Witch Trials in New France

There were over a dozen witch trials in New France, but, unlike the Salem witch trials, none ended in executions. Another surprising fact: out of the twenty recorded trials for witchcraft in the former French colony, sixteen of the accused were men.

Witchcraft was a serious matter in New France but the way it was delt with was different from European countries, explains Stéphan Martel, Assistant Director and historian of the Historic Site Marguerite Bourgeoys.

“[In New France,] there was a true belief in occult forces,” says Martel. “Magic and divination practices were present during the French regime […] but it never led to executions, except perhaps in the complex case of Daniel Vuil.”

Instead of hanging or burning at the stake, the most severe punishment for someone accused of witchcraft was banishment.

“[Sentences] weren’t necessarily tied to witchcraft,” adds the historian. “They were often for ‘immoral character’,” he states, citing the example of d’Anne de Lamarque, who was punished for allegedly cheating on her husband.

These convictions were rare, and the trials often ended with acquittals. In fact, it was often the accusers who had to recant, or withdraw, their prior statements “for having a loose tongue and spreading unfounded rumours”, Martel notes.

Accusing someone of witchcraft was often used to damage someone’s reputation. The trial process allowed the accused to clear their name and, in a way, helped preserve social harmony within the colony.

Thorough investigations

Colonization began during the height of the witch-hunt era. But French judges gradually lost interest in prosecuting witchcraft. They questioned the reality of such practices and took accusations less seriously. This evolution in the French legal system during the 17th century naturally influenced the legal system in New France.

This topic was covered in an issue of the Revue d’histoire de la Nouvelle-France, a publication dedicated to the history of New France, to which Martel contributed. In it, it’s explained that the French legal system had a higher burden of proof than the New England legal system. Unlike in the British colonies, people suspected of witchcraft in New France weren’t at the mercy of a naive jury.

Starting in 1624, people that were convicted of witchcraft automatically had the right to appeal the decision – and very few convictions were upheld.

Then, in 1682, Louis XIV, king of France, decriminalized witchcraft, declaring that those who pretend to be witches or who conspire with the devil are guilty of lying or blasphemy.

Impotence and witchcraft

One particularly serious witchcraft accusation involved a curse called the “nouement de l’aiguillette”, translated literally as “the knotting of the cord”. This witchcraft practice involved tying knots in a cord while reciting an incantation to prevent a couple from having kids.

“The ‘nouement de l’aiguillette’ was a frequent practice in French peasant communities and even in cities,” states Martel. He notes that sexual impotence was “a great fear in the 17th century”.

One of the most famous cases in New France dates back to 1658. A miller named René Besnard was suspected of using the curse to prevent a couple from starting a family. Although it’s unclear if he was formally accused of witchcraft, he was interrogated by the first civil and criminal judge of Ville-Marie (present-day Montreal), the city clerk and notary, and none other than governor Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve.

The outcome? Besnard was forced to leave town. In August 1660, the Apostolic Vicar of New France, François de Laval, cancelled the affected couple’s marriage because of the husband’s “perpetual impotence caused by a curse”.

This case led to the couple (un)tying the knot – no pun intended! Both ex-spouses later remarried and went on to have many kids.

The interview with Stéphan Martel was conducted in French. All quotes in this text have been translated into English.