Draft:Mayken Tooris

{{Short description|Victim of witch persecution in the Spanish Netherlands (1594-1652)}}

{{Draft topics|women|western-europe|history}}

{{AfC topic|bdp}}

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{{Infobox person

| name = Mayken Tooris

| birth_date = 1594

| nickname = Nassel

| birth_place = Nieuwpoort, Spanish Netherlands

| death_date = {{Death date and given age|1652|2|10|58|df=y}}

| death_place = Nieuwpoort, Spanish Netherlands

| known_for = Victim of witch trials

| occupation = Shrimp vendor{{Cite news |title=De buurvrouw staat in brand |url=https://www.standaard.be/binnenland/de-buurvrouw-staat-in-brand/44930297.html |work=De Standaard|date=3 July 2012|language=nl|access-date=13 May 2025}}

}}

Mayken Tooris also known as Nassel (1594 – 10 February 1652) was a shrimp vendor from Nieuwpoort who was executed during the witch trials in Europe. She was accused of witchcraft and confessed under duress to having lived with the devil for nineteen years.Fernand Vanhemelryck, Het gevecht met de duivel, Heksen in Vlaanderen, Davidsfonds Leuven, 1999, 338 p. ISBN 90 5826 031 3

Tooris was married to Pieter Carton but left him. She was friends with {{ill|Jeanne Panne|nl|Jeanne Panne (persoon)}}, who was executed two years before her.

Tooris claimed that the devil, whom she called Geernaertje, first appeared to her at the age of twenty in the form of a sixteen-year-old boy dressed as a fisherman. In return for a basket of shrimp, she gave him her soul and received a diabolical mark under her right breast. She lived with him as man and wife, despite his foul odor, and had sexual relations with him that the court described as "abominable" and "against female decency".{{Cite book |title=De heksen en hun buren {{!}} 3: De criminele justitie in nieuwpoort in de eerste helft van de 17de eeuw|url=https://www.studeersnel.nl/nl/document/erasmus-universiteit-rotterdam/grondslagen-van-de-criminologie/monballyu-de-heksen-en-hun-buren/68997589 |via=Studeersnel of Erasmus Universiteit}}{{Cite journal |title=Kronieken van de Westhoek |url=https://www.dekroniekenvandewesthoek.be/12060-2/ |journal=De Kronieken van de Westhoek|date=2020|issue=10|access-date=13 May 2025|language=nl}}

According to testimony, Mayken flew through the city at night, danced with other witches and demons on the Castle grounds of Nieuwpoort, and bewitched townspeople by poisoning wine and giving cursed fruit. She was also accused of transforming into a crow and sinking fishermen’s boats at sea alongside her demonic companion.{{Cite web |title=Over fluiten en trommels en heksenprocessen {{!}} 10 februari 1652: Mayken Tooris uit Nieuwpoort|url=https://www.vaantjesboer.be/armandsermon/deluuper%20van%20Halle/2004%202%20luuper/6%20Over%20heksen%20en%20heiligen.htm |website=Vaantjesboer|access-date=13 May 2025|language=nl}}

She was convicted of witchcraft by the magistrates of Nieuwpoort and executed by burning on 10 February 1652 at the age of 58 years old.