Little is known about Maggi Hir. She is said to have lived in Llangadog, Carmarthenshire and was known as a ‘charmer’ ( a person believed to possess healing or supernatural powers). In his book A History of Magic and Witchcraft in Wales,* Richard Suggett reveals  how Maggi, in showing concern for a friend, ended up accused and prosecuted for witchcraft.

One of the alleged ‘signs’ of being a witch in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, was to lend support to any woman that had been beaten by her husband as this showed a disregard for men in the social or marital hierarchy. Gwenllian Owen met Maggi one day as was asked ‘what ailed her that her face was blacke and blewe’? Gwenllian confirmed that her husband had ‘in some measure abused her’ and Maggi promised to help. She requested a ‘bandstringe or pointe’ from his codpiece (representing masculinity), and promised to ensure ‘an end’ to Lewis Walter. In this era of witch hunts, superstition and conformity, this terrified Gwenllian and she replied: ‘Noe, thou shalt have none from me for my husband is father of 6 children, and I pray God to keepe him in health’.

Gwenllian subsequently accepted a handful of linseed as a charm from Maggi, with instructions to scatter it a crossroads near her house. Gwenllian was said to have scattered the seed incorrectly and stood too close to the charm, to which Maggi exclaimed ‘thou hast spoyled thy selfe’ as Gwenllian was struck by a pain in her foot. This again caused terror and remorse and led Gwenllian to repent: ‘God blesse me from thee (Maggi), I see they wayes are not right, I will have nothinge more to doe with thee’. She later went on to give evidence against Maggi at her trial for witchcraft.

Other ‘witnesses’ claimed that Maggi had shown them a ‘little image made of wood or wax which was full of small holes’ and that ‘great pain’ had coincided with Maggi borrowing four yards of hair lace, which only subsided when it was returned. It was also alleged that this had been ‘strangely plaited and pricked full of small holes’*, which is perhaps indicative of the accuser’s genuine grievance.

Ychydig iawn a wyddom am Maggi Hir. Dywedir ei bod wedi byw yn Llangadog, Sir Gaerfyrddin, ac roedd yn cael ei hadnabod fel ‘swynwr’ (person y credir ei bod yn meddu ar bwerau iachâu neu oruwchnaturiol). Yn ei lyfr A History of Magic and Witchcraft in Wales,* mae Richard Suggett yn datgelu sut yr oedd Maggi, wrth ddangos pryder am ffrind, wedi’i chyhuddo a’i herlyn am ddewiniaeth. 

Un o’r ‘arwyddion’ honedig o fod yn wrach yn yr unfed a’r ail ganrif ar bymtheg oedd rhoi cymorth i unrhyw fenyw oedd wedi’i churo gan ei gŵr gan fod hynny’n sarhad i ddynion yn yr hierarchaeth gymdeithasol neu briodasol. Cyfarfu Gwenllian Owen â Maggi un diwrnod a gofynnwyd iddi ‘beth ddigwyddodd iddi bod ei hwyneb yn ddu las’? Cadarnhaodd Gwenllian bod ei gŵr ‘wedi ei cham-drin yn wael’ ac addawodd Maggi helpu. Gofynnodd am ‘y llinynnau oedd yn clymu pwrs ei gopis neu’r pwrs ei hun’ (oedd yn cynrychioli gwrywdod), ac addawodd sicrhau ‘diwedd’ i Lewis Walter. Yn yr oes hon o erlid gwrachod, ofergoeliaeth a chydymffurfiaeth, roedd hyn wedi dychryn Gwenllian ac atebodd: ‘Na, ni wnaf roi unrhyw beth i chi gan bod fy ngŵr yn dad i 6 o blant, ac rwy’n gweddïo ar Dduw i’w gadw’n iach‘.

Yn dilyn hynny, derbyniodd Gwenllian lond llaw o had llin fel swyn gan Maggi, gyda chyfarwyddiadau i’w wasgaru ar groesffordd ger ei thŷ. Dywedwyd bod Gwenllian wedi gwasgaru’r had yn anghywir ac wedi sefyll yn rhy agos at y swyn, ac ymateb Maggi i hyn oedd ‘ti wedi gwneud y niwed i ti dy hunan’ wrth i Gwenllian gael ei tharo gan boen difrifol yn ei throed. Achosodd hyn ddychryn ac edifeirio gan arwain Gwenllian i edifarhau: ‘Duw â’m gwaredo oddi wrthych (Maggi), gwelaf nad yw eich ffyrdd yn gyfiawn, ni fyddaf yn gwneud dim byd mwy â chi’. Yn ddiweddarach, aeth ymlaen i roi tystiolaeth yn erbyn Maggi yn yr achos llys yn ei herbyn am ddewiniaeth.

Honnodd ‘tystion’ eraill fod Maggi wedi dangos iddynt ‘ddelwedd fach wedi’i gwneud o bren neu gwyr oedd yn llawn tyllau bach’ a’u bod wedi dioddef ‘poen mawr’ wrth i Maggi fenthyca pedair llath o les gwallt, ac na liniarodd y boen hyd nes bo’r les gwallt wedi’i ddychwelyd. Honnwyd hefyd bod y les gwallt wedi’i ‘blethu’n rhyfedd a’i bigo’n llawn o dyllau bach’*, sydd o bosibl yn cadarnhau’r achos yn ei herbyn.