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Around 1628 Anne Greene was born in Steeple Barton, Oxfordshire.
Before 14th December 1650 Anne Greene (age 22) worked as a servant for Thomas Reade (age 75).
On 14th December 1650 Anne Greene (age 22) was hanged for having committed infanticide at Oxford Castle. She was cut down and given to University of Oxford physicians William Petty (age 27) and Thomas Willis for dissection. She revived the following day, given a reprieve, believing that the hand of God had saved her. That Thomas Reade (age 75) died six days after the attempted execution was also considered a sign of her innocence.
A Declaration from Oxford. A Declaration from Oxford, of Anne Green (age 23), A young woman that was lately, and unjustly hanged in the Castle-yard; but since recovered, her neck set strait, and her eyes fixed orderly and firmly in her head again: With her Speech touching four Angels that appeared to her when she was dead; and their strange expressions, apparations, and passages that happened thereupon, the like never heard of before: Being a more full and perfect Relation of the great handiwork of God to the said Anne Green, Servant to Sir Tho. Read, who being got with Child, and delivered of it in a house of Office, dead born, received an unjust sentence to be hanged, and after half an hour, was cut down, and carried to the Colledge of Phys [...]tians, where all the learned Doctors and Chyrurgions met to anatomize her; but taking her out of the Coffin, and laying her on a Table, she began to st [...]r; whereupon Dr. Petty (age 27) & others, caused a warm bed to be prepared for her; and after 14 hours, she came to her self, uttering these words, Behold Gods providence, in raising me from death to life: With an excellent Prayer used by her morning, noon, and night, fit to be read in all Families, throughout England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales: Whereunto is annexed another strange Wonder from Ashburn in Darbishire, shewing how a young Woman dying in Child-bed, was buried, and delivered of a young Son in the grave, the strange things that befell thereupon, at the taking her out again.
LONDON, Printed by J. Clowes. 1651.
Wonder of Wonders. A Wonder of Wonders. BEING A faithful Narrative and true Relation, of one Anne Green (age 23), Servant to Sir Tho. Reed in Oxfordshire, who being got with Child by a Gentleman, her Child falling from her in the house or Office, being but a span long, and dead born, was condemned on the 14. of December last, and hanged in the Castle-yard in Oxford, for the space of half an hour, receiving many great and heavy blowes on the brests, by the but end of the Souldiers Muskets, and being pul'd down by the leggs, and was afterwards beg'd for an Anatomy, by the Physicians, and carried to Mr. Clarkes house, an Apothecary, where in the presence of many learned Chyrurgions, she breathed, and began to stir; insomuch, that Dr. Petty (age 27) caused a warm bed to be prepared for her, let her blood, and applyed Oyls to her, so that in 14 hours she recovered, and the first words she spake were these; Behold Gods Providence! Behold his miraculous and loving kindness! VVith the manner of her Tryal, her Speech and Confession at the Gallowes; and a Declaration of the Souldiery touching her recovery▪ Witnessed by Dr. Petty, and Licensed according to Order. 13th January 1651.
Around 1665 Anne Greene (age 37) died. See John Evelyn's Diary 22nd March 1675: "she living fifteen years after [the hanging]".
John Evelyn's Diary. 22nd March 1675. Supped at Sir William Petty's (age 51), with the Bishop of Salisbury, and divers honorable persons. We had a noble entertainment in a house gloriously furnished; the master and mistress (age 39) of it were extraordinary persons. Sir William was the son of a mean man somewhere in Sussex, and sent from school to Oxford, where he studied Philosophy, but was most eminent in Mathematics and Mechanics; proceeded Doctor of Physic, and was grown famous, as for his learning so for his recovering a poor wench [Anne Greene] that had been hanged for felony; and her body having been begged (as the custom is) for the anatomy lecture, he bled her, put her to bed to a warm woman, and, with spirits and other means, restored her to life. The young scholars joined and made a little portion, and married her to a man who had several children by her, she living fifteen years after, as I have been assured. Sir William came from Oxford to be tutor to a neighbour of mine; thence, when the rebels were dividing their conquests in Ireland, he was employed by them to measure and set out the land, which he did on an easy contract, so much per acre. This he effected so exactly, that it not only furnished him with a great sum of money; but enabled him to purchase an estate worth £4,000 a year. He afterward married the daughter of Sir Hardress Waller; she was an extraordinary wit as well as beauty, and a prudent woman.