The Witchcraft Delusion In Colonial Connecticut (1647-1697)
by John M. Taylor
"GOODWIFE KNAP"
This was one of the most notable of the witchcraft cases. It stands among the early instances of the infliction of the death penalty in Connecticut; the victim was presumably a woman of good repute, and not a common scold, an outcast, or a harridan; it is singularly illustrative of witchcraft's activities and their grasp on the lives of the best men and women, of the beliefs that ruled the community, and of the crude and revolting practices resorted to in the punishments of the condemned, and especially since in its later developments it involved in controversy and litigation two of the great characters in colonial history, Rev. John Davenport, one of the founders of New Haven, and Roger Ludlow, Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and Connecticut.[I] Goodwife Knapp of Fairfield was "suspicioned." That was enough to set the villagers agog with talk and gossip and scandal about the unfortunate woman, which poisoned the wells of sober thought and charitable purpose, and swiftly ripened into a formal accusation and indictment.
[Footnote I:
Connecticut, through its Commission of Sculpture, in recognition of his services
to the Colony, is to erect a memorial statue to Ludlow to occupy the western
niche on the northern facade of the Capitol building at Hartford.]
Pending her trial the prisoner was committed to the house of correction or
common jail for the safe keeping of "refractory persons" and criminals.
What terrors of mind and spirit must have waited on this "simple minded" woman,
in the cold, gloomy, and comfortless prison, probably built of rough logs, with
a single barred window and massive iron studded door, a ghost haunted torture
chamber, in charge of some harsh wardsmen.
Knapp was duly and truly tried, and sentenced to death by hanging, the usual
mode of execution. _No witch was ever burned in New England._
From the day sentence was pronounced until the hanging took place, out in Try's
field beyond the Indian field, in view of the villagers, whose curiosity or
thirst for horrors or whose duty led them there, this prisoner of delusion was
made the object of rudest treatment, espionage, and of inhuman attempts to wring
from her lips a confession of her own guilt or an accusation against some other
person as a witch.
The very day of her condemnation, a self-constituted committee of women, with
one man on it,--Mistress Thomas Sherwood, Goodwife Odell, Mistress Pell, and her
two daughters, Goody Lockwood, and Goodwife Purdy,--visited the prison, and
pressed her to name any other witch in town, and so receive such consolation
from the minister as would be for her soul's welfare.
Mistress Pell seems to have been the chief spokeswoman, and each member of the
committee served in some degree as an inquisitor, or exhorter, not to
repentance, but to disclosures. Baited and badgered, warned and threatened, the
hapless prisoner protested she was innocent, denied the charges made against
her, told one of the committee to "take heed the devile have not you," and also
said, "I must not render evil for evil.... I have sins enough allready, and I
will not add this [accusing another] to my condemnation." And at last in agony
of soul she made that pathetic appeal to one of her relentless tormentors, "neuer,
neuer poore creature was tempted as I am tempted, pray, pray for me."
But even after death on the scaffold, the witch-hunters of the day did not
refrain from their ghoulish work, but desecrated the remains of Goodwife Knapp
at the grave side in their search for witch marks.
All the facts during the imprisonment, execution and burial are set forth in
some of the testimonies herewith given, in a chapter of related history (the
evidence at the trial not being disclosed in any present record), and all of
them marked by a total unconsciousness of their sinister and revolting
character.
No case in the history of the delusion in New England is more replete in
incidents and apt illustrations, due to their fortunate preservation in the
records of a lawsuit involving some of the prominent characters in that drama of
religious insanity.
At a magistrate's court held at New Haven the 29th of May, 1654.
Present.
Theophilus Eaton Esqr, Gouernor. Mr. Stephen Goodyeare, Dept, Gouernor.
Francis Newman \ Mr. William Fowler } Magistrats, Mr. William Leete /
a suit was heard entitled--
Thomas Staplies of Fairfield, plant'.
Mr Rogger Ludlow late of Fairfield, defendt.
It was brought by an aggrieved husband to recover damages for defamation of the
character of his wife. It centered in one of the dramatic incidents at Knapp's
execution. In the last extremity, and in the presence of immediate death, the
prisoner came down from the ladder, and asking to speak with Ludlow alone, told
him that Goodwife Staplies was a witch.
Some time afterward Ludlow, at New Haven, told the Rev. John Davenport and his
wife the story, in confidence, and under the promise of secrecy, but it spread
abroad with inevitable accretions, and when it reached Fairfield Thomas Staplies
went to law, to vindicate his wife's character in pounds, shillings, and pence.
These are some of the statements and remarkable testimonies:
_Attorney Banke's declaration--Ensigne Bryan's answer--Davenport's view of an
oath, Hebrews vi,16--His account and conscientious scruples�Mistress Davenport's
forgetfulness--"A tract of lying"--"Indian gods"--Luce Pell and Hester Ward's
visit to the prison--The "search" of Knapp--"Witches teates"--Feminine
resemblances--Matronly opinions--Post-mortem evidence-- Contradictions--Knapp's
ordeal--"Fished wthall in private"--Her denials--Talk on the road to the "gallowes"_
"John Bankes, atturny for Thomas Staplies, declared, that Mr. Ludlow had defamed
Thomas Staplies wife, in reporting to Mr. Dauenport and Mris. Dauenport that she
had laid herselfe vnder a new suspition of being a witch, that she had caused
Knapps wife to be new searched after she was hanged, and when she saw the teates,
said if they were the markes of a witch, then she was one, or she had such
markes; secondly, Mr. Ludlow said Knapps wife told him that goodwife Staplies
was a witch; thirdly, that Mr. Ludlow hath slandered goodwife Staplies in saying
that she made a trade of lying, or went on in a tract of lying, &c.
"Ensigne Bryan, atturny for Mr. Ludlow, desired the charge might bee proued, wch
accordingly the plant' did, and first an attestation vnder Master Dauenports
hand, conteyning the testimony of Master and Mistris Dauenport, was presented
and read; but the defendant desired what was testified and accepted for proofe
might be vpon oath, vpon wch Mr. Dauenport gaue in as followeth, That he hoped
the former attestation hee
wrott and sent to the court, being compared wth Mr. Ludlowes letter, and Mr.
Dauenports answer, would haue satisfyed concerning the truth of the pticulars
wthout his oath, but seeing Mr. Ludlowes atturny will not be so satisfyed, and
therefore the court requires his oath, and yt he lookes at an oath, in a case of
necessitie, for confirmation of truth, to end strife among men, as an ordinance
of God, according to Heb: 6,16, hee therevpon declares as followeth,
"That Mr. Ludlow, sitting wth him & his wife alone, and discoursing of the
passages concerning Knapps wife the witch, and her execution, said that she came
downe from the ladder, (as he vnderstood it,) and desired to speake wth him
alone, and told him who was the witch spoken of; and so fair as he remembers, he
or his wife asked him who it was; he said she named goodwife Stapleies; Mr.
Dauenport replyed that hee beleeued it was vtterly vntrue and spoken out of
malice, or to that purpose; Mr. Ludlow answered that he hoped better of her, but
said she was a foolish woman, and then told them a further storey, how she
tumbled the corpes of the witch vp & downe after her death, before sundrie
women, and spake to this effect, if these be the markes of a witch I am one, or
I haue such markes. Mr. Dauenport vtterly disliked the speech, not haueing heard
anything from others in that pticular, either for her or against her, and
supposing Mr. Ludlow spake it vpon such intelligenc as satisfyed him; and
whereas Mr. Ludlow saith he required and they promised secrecy, he doth not
remember that either he required or they pmised it, and he doth rather beleeue
the contrary, both because he told them that some did ouerheare what the witch
said to him, and either had or would spread it abroad, and because he is
carefull not to make vnlawfull promises, and when he hath made a lawfull promise
he is, through the help of Christ, carefull to keepe it.
"Mris. Dauenport saith,
that Mr. Ludlow being at their house, and speakeing aboute the execution of
Knapps wife, (he being free in his speech,) was telling seuerall passages of
her, and to the best of her remembrance said that Knapps wife came downe from
the ladder to speake wth him, and told him that goodwife Staplyes was a witch,
and that Mr.
Daueport replyed something on behalfe of goodwife Staplies, but the words she
remembers not; and something Mr. Ludlow spake, as some did or might ouer-heare
what she said to him, or words to that effect, and that she tumbled the dead
body of Knapps wife vp & downe and spake words to this purpose, that if these be
the markes of a witch she was one, or had such markes; and concerning any
promise of secrecy she remembers not."
"Mr. Dauenport and Mris. Dauenport affirmed ypon oath, that the testimonies
before written, as they properly belong
to each, is the truth, according to
their best knowledg & memory.
"Mr. Dauenport desired that in takeing his oath to be thus vnderstood, that as
he takes his oath to giue satisfaction to the court and Mr. Ludlowes atturny, in
the matters attested betwixt M' Ludlow & Thomas Staplies, so he lymits his oath
onely to that pt and not to ye preface or conclusion, they being no pt of the
attestation and so his oath not
required in them.
"To the latter pt of the declaration, the plant' pduced ye proofe following,
"Goodwif Sherwood of Fairfeild affirmeth vpon oath, that vpon some debate
betwixt Mr. Ludlow and goodwife Staplies, she heard M' Ludlow charge goodwif
Staplies wth a tract of lying, and that in discourse she had heard him so charge
her seuerall times.
"John Tompson of Fairfeild testifyeth vpon oath, that in discourse he hath heard
Mr. Ludlow express himselfe more then once that goodwife Staplies went on in a
tract of lying, and when goodwife Staplyes hath desired Mr. Ludlow to convince
her of telling one lye, he said she need not say so, for she went on in a tract
of lying.
"Goodwife Gould of Fairefeild testifyeth vpon oath, that in a debate in ye
church wth Mr. Ludlow, goodwife Staplyes desired him to show her wherein she had
told one lye, but Mr. Ludlow said she need not mention ptculars, for she had gon
on in a tract of lying.
"Ensigne Bryan was told, he sees how the plantife hath proued his charge, to wch
he might now answer; wherevpon he presented seuerall testimonies in wrighting
vpon oath, taken before Mr. Wells and Mr. Ludlow.
May the thirteenth, 1654.
"Hester Ward, wife of Andrew Ward, being sworne deposeth, that aboute a day
after that goodwife Knapp was condemned for a witch, she goeing to ye prison
house where the said Knapp was kept, she, ye said Knapp, voluntarily, wthout any
occasion giuen her, said that goodwife Staplyes told her, the said Knapp, that
an Indian brought vnto her, the said Staplyes, two litle things brighter then
the light of the day, and told the said goodwife Staplyes they were Indian gods,
as the Indian called ym; and the Indian wthall told her, the said Staplyes, if
she would keepe them, she would be so big rich, all one god, and that the said
Staplyes told the said Knapp, she gaue them again to the said Indian, but she
could not tell whether she did so or no.
"Luce Pell, the wife of Thomas Pell, being sworne deposeth as followeth, that
aboute a day after goodwife Knapp was condemned for a witch, Mris. Jones
earnestly intreated her to goe to ye said Knapp, who had sent for her, and then
this deponent called the said Hester Ward, and they went together; then the said
Knapp voluntarily, of her owne accord, spake as the said Hester Ward hath
testifyed, word by word; and the said Mris.
Pell further saith, that she being one of ye women that was required by the
court to search the said Knapp before she was condemned, & then Mris. Jones
presed her, the said Knapp, to confess whether ther were any other that were
witches, because goodwife goodwife Basset, when she was condemned, said there
was another witch in Fairefeild that held her head full high, and then the said
goodwife Knapp stepped a litle aside, and
told her, this deponent, goodwife Basset ment not her; she asked her whom she
ment, and she named goodwife Staplyes, and then vttered the same speeches as
formerly conerning ye Indian gods, and that goodwife Staplyes her sister Martha
told the said goodwife Knapp, that her sister Staplyes stood by her, by the fire
in there house, and she called to her, sister, sister, and she would not answer,
but she, the said Martha, strucke at her and then she went away, and ye next day
she asked her sister, and she said she was not there; and Mris. Ward doth also
testify wth Mris. Pell, that the said Knapp said the same to her; and the said
Mris. Pell saith, that aboute two dayes after the search afforesaid, she went to
ye said Knapp in prison house, and the said Knapp said to her,
I told you a thing the other day, and goodman Staplies had bine wth her and
threatened her, that she had told some thing of his wife that would bring his
wiues name in question, and this deponent she told no body of it but her
husband, & she was much moued at it.
"Elizabeth Brewster being sworne, deposeth and saith, that after goodwife Knap
was executed, as soone as she was cut downe, she, the said Knapp, being caried
to the graue side, goodwife Staplyes wth some other women went to search the
said Knapp, concerning findeing out teats, and goodwife Staplyes handled her
verey much, and called to goodwife Lockwood, and said, these were no witches
teates, but such as she herselfe had, and other women might haue the same,
wringing her hands and takeing ye Lords name in her mouth, and said, will you
say these were witches teates, they were not, and called vpon goodwife Lockwood
to come & see them; then this deponent desired goodwife Odell to come & see, for
she had bine vpon her oath when she found the teates, and she, this depont,
desired the said Odill to come and clere it to goodwife Staplies; goodwife Odill
would not come; then the said Staplies still called vpon goodwife Lockwood to
come, will you say these are witches teates, I, sayes the said Staplies, haue
such myselfe, and so haue you if you search yorselfe; goodwife Lockwood replyed,
if I had such, she would be hanged; would you, sayes Staplies, yes, saith
Lockwood, and
deserve it; and the said Staplies handeled the said teates very much, and pulled
them wth her fingers, and then goodwife Odill came neere, and she, the said
Staplies, still questioning, the said Odill told her no honest woman had such,
and then all the women rebuking her and said they were witches teates, and the
said Staplies yeilded it.
"Mary Brewster being sworn & deposed, saith as followeth, that she was present
after the execution of ye said Knapp, and she being brought to the graue side,
she saw goodwife Staplyes pull the teates that were found aboute goodwife Knapp,
and was verey earnest to know whether those were witches teates wch were found
aboute her, the said Knapp, wn the women searched her, and the said Staplyes
pulled them as though she would haue pulled them of, and prsently she, ths
depont, went away, as hauing no desire to looke vpon them.
"Susan Lockwood, wife of Robert Lockwood, being sworne & examined saith as foll,
that she was at the execution of goodwife Knapp that was hanged for a witch, and
after the said Knapp was cut downe and brought to the graue, goodwife Staplyes,
wth other women, looked after the teates that the women spake of appointed by
the magistrats, and the said goodwife Staplies was handling of her where the
teates were, and the said
Staplies stood vp and called three or foure times and bid me come looke of them,
& asked her whether she would say they were teates, and she made this answer, no
matter whether there were teates or no, she had teates and confessed she was a
witch, that was sufficient; if these be teates, here are no more teates then I
myselfe haue, or any other women, or you either if you would search yor body;
this depont saith she said, I know not what you haue, but for herselfe, if any
finde any such things aboute me, I deserved to be hanged as she was, and yet
afterward she, the said Staplyes, stooped downe againe and handled her, ye said
Knapp, verey much, about ye place where the teates were, and seuerall of ye
women cryed her downe, and said they were teates, and then she, the said
Staplyes, yeilded, & said verey like they might be teates.
"Thomas Sheruington & Christopher Combstocke & goodwife Baldwine were all
together at the prison house where goodwife Knapp was, and ye said goodwife
Baldwin asked her whether she, the said Knapp, knew of any other, and she said
there were some, or one, that had receiued Indian gods that were very bright;
the said Baldwin asked her how she could tell, if she were not a witch herselfe,
and she said the party told her so, and her husband was witnes to it; and to
this they were all sworne & doe depose.
"Rebecka Hull, wife of Cornelius Hull, being sworne & examined, deposeth & saith
as followeth, that when goodwife Knapp was goeing to execution, Mr. Ludlow, and
her father Mr. Jones, pressing the said Knapp to confess that she was a witch,
vpon wch goodwife Staplies said, why should she, the said Knapp, confess that
wch she was not, and after she, the said goodwife Staplyes, had said so, on that
stood by, why should she say so,
she the said Staplyes replyed, she made no doubt if she the said Knapp were one,
she would confess it.
"Deborah Lockwood, of the age of 17 or thereaboute, sworne & examined, saith as
followeth, that she being present when goodwife Knapp was goeing to execution,
betweene Tryes & the mill, she heard goodwife Staplyes say to goodwife Gould,
she was pswaded goodwife Knapp was no witch; goodwife Gould said, sister
Staplyes, she is a witch, & hath confessed had had familiarity wth the Deuill.
Staplies replyed, I was wth her yesterday, or last night, and she said no such
thing as she heard.
Aprill 26th, 1654.
"Bethia Brundish, of the age of sixteene or thereaboutes, maketh oath, as they
were goeing to execution of goodwife Knapp, who was condemned for a witch by the
court & jury at Fairfeild, there being present herselfe & Deborah Lockwood and
Sarah Cable, she heard goodwife Staplyes say, that she thought the said goodwife
Knapp was no witch, and goodwife Gould presently reproued her for it." "Witnes
"Andrew Warde,
"Jurat' die & anno prdicto,
"Coram me, Ro Ludlowe.
"The plant' replyed that he had seuerall other witnesses wch he thought would
cleere the matters in question, if the court please to heare them, wch being
granted, he first presented a testimony of goodwife Whitlocke of Fairfeild, vpon
oath taken before Mr. Fowler at Millford, the 27th of May, 1654, wherein she
saith, that concerning goodwife Staplyes speeches at the execution of goodwife
Knapp, she being present & next to goody Staplyes when they were goeing to put
the dead corpes of goodwife Knapp into the graue, seuerall women were looking
for the markes of a witch vpon the dead body, and seuerall of the women said
they could finde none, & this depont said, nor I; and she heard goodwife
Staplyes say, nor I; then came one that had searched the said witch, & shewed
them the markes that were vpon her, and said what are these; and then this
depont
heard goodwife Staplyes say she never saw such in all her life, and that she was
pswaded that no honest woman had such things as those were; and the dead corps
being then prsently put into the graue, goodwife Staplyes & myselfe came
imediately away together vnto the towne, from the place of execution.
"Goodwife Barlow of Fairfeild before the court did now testify vpon oath, that
when Knapps wife was hanged and ready to be buried, she desired to see the
markes of a witch and spake to one of her neighbours to goe wth her, and they
looked but found them not; then goodwife Staplyes came to them, and one or two
more, goodwife Stapyleyes kneeled downe by them, and they all looked but found
ym not, & said they saw nothing but what is comon to other women, but after they
found them they all wondered, and goodwife Staplyes in pticular, and said they
neuer saw such things in their life before, so they went away.
"The wife of John Tompson of Fairefeild testifyeth vpon oath, that goodwife
Whitlock, goodwife Staplyes and herselfe, were at the graue and desired to see
ye markes of the witch that was hanged, they looked but found them not at first,
then the midwife came & shewed them, goodwife Staplyes said she neuer saw such,
and she beleeved no honest woman had such.
"Goodwife Sherwood of Fairefeild testifyeth vpon oath, that that day Knapps wife was condemned for a witch, she was there to see her, all being gone forth but goodwife Odill and her selfe, then their came in Mris. Pell and her two daughters, Elizabeth & Mary, goody Lockwood and goodwife Purdy; Mris. Pell told Knapps wife she was sent to speake to her, to haue her confess that for wch she was condemned, and if she knew any other to be a witch to discover them, and told her, before she was condemned she might thinke it would be a meanes to take away her life, but now she must dye, and therefore she should discouer all, for though she and her family by the providence of God had brought in nothing against her, yet ther was many witnesses came in against her, and she was cast by the jury & godly magistrats hauing found her guilty, and that the last evidence cast the cause. So the next day she went in againe to see the witch wth other neighbours, there was Mr. Jones, Mris. Pell & her two daughters, Mris. Ward and goodwife Lockwood, where she heard Mris. Pell desire Knapps wife to lay open herselfe, and make way for the minister to doe her good; her daughter Elizabeth bid her doe as the witch at the other towne did, that is, discouer all she knew to be witches.
Goodwife Knapp said she must not say anything wch is not
true, she must not wrong any body, and what had bine said to her in private,
before she went out of the world, when she was vpon the ladder, she
would reveale to Mr. Ludlow or ye minister. Elizabeth Bruster said, if you keepe
it a litle longer till you come to the ladder, the diuill will haue you quick,
if you reveale it not till then. Good: Knapp replyed, take heed the devile haue
not you, for she could not tell how soone she might be her companyon, and added,
the truth is you would haue me say
that goodwife Staplyes is a witch, but I haue sinns enough to answer for
allready, and I hope I shall not add to my condemnation; I know nothing by
goodwife Staplyes, and I hope she is an honest woman. Then goodwife Lockwood
said, goodwife Knapp what ayle you; goodman Lyon, I pray speake, did you heare
vs name goodwif Staplyes name since we came here; Lyon wished her to haue a care
what she said and not breed difference betwixt neighbours after she was gone; Knapp replyed, goodman Lyon hold yor
tongue, you know not what I know, I haue ground for what I say, I haue bine
fished wthall in private more then you are aware of; I apprehend goodwife
Staples hath done me some wrong in her testimony, but I must not render euill
for euill. Then this depont spake to goody Knapp, wishing her to speake wth the
jury, for she apprehended goodwife Staplyes witnessed nothing contrary to other
witnesses, and she supposed they would informe her that the last evidence did
not cast ye cause; she replyed that she had bine told so wthin this halfe houre,
& desired Mr. Jones and herselfe to stay and the rest to depart, that she might
speake wth vs in private, and desired me to declare to Mr. Jones what they said
against goodwife Staplyes the day before, but she told her she heard not
goodwife Staplyes named, but she knew nothing of that nature; she desired her to
declare her minde fully to M' Jones, so she went away.
"Further this depont saith, that comeing into the house where the witch was
kept, she found onely the wardsman and goodwife Baldwine, there goodwife Baldwin
whispered her in the eare and said to her that goodwife Knapp told her that a
woman in ye towne was a witch and would be hanged wthin a twelue moneth, and
would confess herselfe a witch and cleere her that she was none, and that she
asked her how she knew she was a witch,
and she told her she had reeived Indian gods of an Indian, wch are shining
things, wch shine lighter then the day. Then this depont asked goodwife Knapp if
she had said so, and she denyed it; goodwife Baldwin affirmed she did, but
Knapps wife againe denyed it and said she knows no woman in the towne that is a
witch, nor any woman that hath received Indian gods, but she said there was an
Indian at a womans house and offerred her a coople of shining things, but she
woman neuer told her she tooke them, but was afraide and ran away, and she
knowes not that the woman euer tooke them. Goodwife desired this depont to goe
out and speake wth the wardsmen; Thomas Shervington, who was one of them, said
hee remembred not that Knapps wife said a woman in the towne was a witch and
would be hanged, but spake something of shining things, but Kester,
Mr. Pells man, being by said, but I remember; and as they were goeing to the
graue, goodwife Staplyes said, it was long before she could believe this poore
woman was a witch, or that their were any witches, till the word of God
convinced her, wch saith, thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue.
"Thomas Lyon of Fairfeild testifyeth vpon oath, taken before Mr. Fowler, the
27th May, 1654, that he being set by authority to watch wth Knapps wife, there
came in Mris. Pell, Mrs. Ward, goodwife Lockwood, and Mris. Pells two daughters;
the fell into some discourse, that goodwife Knapp should say to them in private
wch goodwife Knapp would not owne, but did seeme to be much troubled at them and
said, the truth is you would haue me to say that goodwife Staplyes is a witch; I
haue sinnes enough allready, I will not add this to my condemnation, I know no
such thing by her, I hope she is an honest woman; then goodwife Lockwood caled
to mee and asked whether they had named goodwife Staplyes, so I spake to
goodwife Knapp to haue a care what she said, that she did not make differrence
amongst her neighbours when she was gon, and I told her that
I hoped they were her frends and desired her soules good, and not to accuse any
out of envy, or to that effect; Knapps wife said, Goodman Lyon hold yor tongue,
you know not so much as I doe, you know not what hath bine said to me in
private; and after they was gon, of her owne accord, betweene she & I, goody
Knapp said she knew nothing against
goodwife Staplyes of being a witch.
"Goodwife Gould of Fairfeild testifyeth vpon oath, that goodwife Sherwood &
herselfe came in to see the witch, there was one before had bine speaking aboute
some suspicious words of one in the towne, this depont wished her if she knew
anything vpon good ground she would declare it, if not, that she would take
heede that the deuill pswaded her not to sow malicious seed to doe hurt when she
was dead, yet wished
her to speake the truth if she knew anything by any pson; she said she knew
nothing but vpon suspicion by the rumours she heares; this depont told her she
was now to dye, and therefore she should deale truly; she burst forth ito
weeping and desired me to pray for her, and said I knew not how she was tempted;
neuer, neuer poore creature was tempted as I am tempted, pray, pray for me.
Further this depont saith, as they were goeing to ye graue, Mr. Buckly, goodwife
Sherwood, goodwife Staplye and myselfe, goodwife Staplyes was next me, she said
it was a good while before she could beleeue this woman was a witch, and that
she could not beleue a good while that there were any witches, till she went to
ye word of God, and then she was convinced, and as she remembers, goodwife
Stapleyes went along wth her all the way till they came at ye gallowes. Further
this deponent saith, that Mr. Jones some time since that Knapps wife was
condemned, did tell her, and that wth a very cherefull countenance & blessing
God for it, that Knapps wife had cleered one in ye towne, & said you know who I
meane sister Staplyes, blessed be God
for it."
Staplies' wife was a character. She was "a light woman" from the night of her
memorable ride with Tom Tash, to Jemeaco, Long Island, to the suspicion of
herself as a witch, and the "repairing" of her name by Thomas' lawsuit, and her
own indictment for familiarity with Satan some years later. That she had many of
the traditional witch qualities, and was something of a gymnast and hypnotist,
is written in the vivid recollections of Tash's experience with her. This was
his account of it on oath thirty years after:
"John Tash aged about sixty four or thareabouts saith he being at Master
Laueridges at Newtown on Long Island aboutt thirty year since Goodman Owen and
Goody Owin desired me to goe with Thomas Stapels wiffe of Fairfield to Jemeaco
on Long Island to the hous of George Woolsy and as we war going along we cam to
a durty slow and thar the hors blundred in the slow and I mistrusted that she
the said Goody Stapels was off the
hors and I was troubiled in my mind very much soe as I cam back I thought I
would tak better noatis how it was and when I cam to the slow abovesaid I put on
the hors prity sharp and then I put my hand behind me and felt for her and she
was not upon the hors and as soon as we war out of the slow she was on the hors
behind me boath going and coming and when I cam home I told thes words to Master
Leveredg that she was a
light woman as I judged and I am redy to give oath to this when leagaly caled
tharunto as witnes my hand.
his "John+Tash mark
Grenwich July 12, 1692.
"John Tash hath given oath to his testimony abovesaid
"Before me John Renels Comessener."
And Mistress Staplies had other qualities, always potent in small communities to
invite criticism and dislike. She was a shrewd and shrewish woman, impatient of
some of the Puritan social standards and of the laws of everyday life. She
openly condemned certain common moralities, was reckless in criticism of her
neighbors, and quarreled
with Ludlow about some church matters.
It is evident from the testimonies that Staplies was on both sides as to the
guilt of goodwife Knapp, and when rumor and suspicion began to point to herself
as a mischief-maker and busybody in witchcraft matters, to divert attention from
his wife and set a backfire to the sweep of public opinion, Thomas sued Ludlow,
and despite his strong and clear defense as shown on the record evidence, the
court in his absence awarded damages against him for defamation and for charging
Staplies' wife with going on "in a tract of lying," "in reparation of his wife's
name" as the judgment reads. Mistress Staplies did not grow in grace, or in the
graces of her neighbors, since some years later she was indicted for witchcraft,
tried, and acquitted with others, at Fairfield, in 1692.[J]
[Footnote J: See _Historical Note_, p. 161.]