Depositions taken the 8th day of June Anno Regni dm’ nunc Jacobi dei gratias Regis nunc Anglie etc. 7th annos regni s’m Scotland 42nd, before Master Richard Portriffe Mayor of the town of Rye in the county of Sussex, and Richard Cockram and William Tharpe of the same, jurats and justices of peace of the said town.
Martha Higgons of Rye above written, widow, aged 30 years or thereabouts, being sworn and examined, deposeth and sayeth as followeth:
That is to say, that she doth know that Mistress Taylor in the lifetime of Master Thomas Hamon, the husband of the deponent, did divers and sundry times curse and speak evil words as well of the said Thomas Hamon her husband as of this deponent. And she that she the said Mistress Taylor did bear great hatred unto her said husband Master Hamon.
And she sayeth that she did as well at the Sessions at the trial of Susan Swapper, as also sithence that time, heard the examination of the said Susan Swapper, in what sort her said husband Master Hamon was taken and gripped by the members. And in such sort, in truth, was her said husband taken and gripped, which was the cause of his death, as she verily believeth. And she further sayeth, that she verily believeth that Mistress Taylor did bewitch her said husband, Master Hamon, ?was bewitched … sort as he was taken. And she further sayeth that all … his body was then likewise taken all black so that he had no feeling thereof, and likewise one side of his head. And that there are divers persons can witness and testify the same.
Also she further sayeth that the Sunday the day before her said husband was taken, there came unto her door, a poor woman to her judgment, great with child, abegging. And came into her kitchen door, and in regard of her poverty, she this deponent did give unto her three pence in money and a shirt sleeves and of her husband’s, and bread and meat, but what woman the same was she knew not, nor after her departure could ever hear of her. And she
signum 
Martha Higgons
[RYE 13/25]
