| Richard Harrison | A man and self-described preacher from Beaumont in the county of Essex, then living in Little Oakley on his wife, Mrs. Harrison's property. Harrison is residing in London when his wife becomes convinced she has been bewitched by Annis Heard. As she grew increasingly frantic, the "said Richard, said to his wife, I pray you be content and thinke not so, but trust in God and put your trust in him onely, and he will defend you from her, and from the Diuell himselfe also: and said moreouer, what will the people say, that I beeing a Preacher shoulde haue my wife so weake in faith." But his wife did not get better. Harrison swore that he would see Heard hanged if she had in fact bewitched his wife. However, the next encounter between Harrison and Heard wad rather one sided, and entirely verbal, despite all this bravado. They saw one another in an orchard, and to Heard's request for some plums, he answered "I am glad you are here you vield strumpet, saying, I do think you haue bewitched my wife, and as truly as God doth liue, if I can perceiue y^ she be troubled any more as she hath been, I will not leaue a whole bone about thee, & besides I will seeke to haue thee hanged." He continues threatening her, claiming his father in law would also see her hang, and rehearsing all the crimes he attributed to her. Despite verbally berating her, he seemed surprised when Annis "did sodenly depart from him without having any plummes," taking her departure as a sign of guilt. Two days before his wife died, and with John Pollin and Bret's wife as witnesses, she claimed "I must depart from you, for now I am utterly consumed with yonder wicked Creature, meaning Annis Herd [...] repeating these wordes. Oh Annis Herd, Annis Herd she hath consumed me." (F2-F3v) | Richard Harrison Clerk, person of Beamo~d saith, that he and his late wife did dwell at little Okely, in a house of his said wife, & that hee the said Richard Harrison had also the personage of Okeley in farme, and about Sommer was tweluemonth, he being at London his wife had a Ducke sitting on certaine egges vnder a Cherrie tree in a hedge, and when the saide
Duck had hatched, his said wife did suspect one Annis Herd a light woma~, and a common harlot to haue stolen her duckelins, & that his said wife went vnto the said Annis Herd & rated her and all too chid her, but she could get no knowledge of her ducklins, and so came home & was very angry against the said Annis. & within a short time after, the said Richard Harrison went into a chamber, and there did reade on his bookes for the space of 2. or 3. houres bidding his said wife to goe to bed wt the children, and yt he would come to her, and she so did: and being awhile laid downe in her bed, his wife did crie out: Oh Lord Lorde, helpe me & keepe me, and he running to her, asked her what she ailed? and she said, Oh Lord I am sore afraid, and haue bin diuers times, but that I would not tell you, and said, I am in doubt husband, that yonder wicked harlot Annis Herd doth bewitch me, and ye said Richard, said to his wife, I pray you be content and thinke not so, but trust in God and put your trust in him onely, and he will defend you from her, and from the Diuell himselfe also: and said moreouer, what will the people say, that I beeing a Preacher shoulde haue my wife so weake in faith.
This examinat saith, yt within two moneths after his said wife said vnto him, I pray you as euer there was loue betweene vs, (as I hope
there hath been for I haue v. pretie children by you I thanke God) seeke som remedie for me against yonder wicked beast (meaning the saide Annis Herd). And if you will not I will complaine to my father, and I thinke he wil see som remedie for me, for (said she) if I haue no remedie, she will vtterly consume me, whereupo~ this examinat did exhort his said wife as hee had before, & desired her to pray to God, and y^ he wold hang her the said Annis Herd if he could proue any such matter. and after he went to the personage, and there he saith he gathered plummes: and the said Annis Herd then came to the hedge side and Anwicks wife with her, and said vnto him, I pray you giue me som plummes sir: and this examinat said vnto her, I am glad you are here you vield strumpet, saying, I do think you haue bewitched my wife, and as truly as God doth liue, if I can perceiue y^ she be troubled any more as she hath been, I will not leaue a whole bone about thee, & besides I will seeke to haue thee hanged: and saith, he saide vnto her that his wife would make her father priuie vnto it, and that then I warrant thee he will haue you hanged, for he will make good friends, & is a stout man of himselfe. and saith, yt then he did rehearse diuers things to her yt were thought she had bewitched, as Geese & Hogges, & as he was comming downe out of the tree, shee the said Annis did sodenly depart from him without having any plummes.
This examinat saith, after which speeches so by him used unto her, and before Christmas, his said wide was take sore sick, & was at many times afarid both sleeping and waking, & did call this examinate her husbande unto her not above two daye before her death, and saide unto him, husband, God blesse you and your children, and God send you good friends, for I must depart from you, for now I am utterly consumed with yonder wicked Creature, meaning Annis Herd. which wordes he saith we spoken by her in ye presence of Jon Pollin. & mother Poppe, and within two daies after his said wife departed out of this world in perfect faith, she divers times in her sicknesse and before, repeating these wordes. Oh Annis Hersd, Annis Herd she hath consumed me.
John Pollin saith he was at master Harrisons when his wife laye sick, & neere ye departing out of the world, & that her husband gave her good consell for her salvation, and that she said, Oh Annis Herd, Annis Heard.
Brets wife saith, she heard mistress harrison say, that the said Annis Hear had consumed her even to her death, & that she cryed out upon her to the houre of her death () |