Testimony accusing Jennet and George Benton of witchcraft

Transcript

The Information of Richard Jackson of Wakefield

taking upon oath the 7th of June

1656

Who says that he being tenant to Mr Stringer of Sharlston

for a farm called by the name of Bunny Hall near

Wakefield one Jennett Benton and George Benton her son

pretended to have a high way through the grounds

belonging to the said farm which one Daniel Crave,

servant to the said Richard Jackson & by his master

appointed, did endeavour to hinder upon which the said George Benton

cast a stone at him, the said Craven, where with he cut

his lip and broke two teeth out of his chaps. So

an action being brought against the said George Benton

for the trespass, which was submitted unto by him, & endeavoured

to end the difference, which was composed & satisfaction

given unto the said Craven. After which the said Jennett

Benton & George Benton her son did utter these speeches:

that it should be a dear day’s work unto the said Richard

Jackson or to his, before the year went about. Since

which time his wife hath had her hearing taking from

her, a child strangely taken with fits in the night time

Also being formerly of healthful body have

been suddenly taken without probably reason to be given or

natural cause appearing, being sometimes in such extremity

that he conceived himself drawn in pieces at the heart, back

and shoulder and that in the beginning of these fits the first night

he heard a great noise of music & dancing about him.

The next night, about twelve of the clock, he was taken with another

fit & in the middle of it he conceives there was a noise like

ringing of small bells with singing & dancing and sometime

both nights a noise of deep groaning upon which he called of his wife

and asked her if she heard it not & so of his man who answered they

did not he asked them again & again if they heard it not at last

his wife and servant all heard it gave three hard groans and at that instant

dogs did howl and yell and the window as though they would have pulled

them in pieces. He had also a great many swine which broke through

two barn doors, also the door in the house, at that time [clapped] to and

from the boxes and trunks as they conceived was removed, and several

apparitions like black dogs and cats were seen in the house & the informer

further says that since the time that the said Jennett Benton and George

Benton threatened him he hath lost his horses and means and that he

conceives he hath had all the loss by the use and practise of some witch-

craft or sorcery by the said Jennett Benton and George Benton