Answers of Thomas Saunders in trial for pretending witchcraft

Transcript

Thomas Saunders of Upton in the parish of WestHam

in the county of Essex yeoman sworn &c [etc.]

To the first Interrogatory [question] this defendant says that he did not in or

about the month of December in the 18 year of his Majesty’s reign

persuade, procure or invite Katherine Malpas the younger

in this interrogatory mentioned to counterfeit [pretend] or fain herself to

be bewitched & possessed with an evil spirit or to

counterfeit or fain strange fits or trances or to practise

& use strange & unusual tricks of deceits as it is in this

interrogatory set forth. Neither doth he know of any other person or persons

that did move or incite her thereunto or were privy

acquainted or consenting to the same & doth utterly deny

that he did teach or instruct her the said K.M. [Katherine Malpas] at any time

or showed unto her the manner how to do or perform the same

in this interrogatory questioned. Neither doth he know or hath heard

of any other person or persons that did instruct her therein nor

show her any such form & to the rest

of this interrogatory this defendant denies the particulars therein

To the 2 Interrogatory this defendant say he did report to diverse

of his friends & acquaintances that the said K.M. was strangely

visited but denies that he or any other person or persons did

devise or use any means how to draw company out the

house of this defendant where the said K.M. did then remain to

see the strange & unusual fits & trances used by the

said K.M. but whether the said K.M. did counterfeit the

same this defendant knows not.

To the 3 interrogatory this defendant says he did not nor any other

person or persons to this knowledge that moved or persuaded the

said K.M. the younger to counterfeit as aforesaid or to draw

company to see her strange tricks & fits, neither was

it conceived by this defendant or any others that much money would

be given unto this defendant or the said K.M. by any person or persons

that should come to see her in pity or commiseration but confesses

& says that 4d was given unto this defendant by a stranger unknown to the use of

the said K.M. which was all that this defendant ever received in that

kind in this interrogatory demanded. And says that some other means

was given unto K.M. the elder but how much or from whom

she so received it this defendant knows not.