Joan Prentice or Joan Prentis ( – 5 July 1589) was an

Englishwoman The English people are an ethnic group and nation native to England, who speak the English language, a West Germanic language, and share a common history and culture. The English identity is of Anglo-Saxon origin, when they were known in ...

executed after being accused of witchcraft with Joan Cunny and Joan Upney in

Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...

in Essex in 1589.

Life

Prentice lived in an

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...

Sible Hedingham Sible Hedingham ( ) is a large village and civil parish in the River Colne, Essex, Colne Valley in the Braintree (district), Braintree District of Essex, in England. It has a population of 3,994 according to the 2011 census. Sible Hedingham lies ...

. She told investigators about her

familiar In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (sometimes referred to as familiar spirits) were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to re ...

who she said was a ferret named "Satan" or "Bid". The ferret she said had asked to be fed and this she had done on a number of occasions. The ferret was said to have fed by biting and sucking her blood from her left cheek. During her questioning she implicated two other women named Elizabeth Whale and Elizabeth Mott who she said had used her familiar, Bidd. The accusations did not result in any further action against them. She was charged in line with the 1563 Witchcraft Act which defined the penalties for people found guilty of witchcraft. In time 31 people were found guilty and only one was a man. The 1563 Act in England required that the death penalty could only be used where the accused had caused the death of another. In Prentice's case she said that had asked her familiar to hurt a child but the familiar disobeyed her and the child died. This justified the death penalty.

Death and legacy

Prentice died on 5 July 1589. She was hanged at Chelmsford with Joan Cunny and Joan Upney who were also found guilty of similar crimes. Joan Cunny's daughter, Avis, was also found guilty but she escaped immediate execution because she was pregnant. Detail of Prentice's life and death are available because the record of her trial is extant and a copy of a publication at the time, "The Apprehension and Confession of Three Notorious Witches Arraigned and by Justice Condemned and Executed at Chelmsford" is also known.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prentice, Joan 1589 deaths People from Essex Witch trials in England People executed by hanging People accused of witchcraft