A declaration in answer to several lying pamphlets concerning the witch of Wapping being a more perfect relation of the arraignment, condemnation, and suffering of Jone Peterson, who was put to death on Munday the 22 of April, 1652. Shewing the bloudy plot and wicked conspiracy of one Abraham Vandenbernde, Thomas Crompton, Thomas Collet, and others.

[Transcribed from the EEBO-TCP keyboarded edition (CC0 1.0, textcreationpartnership). Original spelling retained.]

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A Declaration, In anſwer to ſeverall lying Pamphlets concerning the witch of Wappin.

THe ſaid Abraham Vandenbemde with other the ſaid confederates (having laid a Plot to take away the life of Mrs. Anne Levingſton, becauſe the Lady Powel had given her an eſtate which ſome of them expected) in December laſt repaired to one Jone Simpſon, and proffered her 10 l. in hand, and 500 l. more in Hillary term following, if ſhe would ſwear that Mrs. Levingſton had uſed ſorcery & withcraſt to take away the Lady Powels life. And on the 10 of Jan. then following, one Anne Hook (who pretends her ſelf to be a cunning woman) being imployed by the ſaid confederates, did perſwade her thereunto, offering her ſix ſcore pounds, and half the money which the ſaid Vandenbemde and the ſaid Cr [...] • mpton were to give her and her husband for making their Affidavits, if ſhe would do the like. But the ſaid Simpſon abhominating ſo wicked a practice, to take away an innocent Gentlewomans life, diſcovered the Plot; for which conſpiracies of the ſaid confederates, a ſpeciall Supplicavit was granted out of Chancery, to bind them to the good behaviour

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and other legal proſecutions are ſtill depending againſt them. But the ſaid confederates not reſting there (in further proſecution of the Plot) did imploy the aforeſaid Hook, to procure witneſſes to ſwear what they deſired: who accordingly about January laſt came to the above-named Jone Peterſon, at her houſe in Spruce Iſland near Wapping and there made offer of 100 l. to her, to ſwear, that the ſaid Mrs. Levingſton had received from her (the ſaid Peterſon) certain powders, and bags of ſeeds, to help her in her law ſuits, and to provoke unlawfull love (as the ſaid Jone Peterſon did affirm before her triall.) But ſhe refuſing to do the ſame, the ſaid confederates to prevent the puniſhment, which juſtly and vnavoidably muſt have befallen them, in caſe the ſaid Peterſon ſhould have revealed this their practice, as Simpſon (before) had done the other, they lay a new deſign, to anticipate the ſame, as followeth.

On the 7th of March laſt, the ſaid confederates came to Wapping, and got a warrant from one Mr. Waterton a Juſtice of the Peace, to apprehend the ſaid Peterſons perſon, and to ſearch her houſe for Images of Clay, Hair, & Nails, which accordingly they did; but upon ſtrict ſearch and diligent inquiry could find no ſuch thing; whereupon the ſaid confederates carried her before the ſaid Juſtice, to have her examined where the ſaid Vandenbemde, Collet (their Sollicitour) and two or three other perſons whom they brought with them, ſate at the table as the Juſtices Clerks to take her examination, where the ſaid Juſtice examined the ſaid Peterſon upon oath (contrary to law) concerning her uſing of witchcraft and ſorcery to take away the life of the Lady Powel of Chelſey. To which ſhe anſwered, that ſhe never uſed ſorcery or Witch-craft, neither had ſhe ever heard of the Lady Powel, ſaving that not long before one Anne Hook

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(an Iriſh woman) came to her with one Goodwife Garland to have perſwaded her to have made ſuch an oath againſt Mrs. Levingſton, as ſhe the ſaid Hook her ſelf before had done, as the ſaid Jone Peterſon likewiſe did affirm before her death. Whereupon the ſaid Iuſtice (contrary to law) gave order to ſearch her, which was done; but the ſearchers could find nothing on her body which might create the leaſt ſuſpition in them of her being a witch; whereupon the ſaid Juſtice took bayl for her appearance at the next Seſſions. And on the 14 of March following (being the Sabboth day) was by the ſaid confederates means, again apprehended, and examined a new, about the ſaid Lady Powels death. And the Argument which they then made uſe of to perſwade the ſaid Peterſon to confeſs, was, that ſhe needed not fear what ſhe confeſſed, for it was not her life they aimed at, but to have matter whereby to accuſe one Mrs. Levingſton, who had gotten the ſaid Lady Powels eſtate, and thereby had undone 36 Perſons of the ſaid Ladyes Kindred: And then told her, that they were ſhortly to queſtion the ſaid Mrs. Levingſtone for the ſame, either in the Parliament houſe, or before a Committee (as the ſaid Jone Peterſon did likewiſe affirme before her death.) Whereunto the ſaid Jone Peterſon replyed, that ſhe never knew, nor heard of the ſaid Lady Powell, otherwiſe as aforeſaid; And that ſhe had not heard from the ſaid Mrs. Levingſtone for above a yeare before that time: Then they cauſed her (contrary to Law) to be ſearched againe in a moſt unnaturall & Barbarous manner, by fower women whom they themſelves for that purpoſe had brought along with them, on of which women told the Juſtice that there was a Teat [marginal note: Note that this Teat upon the view of the Phyſitians was the day before her death found to be natural' & leſſe then in many other women, & the ſaid Phyſitians alſo af] of fleſh in her ſecret parts more then other women uſually had, whereupon the ſaid Juſtice committed her firſt to New-priſon

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and from thence to Newgate, where ſhe was left to the ordering and mercy of one Brooks, a Keeper there, and an Agent of the ſaid confederates.

On Munday the 5th. of April inſtant, two Bills of indictment were preferred againſt her at Hicks-hall, [marginal note: Note, That Sir Jo. Danvers,Snape,Winſtanley,WatertonJohn Danvers] and found by the Grand-Jury, upon which indictments upon the 6th. of April, ſhe was arraigned before Mr. Recorder (who is of Councel for the conſpirators,) and on the 7 of Apr. ſhe was tried; at which triall the ſaid confederates (who before had ſpent three weeks time at Wapping in procuring witneſſes) were preſent, with three Councellors to proſecute the ſaid Peterſon. Then the Court proceeded upon the firſt indictment, which was for bewitching the Lady Powel to death; whereupon many women perſons of mean degree (and of ill fame and reputation) were produced againſt her, and interrogated by the ſaid Councel, according to the Briefs delivered unto them, wherein were all the witneſſes teſtimonies, written before hand. And being asked what ſhe had to ſay for her ſelf? (upon her knees) ſhe took God to witneſſe that ſhe never knew the Lady Powel nor the houſe where ſhe dwelt, nor was any wiſe guilty of her death; and delivered a paper of ſuch witneſſes as ſhe had to defend her, deſiring that they might be called, whereupon Dr. Bates, and Dr. Colledon Phyſitians, together with Mr. Stamford, and Mr. Page Chyrurgians,

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and divers other perſons of good quality, teſtified the diſeaſe, manner of ſickneſs, and the cauſe of the ſaid Ladies death, which were the Dropſie, the Scurvey, and the yellow Jaundies, and that they wondred how ſhe was able to live ſo long, having moſt of thoſe diſeaſes growing on her for many years before; amongſt which evidences the innocency of (Mrs. Levingſtone) formerly by the confederates maliciouſly aſperſed and beſpattered, was now fully vindicated, to their great aſtoniſhment, trouble, and diſgrace.

Then the Court proceeded to the other Indictment, which was for bewitching one Chriſtopher Wilſon (who doth not himſelf complain of any ſuch thing, but the Confederates only:) and the only materiall evidence that then was againſt her, was one Margaret Auſtin (who had formerly been a wandering perſon, but was in charity taken up, relieved, and kept, by the ſaid Jone Peterſon, until ſhee perceived that the ſaid Auſtin had purloined ſome of her goods out of her houſe,) and two Witneſſes more; the ſubſtance of whoſe Teſtimony was as followeth. That the ſaid Wilſon, having been a long time ſick, and hearing that the ſaid Peterſon had done good to many, ſent for her to come to him, who accordingly did and adminiſtred meanes for his Recovery, which at firſt was conceived to do him good; But he afterwards relapſed, and the reaſon that was urged to induce the Court and Jury to believe that he was Bewitched, was, that dureing his ſickneſs, ſhee ſent to him for monyes [...] • or her Phiſick; to whom Anſwer was returned that he could then ſend her none. Whereupon it was then depoſed· that ſhee did reply, that he had better have ſent her monies, for he ſhould be to times worſe then ever was; And that afterwards he became very ill again, and remained languiſhing. Many other witneſſes were produced, but could only ſwear to generallities, hear-ſays, and moſt abſurd

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and rediculous impertinences: then being by [...] 〈◊〉 Court demanded what ſhe could ſay for her ſelfe? ſhe [...] •• ſired that ſuch Witneſſes as ſhe had then there preſe [...] •• might be called (ſome of which durſt not appeare becau [...] •• that the ſaid Mr. Waterton, (as the witneſſes them ſelves doe and will affirme) had threatned to ſend them to Ne [...] • gate, if they did appeare.) Whereupon ſeverall witneſſ [...] •• were called, and being demanded what they could ſay for the Priſoner, they began to tell, that they had knowne her a long time, and that ſhe had done many Cures, and much good amongſt the Neighboures, but never knew that ſhe did any ill; But the Officers of the Court interrupted them ſaying (in a taunting manner) are you for a Witch? and is this all you can ſay? and ſo turned ſeverall of them away before they could be further heard. Then one came to the Court (a Stranger to the priſoner) and offered to depoſe, that one in black, called Thomas Southwick (knowne to be ſervant to Thomas Cromton another of the confederats) ſtood in the Seſſions yard, offering money to ſtrangers there, to come in and ſwear) that the ſaid Peterſon was a Wtich, and amongſt the reſt offered to give her mony if ſhe would doe the ſame, but he being called for, could not be had, nor would appeare, although Colonell Okey, and ſome other Juſtices upon the Bench, deſired the Recorder to take notice of it, and to give Order that the ſaid Thomas Southwick might be brought into Court. Whereupon the Jury went forth, and brought in their verdicts, that the ſaid Peterſon was not guilty upon the firſt Jndictment of bewiching the Lady Powell to death; But found her guilty upon the ſecond, for which ſhe was then caſt, and the next day condemned to dye as a witch, And after that the ſaid confederates and their agents went very often to her promiſing her a Repreive or Pardon if ſhe would confeſſe

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that Mrs. Levingſtone had Imployed her to make away the life of the Lady Powell, to which ſhe replyed ſhe could not, becauſe it was altogether falſe. But one of the ſaid confederates urging her againe to ſay ſomething againſt Mrs. Levingſtone, ſhe told him he was a rogue, and gave him a blow on the face, which made his noſe bleed: Where it is to be noted, that what for love of money they could not tempt her to, they reſolved at laſt for love of her life to force her to, by neceſſitating her either unjuſtly to confeſſe a notorious falſehood againſt the ſaid Mrs. Levingſtone or elſe to dye without mercy or Repreive, which otherwiſe was proffered her by the ſaid Confederates, to make her unjuſt in doing the ſame.

On the 12 day the ſaid Jone Peterſon (being brought to the place of Execution) was by the Ordinary nine or ten times earneſtly preſſed to confeſſe ſomething againſt the ſaid Mrs. Levingſtone. Whereupon the Executioner told the Ordinary, he might be aſhamed to trouble a dying woman ſo much, to which he replyed, he was commanded ſo to doe, and durſt doe no otherwiſe And afterwards the ſaid Ordinary ſtill inſiſting in his diſcourſe, and very often preſſing the ſaid Peterſon to confeſſe and diſcharge her conſcience before God and the world; ſhe anſwered that ſhe had already confeſſed before the Bench, all ſhe had to confeſſe; that ſhe had made her peace with God; and therefore deſired to dye in quiet, for now ſhe was to appeare before God who preſently would Judge her, and that God was witnes, that ſhe dyed Innocently, and was in no wiſe guilty of what was laid to her charge, and that ſhe hoped he would freely forgive her all her ſins, and to this effect ſhe ſtill replyed to his frequent importunities: And having gone to prayers, ſhe ſhewed her ſelfe very attentive and penitent, and after Prayer called to ſing the 25th Pſalm, which ſhe performed very Chriſtianly and cheerfully, and ſo died, &c.

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The Copy of a Certificate under the hands of ſeverall Doctors of Phiſicke & Chirurgions concerning the death of the Lady Powell.

October the 8. 1651.

In the Body of the Lady Powell, who dyed the ſeventh of this inſtant, was obſerved,

The Skin vniverſally diſcovered Yellow.

The Belly ſwolne very much, the Thighs alſo and Legs.

The Cavity of the Abdomen poſſeſſed with yellowiſh obſcure water, the quantity whereof not much above one Gallon and an half.

The Stomack and Guts not diſſafected, nor the Kidnies.

The Pancreas canceorus in part, ſome part being degenerated into a feculent matter; like Amurca or dregs of oyle, yet contained in a Ciſte.

The Liver larger then it ought, black, of an unequal ſchirrous or rather Cancerous ſubſtance, exangues.

The Spleen joyned with the left part of the hallow of the liver, as if they were one body, very black, and hard outwardly, inwardly rotten.

The Gall large and full, but of a deeper Yellow, inclined to red and black matter.

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In the cavity of the Breaſt or Thorax water of the ſame ſubſtance and colour neer a Gallon.

The Lungs ſomething thicker and more diſcoloured then uſual.

The heart well.

The Bones very eaſily broken.

Phiſitians.

Colladon.

George Bate.

Goddard.

George Chabrey.

Chirurgians.

Charles Stamford

Thomas Page.

Beſides the Apothecaries, and ſeveral other perſons, who teſtified the ſame And are ſtill ready to do the like.

Coll. Okey, Coll. Berkſtead, and divers other Juſtices of the Peace, both at Hixes hall, and at the old Baley, did declare themſelves that they were not ſatisfied either with the proceedings, or proof againſt this Peterſon, that ſhe was guilty of witchcraft, but that there was a deſign in it, relating to the prejudice of Mrs. Levingſtone, which they are ready to teſtifie to the Parliament when they ſhall be required thereunto.

FINIS.

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