When Rebeccah Nurse was accused of witchcraft, a petition in her defense was signed by 39 of her neighbors, including Edward and Hannah Bishop (spelled Edward Besop Sr and Hana Besop on the petition). Since Hannah was able to sign the petition presented in a document at the trials, she was therefore still alive in 1692; and Edward Sr. could not have been married to Bridget at the same time. It is unlikely that the signature belonged to his daughter Hannah as she was then married and would have been known by her married name.[3]