FOLLY STORIES
Sarra’s story
13th April 1458. 23 years Miller’s wife
Sarra Bagge, daughter of Johannes Milnere, was brought before the physician by her husband Tomas Bagge after accusations of witchcraft.
Sarra was unable to produce a living heir, having given birth to nine infants far too small to survive. Sarra was observed on many occasions muttering and talking to herself, particularly at night, scratching at both her hands and face and pulling out her own hair.
The servant girl Agneta testified that Sarra pleaded with her to gather wild herbs and plants so that she could make various concoctions for her to consume in secret. Sarra denied these actions and refused to give account for her malady and failure to carry and produce a healthy babe.
Sarra’s folly of mind and soul was so strong that she took to her bed for many days at a time, drinking only the smallest amounts of ale and refusing bread or any other sustenance. Being a married woman of good and respectable parentage such behaviours and melancholy could only be explained by involuntary demonic possession.
