(Complaint v. Joan Penny & Statement of Bond to Prosecute )

[September 13, 1692 ]

Zebulon Hill Complaineth in the behalfe of Our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William and Mary King and Queen Unto this Honorable Court now Assembled and Sitting in Salem this 13 day of September 1692./

Against one Goodwife Piney wife of Piney of the Towne of Gloster in the County of Essex for that shee the said [] Piney Did on the Tenth and Eleventh Day of this Instant September Afflict, torture, and Torment, your Honours Complain't -- Daughter Mary: by that Diabollical Art of Witchcraft, by which the said Mary is in great Paine, and Torture, -- as well be made appear./
*Zebulon Hill

Zebulon Hill Obliges himselfe to our Soveraine Wm & Mary King & Queen of England &c in the full & whole Sume of one hundred pounds Currant mony of New England The Condition is that the Said Zeb'n Hill shall & will procecut the within mentioned Complaint against Peney of Gloster to Effect.
before me * John Higginson Just'e Peace
20. Sept 1692: --

( MS Ch K 1.40, vol. 2, p. 198, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Boston Public Library, Boston, MA.)

(Warrant for the Apprehension of Joan Penny, & Officer's Return)

[September 20, 1692]

To the sherife of the County of Essex his Deputy or the Constable of Chebaco

Complaint haveing ben made to us whose names are underwritten Justices of the Peace in the County of Essex by Zebulon Hill of Salem against Joan Peny. widow of Thomas Peney Late of Gloster for that she the Said Joan Peney hath feloniously comitted Severall acts of witchcraft. on the Body of Mary Hill of Salem Singlewoman. to her great hurt & Torment. the Said Zeb Hill haveing given Sufficient bond for the procecution of the Said Complaint to Effect.

These are therefore in their Majesties name to require you forthwith to Aprehend & seize. the Body of Joane Peney widow as abovesaid & bring her. before their Majesties Justices of the Peace to be examined & proceded w'th according to law for w'ch this shall be your sufficient warant Dated in Salem this 20: September 1692:
*Bartho' Gedney
*John Hathorne
*Jonathan. Corwin
*John Higginson
The. 21: of September 1692: I have seased the body
of wedowe peni and
have brought hur to Salem by me
*John Chote Constable of Ipswich

( MS Ch K 1.40, vol. 2, p. 248, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Boston Public Library, Boston, MA. )

Fragment of the Examination of Joan Penny

[September 21, 1692]

She was bid to say the Lord's Prayer. When she came to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, she said, so do I. No other mistake in saying the prayer, remarkable.

"A woman's examination, Sept. 21, 1692" as quoted in Thomas Hutchinson, The History of the Colony and Province of Massachusetts-Bay, 1767. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936.), vol. II, p. 43n.