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10 records returned.

List of all Event assertions around a specific date

ID Short Description Date City Parish Current County Old county Nation
1389

Rebecca West confesses to attending a gathering of five or more witches that included her mother, Anne West, Mother Benefield, and Mother Goodwin. During the gathering the women prayed from a book provided by Mother Goodwin, after which their imps appeared in the form of kittens. Mother Benefield kisses the kittens and states that they were all her children which she had by as handsome a man as any was in England."(2)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 2

1645, July 25   Chelnes-forde; Chelmesforde; Chelmifforde; Chensforde;Chelmes-forde  Essex  Essex  England 
1392

Rebecca West confesses to commanding imps to kill a horse, cow, and a child (Anonymous 193). Rebecca West also asserts that this command was given by Anne West, Mother Benefield, and Mother Goodwin as well.(2)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 2

1645, July 25   Chelnes-forde; Chelmesforde; Chelmifforde; Chensforde;Chelmes-forde  Essex  Essex  England 
1393

Rebecca West claims that, because Mother Benefield questioned her ability to keep their gathering of witches a secret, she was instructed to deny God and Jesus Christ. After West does this the devil in the shape of a little black dog allegedly appears, leaps into her lap, and kisses her three times, after which West feels very cold. (2-3)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 2-3

1645, July 25   Chelnes-forde; Chelmesforde; Chelmifforde; Chensforde;Chelmes-forde  Essex  Essex  England 
1394

Rebecca West confesses that the devil appeared to her in the form of a handsome young man, saying that he had come to marry her. The devil allegedly took West by the hand, led her about the room, and promised to be her loving husband until death. West also confesses that she engaged in carnal copulation with the devil.(3)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 3

1645, July 25   Chelnes-forde; Chelmesforde; Chelmifforde; Chensforde;Chelmes-forde  Essex  Essex  England 
1395

Rebecca West claims that she felt the need to confess her witchcraft related deeds as soon as one of the witches was in prison, implying that she had been bewitched to keep secrets up until that point.(3-4)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 3-4

1645, July 25   Chelnes-forde; Chelmesforde; Chelmifforde; Chensforde;Chelmes-forde  Essex  Essex  England 
1396

Rebecca West claims that, on her way to the Grand Inquest, she informed Mother Miller that she would tell the Inquest nothing, even if they pulled her to pieces with pincers. After saying this, West further claims that she looked upon the ground [and] saw her self encompassed in flames of fire, a possible prediction of torture or execution. (4)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 4

1645, July 25   Chelnes-forde; Chelmesforde; Chelmifforde; Chensforde;Chelmes-forde  Essex  Essex  England 
1397

A witch (Anonymous 194) sends her maid (Anonymous 195) to fetch a handful of herbs; she returns home, late having spent time with her lover, but with a handful of herbs, regardless. The maid (Anonymous 195) witnesses her mistress (Anonymous 194) cutting the herbs and strewing them about the room. The next morning the witchs husband (Anonymous 196) finds twelve or fourteen dead hogs in his yard, which he believes is the work of his wife (Anonymous 194) and the maid (Anonymous 195). It may be, however, that Anonymous 195's sweetheart pointed her to the wrong herbs, and seeking to cover up the grievous mistake, the story shifts to the suspicious actions of he mistress scattering the herbs. (4-5)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 4-5

1645, July 25 Ipswich  Ipswich; Gippeswick  Suffolk  Suffolk  England 
1400

Elizabeth Clarke confesses to sending a spirit in the shape of a red dog to kill Mr. Long (by throwing him off his horse to break his neck). The spirit, however, did not perform the task. When asked by the Inquiry the reason for this, Goodwife Clarke explains, because the power of God was above the power of the Devil.(5)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 5

1645, July 25 Colchester    Essex  Essex  England 
1402

Mr. Long describes an encounter he had with an alleged witch (Anonymous 197), where the witch called upon God as her witness to judge her, and as soon as she spoke she was struck to the ground on her back. The witch was evidently in a most lamentable condition, trembling and crying for two days after this occurred. (5-6)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 5-6

1645, July 25 Colchester    Essex  Essex  England 
1406

Anonymous 197, after being in a most lamentable condition, trembling and crying for two days, confesses to Mr. Long that she has a malefic compact with the devil, stating that he usually appears to her in the form of a squirrel. (5-6)

Appears in:
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Arraignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford in Essex. London: 1645, 5-6

1645, July 25 Colchester    Essex  Essex  England