A DECLARATION IN Answer to several lying Pamp 〈…〉 concerning the Witch of WAPPING BEING A more perfect Relation of the Arraignment, Condemnation, and Suffering of Joan Peterson, who was put to death on Monday the 12 of April, 1652.  
Showing The bloody Plot and wicked Conspiracy of one Abraham Vandenbemde, Thomas Crompton, Thomas Collet, and others.  
LONDON: Printed in the Year, 1652.   

A Declaration, In answer to several lying Pamphlets concerning the witch of Wappin.  
THe said Abraham Vandenbemde with other the said confederates (having laid a Plot to take away the life of Mrs. Anne Levingston, because the Lady Powel had given her an estate which some of them expected) in December last repaired to one Joan Simpson, and proffered her 10 l. in hand, and 500 l. more in Hillary term following, if she would swear that Mrs. Levingston had used sorcery & withcrast to take away the Lady Powell's life. And on the 10 of Jan. then following, one Anne Hook (who pretends herself to be a cunning woman) being employed by the said confederates, did persuade her thereunto, offering her six score pounds, and half the money which the said Vandenbemde and the said Cr●mpton were to give her and her husband for making their Affidavits, if she would do the like. But the said Simpson abhominating so wicked a practice, to take away an innocent gentlewoman's life, discovered the Plot; for which conspiracies of the said confederates, a special Supplicavit was granted out of Chancery, to bind them to the good behaviour and other legal prosecutions are still depending against them. But the said confederates not resting there (in further prosecution of the Plot) did employ the aforesaid Hook, to procure witnesses to swear what they desired: who accordingly about January last came to the abovenamed Joan Peterson, at her house in Spruce Island near Wapping and there made offer of 100 l. to her, to swear, that the said Mrs. Levingston had received from her (the said Peterson) certain powders, and bags of seeds, to help her in her law suits, and to provoke unlawful love (as the said Joan Peterson did affirm before her trial.) But she refusing to do the same, the said confederates to prevent the punishment, which justly and unavoidably must have befallen them, in case the said Peterson should have revealed this their practice, as Simpson (before) had done the other, they lay a new design, to anticipate the same, as followeth.  
On the 7th of March last, the said confederates came to Wapping, and got a warrant from one Mr. Waterton a Justice of the Peace, to apprehend the said Petersons person, and to search her house for Images of Clay, Hair, & Nails, which accordingly they did; but upon strict search and diligent inquiry could find no such thing; whereupon the said confederates carried her before the said Justice, to have her examined where the said Vandenbemde, Collet (their solicitor) and two or three other persons whom they brought with them, sat at the table as the justice's Clerks to take her examination, where the said Justice examined the said Peterson upon oath (contrary to law) concerning her using of witchcraft and sorcery to take away the life of the Lady Powel of Chelsey. To which she answered, that she never used sorcery or witchcraft, neither had she ever heard of the Lady Powel, saving that not long before one Anne Hook (an Irish woman) came to her with one Goodwife Garland to have persuaded her to have made such an oath against Mrs. Levingston, as she the said Hook herself before had done, as the said Joan Peterson likewise did affirm before her death. Whereupon the said justice (contrary to law) gave order to search her, which was done; but the searchers could find nothing on her body which might create the least suspicion in them of her being a witch; whereupon the said Justice took bail for her appearance at the next Sessions. And on the 14 of March following (being the Sabbath day) was by the said confederates means, again apprehended, and examined a new, about the said Lady Powell's death. And the Argument which they then made use of to persuade the said Peterson to confess, was, that she needed not fear what she confessed, for it was not her life they aimed at, but to have matter whereby to accuse one Mrs. Levingston, who had gotten the said Lady Powell's estate, and thereby had undone 36 Persons of the said Lady's Kindred: And then told her, that they were shortly to question the said Mrs. Levingstone for the same, either in the Parliament house, or before a Committee (as the said Joan Peterson did likewise affirm before her death.) Whereunto the said Joan Peterson replied, that she never knew, nor heard of the said Lady Powell, otherwise as aforesaid; And that she had not heard from the said Mrs. Levingstone for above a year before that time: Then they caused her (contrary to Law) to be searched again in a most unnatural & Barbarous manner, by four women whom they themselves for that purpose had brought along with them, on of which women told the Justice that there was a Teat 
* Note that this Teat upon the view of the physicians was the day before her death found to be natural' & less than in many other women, & the said physicians also affirmed that she was then quick with child.  of flesh in her secret parts more than other women usually had, whereupon the said Justice committed her first to New-prison and from thence to Newgate, where she was left to the ordering and mercy of one Brooks, a Keeper there, and an Agent of the said confederates.  
On Monday the 5th. of April instant, two Bills of indictment were preferred against her at Hicks-hall, 
* Note, That Sir Jo. Danvers, Mr: Snape, Mr. Winstanley, and Mrs Waterton Justice. of the Peace were with the confederates at a Tavern near Hicks-hall, consulting when the Bill of Indictment was preparing, and that Sir John Danvers came and dined at the session's house and had much private discourse with the Recorder and many of the Justices and came and sat upon the Bench at her Trial, where he hath seldom or never been for these many years.  and found by the Grand-Jury, upon which indictments upon the 6th. of April, she was arraigned before Mr. Recorder (who is of council for the conspirators,) and on the 7 of Apr. she was tried; at which trial the said confederates (who before had spent three weeks' time at Wapping in procuring witnesses) were present, with three councillors to prosecute the said Peterson. Then the Court proceeded upon the first indictment, which was for bewitching the Lady Powel to death; whereupon many women persons of mean degree (and of ill fame and reputation) were produced against her, and interrogated by the said council, according to the Briefs delivered unto them, wherein were all the witnesses testimonies, written before hand. And being asked what she had to say for herself? (upon her knees) she took God to witness that she never knew the Lady Powel nor the house where she dwelled, nor was any wise guilty of her death; and delivered a paper of such witnesses as she had to defend her, desiring that they might be called, whereupon Dr. Bates, and Dr. Colledon physicians, together with Mr. Stamford, and Mr. Page chirurgeons, and divers other persons of good quality, testified the disease, manner of sickness, and the cause of the said Lady's death, which were the dropsy, the scurvy, and the yellow jaundice, and that they wondered how she was able to live so long, having most of those diseases growing on her for many years before; amongst which evidences the innocency of (Mrs. Levingstone) formerly by the confederates maliciously aspersed and bespattered, was now fully vindicated, to their great astonishment, trouble, and disgrace.  
Then the Court proceeded to the other Indictment, which was for bewitching one Christopher Wilson (who doth not himself complain of any such thing, but the Confederates only:) and the only material evidence that then was against her, was one Margaret Austin (who had formerly been a wandering person, but was in charity taken up, relieved, and kept, by the said Joan Peterson, until she perceived that the said Austin had purloined some of her goods out of her house,) and two Witnesses more; the substance of whose Testimony was as followeth. That the said Wilson, having been a long time sick, and hearing that the said Peterson had done good to many, sent for her to come to him, who accordingly did and administered means for his Recovery, which at first was conceived to do him good; But he afterwards relapsed, and the reason that was urged to induce the Court and Jury to believe that he was Bewitched, was, that during his sickness, she sent to him for money's ●or her physic; to whom Answer was returned that he could then send her none. Whereupon it was then deposed▪ that she did reply, that he had better have sent her moneys, for he should be to times worse than ever was; And that afterwards he became very ill again, and remained languishing. Many other witnesses were produced, but could only swear to generalities, hearsays, and most absurd and ridiculous impertinences: then being by 〈◊〉 Court demanded what she could say for herself? she ●●sired that such Witnesses as she had then there prese●● might be called (some of which durst not appear becau●● that the said Mr. Waterton, (as the witnesses themselves do and will affirm) had threatened to send them to Ne●gate, if they did appear.) Whereupon several witness●● were called, and being demanded what they could say for the Prisoner, they began to tell, that they had known her a long time, and that she had done many Cures, and much good amongst the neighbours, but never knew that she did any ill; But the Officers of the Court interrupted them saying (in a taunting manner) are you for a Witch? and is this all you can say? and so turned several of them away before they could be further heard. Than one came to the Court (a Stranger to the prisoner) and offered to depose, that one in black, called Thomas Southwick (Known to be servant to Thomas Cromton another of the confederates) stood in the session's yard, offering money to strangers there, to come in and swear) that the said Peterson was a Wtich, and amongst the rest offered to give her money if she would do the same, but he being called for, could not be had, nor would appear, although colonel Okey, and some other Justices upon the Bench, desired the Recorder to take notice of it, and to give Order that the said Thomas Southwick might be brought into Court. Whereupon the Jury went forth, and brought in their verdicts, that the said Peterson was not guilty upon the first Jndictment of bewiching the Lady Powell to death; But found her guilty upon the second, for which she was then cast, and the next day condemned to die as a witch, And after that the said confederates and their agents went very often to her promising her a reprieve or Pardon if she would confess that Mrs. Levingstone had employed her to make away the life of the Lady Powell, to which she replied she could not, because it was altogether false. But one of the said confederates urging her again to say something against Mrs. Levingstone, she told him he was a rogue, and gave him a blow on the face, which made his nose bleed: Where it is to be noted, that what for love of money they could not tempt her to, they resolved at last for love of her life to force her to, by necessitating her either unjustly to confess a notorious falsehood against the said Mrs. Levingstone or else to die without mercy or reprieve, which otherwise was proffered her by the said Confederates, to make her unjust in doing the same.  
On the 12 day the said Joan Peterson (being brought to the place of Execution) was by the Ordinary nine or ten times earnestly pressed to confess something against the said Mrs. Levingstone. Whereupon the Executioner told the Ordinary, he might be ashamed to trouble a dying woman so much, to which he replied, he was commanded so to do, and durst do no otherwise And afterwards the said Ordinary still insisting in his discourse, and very often pressing the said Peterson to confess and discharge her conscience before God and the world; she answered that she had already confessed before the Bench, all she had to confess; that she had made her peace with God; and therefore desired to die in quiet, for now she was to appear before God who presently would Judge her, and that God was witness, that she died Innocently, and was in no wise guilty of what was laid to her charge, and that she hoped he would freely forgive her all her sins, and to this effect she still replied to his frequent importunities: And having gone to prayers, she showed herself very attentive and penitent, and after Prayer called to sing the 25th Psalm, which she performed very Christianly and cheerfully, and so died, &c.   


The Copy of a Certificate under the hands of several Doctors of physic & chirurgeons concerning the death of the Lady Powell.  
October the 8. 1651.  
In the Body of the Lady Powell, who died the seventh of this instant, was observed, 

The Skin universally discovered Yellow.  
The Belly swollen very much, the Thighs also and Legs.  
The Cavity of the Abdomen possessed with yellowish obscure water, the quantity whereof not much above one Gallon and an half.  
The stomach and Guts not dissafected, nor the kidneys.  
The Pancreas canceorus in part, some part being degenerated into a feculent matter; like Amurca or dregs of oil, yet contained in a Ciste.  
The Liver larger than it ought, black, of an unequal schirrous or rather Cancerous substance, exangues.  
The Spleen joined with the left part of the hallow of the liver, as if they were one body, very black, and hard outwardly, inwardly rotten.  
The Gall large and full, but of a deeper Yellow, inclined to red and black matter.  
In the cavity of the Breast or Thorax water of the same substance and colour near a Gallon.  
The Lungs something thicker and more discoloured then usual.  
The heart well.  
The Bones very easily broken.    


Physicians.  
Colladon.  
George Bate.  
Goddard.  
George Chabrey.   

Chirurgeons.  
Charles Stamford  
Thomas Page.     

Besides the Apothecaries, and several other persons, who testified the same And are still ready to do the like.  
Coll. Okey, Coll. Berkstead, and divers other Justices of the Peace, both at Hixes' hall, and at the old Baley, did declare themselves that they were not satisfied either with the proceedings, or proof against this Peterson, that she was guilty of witchcraft, but that there was a design in it, relating to the prejudice of Mrs. Levingstone, which they are ready to testify to the Parliament when they shall be required thereunto.   
FINIS.