Readings
The following trial records from Lorraine Witchcraft Trials available here:
https://witchcraft.history.ox.ac.uk/search_trials.html
W005 B 2199 Jacquotte, wife of Nicolas Tixerand (1616)
W006 B2199 Francoise, wife of Bastien Bourguignon (1616)
W007 B2199 Collatte, widow of Cesar Lorette (1615)
W008 B2199 (Mariette, widow of Claude Malfourby (1616)
W77 B8684 Françatte Jardel, veuve (widow) of Claudon Jardel of Clefcy (6 December 1599)
W195 B8684 Mengeatte Babé, wife of Jean Babé of Sarupt (March 1600)
W193 B8684 Catherine Bertremin, wife of Jean Bertremin of Clefcy (21 January 1600)
W179 B8682 no 1 Barbelline femme Holbin le Jalley (1596 and 1598)
W180 B8682 no 2 Marie Alexey femme Jean Chastellain (1598)
W181 B8682 no 3 Jean Pelisson (1598)
W182 B8682 Georgeatte, fille Jean Pelisson (1598)
W183 B8682 no 5 Didelle femme Demenge Simmonel (1598)
W184 B8682 no 6 Colatte veuve Jean le Parmentier (1598)
W185 B8682 no 7 (Agathe femme Colas Jobay (1598)
W186 B8682 no 8 Francatte femme Jean Camont (1598) Please see also this full translation of Francatte Camont’s trial available here: Trial of Francatte Camont 1598
W187 B8682 no 9 Claudatte femme Jean Parmentier (1598)
Some tips in reading these trials
- The trials are grouped into batches of connected witch trials. I’ve given you a three different series of trials (1615-1616; 1599-1600; 1598) to give you a sense of what interconnected witch hunts are like.
- Each file provides the name of the accused (and for women, the name of their husband), what town or village they are from, and an indication of socio-economic status (Poor, Destitute, Comfortable, Wealthy). If the file says [R], it means the accused witch was released on parole.
- The trial records include testimony by various witnesses indicated by their name and age; interrogation of the accused witch (both without and with torture) as well as whether any other evidence was presented and the eventual sentence (although not always).
- Remember that these trial records as presented here are summaries of the material not direct translations. You can see some direct translations of them in The Witches of Lorraine. If you search for the specific person being tried in the index of that book, more details about them and in some cases long quoted section of their trials, are available. Search by last name for all.
For examples of what the original archive documents looked like, see: https://witchcraft.history.ox.ac.uk/original_document.html
Preparation
As you’re reading these trials, don’t forget to think about the questions we developed. We’ll use them to frame our discussion first in our small groups and then as a whole class. These questions are available here:
Chatboard Discussion Group
We’ll start our discussion of the Lorraine trials on the chatboard. If you are signed up as discussion leader, please post 1-2 discussions in your group’s channel. These questions can ask about your group’s thoughts regarding the whole reading or aspects of it, highlight themes, or link the reading to other things going on. It is up to you! Just make sure your questions are open ended as the idea is to get your group chatting with one another.
Questions should be posted by Monday evening. For the rest of the group members, please respond before class on Thursday.
Discussion Leaders