Samuel and Ruth Perley
the first of iune 1692 the deposition of Samuel Perley and his wife aged about 52 and his wife 46 years of age we hauing a dafter about ten years of age being in a sorrowful condition this being sone after a faling out thai had bene betwen ieams how and his wife and miself our daughter told us that it was ieams hows wife that afflicted her both night and day sometimes complaining of being Pricked with Pins and sometimes faling down into dredful fits and often sai i could neuer aflict a dog as goode how aflicts me mi wife and i did often chide her for naming goode how being loth her name shold be defamed but our daughter would tel us that though we would not beleue her now yet you wil know it one day we went to several docters and thai tould us that she was under an evil hand our daughter tould us that when she came nere the fire or water this witch Puls me in and was often soreli burnt and she would tel us what cloaths she wore and would sai there she goes and there she goes and now she is gone into the oven and at these sights faling down into dredful fits and thus our daughter continuing about two or three years constantli afirming to the last that this goode how that is now seised was the cause of her sorrows and pined awai to Skin and bone and ended her sorrowful life and this we can atest upon oath ruth Perley’s mark.
Sam’l Pearly & his wife declare ye above written to be the truth upon oath. After this the aboue said goode how had a mind to ioin ipswich church thai being unsatisfied sent to us to bring in what we had against her and when we had declared to them what we knew thei see cause to Put a stop to her coming into the Church within a few dais after I had a cow wel in the morning as far as we knew this cow was taken straingli running about like a mad thing a litle while and then run into a great Pon and drowned herself and as sone as she was dead mi sons and miself towed her to the shore and she stunk so that we had much a doe to flea her.
As for the time daughters being taken ill it was in the yere of our Lord 1682.
Testified to before the Jury of Inquest
June 30 ’92
Rev. Samuel Phillips
The testimony of Samuel Phillips aged about 67 minister of the word of God in Rowley who sayth that mr payson (minister of Gods word alsoe in Rowley) and myself went, being desired to Sameul pearly of ipswich to se thiere young daughter who was viseted with strang fitts and in her fitts (as her father and mother affermed) did mention good wife How the wife of James How Junior of Ipswich as if she was in the house and afflict her; when we were in the house the child had one of her fitts but made no mention of good wife how; & and when the fitt was over and she came to herself, goodwife how went to the child and took her by the hand & askt her whether she had ever done her any hurt And she answered noe never and if I did complain of you in my fitts I knew not that I did soe: I further can affirm upon oath that young Samuel Pearly, Brother to the afflicted girle looking out of a chamber (I and the afflicted child being with outdores together) and sayd to his sister Say goodwife How is a witch say she is a witch & the child spake not a word that way, but I lookt up to the window where the youth stood & rebuked him for his boldness to stir up his sister to accuse the said goodw: How when as she had cleared her from doing any hurt to his sister in both our hearing & I added no wonder that the child in her fitts did mention Goodwife How when her nearest relatives were soe frequent in expressing theire suspicions in the childs hearing when she was out of her fitts that she sayed Goodwife How was an Instrument of mischeif to the child
Samuel Phillips.
Rowley 3 June 1692