Elizabeth Clarke was the first woman persecuted by the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins

Matthew Hopkins

Matthew Hopkins was an English witchhunter whose career flourished during the time of the English Civil War. He claimed to hold the office of Witchfinder General, although that title was never bestowed by Parliament...

 in 1645 in Essex

Essex

Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. She was accused of witchcraft by local tailor John Rivet. Local magistrates appointed John Stearne

John Stearne

John Stearne was an associate of Matthew Hopkins, a witchhunter active during the English Civil War. Stearne was known at various times as the witch–hunter, and "witch pricker". A family man and land owner from Lawshall near Bury St Edmunds, Stearne was 10 years older than Hopkins. He met...

 and Hopkins to investigate. This led to further accusations and the deaths of up to 200 people. She was a woman over 80 with only one leg, who confessed after being deprived of sleep for many nights. She was then hanged.

Rebecca West, the daughter of Anne West (another of the accused), gave evidence against her in return for a reprieve.