Witches of Warboys
Encyclopedia
The Witches of Warboys is the name used to describe the accusation, trial and execution for witchcraft
of Alice Samuel and her family between 1589 and 1593 in the village of Warboys
, in the fens of England
.
Robert Throckmorton was a close friend of Sir Henry Cromwell, one of the wealthiest commoners in England. In March 1590, Lady Cromwell, the grandmother of Oliver Cromwell
, came to Warboys to visit. She also accused Mrs Samuel of being a witch. She took Alice Samuel aside and berated her for causing such affliction. An argument ensued in which Lady Cromwell grabbed a pair of scissors and cut a lock of hair off Alice. She gave it to Mrs. Throckmorton to burn. This was a folk remedy to weaken a witch's power. Mrs. Samuel, feeling insulted, asked, "Madam, why do you use me thus? I never did you any harm as yet." That night Lady Cromwell had nightmares, became ill and later died in 1592.
In December of 1592 Alice Samuel begged the girls to stop their accusations, which they did. Nevertheless, the local parson persuaded Alice to confess to witchcraft, but she recanted the next day. Taken before the Bishop of Lincoln
she confessed again and was taken to Huntingdon
where she was imprisoned with her daughter Agnes and her husband John. All three were tried on April 5, 1593 for the murder, by witchcraft, of Lady Cromwell. They were found guilty and hanged. Her words to Lady Cromwell ("I never did you any harm as yet") were used against Alice Samuel at the trial.
Sir Henry Cromwell confiscated the Samuels' small amount of property and used it to pay for an annual sermon
against witchcraft to be preached in Huntingdon in perpetuity. This continued until 1812, by which time it was being given against belief in witchcraft.
The scholar George Kittredge
called the Warboys trial
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
of Alice Samuel and her family between 1589 and 1593 in the village of Warboys
Warboys
Warboys is a village in Huntingdonshire , England, near Ramsey and north east of Huntingdon.-History:Warboys is a large parish and village on what was the eastern side of Huntingdonshire bordering on Cambridgeshire. It was returned in the Domesday survey of 1086 amongst the lands of St...
, in the fens of 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...
.
The trial
The first allegations were made in November 1589 by Jane Throckmorton, the 10-year-old daughter of Robert Throckmorton the Squire of Warboys when she started suffering from fits. She accused the 76 year old Alice Samuel of being the cause, this was echoed by Jane’s four sisters and some household servants who began exhibiting similar symptoms.Robert Throckmorton was a close friend of Sir Henry Cromwell, one of the wealthiest commoners in England. In March 1590, Lady Cromwell, the grandmother of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, came to Warboys to visit. She also accused Mrs Samuel of being a witch. She took Alice Samuel aside and berated her for causing such affliction. An argument ensued in which Lady Cromwell grabbed a pair of scissors and cut a lock of hair off Alice. She gave it to Mrs. Throckmorton to burn. This was a folk remedy to weaken a witch's power. Mrs. Samuel, feeling insulted, asked, "Madam, why do you use me thus? I never did you any harm as yet." That night Lady Cromwell had nightmares, became ill and later died in 1592.
In December of 1592 Alice Samuel begged the girls to stop their accusations, which they did. Nevertheless, the local parson persuaded Alice to confess to witchcraft, but she recanted the next day. Taken before the Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
she confessed again and was taken to Huntingdon
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
where she was imprisoned with her daughter Agnes and her husband John. All three were tried on April 5, 1593 for the murder, by witchcraft, of Lady Cromwell. They were found guilty and hanged. Her words to Lady Cromwell ("I never did you any harm as yet") were used against Alice Samuel at the trial.
Sir Henry Cromwell confiscated the Samuels' small amount of property and used it to pay for an annual sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
against witchcraft to be preached in Huntingdon in perpetuity. This continued until 1812, by which time it was being given against belief in witchcraft.
The scholar George Kittredge
George Lyman Kittredge
George Lyman Kittredge was a celebrated professor and scholar of English literature at Harvard University. His scholarly edition of the works of William Shakespeare' as well as his writings and lectures on Shakespeare and other literary figures made him one of the most influential American...
called the Warboys trial
- “…the most momentous witch-trial that had ever occurred in England,” partially because it had “… demonstrably produced a deep and lasting impression on the class that made laws.” He makes a case that the Warboys trial influenced the passage of the Witchcraft Act of 1604.