The Dorothy Talbye Case

By Crusader1307

An unusual Case in that early 17th Century AD – Dorothy Talbye was convicted of being ''possessed by The Devil'', but more than likely was an early example of a mentally disturbed person being held up as as such. Psychology – even in it's rudimentary form, was unknown. But this theory is taken from ''modern views'' and NOT that of superstitious religious ones. Dorothy lived in Massachusetts Bay Colony (America). She was a ''devout'' Christian and never missed Services. A ''Goodly Woman'', Dorothy began in 1637 exhibiting ''signs'' of ''distress at sleep, nervousness and an overall change in Her behavior and attitude''. She fought with Her Husband (often violently). Dorothy would later claim She ''saw strange images in Her Dreams'' often dealing with ''Demons''. One day, She claimed that Her fights with Her Husband, as revealed to Her by ''God'', were because it as ''The Devil'' who had ''invaded Him and wanted to kill Her and Her Children''. The Church did not see it this way, and despite their ''prayers'', Dorothy did not seem to recant Her belief. She was ''cast out'' for Her ''visions''. Later that year, Dorothy was reported to have begun to become ''calmer'' and ''more like Herself''. That was until Dorothy strangled Her Daughter to death. Declared ''possessed of The Devil, Dorothy was sentenced to be ''hung by the neck until dead''. So performed, it was said that even while hanging, Dorothy removed the cloth placed over Her face and tucked it into the crease were the rope and Her neck was, so as to ''lessen Her pain''. She stayed that way for nearly 20-minutes until declared dead. In the years that followed, many Colonial Lawyers studied Her Case. With knowledge of mental disorders becoming known, and not ''conceived of The Devil'', many concluded that poor Dorothy suffered from some sort of ''mental breakdown'' which led to Her ''unorthodox behavior'' and eventual ''murderous ways''. The Case would serve as foundation for some of Massachusetts earliest ''Mental Health Laws''.