Witchcraft in Early North America - Alison Games [89]
July 10th 1706
Whereas Grace Sherwood being Suspected of witchcraft have a long time waited for a ffitt uppertunity ffor a further Examinacon & by her Consent & approbacon of the Court it is ordered that the Sherr take all Such Convenient assistance of boate & men as Shall be by him thought ffit to meet at Jno Harpers plantacon in order to take the said Grace forthwith & put her into above mans Debth & try her how She Swims therein having Care of her life to preserve her from Drowning & as Soon as She Comes Out that he requests as many Ansient & Knowing woman as possible he cann to Serch her Carefully for all teats spots & marks about her body not usuall in Others & that as they ffind the Same to make report on Oath to the truth thereof to the Court & further it is ordered that Som women be requested to Shift & Serch her before She goe into the water that She Carry nothing about her to cause any further Suspicion
Whereas on complaint of Luke Hill on behalf of her Majesty that now is against Grace Sherwood for a person Suspected of witchcraft & having had Sundry Evidences Sworne against her proving Many circumstances to which She could not make any excuse or Little or nothing to say in her own Behalf only Seemed to Rely on what the Court should Doe and there upon consented to be tried in the water & Likewise to be Serched againe which experiants being tryed & She Swimming when therein and bound contrary To custom & the Judgment of all the spectators & afterwards being Serched by ffive antient weomen who have all Declared on Oath that She is not like them nor noe Other woman that they knew of having two things like titts on her private parts of a Black Coller being Blacker than the Rest of her Body all which circumstance the Court weighing in their Consideracon Doe therefore order that the Sherr take the Said Grace Into his Costody & to Commit her body to the Common Goal of this county there to Secure her by irons or otherwise Directed in order for her coming to the Common Goale of the county to bee brought to a futture Tyrall there.
Note
1. George Lincoln Burr, ed., Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648–1706 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1914), 436.
Source: Edward W. James, “Grace Sherwood, the Virginia Witch,” William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 3, no. 2 (October 1894), 99–100; vol. 3, no. 3 (January 1895), 191–92; vol. 3, no. 4 (April 1895), 242–45; vol. 4, no. 1 (July 1895), 18–19.
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11. Governor Kaine Pardons Grace Sherwood, 2006
In July 2006, three hundred years after county authorities subjected Grace Sherwood to the ducking test, Governor Timothy Kaine of Virginia issued this pardon. How does Kaine’s reading of her story square with your own explanation?
With 300 years of hindsight, we all certainly can agree that trial by water is an injustice. We also can celebrate the fact that a women’s equality is constitutionally protected today, and women have the freedom to pursue their hopes and dreams.
The historical records that survive indicate that Ms. Sherwood, a midwife and widowed mother of three, survived her “trial by water” in 1706. Those records also indicate that one of my predecessors, Governor Alexander Spotswood, eventually helped her reclaim her property. The record also indicates Ms. Sherwood led an otherwise quiet and law-abiding life until she died at age 80.
Today, July 10, 2006, as 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I am pleased to officially restore the good name of Grace Sherwood.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Timothy M. Kaine