Paine,Bessie

Case Reference: C/EGD/597

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/597
AccusedBessie Paine
Case Start Date
Case Date1671
Common NamePaine,Bessie
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Unorthodox Religious Practice
Fairies
Folk Healing
White Magic

Notes: She performed many of her healing rituals on holy days.

Elphane/Fairyland
Food/Drink
Verbal Formulae
Ritual Acts
Familiars
Shape Changing
Dreams/Visions
Unorthodox Religious Practice
Sympathetic Magic
Riding Dead

Notes: Her case is all about healing. She seemed to specialise in healing children and infants. She did many of her cures on the Sabbath and other holy days. Diagnosed bewitchment. A transcription of some of her case is in Larner et al.'s Sourcebook, p. 269. Some of her cures invovled moving the sick child around and putting it in a cradle. She supposedly left her 'witchcraft' on the hearth stone of her former house. The next family that moved in suffered losses to their cattle. She caused a cow to be put through a circle of green yarn for a cure.

Elf/Fairy Elements
  • Thorn Tree
  • Green
Ritual Objects
  • Herb
  • Hair
  • Nail trimmings
  • Shirt
  • Fire
  • Yarn

Harm
Human Illness
Human Death
Animal Illness
Animal Death
Female Infertility
Male Impotence
Methods
Aggravating Disease
Transferring Disease
Laying On
Quarreling
Cursing
Poisoning
Healing / Other
Removal of Bewitchment
Recognised Healer
Healing Humans
Healing Animals
Midwifery
Property Damage
Weather Modification

Disease Notes: She cured cows and children. Also killed a cow.

White Magic
  • Diagnose Bewitchment

  • Candlemas
  • Sabbath

  • Charming

SourceReferenceNotes
Process NotesJC26/38list of charges not sure if the official dittay. This source is transcribed in Larner et al.'s Sourcebook.
Trials (1)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/LA/1909 No