Fisherton Anger, Wiltshire, England — Circa 1650
Contact with Spirits
A woman named Anne Bodenham, formerly a servant to Dr. Lamb of London, was accused of witchcraft and commerce with devils. She was eventually put to death in 1653 at the age of 80. The cleric who recorded her trial noted that: “Arrived at the place of execution, she attempted to go at once up the ladder, but was restrained. Mr. Bower pressing her to confess, she steadfastly refused, and cursed those who detained her.” Fig. 21: The spirit creatures in Anne Bodenham’s magic, emerging from a circle of fire. A maid testified at the trial that she had seen Anne Bodenham invoke the Devil. After Anne had made a circle with a stick, and filled it with burning coals, ” Then appeared two spirits in the likeness of great boys with Jong shagged hair and stood by her looking over her shoulder, and the Witch took the maid’s forefinger of her right hand, in her hand, and pricked it with a pin and squeezed out the blood, and put it into a pen, and put the pen into the maid’s hand, and held her hand to write in a great book, and one of the spirits laid his hand or claw over the witches, whilst the maid wrote, and when she had done writing whilst their hands were together, the Witch said Amen, and made the Maid say Amen, and the Spirits said Amen, Amen. “And the Spirits hand did feel cold to the maid as it touched her hand, when the witches hand and hers were together writing.”
Source: James Bower, The Tryal, Examination and Confession of mistris Bodenham, before the Lord chief Baron Wild, & the Sentence of Death pronounc’d against her, etc. (London: printed for G. Horton, 1653). See also Doctor Lamb revived, or, Witchcraft condemn ‘d in Anne Bodenham a Servant of his, who was Arraigned and Executed the Lent Assizes last at Salisbury… by Edmond Bower an eye and ear Witness of her Examination and Confession (London: printed by T.W. for Richard Best, and John Place, 1653). Case: W204