and we 〈◊〉 pray that we may be considered candidly and aright by the living â—â—â—â—rers as being then under the power of a strong and general 〈◊〉 utterly unacquainted with and not experienced in matters of that Nature We do heartily ask forgiveness of you all whom we have justly offended and do declare according to our prâ—sent minds we would none of us do such things again on such grounds for the whole World praying you to accept of this in way of Satisfaction for our Offence and that you would bless the Inheritance of the Lord that he may be intreated for the Land Foreman Thomas Fisk William Fisk John Batcheler Thomas Fisk Iunior John Dane Joseph Evelith Thomas Perly Senior John Pebody Thomas Perkins Samuel Sayer Andrew Elliott Henry Herrick Senior POSTSCRIPT Since the making the foregoing Collections of Letters to the Reverend Mr. Cotton Mather and others c. which as yet remain unanswered a Book is come to hand Intituled THE Life of Sir William Phips Printed in London 1697 Which Book tho it bears not the Authors name yet the Stile manner and matter is such that were there no other demonstration or token to know him by it were no Witchcraft to determine that the said Mr. C. M. is the Author of it But that he that has encountred Enchantments and gone thro the Wonders of the Invisible World and discovered the Devil that he should step aside into a Remote Country to put on Invisibility Tho the reason of this be not so manifest yet it may be thought to be to gratifie some peculiar fancies and why may not this be one that he might with the better grace extol the Actions of Mr. Mather as Agent in England or as President of Harvard College not forgetting his own As to Sir William it will be generally acknowledged that notwithstanding the meanness of his Parentage and Education he attain'd to be Master of a Ship and that he had the good hap to find a Spanish Wreck not only sufficient to repair his Fortunes but to raise him to a considerable Figure which King Iames did so far accommodate as to make him a Knight And that after this in the Reign of his Present Maâ—â—â—â—â— he took up with those of the Agents that were for accepting the New Câ—arter hereby himself became Governour It is not doubted but that he aimed at the good of the People 〈◊〉 great Pitty it is that his Government was so fullied for want of better Information and Advice from those whose duty it was to have given â—t by that Hâ—bgeblin Monster Witchcraft whereby this Countrey was Night-Mar'd and harrast at such a rate as is not easily imagined After which some complaints going to England about Male Administration in the least matters comparatively yet were such that he was call'd home to give account thereof where he soon after expired so finishing his Life and Government together Death having thus drawn the Curtain forbidding any further Scene it might have been prudence to let his dust remain without disturbance But the said Book endeavouring to raise a Statue to him i.e. to ascribe to him such Achievements as either were never performed by him or else unduly aggravated this has opened the Mouth both of Friends and Enemies to recount the mistakes in the said Book as also those miscarriages wherewith Sir William was chargeâ—ble such as had it not been for this Book had been buried with him In P. 3. search is made over the World to whom to compare him in his Advancement and most unhappily Pizarro is pitched upon as a match for him who was a Bastard dropt in a Church-Porch put to Suck of a Sow and being grown ran away and Shipt himself for America there so prospered as to Command an Army and therewith did mighty things particularly took Attaballipa one of the Kings of Peru Prisoner and having received for his Ransom in Gold and Silver to the value of Ten Millions perfidiously put him to Death and was the Death of no Man knows how many Thousands of Innocents and is certainly one of the worst that could have been pitch'd upon for such comparison Tho this together with the Rhetorical flourishes and affected strains therein are instances of the Authors variety of Learning for which he is recommended by these Three Venerable Person in the entrance to the said Book Yet the Integrity Prudonce and Veracity thereof is not so manifestly to be seen Passing over a multitude of Misrepresentations that are therein relating to the Acts of Sir William as not designing to rake in the Grave of the Dead Who is it can see the Veracity of those words P. 40. He lay within Pistol-Shot of the Enemies Cannon and beat them from thence and much batter'd the Town having his Ship shoâ— thro in an hundred places with Four and twenty Pounders When in the Judgment of those present they were not nearer to the Enemy than about half or three quarters of a Mile that there might be in all about Seven Shot that struck the Hull of the Vessel none of them known to be bigger than 18 Pounders the Enemy having but one Gun that could carry so big as an 18 pound Ball. It were a fondness after such assertions to take any notice of this bedeck'd Statue when there was so much the less need of erecting one as is asserted P. 108. having already been done so well that even this Author himself despairs of doing it better and that by one a Man of such diffused and Embalm'd a Reputation as that his Commendations are asserted to be enough to Immortalize the Reputation of Sir William or whomsoever else he should please to bestow them upon viz. That Reverend person who was the President of the only University then in the English America P. 109. Which by the way is a much fairer Statue in honour of the President of the University than that erected for Sir William For notwithstanding all this noise of Erecting Statues and the great danger in plucking them down c. yet in P. 89. 't is said that even Sir William shewed Choler enough leaving it open for others thereby to understand that he was wholly given over to Passion and Choler And in P. 92. 't is said he did not affect any mighty shew of Devotion these expressions with others may prevail with the unbiast Reader to think that these builders of Statues had some further design in it than to blazen the Achievements of Sir William Phips viz. To set forth Mr. I. Mathers Negotiation in England his procuring the New-Charter for Sir William to be Governour and himself Establish'd President of the College are the things principally driven at in the Book Another principal thing is to set forth the supposed Witchcrafts in New-England and how well Mr. Mather the Younger therein acquitted himself As to the New Charter for the right understanding that Affair it will be needful to say that the People that afterwards settled in New
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
Mr. Parris by the good hand of God brought unto a better sense of things hath so fully exprest it that a Christian charity may and should receive satisfaction therewith 2. In as much as diverse Christian Brethren in the Church of Salem Village have been offended at Mr. Parris for his conduct in the time of their difficulties which have distressed them we now advise them Charitably to accept the satisfaction which he hath tendered in his Christian acknowledgment of the Errors therein committed yea to endeavour as far as it is possible the fullest reconciliation of their minds unto communion with him in the whole Exercise of his Ministry and with the rest of the Church Matth. 6.12 14. Luke 17.3 Iames 5.16 3. Considering the extream tryals and troubles which the dissatisfied Brethren in the Church of Salem Village have undergone in the day of sore temptation which hath been upon them we cannot but advise the Church to treat them with bowels of much compassion instead of all more critical or rigorous proceedings against them for the Infimities discovered by them in such an heart breaking day and if after a patient waiting for it the said Brethren cannot so far overcome the uneasiness of their Spirits in the remembrance of the disasters that have hapned as to sit under his Ministry we advise the Church with all tenderness to grant them admission to any other Society of the Faithful whereunto they may be desired to be dismist Gal. 6.1 2. Psal. 103.13 14. Iob 19.21 4. Mr. Parris having as we understand with much fidelity and integrity acquitted himself in the main course of his Ministry since he hath been Pastor of the Church of Salem Village about his first call whereunto we look upon all contestations now to be both unreasonable and unseasonable And our Lord having made him a blessing to the Souls of not a few both old and young in this place we advise that he be accordingly respected honour'd and supported with all the regards that are due to a painful Minister of the Gospel 1 Thes. 5.12 13. 1 Tim. 5.17 5. Having observed that there is in Salem Village a Spirit full of contention and animosity too sadly verifying the blemish which hath heretofore lain upon them And that some complaints against Mr. Parris have been either causeless or groundless or unduly aggravated we do in the name and fear of the Lord solemnly warn them to consider whether if they continue to devour one another it will not be bitterness in the latteâ— end and beware lest the Lord be provoked thereby utterly to deprive them of those which they should count their precious and pleasant things and abandon them to all the desolations of a People that sin away the Mercies of the Gospel Iames 3.16 Gal. 5.15 2 Sam. 2.26 Isa. 5.45 Mat. 21.43 6. If the Distempers in Salem Village should be which God forbid so incurable that Mr. Parris after all find that he cannot with any comfort and service continue in his present Station his removal from thence will not expose him to any hard Character with us nor we hope with the rest of the People of God among whom we live Mat. 10.14 Acts 22.18 All which advice we follow with our Prayers that the God of Peace would bruse Satan under our Feet now the Lord of Peace himself give you Peace always by all means Ios. Bridgham Samuel Chickley William Tory Ios. Boynton Richard Middlecutt Iohn Walley Ier. Dummer Neh. Iewitt Ephr. Hunt Nath. Williams Incr. Mather Samuel Phillips Iames Allen Samuel Tory Samuel Willard Edward Paison Cotton Mather To the Reverend Elders of the Three Churches of Christ at Boston with others the Elders and Brethren of other Churches late of a Council at Salem Village WE whose Names are hereunto Subscribed are bold once more to trouble you with our humble Proposals That whereas there has been long and uncomfortable differences among us chiefly relating to Mr. Parris and we having as we apprehend attended all probable means for acomposure of our troubles and whereas we had hopes of an happy Issue by your endeavours among us but now are utterly frustrated of our Expectations and that instead of uniting our rent is made worse and our breach made wider We humbly Query Whether your selves being streightned of time might not omit such satisfactory liberty of debating the whole of our Controversie whereby your selves had not so large an opportunity of understanding the Case nor the offended so much reason to be satisfied in your advice We therefore humbly propose and give full liberty of proving and defending of what may be charged on either hand leaving it to your selves to appoint both time and place 1. That if your selves please to take the trouble with patience once more to hear the whole Case 2. Or that you will more plainly advise Mr. Parris the Case being so circumstanced that he cannot with comfort or profit to himself or others abide in the Work of the Ministry among us to cease his labours and seek to dispose himself elsewhere as God in his Providence may direct and that your selves would please to help us in advising to such a choice wherein we may be more unanimous which we hope would tend much to a composure of our differences 3. Or that we may without any offence take the liberty of calling some other approved Minister of the Gospel to Preach the word of God to us and ouâ—s and that we may not be denied our proportionable priviledge in our publick Disbursments in the place So leaving the whole case with the Lord and your selves we Subscribe our Names Signed by 16 young Men from 16 upwards and 52 Housholders and 18 Church-Members This was delivered to the Ministers May 3. 1695. The Copy of a Paper that was handed about touching those Differences AS to the contest between Mr. Parris and his Hearers c. it may be composed by a Satisfactory Answer to Levit. 20.6 And the Soul that turneth after such as have familiar Spirits and after Wizards to go a whoring after them I will even set my face against that Soul and will cut him off from among his People 1 Chron. 10.13 14. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kept not and also for asking Counsil of one that had a familiar Spirit to inquire of it And inquired not of the Lord therefore he slew him c. Some part of the Determination of the Elders and Messengers of the Churches met at Salem Village April 3. 1695. relating to the Differences there IF the Distemper in Salem Village should be which God forbid so incurable that Mr. Parris after all find that he cannot with any comfort and service continue in this present station his removal from thence will not expose him to any hard Character with us nor we hope with the rest of the People of God among whom we live Mat. 10.14 And
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
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