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stire before her maide lifted upp the staffe of the Chirne, which the saide good wiefe Wright did, and the witch went awaye but to her perseverance the witch had both her handes at libertie, and this good wiefe Wright affirmteh to be trewe. Fourther Mrs Pery sayeth that good wiefe Wright told her, that she was at Hull her dame beinge sick suspected her selfe to be bewiched, and told good wiefe Wright of it, whereuppon by directione from her dame, That at the cominge of a woman, which was suspected, to take a horshwe and flinge it into the oven and when it was red hott, To fflinge it into her dames urine, and so long as the horshwe was hott, the witch was sick at the harte, And when the Irone was colde she was well againe, And this good wiefe Wright affirmeth to be trwe alsoe

Alice Baylie sworne and examnd sayeth that she asked good wief Wright whether her husbande should bury her, or she burye him To whom good wiefe Wright answered, I can tell you if I would, but I am exclaimde against for such thinges and Ile tell no more

18 September 1626

Richard Thresher sworne and examined sayeth that good wiefe Wright came to him and requested him to give her some plants, He answered that when he had served his owne tourne, she should have some, so she went away and that night all his plants were drownde.

Fourther he sayeth that he left 2 hennes with good wiefe Wright to be sent over to Elizabeth Arundle either by the provost marshall or some other, and that goodwiefe Wright did tell Daniell Watkins that Elizabeth Arundle would be dead before the henns were sent over

Elizabeth Gates sworne and examined sayeth that goodwiefe Wright came to Mr Moores at Kickotan to buy some chickens, but he would sell her none, shortly after the chickens died, and after that the henn died, and this she affirmeth she had hearde from others.

And further sayeth that when goodwiefe Wright Threatened her maide she said she would make her dance naked and stand before the Tree.

Note

1. For population data, see Edmund S. Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia (New York: Norton, 1975), 111, 404.

Source: H. R. McIlwaine, ed., Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia, 2nd ed. (Richmond: The Colonial Press, 1924), 111–12, 114.

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9. The Execution of Mary Lee en route to Maryland, 1654

Believed by sailors to be a witch, Mary Lee was killed during her voyage from England to Maryland aboard the Charity of London in 1654. She was one of three women known to have been executed as witches during voyages to the Chesapeake colonies of Virginia and Maryland in the 1650s. The first two items are depositions given before the Maryland Council by men who were on the Charity; the third comes from a Jesuit, Francis Fitzherbert, who traveled in the same fleet but not on Lee’s ship. How do the three accounts differ in tone, perspective, explanation, and the details of the event? How does Fitzherbert’s view of this witch compare with those of the Jesuit authors of documents 2 and 4? Why do you think sailors and passengers believed Lee to be a witch? Was her death an act of mob violence? Did participants believe they followed legal procedures? What—or who—might have saved Mary Lee from murder?

Two Depositions before the Maryland Council

The Deposition of Mr Henry Corbyn of London Merchant aged about 25th years, Sworne and Examined in the Province of Maryland before the Governour & Councell there (whose Names are hereunto Subscribed) the 23th day of June Anno Domini 1654. Saith That at Sea upon his this Deponents Voyage hither in the Ship called the Charity of London mr John Bosworth being Master and about a fortnight or three weeks before the Said Ships arrival in this Province of Maryland, or before A Rumour amongst the Seamen was very frequent, that one Mary Lee then aboard the Said Ship was a witch, the Said Seamen Confidently affirming the Same upon her own deportment and discourse, and the more Earnestly then before Importuned the Said Master that a tryall might be had of her which he the Said Master,