Daily stories of Pennsylvania : $b prepared for publication in the leading daily newspapers of the state...Godcharles, Frederic Antes
History
Daily stories of Pennsylvania : $b prepared for publication in the leading daily newspapers of the state...
Godcharles, Frederic Antes
Pennsylvania -- Biography; Pennsylvania -- History
“Henry Drystreet, one of the Grand Jurors attested, saith he was tould
20 years agoe that the prisoner at the Barr was a witch and that
severall cows were bewitcht by her, also that James Sunderling’s mother
tould that she bewitcht her cow but afterwards said it was a mistake and
that her cow should doe well againe for it was not her cow but another
persons that should dye.
“Charles Ashcom attested, saith, that Anthony’s wife being asked why she
sould her cattle was because his mother had bewitcht them having taken
the witchcraft off of Hendricks cattle and put on their oxen, she might
keep but noe other cattle; and also that one night the Daughter of the
Prisoner called him up hastily and when he came she sayd there was a
great Light but just before and an old woman with a knife in her hand at
the Bedd’s feet and therefore shee cryed out and desired Jno. Symcock to
take away his calves or else she would send them to Hell.
“Annakey Coolin attested, saith, her husband tooke the heart of a calfe
that dyed as they thought by witchcraft and Boyled it whereupon the
Prisoner at the Barr came in and asked them what they were doing, they
said boyling of flesh, she said they had better they had boyled the
bones with severall other unseemly Expressions.
“Margaret Mattson saith that she values not Drystreets Evidence but if
Sunderlin’s mother had come she would have answered her also denyeth
Charles Ashcoms attestation at her soul and saith where is my daughter
lett her come and say so.
“Annakey Coolin’s attestation concerning the Gees she denyeth, saying
she was never out of her conoo, and also that she never said any such
things concerning the calves heart.
“The Prisoner denyeth all things and saith that ye witnesses speake only
by hear say.
“After which the Govr. gave the jury their charge concerning ye Prisoner
at ye Barr.
“The jury went forth and upon their Returne brought her in Guilty of
having the common fame of a witch but not Guilty in the manner and forme
as she stands indicted.
“Neels Mattson and Anthon. Neelson Enters into Recognizance of fifty
pounds apiece for the good behavior of Margaret Mattson for six months.”
In 1695 Robert Roman, presented by the grand inquest of Chester County
for practicing geomancy according to Hidon, and divining by a stick. He
submitted himself to the bench and was fined £5, and his books, Hidon’s
Temple of Wisdom, Scott’s Discovery of Witchcraft, and Cornelius
Agrippa’s Geomancy, were ordered to be taken from him and brought into
Court.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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