The Virginia Gazette

Tring, May 2. Tho' the Account we gave Some Time ago of the Riot and Murder that lately happened at this Place was in general true, yet several Names were mistaken, and some Circumstances omitted; these are here corrected, and supplied; and some Account added of the Incidents which for several Years past have gradually been tending to produce this unhappy Event:

A little before the Defeat of the Scotch in the late Rebellion, the old Woman Osborne came to one Butterfield, who then kept a Dairy at Gubblecot, and begged for some Buttermilk, but Butterfield told her with great Brutality that he had not enough for his Hogs; this provoked the old Woman, who went away, telling him, that the Pretender would have him and his Hogs too.

Soon afterwards several of Butterfield's Calves became distemper'd; upon which some ignorant People, who had been told the Story of the Buttermilk, gave out that they were bewitched by old Mother Osborne; and Butterfield himself, who had now left his Dairy, and taken the Publick-House by the Brook of Gubblecot, having been lately, as he had been many Years before at Times, troubled with Fits, Mother Osborne was said to be the Cause; he was persuaded that the Doctors could do him no good, and was advised to send for an old Woman out of Northamptonshire, who was famous for curing Diseases that were produced by Witchcraft.

This sagacious Person was accordingly sent for and came; she confirmed the ridiculous Opinion that had been propagated of Butterfield's Disorder, and ordered Six Men to watch his House Day and Night with Staves, Pitchforks, and other Weapons, at the same Time hanging something about their Necks, which, she said, was a Charm that would secure them from being bewitched themselves.

However these extraordinary Proceedings produced no considerable Effects, nor drew the Attention of the Place upon them, till some Persons, in order to bring large Company together, with a lucrative View, ordered by anonymous Letters, that Public Notice should be given at Winslow, Leighton and Hempstead, by the Cryer, that Witches were to be tryed by Ducking at Longmarton on the 22d of April.

The Consequences were as you have related them, except that no Person has yet been committed on the Coroner's Inquest except one Thomas Colley, Chimney-sweeper, but several of the Ringleaders in the Riot are known, some of whom live very remote, and no Expence or Diligence will be spared to bring them to Justice.