(Complaint of Robert Swan and John Swan v. Mary Clarke)
The Complaint of Roburt swane and John swane of Andevor against
Mary Clarke the wife of Edward Clarke of Haverhill: In behalf of
Their Majesties: for themselves and severall of their neighbors: for
High suspition of sundry acts of witchcraft by hir oftly commited on
the bodys of Timothy [swwane] of Andevor and Mary Walcott and
Ann Putnam of Salem village wherby much hurt hath ben don the
afore said afflicted persons and theirfore they crave justis
*Robert Swan
This Complaint was brought to me (by Robert Swan of Andov'r)
the 3'd day of August Anno Domini 1692: & bond given for the
prossecution thereof before, the Worship'l justices of Peace att salem:
upon which I gave, a writt of Apprehension:
*Dudley Bradstreet Just's Peace
( Boston Public Library -- Dept. of Rare Books and Manuscripts )
(Examination of Mary Clark)
4't Agust 1692.
The Examination of Mary Clark . of. Haverhill Taken before. Jno
Hauthorn Esq'r and other their majesties justices of the peace. The
accused mary Clark being called, it was enquyred of Mary walcot if
ever Clark had afflicted her, she answered yes, that is the very wom-
an , and upon mary Clarks #[afflicting Of] Lookeing upon walcott
and others of the afflicted they wer. str[u]ck into fitts. -- The Jus-
tices haveing used severall arguments (for the good of her soul) to
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confess if she knew her self, guilty. she absolutely denyed And then
the constable of #[Andover] Haverhill was called, and being asked
of what fame & reputation mary Clark was off; He answered they
had [had] heard #[guilty] she was or had been guilty of such things,
but as to anything in particular he could not say. The justices. asked
mary walcot if she wer not mistaken in this woman/.
Walcot answered this is the very woman I saw afflict Timothy swan,
and she has aflicted me severall tymes and after a fitt she was then
Imediatly in, she said she saw the above mary Clark afflict Betty
hubbard & Ann putnam The said mary Clark Lookeing upon Wal-
cott , hubbard putnam, warrin, they wer in fitts.
Mary walcott haveing a pinn run into her arme suddenly: said that
mary Clark did it, At the same tyme mary warrin had a pinn run
into her throat under her chin which Mr Noice took out, Susanna
Shelden upon s'd examination had 4 pinns taken out, of her hand
sayeing that s'd Clark put in two of them & Mr usher the other two.
Richard Carryer a former confessor said he beleeved he saw the
s'd mary Clark with some others and himself baptised at Newburry
falls. Betty hubbard was struck down by her lookeing upon her It
was asked if she could say the lords prayer perfectly she erred much.
Ann putnam said that s'd Clark had afflicted her by pincheing choak-
eing & stricking her in the face, & told her, that her name was
Mistriss Mary Clark, but that people used to call her goody Clark.
Ann putnam said further that She saw the s'd Clark stabb Timothy
Swan with a square ragged Speare as long as her hand
(Reverse) and being asked why she called it a Ragged speare, she
said #[it] because it was ragged like a file.
Mary post said she saw this mary Clarke Spirit at the village witch
meeting & that she did eat & drink There as the rest did And fur-
ther she has seen the s'd Mary Clark afflict Timothy Swan/ I under-
written being appoynted by authority to take the within examin-
tion in wryting Doe testify upon oath taken in court, that this is a
true copy of the substance of it, to the best of my knowledge.
(Vertically in right margin)
Mary Clarks Examinan
( New York Public Library -- Manuscripts and Archives Division )
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