Peronne Goguillon (died 29 May 1679) was an alleged French

witch Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...

. She and the other women who were accused with her are regarded the last women to have been burned at the stake for

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Life

On 8 May 1679, four soldiers from the

garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...

at Marchiennes, near

Douai Douai ( , , ; ; ; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord département in northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe (rive ...

, behaved violently in a village in Bouvignies. They demanded money from the villagers, and took one of them, Peronne Goguillon, with them and accused her of being a witch. On 10 May, her husband Andrieu Dufosset complained about this, but the next day, Michel Fontenier, the landlord of one of the soldiers, confirmed that she was a witch, possibly in fear of the soldiers. Twenty witnesses were called to the

trial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, w ...

. Peronne was accused of having violated the holy sacrament, visited the witch's sabbath, having met the

devil A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...

in shape of a black dog called Fréquette, cast spells on children, women and cattle, performed an abortion, and killed children. Three marks were found upon her body. She was eventually made to confess that they were given her by the devil. She pointed out her cousin Jeanne Goguillon, Jeanne Bachy, Jean Bachy, Pierre Hornet and her daughter Marie-Anne Dufosset (age 18) as witches on 24 May. Two days later, she also identified Marie-Anne Ducrocquet, Andrieu Fischel, Philippote Fischel, and Madeleine Truan. On 28 May, Peronne was judged guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to death by burning. The sentence was carried out 29 May 1679. Jeanne Goguillon was burned 3 July 1679 after a mark was found on her body. Marie-Anne Dufosset was judged guilty on the same charges as her mother and burned. These are regarded as the last women to be executed for witchcraft in France; the last women were put on trial in 1748 and 1768, but sentenced to fines; however, the last person to be executed for

sorcery Sorcery commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), the application of beliefs, rituals or actions employed to manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces ** Goetia, ''Goetia'', magic involving the evocation of spirits ** Witchcraft, the ...

in France was male, Louis Debaraz, who was executed in 1745.

References

(In French) * Robert Muchembled, ''Les derniers bûchers'', Ramsay, Paris {{DEFAULTSORT:Goguillon, Peronne 17th-century births 1679 deaths People executed by France by burning Executed French women French people executed for witchcraft 17th-century executions by France 17th-century French women