I think today it's a generally accepted thought that those who hunted witches or accused someone of being a witch were really simply afraid of the person - or jealous of the person for some reason or other - and so they gang up on the 'Witch'. The hunters would be called bullies in todays world, those who pick on others who they *think* are weak and who they *think* that they can manipulate or scare. We had few Witch hunts in Ireland in the past. We still have bullies and as with the rest of the world, our bullies are simply small minded people. Poor old Florence here is one of Irelands most 'famous' witches - herself and Dame Alice Kytler from Kilkenny ------------------------------------ Florence Newton was committed to Youghall Prison by the Mayor of the town, March 24th, 1661, for bewitching Mary Langdon, who gave evidence against her as follows:- Mary Langdon being sworn and examined what she could say against the said Florence Newton for any Practise of Witchcraft on herself; and being bid to look on the Prisoner her Countenance changed very pale, and she was afraid to look towards her; but at last she did. Being asked whether she knew her? She said she did and wished she never had! Being asked how long she had known her she said for three or four years, and that at Christmas last the said Florence came to the Deponent, at the hose of John Pyne of Youghall, where the Deponent was a Servant and asked her to give her a piece of beef out of the Powdering tub. And the Deponent answering her that she could not give away her Masters beef, the said Florence seemed to get very angry and said "Thou hadst as good have given it to me" and so went away grumbling. That about a week after, this Deponent going to the Water with a Pail of Clothes on her Head she met the said Florence Newton, who came full in her face and threw the pail off her head, and violently kissed her saying, Mary I pray thee, let thee and I be friends; for I bear thee no ill will, and I pray thee do thou bear me none." And that she the Deponent went afterwards Home, and that within a few days she saw a woman with a vail over her face standing by her bedside, and one standing by her like a little old Man in Silk Clothes; and that this man who she took to be a Spirit drew the vail from the Old Woman's Face, and then she knew it to be Goody Newton; and that this Spirit spoke to this deponent, and would have her promise him to follow his Advice, and that she should have all things after her own heart. To which she answered, That she should have nothing to say to him, but put her trust in the Lord. That within a Month after she said Florence had kissed her, she this Deponent fell very ill of Fits and Trances, which would take her on the Sudden in that violence that three or four men could not hold her; and in her fits she would often be taken with vomitings, and would vomit up needles, pins, horse-nails, stubbs, wool and straw. And being asked whether she perceived at these times what she vomited, she said She did; for she was not then in so great a distraction, as in other parts of her fits she was. And that a little before the first beginnings of her fits several (and very many small) stones would fall upon her as she went up and down and would follow her from Place to Place and from one room to another, and would hit her on the head, shoulders and arms and fall to the ground and vanish away. And that she and several others would see them both fall upon her and on the Ground but could never take them save only some few, which she and her master caught in their hands. Amongst which one that had a hole in it she tyed as she was advised) with a Leather thong to her purse, but it vanished immediately though the leather continued tyed on a fast knot. That in her fits she often saw this Florence Newton, and cryed out against her for tormenting; for she says that she would several times stick pins and into her arms, and some of them so fast that a man must pluck three or four times t get out the pin, and they were stuck between the skin and the flesh. That sometimes she should be carried to the top of the house and laid on a board betwixt two solar beams (in houses in the middle ages the principle room was sometimes called the Solar), sometimes put into a chest, sometimes she should be removed out of the bed into another room, sometimes under a parcel of wool, sometimes between two feather beds on which she used to lie, and sometimes betwixt the bed and the mat in her masters chamber in the day time. Being asked how she knew she was thus carried about and disposed of, seeing in her fits she was in a violent distraction, she answered she never knew where she was till they of the family, and the neighbours with them, would be taking her out of the places whither she was carried and removed. And being asked the reason why she cryed out so much against Florence Newton in her fits? She answered because she saw and felt her Torturing. And being asked how she could think that it was Florence Newton that did her this prejudice, she said, first, because she threatened her; then because after she had kissed her she fell into these fits, and that she both saw and felt her tormenting. And lastly, when the people of the family by Advice of the Neighbours and Consent of the Mayor, had sent for Florence Newton to come to the Deponent, she was always worse when she was brought to her, and her fits more violent than at another time. And that after the said Florence was committed at Youghall the Deponent was not troubled, but was very well till a little while after the said Florence was removed to Cork and then the Deponent was as ill as ever before. And the Mayor of Youghall, one Mr. Myres, then sent to know whether the said Florence were bolted (as the Deponent was told), and finding out she was not, orders were given to put the bolts on her; which being done, the Deponent saith she was well again, and so hath continued ever since. And being asked whether she had such like fits before the said Florence gave her the kiss, she saith she never had any, but believes that with the kiss she bewitched her. And the rather because she hath heard from Nicholas Pyne and others that the said Florence hath confessed so much. This Mary Langdon having closed up her evidence, Florence Newton peeped at her, as it were, between the heads of the by-standers that interposed between her and the said Mary, and lifting up both her hands together as they were manacled cast them in an angry, violent kind of motion (as were seen and observed by W. Aston) towards the said Mary, as if she intended to strike her if she could reach her, and said "Now she is down." Upon which the Maid fell suddenly to the ground like a stone, an fell into a most violent fit that all the people that could come to lay hands on her could scarce hold her, she biting her own arms and shrieking out in a most hideous manner to the amazement of all the Beholders. And continuing so for about quarter f an hour (the said Florence Newton sitting by herself all the while and pinching her own Hands and Arms as was sworn by some that observed her), the Maid was ordered to be carried out of the court and taken into an House; whence several persons afterwards brought word that the maid was in a vomiting fit, and they brought in several crooked pins and straws and wool in white foam like spittle in great abundance; Whereupon the court having taken notice that the maid had said she had been very well when the said Floence had been in bolts, demanded of the Gaoler if she were in bolts or no; to which he said she was not, but only manacled. Upon which order was given to put her in bolts, and upon putting them on she cryed out that she was killed, she was undone, she was spoiled; why do you torment me thus? And so continued complaining grievously for about half a quarter of and hour and then came a messenger from the maid and informed the court that the maid was well again.