The Essex witches trial part 2.

The confession of Joan Upney of Dagenham, in the county of Essex, who was brought before Sir Henrye Gray Knight, the third of May 1589.

This examinate said, that one Fustian Kirtle, otherwise called Whitecoat, a witch of Barking, came to her house about seven or eight years ago, and gave her a thing like a mole, and told her if she ought anybody any ill will, if she did bid it, it would go clap them.

She said that a mole stayed with her for not more than a year, but it eventually withered away. After that, she gave her another mole and a toad, which she kept for a long time. She has never been without some toads since then until she last left her house. She confessed that she ran away because she heard John Harrold and Richard Foster say she was a witch, and other hurtful words.

She says that one day she left a toad under the doorstep at Harrold's house, and it pinched his wife, sucking her until she died. However, the said Joan Upney never came back to her.

She also mentioned that on another day, a toad crossed her threshold as Richard Foster's wife was passing by, and it went and pinched her but never returned.

She left two other toads at home when she ran away, but they eventually withered away.

She said that her eldest daughter would never want to deal with her toads, but her youngest daughter would handle them and treat them as well as she did.

The examination of Joan Prentice, one of the women of the almshouse of Sible Hedingham, within the said County being taken the 29. of March, in the 31 year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth.

In Primis, this said examinate said and confessed, that about six years last past, between the feasts of all Saints, and the birth of our Lord God, the devil appeared to her in the almshouse house aforesaid about ten o’clock in the night time, being is in the shape and proportion of a dark-colored ferret, with fiery eyes, and the said Examinate being alone in her chamber, and sitting upon a low stool, preparing herself to bedward the ferret standing with his hinder legs upon the ground, and his fore legs settled upon her lap, and setting his fiery eyes upon her eyes, spake and pronounced to her these words follow∣ing, namely: Joan Prentice give me thy soul, to whom this Examinate being greatly amazed, answered and said: In the name of god what art thou The Ferret answered, I am satan, fear me not my coming unto thee is to do thee no hurt but to obtain thy soul, which I must and will have before I depart from thee to whom the said examinate answered and said, that he demanded that of her which is none of hers to give, saying that her soul appertained only unto Jesus Christ, by whose precious blood shedding, it was bought and purchased. To whom the said ferret replied and said, I must then have some of thy blood, which she willingly granting, offered him the forefinger of her left hand, the which the Ferret took into his mouth, and setting his former feet upon that hand, sucked blood therout, in so much that her finger did smart [pain] exceedingly: and the said examinate demanding again of the Ferret what his name was: It answered Bidd. and then presently the said Ferret vanished out of her sight suddenly.

Item, the said examinate saith further, that about one month after, the said ferret came again to her in the night time as she was sitting upon a little stool, preparing herself to bedward, as is above said: Joan wilt thou go to bed, to whom she answered yea that I will by Gods grace, then presently the Ferret leapt up on her lap, and from thence upon to her bosom, and laying his former feet on her left shoulder, sucked blood out of her left cheek, and then he said to her, Joan if thou will have me do anything for the, I am and will be always ready at thy commandment, and thereupon she being a little before fallen out with William Adams his wife of Sible Hedingham aforesaid willed the ferret to spoil her drink which was then in brewing, which he did accordingly.
Also, the said person being examined further states and confesses that the said ferret appeared to her on several occasions, always when she was going to bed. The last time it appeared was about seven weeks ago when, as she was going to bed, the ferret jumped onto her left shoulder and sucked blood from her left cheek. Afterward, it asked her what she wanted it to do. She replied, 'Go to Mr. Glascock's house and nip one of his children named Sara, but do not hurt her.' The next night, the ferret returned to her and informed her that it had done as she commanded, specifically that it had nipped Sara Glascock, and she would die as a result. In response, she exclaimed, 'You villain! What have you done? I told you to nip her just a little, not to hurt her. Have you killed the child?' Upon uttering these words, the ferret disappeared suddenly and has not come to her since.

Item, she affirms that the reason why she instructed her ferret to bite the mentioned child was that she had been at Mr. Glascock's house the day before, seeking his charity. One of his female servants informed her that both her master and mistress were not at home, and thus, asked her to be patient for that moment. As a result, the person being examined left feeling greatly dissatisfied. That night, she sent her ferret to bite the child, as mentioned above.

She says and affirms that whenever she wanted her ferret to do something for her, she used these words: "Bidd, Bidd, Bidd, come Bidd, come bidd, come bidd, come suck, come suck, come suck." Upon uttering these words, the ferret would promptly appear as mentioned before, suck blood from her left cheek, and then carry out any mischief she commanded or wished it to do to or against any of her neighbors.

Finally, the said person being examined says and confesses that one Elizabeth Whale, the wife of Michael Whale, a laborer from Henningham Sibble, and Elizabeth Mott, the wife of John Mott, a cobbler from the same town, are equally familiar with her way of commanding the ferret. However, she does not know if they or any of them have caused harm to any of their neighbors.

When their indictments were read and their examinations were conducted, they tried to find ways to prolong their lives. To strengthen the case, several witnesses were brought forward to testify against them. The judge presiding over the circuit, with great foresight, wisely called in the two illegitimate children mentioned earlier and questioned them intensely to ensure they told the truth about their grandmother and mothers, which they did. Along with the depositions of other witnesses, the children provided enough evidence to support the indictments.

The jury found these wicked women guilty of murdering men, women, and children, and of committing various wicked and horrifying acts on multiple occasions. Consequently, the judge proceeded to pronounce the death sentence upon them, as they truly deserved.

After receiving their judgments, they were taken back to the prison, where they stayed for about two hours before the officers prepared to lead them to the place of execution. Upon arriving at the execution site, a learned divine named Mr. Ward, at the request of the justices, exhorted these wicked women to repentance. He urged them to confess the truth of their wicked deeds and to pray to God with penitent hearts, seeking mercy and pardon for their sins. They said a few prayers after the preacher, acknowledging that they deserved to die for their wicked actions, and they faced their deaths with patience.
It is worth noting that Mother Upney, experiencing inner remorse and conscience pricking, cried out that she had grievously sinned and that the devil had deceived her, repeating it twice. Yet, through the influence of God's spirit working within her and Mr. Ward's efforts, she appeared genuinely remorseful for her actions and died in a penitent state. She sought forgiveness from God and the world until her last breath, acknowledging her wicked and detestable life.
Fin

The Essex witches trials part 1.

The arraignment and execution of Joan Cunny of Stysted in the County of Essex widow, of the age of fourscore years, or thereabouts, who was brought before Anthony Mildmay Esquire, the last day of March. 1589.

Illustration of the three witches and the familiars Jack and Jill.

 

In primis, this examinate saith and confessed, that she hath knowledge and can do the most detestable Art of Witchcraft, and that she learned this her knowledge in the same, of one mother Humfrye of Maplested, who told her that she must kneel down upon her knees, and make a circle on the ground, and pray to Satan the chief of the devils, the form of which prayer that she then taught her (These spirits belonging to this witch, did suck, commonly upon a sore leg which this mother Cunny had), this examinate hath now forgotten, and that then the spirits would come unto her, the which she put in practise about twenty years since, in the Field of John Wiseman of Stysted Gentleman, called Cowfenne field, and there making a circle as she was taught, and kneeling on her knees, said the prayer now forgotten, and invocating upon Satan. Two Sprites did appear to her within the said circle, in the similitude and likeness of two black frogs,(She had four principal spirits. The first was Jack. The second was Jill. The third was Nicholas. The fourth was Ned.) and there demanded of her what she would have, being ready to do for her what she would desire, so she would promise to give them her soul for their travail, for otherwise: they would do nothing for her. Whereupon she did promise them her soul, and then they concluded with her so as to do for her what she would require, and gave themselves several names, that is to say, the one Jack, and the other Jill, by the names she always did after calling them. And then taking them up, she carried them home in her lap and put them in a box and gave them white bread and milk (Jack killed mankind. Jill killed womenkind. Nicholas killed horses. Ned killed cattle)

And within one month she sent them to milk Hurrells beasts, which they did, and they would bring milk for their own eating and not for her.

And further, she said that her sprites never changed their colour since they first came unto her, and that they would familiarly talke with her, when she had anything to say or do with them in her own language.

And likewise she confessed that she sent her said spirits to hurt the wife of John Sparrow the elder, of Stysted, which they did, and also that where Maister John Glascock of Stysted, aforesaid had a great stack of logs in his yard, she by her said Spirits did overthrow them.

And further, faith that she hath hurt diverse persons within this sixteen or twenty years, but how many she now knoweth not.

Furthermore, she confessed that she sent her sprites unto William Unglee of Stysted Miller, and because they could not hurt him, she sent them to hurt one Barnabie Griffyn, his man, which they did. Likewise she confessed, that she sent her saide sprites, to hurt Master Kitchin Minister of the saide town, and also unto one George Coe of the said town shoemaker, to hurt him likewise: but they could not, and the cause why they could not, as the said sprites told her, was because they had at their coming a strong faith in God, and had invocated and called upon him, that they could do them no harm.

And further she saith, that Margaret Cunny, her Daughter, did fall out with Father Hurrill, and gave him cursed speeches, and thereupon, she thought she sent her spirits to her.

Also she does utterly deny that she sent her said spirits to Finches wife, Deuenishes wife, and Renold Ferror or any of them to hurt them.

And being further examined, she confessed that although her said spirits at some time can have no power to hurt men, yet they may have power to hurt their cattle.

This Joane Cunny, living very lewdly, having two lewd daughters, no better than naughty packs, had two bastard children being both boys, these two children were chief witnesses, and gave in great evidence against their Grandma and Mothers, the eldest being about 10. or 12. years of age.

Against this Mother Cunny the elder boy gave in this evidence which she herself after confessed, that she going to Braintye Market, came to one Harry Finches house, to demand some drink, his wife being busy and a brewing, told her she had no leisure to give her any. Then Joane Cunnye went away discontented: and at night Finches wife was grievously taken in her head, and the next day in her side, and so continued in most horrible pain for the space of a week, and then died.

Mother Cunnye confessed that she sent her spirit Jill to torment her.

The same boy confessed that he was commanded by his Grandmother to fetch a burden of wood, which he gathered, but another boy stole it from him, and he came home without: and told his Grandma: and she commanded her sprite to prick the same boy in the foot which was done and the same boy came to the barre lame and gave evidence against her.

Again the same boy confessed that his Grandma when he had lost his wood, said she would have wood enough: and asked him to go into Sir Edward Huddlestones ground being high Sheriff of the Sheere, and to take with him Jack the sprite, and so he did, who went unseen to anybody but to the boy, and when they came to a mighty Oak-tree, the spirit went about it, and presently the tree blew up by the roots and no wind at all stirring at this time: which Master high Sheriff acknowledged to be blown down in a great calm.

16th century true crime part 4.

Eleven or twelve Danish gentlemen being in talks together one evening in a stove, fell to some hot words among themselves, which at length grew to such terms, that the candles suddenly were put out, and one of them was stabbed with a poignard and killed. Amongst those gentlemen was a Pursuant of the King’s. Now the murderer was unknown, by reason of the number, although the gentlemen accused the pursuant for it, but the King would not believe them, saying they had conspired against his servant. In this perplexity the King caused them to come altogether into the stove, and standing round about the dead corpse, he commanded that they should one after another lay there right hand on the slain gentleman’s naked breast, swearing they had not killed him. The Gentlemen did so, and no signs appeared to witness against them. The Pursuant only remained who condemned before in his own conscience, went first of all and kissed the dead Mans feet but as soon as he laid his hand on his breast the blood gushed forth in great abundance, both out of his wound and nostrils: so that urged by this evident accusation, he confessed the murder, and by the Kings own sentence was incontinently beheaded. HENRY RANSOVIVS Lieutenant for the King of Denmark in the duchy of Holstein makes this relation in a letter of his that is now in print: and farther adds, that the King his master reported this history to him, and to Ulric his son in law Duke of Mecklenburg with these words: Some of the gentlemen accused of this murder are still living, this first day of July 1591. And how that ever since the execution of the Pursuant, King Christian II Permitted that over al his Kingdom unknown murders should be sought out after that manner.

King Christian II of Denmark.

I will add another example (saith he) in the same letter written to David Chytreus which happened at Itzehoe in Denmark in my Father’s time. A traveller was murdered by the high way side and because the murderer could not be found out, the magistrates of Itzehoe made the body to be taken up, and an hand to be cut of, which was carried into the prison of the town, and hung up by a string in one of the chambers. About ten years after, the murderer coming upon some occasion into the prison, the hand which had bene a long time dry began to drop blood on the table that stood underneath it. The lawyer beholding so extraordinary a thing stayed the fellow, and adverty said the magistrates of it, who examining him in the presence of my Father, the murderer giving glory to God, confessed the murder which he had committed so many years before, and submitted himself to the rigour of the law which was inflicted on him as he well deserved.

Jerome Magius, a learned philosopher, discusses various accidents in Chapter 6 of his Complaints. After quoting both ancient and modern authors who have written about this subject and presenting all that he believes is necessary for this discussion, he finally concludes that the revelations of murders are miraculous. The authors he cites include Homer in Book 17 of the Iliad, where he speaks of the dead body of Euphorbas in the presence of Menelaus, who had killed him. He also mentions the poet Lucretius in Book 4 with the verse 'Nanque homines ploerun{que} cadunt in vulnus,' and Thaddeus the Florentine in his explanations on Joannitius Isagoge, Henry de Gand in his Quodlibets, Giles of Rome in Question 25 of the 5th Quodlibet, John Muiror on the 4th book of Sentences, Distinction 25, Question 14.
Furthermore, he refers to the author of the book titled 'Peregrinarum quaestionum' in the 3rd Decade, Question 6; Marsilius Ficinus in the 16th book of 'The Immortality of Souls,' Chapter 5; Gale of Martius in Chapter 22 of his book 'De doctrina promiscua'; John Langius, a physician, in his 40th Epistle; Levin Lemnius in Book 2 of 'The Miracles of Nature,' Chapter 7; Gaudence Mevula in the 4 books of 'Memorable Things,' Chapter 18; Paris de Puteo in the treatise of Judges, specifically on the word 'Tortura'; Hippolito Marsillo in his practice, in paragraph Diligenter, number 81; Mark Anthony Blanc in the Commentary on the Law, Final number 408, F. de questionibus; Ludovic Carera in the beginning of his practice, number 140, and Francis Jason in the treatise of Judgements and Tortures.

In the town of Tübingen, a certain traveller coming into an inn, and talking at table of the journey he had to go, asked the host of the house if he knew of any that went his way, because he was afraid he should not hit it whereupon another guest that sat at table with him, said, how he was going to the place he spoke of, and knew all the ways of the forrest through which they were to pass. Travelling together in the wood the latter thinking to make some great purchase fell upon the other and killed him. But finding little about him, he returned heavy and sighing to the same inn from whence they parted. Presently after, the bruit [rumour] went of a man that was found murdered in the forest. And because the murderer discovered himself sufficiently by his sighs, he was apprehended and being examined, confessed the fact, for the which he was put to death. PH. LONICER in his •…heater of Examples.

A murderer that had killed divers men and certain women with child, going on Easter-Eve to the Town of Winshein [Bad Windsheim] in Germany, bought three calves heads of a butcher in the shambles, which he put into a net made like a bag, and laying them on his shoulder went his way homeward. Whereupon it seemed to all that met him in the street that they were mens heads which he carried in the net, so that divers ran and advertised the Magistrates of it, who straight way sent some of their Sergeants, and commanded them to apprehend him and bring him before them. Being come and examined where he had those mens heads? he answered that he had bought them of a butcher in the open shambles. The Butcher was sent for, who affirmed that those which he sold him were calf heads and no other. The Magistrates amazed with this prodigy sent the buyer to prison: where going to be tortured, he confessed his murders: which was no sooner done but presently the three heads taken out of the net returned to their former shape, and the murderer was executed according to his demerits. The same.

A learned Divine of our time recites such another History as that of Ibicus. For he saith that a German travelling a journey fell among thieves, who going to cut his throat, the poor man spied a flight of crows and said,
O Crowes I take you for witnesses and revengers of my death. He had no sooner said so but he was murdered by the thieves; who drinking two or three days after in an inn, a company of crows came and lighted on the top of the house. Whereupon the thieves began to laugh and say one to an other, look yonder are they that must revenge his death whom we dispatched the other day. The Tapster overhearing them told his Master, who reported it to the Magistrate. He presently commanded them to be apprehended, and upon their disagreeing in speeches and contrary answers urged them so far that the confessed the truth, whereupon ensued their execution. In the collection of the memorable speeches of this divine.

A Gentleman of Chalence in Fossigry being in h[… ]Duke of Savoy’s army in September the […]  158[…] and g[…] seeing to behold the cruelties which war the poor inhabitants of the Bailiwick of Ge[…] resolved to depart from the said army. Now because there was no safer nor nearer way for him then to crosse the lake to Bonne [probably Bonn in Switzerland], which might very well be performed in three hours at the most (whereas he should have been a day and a half going by the bridge of Chancy and that with danger) he went to one of his acquaintance named John Villain of the village of Thaney [Tannay] in the Bailiwick of Nyon [part of the Swiss canton of Vaud], hard by the town of Coppet, and desired him to help him to some that would carry him over the lake. Villain went along with him to Coppet, where one of the best of the towne had the Gentleman to a tavern, and there it was agreed that two watermen of the place, which were present, should carry him over. Wherupon he went back to Thaney for his horse, apparel and other things. Being returned and in the boat crossing the lake, the said watermen, whereof the chiefest was called Martin Bourry, fell upon him and cut his throat. Villain understanding it and complaining of so cruel a treachery, was answered, that it was an enemy who they had dispatched. The murderer fearing to be called in question about it, to prevent the matter made a present of the gentleman’s horse which was of great value to a certain master and kept the rest to himself. insomuch that the murder was never spoken afterward, neither dared Villain use many words about it, for fear of himself. But God would not leave it so unpunished. For about the 15 of July 1591. this Bourry going with divers others of Coppet to shoot for a wager, as he was charging the arquebus which he had robbed the Gentleman of when he murdered him, it suddenly discharged of itself and shot the murderer through the heart, so that he fell down stark dead, and never stirred nor spoke a word. This relation I received from Villains own mouth.

In the first troubles a Gentleman of the troops which besieged Moulins in Burbonnois was taken sick in such sort that he could not follow his company when they dislodged: and lying at a baker’s house called John Mon which professed much friendship and kindness to him, he put such confidence in him, that he stayed behind the rest, having showed his host the money that he had, who promised to defend him from all men, together with a little brother of his some 13 or 14 years old. But so far was this wretch from keeping his promise, that contrarily as soon as it was night, he trained them forth of doors, and most wickedly murdered them. Now mark how God revenged it it happened not long after that the murderer being in sentinel, one of his fellows not thinking of it, short him through the arm with an arquebus whereof he languished the space of 3. months, and then died stark mad.
Historie of France vnder CHARLES the 9.

The town of Bourges being yielded by Mons. d'Tuoy during the first troubles, those that held it before were inhibited from talking together either within or without the town, or from being about two together at a time. Amongst them that took pleasure (under colour of this ordinance) to murder such as they met talking together, there was one named Garget captain of the Bourbon quarter, which made a common practise of it, who shortly after taken with a burning fever ran up and down the streets, blaspheming the name of God, calling upon the devil, and crying out, if any one would go along with him to hell, he would pay his charges, and so died in desperate and frantic manner. In the same History.

Peter Martin, one of the queries of the King’s stable, and Postmaster at a place called Liege in the way towards Poitou, upon a slight accusation, without either from or manner of process was condemned by a Lord to be drowned. This Lord commanded one of his falconers to go and execute this sentence upon pain to be drowned himself. Whereupon he performed it: but God deferred not the revenge thereof long, for within three days after, this falconer and a lackey falling out about the good mans apparel went into the field and slew one another. Which being reported to the Lord (a most unrighteous judge) it compelled him to have some remorse, and to say openly, that he would it had cost him five hundred crowns, the poor Query had not been drowned. But it was too little, for to value the life of an innocent man at. In the same historie, book. 7.

Certaine troupes of Peasants of Coulours, Ceresiers, and other places in Champagne, having committed many murders and spoyles in sundrye places, were heer and there defeated and came very near al of them to violent ends during the first troubles. I will note two notable particularities here touching two of those troops One going to set fire on a house, fell down stark dead, being killed with the shot of an arquebus unadvisedly discharged by one of his fellows. Another dragging a poor man and his wife to a post for to have them shot to death, received also a shot from an arquebus which took away his life and so his prisoners escaped. In the same book. It hath been observed in the history of France since the year of our Lord God 1560. Till the last peace, that of a thousand murderers which remained unpunished in regard of men, not ten of them escaped the hands of God, but made most wretched ends: as shall be seen in the books following.