>From : "Upacreek" <upacreek@screaminet.com> >That's what I would like to find out. Did it have anything to do with the Witchcraft hysteria? No one has been able to find any documented proof that Rebecca Chamberlain was accused of Witchcraft, but apparently there isn't any question that she died in prison in September 1692. So, why was she there? Mischief? She was living in Billerica with her husband William Chamberlain. He didn't die until years later. She was the mother of a number of children, and I believe they were respected members of the community. Curious. If she was suspected of being a witch--and I mean "if"--the presence of her husband and children may have inhibited witnesses from accusing her of witchcraft, and instead the charge remained mischief. I urge you to look in *Middlesex* County records to see what there is about other cases of mischief. What was offered as proof? What were people accused of doing? I'd also look at what Essex County records say about the same charge. But I would not assume that Essex and Middlesex magistrates interpreted the law in the same way. I'd also look at witchcraft cases in Middlesex courts. What were people accused of doing? What was accepted as proof? I'd also try to reach someone at ProGenealogists.com in hopes that they might explain why Rebecca Chamberlain was on their list of witches. Francine Nicholson _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail