A Strange Report of Sixe most notorious VVitches, who by their diuelish practises murdred aboue the number of foure hundred small Children: besides the great hurtes they committed vpon diuers other people:
Who for the same, and many other like offences, were executed in the princely Cittie of Manchen in high Germanie the. 29. of Iuly. 1600.
Printed at Nuremberge by Lucas Mayr Ingrauer, dwelling in Kramergesle: and now translated out of Dutch, according to the same Coppy there imprinted.
AT LONDON, Printed by W. W. for T. Pauier, dwelling at the signe of the Cat and Parrets neare the Exchange.
1601.
The strange Report of Sixe most notorious VVitches.
THere is not anie Christian (I am sure) but in heart will relent, and with great admiration, lift vp his eyes toward heauen, and stande amazed at the wicked practises of six of the most notorious wicked Witches that euer they heard of: who (giuing both bodyes and soules to eternall damnation) committed so many inhumaine Murders, so many strange Robberies, Pillages, and Riottes; spoyling both Corne and Cattle: causing strange hayle and tempest, and such like annoyances to the inhabitantes of Germanie, that I thinke it a matter worthy to be kept in memorie, whereby the shamefull end of such malafactors, may serue as a notable example to our eyes, a griefe to the godly, and a terrour to the wicked and reprobate people. The names of these vile offendours, and of their wicked dealings, hereafter followeth.
- [Page]First, Paule Gamperle, alias Poppenhamor.
- Second, Anne Gamperle, wife to the said Paule. their two Sonnes.
- Third, Simon Gamperle,
- Fourth, Iacob Gamperle,
- Fifth, Vllrich Seheltibaum, Armorour.
- Sixth, George Smallts, Taylor.
These sixe persons, being many yeeres (before this) helde in great suspition for practising Witchcraft, yet not any sufficient proofe thereof, were now taken altogeather, neare to the Towne of Dettwenge, in a Caue or Uault deepe in the ground, where many times before they had likewise met, and as they thought, there to remaine still secure from the knowledge of their neighbours, fel to their accustomed practises: and by their Witchcraftes raysed so great a storme or tempest, that all the Townes and Uillages were greatly indamaged thereby: But God not suffering these vile offendours to remaine any longer vndiscouered, brought all their actions to light: and by the howling of a Dogge stroken madd with the fearefullnes of that tempest, certaine of their neighbours were brought to the sayd Caue or Uault, where they weare all sixe attached, and the next day, being the. xxiiii. of Iuly, were brought before the Gouernour of Manchen, [Page] who finding them guiltie by their examinations, commaunded them to prison.
But now marke what happened: the Gouernours Clarke or Secretarie, when he tooke paper in his hand to make a Warrant, sodaynely both his feete were taken from him: by reason whereof he had such a fal, that the huckle bone of his thigh was stroken out of ioynt, whereof within three dayes after he dyed.
Herevpon the Gouernour commaunded them to be searcht by his Officers, where they founde hidden vnder euery one of their cloathes next to their skinnes, a bagge of Swines dounge: which being taken away, stounke so fylthely, that no man could indure the smell. And in Paule Gamperles boosome, (beeing their principall, or ring-leader) they founde a diuellish Booke of Coniuration, and the picture of a man made in Tinne, holding in his hande a scrowle or writing, conteyning these three wordes, Magoll, Cumath, Hellbeza: By the same, were so plainely manifested their wicked practises, that they immediately confessed (without any further trouble) all their murders and execrable feates that euer they had committed in their life times, as it doth well appeare hereafter.
The Confession of Paule Gamperle.
PAule Gamperle, alias Poppenhamor, of the age of eight and fiftie yeeres, confessed that he had vsed the practise of Witch-craft from his childhood, and that he had bin trained vp in the same by his olde Graundmother, a woman dead many yeeres agoe.
In like maner he confessed, that he had murthered in his time by Witch-craft and sorcery, about the number of a hundred small children.
In like maner he confessed, that he had made lame and crooked ten of the richest Cittizens of Manchen, because they would not forgiue him certaine debts he owed them.
In like maner he confessed, that by Witch-craft he had made away two of his Uncles, to come by their goodes.
In like maner he confessed ten Church-robberies, fifteene Murthers by the high wayes side, robberies by night in Marchants▪ sellers by him selfe done foure and twentie seuerall times: and that no locke nor doore could withstand him, but by Witchcraft he could make flie open.
Finally, he confessed that in his life time, he had by night fyered eight of his neighbours houses, whereby were burned in theyr beddes both men, women, and children, to the number of sixteene: besides diuers other mischiefes by him committed, to the great annoyances of the whole Countrey.
The Confession of Anne Gamperle.
ANne Gamperle his wife, of the age of threescore yeeres, confessed that in her life time, she had murthered likewise by Witch-craft to the number of a hundred small children.
In like maner she confessed, that she had deformed and made crooked, and withall murdered by Witch-craft, to the number of nineteene olde people.
In like maner she confessed, that by Witch-craft she had caused an Inkeepers wife to runne into a hotte burning Ouen, where she burned her selfe to death: and likewise caused the same womans husband to be so miserably vexed, that he thrust his head into a swilling Tubbe full of Swines meate, and there smothered him selfe.
In like maner she confessed, that she had spoyled Cattle in great aboundance, with Corne vpon the ground often times: and that she had set fier vpon two Hey stacks, which had fiered a whole Uillage, had not helpe of people preuented it. From the like, God of his mercie deliuer vs all.
The Confession of Simon Gamperle.
SImon Gamperle their naturall sonne, of the age of two and twentie yeares, confessed that he had murthered by Witchcraft, to the number of thirtie small Children, beside sixe old folkes which he likewise made crooked and lame, and after killed.
Moreouer he confessed, that he had committed nine Church robberies, foure robberies by the high way side, twelue robberies done in Marchants Ware-houses: Ryot, and Pillage, committed by night sixe times: spoyled with Hayle and Tempests Cattel and Groundes often times.
Moreouer he confessed, that by Witch-craft he had made himselfe inuincible, by which meanes, he alone set vpon sixe persons at a time, and robbed them, and after killed them euery one: with many other practises of theft and murther, which here I omit.
The Confession of Iacob Gamperle.
IAcob Gamperle their other Sonne, of the age of one and twentie yeares, confessed that he had murthered to the number of three score and fiue small Children: beside fiue old folkes that he had made lame and crooked, and after murthered.
Moreouer, he confessed fiue Church robberies, ten Robberies in Marchants houses, foure Robberies [Page] committed by the high way: fiue houses set on fire, Ryots and Thefts by night in the streetes, committed twelue seuerall times.
Moreouer he confessed, that by Witch-craft he had caused a heard of Cattell in a Tempest to be blowne into a riuer, and there drowned: and the said Tempest or storme to be so violent, that Trauellers could hardly trauell by the high way: with many other like wicked practises.
The Confession of Vllrich Sehelltibaum.
VLlrich Sehelltibaum of Dettwenge, of the age of three score and eight yeares, confessed that in his life time, he had murthered by Witch-craft to the number of three score and ten small children, and had made crooked and killed thirtie olde folkes.
Moreouer, he confessed Robberies in Churches, and Marchants Sellars, thefts and murthers by night, Cattell and Grounds spoyled▪ in such abundance and so often times, that he could not well reckon them.
The Confession of George Smaltes,
GEorge Smaltes Taylor of Peon, of the age of fiftie yeares, confessed in his life time he had murthered to the number of thirtie sixe small Children, beside olde people made crooked & killed the number of fifteene: Murders by the high [Page] way, Robberies in Uillages, Fireing of Houses, Robbing of Churches, I thinke it needes not to number downe: but to conclude, it was his custome aboue the rest, to ransake by night dead mens graues, and to make pillage of what he there found whether it were linnen or otherwise: for badder liuers then these sixe were, I thinke are not now remayning vpon the earth. Therefore let all Christians pray, that God in his mercy may blesse vs & all others, from the like practises: and to weede from the face of the earth all such like offenders as he did these, and with the like shame and punishment reward them O God I beseeche thee.
These aforesayd confessions being taken before the Gouernour, and other Burgesses of the Cittie of Manchen, they were arraigned, conuicted, and condemned: and vpon the nine and twentie of Iuly were executed in this maner and forme following.
First, they were all sixe brought before the towne house of Manchen, where the Woman (being placst betwixt her two Sonnes) had both her Brestes cut off: with the which Brestes, the Executioner stroke her three times about the face: and in like maner her two Sonnes, who sate on each side of her, were likewise beaten about the face with their mothers Brestes three times apeece. This beeing done in the presence of many people, the Woman had sixe stripes giuen her with a Whip of twisted Wier: and after, had both her Armes broken with a Wheele, and then set in a settle made of purpose: [Page] her body was immediatly burnt.
After this, the other fiue men-Witches, had also sixe stripes apeece, and both their Armes likewise broken with a Wheele, and foure of them tyed vnto a stake in the same place, and burnt: But Paule Gamperle, the father and maister Witch of them all, was spitted aliue, and so roasted to death, and after had his body likewise burnt into sinders.
Thus gentle Reader, hast thou heard the life and death of these sixe most notorious and wicked Witches. For the truth wherof, let no man make doubt: for it is not onely reported of by many men of good sufficiencie, but translated out of the Dutch Coppy as it was there first imprinted. Therefore let vs all in general, fall downe vpon our knees, and with contrite hartes, desire of his Maiestie, by whose sufferance all theyr wicked practises were committed, that he will abate the pride and mallice of Sathan, now raigning amongst mankind, and to put in our hartes such strong fayth, that the like assaultes neuer assayle vs, but that we may serue him in perfect loue and godlines, who is the mightie Ring of all Kinges: to whom be all prayse, glory, and dominion, for euer.
Amen.