The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut (1647-1697)Taylor, John M. (John Metcalf)
History
The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut (1647-1697)
Taylor, John M. (John Metcalf)
Connecticut -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Witchcraft -- Connecticut -- History
"At a court held at Newhaven the 7th of August 1655.
"Elizabeth Godman was again called before the Court, and told that she
lies under suspition for witchcraft, as she knowes, the grounds of which
were examined in a former court, and by herselfe confessed to be just
grounds of suspition, wch passages were now read, and to these some more
are since added, wch are now to be declared.
"Mr. Goodyeare said that the last winter, upon occasion of Gods
afflicting hand upon the plantation by sickness, the private meeting
whereof he is had appointed to set a day apart to seeke God: Elizabeth
Godman desired she might be there; he told her she was under suspition,
and it would be offensive; she said she had great need of it, for she
was exercised wth many temptations, and saw strange appearitions, and
lights aboute her bed, and strange sights wch affrighted her; some of
his family said if she was affraide they would worke wth her in the day
and lye with her in the night, but she refused and was angry and said
she would haue none to be wth her for she had her spirituall armour
aboute her. She was asked the reason of this; she answered, she said so
to Mr. Goodyeare, but it was her fancy troubled her, and she would haue
none lye wth her because her bed was weake; she was told that might haue
been mended; then she said she was not willing to haue any of them wth
her, for if any thing had fallen ill wth them they would haue said that
she had bine the cause."
Mr. Goodyeare further declared that aboute three weekes agoe he had a
verey great disturbance in his family in the night (Eliza: Godman hauing
bine the day before much discontented because Mr. Goodyeare warned her
to provide another place to live in) his daughter Sellevant, Hanah
Goodyeare, and Desire Lamberton lying together in the chamber under
Eliza: Godman; after they were in bed they heard her walke up and downe
and talk aloude; but could not tell what she said; then they heard her
go downe the staires and come up againe; they fell asleep, but were
after awakened wth a great jumbling at the chamber dore, and something
came into the chamber wch jumbled at the other end of the roome and
aboute the trunke and amonge the shooes and at the beds head; it came
nearer the bed and Hanah was affraid and called father, but he heard
not, wch made her more affraide; then cloathes were pulled of their bed
by something, two or three times; they held and something pulled, wch
frighted them so that Hanah Goodyeare called her father so loude as was
thought might be heard to the meetinghouse, but the noise was heard to
Mr. Samuell Eatons by them that watched wth her; so after a while Mr.
Goodyeare came and found them in a great fright; they lighted a candell
and he went to Eliza: Godmans chamber and asked her why she disturbed
the family; she said no, she was scared also and thought the house had
bine on fire, yet the next day she said in the family that she knew
nothing till Mr.
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