Trial of Jeanne Catherine

Sara Beam is a professor of History at the University of Victoria.

• List of Illustrationsa. City of Genevab. Map of the Centre of the Cityc. Map of Region around Geneva including the Village of Laconnexd. Birthing Room with Midwifee. Sample Manuscript from the TrialIntroduction1. Historical BackgroundJeanne Catherine ThomassetProtestant Republic of GenevaLaconnexCourt Officers and Criminal ProceduresProving a Crime: Torture and PunishmentGood Mothers and Bad MothersProsecuting Poisoning and Infanticide2. Understanding the TextThe Archival SourceNotes on the Translation3. List of Important Characters4. Glossary5. The Trial  May 6, 1686: Report of auditeur Humbert May 6, 1686: Statement of Jeanne Thomasset May 6, 1686: First Interrogation of Jeanne Thomasset after Arrest May 7, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council   May 7, 1686:  Interrogation of Abraham Clerc May 7, 1686: Interrogation of Pierre Quiby May 7, 1686: Testimony of Jeanne Vautier May 7–17, 1686: Witness Testimony Collected at LaconnexMay 7, 1686: Second Interrogation of Jeanne Thomasset  May 8, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council May 8, 1686: Report of auditeur Bagueret  March 4, 1685: Letter Written by Jeanne Catherine Thomasset April 13, 1685: Letter Written by Samuel Thomasset May 8, 1686: Third Interrogation of Jeanne Catherine Thomasset May 10, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council May 10, 1686: Fourth Interrogation of Jeanne Catherine Thomasset May 10, 1686: Interrogation of Louise DucréMay 10, 1686: Interrogation of Jeanne Marie Favre May 10, 1686: Interrogation of Pierre Favre of Avully May 10, 1686: Confrontation between Louise Ducré and Jeanne Catherine Thomasset May 11, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilMay 11, 1686: Fifth Interrogation of Jeanne Catherine Thomasset May 14, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council May 15, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council May 15, 1686: Sixth Interrogation of Jeanne Catherine Thomasset (with torture)May 17, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilMay 17, 1686: Seventh Interrogation of Jeanne Catherine Thomasset (with torture) May 17, 1686: Deposition of châtelain SarasinMay 17, 1686: Reports of Physicians and SurgeonsMay 17, 1686: Testimony of Daniel de la Flechère  May 18, 1686: Testimony of Jeanne VautierMay 19, 1686: Eighth Interrogation of Jeanne Catherine Thomasset (with torture)May 22, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilMay 24, 1686: Letter Written by Jean François Thomasset and Other Relatives May 24, 1686: Letter from the Bailiff of Nyon, Nicolas Steiguer May 24, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilMay 24, 1686: Report regarding Evidence of Powder Found inside the Corpses of the Two Dead ChildrenUndated Invoice Submitted by the Two SurgeonsUndated Invoice Submitted by the Two Physicians  May 24, 1686: Ninth Interrogation of Jeanne Catherine Thomasset  May 24, 1686: Declaration of Surgeons regarding the Death of Samuel Thomasset May 25, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council May 26, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council May 28, 1686: Letter Written by Jean François Thomasset and Other Relatives May 28, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilJune 2, 1686: Letter Written by Romier Laisné, a Relative of Jeanne Catherine  July 5, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council July 16, 1686: Summary of the Trial against Jeanne Catherine Thomasset  July 18, 1686: Letter from Romier Laisné July 19, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilJuly 23, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilLate July 1686: Letter Written by Jean François Thomasset July 23–24, 1686: Four Letters Exchanged between the Bailiff of Nyon and the Small Council July 24, 1686: Deliberations of the Small Council July 26, 1686: Final Sentence against Jeanne Catherine ThomassetJuly 26, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilJuly 26, 1686: Report of auditeurs Perdriau and Master of the Keys July 27, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilJuly 27, 1686: Report of the Ministers Who Heard Jeanne Catherine’s Final ConfessionJuly 31, 1686: Deliberations of the Small CouncilJuly 31, 1686: Testimony of Pierre SeureReferences

"The real value of this book lies in the transcription, as translated by Beam, who is to be commended for bringing it into print. It offers rare insight into the thinking processes of people involved in a criminal trial three and a half centuries ago, as well as glimpses of the lives of real people trying to represent themselves honestly, or to their own advantage, before the law."- John Lepage (The Ormsby Review)