Roermond witch trial

It did mean that the accused would be held responsible for the bewitching and to dispel would be seen as admittance of guilt, so usually these blessings would be denied.

If the accused could find enough witnesses (about four to eight) in his or her defense, the witch would usually be declared not guilty and released.

The justices tried to remain sceptical to the peasants' accusations but were powerless against the lynchings in which the mercenaries played a big part.

The accusations were not only of bewitchings but also of heresy and forming a pact with the devil, and having danced and had intercourse with him.

Giving up the names of other witches was the main cause of the large number of trials.

Tryntjen was tortured and admitted to killing 41 children with magic, and also three men and seven women, and many crops and animals.

After four days in custody the mother was burnt to death, and the daughter was locked into a convent for the rest of her life.

Near Straelen the magistrates arrested another 10 alleged witches, who in their turn accused a midwife named Entjen Gillis.

Entjen Gillis confessed to having killed the foetuses of 40 pregnant women, and 150 babies just after birth.

Altogether there were 63 witches and Jan van Ool, so during a month two people were burnt to the stake every day.

The magistrates decided this needed to be done because over 600 newborn children and 400 old people, and over 6000 animals were purportedly killed by witchcraft.