fieldston american reader volume i – fall 2007 - Ethical Culture ...

she found herself back in prison. Meanwhile, William Cole’sestate was being settled; by October 1663, the county courthad divided the remaining Cole property between ThomasWebster and Eunice Cole, but arranged for Cole’s share - bynow only £8 - to be paid to the Hampton selectmen “for her use.”Evidently, the town had still not completely paid the costs ofkeeping her in prison, because in 1664 William Salter had oneof the Hampton selectmen arrested for ignoring his demand forCole’s fees. In 1665, Cole petitioned yet another time for herrelease. And again the court consented, this time stipulatingonly that she give security for her permanent departure from thecolony. With little or nothing left of her estate, she could notmeet the requirements and remained in jail.At some point between 1668 and 1671, Eunice Cole wasdischarged from the Boston prison, but by 1671 she was backin Hampton, completely destitute. The selectmen arranged forher maintenance by providing her with what, according to thefolklore of the region, was a “hut” along the Hampton River,and by requiring that a different family supply her with foodand fuel each week. In 1673, however, she was back in front ofthe Boston court facing another witchcraft charge. This timeshe was accused of appearing in various human and animalshapes to entice a young girl “to come to live with her,” of“inchanting [the] oven” of the constable who was responsiblefor bringing her the provisions her neighbors supplied, and ofcommiting many other crimes, both recent and longstanding.She was acquitted of all specific charges, but with the strongreservations of the court: “in the case of unis cole now prisoneratt the Bar -- not Legally guilty according to Inditementbutt just ground of vehement suspissyon of her having hadfamillyarryty with the devill.” In spite of the court’s reluctance,Cole was allowed to return again to Hampton.There is little information on how Cole fared the next severalyears, but clearly her reputation as a witch did not diminish.By 1680, she was in prison again, awaiting the decision ofthe Hampton court as to whether she should be tried a thirdtime. After hearing testimony, the court decided the evidencewas insufficient for indictment -- but not for punishment. Thepresiding magistrate allowed that there was “not full proofe”that she was a witch, but, he added, “the Court vehementlysuspects her so to be.” He ordered her imprisoned again “untilthis Court take further order,” this time “with a lock to be kepton her legg” to prevent her escape.Little else about Cole’s life can be verified. According to locallegend, she was released from prison one more time and livedout her last days in the hovel by the river, completely ostracizedby the community. When she died, it is said, her body wasdragged outdoors, pushed into a shallow grave, and a stakedriven through it “in order to exorcise the baleful influence shewas supposed to have possessed.”91