In the 1650s, Ann Glover and her family, along with some 50,000 other native Irish people, were enslaved by Englishman Oliver Cromwell during the occupation of Ireland and shipped to the island of Barbados, where they were sold as indentured servants.

What is known of her history is sporadic at best, though she was definitely Irish and definitely Catholic. According to an article in the Boston Globe, even Ann's real name remains a mystery, as indentured servants were often forced to take the names of their masters.

While in Barbados, Ann's husband was reportedly killed for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith. By 1680, Ann and her daughter had moved to Boston where Ann worked as a "goodwife" (a housekeeper and nanny) for the John Goodwin family.

Father Robert O'Grady, director of the Boston Catholic Directory for the Archdiocese of Boston, said that after working for the Goodwins for a few years, Ann Glover became sick, and the illness spread to four of the five Goodwin children.

"She was, unsurprisingly, not well-educated, and in working with the family, apparently she got sick at some point and the kids for whom she was primarily responsible caught whatever it was," Fr. O'Grady told CNA.

A doctor allegedly concluded that "nothing but a hellish Witchcraft could be the origin of these maladies," and one of the daughters confirmed the claim, saying she fell ill after an argument with Ann.

The infamous Reverend Cotton Mather, a Harvard graduate and one of the main perpetrators of witch trial hysteria at the time, insisted Ann Glover was a witch and brought her to what would be the last witch trial in Boston in 1688.

In the courtroom, Ann refused to speak English and instead answered questions in her native Irish Gaelic. In order to prove she was not a witch, Mather asked Ann to recite the Our Father, which she did, in a mix of Irish Gaelic and Latin because of her lack of education. Continue reading

Sources

• Catholic News Agency article by Mary Rezac, Staff Writer at Catholic News Agency/EWTN News.
• Image: Wikipedia

After falling ill (and perhaps spreading her illness to the children in her care) Ann Glover was convicted of being an "idolatrous Roman Catholick" and a witch.

She was hanged on Boston Common on November 16, 1688. Today, just a 15 minute walk away, the parish of Our Lady of Victories holds a plaque commemorating her martyrdom.

Her cause for martyrdom has not yet been put to the Vatican.

Glover's trial also set the tone for the infamous Salem Witch Trials in 1692, during which 19 men and women were hanged for witchcraft.

Reverend Cotton Mather and his anti-Catholic prejudices played a major role in these trials. He also played a major role in denouncing Ann. Read more

In Lae last Wednesday Komape Lap, 54, claimed that he fought with their torturers and escaped to the Morobean capital to reveal what happened. Although these claims could not be corroborated with Mendi police, Komape showed scars on his face and buttocks as proof of his torture. Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident.

"The priority must be to find out the fate of the six women. The perpetrators must also be brought to justice for the abduction and crimes of sexual and other violence, if confirmed", said Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International's Pacific researcher.

"The government must take urgent action to prevent any further "sorcery" - related violence and must also provide the survivors with support and full access to health and other services", said Kate Schuetze.

Source

• The National
• Amnesty International
• Image: fotoevidence.com