| Anne Kirk | A woman from Castle Alley near Broken Wharf in London, who was allegedly long suspected of being a witch. She is said to have had a falling out with a woman in the street, and shortly thereafter the woman's child shrieked, pined away and died. The woman's other child met Anne Kirk on the street not long after, and immediately began to suffer tormenting fits, only to recover as soon as Kirk had left. Kirk also tormented a child whose parents had not invited her to its christening; the child remained afflicted until Mother Gillam advised the parents to burn a piece of Kirk's coat with the child's underclothes. She also bewitched an innkeeper's child to death, but not before the innkeeper went to a cunning-man, who identified her as the source of the child's illness. The innkeeper died himself not long after confronting her about it. She also tormented George Nayler and his sister Anne Nayler to death. Master Nayler had money given to the poor at Anne's burial, and Kirk was angered that none was given to her. Kirk began to torment another of Nayler's daughters soon after. Joan Nayler began to be visited by an evil spirit the next night, and began suffering tormenting fits. She accused Kirk of bewitching her while in her fits, and her father procured a warrant from Sir Richard Martin for Kirk's apprehension. Joan was seen to fall into a trance as soon as Kirk came in the door, witnessed by Martin. While Kirk was imprisoned, Martin tried to have her hair cut, having heard that witches' hair could not be. Kirk's hair blunted and spoiled the scissors, proving her a witch. She faced trial on November 30, 1599, and was executed on December 4, 1599 at Tyburn.(99-103) | IN Castle Alley neere Broken wharfe in London, there dwelt a witch called Anne Kerke; who for her notorious mischievous witcheries heereafter in brief described, was arraigned in London the 30. of November 1599. before the right honorable the Lorde Anderson & other of her Maiesties Iustices, and then condemned, and executed at Tyburne the 4. of December following.
To let passe the Evidence, that of long time she had ben suspected for a witch; I will set downe the summe of th'other evidences giuen in against her.
First, this witch falling out with a woman in the streete, said she would bee meete with her, or hers. Wherevpon the woman going home and sitting by the fire with her child in her lap, it gaue a great skreeke, and was suddenly changed; and after that continually pined away till it dyed.
After whose death, her other child going vp Bredstreet Hill, met with this witch; who asked her how her sister did. But before she could make answer, she was stricken downe in a very strange maner; her mouth beeing drawne aside like a purse, her teeth gnashing togeather, her mouth foming, and her eyes staring the rest of her body being strangely disfigured. When the witch was gon, she recouered out of this trau[n]ce; howbeit she was still oftimes cast into the like. This, the maide her selfe deposed: who being willed by the Lorde Anderson, to shew how she was tormented; she said she could not shew it, but when the fit was on her.
Another time, this Witch taking displeasure with a woman for not bidding her to her childes Christening, tormented the child twice or thrice a day in strange maner, vntill the Father with others went to mother Gillams; who tolde them, that the childe was forespoken, and that the witch had ben (as indeed she was) twice with the mother of the child before they came home; and that, for the childes recouery they should cut of a piece of the witches coate with a payre of sheeres, & burne it togeather with the childs vnder cloth: which they did, and the childe accordingly was healed.
Againe, at another time, this witch fell out with an Inkeeper; and in revengement, bewitched his only childe so strangely, as that by no means of Physik which he could get, it could be recouered; but still it was from time to time tormented, till it dyed. But before the death, the Father (finding no helpe by Physicke) went to a cuning man (as they call them;) who told him, that the causer of his childes torments was one that was conversant in his house: and (after promise made of not revealing the partie) he shewed him in a glasse this witch, Anne Kerke. After this, this man the Father of the childe, met this witch comming out of his neighbours dore, and making stay till she was gon, tolde his neighbour that she was a witch, and that she had bewitched his childe to death. Wherevpon he going home, fell sick and dyed.
Besides all these, among other mischiefes don by Satans instrument in the house of one M. Nayler dwelling in Thames street neere Broken wharf, she torme[n]ted his sonne George in such grievous maner that he dyed. So also did she torment his daughter Anne till she dyed: who was oftimes vexed wth a frenzines: and with an evill spirit, to which this maide in her Fathers hearing did often talke. And being demaunded who was the causer of these her torments, the spirit which was within her said, that one would come after who should discouer the causer, and the truth of all; as afterwardes it came to passe by Ione Nayler, another of the saide M. Naylers daughters.
For so it was, That money being given to poore at the buriall of the said Anne Nayler; This witch was vexed that she had none, being a parishioner; and therefore practised against the said Ioane Nayler also. Who the next night after her sisters buriall, was tormented with an evill spirit, which spake in her oftimes in the hearing of her Parents; saying, Giue me thy liuer, thy lights, thy heart, thy soule, &c; then thou shalt be released, then I will depart fro[m] thee: also; Goe, take thy lace & hang thy selfe: Go into the next roome and hang thy self in the iack rope, and so thou shalt be released. She was oftimes grievously tormented and in a traunce, during which her mouth was turned to th'one side, her ioyncts so shrunke vp that the soles of her feete did beate togither, her shoulder bones did strike one against another, so, as that they were heard to rattle, to the terror of them present. And (according to the wordes of the spirit in her sister Anne) she oft said, that mother Kerke had bewitched her. And when the maide (according as some had willed her to doe) did reach forth her hands to scratch this mother Kerke, they were so fast closed tha[t] none could open the[m]. Whervpon, her Fathe[r] suspected this Anne Kerke of witchcraft, & procured a warrant from Sir Richard Marti[n] to fetch her before him, he being the[n] in th[e] house of the said M. Nayl. & in the presence of the maide. But so soone as the witch came to the dore, she fel into her former trau[n]ce, her handes being againe so closed as they could not be opened, Sir Rich Martin himselfe assaying it. Into the like traunce the maide did also fal being in the houses of Sir Iohn Hart, & Sir Steph. Slaney (or Some) so soone as the witch (being by the[m] sent for,) was entred into their dores: And the like also did she fal into, being in the fields, at the same instant when the witch was bayled forth of prison: as also being in the Sessions house, when the iury were departing to co[n]sider of the matter. But that of Sir R. Martin is not heere to be omitted: who having heard that a witches hayre could not be cut; sent for the said An. Kerke, & co[m]manded a Seriant to pull from her head 10. or 12. of her haires, & try if he could cut them. The Seriant did so; and offering to cut the[m] with a paire of Barbers Sissers, they turned round in his hand: and the edges were so battered, turned, & quite spoiled, as that they would not cut any thing. Then the Seriant tooke the haire, and did put it into the fire to burne it; but the fire flew from it, and the haire in the middest thereof vnburnt. () |