A mother from St. Osyth, in the county of Essex mother to Thomas Rabbett and sister to Lawrence Kempe. Ursula or Ursley Kempe (alias Grey) who claims "shee coulde vnwitche shee coulde not witche," meaning she was an unwitcher or a cunning woman, rather than a witch. Annis Glascock, whom Kempe accused of the murder of Micheal's child, Fortune's child, and the Page's ward, called her used "outragious wordes," against Kempe, "calling the sayde Ursley whore, saying, shee would scratch her: for shee was a Witch, and that shee was sure shee had bewitched her: For that shee coulde not nowe weepe." According to her eight year old son, Thomas Rabbett, she has four familiars: Tyffin "a she, like a white Lambe," Tyttey "a hee like a gray Cat," Pigine, "a hee like a black toad, and Jacke, "a hee like a black Cat", the hees were to plague to death, & the shees to punish with bodily harme, & to destroy. Kempe allegedly cures Davie Thurlowe but later bewitches his sister, killing her, and re-witches his mother, Grace Thurlowe, who had come to her for a cure "a lamenesse in her bones, & specially in her legges," but who failed to pay up. She is accused of having bewitched Annis Letherdall's "gyrle" so that the "childe was taken as it lay very bigge, with a great swelling in the bottome of the belly, and other priuie partes." She is also accused of having bewitched her brother, Lawrence Kempe's wife, causing her to have the same sorts of symptoms; Mrs. Kempe was "taken in her backe, and in the priuie partes of her bodye, in a very extreame and most straunge sorte, and so continued about three quarters of a yeere, and then died." Kempe is indicted the malefic murder of Edna Starron, Elizabeth Letherdall, and Joan Thurlowe, crimes committed in conspiracy with Alice Newman. She is found guilty on these charges, but remanded. (A-A2v)

A mother from St. Osyth, in the county of Essex mother to Thomas Rabbett and sister to Lawrence Kempe. Ursula or Ursley Kempe (alias Grey) who claims "shee coulde vnwitche shee coulde not witche," meaning she was an unwitcher or a cunning woman, rather than a witch. Annis Glascock, whom Kempe accused of the murder of Micheal's child, Fortune's child, and the Page's ward, called her used "outragious wordes," against Kempe, "calling the sayde Ursley whore, saying, shee would scratch her: for shee was a Witch, and that shee was sure shee had bewitched her: For that shee coulde not nowe weepe." According to her eight year old son, Thomas Rabbett, she has four familiars: Tyffin "a she, like a white Lambe," Tyttey "a hee like a gray Cat," Pigine, "a hee like a black toad, and Jacke, "a hee like a black Cat", the hees were to plague to death, & the shees to punish with bodily harme, & to destroy. Kempe allegedly cures Davie Thurlowe but later bewitches his sister, killing her, and re-witches his mother, Grace Thurlowe, who had come to her for a cure "a lamenesse in her bones, & specially in her legges," but who failed to pay up. She is accused of having bewitched Annis Letherdall's "gyrle" so that the "childe was taken as it lay very bigge, with a great swelling in the bottome of the belly, and other priuie partes." She is also accused of having bewitched her brother, Lawrence Kempe's wife, causing her to have the same sorts of symptoms; Mrs. Kempe was "taken in her backe, and in the priuie partes of her bodye, in a very extreame and most straunge sorte, and so continued about three quarters of a yeere, and then died." Kempe is indicted the malefic murder of Edna Starron, Elizabeth Letherdall, and Joan Thurlowe, crimes committed in conspiracy with Alice Newman. She is found guilty on these charges, but remanded. (A-A2v)

Joan Pechey is a woman who lived in St. Osyth, in the county of Essex for at least eleven years and who claims to be somewhere above sixty years old before and the mother of Phillip Barrenger. She is allegedly described by Widow Barnes, via her daughter Margerie Sammons, as "skilfull and cunning in witcherie," and a woman who could both do "as much as the said mother Barnes," or "any other in this towne of S. Osees." She allegedly bewitched Johnson, the Collector and distributer of alms after her gave her "bread was to hard baked for her," she being an old woman, presumably should have received a softer loaf and the harder bread should have been given to "a gyrle or another, and not to her." She denies any involvement in witchcraft and denies Mother Barnes had any either. She also denies the accusations of incest between herself and her twenty three year old son, Phillip Barrenger, who confessed that "manye times and of late hee hath layne in naked bed with his owne mother, being willed and commaunded so to doe of her." Although Margarey Sammon allegedly sent her familiars (formerly her mother's two familiars) Tom and Robbyn skipping and leaping off to Pechey's home, and Ales Hunt claimed that she had heard Pechey scolding her spirits, saying"yea are you so sawsie? are yee so bolde? you were not best to bee so bolde with mee: For if you will not bee ruled, you shall haue Symonds sause, yea saide the saide Ioan, I perceiue if I doe giue you an inch, you you will take an ells," Pechey likewise denied these charges. She claimed she indeed had pets, a kitten and a dog, but no "Puppettes, Spyrites or Maumettes." Although she was "committed to prison for suspicion of felony and upon inquisition," she was released by proclamation. (C5-C6)

Joan Pechey is a woman who lived in St. Osyth, in the county of Essex for at least eleven years and who claims to be somewhere above sixty years old before and the mother of Phillip Barrenger. She is allegedly described by Widow Barnes, via her daughter Margerie Sammons, as "skilfull and cunning in witcherie," and a woman who could both do "as much as the said mother Barnes," or "any other in this towne of S. Osees." She allegedly bewitched Johnson, the Collector and distributer of alms after her gave her "bread was to hard baked for her," she being an old woman, presumably should have received a softer loaf and the harder bread should have been given to "a gyrle or another, and not to her." She denies any involvement in witchcraft and denies Mother Barnes had any either. She also denies the accusations of incest between herself and her twenty three year old son, Phillip Barrenger, who confessed that "manye times and of late hee hath layne in naked bed with his owne mother, being willed and commaunded so to doe of her." Although Margarey Sammon allegedly sent her familiars (formerly her mother's two familiars) Tom and Robbyn skipping and leaping off to Pechey's home, and Ales Hunt claimed that she had heard Pechey scolding her spirits, saying"yea are you so sawsie? are yee so bolde? you were not best to bee so bolde with mee: For if you will not bee ruled, you shall haue Symonds sause, yea saide the saide Ioan, I perceiue if I doe giue you an inch, you you will take an ells," Pechey likewise denied these charges. She claimed she indeed had pets, a kitten and a dog, but no "Puppettes, Spyrites or Maumettes." Although she was "committed to prison for suspicion of felony and upon inquisition," she was released by proclamation. (C5-C6)

Ales Hunt is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, mother or step mother of Febey Hunt, sister of Margery Sammon, and the daughter of Widow Barnes. According to her daughter, Hunt keeps two familiars, Jack and Robbin, next to her bed in an earthen pot with woll. She feeds them "with milke out of a blacke trening dishe," and sent them at least once to Hayward of Frowicke. Urlsey Kempe picks up this narrative and suggests that "shee asked Tyffin her white spirite, what Hunts wiues spririte had done: And then it told this examinate, that it had killed Heywarde of Frowicke sixe beastes which were lately dressed of the gargette. And sayeth, that her sayde spirite tolde her, that Huntes wiues spirite had a droppe of her blood for a rewarde: but shee sayeth, that shee asked not her spirite vpon what place of her body it was." Kempe appears again in Hunt's narrative, claiming that Hunt and her mother, the Widow Barnes, had bewitched Elizabeth Durrant after her father, Henry, a local butcher, denied them pork. At first, Hunt denies all charges against her. Brian Darcy claims that Hunt, falling on her knees and with tears streaming down her face, confessed to having had Jack and Robbin only six days before she was examined. The two spirits allegedly told her that "the sayde Ursley Kempe woulde bewray her this Examinate, and willed her therefore to shift for her selfe. And so they went from her, and sithence this Examinate saith shee sawe them not." She also informed against her sister, claiming she too kept familiars. Hunt is indicted on the charges of bewitching six of William Hayward's cows to death and bewitching Elizabeth Durrant to death. She pleads not guilty and is found not guilty on both charges. (A5)

Ales Newman is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex who is accused of bewitching at least four people: Thorlow's wife (on the knee), John Stratton's wife (on the back -- to her death), Letherdalls' child, Johnson (the tax / alms collector) and his wife (unto the death), Bulter (who languished still in pain), the "late Lorde Darcey, (whereof hee dyed)", and her "ownher husband, William Newman. (Ales) Newman confessed nothing herself and was accused of being obstinate. She is condemned but remanded. She is found guilty and remanded to prison. As of August 2, 1582, she is still imprisoned, along with Cecily Sellis, Ellen Southern, and Agnes / Annis Glascock at the Colchester Goal. (Image 53)

Ales Newman is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex who is accused of bewitching at least four people: Thorlow's wife (on the knee), John Stratton's wife (on the back -- to her death), Letherdalls' child, Johnson (the tax / alms collector) and his wife (unto the death), Bulter (who languished still in pain), the "late Lorde Darcey, (whereof hee dyed)", and her "ownher husband, William Newman. (Ales) Newman confessed nothing herself and was accused of being obstinate. She is condemned but remanded. She is found guilty and remanded to prison. As of August 2, 1582, she is still imprisoned, along with Cecily Sellis, Ellen Southern, and Agnes / Annis Glascock at the Colchester Goal. (Image 53)

Elizabeth Bennet is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and the wife of a dairy farmer. Acording to Ursely Kempe, Elizabeth Bennet has a hungry ferret familiat laying over a pot in her house, and according to Kempe's own familar, Tyffyn, she had two familiars: one was a "blacke Dogge, and the other redde like a Lyon, and that their names were Suckin and Lyerd." Kempe later accused Bennet of sending her spirit "Suckin to plague one Willingall (to death), William Willes' wife (who lingered for years) and sending her "spirite Lyerd to plague Fortunes wife and his chylde" and Bonners' wife "to plague her" in the knee. Bonnet confirmed that his wife and Bennet had been Elizabeth Bennet "were lovers and familiar friendes, and did accompanie much together." However, there appeared to be a falling out between the women and Mrs. Bonnet experienced a lamness in her knee, and later after speaking with and kissing Bennet found "her vpper Lippe swelled & was very bigge, and her eyes much sunked into her head, and shee hath lien sithence in a very strange case." Bennet's own confession came from behind a veil of tears. She had been neighbors with William Byet and his wife, and live peacefully so for a year. However, they eventually began to argue. "Byet calling her oftentimes olde trot and olde witche, and did banne and curse this examinat and her Cattell, to the which this examinat saith, that shee called him knaue saying, winde it vp Byet, for it wil light vpon your selfe." Following this altercation, Bennet admits that two of Byet's cattle died, and a third dropped to the ground where he began to beat it it to death. Beating animals was common practice in Byet's home; his wife beat Bennet's swine "seuerall times with greate Gybets, and did at an other time thrust a pitchforke through the side of one of this examinats swine." Bennet explains her malefic compact as happening only two years prior (1580) and taking place as she went through the many long steps needed to make bread. Suckin grabbed her by the coat as she was coming from the mill and would not release her for over two hours until she "prayed deuoutly to Almightie God to deliuer her from it: at which time the spirite did depart from her." He returning closer to her home, he held her fast again, until she again prayed and as released. Within hours, Suckin appeared again, once by the well where she was presumably collecting water and once as she was shifting her "meale" and was again exorcised. The next day as Bennet kneaded her bread, Suckin returned with the spirit Lyerd; they grew bold, and scolded her for being "so snappish" but were again exorcised. They returned again as she made the fire and were again made to depart. They returned again as she stoked the fired and, growing increasingly bold, grabbed her leg, but were exorcised. Lyerd and Suckin came one final time as Bennet was stroking the fire in her oven. They seized her by the hips and said "seeing thou wilt not be ruled, thou shalt haue a cause, & would haue thrust this examinat into ye burning Ouen." Bennet struggled and used the fire fork as a wedge to keep her out of the oven, or to beat off the spirits, but she would suffer burns up and down her arms. They would come to her two more times while she was in a barn, once while milking, and again she would exorcise them. It was not until the falling Elizabeth Bennett fell out with William Byet, however, that the spirits would act against others. Bennet claims that "shee caused Lyard in ye likenes of a Lion to goe & to plague the saide Byets beastes vnto death, but that "the spirit called, Suckin," reported to her that he had, of his own accord, "plagued y^ said Byets wife to the death." She did however send "Suckin, to goe and plague the sayde Willyam Byette where that woulde: The which the sayd spyrite did," because Byet had "abused her, in calling her olde trot, old whore, and other lewde speaches." Bennett supposes that Suckin and Lyerd, which she fed with milk and housed in an earthen pot lined with wool were sent by Joan Turner after Bennet "had denyed the sayde Mother Turner of mylke." Bennet is held, indicted, and tried for the malefic murder of Mrs. Byet and "acknowledges" the felony. She is condemned to be hanged in 1582.(A6v-A7)

Elizabeth Bennet is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and the wife of a dairy farmer. Acording to Ursely Kempe, Elizabeth Bennet has a hungry ferret familiat laying over a pot in her house, and according to Kempe's own familar, Tyffyn, she had two familiars: one was a "blacke Dogge, and the other redde like a Lyon, and that their names were Suckin and Lyerd." Kempe later accused Bennet of sending her spirit "Suckin to plague one Willingall (to death), William Willes' wife (who lingered for years) and sending her "spirite Lyerd to plague Fortunes wife and his chylde" and Bonners' wife "to plague her" in the knee. Bonnet confirmed that his wife and Bennet had been Elizabeth Bennet "were lovers and familiar friendes, and did accompanie much together." However, there appeared to be a falling out between the women and Mrs. Bonnet experienced a lamness in her knee, and later after speaking with and kissing Bennet found "her vpper Lippe swelled & was very bigge, and her eyes much sunked into her head, and shee hath lien sithence in a very strange case." Bennet's own confession came from behind a veil of tears. She had been neighbors with William Byet and his wife, and live peacefully so for a year. However, they eventually began to argue. "Byet calling her oftentimes olde trot and olde witche, and did banne and curse this examinat and her Cattell, to the which this examinat saith, that shee called him knaue saying, winde it vp Byet, for it wil light vpon your selfe." Following this altercation, Bennet admits that two of Byet's cattle died, and a third dropped to the ground where he began to beat it it to death. Beating animals was common practice in Byet's home; his wife beat Bennet's swine "seuerall times with greate Gybets, and did at an other time thrust a pitchforke through the side of one of this examinats swine." Bennet explains her malefic compact as happening only two years prior (1580) and taking place as she went through the many long steps needed to make bread. Suckin grabbed her by the coat as she was coming from the mill and would not release her for over two hours until she "prayed deuoutly to Almightie God to deliuer her from it: at which time the spirite did depart from her." He returning closer to her home, he held her fast again, until she again prayed and as released. Within hours, Suckin appeared again, once by the well where she was presumably collecting water and once as she was shifting her "meale" and was again exorcised. The next day as Bennet kneaded her bread, Suckin returned with the spirit Lyerd; they grew bold, and scolded her for being "so snappish" but were again exorcised. They returned again as she made the fire and were again made to depart. They returned again as she stoked the fired and, growing increasingly bold, grabbed her leg, but were exorcised. Lyerd and Suckin came one final time as Bennet was stroking the fire in her oven. They seized her by the hips and said "seeing thou wilt not be ruled, thou shalt haue a cause, & would haue thrust this examinat into ye burning Ouen." Bennet struggled and used the fire fork as a wedge to keep her out of the oven, or to beat off the spirits, but she would suffer burns up and down her arms. They would come to her two more times while she was in a barn, once while milking, and again she would exorcise them. It was not until the falling Elizabeth Bennett fell out with William Byet, however, that the spirits would act against others. Bennet claims that "shee caused Lyard in ye likenes of a Lion to goe & to plague the saide Byets beastes vnto death, but that "the spirit called, Suckin," reported to her that he had, of his own accord, "plagued y^ said Byets wife to the death." She did however send "Suckin, to goe and plague the sayde Willyam Byette where that woulde: The which the sayd spyrite did," because Byet had "abused her, in calling her olde trot, old whore, and other lewde speaches." Bennett supposes that Suckin and Lyerd, which she fed with milk and housed in an earthen pot lined with wool were sent by Joan Turner after Bennet "had denyed the sayde Mother Turner of mylke." Bennet is held, indicted, and tried for the malefic murder of Mrs. Byet and "acknowledges" the felony. She is condemned to be hanged in 1582.(A6v-A7)

Martha Stevens is a girl from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and daughter of Michael Stevens, a local cobbler. Martha Stevens is allegedly bewitched by Annis Glascocke via one of her familiar spirits, as related by Ursley Kempe. She died on February 1, 1581. (Cv)

The Base Childe at Page's is a child from St. Osyth in the county of Essex. The legitimacy of this child is in question; it may be the child of William Page and Mrs. Page and sibling to Charity Page, who was allegedly bewitched by Annis Glascock. Or it may be Charity Page herself. Since there is so much concern about the legitimacy of the child, it would appear, however, that this is a different sibling, or a ward cared for by the Pages. According to Ursley Kempe (who provides information given to her courtesy of her familiar Tyffin, Annis Glascock bewitched this "base child" to death. (Cv, C2v)

Margery Sammon is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, sister to Alice Hunt, and daughter of Mother Barnes. She allegedly keeps two familiars which appear in the form of toads by the names of Tom and Robbyn. She also informs against Joan Pechey.(Image 23)

Margery Sammon is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, sister to Alice Hunt, and daughter of Mother Barnes. She allegedly keeps two familiars which appear in the form of toads by the names of Tom and Robbyn. She also informs against Joan Pechey.(Image 23)

Ales Manfield is a sixty-three year old woman from Thorpe in the county of Essex who for approximately twelve years allegedly shared two male and two female familiars in the shape of black cats with Margaret Grevell: Robin, Jack, William, Puppet (alias Mamet) for twelve years which she keeps in a wool lined box on her shelf. Manfield serves as witness against Mother Ewstace, claiming that she had a white, a gray, and a black feline familiar which she used to kill a child. She also stands as witness against Mother Grevell, claiming that Grevell had plagued Mother Ewstance's husband to death. However, more often than not, she claims to have worked with Grevell. Manfield allegedly sends Robin to lame Robert Cheston's bull (circa 1575) and Grevell sends Jack to lame Cheston himself (circa 1580) beginning on his toe, but causing his death. After Joan Cheston refused to give Manfield her curds, she claims to have sent Puppet (alias Mamet) "foure of her Beastes," and after John Sayer ruined her yard with his cart, she has Puppet ensure that the same cart became stuck and would not move (as Sayer tells the story, the cart became stuck when the man thatching his barn refused to thatch Manfield's oven until he got permission to do so). Around Michaelmas, all four familiars allegedly took a trip together to assist Cecily Sellis in the burning of Ross' barn and cattle. Her familiar, William, allegedly gave notice to Manfield for the whole group, claiming that since she would soon be apprehended, they would go to work for Urseley Kempe, Margery Sammon, Ales Hunt, or Mother Torner (aka Joan Turner). Lynd's wife would not give her milk, that her cow would not feed her twenty day old calf (which died). She is indicted as a witch, but not charged as one. Rather, she is charged for arson. She is found guilty of co-conspiring with Cecily Sellis to burn Richard Ross's barn and "field of grain worth 100 marks."(D5-D8)

Ales Manfield is a sixty-three year old woman from Thorpe in the county of Essex who for approximately twelve years allegedly shared two male and two female familiars in the shape of black cats with Margaret Grevell: Robin, Jack, William, Puppet (alias Mamet) for twelve years which she keeps in a wool lined box on her shelf. Manfield serves as witness against Mother Ewstace, claiming that she had a white, a gray, and a black feline familiar which she used to kill a child. She also stands as witness against Mother Grevell, claiming that Grevell had plagued Mother Ewstance's husband to death. However, more often than not, she claims to have worked with Grevell. Manfield allegedly sends Robin to lame Robert Cheston's bull (circa 1575) and Grevell sends Jack to lame Cheston himself (circa 1580) beginning on his toe, but causing his death. After Joan Cheston refused to give Manfield her curds, she claims to have sent Puppet (alias Mamet) "foure of her Beastes," and after John Sayer ruined her yard with his cart, she has Puppet ensure that the same cart became stuck and would not move (as Sayer tells the story, the cart became stuck when the man thatching his barn refused to thatch Manfield's oven until he got permission to do so). Around Michaelmas, all four familiars allegedly took a trip together to assist Cecily Sellis in the burning of Ross' barn and cattle. Her familiar, William, allegedly gave notice to Manfield for the whole group, claiming that since she would soon be apprehended, they would go to work for Urseley Kempe, Margery Sammon, Ales Hunt, or Mother Torner (aka Joan Turner). Lynd's wife would not give her milk, that her cow would not feed her twenty day old calf (which died). She is indicted as a witch, but not charged as one. Rather, she is charged for arson. She is found guilty of co-conspiring with Cecily Sellis to burn Richard Ross's barn and "field of grain worth 100 marks."(D5-D8)

Margaret Grevell is a fifty five year old woman from Thorpe in the county of Essex who, according to Alice Manfield, shares four feline familiars with her for seven years: Robin, Jack, William, Puppet (alias Mamet). Again according to Manfield, Grevell "caused her impes to destroy seuerall brewinges of beere," belonging to Reade and Carter (Carter likewise testified against Grevell on this charge) a number of "batches of bread." Nicholas Stickland accuses her of preventing his wife's butter from churning and causing the untimely demise of a calf. Although Grevell is accused (again by Mansfield) of the murder of Elizabeth Ewstace's husband, she is indicted for the malefic murder of Robert Cheston. She is searched as a witch, but the witch-searchers "say that they cannot judge her to haue any sucked spots vpon her body." She is found not guilty of causing Cheston's death, and acquitted. (D5-D8)

Margaret Grevell is a fifty five year old woman from Thorpe in the county of Essex who, according to Alice Manfield, shares four feline familiars with her for seven years: Robin, Jack, William, Puppet (alias Mamet). Again according to Manfield, Grevell "caused her impes to destroy seuerall brewinges of beere," belonging to Reade and Carter (Carter likewise testified against Grevell on this charge) a number of "batches of bread." Nicholas Stickland accuses her of preventing his wife's butter from churning and causing the untimely demise of a calf. Although Grevell is accused (again by Mansfield) of the murder of Elizabeth Ewstace's husband, she is indicted for the malefic murder of Robert Cheston. She is searched as a witch, but the witch-searchers "say that they cannot judge her to haue any sucked spots vpon her body." She is found not guilty of causing Cheston's death, and acquitted. (D5-D8)

Elizabeth Ewstace is a fifty-four year old woman from Thorpe (now Thorpe-le-Soken) in the county of St. Osyth and mother of Margaret Ewstace. Elizabeth Ewstace is accused of bewitching Robert Sannuet so that "his mouth was drawne awrye, well neere vppe to the vpper parte of his cheeke," after he "used threatning speeches" on her daughter Margaret, who was workinf as his servant at the time (circe 1567). This was not the only crime she was accused of committing against Sannuet, however. She also went after his family and his livelihood. She allegedly bewitched his wife, so that she developed a "most straunge sicknes, and was deliuered of childe, which within short time after dyed," a crime which found its origins in the bewitchment of his brother, Thomas Crosse, Felice Oakely's late husband. Crosse originally blamed his illness on Margaret Ewstace, and after Sannuet swore he'd be avenged on her, if it was true, Elizabeth allegedly bewitched Sannuet's wife and his livestock. Crosse, who before (circa 1579) was "verye sickly, and at tymes was without any remembrance" soon "pyned," and who "coulde neyther see, heare, nor speake, and his face all to bee scratched" and "woulde alwayes crye out vpon the sayde Elizabeth euen vnto his dying day." She was accused of having "iii. Impes or spirits, of coulour white, grey and black," which she denied and she also denied being in any co-conspiracy with Ales Newman."()

Annis Herd is a woman from Little Oakely in the county of Essex and mother to Annis Dowsing and at least one son, Annis Heard is, according to Andrew West, "ill thought of for witchcraft" and described by Mrs. Harrison as a "light woman, and a common harlot." Head is a mother or at least one child; Bennet Lane references "the girle of the said Annis Herds," speaking to her mother. Having been accused of being a witch, Annis Heard allegedly spoke to John Wade and "prayed him to be a meanes to helpe her, that she might answere the same when the dayes were longer." Wade suggested that he could not help her, and but suggested that she see that "Regester dwelt at Colchester, saying, it must be hee that therein may pleasure thee. Wade recounted that since the investigation into Heard began "he hath had not so fewe as twentie sheepe and lambes that haue died, and e lame and like to die: & hee saith, that hee hath lost of his beasts & other cattell, which haue dyed in a strange sort." Wade was not the only one to speak against Herd, nor was he the only one to suffer. Five more households would speak out against Herd. Two of Thomas Cartwrite's cows died after he annoyed Heard by moving her makeshift road repair; Bennet Lane (William Lane's wife) lost the ability to spin after demanding a dish back and lost the ability to make cream after demanding two pence back from Herd; Andrewe West, having rescinded on a deal to give her a pig, found one of his went mad; having accused her of having an "unhappie tongue," his wife could not brew; Edmond Osborne and his wife also lost the ability to brew, after calling in a loan "iii. d. the which shee owed her for a pecke of Aples." Richard Harrisons' loss, however, was the most heartwrenching. While he was in London, his wife accused Herd of stealing duckling from their nest underneath a cherry tree. Mrs. Harrison did not only lose her ducklings, however. Having gone to Herd to "rate" and "chid" her, Mrs. Harrison soon grew ill, convinced Herd had bewitched her. Within two months, she implored to her husband "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." Herd was not charged for Harrison's bewitchment, nor does she even acknowledge it in her confession, although she acknowledges the other charges against her. Despite all the hoolpa, the myriad of witnesses who testify against her (or about strange occurrences which appear to gesture towards her), and her inclusion amongst the "witches" in the March 29, 1582 Assize record, Herd is only indicted on one charge, that of having "bewitched a cow, ten sheep and ten lambs worth 4, belonging to John Wade, to his great damage." She pleads not guilty, is found not guilty. She is therefore3 acquitted. (E6-E7)

Joan Robinson is a woman from St. Osyth, in the county of Essex who is accused of bewitching beasts, horses, and swine. She is described (or the description appears in the context of the accusations against Robinson) as having "one of her eares lesse the~ ye other, & hath also a moole vnder one of her armes, and hath also in her yard a great woodstacke," she allegedly fed her (familiar?) cat with blood from her nose, made the wind nearly blow down Thomas Rice's home, and made his goose not roost her eggs, Margery Carter's mare to sicken and die, made Alice Walter's sow go made (and not suckle its piglets) Allen Ducke's horses to get stuck in water and two of his pigs to die, one of John Brasyer's pigs to die and one of his cows to drown. She denied accusations against her. Robinson appears to have been discharged. (F5v-F8v)

William Harward is a man and likely a cattle farmer from Frowick house, St. Osyth in the county of Essex. When six of William Hayward's cows die in mysterious circumstances, he may begin to suspect foul play. It is unclear on why Ales Hunt is originally suspected of this crime; they is no textual record of her falling out with Hayward. However, it is clear that Hunt's daughter Feby and Ursley Kempe (via information provided by her familiar Tyffin) both accuse Hunt of having sent her familiars, Jacke and Robbin, to Hayward. Feby claims to only know that her mother sent the familiars, but to not know what their mission was; Kempe claims one of Hunt's familiars "had killed Heywarde of Frowicke sixe beastes which were lately dressed of the gargette. And sayeth, that her sayde spirite tolde her, that Huntes wiues spirite had a droppe of her blood for a rewarde: but shee sayeth, that shee asked not her spirite vpon what place of her body it was." These accusations were presumably compelling enough to cause Ales Hunt to be indicted and tried for bewitching six of Hayward's cattle; but she is found not guilty on these charges. (B2v, B3v)

Grace Thurlowe is a woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, wife of John Thurlow and mother of Davie Thurlowe and an infant daughter. Her son Davie is allegedly saved from a strange body twisting torment by Ursula Kempe, but who later blames a series of her own problems on Kempe. Grace had a falling out with Kempe; she refused to allow Grace to wet nurse her baby daughter. Thurlowe laid her three month old daughter to sleep in her cradle after nursing her shortly thereafter the infant fell out of its cradle, breaking its neck and dying, a loss Thurlowe blamed on Kempe. They began to fight viciously, and when "about halfe a yeere past she began to haue a lamenesse in her bones, & specially in her legges" Kempe suggested she could cure her for "xii. pence," curing her, only to lame her again when she didn't pay up. Kempe later fell on her knees and begged Thurlowe to forgive her, presumably for the murder of her daughter, rather than removing her cunning cure. (A-A2)

A tall, lusty thirty six year old man from Thorpe in the county of Essex and son of John Carter, a local brewer. Carter's sone broke the spell Margaret Grevell allegedly put on the local beer production when thrice he shot an arrow into the beer barrel as an act of counter magic. When he was able to make the the third arrow "sticke in the brewinge Fatte," beer production was able to restart. (C2v-C3)

A tall, lusty thirty six year old man from Thorpe in the county of Essex and son of John Carter, a local brewer. Carter's sone broke the spell Margaret Grevell allegedly put on the local beer production when thrice he shot an arrow into the beer barrel as an act of counter magic. When he was able to make the the third arrow "sticke in the brewinge Fatte," beer production was able to restart. (C2v-C3)

A widow from the town of Thorpe and possibly the wife of Robert Cheston or a relation of Robert Cheston and his wife. Joan Cheston appears to have earned the ire of two accused witches, Ales Manfield and Margaret Grevell. According to Joan Cheston, she noted that in the summer of 1581, having refused to give Ales Manfield some curds she had not yet made, a number of her cows went lame for eight days. When Manfield returned to demand curds, Cheston yelled at her accusing her of bewitching her cattel and suggesting that her own health depended on theirs; Cheston would burn Mansfield [herself?] if the cows didn't recover. Margaret Grevell could not recall any falling out between herself and Joan Cheston, save that she had approached "Joan Ceston to buye a penniworth of Rie meale, but shee woulde let her haue none."(D6-D6v)

A man from Thorpe in the county of Essex, husband to Mrs. Cheston (who may be Joan Cheston), and likely a farmer. According to Alice Manfield, following a fight she had with Mrs. Cheston circa 1575, Margaret Grevell had her spirit Robbin (a familiar shared with Manfield) bewitch Robert Cheston's bull at while it was at still harnessed to the plow making it "pine & die." In around 1577, Grevell, again according to Manfield, sent "her spirite Iacke to goe to plague Cheston, vpon the great Toe vnto the death," rewarding him hansomly for his efforts with "blood of the saide Margrettes bodie, and that besides it had of her Beere and Breade for the labour" and "Beare and Breed" for reporting its efforts to Manfield. Manfield is indicted, tried, and found not guilty for causing the death of Robert Cheston. (D5, D6)

An eight year-old boy from St. Osyth in the county of Essex who informs against his mother, Ursula Kempe. He identifies her as a witch by claiming she owns four familiars: Tyffin, Tittey, Pigine, and Jack, who are given "beere to drinke, and of a white Lofe or Cake to eate, and saith that in the night time the said spirits will come to his mother, and sucke blood of her vpon her armes and other places of her body." Thomas also informs against Ales Newman, a woman he identifies as his Godmother, claiming the Newan left their home carrying spirits under her apron in an earthenware pot, one of which she presumably used to "plague Iohnson to ye death, and an other to plague his wife." (A3v-A4)

An eight year-old boy from St. Osyth in the county of Essex who informs against his mother, Ursula Kempe. He identifies her as a witch by claiming she owns four familiars: Tyffin, Tittey, Pigine, and Jack, who are given "beere to drinke, and of a white Lofe or Cake to eate, and saith that in the night time the said spirits will come to his mother, and sucke blood of her vpon her armes and other places of her body." Thomas also informs against Ales Newman, a woman he identifies as his Godmother, claiming the Newan left their home carrying spirits under her apron in an earthenware pot, one of which she presumably used to "plague Iohnson to ye death, and an other to plague his wife." (A3v-A4)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and husband of Mrs. Johnson, Johnson is both a cloth-maker and is responsible for collecting and distributing alms in St. Osyth. He appears to be widely known in his community. He also appears to have fallen afoul with at least three women who were accused of witchcraft; Ales Newman, Elizabeth Bennet, and Joan Pechey all of them were questioned in terms of what is read as his suspicious death. Johnson is first mentioned by Thomas Rabbet, Ursely Kempe's eight year old son. He claims to have overheard Ales Newman, a woman he describes as his godmother, tell his mother that And this examinat saith, that within a fewe daies after the said Newmans wife came vnto his mother, and "she had sent a spirit to plague Iohnson to ye death, and an other to plague his wife." This accusation, however vague, was in supported by Kempe herself, who claimed that Johnson denied Newman's request for money to help her sick husband, claiming that "had disbursed more money then hee had collected, saying, therefore hee coulde not then helpe her with any," enraging Newman, and according to Kempe's familioar spirit Tyffin, "sent one of the spirites that shee had from this examinate to plague the saide Iohnson and his wife vnto the death." Elizabeth Bennet, although denying she had made any claim about Newman sending spirits to plague Johnson or his wife, did testify that she had witnessed Ales Newman use "some harde speeches vnto him, and seemed to be much angrie" when he denied to provide he with money for her husband. Bennet also denies that she had ever sent a familiar to plague Johnson or his wife, although it is unclear where this accusation may have come from. Finally, Joan Pechy is inculcated in the death of Johnson. Ales Hunt claims that as Pechy was "going homewardes," having received bread which was too hard to eat, she "murmured & found great fault at Iohnson, saying, he might haue giuen that to a gyrle or another, and not to her, saying, the bread was to hard baked for her, and that shee then seemed to bee in a great anger therewithall. " Whereas this anger might have been interpreted as normal annoyance, Johnson's death, coupled with the fact that Hunt claimed that Pechy "was skilfull and cunning in witcherie," made her a suspect in his untimely demise. The index at the end of _A True and Just Relation_ records Ales Newman as the witch who bewitched John Johnson and his wife to death (as confessed by Ursley Kempe and Elizabeth Bennet; Newman does not appear to have responded to these charges, or to have been indicted on them. (A3v-A4)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and wife of John Johnson, a local cloth-maker and alms collector. Mrs. Johnson is allegedly bewitched to death, as is her husband, by either Ales Newman, Joan Pechey, or Elizabeth Bennet. Mrs. Johnson's death appears to have been read as an act of vengeance against her husband (she appears to have committed no crimes) and his own death caused by what was seen as indifference by Joan Pechy and miserliness by Ales Newman. In the end, both their deaths are Ales Newman, although she is not charged on this matter. (A3v-A4)

A woman from Little Clacton, the wife of Henry Sellis, and the mother of Henry Sellis Jr., John Sellis, and at least one daughter. Sellis is accused of conspiring with Ales Newman (to commit arson against Richard ) and Mary Barker (to bewitch Mary Death) and a number of other crimes by her neighbors and by her own sons. Her sons, John and Henry both alleged that she had familiars which she pampered, feeding them with milk and tucking them into sleep on a bed of wool, nestled into the roots of a crab apple tree. They also suggest that she allowed or did not prevent at least one of these familiars from attacking her own son John; he was plagued, they attested, by the black male familiar named Hercules, and had an imperfect toe as proof of the assault. Relations became strained inside her family as a result, but they also became strained outside of her family and between her family and her neighbor Richard Rosse's family. Following the death of two of his plow horses, which died while her husband worked them, Rosse began to suspect the Sellis family of witchcraft. This suspicion was supported by two verbal altercations. One where Sellis used "hard words" against Richard, when their negotiation over the cost of malt when sour, and one where, in a "great anger," Cecily have his wife "lewd speeches," after Mrs. Rosse beat Sellis' cattle out of her pasture. Although Rosse could not confirm the Sellis' involvement in the burning of his barn, he did heat the "youngest sonne of the saide Henrie and Cisley, should say heere is a goodly deale of corne, and a man vnknowen shoulde answere there was the diuell store." Cecily and Henry Sellis are tried and found guilty of this arson. Ales Manfield, however, did confirm that Cecily Sellis was involved in that arson. She suggested that her own imps implored that they should be allowed to "goe vnto little Clapton to Celles, saying, they woulde burne Barnes, and also kill Cattell." They were allegedly "fedde at Cels house by her al ye time they were away," and fed with Manfield's beer and blood when they returned. It was property damage for which Sellis was in the most trouble, however. Sellis was implicated in the causing the Joan and Robert Smith's child to die, John Death to die, and Mary Death to sicken. The death of the Smith child is the most tenuous accusation, Joan herself seems to be relating the narrative reluctantly, suggesting that she would not accuse the Sellis' over overs-peaking her child, but would pray God forgive them if they had. In the case of the Death family, Cecily Sellis plays a staring role. The death of four year old John Death (circe 1580) is recorded as happening following and disagreement between Mrs. Death and Cecily Sellis over who would act as wet nurse to George Battell's infant. His death is recorded as one aspect in a series of tragedies: John was well and then he was dead. However, the narrative weight given to the swine which had been well before the leap and skipped to death, and the weight given to the fat calf who had been well and then was dead, suggests that John's death was one of a series of debilitating attacks against the Death family; its importance is illustrated legally, as opposed to textually; it is for this death that Cecily is found guilty and remanded. The narrative which follows Mary Death's illness, however is both long and complicated; it helps that she is old enough to tell some of the tale herself and that it drags on long enough to create some narrative tension. Mary becomes, for all intents and purposes, a hysterical demoniac; suffering in an incurable "most pitious" condition. Only after Thomas Death visits a cunning man who presumably forces Cecily Sellis and Mary Barker to appear before her (as corporeal beings, or as apparitions) is she cured. For her own part, Sellis denies all charges against her, including the allegation that she accused Mother Tredsall of making her a witch. She is searched as one, however, and "vpon her body many spots very suspitious [were seen], and the said Margaret [Simpson] saith, that they bee much like the sucked spots, that shee hath seene vpon the body of Ursley Kempe and seuerall other[s]." She is found guilty of her crimes and remanded. She is found guilty and remanded to prison. As of August 2, 1582, she is still imprisoned, along with Ales Newman, Ellen Southern, and Agnes / Annis Glascock, at Colchester Goal.(C8-D)

A woman from the Weeley in the county of Essex (now part of the Tendring District) who is described as "One Cocke's wife." At the time of the March 1582 Assize in St. Osyth, Mrs. Cocke's was deceased, however, she was alive and well, according to Ursely Kempe circa 1571. It was at this time that she allegedly taught Ursely Kempe how to unwitch, presumably being an unwitcher herself. The cure involved pricking a handful of hogs dung and charnel three times with a knife, tossing it into a fire; stabbing the underneath of a table three times with the same knife, and letting the knife hang in the wood; and drinking a beer with three sage leaves and three leaves of Saint Johns wort, last thing at night and first thing in the morning. The beer would certainly have eased the pain and St. John's wort to manage the depression.(A7-A7v)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, the wife of John Glascocke and the sister of Edward Wood. Accusations against Glascocke appear to come from a few sources; one of her former tenants or roommates, according to Michael the shoemaker, reported that Glascocke was "a naughtie woman, and a dealer in witchcrafte," and another person named Sparrow also living with Glascocke complained of "a straunge noise or rumbling since Christmas." However, most of the accusations against her come courtesy of Ursley Kempe. Kempe notes that the same shoemaker said Glascocke "had bewitched his Chylde, whereof it dyed," an accusation confirmed by Kempe's familiar Tyffin. Tyffin also evidently claimed that Glascock had killed Charity Page, described as "the Base childe that Page and his wife haue in keeping." And Kempe herself accused Glacocke of bewitching Fortune's child. Glascocke represents herself as a victim of paranormal events and witchcraft, as opposed to a perpetrator of them. She suggests that when she was twenty years old, that she had been "haunted by" (bewitched or forspoken by) Mrs. Arnold, who "was accompted a witch' and who she suspected of causing "certain ledde~ weights and great stones were cast into the house, and diuers straunge noyses of rumblinges hearde" as a way to scare Glascocke's husband away. Glascocke suggests that she was also "consumed by the space of two or three yeares," by "straung aches in her bones, and otherwise." She saught the help of man named Herring (named to bee a Cawker [or a person who water proofs a ship]) who gave her a poultice, in the form of a "lynnen bagge of the breadth of a groate, full of small thinges like seedes, and willed her to put the same where her payne was most, the which shee proued by sewing it vppon her garmente, neare the place where her greefe was." She is searched by Annis Letherdall and Margaret Sympson did "affyrme vppon their credites, that vpon the left side of the thighe of this Examinate, there be some spots, and vpon the left shoulder likewise one or two Which spottes bee like the sucked spots, that Ursley Kempe hath vppon her bodie." Glascocke is actually charged with bewitching Charity Page, Abraham Hedg, and Martha Stevens. She is condemned but remanded. She is found guilty and remanded to prison. As of August 2, 1582, she is still imprisoned, along with Ales Newman, Ellen Southern, and Cecily Sellis at Colchester Goal. (Cv-C3)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, the wife of John Glascocke and the sister of Edward Wood. Accusations against Glascocke appear to come from a few sources; one of her former tenants or roommates, according to Michael the shoemaker, reported that Glascocke was "a naughtie woman, and a dealer in witchcrafte," and another person named Sparrow also living with Glascocke complained of "a straunge noise or rumbling since Christmas." However, most of the accusations against her come courtesy of Ursley Kempe. Kempe notes that the same shoemaker said Glascocke "had bewitched his Chylde, whereof it dyed," an accusation confirmed by Kempe's familiar Tyffin. Tyffin also evidently claimed that Glascock had killed Charity Page, described as "the Base childe that Page and his wife haue in keeping." And Kempe herself accused Glacocke of bewitching Fortune's child. Glascocke represents herself as a victim of paranormal events and witchcraft, as opposed to a perpetrator of them. She suggests that when she was twenty years old, that she had been "haunted by" (bewitched or forspoken by) Mrs. Arnold, who "was accompted a witch' and who she suspected of causing "certain ledde~ weights and great stones were cast into the house, and diuers straunge noyses of rumblinges hearde" as a way to scare Glascocke's husband away. Glascocke suggests that she was also "consumed by the space of two or three yeares," by "straung aches in her bones, and otherwise." She saught the help of man named Herring (named to bee a Cawker [or a person who water proofs a ship]) who gave her a poultice, in the form of a "lynnen bagge of the breadth of a groate, full of small thinges like seedes, and willed her to put the same where her payne was most, the which shee proued by sewing it vppon her garmente, neare the place where her greefe was." She is searched by Annis Letherdall and Margaret Sympson did "affyrme vppon their credites, that vpon the left side of the thighe of this Examinate, there be some spots, and vpon the left shoulder likewise one or two Which spottes bee like the sucked spots, that Ursley Kempe hath vppon her bodie." Glascocke is actually charged with bewitching Charity Page, Abraham Hedg, and Martha Stevens. She is condemned but remanded. She is found guilty and remanded to prison. As of August 2, 1582, she is still imprisoned, along with Ales Newman, Ellen Southern, and Cecily Sellis at Colchester Goal. (Cv-C3)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and the mother of Ales Hunt and Margary Sammon, Mother Barnes is alternately described as "a notorious Witch" and as "no witch" by Joan Pechey. She allegedly gave her daughter, Margery Sammon two familiar spirits, in the shape of toads, instructing her to feed and care for them, or to give them to Mother Pechey if she would not. Mother Barnes is accused of conspiring with her daughter Ales Hunt to bewitch Rebbecca Durrant, after her father Henry refused to give them some pork. Rebbecca Durrant died November 24th. Although her Hunt was indicted for the malefic murder of Rebbecca Durrant (and found not guilty) Mother Barnes never made it to court. She died on February 12, 1582. (C4-C4v)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and the mother of Ales Hunt and Margary Sammon, Mother Barnes is alternately described as "a notorious Witch" and as "no witch" by Joan Pechey. She allegedly gave her daughter, Margery Sammon two familiar spirits, in the shape of toads, instructing her to feed and care for them, or to give them to Mother Pechey if she would not. Mother Barnes is accused of conspiring with her daughter Ales Hunt to bewitch Rebbecca Durrant, after her father Henry refused to give them some pork. Rebbecca Durrant died November 24th. Although her Hunt was indicted for the malefic murder of Rebbecca Durrant (and found not guilty) Mother Barnes never made it to court. She died on February 12, 1582. (C4-C4v)

A man from Thorpe in the county of Essex and an acting Constable at the time of the March 1582 assize. John Sayer testifies against Ales Mansfield, suggesting that one of his carts become mysteriously stuck when it passed by Manfield's home. He traces this act of "witcherie" to an incident which occurred earlier, when Manfield asked a man thatching his roof to also thatch the roof of her oven. The man was happy enough to do it, he replied, if he was able to secure permission to do so from Sayer. Manfield, impatient and irritated, suggested that "hee had beene as good as to have willed you to doe it. For I will bee even with him." Manfield tells a different version of this story or indeed of another reason she might have sought retribution. She suggests that Sayer's chart had taken a big gauge out of her lawn as he passed by on his way home from collecting dung. In an act of convenient revenge, she sent her familiar Puppet (alias Mamet) to lodge the cart in place, paying the imp with beer for the labor.(C6v)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and husband to Mrs. Bonner. Bonnet testifies at the March 29, 1582 Assize at Chelmsford about his wife's long friendship with Elizabeth Bennet, and her ongoing medical conditions, which he suspects may have been caused by Bennet.(B5v-B6)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and wife of Mr. Bonner. Mrs. Bonner and Elizabeth Bennet, according to her husband, "were lovers and familiar friendes, and did accompanie much together." Bennet, supposedly sympathizing with Bonner about an ongoing lameness in her knee, "vsed speeches vnto her, saying, a good woman how thou art loden, & then clasped her in her armes, and kissed her." Within ten days, Mrs. Bonner's "vpper Lippe swelled & was very bigge, and her eyes much sunked into her head," a condition which continued almost two months, and continued still while her husband testified at the March 29, 1582. The knee condition which plagued Mrs. Bonner was caused, according to Ursely Kempe, by Elizabeth Bennet's familiar spirit, Lyerd. The facial swelling and sinking presumably by Bennet herself. Although Bennet admits to having a familiar named Lyerd, she does not mention this incident in her confession, nor does it appear in the counts against her at the Assize. (B5v-B6)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, husband of Joan Byet, and a dairy farmer. Although the Bytes lived in peace with their neighbor for the first year of their residence, things soon grew strained, and then violent between the families. Byet would sometime call Bennett an "olde trot and olde witche, and did banne and curse" her cattle. In return, Bennett would call Byett a "knave saying, winde it vp Byet, for it wil light vpon your selfe." Although Bennett mentioned the three of Byett's cow shortly after this incident, and more to do with poor animal husbandry; Byet beat the fallen cow until it died. Joan Byet also "did beate her swine seuerall times with greate Gybets." Moreover, she also" thrust a pitchforke through the side of one of [Elizabeth Bennet's] swine, the which Durrant a Butcher did buie, and for that when hee had dressed it, it prooued A messell," (a leprous animal, which presumably could not be eaten?). Of course, this version of the story is not the only one. According to Ursely Kempe, although Elizabeth Bennet's three familiars "plagued three of his Beastes whereof two of them dyed, and the third leyer fire or drooping, & not likly to liue: Byette caused his folkes to make a fire about her" presumably as an act of countermagic and cremation. Kempe suggested that "the Cowe feeling the heate of the fire, starte vp and ranne her way, and by that occasion was saued"; Byett himself seems to hint that the cow was certainly saved by jumping up, but also by "byting of stickes, bigger then any mans finger" from a local wood stack. Joan Byett was not so lucky. She appears to have died on Febraury 10, 1581, a crime attributed Kempe to Bennet's other familiar, Suckin who "did plague Byettes wife vnto death." The court blames the bewitchment on Bennet. Bennet acknowledges the felony, and is deemed guilty and charged to be hanged. (A2v-A3)

A girl from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and the (possibly illegitimate) daughter of William Page. According to Ursley Kempe, Annis Glascock bewitched Charity Page. Page grew ill at the beginning of March, 1580 and died May 8, 1580. Her mother later visited Ursley Kempe to seek a cure for her own bewitchment. This may or may not be the "base child" which purportedly lived with the Pages. (Appendix)

A woman who is identified by a local boat-cawker / cunning-man named Herring as the witch who "haunted" Annis Glascocke.(Cv, C2-C2v)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, wife to local dairy farmer, William Byet, and the neighbor of Elizabeth Bennett. Although the Bytes lived in peace with their neighbor for the first year of their residence, things soon grew strained, and then violent between the families. Byet would sometime call Bennett an "olde trot and olde witche, and did banne and curse" her cattle. In return, Bennett would call Byett a "knave saying, winde it vp Byet, for it wil light vpon your selfe." Although Bennett mentioned the three of Byett's cow shortly after this incident, and more to do with poor animal husbandry; Byet beat the fallen cow until it died. Joan Byet also "did beate her swine seuerall times with greate Gybets." Moreover, she also" thrust a pitchforke through the side of one of [Elizabeth Bennet's] swine, the which Durrant a Butcher did buie, and for that when hee had dressed it, it prooued A messell," (a leprous animal, which presumably could not be eaten?). Of course, this version of the story is not the only one. According to Ursely Kempe, although Elizabeth Bennet's three familiars "plagued three of his Beastes whereof two of them dyed, and the third leyer fire or drooping, & not likly to liue: Byette caused his folkes to make a fire about her" presumably as an act of countermagic and cremation. Kempe suggested that "the Cowe feeling the heate of the fire, starte vp and ranne her way, and by that occasion was saued"; Byett himself seems to hint that the cow was certainly saved by jumping up, but also by "byting of stickes, bigger then any mans finger" from a local wood stack. Joan Byett was not so lucky. She appears to have died on Febraury 10, 1581, a crime attributed Kempe to Bennet's other familiar, Suckin who "did plague Byettes wife vnto death." The court blames the bewitchment on Bennet. Bennet acknowledges the felony, and is deemed guilty and charged to be hanged. (A2v-A3)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, wife to local dairy farmer, William Byet, and the neighbor of Elizabeth Bennett. Although the Bytes lived in peace with their neighbor for the first year of their residence, things soon grew strained, and then violent between the families. Byet would sometime call Bennett an "olde trot and olde witche, and did banne and curse" her cattle. In return, Bennett would call Byett a "knave saying, winde it vp Byet, for it wil light vpon your selfe." Although Bennett mentioned the three of Byett's cow shortly after this incident, and more to do with poor animal husbandry; Byet beat the fallen cow until it died. Joan Byet also "did beate her swine seuerall times with greate Gybets." Moreover, she also" thrust a pitchforke through the side of one of [Elizabeth Bennet's] swine, the which Durrant a Butcher did buie, and for that when hee had dressed it, it prooued A messell," (a leprous animal, which presumably could not be eaten?). Of course, this version of the story is not the only one. According to Ursely Kempe, although Elizabeth Bennet's three familiars "plagued three of his Beastes whereof two of them dyed, and the third leyer fire or drooping, & not likly to liue: Byette caused his folkes to make a fire about her" presumably as an act of countermagic and cremation. Kempe suggested that "the Cowe feeling the heate of the fire, starte vp and ranne her way, and by that occasion was saued"; Byett himself seems to hint that the cow was certainly saved by jumping up, but also by "byting of stickes, bigger then any mans finger" from a local wood stack. Joan Byett was not so lucky. She appears to have died on Febraury 10, 1581, a crime attributed Kempe to Bennet's other familiar, Suckin who "did plague Byettes wife vnto death." The court blames the bewitchment on Bennet. Bennet acknowledges the felony, and is deemed guilty and charged to be hanged. (A2v-A3)

A twenty-three year old man living in St. Osyth, in the county of Essex, who testifies that his mother, Joan Pechey, often forced him to sleep naked with her. Pechey denied the charges, only asserting that at times the shared the same bed, back to back. (C5, C6)

A woman from Thorpe (aka Thorpe-le-Soken) in the county of Essex and daughter of accused witch, Elizabeth Eustace, described as having "lewde dealynges, and behauiour." Margaret Eustace was Robert Sannuet's servant (circa 1567) and after "vsed some threatning speeches vnto her," he found his "mouth was drawne awrye, well neere vppe to the vpper parte of his cheek," an afflication he blamed on her mother. Margaret Eustace is also accused of bewitching Robert Sanneuet's brother, a man named Crosse, was "taken verye sickly, and at tymes was without any remembrance." For this alleged crime, Sanneuet "wished a spyt red hotte [be put in] her buttocks. Margaret Eustace does not appear to have been examined by Brian Darcey in February of 1582 with the other alleged witches. (Image 27)

A man from Thorpe (now Thorpe-le-Soken) in the county of Essex, a father, husband, and brother of Mr. Crosse. Sannuet was a farmer (he had dairy cows and hogs) and employer to Margaret Eustace (circa 1567). After he "vsed some threatning speeches vnto her," he found his "mouth was drawne awrye, well neere vppe to the vpper parte of his cheek," an afflication he blamed on her mother. Years later, his brother Thomas Crosse (Felice Okey's husband) becomes "verye sickly, and at tymes was without any remembrance," some time around 1579. He calls Sanneuet to his side and claims that "Margaret Ewstace had bewitched him, and brought him into that weak state hee then was at." Sannuet, in a rage, claimed, that if that was true, he "wished a spyt red hotte [be put] in her buttocks." These angry words were carried to Elizabeth Eustace, Margaret's mother, who warned a neighbor not to enter Sanneuet's house, claiming "aye goe not thyther, for he saith I am a witch: And sayed, his wife is with Childe and lustie, but it will bee otherwise with her then hee looketh for: Whereuppon this Examinate saith, that his wife had a most straunge sicknes, and was deliuered of childe, which within short time after dyed." This was not Sanneuet's only loss, however. The same summer (circa 1579 or 1582) his dairy cows produced blood in lieu of milk and his hogs "did skippe and leape aboute the parde in a straunge sorte: And some of them dyed."()

A man from Thorpe (now Thorpe-le-Soken) in the county of Essex and brother to Robert Sanneuet and husband of Felice Okey. Thomas Crosse becomes "verye sickly, and at tymes was without any remembrance," some time around 1579. He calls Sanneuet to his side and claims that "Margaret Ewstace had bewitched him, and brought him into that weak state hee then was at." Sannuet, in a rage, claimed, that if that was true, he "wished a spyt red hotte [be put] in her buttocks." His wife claims that Thomas Crosse fell to the ground one day, and thereafter "hee coulde neyther see, heare, nor speake, and his face all to bee scratched." He often lost his sence, but when regained his wits, "woulde alwayes crye out vpon the sayde Elizabeth euen vnto his dying day, and woulde say that sithence shee the sayd Elizabeth had threatned him he was consumed, and that shee had bewitched him."()

A man from Little Clacton in the county of Essex. According to Rosse, who serves as one of the chief witness against the Sellis (their sons serve as the others), one day as Henry Sellis is plowing Rosse's his field, having only "gone twise or thrise aboute the lande, two of [Rosses] lykest horses fell downe in moste straunge wise, and dyed." Since these horsed were healthy and died so quickly, Rosse begins to think that Sellis had bewitched them. He has two reasons to think this, both involving Henry's wife Cecily. A negotiation over the price of malt between Rosse and Cecily Sellis had gone bad; Sellis wanted to pay about a third the cost Rosse was willing to part with his malt for. They fell out; and she left without malt and "vsing many harde speaches." The next verbal altercation happened between Rosse's wife and Cecily. Upon discovering Sellis' cows in her pasture, Mrs. Rosse dud "hunt the~ out therof." In a rage and great anger, Cecily gave Mrs. Rosse "lewd speeches." Shortly thereafter, "many of his beaste were in a most straung taking: the which he doth say, to be wrought by some witchcraft, or sorcery by ye said He~ry or Cisly his wife." Finally, and as almost an aside, Rosse mentions that before his barn burned, that John Sellis noted that the "youngest sonne of the saide Henrie and Cisley, should say heere is a goodly deale of corne, and a man vnknowen shoulde answere there was the diuell store."(C8-D)

A man from Little Clacton in the county of Essex. According to Rosse, who serves as one of the chief witness against the Sellis (their sons serve as the others), one day as Henry Sellis is plowing Rosse's his field, having only "gone twise or thrise aboute the lande, two of [Rosses] lykest horses fell downe in moste straunge wise, and dyed." Since these horsed were healthy and died so quickly, Rosse begins to think that Sellis had bewitched them. He has two reasons to think this, both involving Henry's wife Cecily. A negotiation over the price of malt between Rosse and Cecily Sellis had gone bad; Sellis wanted to pay about a third the cost Rosse was willing to part with his malt for. They fell out; and she left without malt and "vsing many harde speaches." The next verbal altercation happened between Rosse's wife and Cecily. Upon discovering Sellis' cows in her pasture, Mrs. Rosse dud "hunt the~ out therof." In a rage and great anger, Cecily gave Mrs. Rosse "lewd speeches." Shortly thereafter, "many of his beaste were in a most straung taking: the which he doth say, to be wrought by some witchcraft, or sorcery by ye said He~ry or Cisly his wife." Finally, and as almost an aside, Rosse mentions that before his barn burned, that John Sellis noted that the "youngest sonne of the saide Henrie and Cisley, should say heere is a goodly deale of corne, and a man vnknowen shoulde answere there was the diuell store."(C8-D)

A man from Little Clacton in the county of Essex, husband of Cecily and father Henry Sellis Jr., John Sellis, and at least one daughter. There appears to be some conflict between Henry Sellis and Richard Rosse, one of his hired laborers, which leads to a wide spread conflict between the families, and eventually to his wife, Cecily Sellis being accused of witchcraft. Two of Rosse's horses died as Sellis plowed his field for him, making Rosse suspect that Henry or his wife, had bewitched them. Richard Rosse and Cecily had fought in the past over the price of malt, and Mrs. Rosse and Cecily had fought over Mrs. Rosse's treatment of her cattle, but after "many of [Rosse's] beaste were in a most straung taking" and after their son, admired the volume of corn in his barn before it burnt, Rosse came to the conclusion that these events were "wrought by some witchcraft, or sorcery by ye said He~ry or Cisly his wife." Rosse ensure that Henry and his wife were tried (and found guilty) for this arson. Rosse was not the only one who implicated Henry Sellis in witchcraft. His son John, who is allegedly injured by one of Cecily's familiars, claims his father not only knew about the existence of these imps, but did little, beyond yelling at his wife, to save his children. Moreover, he allegedly mocked John, but referring to the little black household demon as "John," because his name was [also] so." For his own part, Henry denies the charges brought against him, nor can he, he claims, really remember the incidents Rosse refers to. (C8-D)

A man from Little Clacton in the county of Essex, husband of Cecily and father Henry Sellis Jr., John Sellis, and at least one daughter. There appears to be some conflict between Henry Sellis and Richard Rosse, one of his hired laborers, which leads to a wide spread conflict between the families, and eventually to his wife, Cecily Sellis being accused of witchcraft. Two of Rosse's horses died as Sellis plowed his field for him, making Rosse suspect that Henry or his wife, had bewitched them. Richard Rosse and Cecily had fought in the past over the price of malt, and Mrs. Rosse and Cecily had fought over Mrs. Rosse's treatment of her cattle, but after "many of [Rosse's] beaste were in a most straung taking" and after their son, admired the volume of corn in his barn before it burnt, Rosse came to the conclusion that these events were "wrought by some witchcraft, or sorcery by ye said He~ry or Cisly his wife." Rosse ensure that Henry and his wife were tried (and found guilty) for this arson. Rosse was not the only one who implicated Henry Sellis in witchcraft. His son John, who is allegedly injured by one of Cecily's familiars, claims his father not only knew about the existence of these imps, but did little, beyond yelling at his wife, to save his children. Moreover, he allegedly mocked John, but referring to the little black household demon as "John," because his name was [also] so." For his own part, Henry denies the charges brought against him, nor can he, he claims, really remember the incidents Rosse refers to. (C8-D)

A man from Little Clacton in the county of Essex, husband of Cecily and father Henry Sellis Jr., John Sellis, and at least one daughter. There appears to be some conflict between Henry Sellis and Richard Rosse, one of his hired laborers, which leads to a wide spread conflict between the families, and eventually to his wife, Cecily Sellis being accused of witchcraft. Two of Rosse's horses died as Sellis plowed his field for him, making Rosse suspect that Henry or his wife, had bewitched them. Richard Rosse and Cecily had fought in the past over the price of malt, and Mrs. Rosse and Cecily had fought over Mrs. Rosse's treatment of her cattle, but after "many of [Rosse's] beaste were in a most straung taking" and after their son, admired the volume of corn in his barn before it burnt, Rosse came to the conclusion that these events were "wrought by some witchcraft, or sorcery by ye said He~ry or Cisly his wife." Rosse ensure that Henry and his wife were tried (and found guilty) for this arson. Rosse was not the only one who implicated Henry Sellis in witchcraft. His son John, who is allegedly injured by one of Cecily's familiars, claims his father not only knew about the existence of these imps, but did little, beyond yelling at his wife, to save his children. Moreover, he allegedly mocked John, but referring to the little black household demon as "John," because his name was [also] so." For his own part, Henry denies the charges brought against him, nor can he, he claims, really remember the incidents Rosse refers to. (C8-D)

A nine year old boy from Little Clacton, in the county of Essex, and son of Henry and Cysly Sellis and brother to John Sellis and at least one sister. His main role in the narrative appears to be backing up his younger brother's story of the nocturnal attack by their mother's imps, an assault which evidently scared him so much "swett for feare, and that he coulde scarse get his shirt from his backe." His mother retorted withough sympathy, telling him "thou lyest whoresonne." Pressed to provide details on the familiars, his story coincided with John's to a point; there were two familars, he claims, a black and a white one, and he too had seen his mother feed her familiars from a wooden bowl by a crab apple tree. However, there are important differences between the two narratives. Henry genders and renames the familiars. The black, male familiar is named Hercules (alias Jack) and the white female familiar is names Mercuries. They sleep, he claims, on a bed of wool, tucked into the roots of the crabapple tree. Finally Selis claims that Hercules was used against Rosse's maid, a fact his mother made him keep quiet about until, of course, this confession. (D-Dv)

A nine year old boy from Little Clacton, in the county of Essex, and son of Henry and Cysly Sellis and brother to John Sellis and at least one sister. His main role in the narrative appears to be backing up his younger brother's story of the nocturnal attack by their mother's imps, an assault which evidently scared him so much "swett for feare, and that he coulde scarse get his shirt from his backe." His mother retorted withough sympathy, telling him "thou lyest whoresonne." Pressed to provide details on the familiars, his story coincided with John's to a point; there were two familars, he claims, a black and a white one, and he too had seen his mother feed her familiars from a wooden bowl by a crab apple tree. However, there are important differences between the two narratives. Henry genders and renames the familiars. The black, male familiar is named Hercules (alias Jack) and the white female familiar is names Mercuries. They sleep, he claims, on a bed of wool, tucked into the roots of the crabapple tree. Finally Selis claims that Hercules was used against Rosse's maid, a fact his mother made him keep quiet about until, of course, this confession. (D-Dv)

A six year old boy from Little Clacton in the county of Essex, and son of Henry and Cysley Sellis and the brother of Henry Sellis Jr. and at least one sister. John Sellis is described as having an imperfect toenail. While testifying against his mother in court, asserted that she allowed her imps to attack him. He complains that "one night there was a blacke thing like his sister, that tooke him by the legge." He cried out in fear for his father, "saying, father, father, come helpe me and defende mee, for there is a blacke thing that hath me by the legge." His father, Henry Sellis, rather than comfort his fearful son, allegedly turned his wrath against his wife calling her a "stinking whore" and demanding "can yee not keepe your imps from my children?" He demand that she put them away or kill them. Pushed to provide more details, Sellis notes that his mother had two familiars, one black, also named John and a one white, named Imp with eyes as large as his own, and which are fed, but both his mother and his father, from a wooden bowl with a spoon. John Sellis gives two stories of how his family rid themselves of these imps (and by extension are no longer a witching family). In one narrative, a man, likely named Wedon or Glascocke carried the imps away when his mother was already imprisoned at Colchester castle goal. In another narrative, his mother sells the familiar spirits for two pennies, one as he carried them away, and one penny which she could pick up later. (D2-D2v)

A six year old boy from Little Clacton in the county of Essex, and son of Henry and Cysley Sellis and the brother of Henry Sellis Jr. and at least one sister. John Sellis is described as having an imperfect toenail. While testifying against his mother in court, asserted that she allowed her imps to attack him. He complains that "one night there was a blacke thing like his sister, that tooke him by the legge." He cried out in fear for his father, "saying, father, father, come helpe me and defende mee, for there is a blacke thing that hath me by the legge." His father, Henry Sellis, rather than comfort his fearful son, allegedly turned his wrath against his wife calling her a "stinking whore" and demanding "can yee not keepe your imps from my children?" He demand that she put them away or kill them. Pushed to provide more details, Sellis notes that his mother had two familiars, one black, also named John and a one white, named Imp with eyes as large as his own, and which are fed, but both his mother and his father, from a wooden bowl with a spoon. John Sellis gives two stories of how his family rid themselves of these imps (and by extension are no longer a witching family). In one narrative, a man, likely named Wedon or Glascocke carried the imps away when his mother was already imprisoned at Colchester castle goal. In another narrative, his mother sells the familiar spirits for two pennies, one as he carried them away, and one penny which she could pick up later. (D2-D2v)

A eight year old girl from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, daughter to Ales Hunt, niece to Margery Sammon, and granddaughter to Widow Barnes. Despite the fact that her mother allegedly "charged her not to tell any thing," Febey Hunt testifies that Ales Hunt had two familiars, described as "two litle thinges like horses, the one white, the other blacke, the which shee kept in a litle lowe earthen pot with woll, colour white and black" placed by her bedside. Febey claims her mother "feede them with milke out of a blacke trening dishe." She also claims her mother sent her familars to "Hayward of Frowicke, but to what end shee can not tell, & shee being asked howe she knew the same, saieth, that shee hard her mother bid them to go."(A5v)

A eight year old girl from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, daughter to Ales Hunt, niece to Margery Sammon, and granddaughter to Widow Barnes. Despite the fact that her mother allegedly "charged her not to tell any thing," Febey Hunt testifies that Ales Hunt had two familiars, described as "two litle thinges like horses, the one white, the other blacke, the which shee kept in a litle lowe earthen pot with woll, colour white and black" placed by her bedside. Febey claims her mother "feede them with milke out of a blacke trening dishe." She also claims her mother sent her familars to "Hayward of Frowicke, but to what end shee can not tell, & shee being asked howe she knew the same, saieth, that shee hard her mother bid them to go."(A5v)

A woman from Little Clacton in the County of Essex and the wife of Robert Smith. Joan Smith is examined regarding the mysterious death of her infant. Smith, baby in her arms, had encountered Cecily Sellis one day as she was heading to church and Sellis had suggested that "shee hath neuer the more children for that, but a little babe to play wtall for a time. And she saith within short time after her said childe sickned and died." The proximity of these two events in enough to suggest a connection, however, Smith appears to resist making one; rather stating that her "co~science wil not serue her, to charge the said Cysley or her husband to be the causers of any suche matter, but prayeth God to forgiue them if they haue dealt in any such sort. &c." Her Christian conscious does not prevent Smith, however, from acting as a witch-searcher during the trial, participating in the search of Sellis and Ursely Kempe (at least). (D2v-D3)

A woman from Little Clacton in the County of Essex and the wife of Robert Smith. Joan Smith is examined regarding the mysterious death of her infant. Smith, baby in her arms, had encountered Cecily Sellis one day as she was heading to church and Sellis had suggested that "shee hath neuer the more children for that, but a little babe to play wtall for a time. And she saith within short time after her said childe sickned and died." The proximity of these two events in enough to suggest a connection, however, Smith appears to resist making one; rather stating that her "co~science wil not serue her, to charge the said Cysley or her husband to be the causers of any suche matter, but prayeth God to forgiue them if they haue dealt in any such sort. &c." Her Christian conscious does not prevent Smith, however, from acting as a witch-searcher during the trial, participating in the search of Sellis and Ursely Kempe (at least). (D2v-D3)

A woman from Little Clacton in the County of Essex and the wife of Robert Smith. Joan Smith is examined regarding the mysterious death of her infant. Smith, baby in her arms, had encountered Cecily Sellis one day as she was heading to church and Sellis had suggested that "shee hath neuer the more children for that, but a little babe to play wtall for a time. And she saith within short time after her said childe sickned and died." The proximity of these two events in enough to suggest a connection, however, Smith appears to resist making one; rather stating that her "co~science wil not serue her, to charge the said Cysley or her husband to be the causers of any suche matter, but prayeth God to forgiue them if they haue dealt in any such sort. &c." Her Christian conscious does not prevent Smith, however, from acting as a witch-searcher during the trial, participating in the search of Sellis and Ursely Kempe (at least). (D2v-D3)

A woman presumably from Little Clacton who appears to have be named as a witch during the March 1582 Assize at Chelmsford as the woman who initiated Cecily Sellis into witchcraft. Sellis confirmed that she knew Mother Tredsall, but denied ever claiming that Tresdall was a witch or that she had made her one. This short reference is the only reference to Mother Tresdall in the pamphlet; she does not appear in the records of the Assize.(D3v)

A woman from Essex who searches Cysley Sellis for witch's marks.(Image 31)

A woman from Little Clacton in the county of Essex and a servant to Richard Rosse. One day, around four o'clock, Baxter recounts having milked eight of the nine cows she was required to milk, the final cow she began to milk became spooked at "stroke downe her paile, and that shee saw all the rest to make a staring and a looking about." Baxster "felt a thing to pricke her vnder the right side, as if she had been striken with ones hande," and later "there came a thinge all white like a Cat, and stroke her at the hart." Baxster found that "shee could not stand, goe, nor speake," and, paralyzed, had to be carried home in a chair by Rosse and some of his staff. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw "the said thing to go into a bush by the style." This testimony, given at the March 1581 Chemlsford Assize, may have been given as evidence against Cecily and Henry Sellis and Ales Manfield, who were accused of and prosecuted for burning Richard Rosse's field or Mother Ewstance, who, according to Manfield has a white feline familiar; it is unclear. The story of Baxster's paralysis is confirmed, however, by Robert Smith, husband to witch-searcher, and grieving mother, Joan Smith. (D5-D5v)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, a father to Rebecca Durrant, and local butcher. Durant appears once as having purchased a sow which had belonged Elizabeth Bennet after William Byet's wife Byets wife "did beate her swine seuerall times with greate Gybets, and did at an other time thrust a pitchforke through the side of one of this examinats swine, the which Durrant a Butcher did buie, and for that when hee had dressed it, it prooued A messell," so he returned the butchered beast, without recompense. Durrant who testifies against Ales Hunt, accusing her and her mother, Widow Barnes, of bewitching his daughter Rebbecca to death. Although Durrant testifies, the information he gives about this felony comes courtesy of Ursley Kempe while she was already imprisoned at Colchester Castle on suspicion of being a witch, and issued "some demaunds which hee vsed vnto her." According the Kempe, the malefic murder was an act of retribution for refusing to give the women some pork he had butchered. (D4v-D5)

A young girl from St. Oysth in the county of Essex and the daughter of local butcher, Henry Durrant. Rebbecca is allegedly bewitched by Mother Barnes and her daughter Ales Hunt after her father refuses to give them some pork. Although Durrant testifies about his daughter's death, the information about the crime comes courtesy of Ursely Kempe, who Durrant may have threatened to get her to talk.(D4v-D5)

A girl of young woman from Great Clacton in the county of Essex, sister of John Death and daughter of Thomas Death. Sometime around March, 1581 Marie is "taken with an ache or numnes from her necke down her backe all ouer," and perhaps a supernatural weight and heaviness, because "two or three coulde scarce turne her in her bed as shee lay." Although her mother gives her remedies "sente from a Phisition," she is not cured. The next night, however, Marie sees the apparition of Cecley Sellis and Mary? Barker "standing before her in the same apparell that they did vsually weare" and telling her "bee not afraide, and that they vanished away." The next day she was "amended," apparently healed by the nocturnal visit of these women (or the apparition of them) as she lay in bed. (E, Ev)

A man from Great Clacton in the county of Essex and father to John Death and Marie Death and likely a sailor. Death's family begins to suffer from a series of problems following a verbal altercation between his wife and Cecily Sellis. Sellis had been fired as wet nurse to George Battell's child and Mrs. Death was hired, making Sellis "rayl" at Mrs. Death threatening that she would "loose more by the hauing of it, then thou shalt haue for the keeping of it," suggesting that getting this child would cost her one of her own. Their son, who had previously been healthy, "presently fell downe dead, and after by helpe being brought to life, the saide childe was in a pitious case, and so died presently." Right after, "seuerall Swine the which did skippe and leape about the yarde, in a most straunge sorte, and then died," and overnight a calf, which had been "very fatt," was found dead the next morning. Thomas' daughter would be the next to suffer. Death, newly returned from sea, was met by a messenger sent by his wife, with news that his daughter Marie, was ill. The messenger had Marie's urine with him to be studied by a physician in Ipswich, a man name Berte. The doctor would not tell him if "is daughter were not bewitched," so Death following an aquaitence, met up wit a cunningman, who studying the girl's urine suggested that Marie's situation was dire, sent him home with "thinges that were to bee ministred vnto his said daughter," and told him that within "two nyghtes after the parties that had hurte his daughter shoulde appeare vnto her, and remedie her." Within two nights Marie saw a vision of Cecley Sellis and Mary Barker and was indeed cured. (D8v-E2v)

A man from Great Clacton in the county of Essex and father to John Death and Marie Death and likely a sailor. Death's family begins to suffer from a series of problems following a verbal altercation between his wife and Cecily Sellis. Sellis had been fired as wet nurse to George Battell's child and Mrs. Death was hired, making Sellis "rayl" at Mrs. Death threatening that she would "loose more by the hauing of it, then thou shalt haue for the keeping of it," suggesting that getting this child would cost her one of her own. Their son, who had previously been healthy, "presently fell downe dead, and after by helpe being brought to life, the saide childe was in a pitious case, and so died presently." Right after, "seuerall Swine the which did skippe and leape about the yarde, in a most straunge sorte, and then died," and overnight a calf, which had been "very fatt," was found dead the next morning. Thomas' daughter would be the next to suffer. Death, newly returned from sea, was met by a messenger sent by his wife, with news that his daughter Marie, was ill. The messenger had Marie's urine with him to be studied by a physician in Ipswich, a man name Berte. The doctor would not tell him if "is daughter were not bewitched," so Death following an aquaitence, met up wit a cunningman, who studying the girl's urine suggested that Marie's situation was dire, sent him home with "thinges that were to bee ministred vnto his said daughter," and told him that within "two nyghtes after the parties that had hurte his daughter shoulde appeare vnto her, and remedie her." Within two nights Marie saw a vision of Cecley Sellis and Mary Barker and was indeed cured. (D8v-E2v)

A man from Thorpe in the county of Essex, the father to Carter Jr., a "tall and lustie man, of the age of xxxvi. yeeres," and a local brewer. John Carter testifies, along with others, against Margaret Grevell. He suspects that she was involved in attempting to destroy his brewing through bewitchment.(C2v-C3)

A man likely from Thorpe in the county of Essex, a butcher, and the husband of Mrs. Strickland. Strickland testifies against Margaret Grevell. He suggests that his family experienced at least two bits of property damaged brought about by Grevell. Strickland refused to give Grevell's son a rack of newly butchered lamb on demand, and rather suggested the son come back after noon (it is unclear on whether or not he does. However, soon after, his wife is unable to churn butter. Strickland attempted a number of counter magic and pasteurizing techniques. He heated the milk over a great fire; he poured half out, and attempted to heat it again, but could neither make it seeth, nor later churn. The whole batch was ruined and pour out for the pigs. Soon after his main breeding cow "cast her calf" Strickland, fearing it would die painfully, euthanized the calf. (E3-E3v)

A man likely from Thorpe in the county of Essex, a butcher, and the husband of Mrs. Strickland. Strickland testifies against Margaret Grevell. He suggests that his family experienced at least two bits of property damaged brought about by Grevell. Strickland refused to give Grevell's son a rack of newly butchered lamb on demand, and rather suggested the son come back after noon (it is unclear on whether or not he does. However, soon after, his wife is unable to churn butter. Strickland attempted a number of counter magic and pasteurizing techniques. He heated the milk over a great fire; he poured half out, and attempted to heat it again, but could neither make it seeth, nor later churn. The whole batch was ruined and pour out for the pigs. Soon after his main breeding cow "cast her calf" Strickland, fearing it would die painfully, euthanized the calf. (E3-E3v)

A woman from Thorpe (now Thorpe-le-Soken) in the county of Essex, the widow of Thomas Crosse and the sister (in law?) or Robert Sannuet. Felice Okey testifies that she had a falling out with Elizabeth Eustace after finding Eustance's geese in her yard, and driving them out, causing one of them to be injured. Eustace cursed her family and her livelihood, claiming "thy husbande shall not haue his health, nor that whiche hee hath shall not prosper so well as it hath done, and that shee also sayde, thou haste not had so good lucke with thy gooslings." Okey could never keep geese thereafter, her cows gave blood for eight days, in lieu of milk, and worse yet, her husband, Thomas Crosse began to suffer. Having fallen one day onto the ground, he was thereafter taken "in a stra~ge sort" of illness, where he "coulde neyther see, heare, nor speake, and his face all to bee scratched." He would sometime regain lucidity and would "woulde alwayes crye out vpon the sayde Elizabeth euen vnto his dying day, and woulde say that sithence shee the sayd Elizabeth had threatned him he was consumed, and that shee had bewitched him."()

A woman from Thorpe (now Thorpe-le-Soken) in the county of Essex, the widow of Thomas Crosse and the sister (in law?) or Robert Sannuet. Felice Okey testifies that she had a falling out with Elizabeth Eustace after finding Eustance's geese in her yard, and driving them out, causing one of them to be injured. Eustace cursed her family and her livelihood, claiming "thy husbande shall not haue his health, nor that whiche hee hath shall not prosper so well as it hath done, and that shee also sayde, thou haste not had so good lucke with thy gooslings." Okey could never keep geese thereafter, her cows gave blood for eight days, in lieu of milk, and worse yet, her husband, Thomas Crosse began to suffer. Having fallen one day onto the ground, he was thereafter taken "in a stra~ge sort" of illness, where he "coulde neyther see, heare, nor speake, and his face all to bee scratched." He would sometime regain lucidity and would "woulde alwayes crye out vpon the sayde Elizabeth euen vnto his dying day, and woulde say that sithence shee the sayd Elizabeth had threatned him he was consumed, and that shee had bewitched him."()

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and brother to Ursley Kempe. Lawrence Kempe testifies that "his late wife was taken in her backe, and in the priuie partes of her bodye, in a very extreame and most straunge sorte, and so continued about three quarters of a year. This origin of this bewitchment occurred circa 1580 when Ursley and Mrs. Kempe has a physical altercation when Ursley "tooke vp her clothes and did heat her vpon the hippes, and otherwise in wordes did misuse her greatly." Mrs. Kempe allegedly told her husband "seuerall times that Ursley kempe his sister, had forspoke her, and that shee was the onely cause of that her sicknesse." Mrs. Kempe's body grew cold before she died, and she lay in a kind of half life, "like a dead creature," until Ursley came one day, unannounced and again "lifted vp the clothes and tooke her by the arme, the which shee had not so soone doone, but presently after she gasped, and neuer after drew her breath and so dyed."(C4v-C5)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and brother to Ursley Kempe. Lawrence Kempe testifies that "his late wife was taken in her backe, and in the priuie partes of her bodye, in a very extreame and most straunge sorte, and so continued about three quarters of a year. This origin of this bewitchment occurred circa 1580 when Ursley and Mrs. Kempe has a physical altercation when Ursley "tooke vp her clothes and did heat her vpon the hippes, and otherwise in wordes did misuse her greatly." Mrs. Kempe allegedly told her husband "seuerall times that Ursley kempe his sister, had forspoke her, and that shee was the onely cause of that her sicknesse." Mrs. Kempe's body grew cold before she died, and she lay in a kind of half life, "like a dead creature," until Ursley came one day, unannounced and again "lifted vp the clothes and tooke her by the arme, the which shee had not so soone doone, but presently after she gasped, and neuer after drew her breath and so dyed."(C4v-C5)

A man from Little Okeley and a farmer who testifies against Annis Heard. Annis Heard allegedly spoke to John Wade and "prayed him to be a meanes to helpe her, that she might answere the same when the dayes were longer." Wade suggested that he could not help her, and but suggested that she see that "Regester dwelt at Colchester, saying, it must be hee that therein may pleasure thee." Soon after Wadde "droue fortie sheepe and thirtie lambes to a pasture yt he had at Tendring, beeing thereof well neere fourescore Acres," returning in eight or nine days to find "one to bee dead, another to bee lame, another to sit drowping, and a lambe in the same case by it, whiche all died, and he founde one other with the necke awry, which is in that case to this day, and one other whiche was so weake that it coulde not arise." Wadde recounted that since the investigation into Heard began "he hath had not so fewe as twentie sheepe and lambes that haue died, and e lame and like to die: & hee saith, that hee hath lost of his beasts & other cattell, which haue dyed in a strange sort." (E6-E7)

A man from Little Oakly in the county of Essex . Thomas Cartwright testifies at the indictment / examination of Annis Heard about a strange incident which transpired after he annoyed her. Heard had evidently used bough which had fallen off of Cartwright's tree after a heavy storm to make a ramp over a "wet or durtie place to goe ouer." Cartwright picked up the bough, to Heard's great annoyance, and "she said, that the churle (meaning this examinat) to a neighbour of hers had carried away the peece of the bough that she had laied to go ouer, saying, that shee woulde bee euen with him for it." Soon after two of Cartwright's cows wandered off in a snow storm. One fell in a ditch, twisting her neck so badly, she simply was not recovering, and Cartwright brained the animal to death. The other cow "caluing in a most strange sorte died. Cartwright said, without qualification, that "hee verily thinketh to be done by some witchery by the saide Annis Herd."(E6, E7-E7v)

A man from Little Oakly in the county of Essex . Thomas Cartwright testifies at the indictment / examination of Annis Heard about a strange incident which transpired after he annoyed her. Heard had evidently used bough which had fallen off of Cartwright's tree after a heavy storm to make a ramp over a "wet or durtie place to goe ouer." Cartwright picked up the bough, to Heard's great annoyance, and "she said, that the churle (meaning this examinat) to a neighbour of hers had carried away the peece of the bough that she had laied to go ouer, saying, that shee woulde bee euen with him for it." Soon after two of Cartwright's cows wandered off in a snow storm. One fell in a ditch, twisting her neck so badly, she simply was not recovering, and Cartwright brained the animal to death. The other cow "caluing in a most strange sorte died. Cartwright said, without qualification, that "hee verily thinketh to be done by some witchery by the saide Annis Herd."(E6, E7-E7v)

A woman likely from Little Oakly in the county of Essex and wife of William Lanes, and a liberal users of countermgics. Bennet Lane testifies at the Annis Herd's indictement/ examination after a series of strange incidents happen in her home, following uncomfortable encounters with Annis Heard. Two or three weeks after having given Heard a pint of milk, Lane wanted to know from Heard's daughter, Annis Dowsing, when she might get her container back. Although the girl returned with the dish, Lane suspected foul play: "she could no lo~ger spin nor make a thread to hold," despite sharping her needle. She finally used a bit of countermagic, firing her needle and found it cured. This was not the last encounter which called for countermagic, however. Lane, having called in a loan from Heard, found her dairy processing came to a halt, no matter what she did, she could not seperate the milk and cream: "ye next day she would haue fleet hir milk bowle, but it wold not abide ye fleeting but would rop & role as it werethe white of an egge." She tried scoring the bowl with salt; she tried scaling it, but to no avail. The milk would burn and stink. She finally heated up a milk horseshoe, and submerged it in the milk and "shee coulde seath her milke, fleete her creame, and make her butter in good sort as she had before." Lane does not act as an accuser, per say, but as a witness to these events. Moreover, she provides an excellent example of the accessibility of countermagics. the white of an egge, also the milk being on the her it did not so soone seath but it would quaile, burne by and stincke, the which shee saide shee thought might be lo~g of y^ feeding of her beasts, or els that her vessels were not sweete, wherevpon she saith, she scalded her vessels, and scoured them with salt, thinking that might helpe, but it was neuer the better but as before: then she saith, shee was full of care, that shee shoulde loose both milke and creame, then shee saith it came into her minde to approoue another way, which was, shee tooke a horse shue and made it redde hote, and put it into the milke in the vessals, and so into her creame: and then she saith, shee coulde seath her milke, fleete her creame, and make her butter in good sort as she had before. (E7v-E8v)

A woman likely from Little Oakly in the county of Essex and wife of William Lanes, and a liberal users of countermgics. Bennet Lane testifies at the Annis Herd's indictement/ examination after a series of strange incidents happen in her home, following uncomfortable encounters with Annis Heard. Two or three weeks after having given Heard a pint of milk, Lane wanted to know from Heard's daughter, Annis Dowsing, when she might get her container back. Although the girl returned with the dish, Lane suspected foul play: "she could no lo~ger spin nor make a thread to hold," despite sharping her needle. She finally used a bit of countermagic, firing her needle and found it cured. This was not the last encounter which called for countermagic, however. Lane, having called in a loan from Heard, found her dairy processing came to a halt, no matter what she did, she could not seperate the milk and cream: "ye next day she would haue fleet hir milk bowle, but it wold not abide ye fleeting but would rop & role as it werethe white of an egge." She tried scoring the bowl with salt; she tried scaling it, but to no avail. The milk would burn and stink. She finally heated up a milk horseshoe, and submerged it in the milk and "shee coulde seath her milke, fleete her creame, and make her butter in good sort as she had before." Lane does not act as an accuser, per say, but as a witness to these events. Moreover, she provides an excellent example of the accessibility of countermagics. the white of an egge, also the milk being on the her it did not so soone seath but it would quaile, burne by and stincke, the which shee saide shee thought might be lo~g of y^ feeding of her beasts, or els that her vessels were not sweete, wherevpon she saith, she scalded her vessels, and scoured them with salt, thinking that might helpe, but it was neuer the better but as before: then she saith, shee was full of care, that shee shoulde loose both milke and creame, then shee saith it came into her minde to approoue another way, which was, shee tooke a horse shue and made it redde hote, and put it into the milke in the vessals, and so into her creame: and then she saith, shee coulde seath her milke, fleete her creame, and make her butter in good sort as she had before. (E7v-E8v)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and a husband to a sick woman. Edward Upcher visits Ursley Kempe to get see "what sicknes or diseases his wife had." Kempe confirmed to Upcher that his wife was "forspoke[n] or bewitched," by a local woman who had one small ear, a mole under her arm, and a woodstack in her yard. This narrative is listed amongst a number of other testimony against Joan Robinson, and therefore might be refereing to Robinson as the witch who had bewitched Mrs. Upcher.(F5v)

A three month old infant girl from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, the daughter of Grace and John Thurlowe and the sister of Davie Thurlowe. Joan Thurlowe falls from her cradle and dies, neck broken (circa October 6, 1582); Ursely Kempe remarks to Grace that the death of her daughter would save her the trouble of "the keeping and nursing of it." Kempe later confesses to the malefic murder of the child, claiming "shee sent Tyffin, the spirite vnto her childe, which lay in the Cradle, and willed the same to [knock] the Cradle ouer, so as the childe might fall out thereof, and breake the necke of it." Kempe later "examinate burst out in teares and fell vpon her knees, and asked forgiuenesse of [...] Thorlows wife," presumably for this crime. Both Ursley Kempe and Ales Newman are indicted and tried for this malefic murder. Both plead not guilty and both are found guilty; Newman is remanded, and Kempe is presumably hanged for it.(A, Av-A2)

A Justice of the Peace who examines the women and records many of the trials of the witches of S.Osyth. Darcy become sheriff of Essex in 1585(3)

A Justice of the Peace who examines the women and records many of the trials of the witches of S.Osyth. Darcy become sheriff of Essex in 1585(3)

A young boy from St. Osyth in county of Essex, the son of Grace Thurlowe and John Thurlowe, and the brother of an infant sister. Davie is "strangely taken and greatly tormented" around February, 1581. His "handes were turned where the backes shoulde bee, and the backe in the place of the palmes." According to his mother, Davie was cured by word magic, or counter-magic administered by Ursley Kempe. Kempe took Davie by the hand tooke "saying, A good childe howe art thou loden and so went thrise out of the doores, and euery time when shee came in shee tooke the childe by the hands, and saide A good childe howe art thou loden." Kempe reassured Thurlow that night that her some would do "well enough," a statement she reiterated the next day, "I warrant thee it shall doe well" when Thurlowe went out of her way to report on Davie's condition. Davie appears to have been successfully healed. (A-Av)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, the father of Martha Stevens, and described as "Michael, the shoemaker." Stevens claims to have heard from her own roommate that Annis Glascocke was a "naughtie woman, and a dealer in witchcrafte." This may be the reason he came to suspect, according to Ursley Kempe, that Glascocke had bewitched his daughter, Martha (via one of her spirits). Glascock was charged with bewitching Martha Stevens to death, found guilty, but remanded. She is still in prison as of August 2, 1582. (Cv)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, the father of Martha Stevens, and described as "Michael, the shoemaker." Stevens claims to have heard from her own roommate that Annis Glascocke was a "naughtie woman, and a dealer in witchcrafte." This may be the reason he came to suspect, according to Ursley Kempe, that Glascocke had bewitched his daughter, Martha (via one of her spirits). Glascock was charged with bewitching Martha Stevens to death, found guilty, but remanded. She is still in prison as of August 2, 1582. (Cv)

A woman from Essex who searches Annis Glascocke for witch's marks. She, along with Annis Letherdall, discover spots on the the left side of Annis Glascocke's thigh, and some spots on her shoulder, which they conclude had been sucked. (40)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, the wife of Richard Letherdall and mother of Elizabeth Letherdall, who accuses Ursula Kempe of bewitching her daughter, Elizabeth Letherdall, after she refused to give Kempes son (Anonymous 185) some scouring sand for her, knowing that Kempe was a "naughtie beast," despite the fact that Kempe had offered to dye a pair of women's hose for her in payment. Kempe muttered at Elizabeth and she developed a "great swelling in the bottome of the belly, and other priuie partes," Letherdall visited a cunning woman who diagnosed the girl as having been bewitched by Kempe. Kempe scoffed at Lethedall claiming that she "would lay her life that she the said Annis had not been with any [cunning folk]," so certain was she, that Kempe "requested a woman being in the house a spinning with the said Ursley, to beare witnesse what shee had said." Letherdall takes the child to Mother Ratcliffe's for treatment, however, at the time of Assize (March 1582), the child was "in most pitious sort consumed, and the privie and hinder partes thereof, to be in most strange and wonderfull case, as it seemed to berye honest women of good judgement, and not likely to live and continue any long time." Elizabeth Letherdall died on February 26, 1582. Despite the bad blood between the women, Letherdall is allowed to / asked to search Annis Glascocke for witch's marks. She, along with Margaret Simpson, discover spots on the the left side of Annis Glascocke's thigh, and some spots on her shoulder, which they conclude looked like they had been sucked. Kemp, believing that she would be afforded some lienance if she confessed, answered the specific questions Brian Darcey demanded of her, confessing to sending her familiar "Pigen [to torment] Letherdalls Childe" and begging "forgiuenesse of the sayde Letherdalls wife." (A2v)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, the wife of Richard Letherdall and mother of Elizabeth Letherdall, who accuses Ursula Kempe of bewitching her daughter, Elizabeth Letherdall, after she refused to give Kempes son (Anonymous 185) some scouring sand for her, knowing that Kempe was a "naughtie beast," despite the fact that Kempe had offered to dye a pair of women's hose for her in payment. Kempe muttered at Elizabeth and she developed a "great swelling in the bottome of the belly, and other priuie partes," Letherdall visited a cunning woman who diagnosed the girl as having been bewitched by Kempe. Kempe scoffed at Lethedall claiming that she "would lay her life that she the said Annis had not been with any [cunning folk]," so certain was she, that Kempe "requested a woman being in the house a spinning with the said Ursley, to beare witnesse what shee had said." Letherdall takes the child to Mother Ratcliffe's for treatment, however, at the time of Assize (March 1582), the child was "in most pitious sort consumed, and the privie and hinder partes thereof, to be in most strange and wonderfull case, as it seemed to berye honest women of good judgement, and not likely to live and continue any long time." Elizabeth Letherdall died on February 26, 1582. Despite the bad blood between the women, Letherdall is allowed to / asked to search Annis Glascocke for witch's marks. She, along with Margaret Simpson, discover spots on the the left side of Annis Glascocke's thigh, and some spots on her shoulder, which they conclude looked like they had been sucked. Kemp, believing that she would be afforded some lienance if she confessed, answered the specific questions Brian Darcey demanded of her, confessing to sending her familiar "Pigen [to torment] Letherdalls Childe" and begging "forgiuenesse of the sayde Letherdalls wife." (A2v)

A boy from St. Osyth in the county of Essex described as the son of Ursley Kempe. who is sent to Annis Letherdall's house to procure scouring sand. Letherdall does not give him scouring sand, and Anonymous 185 thus returns to his mother empty handed. This may or may not be Thomas Rabbett. (A2v-A3)

An infant girl, aged a years and a half, from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and the daughter of Annis Letherdall and Richard Letherdall. Elizabeth is allegedly bewitched by Ursula Kempe who muttered at Elizabeth and she developed a "great swelling in the bottome of the belly, and other priuie partes." Her mother took her to see Mother Ratcliffe for medical or unwitching treatment, on to way to and from Ratcliffe's home, Elizabeth cried "to the mother, wo, wo, and poynted with the finger to the wyndowe wardes." Although Ratcliffe claimed she could likely do little, she attempted to minister to the child. Soon after, perumably because the child did not get better, Letherdall visited a cunning woman who diagnosed the girl as having been bewitched by Kempe. Kempe scoffed at Lethedall claiming that she "would lay her life that she the said Annis had not been with any [cunning folk]," so certain was she, that Kempe "requested a woman being in the house a spinning with the said Ursley, to beare witnesse what shee had said." Elizabeth's conditioned worsened, becoming a "most piteous case to beholde." Kemp, believing that she would be afforded some lenience if she confessed, answered the specific questions Brian Darcey demanded of her, confessing to sending her familiar "Pigen [to torment] Letherdalls Childe" and begging "forgiuenesse of the sayde Letherdalls wife." Ursula Kempe and Alice Newman are indicted and found guilty for this crime, but remanded. (A2V-A3)

A four year old boy, likely from Great Clacton in the county of Essex, the brother of Marie Death and the son of Thomas Death. There had been a verbal altercation between his mother and Cyciey Sellis after Sellis was fired as wet nurse to George Battell's child and Mrs. Death was hired. Sellis threated that Mrs. Death would "loose more by the hauing of it, then thou shalt haue for the keeping of it," suggesting that getting this child would cost her one of her own. This boy, having been healthy, "presently fell downe dead, and after by helpe being brought to life, the saide childe was in a pitious case, and so died presently."(D8v-E)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and the wife of John Stratton. Two incidents appear to have lead to her sickness and death allegedly at the will of Ursula Kempe and Ales Newman. Bad blood began to boil after a verbal altercation between her husband, John, and Kempe, where John called Kempe a "whore & gaue her other euill speeches." Shortly thereafter, Kempe sent her son to ask Edna Stratton for some spices. Stratton refused the request. Kempe allegedly requested that said Ales Newmans wife "sende Iacke the spirite vnto Strattons wife to plague her," which she did and which did. According to Kempe "it had plagued her in the backe euen vnto death."(B, B2-B2v)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, whose wife Alice Newman is an accused witch and allegedly the "cause of her husbands great miserie and wretcher state." According to their neighbor, William Hooke, she allowed her familiars to torment him and possibly kill him.(A6-A6v)

A man from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, whose wife Alice Newman is an accused witch and allegedly the "cause of her husbands great miserie and wretcher state." According to their neighbor, William Hooke, she allowed her familiars to torment him and possibly kill him.(A6-A6v)

A man and a painter in St. Osyth in the county of Essex, who testifies against Alice Newman. Hooke suggests that Alice was the cause of husband's "great miserie and wretcher state," and possibly his death.(A6-A6v)

A man and a painter in St. Osyth in the county of Essex, who testifies against Alice Newman. Hooke suggests that Alice was the cause of husband's "great miserie and wretcher state," and possibly his death.(A6-A6v)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, wife of Lawrence Kempe and sister in law of Ursely Kempe. Mrs. Kempe is allegedly forespoken by Ursley Kempe so that she was "taken in her backe, and in the priuie partes of her bodye, in a very extreame and most straunge sorte, and so continued about three quarters of a year. This origin of this bewitchment occurred circa 1580 when Ursley and Mrs. Kempe has a physical altercation when Ursley "tooke vp her clothes and did heat her vpon the hippes, and otherwise in wordes did misuse her greatly." Mrs. Kempe allegedly told her husband "seuerall times that Ursley kempe his sister, had forspoke her, and that shee was the onely cause of that her sicknesse." Mrs. Kempe's body grew cold before she died, and she lay in a kind of half life, "like a dead creature," until Ursley came one day, unannounced and again "lifted vp the clothes and tooke her by the arme, the which shee had not so soone doone, but presently after she gasped, and neuer after drew her breath and so dyed."(C4v-C5)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, wife of Lawrence Kempe and sister in law of Ursely Kempe. Mrs. Kempe is allegedly forespoken by Ursley Kempe so that she was "taken in her backe, and in the priuie partes of her bodye, in a very extreame and most straunge sorte, and so continued about three quarters of a year. This origin of this bewitchment occurred circa 1580 when Ursley and Mrs. Kempe has a physical altercation when Ursley "tooke vp her clothes and did heat her vpon the hippes, and otherwise in wordes did misuse her greatly." Mrs. Kempe allegedly told her husband "seuerall times that Ursley kempe his sister, had forspoke her, and that shee was the onely cause of that her sicknesse." Mrs. Kempe's body grew cold before she died, and she lay in a kind of half life, "like a dead creature," until Ursley came one day, unannounced and again "lifted vp the clothes and tooke her by the arme, the which shee had not so soone doone, but presently after she gasped, and neuer after drew her breath and so dyed."(C4v-C5)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, mother to Charity Page, and wife of William Page. Mrs. Page appears in the narrative on three points. The legitimacy of one of her children is in question. She is referred to as the "base childe that Page and his wife haue in keepin" by Ursely Kempe. Kempe also accuses Annis Glascocke of bewitching this child to death and indeed Glascocke is tried for the crime. Mrs. Page also visits Kempe in prison, to inquiry if she was also bewitched. Kempe confirmed the diagnosis "did minister vnto [her] the foresaid medicine," which was bit of countermagic taught to Kempe by Mrs. Cocke's (circa 1571). It involved pricking dung and charnel three times, pricking a table three times, and drinking beer and taking three leaves of St. John's Wart. This cure provided Mrs. Page, as it had for Kempe a decade before, a "speedie amendement."(B2, B3v)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex, mother to Charity Page, and wife of William Page. Mrs. Page appears in the narrative on three points. The legitimacy of one of her children is in question. She is referred to as the "base childe that Page and his wife haue in keepin" by Ursely Kempe. Kempe also accuses Annis Glascocke of bewitching this child to death and indeed Glascocke is tried for the crime. Mrs. Page also visits Kempe in prison, to inquiry if she was also bewitched. Kempe confirmed the diagnosis "did minister vnto [her] the foresaid medicine," which was bit of countermagic taught to Kempe by Mrs. Cocke's (circa 1571). It involved pricking dung and charnel three times, pricking a table three times, and drinking beer and taking three leaves of St. John's Wart. This cure provided Mrs. Page, as it had for Kempe a decade before, a "speedie amendement."(B2, B3v)

A woman from Walton in the county of Essex and wife of Mr. Carter. Margarey Carter testifies against Joan Robinson, recounting three grizzly accounts of animal damage. Around 1572 Robinson's husband asked if he could graze his cow in their pasture. Carter's husband denied the request, suggesting there would not be enough grass to feed his own cattle if he shared the pasture. This, however, would not be an apt excuse for long for"presently after two of his best & likliest beasts in a stra~ge sort [looked as if they would?] brake their neckes," and on cue, Mr. Robinson arrived and "said, God restore you your losse, nowe you may pastor me a cowe, the which then he did, and then his beasts left breaking of their necks." Around 1580, after her husband refused to sell the Robinson's property next to theirs, a "faire ambling mare," suddenly "came in to ye stable, & prese~tly was in a great sweat, & did hold her tongue out of her head, & shooke & quaked in a stra~ge sort, & prese~tly died, the wt whe~ it was fleed, a neighbors dog came & fed of it, and thereof presently died." The reign of terror continued right up until two weeks before the assize, when on March 14, 1582, one of Margary Carter's "best beasts drowned in a ditche where there was but a litle water," three days after refusing to loan Robinson a hayer. (F5, F6-F6v)

A woman from Stisted in the county of Essex. Joan Turner is accused of facilitating witchcraft by Elizabeth Bennett; Bennett accuses her of sending her two milk hungry familiar spirits, "Suckin, being blacke like a Dogge, the other called Lierd, beeing red like a Lion," because she had once denied Turner milk. According to Alice Manfield, her own four spirits, Robin, Jack, William, and Puppet (alias Mamet), abandoned her to hide out with Mother Turner (or Ursley Kempe, Margery Sammon, or Ales Hunt). She was indicted at Brentwood 13 March 1581 for bewitching Anne Feast, "so that her life was despaired of," George Sparrow, and the pregnant Ellen Sparrow to death, and found guilty on all charges. She is remanded to Colchester Castle prison as a felon and remains incarcerated for a year. (B6, Cv)

A woman from Little Oakley in the county of Essex and wife of Andrew West. Anne West and her husband both point testify at Annis Heard's indictment / examination about a number of strange occurrences which appear to involve Heard. Anne West, while in earshot of Annis Heard, lamented that they had more pigs than they could feed, and that she wished to be rid of some. Heard offered to take a sow off of Anne West's hands, a below its market cost, an act which, she reasoned was agreeable, since it would allow Heard to have a pig which might otherwise starve. Anne West agreed to the deal. However, when Heard came back a few days later to claim the pig, Andrew rescinded on the deal Anne made, claiming that since she had never come to collect the pig, they assumed Heard didn't want a pig and had already sold two of them. The next day when Anne sent her nephew to Heard's home with a pound of wool for her to spin, she refused to spin it for her, saying that she was still owed a pig. Within two hours, one of the Wests "best pigs" grew sick, cried (all the other pigs fled from it) and began staggering as though lamed. West's husband consulted his weeders and they advised some countermagic, which appeared to work. However, within two days, meeting Heard, and recounting the story her nephew told her (and presumably the story about the sick pig, West accused Heard of having an "ill tongue" and despite denying that she had skill in witcherie. Having uttered these words, West could no longer brew, despite her best efforts. One of her neighbors (perhaps Bennet Lane who had also used countermagic against Heard's bewitchments) "gaue her counsell to put a hot yron into her mesh fat, the which she did, and then shee could brewe as well as she did before."(E8v-Fv)

A man from Little Oakly in the county of Essex, husband to Anne West, and a farmer or specifically a pig farmer. West and his wife Anne testify about a number of odd occurrences which happen, which point to Annis Heard as the generative element. Andrew West falls afoul with Annis Heard after he appears to rescind a deal his wife made with her. Anne has offered to give Heard a pig at below market value because she could not afford to keep it. In the mean time, Andrew, claiming he suspected that Heard no longer wanted it because she never came to pick it up, sold two of his free pigs to another neighbor. Shortly thereafter, one of his best pigs grew frighteningly ill. It "fel vpon a crying as they stood all together before the dore in the yard, and the rest of the pigs we~t away from yt: at the length the pig that cried folowed stackering as though it were lame in the hinder partes." He called his labours from all around and a number of them gave him suggestions which amounted countermagics; "some of them said, burne it, other said, cut of the eares & burn them, and so they did, & then the pig amended by & by." (E8v-Fv)

A man from Little Oakly in the county of Essex, husband to Anne West, and a farmer or specifically a pig farmer. West and his wife Anne testify about a number of odd occurrences which happen, which point to Annis Heard as the generative element. Andrew West falls afoul with Annis Heard after he appears to rescind a deal his wife made with her. Anne has offered to give Heard a pig at below market value because she could not afford to keep it. In the mean time, Andrew, claiming he suspected that Heard no longer wanted it because she never came to pick it up, sold two of his free pigs to another neighbor. Shortly thereafter, one of his best pigs grew frighteningly ill. It "fel vpon a crying as they stood all together before the dore in the yard, and the rest of the pigs we~t away from yt: at the length the pig that cried folowed stackering as though it were lame in the hinder partes." He called his labours from all around and a number of them gave him suggestions which amounted countermagics; "some of them said, burne it, other said, cut of the eares & burn them, and so they did, & then the pig amended by & by." (E8v-Fv)

A man from Little Oakley in the county of Essex and Husband of Godlife Osborne. Edmond returned home from Manningtree with some good malt, which he wished his wife to brew into a quality beer. She set out to do so the next day, but after attempting to call in a loan from Annis Heard, was foiled. The beer was not salvageable and given to the swine. (Fv-F2)

A man from Little Oakley in the county of Essex and Husband of Godlife Osborne. Edmond returned home from Manningtree with some good malt, which he wished his wife to brew into a quality beer. She set out to do so the next day, but after attempting to call in a loan from Annis Heard, was foiled. The beer was not salvageable and given to the swine. (Fv-F2)

A woman from Little Oakley in the county of Essex and wife of Edmond Osbones. Around Christmas 1581, Godlife began to brew a batch of beer from malt her husband brought home with him from Manningtree. The first steps went well, however, after she sent her son to call in a loan from Annis Heard (who refused, claiming she would have no money until money from wool came in), her brewing took a turn for the worse. The batch began to bubble up, and regardless of what she did, she could not make it stop frothing. Although a bit of countermagic seemed to do the trick (as it had for Anne West and Bennet Lane, who both put hot iron in misbehaving liquids) "she did heat an yron redde hot, and put ye same into it, & it rose vp no more." However, when she "did seath the wort, and when it was sodden it stancke in suche sorte, as that they were compelled to put ye same in the swill tubbe." This story appears to have been presented at Annis Heard's indictement / examination, by Godlife's husband Edmond. It is not clear that it is presented in her own voice. (Fv-F2)

A woman from Little Oakley in the county of Essex and wife of Edmond Osbones. Around Christmas 1581, Godlife began to brew a batch of beer from malt her husband brought home with him from Manningtree. The first steps went well, however, after she sent her son to call in a loan from Annis Heard (who refused, claiming she would have no money until money from wool came in), her brewing took a turn for the worse. The batch began to bubble up, and regardless of what she did, she could not make it stop frothing. Although a bit of countermagic seemed to do the trick (as it had for Anne West and Bennet Lane, who both put hot iron in misbehaving liquids) "she did heat an yron redde hot, and put ye same into it, & it rose vp no more." However, when she "did seath the wort, and when it was sodden it stancke in suche sorte, as that they were compelled to put ye same in the swill tubbe." This story appears to have been presented at Annis Heard's indictement / examination, by Godlife's husband Edmond. It is not clear that it is presented in her own voice. (Fv-F2)

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)

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)

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)

A woman, wife of Richard Harrison (and presumably the daughter of a judge) who acts like a demoniac or a hysteric, and who is, at the origin of her torments, living in her family home in Little Oakley in the county of Essex. When Mrs. Harrison's hatched ducklings go missing, she "did suspect one Annis Herd a light woma~, and a common harlot to haue stolen her duckelins." An enraged Harrison went to accuse Heard in person; returning home "very angry against the said Annis." Within a few hours she "did crie out: Oh Lord Lorde, helpe me & keepe me, [...] that yonder wicked harlot Annis Herd doth bewitch me." Richard Harrison provided little comfort to his wife; interpreting her fear as a kind of disbelief inappropriate to a preacher's wife; saying "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." Despite his stern warning, Mrs. Harrison's illness continued for over two months; in desperation she cried out: "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 some remedie for me against yonder wicked beast (meaning the saide Annis Herd)," and promising to call on her father for assistance, promising that "if I haue no remedie, she will vtterly consume me." Harrison promised to ensure that Heard would hang if she had indeed bewitched his wife, and told Heard as much, when they saw one another as he gathered plums. However, the threat has no effect, and Harrison grew worse, "taken sore sick, & was at many times afraid both sleeping and waking," claiming all the while that Heard had bewitched her. She predicted her own, death, taking leave of her husband, and two days before she died, crying out, as she had "divers times in her sicknesse and before, repeating these wordes. Oh Annis Hersd, Annis Herd she hath consumed me." According to Bret's wife, these were her dying words. Both John Pollin and Bret's wife, as well as her own husband, born witness to this claim. _A True and Just Record_ records Mrs. Harrison's death as one crimes attributed to Heard; however, she was not indicted for Mrs. Harrison's death. (F2-F3v)

A woman, wife of Richard Harrison (and presumably the daughter of a judge) who acts like a demoniac or a hysteric, and who is, at the origin of her torments, living in her family home in Little Oakley in the county of Essex. When Mrs. Harrison's hatched ducklings go missing, she "did suspect one Annis Herd a light woma~, and a common harlot to haue stolen her duckelins." An enraged Harrison went to accuse Heard in person; returning home "very angry against the said Annis." Within a few hours she "did crie out: Oh Lord Lorde, helpe me & keepe me, [...] that yonder wicked harlot Annis Herd doth bewitch me." Richard Harrison provided little comfort to his wife; interpreting her fear as a kind of disbelief inappropriate to a preacher's wife; saying "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." Despite his stern warning, Mrs. Harrison's illness continued for over two months; in desperation she cried out: "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 some remedie for me against yonder wicked beast (meaning the saide Annis Herd)," and promising to call on her father for assistance, promising that "if I haue no remedie, she will vtterly consume me." Harrison promised to ensure that Heard would hang if she had indeed bewitched his wife, and told Heard as much, when they saw one another as he gathered plums. However, the threat has no effect, and Harrison grew worse, "taken sore sick, & was at many times afraid both sleeping and waking," claiming all the while that Heard had bewitched her. She predicted her own, death, taking leave of her husband, and two days before she died, crying out, as she had "divers times in her sicknesse and before, repeating these wordes. Oh Annis Hersd, Annis Herd she hath consumed me." According to Bret's wife, these were her dying words. Both John Pollin and Bret's wife, as well as her own husband, born witness to this claim. _A True and Just Record_ records Mrs. Harrison's death as one crimes attributed to Heard; however, she was not indicted for Mrs. Harrison's death. (F2-F3v)

A seven year old girl from Little Oakley in the county of Essex, the daughter of Annis Heard, and the sister of one brother. Annis Dowsing is made to testify against her mother on March 18, 1582. She is lead through a series of questions, such as "whether her mother had any little things, or any little imps." Dowsing claims that her mother had two boxes of spirits; in one box, she had white and black speckled blackbirds. In another box, she had six spirits, "like Cowes" and as big as rats, crowned with "little short hornes, & they lie in the boxes upon white and blacke wooll." The bird spirits, she claims, are fed with wheat, barley, oats, bread & cheese, and the cow spirits, appropriately fed with "wheat straw, somtime wt barley straw, ote straw and wt hey," watered and given beer. Annis claims, in what must be a bit of confusion, that "her mother gave unto her one of the saide Cowes, whiche was called by teh name of Crowe, which us of colour black & white. and she saith, yt her mother gave to her brother one of them, which she called Donne, & that is of colour red & white." These spirits, she claimed, sucked on her mother, her brother, and herself. (F4-F4v)

A boy from Little Oakely in the county of Essex, the son of Annis Heard and the brother of Annis Dowsing. According to Dowsing, her brother was given one of his mother's six familiar cow spirits, a red and white rat sized bovine named Donne. Although this familiar, or one of his mother's familiars, allegedly sucked blood from his legs, Heard was not entirely a victimized by them. According, to his sister, Heard would play with the spirits, until their "tuitling and tetling," grew annoying, and he would "taketh them and put them into the boxes."(F4-F4v)

A woman from St. Osyth in the county of Essex and likely a cunning woman, wise woman, or medical practitioner. When Annis Letherdall comes to believe that her year and a half old daughter, Elizabeth, who is then "in most piteous case to beholde," has been bewitched by Ursley Kempe, she takes the child to see Mother Racliffe because "shee had some experience of her skill." Ratcliffe appears to be a neighbor of Ursley Kempe; to get to Ratcliffe's home, Letherdall has to pass by Kempe's home, prompting Elizabeth to cry and point. Although Ratcliffe "doubted shee shoulde doe it any good, yet shee ministred" to Letherdall's daughter. She was indeed unable to do much good, the infant died and Kempe was charged for the crime. (A2V-A3)

A man likely from St.Osyth in the county of Essex. According to Ursley Kempe, who quotes her familiar Tyffin when making a number of these assertions, Willingall is allegedly bewitched by Elizabeth Bennett who sent her black canine familiar, Suckin, to "plague one Willingall, whereof hee languished and died: beeyng sicke of an impostume" (the archaic term for an abscess).(B2v, B4)