Trials (Witchcraft) -- England -- Devon; Witchcraft -- England -- Devon
The said informant upon his oath saith, that upon Easter Tuesday,
which was the 18th of May last, this Informant's wife, Grace Barnes,
was taken with very great pains of sticking and pricking in her arms,
stomach and breast, as tho' she had been stabbed with awls being so
described unto him by the said Grace in such a manner as this Informant
thought she would have died immediately; and in such sad condition she
had continued to this present day in tormenting and grievous pains.
And further saith, that upon Sunday last, which was the 16th of July
instant, about 10 of the clock in the forenoon, this Informant's said
wife was taken worse than before, insomuch as four men and women could
hardly hold her. And at that time one Agnes Whitefield, wife of John
Whitefield of Biddiford, cordwainer, being in this Informant's house
and hearing some body at the door, she did open the door where she
found one Mary Trembles of Biddiford, single woman, standing with a
white pot in her hand, as though she had been going to the common
bakehouse. And thereupon this Informant's wife did ask of the said
Agnes, who it was that was at the door? Unto which the said Agnes
answered that it was Mary Trembles. Then this Informant's wife said
that she, the said Mary Trembles was one of them that did torment her,
and that she was come now to put her the said Grace out of her life.
The Information of Grace Barnes, the wife of John Barnes of Biddiford,
yeoman, taken the 2nd of August, Anno Domini 1682. The said Informant
upon her oath saith, that she had been very much pain'd and tormented
in her body these many years last past insomuch that she had sought
out for remedy far and near and never had any suspicion that she had
magical art or witchcraft used upon her body until about a year and
half ago, that she was informed by some physicians that it was so. And
further saith thereupon she had some suspicions of one Susanna Edwards
of Biddiford, widow, because that the said Susanna would oftentimes
repair to this Informant's house upon frivolous or no occasion at all.
And further saith that about the middle of May last she was taken with
very great pains of sticking and pricking in her arms, breast, and
heart as though divers awls had been prick'd or stuck into her body,
and was in great tormenting pains for many days and nights together
with very little intermission. And saith that upon Sunday the 16th of
July last, she was taken in a very grievous and tormenting manner; at
which instant of time one Agnes Whitefield, the wife of John Whitefield
of Biddiford, was in this Informant's house, who opening the door and
looking out found one Mary Trembles of Biddiford standing before the
door. And thereupon this informant did ask of the said Agnes, who it
was that stood at the door? who answered that it was the said Mary
Trembles. Upon which this informant was fully assured that the said
Mary Trembles, together with the said Susanna Edwards, were the very
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