"On the following day she was suddenly seized with a violent pain in
her thigh, and afterwards fell into fits and ravings; and, on
recovering, said she was tormented by several women, whose dress and
personal appearance she minutely described. Shortly after, she was
again seized with the like fits, and on recovering she accused five
other women of tormenting her, describing them also. The accused
persons being brought from different parts of the country, she
appeared to suffer extreme fear and additional torture as they
approached the house.
"It was also deposed that strange noises, as of whistling, scratching,
etc., were heard in the house, and that a sulphureous smell was
observed in the rooms; that stones, turf, and the like were thrown
about the house, and the coverlets, etc., frequently taken off the
beds and made up in the shape of a corpse; and that a bolster once
walked out of a room into the kitchen with a night-gown about it! It
likewise appeared in evidence that in some of her fits three strong
men were scarcely able to hold her in the bed; that at times she
vomited feathers, cotton yarn, pins, and buttons; and that on one
occasion she slid off the bed and was laid on the floor, as if
supported and drawn by an invincible power. The afflicted person was
unable to give any evidence on the trial, being during that time dumb,
but had no violent fit during its continuance."
In defence of the accused, it appeared that they were mostly sober,
industrious people, who attended public worship, could repeat the
Lord's Prayer, and had been known to pray both in public and private;
and that some of them had lately received communion.
Judge Upton charged the jury, and observed on the regular attendance
of accused at public worship; remarking that he thought it improbable
that real witches could so far retain the form of religion as to
frequent the religious worship of God, both publicly and privately,
which had been proved in favour of the accused. He concluded by giving
his opinion "that the jury could not bring them in guilty upon the
sole testimony of the afflicted person's visionary images." He was
followed by Judge Macarthy, who differed from him in opinion, "and
thought the jury might, from the evidence, bring them in guilty,"
which they accordingly did.
This trial lasted from six o'clock in the morning till two in the
afternoon; and the prisoners were sentenced to be imprisoned twelve
months, and to stand four times in the pillory of Carrickfergus.
Tradition says that the people were much exasperated against these
unfortunate persons, who were severely pelted in the pillory with
boiled cabbage stalks and the like, by which one of them had an eye
beaten out.
T'YEER-NA-N-OGE.--Page 200.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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