy altogether for that notwithstanding the apparition was not the young nobleman as Rhea had declared it to be it still was very likely that she had not lied but had mistaken Satan for the young Lord as he appeared in his shape. Example for this was to be found even in Scripture for that all theologi of the whole Protestant church were agreed that the vision which the witch of Endor showed to King Saul was not Samuel himself but the archfiend nevertheless Saul had taken it for Samuel in like manner the old harlot might have conjured up the devil before Rhea who did not perceive that it was not the young Lord but Satan who had put on that shape in order to seduce her for as Rhea was a fair woman none could wonder that the devil gave himself more trouble for her than for an old withered hag seeing he has ever sought after fair women to lie with him Lastly he argued that Rhea was in no wise mark as a witch for that she neither had bled and squinting eyes nor a hooked nose whereas old Lizzie had both which Theo Fruster's Paracelsus declares to be an unfairly mark of a witch saying Nature marketh none thus and lest by abortion for these other chiefest signs whereby witches are known whom the spirit Ascienden's hath subdued unto himself When Dom Syndicus had read his Defensio my daughter was so rejoiced thereat that she would have kissed his hand but he snatched it from her whereby we could see easily that he himself was no wise in earnest with his Defensio Soon after he took leave in an ill humour after commending her to the care of the most high and I begged that I would make my farewell as short as might be seeing that he purposed to return home that very day the witch alas I very unwillingly did this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information out of volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Mary Shwiler, the Ember Witch by Wilhelm Meinhold translated by Lucy Duff Gordon Chapter 23 How my poor child was sentenced to be put to the question After Akta had been sent to the honorable the central court about 14 days passed over when any answer was received my lord the sheriff was especially gracious toward me the while and allowed me to see my daughter as often as I would seeing that the rest of the court were gone home wherefore I was with her nearly all day and when the constable grew impatient of keeping watch over me I gave him a feed to lock me in together with my child and the all merciful god was gracious unto us often and gladly to pray for we had a steadfast hope believing that the cross we had seen in the heavens would now soon pass away from us and that the ravening wolf would receive his reward when the honorable high court had read through the Akta and should come to the excellent Defendio which Dom Syndicus had constructed for my child wherefore I began to be of good cheer again especially when I saw my daughter her cheeks growing of a right lovely red but on Thursday 25th man sees Auguste at noon the worshipful court drove into the castle yard again as I sat in the prison with my child as I was warned an old ill ship brought us our food but could not tell us the answer for weeping but the toll constable peeped in at the door grinning and cried oh dear come dear come now the tickling will begin where at my poor child shuddered but less at the news than at sight of the fellow himself scars was he gone then he came back again to take off her chains and to fetch her away so I followed her into the judgment chamber where Dom Consul read out the sentence of the honorable high court as follows that she should once more be questioned in kindness touching the articles of contain in the indictment and if she then continued stubborn she should be subjected to the pain for Teet Dure for that the defense shield she had set up did not surface and that there were in this year legitimate penancia at Suficiencia at Otorturam Ipsum to it one Malafama two Maleficem Publice Comissum three Aperitio demonis in Monte where upon the most honorable central court cited about 20 Otorturs whereof how bad we remember but little when Dom Consul had read out this to my child he once more lift off his voice and admonish her with many words to confess of her own free will for that the truth must now come to light here upon see steadfastly reply that after the defense shield of Dom Syndicus she had indeed hope for a better sentence but that as it was the will of God to try her yet more hardly she resigned herself all together into his gracious hands and could not confess odd save what she had said before that she was innocent and that evil man had brought this misery upon her here upon Dom Consul motions the constable who straightway opened the door of the next room and admitted pastor Benzesis in his surplus who had been sent for the court to admonish her still better out of the world of God he heaved a deep sigh and said Mary Mary is it does meet thee again whereupon she began to weep eerily and to protest her innocence afresh but he heeded not her distress and as soon as he had her her pray our fathers the eyes of all wait up on thee and the God the Father dwell with us he lift up his voice and declare to her the hatred of the living God to all witches and warlocks seeing that not only is the punishment of fire awarded to them in the Old Testament but that the Holy Ghost expressly saved in the New Testament in Galatian 5 that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God but shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Apocalypse 21 wherefore she must not be stubborn nor murmur against the court when she was tormented and that he was all done out of Christian love and to save her poor soul that for the sake of God and her salvation she should no longer delay repentance and thereby cause her body to be tormented and give over her wretched soul to Satan who certainly would not fulfill those promises in hell which he had made her here up on earth seeing that he was a murderer from the beginning a liar and the Father of it John 8 oh! cried he Mary my child who saw of sass sat upon my knees and for whom I no cry every morning and every night unto my God if thou wilt have no pity upon thee and me have pity at least upon thy worthy Father whom I cannot look upon without tears seeing that his hairs have turned red within a few days and saved thy soul my child and confess behold thy heavenly Father grieved over thee no less than thy fleshly Father and the holy angels feel their faces for sorrow that thou who word once their darling sister are now become the sister and bride of the devil return therefore and repent this day thy Saviour call stray lamb back into his flock and out not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound be loosed from this bond such as his merciful words Luke 13 eat them return thou backsliding Israel save the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful Jeremiah 3 return thou backsliding soul unto the Lord thy God he who heard the prayer of the idolatrous menace when he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself to Chronicle 23 who through Paul accepted the repentance of the sorcerer at Ephesus Acts 19 the same merciful God now cried unto thee as unto the angel of the church remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent apocalypse too oh Mary, Mary remember my child from whence thou art fallen and repent hereupon he held his peace and it was some time before she could say a word for tears and sobs but at least the answer if lies are no less hateful to God than witchcraft I may not lie but must further declare to the glory of God as I have ever declared that I am innocent hereupon Dom Consul was exceeding wrath and frown and asked the tall constable if all was ready eat him whether the woman were at hand to Andres Ria whereupon he answered with a green as he was want ha ha ha I have never wanted my duty nor will I be wanting today I will tickle her in such ways that she so soon confess when he said this Dom Consul turned to my daughter and said thou art the fullest thing and no is not the torment which awaits thee and therefore is it that the house still art stubborn now then follow me to the torture chamber the executioner shall show thee the instrumenta and thou mayest yet think better of it when thou has seen what the question is like hereupon he went into another room and the constable followed him with my child and when I would have gone after them pastor Benzensis held me back with many tears and conjured me not to do so but to tarry where I was but I hurt not unto him and tore myself from him and swore that so long as a single veins should be in my wretched body I would never forsake my child I therefore went into the next room and from thence down into a fold where was the torture chamber wherein were no windows so that those without might not hear the cries of the tormented two torches were already burning there when I went in and although the consul would at first have sent me away after a while he had pity upon me so that he suffered me to stay and now that held on the constable stepped forward and first showed my poor child the letter saying with savage glee see here first of all thou will be laid on that and thy hands and feet will be tied next the thumb screw here will be put up on thee which straight way will make the blood to spread out at the tips of thy fingers thou mayest see that they are still red with the blood of old gushy bill who was burned last year and who like they will not confess at first if thou still will not confess I shall next put these spanish boots on thee and should they be too large I shall just drive in the wedge so that the calf which is now at the back of thy leg will be driven to the front and the blood will shoot out of thy feet as when thou squeezes blackberries in the back again if thou will not yet confess holla shouted he and kick open a door behind him so that the whole fold shook and my poor child fell upon her knees for fright before long to woman brought in a bubbling cauldron full of boiling pitch and brimstone this cauldron the hellhound ordered them to set down on the ground and drew forth from under the red cloak he wore a goose wing where from he plucked five or six quills which he dipped into the boiling brimstone after he had held them in a while in the cauldron he threw them upon the earth where they twisted about and spurned the brimstone on all sides and then he called to my poor child again see? these quills I shall throw upon thy white loins and the burning brimstone will presently eat into thy flies down to the very bones so that thou will thereby have a foretaste of the joys which await thee in hell when he had spoken thus far amid sneers and laughter I was so overcome with rage that I sprang forth out of the corner where I stood leaning my trembling joints against an old barrel and cried oh thou wellest though sayest thou this of thyself or have fathers been in thee whereupon however the fellow gave me such a blow upon the breast that I fell backwards against the wall and dumb console called out in great wrath to old fool if you needs must say here at any rate leave the constable in peace for if not I will have you thrust out of the chamber forthwith the constable has said no more than is his duty and it will thus happen to thy child if she confess not and if it appear that the valveen have given her some charms against the torture hereupon the hell hound when aunt speak to my poor child without hitting me save that he laugh in my face look here when thou has thus been well shorn ha ha ha I shall pull thee up by means of these two rings in the floor in the roof stretch thy arms above thy head and bind them fast to the ceiling whereupon I shall take these two torches and hold them under thy shoulders till thy skin will presently become like the ring of a small camp then thy hellish paramour will help thee no longer and thou will confess the truth and now thou has seen and heard all that I shall do to thee in the name of God and by order of the magistrates and now dumb console once more came forward and admonished her to confess the truth but she abode by what she's head said from the first whereupon he delivered her over to the two women who had brought in the cauldron to strip her naked as she was born and to clothe her in the black tortured shift after which they were once more to lead her barefooted up the steps before the worshipful court but one of this woman was there if his housekeeper and the other was the impudent constable his wife and my daughter said that she would not suffer herself to be touched safe by honest woman and assuredly not by the housekeeper and begged dumb console to send for her maid who was sitting in her prison reading the bible if he knew of no other decent woman at hand hereupon the housekeeper poured forth a wondrous deal of railing and ill words but dumb console rebugged her and answered my daughter that he would let her have her ways in this matter too and bade the impudent constable his wife called the maid hither from out of the prison after he had said this he took me by the arm and prayed me so long to go up with him for that no harm would happen to my daughter as yet as he would have me before long she herself came up led between the two women barefooted and in the black tortured shift but so pale that I myself should scars have known her the hateful constable who followed close behind sees her by the hand and let her before the watchful court hereupon the admonitions began all over again and dumb console bade her look upon the brown spots that were upon the black shift for that they were the blood of old wife Bilski and to consider that within a few minutes it will in like manner be stained with her own blood hereupon she answered I have considered that right well but I hope that my faithful savior who have laid this torment upon me being innocent will likewise to help me to bear it as he help the holy martyrs of old for if this through God's help overcame by faith torments inflicted on them by blind heathens I also can overcome the torture inflicted on me by blind heathens who indeed call themselves Christians but who are more cruel than those of your for the old heathens only cause the holy virgin to be torn of savage beast by you which have received the new commandment that ye love one another as your savior have loved you that ye also love one another by this shawl all men know that you are his disciples Saint John 13 yourself will act the part of savage beast and tear with your own hands the body of an innocent maiden your sister who has never done odd to harm you do then as you list but have a care how you will answer it to the highest judges of all again I say the lamb fear is not for it is in the hand of the good shepherd when my matchless child had thus spoken dumb console rose pulled off the black skull cap which he ever wore because the top of his head was already bald bowed to the court and said we hereby make known to the worshipful court that the question ordinary and the extraordinary of the stubborn and blaspheming witch Mary Shwetler is about to begin in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost Amin here upon all the court rose saved the sheriff had gone up before and was walking uneasily up and down in the room but of all that now follows and of what I myself did I remember not one word but will relate it all as I have received it from my daughter and other testes and they have told me as follows that when dumb console after these words had taken up the hourglass which stood upon the table and walk on before I would go with him whereupon pastor Benzensis first prayed me with many words and tears to disease for my purpose and one that was of no avail my child herself struck my cheeks saying father have you ever read that the blasphemy stood by when her gillish son was garage depart therefore from me you shall stand by the pile whereon I am burned that I promise you for in like manner did the blasphering stand at the foot of the cross but now go go I pray you for you will not be able to bear it neither shall I and when this also failed dumb console bade the constable sees me and by main force locked me into another room whereupon however I tore myself away and fell at his feet conjuring him by the wounds of Christ not to tear me from my child that I would never forget his kindness and mercy but pray for him day and night nay that the at the day of judgment I would be his intercessor with God and the holy angels if that he would but let me go with my child that I would be quiet and quiet and not speak one single word but that I must go with my child these so moved the worthy man that he burst into tears and so trembled with pain for me that the hour glass fell from his hand and rolled right before the feet of the sheriff as though God himself would signify to him that his glass was soon to run out and indeed he understood it right well for he grew white as any child when he picked it up and gave it back to Don console the latter at last gave way saying that this day would make him 10 years older but he bet the impudent constable who also went with us lead me away if I made any rumor during the torture and hereupon the whole court went below saved the sheriff who said his head ach and that he believed his old malum the gout was coming upon him again wherefore he went into another chamber it them pastor benzins is likewise departed down in the fold the constable first brought in tables and chairs where on the court sat and Don console also pushed a chair towards me but I said not thereon but threw myself upon my knees in the corner when this was done they began again with their violent munitions and as my child like her guilless saviour before his unrighteous judges answered not a word Don console rose up and bathed the tall constable lay her on the torture bench she shook like an aspen leaf when he bound her hands and feet and when he was about to bine over her sweet eyes a nasty old filthy cloud where in my mate has in him carry fish but the day before and which was still all over shining scales I perceived it and pulled off my silken neckerchief begging him to use that instead which he did here upon the tongue screw was put on her and she was once more asked whether she would confess freely but she only shook her poor blinded head and shy with her dying saviour Eli, Eli, Lama, Sabahsani and then in greek Thee-Mao, Thee-Mao, Iuati, Me'eka, Telips where at Don console started back and made the sign of the cross for inasmuch as he knew no greek he believed as he afterwards said himself that she was calling upon the devil to help her and then called to the constable with a loud voice screw but when I heard this I give such a cry that the whole fault shook and when my poor child who was dying of terror and despair had heard my voice she first struggled with her bound hands and feed like a lamb that lies dying in the slather house and then cried out lose me and I will confess whatsoever you will hear at Don console so greatly rejoiced that while the constable unbound her he fell on his knees and thanked God for having spared him this anguish but no sooner was my poor desperate child unbound and head laid aside her crown of thorns I mean my silken neckerchief then she jump off the ladder and flung herself upon me who lay for dead in the corner in the dweep swown this greatly angered the worshipful court and when the constable had borne me away Rhea was admonished to make her confession according to promise but seeing she was too weak to stand upon her feet Don console gave her a chair to sit upon although Don Camerarius grumbled there at and these were the chief questions which were put to her by order of the most honorable high central court as Don console said and which were registered at protocol whether she could be witch yes she could be witch who thought her to do so send himself how many devil had she one devil was enough for her what was this devil called Illa considering his name was Dysedemonia here at Don console shuddered and said that there must be a very terrible devil indeed for that he had never heard such a name before and that she must spell it so that Scriba might make no error which she did and he then went on as follows in what shape had he appeared to her in the shape of the sheriff and sometimes as a goat with terrible horns whether Satan had re-baptized her and where in the sea what name had he given her whether any of the neighbor had been by when she was re-baptized and which of them here upon my matchless child cast up her eyes towards heaven as though dubbing whether she should find old Lizzie or not but at least she said no she must have had sponsors who were they and what gift had they given her as christening money there were none there safe spirits where for old Lizzie could see no one when she came and look on at her re-baptism whether she had lived with the devil she never had lived anywhere safe in her father's house she did not choose to understand he meant whether she had ever played the wanton with Satan and known him cornelly here upon she blushed and was so ashamed that she covered her face with her hands and presently began to weep and to sob and asked after many questions she gave no answer she was again admonished to speak the truth or that the excisioner should lift her up on the ladder again at last she said no which how beat divorceeful court will not believe and beat the excisioner sees her again whereupon she answered yes whether she had found the devil hot or cold she did not remember which whether she had ever conceived by Satan and given birth to a changeling and of what shape no never whether the valveen had given her any sign or mark about her body and in what part they're off that the mark had already been seen by the divorceeful court she was next charged with all the witchcraft done in the village and owned to it all save that she still said that she knew not of old siden his death, item or little past her sickness nor lastly what she confessed that she had by the help of the valveen rake up my crop or conjured the caterpillars into my orchard and albeit they again threatened her with the question and even ordered the excisioner to lay her on the bench and put on the thumbscrew to threaten her she remained firm and said why should you torture me seeing that I have confessed far heavier crimes than this which is will not save my life to deny hereupon the divorceeful court at last were satisfied and suffered her to be lifted off the torture bench especially as she confessed ridiculous principles to it that satan had really appeared to her on the mountain in the shape of a hairy giant of the storm and the frog item of the hedgehog nothing was saved in as much of the more merciful court had by this time seen the folly of supposing that she could have brewed a storm while she quietly sat in the coach lastly she prayed that it might be granted to her to suffer death cloth in the garment which she had worn when she went to greet the king of Sweden item that they would suffer her wretched father to be driven with her to the stake and to stand by while she was burned seeing that she had promised him this in the present of the worseful court hereupon she was once more given to the charge of the Tolkans table who was ordered to put her into a stronger and severer prison but he had not let her out of the chamber before the sheriff his bastard whom he had had by the housekeeper came into the vault with a drum and kept drumming and cry out come to the rose goose come to the rose goose where at dumb console was exceeding Roth and ran after him but he could not catch him seeing that the young valet know all the ins and outs of the vault without doubt it was the lord who sent me this wound so that I should be spared this fresh grief to him alone beyond her and glory amen End of the section 18 Section 19 of Mary Shridler The Amber Witch This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information out of volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Mary Shridler The Amber Witch by Wilhelm Mainholt translated by Lucy Duff Gordon Chapter 24 How in my present the devil fetch old Lizzie Colkin When I recovered from my above mentions wound I found my host his wife and my old mate standing over me and pouring warm beer down my throat The fateful old creature shriek for joy when I opened my eyes again and then told me that my daughter had not suffered herself to be wracked but had freely confessed her crimes and filed herself as a witch This seemed pleasant news to me in my misery in as much as I deem the death by fire to be a less heavy punishment than the torture How dear when I would have prayed I could not whereas I again fell into heavy grief and despair fearing that the Holy Ghost had all together turned away his face from me wretched man that I was and I'll be the old mate when she had seen this came and stood before my bed and began to pray aloud to me It was all in vain and I remained a hardened sinner but the Lord had pity upon me although I deserve it not in so much that I presently fell into a deep sleep and did not awake until next morning when the prayer bell rang and then I was once more able to pray whereas I greatly rejoice and still thank God in my heart When my ploughman Klaus Niels came in and told me that he had come yesterday to tell me about my oaths seeing that he had gone them all in and that one stable came with him who had been to fetch old Lizzie Colkin in as much as the honorable High Court had ordered her to be brought up for trial here at the whole village rejoiced but Rhea herself laughed and shouted and sang and told him and the constable by the way for the constable had let her get up behind for a short time that this should bring great luck to the sheriff they need only bring her up before the court and in good sooth she would not hold her tongue within her teeth but that old man should marvel at her confession that such a court as that was a laughing stock to her and that she spat salva venia upon the whole brotherhood etc upon hearing this I once more felt a strong hope and rose to go to old Lizzie but I was not quite dressed before she sent the impudent constable to beg that I would go to her with all speed and give her the sacrament seeing that she had become very weak during the night I had my own thought on the matter and followed the constable as fast as I could though not to give her the sacrament as indeed anybody may suppose but in my haste I weak old man that I was forgot to take my witnesses with me for all the misery I had here to suffered had so clouded my senses that it never once came into my head none followed me save the impudent constable and it will soon appear how that this villain had given himself over body and soul to send to destroy my child whereas he might have saved her for when he had opened the prison it was the same cell where in my child had first been shot up we found old Lizzie lying on the ground on the truss of straw with a broom for a pillow as though she were to fly to hell upon it as she no longer could fly to block Cula so that I shattered when I caught sight of her scars as I come in and when she cried out fearfully I'm a witch I'm a witch have pity upon me and give me the sacrament quick and I will confess everything to you and when I said to her confess then she owned that she with the help of the sheriff had contrived all the witchcraft in the village and then my child was an innocent thereof as the blessed son in heaven how beat the sheriff had the greatest guilt in as much as he was a warlock and a witch priest and had a spirit far stronger than hers called Dudaim which spirit had given her such a blow on the head in the night as she should never recover this same Dudaim was that had racked up the crops heep sent over the ember made the storm and dropped the frog into my daughter her lap it um carried off her old good man through the air and when I asked her how that could be seeing that her good man had been a child of God until very near his end and much given to prayer albeit I had indeed marveled why he had other thoughts in his last illness she answered that one day he had seen her spirit which she kept in the chest in the shape of a black cat and whose name was kid and had threatened that he would tell me of it whereupon she being frightened had caused her spirit to make him so ill that he dispaired of ever getting over it thereupon she had comforted him saying that she would presently heal him if he would deny God who as he well saw could not help him this he promised to do and when she had straight way made him quite hearty again they took the silver which I had scrapped of the duosacramen cup and went by night down to the seashore where he had to throw it into the sea with these words when this silver returns again to the chalice then shall my soul return to God whereupon the sheriff who was by re-baptize him in the name of Satan and call him Jack he had had no sponsor save only herself old Lizzie moreover that on St. John's Eve when he went with him to Blocula for the first time the Heronburg was there Blocula they had talk of my daughter and Satan himself had sworn to the sheriff that he should have her for that he would show the old one wherewith the villain men got what he could do and that he would make the carpenter's son sweat for fixation vey upon the dower feeling that thou could thus speak of my blessed savior whereupon her old good men had grumbled and as they had never rightly trusted him the spirit Dudaim one day flow off with him through the air by the sheriff's order seeing that her own spirit called kid was too weak to carry him that the same Dudaim had also been the woodpecker who afterwards ties my daughter and all paths to spot with his cries in order to ruin her but that the giant who had appeared on the stekal bird was not a devil but the young lord of Melithin himself as her spirit kid had told her and this she said was nothing but the truth whereby she would live and die and she begged me for the love of god to take pity upon her and after her repentant confession to speak forgiveness of her sins and to give her the lord's for that her spirit stood there behind the stove grinning like a rogue because he saw that it was all up with her now but I answered I would not sooner give the sacrament to an old southern to thee thou accursed witch who not only this give overdine on husband to sin but has likewise tortured me and my poor child almost on to death with pains like those of hell before she could make any answer a loathsome insect about as long as my finger and with a yellow tail crawled under the door of the prison when she is spited she gave a yell such as I never before heard and never wish to hear again for once when I was in Celesia in my youth I saw one of the enemy soldiers spare a child before its mother's face and I thought that a fearful shrink which the mother gave but her cry was child's play to the cry of the old Lizzie all my hair stood on end and her own red hair grew so stiff that it was like the twigs of the broom were on she lay and then she held that is the spirit today whom the accursed sheriff has sent to me the sacrament for the love of God the sacrament I will confess a great deal more I have been a witch this 30 years the sacrament now the sacrament while she does be loud and flung about her arms and legs the loathsome insect rose into the air and buzzed and wished about her where she lay in so much it was fearful to see and to hear she deviled called by turns on God on her spirit kept and on me to help her till the insect all of a sudden darts into her open jaws whereupon she straightway gave up the ghost and turned all black and blue like blackberry I heard nothing more safe that the window rattled not very loud but as though one had thrown a pee against it whereby a straightway I could see that sin had just flound through it with her soul made the all merciful God keep every mother's child from such an end for the sake of Jesus Christ our blessed lord and savior amen as soon as I was somewhat recovered which however was not for a long time in as much as my blood had turned to ice and my feet were as stiff as a steak I began to call out after the impudent constable but he was no longer in the prison there at I greatly marveled seeing that I had seen him there but just before the vermin crawled in and straightway I suspected no good as indeed it turned out for when at last he came upon my calling him and I told him to let this carrion be carted out which had just died in the name of the devil he did as though he was amazed and when I desired him that he would bear witness to the innocent of my daughter which the old hag had converse on her deathbed he pretended to be yet more amazed and said that he had heard nothing this went through my heart like a sword and I leaned against a pillar without where I where I stood for a long time but as soon as I was come to myself I went to dumb consul who was about to go to use them and already said his coach at my humble prayer he went back into the judgement chamber with the camera reused and the screba whereupon I told all that had taken place and how the wicked constable denied that he had heard the same but they said that I talked a great deal of nonsense besides among other things that all the little fishes had swum into the fold to release my daughter nevertheless dumb consul who often shook his head sent for the impudent constable and asked him for his testimony but the fellow pretended that as soon as he saw that old Lizzie wished to confess he had gone away so as not to get any more hard words wherefore he had heard nothing as dumb consul afterwards told the pastor of Benz clenched my fist and answered what thou art rogue didst thou not crawl about the room in the shape of a reptile whereupon he would hurricane to me no longer thinking me distraught nor would he make the constable take an oath but left me standing in the midst of the room and gone into his coach again neither do I know how I got off into the room but next morning when the sun rose and I found myself lying in bed at master's seat his ale house the whole cases seemed to me like a dream neither was I able to rise but lay a bed all the blessed saturday and sunday talking all manner of allotria it was not till torwards evening on sunday when I began to vomit and threw up green bile no wonder somewhat better about this time pastor benzensis came to my bedside and told me how distractedly I had borne myself but so comforted me from the word of god that I was once more able to pray for my heart made a merciful god reward my dear gossip therefore at the day of judgment for prayer it's almost as brave as comfort as the holy ghost himself from whom it comes and I shall ever consider that so long as a man can still pray his misfortunes are not unbearable even though in all else his flesh and his heart faileth Psalm 73 in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org and as I felt in passable good case I went up to the castle to see whether I might per adventure get to my daughter but I could not find either constable albeit I had brought a few grotes with me to give them as beer money neither would the folks that I met tell me where they were item the impudent constable his wife who was in the kitchen making brimstone matches and when I asked her when her husband would come back she said not before tomorrow morning early item that the other constable would not be here any sooner hereupon I begged her to lead me to my daughter herself at the same time showing her the two grotes but she answered that she had not the keys and knew not how to get at them moreover she said she did not know where my child was now shut up seeing that I would have spoken to her through the door item the cook the huntsman and whomsoever else I met in my sorrow said that they knew not in what hole which might lie hereupon I went all round about the castle and laid my ear against every little window that looked as though it might be her window and cried marry my child where art though item at every grading I found I kneeled down bowed my head and called in like manner into the vault below but all in vain I got no answer anywhere the sheriff at length saw what I was about and came down out of the castle to me with a very gracious air and taking me by the hand he asked me what I sought but when I answered him that I had not seen my only child since last Thursday and prayed him to show pity upon me and let me be led to her he said that could not be but that I was to come up into his chamber and talk further of the matter by the way he said well so the old witch told you fine things about me but you see how Almighty God has sent his righteous judgment upon her she has long been ripe for the fire but my great long suffering wherein a good magistrate should ever strive to be like unto the Lord has made me overlook it till datum and in return for my goodness she raises this outcry against me and when I replied how does your lordship know that the witch raised such an outcry against you he first began to stammer and then said why you yourself charge me thereon before the judge but I bear you no anger therefore and God knows that I pity you who are a poor weak old man and would gladly help you if I were able meanwhile he led me up four or five flights of stairs so that I old man that I am could follow him no further and stood still gasping for breath but he took me by the hand and said come I must first show you how matters really stand or I fear you will not accept my help but will plunge yourself into destruction here upon we stepped out upon a terrace at the top of the castle which looked toward the water and the villain went on to say Reverend Abraham can you see well afar off and when I answered that I once could see very well but that the many tears I had shed had now per adventure dimmed my eyes he pointed to the Strechelberg and said do you then see nothing there ego not save a black speck which I cannot make out ill know then that this is the pile whereon your daughter is to burn I will talk tomorrow morning and which the constables are now raising when this hellhound had thus spoken I gave a loud cry and swooned it oh blessed lord I know not how I lived through such distress thou alone did strengthen me beyond nature and order after so much weeping and wailing to heap joys and blessings upon me without thee I never could have lived through such misery therefore to thy name ever be all honor and glory of Israel when I came again to myself I lay on a bed in a fine room and perceived a taste in my mouth like wine but as I saw none near me save the sheriff who held a picture in his hand I shuddered and closed my eyes considering what I should say or do this he presently observed and said do not shudder thus I mean well by you and only wish to put a question to you which you must answer me on your conscience as a priest say Reverend Abraham is it your sin to commit hordom or to take the lives of two persons and when I answered him to take the lives of two persons he went on well then is not that what your stubborn child is about to do rather than give herself up to me who have ever desired to save her and who can even yet save her albeit her pile is now being raised she will take away her own life and that of her wretched father for I scarcely think that you poor man will outlive this sorrow wherefore do you for God his sake persuade her to think better of while I am yet able to save her for know that about ten miles from hence I have a small house in the midst of the forest where no human being ever goes thither will I send her this very night and you may dwell there with her all the days of your life if it please you you shall live as well as you can possibly desire and tomorrow morning I will spread a report but times that the witch and her father have run away together during the night and that nobody knows whether they are gone thus spake the serpent to me as Willem to our mother Eve and wretched sinner that I am the tree of death which he showed me seemed to me also to be a tree of life so pleasant was it to the eye nevertheless I answered my child will never save her miserable life by doing ought to peril the salvation of her soul but now too the serpent was more cunning than all the beasts of the field especially such an old fool as I and spake thus why who would have her peril the salvation of her soul Reverend Abraham must I teach you scripture did not our Lord Christ pardon Mary Magdalene who lived in open hordom and did he not speak forgiveness to the poor adulteress who had committed a still greater crime nay more doth not St. Paul expressly say that the harlot Rahab was saved Hebrews 11 item st. James 2 says the same but where have you read that any one was saved who had wantonly taken her own life and that of her father wherefore for the love of God persuade your child not to give herself a body and soul to the devil by her stubbornness but to suffer herself to be saved while it is yet time you can abide with her and pray away all the sins she may commit and likewise aid me with your prayers who freely owned that I am a miserable sinner and have done you much evil though not so much evil by far Reverend Abraham as David did to Uriah and he was saved not withstanding he put the man to a shameful death and afterwards lay with his wife wherefore I poor man likewise hope to be saved seeing that my desire for your daughter is still greater than that which this David fell for Bathsheba and I will gladly make it all up to you twofold as soon as we are in my cottage when the tempter had thus spoken we thought his words were sweeter than honey and I answered alas my lord I am ashamed to appear before her face with such a proposal whereupon he straight away said then do you write it to her come here is pen ink and paper and now like Eve I took the fruit and ate and gave it to my child that she might eat also that is to say that I recapitulated on paper all that Satan had prompted but in the Latin tongue for I was ashamed to write it in my own and lastly I conjured her not to take away her own life and mine but to submit to the wondrous will of God neither were my eyes opened when I had eaten that is written nor did I perceive that the ink was gall instead of honey and I translated my letter to the sheriff seeing that he understood no Latin smiling like a drunken man the while whereupon he clapped me on the shoulder and after I had made fast the letter with his signet he called his huntsman and gave it to him to carry to my daughter item he sent her pen ink and paper together with his signet in order that she might answer it forthwith meanwhile he talked with me right graciously praising my child and me and made me drink to him many times from his great picture wherein was most goodly wine moreover he went to a cupboard and brought out cakes for me to eat saying that I should now have such every day but when the huntsman came back in about a half an hour with her answer and I had read the same then first were mine eyes opened and I knew good and evil had I had a fig leaf I should have covered them therewith for shame but as it was I held my hand over them and wept so bitterly that the sheriff waxed very wroth and cursing bade me tell him what he had written thereupon I interpreted the letter to him the witch I likewise place here in order all may see my folly and the wisdom of my child it was as follows yesis pater and felix egocrass non-magis palabo rogum aspectura et rogus non-magis arabesit mesus piens quam palui et iterum arabescu literus tuas legends quid et te piam patrim piam servum domini et a satanas solisitivat et communium fasius cum inimisis mes et non-intelligis entali vitae ese mortum et entali mortae vitae silasit si clamentisimus es maria magdalena aliske ignovit cia reciprocant ob carnes debilitatum et non-iterum pecorant et ego pecorum cum quavis destitatione carnes et non semil sed iterum atke iterum sine reversion uscad mortum comodo clentisimus deus hak scleristitisma ignociere paset infelix patar ricordere quid me deus siti de sanctis marterebas et virginibus domini qua omnis malent vitae quam pudikitiam perdere es et ego secor et sponses meus Jesus Christus et mihimisere utspero coronum eternum dabit quam visaeum non-minus biob debilitatum carnes ut maria et mesontum declaravi cum insonsum facikitur ut balees et ora pro meap ut deum et non aput satanam ut et ego moxcorum deoprote ora re posim maria es kaptiva when the sheriff heard this he flung the picture which he held in his hand of the ground so that it flew in pieces and cried the verse at devil's whore the constable shall make her squeak for this a good hour longer with many more such things beside which he said in his malice and which I have now forgotten but he soon became quite gracious again and said she is foolish do you go to her and see whether you cannot persuade her to her own good as well as yours the huntsman shall let you in and should the fellow listen give him a good box on the ears in my name do you hear back an answer as quickly as possible I therefore followed the huntsman who led me into a vault where there was no light save what fell through a hole no bigger than a crown piece and here my daughter set upon her bed and wept anyone may guess that I straight away began to weep too and was no better able to speak than she with us lay mute in each other's arms for a long time until at last but of the sheriff his message I said not although I had purpose to do so but before long we heard the sheriff himself call down into the vault from above what? and here he gave me a heavy curse are you doing there so long come up this moment Reverend Johannes thus I had scarce time to give her one kiss before the huntsman came back with the keys and forced us to part albeit we had as yet scarcely spoken I told her in a few words what had happened with old Lizzy it would be hard to believe into what grievous anger the sheriff fell when I told him that my daughter remained firm and would not harken unto him he struck me on the breast and said go to the devil then thou infamous parson and when I turned myself away and would have gone he pulled me back and said if thou breathest but one word of all that is past I will have thee burnt too thou gray-headed old father of a witch so look to it hereupon I plucked up a heart and answered that that would be the greatest joy to me especially if I could be burnt tomorrow with my child here and to he made no answer but clapped to the door behind me well clapped the doors thou wilt I greatly fear that the just God will one day clap the doors of heaven in thy face end of section 20 recording by Sissineck