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Assertions for a specific person.

Name Description Original Text
Elizabeth OtleyA woman from Wivenhoe in the county of Essex whose child is allegedly killed by Mary Johnson and who finds herself "taken with extreme pains in her body." According to Alice Dixon, herself an accused witch, Johnson, allegedly took her familiar (an imp in the shape of a rat with no ears) from out of her pocket, shoved it through a hole in Otley's door, and told it to "go rock the Cradle, and do the businesse she sent it about, and return to her again." Johnson also took a hands on approach to this attack, arriving at Otely's door, presumably unseen by her, and giving this child an apple and a kiss the day after, the "child was taken with very violent fits, and in the fits (although the Child was but two yeers old) yet this Informant could very hardly with all her strength hold it down in the Cradle, and so continued untill it died." Soon after Otley began to experience extreme pain, loss of appetite, and insomnia; Johnson visited her numerous times during this period, pleading her innocence. However, Otley would not rest until she had made Johnson bleed an act of countermagic which seems to have been adminiters by punching Johnson in the mouth Otley's health returned. (21-22)The Information of Elizabeth Otley of Wyvenhoe taken upon oath before the said Justices, April 25. 1645. THis Informant saith, that Alice Dixon (who now stands committed for a suspected Witch) did in the presence of Mary Johnson of the same Town, charge and accuse the said Mary Johnson to be the death of this Informants child, saying, that the said Mary Johnson did carry an Impe in her pocket to this Informants house, and put the said Impe into the house, at an hole in the doore, bidding it go rock the Cradle, and do the businesse she sent it about, and return to her again: And this Informant saith, that upon a Munday before Michaelmas last, the said Mary Johnson came to the house of this Informant, and gave her child an apple, and kissed it; And within a short time after the said child sickened and died: And the said Alice Dixon did also affirm, that the Impe which the said Mary Johnson sent to this Informants house, was in shape somewhat like a Rat, but without tayl and eares. And this Informant saith, that the said Mary Johnsons answer was, that if she did it, she did it, she could but receive punishment for it. And at the same time the said Mary Johnson said, the said Alice Dixon did the mischief to this Informants child her self. And this Informant further saith, that after the said Alice Dixon had made this discovery, she, this Informant, was taken with extreme pains in her body, and that during the time of her extremity, the said Mary Johnson did many times come to this Informants house, perswading her, that she was not the death of this Informants child: But this Informant could not be satisfied untill she had gotten the blood of the said Mary Johnson; And meeting with her after long scuffling, this Informant made the said Mary Johnsons teeth to bleed, and immediately after, this Informants extraordinary pains left her, and her stomack came to her, having eat little or nothing a fortnight before, and slept very well the night following, having been restlesse by reason of her extreme pains all the time aforesaid. And this Informant further saith, that the next day after the said Mary Johnson had given this Informants child the Apple, the child was taken with very violent fits, and in the fits (although the Child was but two yeers old) yet this Informant could very hardly with all her strength hold it down in the Cradle, and so continued untill it died. The Examination of Mary Johnson taken before the said Justices the 25. of April, 1645. THis Examinant saith, that she is not guilty of any one particular charged upon her in the Information of the said Elizabeth Otley touching the killing of the child of the said Elizabeth. ()