Barker Sarah Wilson Hannah Tiler It may here be furthâ—r added concerning those that did Confess that besides that powerful Argument of Life and freedom from hardships and Irons not only promised but also performed to all that owned their guilt There are numerous Instances too many to be here inserted of the redious Examinations before private persons many hours together they all that time urging them to Confess and taking turns to perswade them till the accused were wearied out by being forced to stand so long or for want of Sleep c. and so brought to give an Assent to what they said they then asking them Were you at such a Witch meeting or have you signed the Devil's Book c. upon their replying yes the whole was drawn into form as their Confession But that which did mightily further such Confessions was their nearest and dearest Relations urging them to it These seeing no other way of escape for them thought it the best advice that could be given hence it was that the Husbands of some by counsel often urging and utmost earnestness and Children upon their Knees intreating have at length prevailed with them to say they were guilty AS to the manner of Tryals and the Evidence taken for Convictions at Salem it is already set forth in Print by the Reverend Mr. Cotton Mather in his Wonders of the Invisible World at the Command of his Excellency Sir William Phips with not only the Recommendation but thanks of the Lieutenant Governour and with the Approbation of the Reverend Mr. I. M. in his Postscript to his Cases of Conscience which last Book was set forth by the consent of the Ministers in and near Boston Two of the Judges have also given their Sentiments in these words P. 147. The Reverend and worthy Author having at the direction of his Excellency the Governour so far obliged the Publick as to give some account of the sufferings brought upon the Countrey by Witchcrafts and of the Tryals which have passed upon several executed for the same Vpon perusal thereof We find the matters of Fact and Evidence truly reported and a prospect given of the Methods of Conviction used in the proceedings of the Court at Salem Boston October 11. 1692. William Stoughton Samuel Sewall And considering that this may fall into the hands of such as never saw those Wonders it may be needful to transcribe the whole account he has given thereof without any variation but with one of the Indictments annext to the Tryal of each which is thus prefaced P. 81 82 83. BUt I shall no longer detain my Reader from his expected entertainment in a brief account of the Tryals which have passed upon some of the Malefactors lately Executed at Salem for the Witchcrafts whereof they stood convicted For my own part I was not present at any of them nor ever had I any personal prejudice at the persons thus brought upon the Stage much less at the surviving Relations of those persons with and for whom I would be as hearâ—y a mourneâ— as any Man living in the World The Lord comfort them But having received a command so to do I can do no other than shortly relate the chief Matters of Fact which occurr'd in the Tryals of some that were Executed in an Abridgment collected out of the Court-Papers on this occasion put into my hands You are to take the truth just as it was and the truth will hurt no good Man There might have been more of these if my Book would not thereby have been swelled too big and if some other Worthy hands did not perhaps intend something further in these Collections for which cause I have only singled out four or five which may serve to Illustrate the way of dealing wherein Witchcrafts use to be concerned and I report matters not as an Advocate but as an Historian They were some of the Gracious words inserted in the Advice which many of the Neighbouring Ministers did this Summer humbly lay before our Honourable Judges We cannot but with all thankfulness acknowledge the success which the merciful God has given unto the Sedulous and Assiduous Endeavours of our Honourable Rulers to detect the Abominable Witchcrafts which have been committed in the Country Humbly praying that the discovery of those Mysterious and Mischievous wickednesses may be perfected If in the midst of the many Dissatisfactions among us the publication of these Tryals may promote such a Pious thankfulness unto God for Justice being so far executed among us I shall rejoyce that God is glorified and pray that no wrong steps of ours may ever sully any of his glorious works The Indictment of George Burroughs Essex ff Anno Regni Regis Reginae Willielmi Mariae nunâ— Angliae c. quarto THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen present That George Burroughs late of Falmouth in the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England Clerk The 9th Day of May in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the Faith c. And divers other days and times as well before as after certain detestable Arts called Witchcrafts and Sorceries Wickedly and Felloniously hath used practised and exercised at and within the Township of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and against one Mary Wolcott of Salem-Village in the County of Essex Single woman by which said wicked Arts the said Mary Wolcott the Ninth day of May in the fourth Year abovesaid and divers other days and times as well before as after was and is Tortured Afflicted Pined Consumed Wasted and Tormented against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen and against the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided Witnesses Mary Wolcott Sarah Vibber Mercy Lewis Ann Putnam Eliz. Hubbard Endorsed by the Grand-Jury Billa Vera. There was also a second Indictment for afflicting Elizabeth Hubbard the Witnesses to the said Indictment were Elizabeth Hubbard Mary Wolcott Ann Putnam The third Indictment was for afflicting Mercy Lewis the Witnesses the said Mercy Lewis Mary Wolcott Elizabeth Hubbard and Ann Putnam The fourth for acts of Witchcraft on Ann Putnam the Witnesses the said Ann Putnam Mary Wolcot Elizabeth Hubbard Mary Warren The Tryal of G. B. as Printed in Wonders of the Invisible World from P. 94. to 104. GLad should I have been if I had never known the name of this Man or never had this occasion to mention so much as the first Letters of his name But the Government requiring some Account of his Tryal to be inserted in this Book it becomes me with all obedience to submit unto the Order 1. This G. B. was Indicted for Witchcrafts and in the Prosecution of the Charge against him he was Accused by five or six of the Bewitched as the Author of their Miseries he was accused by Eight of
Gentleman gave him the Discourse in a Manuscript from whence he transcribed it 9. The Jury brought him in Guilty but when he came to dye he utterly deny'd the Fact whereof he had been thus Convicted The Indictment of Bridget Bishop Essex ff Anno Regni Regis Reginâ—e Willielmi Mariae nunc Angliae c. quarto THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen present That Bridget Bishop alias Oliver the Wife of Edward Bishop in Salem in the County of Essex Sawyer the Nineteenth day of April in the Fourth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the Faith c. and divers other days and times as well before as after certain detestable Arts called Witchcrafts and Sorceries wickedly and Felloniously hath used practiced and exercised at and within the Township of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and against one Mercy Lewis of Salem-Village in the County aforesaid single Woman by which said wicked Arts the said Mercy Lewis the said Nineteenth day of April in the Fourth Year abovesaid and divers other days and times as well before as after was and is Hurt Tortured Afflicted Pined Consumed Wasted and Tormented against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen and against the form of the Statute in that case made and provided Endorsed Billa Vera. Witnesses Mercy Lewis Nathaniel Ingarsoll Mr. Samuel Parris Thomas Putnam Junior Mary Walcott Junior Ann Putnam Junior Elizabeth Hubbard Abigail Williams There was also a Second Indictment on the said Bishop for afflicting and practising Witchcraft on Abigail Williams Witnesses to the said Indictment were the said Abigail Williams Mr. Parris Nathaniel Ingarsoll Thomas Putnam Ann Putnam Mary Walcott Elizabeth Hubbard The Third Indictment was for afflicting Mary Walcott Witnesses to which said Indictment were Mary Walcott Mercy Lewis Mr. Samuel Parris Nathaniel Ingarsoll Thomas Putnam Ann Putnam Elizabeth Hubbard Abigail Williams The Fourth Indictment was for afflicting Elizabeth Hubbard Witnesses to which said Indictment were the said Elizabeth Hubbard Mercy Lewis Mr. Parris Nathaniel Ingarsoll Thomas Putnam Ann Putnam Mary Walcott Abigail Williams The Fifth Indictment was for afflicting Ann Putnam Witnesses to which said Indictment were the said Ann Putnam Mr. Samuel Parris Nathaniel Ingarsoll Thomas Putnam Mercy Lewis Mary Wolcott Abigail Williams Elizabeth Hubbard The Tryal of Bridget Bishop as Printed In Wonders of Invisible World June 2. 1692. P. 104 to 114. 1. SHE was Indicted for bewitching of several persons in the Neighbourhood The Indictment being drawn up according to the form in such cases usual and pleading not guilty there were brought in several persons who had long undergone many kinds of miseries which were preternaturally inflicted and generally ascribed unto an horrible Witchcraft There was little occasion to prove the Witchcraft it being evident and notorious to all beholders Now to fix the Witchcraft on the Prisoner at the Bar the first thing used was the testimony of the bewitched whereof several testified that the shape of the Prisoner did oftentimes very grievously pinch them choak them bite them and afflict them urging them to write their names in a Book which the said Spectre call'd Ours One of them did further testifie that it was the shape of this Prisoner with another which one day took her from her Wheel and carrying her to the River side threatned there to drown her if she did not sign the Book mention'd which yet she refused Others of them did also testifie that the said shape did in her threats brag to them that she had been the death of sundry persons then by her named Another testified the Apparition of Ghosts unto the Spectre of Bishop crying out You murdered us About the truth whereof there was in the matter of Fact but too much suspicion 2. It was testified that at the Examination of the Prisoner before the Magistrates the bewitched were extreamly tortured If she did but cast her Eyes on them they were presently struck down and this in such a manner as there could be no collusion in the business But upon the touch of her hand upon them when they lay in their swoons they would immediately revive and not upon the touch of any ones else Moreover upon some special Actions of her Body as the shaking of her head or the turning of her Eyes they presently and painfully fell into the like postures And many of the like accidents now fell out while she was at the Bar. One at the same time testifying that she said She could not be troubled to see the Afflicted thus tormented 3. There was Testimony likewise brought in that a Man striking once at the place where a bewitched person said the shape of this Bishop stood the bewitched cryed out that he had tore her Coat in the place then particularly specified and the Womans Coat was found to be torn in the very place 4. One Deliverance Hobbs who had confessed her being a Witch was now tormented by the Spectres for her Confession And she now testified that this Bishop tempted her to sign the Book again and to deny what she had confess'd She affirmed that it was the shape of this Prisoner which whipped her with Iron Rods to compel her thereunto And she affirmed that this Bishop was at a General-meeting of the Witches in a Field at Salem Village and there partook of a Diabolical Sacrament in Bread and Wine then administred 5. To render it further unquestionable that the Prisoner at the Bar was the Person truly charged in this Witchcraft there were produced many Evidences of other Witchcrafts by her perpetrated For instance John Cook testified that about five or six Years ago one morning about Sun-Rise he was in his Chamber assaulted by the shape of this Prisoner which look'd on him grinn'd at him and very much hurt him with a blow on the side of the head and that on the same day about Noon the same shape walked in the Room where he was and an Apple strangely flew out of his hand into the lap of his Mother six or eight foot from him 6. Samuel Gray testify'd that about fourteen Years ago he wak'd on a Night and saw the Room where he lay full of light and that he then saw plainly a Woman between the Cradle and the Bed-side which looked upon him He rose and it vanished tho he found the Doors all fast Looking out at the Entry door he saw the same Woman in the same garb again and said In God's name what do you come for He went to Bed and had the same Woman again assaulting him The Child in the Cradle gave a great Sâ—treâ—ch and the Woman disappeared It was long before the Child could be quieted and tho it were a very likely thriving Child yet from this time it pined away and after divers Months died in a
his Father would grind her Grist for her He demanded why she replied because folks count me a Witch He answered no question but he will grind it for you being then gone about six Roods from her with a small load in his Cart suddainly the off Wheel slumpt and sunk down into an hole upon plain ground so that the Deponent was forced to get help for the recovering of the Wheel But stepping back to look for the hole which might give him this disaster there was none at all to be found Some time after he was waked in the Night but it seemed as light as day and he perfectly saw the shape of this Bishop in the Room troubling of him but upon her going out all was dark again He charg'd Bishop afterwards with it and she denied it not but was very angry Quickly after this Deponent having been threatned by Bishop as he was in a dark Night going to the Barn he was very suddainly taken or lifted from the ground and thrown against a Stone-wall after that he was again hoisted up and thrown down a bank at the end of his House After this again passing by this Bishop his Horse with a small load striving to draw all his Gears flew to pieces and the Cart fell down and this Deponent going then to lift a bag of Corn of about two Bushels could not budge it with all his might Many other pranks of this Bishops this Deponent was ready to testifie He also testified that he verily believed the said Bishop was the Instrument of his Daughter Priscilla's death of which suspicion pregnant reasons were assigned 12. To crown all Iohn Bly and William Bly testified that being imploy'd by Bridget Bishop to help take down the Cellar-wall of the old House wherein she formerly lived they did in holes of the said old Wall find several Poppets made up of Rags and Hogs Bristles with headless Pins in them the points being outward Whereof she could now give no Account unto the Court that was reasonable or tolerable 13. One thing that made against the Prisoner was her being evidently convicted of Gross lying in the Court several times while she was making her Plea But besides this a Jury of Women found a preternatural Tet upon her Body but upon a second search within three or four hours there was no such thing to be seen There was also an Account of other People whom this Woman had Afflicted And there might have been many more if they had been enquired for But there was no need of them 14. There was one very strange thing more with which the Court was newly entertained As this Woman was under a guard passing by the great and spacious Meeting House of Salem she gave a look towards the House and immediately a Dâ—emon invisibly entring the Meeting House Tore down a part of it so that tho there were no person to be seen there yet the People at the Noise running in found a board which was strongly fastned with several Nails transported unto another quarter of the House The Indictment of Susanna Martin Essex ff Anno Regni Regis Regine Willielmi Mariae nunc Angliae c. quarto THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen present That Susanna Martin of Amesbury in the County of Essex Widow The second Day of May in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the Faith c. And divers other days and times as well before as after certain detestable Arts called Witchcrafts and Sorceries Wickedly and Felloniously hath used practised and exercised at and within the Township of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and against one Mary Wolcott of Salem-Village in the County of Essex Single Woman by which said wicked Arts the said Mary Wolcott the Second Day of May in the fourth Year aforesaid and at divers other days and times as well before as after was and is Tortured Afflicted Pined Consumed Wasted and Tormented as also for sundry other Acts of Witchcraft by said Susanna Martin committed and done before and since that time against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary King and Queen of England Their Crown and Dignity and against the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided Return'd by the Grand-Jury Billa Vera. Witnesses Sarah Vibber Mary Wolcott Mr. Samuel Parris Elizabeth Hubbard Mercy Lewis The Second Indictment was for afflicting Mercy Lewis Witnesses Samuel Parris Ann Putnam Sarah Vibber Eliz. Hubbard Mary Wolcott Mercy Lewis The Tryal of Susanna Martin Iune 29. 1692. As is Printed In Wonders of Invisible World from P. 114 to P. 116. 1. Susanna Martin pleading not Guilty to the Indictment of Witchcrafts brought in against her there were produced the Evidences of many persons very sensibly and grievously bewitched who all complained of the Prisoner at the Bar as the person whom they believed the cause of their Miseries And now as well as in the other Trials there was an extraordinary endeavour by Witchcrafts with cruel and frequent Fits to hinder the poor Sufferers from giving in their Complaints which the Court was forced with much patience to obtain by much waiting and watching for it There was now also an Account given of what had passed at her first Examination before the Magistrates The cast of her Eye then striking the Afflicted People to the Ground whether they saw that cast or no There were these among other Passages between the Magistrates and the Examinate Magistrate Pray What ails these People Martin I don't know Magist. But What do you think ails them Martin I don't desire to spend my Judgment upon it Magist. Don't you think they are bewitched Martin No I do not think they are Magist. Tell us your thoughts about them then Martin No my thoughts are my own when they are in but when they are out they are anothers Their Master Magist. Their Master Who do you think is their Master Martin If they be dealing in the black Art you may know as well as I. Magist. Well what have you done towards this Martin Nothing at all Magist. Why 't is you or your appearance Martin I can't help it Magist. Is it not your Master How comes your appearance to hurt these Martin How do I know He that appeared in the shape of Samuel a Glorified Saint may appear in any ones shape It was then also noted in her as in others like her that if the Afflicted went to approach her they were flung down to the ground And when she was asked the reason of it she said I cannot tell it may be the Devil bears me more Malice than another The Court accounted themselves Alarm'd by these things to inquire further into the Conversation of the Prisoner and see what there might occur to render these Accusations further credible Whereupon
discover her self to be such an one Yet when she was asked what she had to say for her self her chief plea was that she had led a most vertuous and holy life The Indictment of Elizabeth How Essex ff Anno Regni Regis Regine Willielmi Mariae nunc Angliae c. quarto THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen present That Elizabeth How Wife of Iames How of Ipswich the Thirty first Day of May in the Fourth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the Faith c. and divers other days and times as well before as after certain detestable Arts called Witchcrafts and Sorceries wickedly and Felloniously hath used practiced and exercised at and within the Tounship of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and agaâ—nst one Mary Wolcott of Salem-Village in the County aforesaid single Woman by which said wicked Arts the said Mary Wolcott the said Thirty first Day of May in the Fourth Year as abovesaid and divers other days and times as well before as after was and is Tortured Afflicted Pined Consumed Wasted and Tormented and also for sundry other Acts of Witchcrafts by said Elizabeth How committed and done before and since that time against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen and against the form of the Statute in that case made and provided Witnesses Mary Wolcott Ann Putnam Abigail Williams Samuel Pearly and his Wife Ruth Ioseph Andrews and Wife Sarah Iohn Sherrin Ioseph Safford Francis Lane Lydia Fosier Isaac Cummins Junior There was also a second Indictment for afflicting of Mercy Lewis Witnesses Mercy Lewis Mary Wolcott Abigail Williams Ann Putnam Samuel Pearly and Wife Ioseph Andrews and Wife Iohn Sherrin Ioseph Safford Franis Lane Lydia Foster The Tryal of Elizabeth How Iune 30. 1692. As is Printed In Wonders of the Invisible World from P. 126. to P. 132 inclusively 1. Elizabeth How pleading not Guilty to the Indictment of Witchcrafts then charged upon her the Court according to the usual proceeding of the Courts in England in such Cases began with hearing the Deposition of several Afflicted People who were grievously tormentâ—d by sensible and evident Witchcrafts and all complained of the Prisoner as the cause of their trouble It was also found that the Suffers were not able to bear her look as likewise that in their greaâ—est â—woons they distinguished her touch from other Peoples being thereby raised out of them And there was other Testimony of People to whom the shape of this How gave trouble Nine or Ten Years ago 2. It has been a most usual thing for the bewitched persons at the same time that the Spectres representing the Witches Troubled them to be visited with Apparitions of Ghosts pretending to have been murdered by the Witches then represented And sometimes the confessions of the Witches afterwards acknowledged those very Murders which these Apparitions charged upon them altho they had never heard what Information had been given by the Sufferers There were such Apparitions of Ghosts testified by some of the present Sufferers and the Ghosts affirmed that this How had murdered them which things were fear'd but not proved 3. This How had made some attempts of Joining to the Church at Ipswich several Years ago but she was denied an Admission into that holy Society partly thro a suspicion of Witchcraft then urged against her And there now came in Testimony of preternatural Mischiefs presently befalling some that had been Instrumental to debar her from the Communion whereupon she was intruding 4. There was a particular Deposition of Ioseph Safford that his Wife had conceived an extream Aversion to this How on the reports of her Witchcrafts but How one day taking her by the hand and saying I believe you are not Ignorant of the great scandal that I lye under by an Evil report raised upon me She immediately unreasonably and unperswadeably even like one Inchanted began to take this Womans part How being soon after propounded as desiring an Admission to the Table of the Lord some of the Pious Brethren were unsatisfied about her The Elders appointed a meeting to hear matters objected against her and no arguments in the World could hinder this Goodwife Safford from going to the Lecture She did indeed promise with much ado that she would not go to the Church-meeting yet she could not refrain going thither also How 's affairs there were so canvased that she came off rather Guilty than cleared nevertheless Goodwife Safford could not forbear taking her by the Hand and saying Tho you are condemned before Men you are justified before God She was quickly taken in a very strange manner Franrick Raving Raging and crying out Goody How must come into the Church she is a precious Saint and tho she be condemned before Men she is justified before God So she continued for the space of two or three hours and then fell into a Trance But coming to her self she cried out Ha! I was mistaken and afterwards again repeated Ha! I was mistaken being asked by a slander by Wherein she replied I thought Goody How had been a precious Saint of God but now I see is a Witch she has bewitched me and my Child and we shall never be well till there be Testimony for her that she may be taken into the Church And How said afterwards That she was very sorry to see Safford at the Church-meeting mentioned Safford after this declared her self to be Afflicted by the shape of How and from that shape she endured many miseries 5. Iohn How Brother to the Husband of the Prisoner testified that he refusing to accompany the Prisoner unto her Examination as was by her desired immediately some of his Cattle were bewitched to Death leaping Three or four Foot high turning about squeaking falling and dying at once and going to cut off an Ear for an use that might as well perhaps have been omitted the Hand wherein he held his Knife was taken very Numb and so it remained and full of pain for several Days being not well at this very time And he suspected this Prisoner for the Author of it 6. Nehemiah Abbot testified that unusual and mischievous accidents would befall his Cattle whenever he had any difference with this Prisoner Once particularly she wished his Ox choaked and within a little while that Ox was choaked with a Turnip in his Throat At another time refusing to lend his Horse at the request of her Daughter the Horse was in a preternatural manner abused And several other odd things of that kind were testified 7. There came in Testimony that one Goodwife Sherwin upon some difference with How was bewitched and that she died charging this How of having an hand in her Death And that other People had their Barrels of Drink unaccountably mischiev'd spoiled and spilt upon their displeasing
of her The things in themselves were trivial but there being such a course of them it made them the more to be considered Among others Martha Wood gave her testimony that a little after her Father had been employed in gathering an account of this How 's Conversation they once and again lost great quantities of Drink out of their Vessels in such a manner as they could ascribe to nothing but Witchcraft As also that How giving her some Apples when she had eaten of them she was taken with a very strange kind of a maze in so much that she knew not what she said or did 8. There was likewise a Cluster of Depositions that one Isaac Cummings refusing to lend his Mare unto the Husband of this How the Mare was within a Day or two taken in a strange condition The beast seemed much abused being bruised as if she had been running over the Rocks and marked where the Bridle went as if burnt with a red hot Bridle Moreover one using a Pipe of Tobacco for the cure of the Beast a blew flame issued out of her took hold of he hair and not only spread and burnt on her but it also flew upwards towards the Roof of the Barn and had like to have set the Barn on fire And the Mare dy'd very suddenly 9. Timothy Perly and his Wife testified not only that unaccountable Mischiefs befel their Cattle upon their having of differences with this Prisoner but also that they had a Daughter destroyed by Witchcrafts which Daughter still charged How as the cause of her Affliction and it was noted that she would be struck down whenever How were spoken of She was often endeavoured to be thrown into the Fire and into the Water in her strange Fitts tho her Father had corrected for charging How with bewitching her yet as was testified by others also she said she was sure of it and must dye standing to it Accordingly she charged How to the very death and said Tho How could Afflict and Torment her Body yet she could not hurt her Soul and that the truth of this matter would appear when she should be dead and gone 10. Francis Lane testified that being hired by the Husband of this How to get him a parcel of Posts and Rails this Lane hired Iohn Pearly to assist him This Prisoner then told Lane that she believed the Posts and Rails would not do because Iohn Pearly helped him but that if he had got them alone without Iohn Pearly's help they might have done well enough When Iames How came to receive his Posts and Rails of Lane How taking them up by the Ends they tho good and sound yet unaccountably broke off so that Lane was forced to get Thirty or Forty more And this Prisoner being informed of it she said She told him so before because Pearly helpt about them 11. Afterwards there came in the Confessions of several other penitent Witches which affirmed this How to be one of those who with them had been baptized by the Devil in the River at Newberry-Falls before which he made them there kneel down by the Brink of the River and Worship him The Indictment of Martha Carryer Essex ff Anno Regni Regis Reginae Willielmi Mariae nunc Angliae c. quarto THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen present That Martha Carryer Wife of Thomas Carryer of Andover in the County of Essex Husbandman The Thirty first Day of May in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the Faith c. And divers other days and times as well before as after certain detestable Arts called Witchcrafts and Sorceries Wickedly and Felloniously hath used practised and exercised at and within the Town-ship of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and against one Mary Wolcott of Salem-Village Single Woman in the County of Essex aforesaid by which said wicked Arts the said Mary Wolcott the Thirty first Day of May in the fourth Year aforesaid and at divers other days and times as well before as after was and is Tortured Afflicted Pined Consumed Wasted and Tormented against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary King and Queen of England Their Crown and Dignity and against the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided Witnesses Mary Wolcott Elizabeth Hubbard Ann Putnam There was also a Second Indictment for afflicting of Eliz. Hubbard by Witchcraft Witnesses Elizabeth Hubbard Mary Wolcott Ann Putnam Mary Warrin The Tryal of Martha Carryer August 2. 1692. As may be seen in Wonders of the Invisible World from P. 132 to 138. 1. MArtha Carryer was Indicted for the bewitching of certain persons according to the form usual in such Cases Pleading not Guilty to her Indictment there were first brought in a considerable number of the Bewitched persons who not only made the Court sensible of an horrid Witchcraft committed upon them but also deposed That it was Martha Carryer or her shape that grievously tormented them by biting prâ—cking pinching and choaking them It was further-deposed that while this Carryer was on her Examination before the Magistrates the poor People were so tortured that every one expected their Death upon the very spot but that upon the binding of Carryer they were eased Moreover the looks of Carryer then laid the Afflicted People for dead and her Touch if her Eyes at the same time were off them raised them again Which things were also now seen upon her Tryal And it was testified that upon the mention of some having their Necks twisted almost round by the shape of this Carryer she replied It s no matter tho their Necks had been twisted quite off 2. Before the Tryal of this Prisoner several of her own Children had frankly and fully confessed not only that they were Witches themselves but that this their Mother had made them so This Confession they made with great shows of Repentance and with much Demonstration of Truth They related Place Time Occasion they gave an Account of Journeys Meetings and Mischiefs by them performed and were very credible in what they said Nevertheless this Evidence was not produced against the Prisoner at the Bar in as much as there was other Evidence enough to proceed upon 3. Benj. Abbot gave in his Testimony That last March was a Twelve Month this Carryer was very angry with him upon laying out some Land near her Husbands Her expressions in thâ—s Anger were That she would stick as close to Abbot as the Bark stuck to the Tree and that he should repent of it afore seven Years came to an end so as Doctor Prescot should never cure him These words were heard by others besides Abbot himself who also heard her say She would hold his Nose as close to the Grindstone as ever it was held since his name
there had could have taken but little rest that ' Night she was committed to Boston Prison but I obtained a Habeas Corpus to remove her to Cambridge Prison which is in our County of Midldesex Having been there one Night next Morning the Iaylor put Irons on her legs having received such a command the weight of them was about eight pounds these Irons and her other Afflictions soon brought her into Convulsion Fits so that I thought she would have died that Night I sent to intreat that the Irons might be taken off but all intreaties were in vain if it would have saved her Life so that in this condition she must continue The Tryals at Salem coming on I went thither to see how things were there managed and finding that the Spectre-Evidence was there received together with Idle if not malicious Stories against Peoples Lives I did easily perceive which way the rest would go for the same Evidence that served for one would serve for all the rest I acquainted her with her danger and that if she were carried to Salem to be tried I feared she would never return I did my utmost that she might have her Tryal in our own County I with several others Petitioning the Iudge for it and were put in hopes of it but I soon saw so much that I understood thereby it was not intended which put me upon consulting the means of her escape which thro the goodness of God was effected and she got to Road-Island but soon found her self not safe when there by reason of the pursuit after her from thence she went to New-York along with some others that had escaped their cruel hands where we found his Excellency Benjamin Fletcher Esq Governour who was very courteous to us After this some of my Goods were seized in a Friends hands with whom I had left them and my self imprisoned by the Sheriff and kept in Custody half a day and then dismist but to speak of their usage of the Prisoners and their Inhumanity shewn to them at the time of their Execution no sober Christian could bear they had also tryals of cruel mockings which is the more considering what a People for Religion I mean the profession of it we have been those that suffered being many of them Church-Members and most of them unspotted in their Conversation till their Adversary the Devil took up this Method for accusing them Per Jonathan Cary. May 31. Captain Iohn Aldin was Examined at Salem and Committed to Boston Prison the Prison-Keeper seeing such a Man Committed of whom he had a good esteem was after this the more Compassionate to those that were in Prison on the like account and did refrain from such hard things to the Prisoners as before he had used Mr. Aldin himself has given account of his Examination in these Words An Account how John Aldin Senior was dealt with at Salem-Village IOhn Aldin Senior of Boston in the County of Suffolk Marriner on the 28th Day of May 1692 was sent for by the Magistrates of Salem in the County of Essex upon the Accusation of a company of poor distracted or possessed Creatures or Witches and being sent by Mr. Stoughton arrived there the 31st of May and appeared at Salem Village before Mr. Gidney Mr. Hathorn and Mr. Curwin Those Wenches being present who plaid their jugling tricks falling down crying out and staring in Peoples Faces the Magistrates demanded of them several times who it was of all the People in the Room that hurt them one of these Accusers painted several times at one Captain Hill there present but spake nothing the same Accuser had a Man standing at her back to hold her up he stooped down to her Ear then she cried out Aldin Aldin afflicted her one of the Magistrates asked her if she had ever seen Aldin she answered no he asked how she knew it was Aldin She said the Man told her so Then all were ordered to go down into the Street where a Ring was made and the same Accuser cried out there stands Aldin a bold fellow with his Ha◠on before the Iudges be sells Powder and Shot to the Indians and French and lies with the Indian Squares and has Indian Papooses Then was Aldin committed to the Marshal's Custody and his Sword taken from him for they said he afflicted them with his Sword After some hours Aldin was sent for to the Meeting-house in the Village before the Magistrates who required Aldin to stand upon a Chair to the open view of all the People The Accusers cried out that Aldin did pinch them then when he stood upon the Chair in the sight of all the People a good way distant from them one of the Magistrates bid the Marshal to hold open Aldin's hands that he might not pinch those Creatures Aldin asked them why they should think that he should come to that Village to afflict those persons that he never knew or saw before Mr. Gidney bid Aldin confess and give glory to God Aldin said he hoped he should give glory to God and hoped he should never gratifie the Devil but appealed to all that ever knew him if they ever suspected him to be such a person and challenged any one that could bring in any thing upon their own knowledge that might give suspicion of his being such an one Mr. Gidney said he had known Aldin many Years and had been at Sea with him and always look'd upon him to be an honest Man but now he did see cause to alter his judgment Aldin answered he was sorry for that but he hoped God would clear up his Innocency that he would recall that judgment again and added that he hoped that he should with Job maintain his Integrity till he died They bid Aldin look upon the Accusers which he did and then they fell down Aldin asked Mr. Gidney whát Reason there could be given why Aldin's looking upon him did not strike him down as well but no reason was given that I heard But the Accusers were brought to Aldin to touch them and this touch they said made them well Aldin began to speak of the Providence of God in suffering these Creatures to accuse Innocent persons Mr. Noyes asked Aldin why he would offer to speak of the Providence of God God by his Providence said Mr. Noyes governs the World and keeps it in peace and so went on with Discourse and stopt Aldin's mouth as to that Aldin told Mr. Gidney that he could assure him that there was a lying Spirit in them for I can assure you that there is not a word of truth in all these say of me But Aldin was again committed to the Marshal and his Mittimus written which was as follows To Mr. Iohn Arnold Keeper of the Prison in Boston in the County of Suffolk WHereas Captain John Aldin of Boston Marriner and Sarah Rice Wife of Nicholas Rice of Reding Husbandman have been this day brought before us John Hathorn and Jonathan Curwin Esquires
being accused and suspected of perpetrating divers acts of Witchcraft contrary to the form of the Statue in that Case made and provided These are therefore in Their Majesties King William and Queen Marys Names to Will and require you to take into your Custody the bodies of the said John Aldin and Sarah Rice and them safely keep until they shall thence be delivered by due course of Law as you will answer the contrary at your peril and this shall be your sufficient Warrant Given under our hands at Salem Village the 31 st of May in the Fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord and Lady William and Mary now King and Queen over England c. Anno Dom. 1692. John Hathorn Assistants Jonathan Curwin Assistants To Boston Aldin was carried by a Constable no Bail would be taken for him but was delivered to the Prison-keeper where he remained Fifteen Weeks and then observing the manner of Tryals and Evidence then taken was at length prevailed with to make his Escape and being returned was bound over to Answer at the Superiour Court at Boston the last Tuesday in April Anno 1693. And was there cleared by Proclamation noâ—e appearing against him Per. John Aldin At Examination and at other times 't was usual for the Accusers to tell of the black Man or of a Spectre as being then on the Table c. The People about would strike with Swords or sticks at those places One Justice broke his Cane at this Exercise and sometimes the Accusers would say they struck the Spectre and it is reported several of the accused were hurt and wounded thereby though at home at the same time The Justices proceeding in these works of Examination and Commitment to the end of May there was by that time about a Hundred persons Imprisoned upon that Account Iune 2. A special Commission of Oyer and Terminer having been Issued out to Mr. Stoughton the New Lieutenant Governour Major Saltonstall Major Richards Major Gidny Mr. Wait Winthrop Captain Sewall and Mr. Sergeant These a Quorum of them sat at Salem this day where the most that was done this Week was the Tryal of one Bishop alias Oliver of Salem who having long undergone the repute of a Witch occasioned by the Accusations of one Samuel Gray he about 20 Years since having charged her with such Crimes and though upon his Death-bed he testified his sorrow and repentance for such Accusations as being wholly groundless yet the report taken up by his means continued and she being accused by those afflicted and upon search a Ter as they call it being found she was brought in guilty by the Jury she received her Sentence of Death and was Executed Iune 10. but made not the least Confession of any thing relating to Witchcraft Iune 15. Several Ministers in and near Boston having been to that end consulted by his Excellency exprest their minds to this effect viz. That they were affected with the deplorable state of the afflicted That they were thankful for the diligent care of the Rulers to detect the abominable Witchcrafts which have been committed in the Country praying for a perfect discovery thereof But advised to a cautious proceeding least many Evils insue c. And that tenderness be used towards those accused relating to matters presumptive and convictive and also to privacy in Examinations and to consult Mr. Perkins and Mr. Bernard what tests to make use of in the Scrutiny That Presumptions and Convictions ought to have better grounds than the Accusers affirming that they see such persons Spectres afflicting of them And that the Devil may afflict in the shape of good Men and that falling at the sight and risâ—ng at the touch of the Accused is no infallible proof of guilt That seeing the Devils strength consists in such Accusations our disbelieving them may be a means to put a period to the dreadful Calamities Nevertheless they humbly recommend to the Government the speedy and vigorous prosecution of such as have rendered themselves obnoxious according to the direction given in the Laws of God and the wholesome Statutes of the English Nation for the Detection of Witchcraft This is briefly the substance of what may be seen more at large in Cases of Conscience ult And one of them since taking occasion to repeat some part of this advice Wonders of the Invisible World p. 83. declares notwithstanding the Dissatisfaction of others that if his said Book may conduce to promote thankfulness to God for such Executions he shall rejoyce c. The 30 th of Iune the Court according to Adjournment again fat five more were tried viz. Sarah Good and Rebecca Nurse of Salem-Village Susanna Martin of Amsbury Elizabeth How of Ipswich and Sarah Wildes of Topsfield these were all condemned that Sessions and were all Executed on the 19th of Iuly At the Tryal of Sarah Good one of the afflicted fell in a Fit and after coming out of it she cried out of the Prisoner for stabing her in the breast with a Knife and that she had broken the Knife in stabbing of her accordingly a piece of the blade of a Knife was found about her Immediately information being given to the Court a young Man was called who produced a Haft and part of the Blade which the Court having viewed and compared saw it to be the same And upon inquiry the young Man affirmed that yesterday he happened to break that Knife and that he cast away the upper part this afflicted person being then present the young Man was dismist and she was bidden by the Court not to tell lyes and was improved after as she had been before to give Evidence against the Prisoners At Execution Mr. Noyes urged Sarah Good to Confess and told her she was a Witch and she knew she was a Witch to which she replied you are a lyer I am no more a Witch than you are a Wizard and if you take away my Life God will give you Blood to drink At the Tryal of Rebecka Nurse this was remarkable that the Jury brought in their Verdict not Guilty immediately all the accusers in the Court and suddenly after all the afflicted out of Court made an hideous out-cry to the amazement not only of the Spectators but the Court also seemed strangely surprized one of the Judges exprest himself not satisfied another of them as he was going off the Bench said they would have her Indicted anew The chief Judge said he would not Impose upon the Jury but intimated as if they had not well considered one Expression of the Prisoners when she was upon Tryal viz. That when one Hobbs who had confessed her self to be a Witch was brought into the Court to witness against her the Prisoner turning her head to her said What do you bring her she is one of us or to that effect this together with the Clamours of the Accusers induced the Jury to go out again after their Verdict not Guilty But not agreeing they came