Butthoughprogresswasmade，itwasslow。In1664，thevenerableSirMatthewHalecondemnedtwowomen，namedAmyDunyandRoseCullender，tothestakeatSt。Edmondsbury，uponevidencethemostridiculous。Thesetwooldwomen，whoseuglinessgavetheirneighboursthefirstideathattheywerewitches，wenttoashoptopurchaseherrings，andwererefused。Indignantattheprejudiceagainstthem，theywerenotsparingoftheirabuse。Shortlyafterward，thedaughteroftheherring-dealerfellsick，andacrywasraisedthatshewasbewitchedbytheoldwomenwhohadbeenrefusedtheherrings。Thisgirlwassubjecttoepilepticfits。TodiscovertheguiltofAmyDunyandRoseCullender，thegirl’seyeswereblindedcloselywithashawl，andthewitcheswerecommandedtotouchher。Theydidso，andshewasimmediatelyseizedwithafit。Uponthisevidencetheyweresenttoprison。Thegirlwasafterwardstouchedbyanindifferentperson，andtheforceofherimaginationwassogreat，that，thinkingitwasagainthewitches，shefelldowninaviolentfitasbefore。This，however，wasnotreceivedinfavouroftheaccused。
Thefollowingextract，fromthepublishedreportsofthetrial，willshowthesortofevidencewhichwasreceived:——
“SamuelPacey，ofLeystoff，agood，soberman，beingsworn，saidthat，onThursdaythe10thofOctoberlast，hisyoungerdaughter，Deborah，aboutnineyearsold，wassuddenlytakensolamethatshecouldnotstandonherlegs，andsocontinuedtillthe17thofthesamemonth，whenthechilddesiredtobecarriedtoabankontheeastsideofthehouse，lookingtowardsthesea；and，whileshewassittingthere，AmyDunycametothisexaminant’shousetobuysomeherrings，butwasdenied。Thenshecametwicemore，but，beingasoftendenied，shewentawaydiscontentedandgrumbling。Atthisinstantoftime，thechildwastakenwithterriblefits，complainingofapaininherstomach，asifshewasprickedwithpins，shriekingoutwithavoicelikeawhelp，andthuscontinuedtillthe30thofthesamemonth。Thisexaminantfurthersaith，thatAmyDuny，havinglonghadthereputationofawitch，andhischildhaving，intheintervalsofherfits，constantlycriedoutonher，asthecauseofherdisorder，saying，thatthesaidAmydidappeartoherandfrighther，hehimselfdidsuspectthesaidAmytobeawitch，andchargedherwithbeingthecauseofhischild’sillness，andsetherinthestocks。Twodaysafter，hisdaughterElizabethwastakenwithsuchstrangefits，thattheycouldnotforceopenhermouthwithoutatap；andtheyoungerchildbeinginthesamecondition，theyusedtoherthesameremedy。
BothchildrengrievouslycomplainedthatAmyDunyandanotherwoman，whosehabitandlookstheydescribed，didappeartothem，andtormentthem，andwouldcryout，’TherestandsAmyDuny！TherestandsRoseCullender！’theotherpersonwhoafflictedthem。Theirfitswerenotalike。Sometimestheywerelameontherightside；sometimesontheleft；andsometimessosore，thattheycouldnotbeartobetouched。Sometimestheywereperfectlywellinotherrespects，buttheycouldnothear；atothertimes，theycouldnotsee。Sometimestheylosttheirspeechforone，two，andonceforeight，daystogether。Attimestheyhadswooningfits，and，whentheycouldspeak，weretakenwithafitofcoughing，andvomitedphlegmandcrookedpins；andonceagreattwopennynail，withabovefortypins；whichnailhe，theexaminant，sawvomitedup，withmanyofthepins。Thenailandpinswereproducedinthecourt。Thusthechildrencontinuedfortwomonths，duringwhichtimetheexaminantoftenmadethemreadintheNewTestament，andobserved，whentheycametothewordsLordJesus，orChrist，theycouldnotpronouncethem，butfellintoafit。
WhentheycametothewordSatan，ordevil，theywouldpoint，andsay，’Thisbites，butmakesmespeakrightwell。’Findinghischildrenthustormentedwithouthopesofrecovery，hesentthemtohissister，MargaretArnold，atYarmouth，beingwillingtotrywhetherchangeofairwouldhelpthem。