The Essex Women

17 Dec

Thirty-six Essex ‘witches’ were set to have their fates decided at the Chelmsford assizes on July 17, 1645.

Not all of them would make it to their day in court —or, more accurately, minutes in court, given that all the ‘witches’, as well as other prisoners, were tried the same day. Four died in gaol before their trial. Two had their trials postponed and were returned to their cell. Rebecca West, the young woman who had confessed and was coerced into testifying against her mother and the alleged Manningtree coven, was indicted but never tried. She was presumably freed in return for her testimony.

Nineteen of the twenty-nine women tried on July 17 were convicted and executed: fifteen at Chelmsford on July 18 and four at Manningtree on August 1. It is unclear why four of the women were transported all the way to Manningtree two weeks later for their execution, but it is assumed to have been a power display at the town that had been the origin point for the witch-hunt.

Nine women were convicted but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle’s gaol. These women needed to wait both for a pardon from Parliament (currently preoccupied with fighting Charles I) and until their gaol fees had been paid before they could be released. Four of these nine women died in gaol either before the pardon was granted in 1646 or because they could not pay off their debts, and so were forced to remain imprisoned. Five of the nine pardoned women were still imprisoned as of 1648 due to their unpaid debts. Their further fate is unknown.

Only one woman was acquitted, Joan Rowle of Leigh, the only accused witch who was not from the Tendring Hundred. The Tendring Hundred magistrates Sir Harbottle Grimston and Sir Thomas Bowes had actively supported and promoted witch-hunting in their jurisdiction that spring and summer, resulting in the other thirty-five women being accused. It is likely that Joan Rowle’s arrest was completely unrelated to the Tendring witch-hunt, which would help explain why she should be the only one acquitted.

The Essex women didn’t necessarily fit the stereotype of the witch as an elderly widow or spinster. Thirty-four of the thirty-six women’s marital statuses are recorded. Of these thirty-four, seventeen were married, fourteen were widows, and only three were spinsters —though it should be noted of this final figure that two out of the three unmarried women are known to have been young, in their twenties and late thirties. Most do not have recorded ages, but based on parish records and average life and marriage expectancies for the period, it can be assumed most were roughly in their 40s-60s. Many seem to have been poor, but three were yeoman’s wives.

Some were suspected after they had asked their neighbours for charity and were denied, only for their neighbour to suffer strange misfortune. Some had feuded with their more well-off neighbours. Some came under suspicion through relatives or friends who were accused. Two had been previously tried, but acquitted, and many others had been suspected for years.

It was common for witches to be interrogated and watched by the same people who accused them of witchcraft. For example, Richard and Susan Edwards believed Elizabeth Clarke had killed their infant son, yet despite clearly being biased against Elizabeth they are listed as witnesses in her indictment. Susan’s step-brother, Matthew Hopkins (of later infamy as the “Witchfinder General”), also watched Clarke and is listed on her indictment. It was also common for those who accused one witch to appear as witnesses against other witches in their same town, suggesting that local concerned citizens who believed themselves bewitched would form coalitions to deal with the ‘witch problem’. Some of these ‘bewitched’ locals were chief constables, like Richard Edwards and Francis Stock, or other powerful men. Some ministers also testified against accused witches.

These thirty-six Essex women do not include everyone who was questioned as a suspected witch in Essex in 1645 - this total figure is unknown. There are also others who are known to have been prosecuted at other court sessions, such as Alice Stansby.

The entries below account for effectively all known information on the Essex women.

MANNINGTREE.

Elizabeth Clarke - 39, spinster

Born in 1606 in Bradfield. Her mother (name not recorded) was executed for witchcraft along with other relatives. Elizabeth was disabled, having one leg. She lived with her younger sister Jane and her brother-in-law for years, but seems to have been thrown out after her sister’s death. She was extremely poor afterwards, likely dependant on charity. She had an illegitimate daughter, Jane (presumably for her deceased sister), with Joseph Applegate in 1643. Elizabeth publicly named Applegate so her daughter could be baptized (at the same church where Matthew Hopkins’ stepfather, Thomas Witham, was the rector) and so Applegate would be forced to financially provide for the child. Among other crimes, she was accused of bewitching the tailor John Rivet’s wife and the infant son of Richard Edwards, chief constable, and Susan Edwards, step-sister to Matthew Hopkins. While being questioned, she threatened John Stearne that one of her imps would crawl down his throat and said that the Devil was a properer man than Hopkins; being coerced to confess she had sex with the Devil, and asked if she would prefer to have the Devil or Hopkins as a lover, she said the Devil. Elizabeth was indicted for killing the Edwards’ son and for keeping imps. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Sarah Bright - widow

Possibly the same ‘Sara Bright’ who was married to Thomas Bright. If the same, she had a daughter Dorothy born 1619 and died 1620, Marie born in 1621, twins Jeremy and Sara born 1624/25 with Jeremy dying in 1626, and Richard who was born 1628 and died less than a month later; Thomas, too, was dead by 1645. Indicted for bewitching and killing the daughter of mason Henry Woolvett. Her indictment lists someone called ‘Applegate’ as a witness against her, possibly the same Joseph Applegate who fathered Elizabeth Clarke’s child or a relative. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Elizabeth Gooding - married

Alternatively spelled Goodwyn or Goodwin. Wife of Edward Goodwin. Likely the same Elizabeth Roice who married Edward Goodwin in 1621 and had a son John in 1622 who died that same year, Elizabeth born in 1624 who died that same year, and Anne born 1625. Described as a ‘lewd woman’ who had a close association with Elizabeth Clarke, Anne Leech, and Anne West. Accused of bewitching Robert Tayler’s horse out of spite after he refused to let her buy a half-pound of cheese on credit. Indicted for bewitching and killing Richard and Susan Edwards’ infant son and for keeping imps. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Helen Clarke - married

Alternatively spelled Ellen Clarke. Daughter of Anne Leech. No known relation to Elizabeth Clarke. Wife of Thomas Clarke, a mason. Indicted for bewitching and killing the Parsleys’ young daughter after arguing with the child’s mother. Found guilty and executed August 1 at Manningtree.

MISTLEY.

Anne Leech - widow

Alternatively spelled Leach. Mother of Helen Clarke. Probable relative of Nicholas Leech of Manningtree, labourer, indicted for witchcraft in 1647. Indicted for bewitching and killing Richard and Susan Edwards’ infant son. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

LAWFORD.

Rebecca West - presumed 20s, unmarried

Rebecca became associated with witchcraft through her mother Anne West, who was rumoured to be a witch from before 1638 when they lived in Rivenhall. Anne was prosecuted and acquitted twice after they had moved to Lawford, in 1641 and 1642. Rebecca came under suspicion in 1645 after Prudence Hart, reportedly an enemy to Rebecca, miscarried. John Edes, rector of St Mary’s at Lawford, interrogated Rebecca around the same time as Elizabeth Clarke was being questioned in neighbouring Manningtree. Rebecca confessed to witchcraft and accused her mother. She was interrogated again at Colchester Castle by Matthew Hopkins and confessed to a more elaborate story of being married to the Devil in a ceremony held by the Manningtree witches. She was indicted for keeping imps but never made to stand trial, presumably being coerced to testify against the other women in exchange for her freedom. Freed, further fate unknown.

Rebecca has traditionally been assumed to have been a teenager in 1645 based on the prosecution singling out Rebecca as a witness rather than as a suspect, suggesting they believed she could not have been capable of much harm; adolescent witches (often the children of witches) were presumed less capable than adults, and as Rebecca was also unmarried and still closely linked to her mother Anne West, historians have taken this as evidence she was only in her mid-teens. I disagree with this assumption and instead argue that Rebecca was slightly older. Child witnesses, particularly when that child testified against their parent, were controversial and it likely would have been noted in the criticisms against the witchfinders Hopkins and John Stearne if much of the evidence for their first ‘successful’ cases had come from a teenager bribed with her freedom. Also in her first confession, Rebecca stated she had ‘familiarity’ and sexual relations with the Devil for seven years, a statement that does not line up with the presumed timeline of Rebecca being only a teenager in 1645 and likely would have been dismissed as false if she’d claimed to have had ‘familiarity’ as a young child. I find it far more likely that Rebecca was in her early or mid-twenties in 1645. This would position her to be seen as a still young and low-level witch, closely linked to her mother (women married around their mid-20s at this time), who had relations with the Devil since she was a teenager.

Anne West - widow

Mother of Rebecca West. Migrated from Rivenhall to Lawford in 1638 to escape her reputation for witchcraft. Alleged to have adopted pious manners to hide her witchcraft. Suspected of killing John Cutler’s son in 1640 and bewitching Thomas Hart’s sow in 1641. Tried and acquitted in 1641 and 1642. Her 1642 arrest had been facilitated by the magistrate Sir Thomas Bowes. Accused along with her daughter of causing Prudence Hart’s miscarriage in 1645. Accused by her daughter Rebecca, who testified in court against her. Indicted for killing John Cutler’s son and keeping imps. Sir Bowes testified against her at her trial — an unusual proceeding, both for a magistrate to testify and for him to present evidence that wasn’t his own, but the account of a glovemaker who was not present in court that day; this suggests that Bowes had a determination to see Anne punished after she had been acquitted in 1642. Found guilty and executed August 1 in Manningtree.

THORPE.

Elizabeth Gibson - ‘about 40 years’, married

Wife of Thomas Gibson, farmer. No surviving indictment. Died June 1 at Colchester Castle’s gaol before trial.

Margaret Moone - widow

Held a reputation for witchcraft dating back at least twenty years. Suspected of bewitching the Rawbood family from the 1620s onward after the family offered Margaret’s landlord more money to rent the house Margaret lived in, causing Margaret to be evicted. Suspected of bewitching and killing Henry Cornwall’s young daughter in 1640 by offering the family poisoned apples. Margaret resisted being searched for Devil’s marks in 1645, referring to the two search-women, Frances Mills and Mary Phillips of Manningtree, as “rogues”. Margaret became connected to the Manningtree coven and their alleged murder of Richard and Susan Edwards’ son. It is uncertain how Margaret became linked to the Manningtree witches, as she had no known association with them; it may have been the Manningtree search-women who suggested they were in league. Margaret implicated her two daughters as witches while being watched. Her daughters were searched and found to have suspicious marks. Judith Moone testified before the magistrates Grimston and Bowes that her mother had threatened her for her refusal to collect firewood and that an imp had come into her bed the next night. Neither Judith or her sister were further prosecuted. Margaret was indicted for killing Henry Cornwall’s daughter, killing the Edwards’ son, and bewitching a cow. Found guilty and sentenced to be executed July 18 at Chelmsford, but collapsed and died en route to the gallows.

ALRESFORD.

Mary Greenliefe - 80s, widow

Alternatively Greencliffe or Greenleife. Held a reputation for witchcraft for at least thirty years. Susan Sparrow testified that around 1615, she had lived with Mary Greenliefe and their two teenaged daughters. Both girls had complained of severe pain in the night, which Susan suspected was from Mary’s imps feeding on the girls. Susan also noted a strangely tame hare that appeared near the house. No surviving indictment. Trial postponed; died before her trial.

KIRBY.

Helen Bretton - married

Wife of Thomas Bretton, husbandman. Indicted for bewitching and killing the son of William Giles, bricklayer. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Mary Coppin - married

Alternatively Coppinge. Wife of John Coppin, husbandman. Indicted for bewitching and killing the daughter of William Astin, bricklayer. Found guilty but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle gaol, still imprisoned in 1648 — further fate unknown.

WALTON.

Margery Grew - married

Wife of John Grew, husbandman. Indicted for bewitching and killing the son of Samuel Munt. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

WIVENHOE.

Alice Dixon - widow

Possibly the same Alice Elson who married Robert Dixon in 1615, becoming his third wife. If the same, she had a daughter, Alice, born 1620 and died 1622; a step-daughter from Robert’s first marriage, Rose, who died in 1633 at twenty-six years old; and her husband Robert died in March 1637/38. Alice Dixon and Mary Johnson were both suspected of witchcraft and unsuccessfully attempted to shift blame on to the other. Indicted for bewitching and killing the son of John Mumford, husbandman. Found guilty and exected July 18 at Chelmsford.

Mary Johnson - married

Wife of Nicholas Johnson, sailor. Likely the same Mary Johnson (married to Nicholas Johnson) who had a son, Nicholas, in 1631; Mary in 1634; and John in 1637. A Nicholas Johnson is listed in the Wivenhoe parish records as dying 1647, but it is unclear if this is Nicholas her husband or Nicholas her son. Alice Dixon and Mary Johnson were both suspected of witchcraft and unsuccessfully attempted to shift blame on to the other. Mary Johnson was attacked by Elizabeth Otley, who believed herself bewitched by Mary, in an effort to draw blood from Mary as there was a superstition that scratching a witch could undo the witch’s curse; Elizabeth Otley claimed her symptoms immediately disappeared upon causing Mary Johnson’s mouth to bleed. Indicted for killing the son of George Durrell, the daughter of Daniel Occlam (Otley?), and keeping imps. Found guilty but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle gaol, still imprisoned in 1648 — further fate unknown.

RAMSEY.

Sarah Hatyn - married

Alternatively Hating, Hateing, or Hiting. Wife of William Hatyn, tailor. Had at least two sons, one named John. Feuded with one of the Ramsey constables, Francis Stock, after he pressed her husband into service as a soldier in 1640. Stock accused Sarah of bewitching his family after and of killing his servant after the servant beat Sarah’s son, John. Stock also investigated Marion Hockett and Elizabeth Harvey and believed the women conspired against him. Sarah was not officially charged with any of Stock’s accusations, but was instead indicted for bewitching Lionel Jefferson and Thomas Greene and for keeping imps. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Marion Hockett - widow

Investigated by the Ramsey constable, Francis Stock, for witchcraft. Stock first arrested and interrogated Marion’s sister, Sarah Barton of Harwich, and coerced her into accusing Marion of keeping imps. Sarah Barton was imprisoned as a suspected witch in Harwich gaol as of May 1645. She was not tried at Chelmsford on July 17 and it is unclear if she was released, tried, or died in gaol. Elizabeth Harvey accused Marion Hockett after Elizabeth came under suspicion as a witch. Curiously, Marion was only indicted for keeping imps. Only three of the executed women were convicted solely for keeping imps, while the rest were thought to have caused physical harm to their neighbours; at the time, it was debated whether keeping imps was enough to warrant execution or if ‘proof’ of causing harm was also necessary. Found guilty and executed August 1 at Manningtree.

Elizabeth Harvey - widow

Investigated by the Ramsey constable, Francis Stock, for witchcraft along with Sarah Hatyn and Marion Hockett. Accused Sarah Hatyn and Marion Hockett of witchcraft. Elizabeth alleged that she and Marion had fallen out which drove Elizabeth’s imps (gifted to her by Marion) to torment her. This may have been a complete fabrication by Elizabeth to distance herself from Marion, or may suggest that the women had an antagonistic relationship, hinting at how interpersonal conflict could impact a witch-hunt: perhaps Elizabeth had accused Marion to ‘get even’ with her? Indicted for keeping imps. Found guilty, but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle’s gaol; died in gaol in 1645 while awaiting a pardon.

ST OSYTH.

Rose Hallybread - about 65

Alternatively Hollybread. Closely linked with Margaret Landish, Joyce Boanes, and Susan Cocke as allegedly conspiring together to harm their neighbours; the women would accuse and counter accuse each other during questioning. Confessed she had been a witch for fifteen or sixteen years and had cursed a carpenter’s servant after the carpenter refused her wood chips for kindling. No surviving indictment. Died June 11 at Colchester Castle’s gaol before trial.

Rebecca Jones - widow

Alternatively Jonas. Closely linked with Joyce Boanes as allegedly conspiring to harm their neighbours. Confessed she had been a witch for twenty-five or twenty-six years. Confessed she had met the Devil while a young woman working as a servant and that the Devil had taken the form of a “very handsome young man”. Allegedly had a vendetta against the yeoman Thomas Bumpstead after he beat her son for stealing his honey. Indicted for bewitching and killing Thomas and his wife Katherine Bumpstead. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Margaret Landish - married

Wife of William Landish, husbandman. Closely linked with Rose Hallybread, Joyce Boanes, and Susan Cocke as allegedly conspiring together to harm their neighbours; the women would accuse and counter accuse each other during questioning. Indicted for bewitching and killing Thomas Bragge. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Joyce Boanes - married

Alternatively Joyce Boones or Joyce Bonds. Wife of William Boanes, yeoman. As a yeoman’s wife, Joyce would have been of higher social status than most of the other accused women. Closely linked with Margaret Landish, Rose Hallybread, Susan Cocke, and Rebecca Jones as allegedly conspiring together to harm their neighbours; the women would accuse and counter accuse each other during questioning. Curiously, Joyce was only indicted for keeping imps. Only three of the executed women were convicted solely for keeping imps, while the rest were thought to have caused physical harm to their neighbours; at the time, it was debated whether keeping imps was enough to warrant execution or if ‘proof’ of causing harm was also necessary. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Susan Cocke - married

Wife of John Cocke, husbandman. Closely linked with Margaret Landish, Joyce Boanes, and Rose Hallybread as allegedly conspiring together to harm their neighbours; the women would accuse and counter accuse each other during questioning. Confessed she had been initiated into witchcraft by her mother. Indicted for keeping imps. Found guilty, but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle’s gaol; pardoned but remained imprisoned; died in gaol in October 1646.

GREAT CLACTON.

Joan Cooper - 80, widow

Alternatively Joane or Johan. Possible relation to Anne Cooper, accused witch. Confessed she had been a witch approximately twenty years and had sent her imps to kill several children and an adult woman. No surviving indictment. Died on May 27 at Colchester Castle’s gaol before her trial.

Anne Cooper - married

Wife of John Cooper, labourer. Had a daughter, Sarah, in 1634. May have had other children, but is difficult to determine due to variant spellings (Anne, Joane, and Jane, who may be the same or different women) and incomplete entries in the Great Clacton parish records. Possible relation to Joan Cooper, accused witch. Anne confessed that she kept imps and that she had attempted to give her daughter, Sarah, an imp and that her own imps fed from the girl. Sarah Cooper must have been viewed as a victim of her mother, not as a fellow witch, as she was not questioned; this is likely due to the girl’s youth, being approximately eleven years old (child witches in England were rare). Anne was indicted for bewitching and killing the son of John Curstissurre, bewitching and killing the daughter of John Knight, and keeping imps. Found guilty and executed August 1 at Manningtree.

Mary Wiles - widow

Possibly the Mary who was married to William Wyles/Wieles and had a daughter, Mary, in 1628. If the same, her husband William died in 1630. Indicted for bewitching and killing Michael de Greate’s daughter, Edward Blowers’s son, and George Fossitt. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Elizabeth Hare - married

Alternatively Heare. Wife of Thomas Hare, yeoman. As a yeoman’s wife, Elizabeth would have been of higher social status than most of the other accused women. Likely the mother of Susan Hare, daughter of Thomas Hare, born January 1638/39 (mother’s name not listed). While questioned, she prayed aloud that God should show a sign to her interrogators if she was guilty of witchcraft. She then suffered some kind of fit or seizure, shaking and falling on the ground, which left her incapacitated and was interpreted by her watchers as a sign of her guilt. This may have been a pre-existing medical condition or a result of intense physical and psychological strain. Curiously, was only indicted for keeping an imp. Only three of the executed women were convicted solely for keeping imps, while the rest were thought to have caused physical harm to their neighbours; at the time, it was debated whether keeping imps was enough to warrant execution or if ‘proof’ of causing harm was also necessary. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Dorothy Waters - around 40, married

Alternatively Waltas. Wife of Robert Waters, labourer. Likely the same as the Dorothy/Dorothie Walters who was married to Robert Walters and had a daughter Sarah in 1636, Marie in 1638, and Henery in March 1639/40. Listed as a witness in the indictment against Bridget Mayers, accused witch of Great Holland, meaning she testified against and perhaps even searched Bridget for ‘witch’s marks’ before eventually becoming suspected of witchcraft herself. Indicted for keeping an imp. Found guilty, but reprieved; died in late February 1646 at Colchester Castle’s gaol, about two weeks before Parliament approved her pardon.

GREAT HOLLAND.

Anne Cade - spinster

Mistakenly listed as two separate women (Anne Cade and Anne Cate) in the 1645 assize indictments. Also known as Anne Downes or Anne Maidenhead. Possibly the same ‘Ann Downes’ who had an illegitimate child, Margery, baptized February 1609 and buried October 1609. Prosecuted by Sir Harbottle Grimston (the witch-hunting magistrate) for bewitching and killing Susan Rowlinson in 1638 but released. Claimed she had been initiated into witchcraft by her mother and that she had been a witch for over twenty years. Claimed to have bewitched her neighbours in revenge for their denying her charity (food or money). Indicted for bewitching and killing the daughter of John Rowlinson (and of Susan Rowlinson, whom Anne had been accused of killing in 1638) and for bewitching and killing Grace Ray. Found guilty and executed July 18 at Chelmsford.

Anne Thurston - married

Alternatively Therston. Wife of Edward Thurston, husbandman (possibly the same Edward Thurston who died in 1649 or 1650). Indicted for keeping imps and for bewitching and killing a cow. Found guilty but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle gaol, still imprisoned in 1648 — further fate unknown.

Bridget Mayers - married

Wife of George Mayers, sailor. Dorothy Waters of Great Clacton is listed as a witness in the indictment against Bridget Mayers, meaning she testified against and perhaps even searched Bridget for ‘witch’s marks’; Dorothy would later be suspected of witchcraft herself. Bridget was indicted for keeping an imp. Found guilty but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle gaol, still imprisoned in 1648 — further fate unknown.

LANGHAM.

Mary Cooke- 60, widow

No surviving indictment. Died May 29 at Colchester Castle’s gaol before trial.

Susan Wente - widow

Alternatively Susanna Went. Indicted for keeping imps. Found guilty, but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle’s gaol; pardoned but remained imprisoned; died in gaol in April 1646.

Mary Starling - married

Alternatively Sterling. Wife of John Starling, yeoman. As a yeoman’s wife, Mary would have been of higher social status than most of the other accused women. Indicted for bewitching yeoman Robert Potter and for keeping imps. Found guilty but reprieved and returned to Colchester Castle gaol, still imprisoned in 1648 — further fate unknown.

LEIGH.

Joan Rowle - widow

The only Essex ‘witch’ to be from outside the Tendring Hundred and as such her case is assumed to be unrelated to the main witch-hunt. Indicted for bewitching John North and his daughter. Acquitted and released.

UNKNOWN ORIGIN.

Dorothy Brooke

No known biographical information. No surviving indictment. Trial postponed, still imprisoned in Colchester Castle’s gaol as of 1648 (without having been brought to trial) - further fate unknown.

The Essex Women

Chelmsford: Trials and Executions

East Anglian Witch Project