Support for accused

Support for Anne Piers. (Catalogue ref: SP 12/150 f. 96)

When somebody was accused of witchcraft, testimonies could be collected from people who knew the accused. In this source reputable townspeople testified that they did not believe Anne Piers to be a witch (although she was known to be a woman of “loose life”). Date unknown.

Transcript

1. The names and ages of some of the better sorts & of most
2. credit of the town of Padstow & of the said parish who
3. being examined whether they know or ever heard that
4. Anne Piers of Padstow did practise witchcraft or had
5. the name to be a witch do affirm upon their conscience
6. that they think her to be no witch and that they never knew
7. any such thing in her neither ever heard her suspected therein
8. she having always dwelt in that town of Padstow
9. but they say otherwise she hath been accounted a woman of
10. loose life
11. 1 Mr Robert Archer preacher vicar of Padstow of the age of xlvi [46]
12. 2 Richard Lawrence one [of] the Constables of the age of lx [60] years & upwards
13. 3 John Bishop of the age of xlij [42]
14. 4 Martyn Coomer of the age of xxviij [28]: 2 other Constables of the town & parish of Padstow
15. 5 John Pentier searcher of Padstow of the age of xlvij [47]
16. 6 Richard Braband Custom of Padstow of the age of xlviij [48]
17. 7 Richard Thomas Controller of Padstow of the age of xxxiiij [34]
18. 8 John Middleton merchant of the age of lx [60] years
19. 9 [?] Emoth merchant of the age of xl [40] years
20. 10 John Thaw merchant of the age of lxx years [70] years
21. 11 Nicholas Tarne Tayler of the age of l [50] years
22. 12 John Endellycke sailer of the age of lx [60] years
23. All these and others testify as above said