Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-09-06


her on which they broke open the door, that
was locked with two locks, and brought her to
the maid who was lying speechless, in very
great misery and torture, but all the time very
sensible. AS soon as Jane Wenham spoke tc
her, her color came into her cheeks, and she
started up, crying, You arc a base woman
you have ruined me and flew upon her to
scratch her, saying, must have your blood
or shall never be WE'LL She scratched Jane
Wenham in the forehead, with such fury and
eagerness that the NOISE Of her mails seemed TO all
that t0ere present as if she mere scratching against
a ,Cainscot yet no blood followed, Jane Wen
ham holding her head still, and saying,
Scratch harder, Nan, and fetch blood of me j
you can. Yet still no blood came, although
her forehead was sadly mangled and torn by
the girls nails
These cruelties were perpetrated on the 18th
OF February, 17l2, time within the memory
Of the grandathors (noy, possibly even of the
fathers) of men now living in the rectory house
of Walkerne, within thirty miles of London,
in the presence of the rector, Of his wife, of
Mr.. Arthur Chauncy the son, and Mr.. Francis
Bragge the grandson, of Sir Henry Chauncy,
under the authority of the warrant he had is
sued, and of the constable he had appointed to
execute it The story is told by Mr.. Bragge
himself, not only without shame, but as
matter for which I'LL parties concerned deserved
credit for he closes his long narrative with
the hope that it will satisfy all " that in this
prosecution nothing has been done but upon
good grounds; and having now fairly repre-
sented our dongs to the world, we subject our
selves to the readers impartial judgment, and
restfully satisfied in having discharged our du-
ties. And thus, hberoUmuS anamaS noStraS
"After this the company began to expostu-
late with Jane Wenhan, telling her she was
wicked wretch to abuse poor young inno-
cent creature at that rate; that she had been
reported witch for above twenty years, and
other things they said to that effect. Then
Jane Wenham protested she was innocent, and
offered to be tried, by searching her body, to
see whether she had any teats, or by throwing
her into the water One of the company re-
plyed, there was no occasion for it at present,
but only desired her to let him hear. her say
the Lords Prayer. She made several attempts
to do it, but could not, always missing two or
three sentences. Mrs Gardiner babe her try
whether she could say it after her, and repeated
it sentence by sentence slowly to her; but nei-
Their could she do this, to the amazement of all
the bystanders. 1t was observed, though she
tried ten times she could not say this sentence,
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them
that trespass against us nor that, Lead us
not into temptation. After this Jane Wenham
was kept in custody of the constable, and the
maid was pretty we'll that evening. 10 all the
account have given of this days occurrences,
Mrs. Gardiner, Mr.. Chauncy, Thomas Ireland,
and many others, were witnesses, and attested
upon oath, all circumstances as | have here re-
lated them. The next morning being Thurs
day, the l4th of February, Sir Henry Chauncy
came down to Walkerne to the house of John
Trgg, and Jane Wenham was brought before
him. Mr.. Gardiner and Matthew Gilston were
severally examined and gave in their inlorna-
lions upon oath. While this was doing, Anne
Thorne tell into violent fit, and at last seemed
to be dead; they carried her out into the yard,
and brought the old witch to her; upon this
the blood came Immediately into her face, and
she sprung upwith great strength and fury to
scratch Jane Wenham, but was prev ented by
the interpositson Of the people, who took her
away This was before great multitude of
spectators, who all declared their belief that the
maid was bewitched, and that this woman had
bewitched her.
" After this tho maid was we'll enough to be
and gave large account of what
happened to her, being the same In substance
with what is above related. would insert the
lnformatons at large, but they being all but
long repetitions of the account already given,
which was with great care collected out of those
intormations of Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner,
and Anne Throne, and confirmed by the attes-
tations of Mr.. Chauncy and Mr.. Bragge, who
saw most of these things done, shall omit
them, as very tedious, and now unnecessary,
out shall find it needful by-and-by to insert
some others, which were not already taken no.
ice of. But to proceed. Sir Henry ordered
our women to search Jane Wenham's BODY, d.
'ecting them to inquire diligently whether she
had any teats, or other extraordinary and unu-
ual marks about her, by which the devil in any
hape might suck her body. After about an
lour's search and consultation they returned,
md affirmed that they found no such teats or
marks about her body. 1t being now pretty {