📰 Source: upgoat.net | Upgoat

✍️ Original author: Joe_McCarthy

⬆️ score: -2

v/OccidentalEnclave · by u/Joe_McCarthy

📝 Original content:

AI Overview

During the 1712 trial of Jane Wenham, witnesses famously claimed they saw her flying through the air. This accusation led to a legendary exchange with the presiding judge, Sir John Powell, who remains a symbol of the shift toward rational jurisprudence in England.

The Trial Details

The “Flying” Accusation: Several villagers from Walkern, Hertfordshire, testified against Wenham, claiming she had been seen flying on a broomstick or gliding through the air.

The Judge’s Retort: When presented with this “evidence,” Judge Powell famously dryly remarked: “There is no law against flying”.

The Verdict: Despite the judge’s clear skepticism, the jury—influenced by local hysteria and superstition—found her guilty.

The Reprieve: Powell refused to sentence her to death and instead petitioned Queen Anne for a royal pardon, which was eventually granted.

Other Testimony

Beyond the flying claims, 16 witnesses provided other bizarre evidence:

Spectral Apparitions: One servant, Anne Thorne, claimed Wenham bewitched her, causing her to dislocate her knee and be tormented by multiple cats that all had Jane’s face.

Magical Afflictions: Other witnesses claimed she caused them to vomit pins or cast spells on their livestock.

Animal Transformation: The indictment itself was specifically for “conversing with the devil in the form of a cat”.

Wenham’s case is historically significant as one of the last witchcraft convictions in England and a major turning point where legal reasoning began to triumph over folklore

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