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
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-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
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
others even with a touch of their Hand when strangled and otherways tortured and would endeavour to get to the Afflicted to relieve them thereby for hitherto they had not used the Experiment of bringing the Accused to touch the Afflicted in order to their Cure and could foretel one anothers Fits to be coming and would say look to such a one she will have a Fit presently and so it happened and that at the same time when the Accused person was present the Afflicted said they saw her Spectre or likeness in other places of the Meeting House Sucking of their Familiars The said Mr. Lawson being to Preach at the Village after the Psalm was Sung Abigail Williams said Now stand up and name your Text after it was read she said It is a long Text. Mrs. Poâ—e in the beginning of Sermon said to him Now there is enough of that In Sermon he referring to his Doctrine Abigail Williams said to him I know no Doctrine you had if you did name one I have forgot it Ann Putman an afflicted Girl said There was a yellow Bird face on his Hat as it hung on the Pin in the Pulpit March 31. 1692. Was set apart as a day of Solemn Humiliation at Salem upon the Account of this Business on which day Abigail Williams said That she saw a great number of Persons in the Village at the Administration of a Mock Sacrament where they had Bread as red as raw Flesh and red Drink April 1. Mercy Lewis affirmed That she saw a man in White with whom she went into a Glorious Place viz. In her fits where was no Light of the Sun much less of Candles yet was full of Light and Brightness with a great Multitude in White Glittering Robes who Sang the Song in 5. Rev. 9. and the 110 and 149 Psalms And was grieved that she might tarry no longer in this place This White Man is said to have appeared several times to others of them and to have given them notice how long it should be before they should have another Fit April the 3 d. Being Sacrament Day at the Village Sarah Cloys Sister to Goodwife Nurse a Member to one of the Churches was tho' it seems with difficulty prevail'd with to be present but being entred the place and Mr. Parris naming his Text 6 Iohn 70. Have not I chosen you Twelve and one of you is a Devil for what cause may rest as a doubt whether upon the account of her Sisters being committed or because of the choice of that Text she rose up and went out the wind shutting the Door forcibly gave occasion to some to suppose she went out in Anger and might occasion a suspicion of her however she was soon after complain'd of examin'd and Committed April the 11 th By this time the number of the Accused and Accusers being much encreased was a Publick Examination at Salem Six of the Magistrates with several Ministers being present there appeared several who complain'd against others with hidious clamours and Screechings Goodwife Proctor was brought thither being Accused or cryed out against her Husband coming to attend and assist her as there might be need the Accusers cryed out of him also and that with so much earnestness that he was Committed with his Wife About this time besides the Experiment of the Afflicted falling at the sight c. they put the Accused upon saying the Lords Prayer which one among them performed except in that petition Deliver us from Evil she exprest it thus Deliver us from all Evil this was lookt upon as if she Prayed against what she was now justly under and being put upon it again and repeating those words Hallowed be thy Name she exprest it Hollowed be thy Name this was counted a depraving the words as signifying to make void and so a Curse rather then a Prayer upon the whole it was concluded that she also could not say it c. Proceeding in this work of examination and Commitment many were sent to Prison As an Instance see the following Mittimus To Their Majesties Goal-keeper in Salem YOU are in Their Majesties Names hereby required to take into your care and safe custody the Bodies of William Hobs and Deborah his Wife Mary Easty the Wife of Ilaac Easty and Sarah Wild the Wife of John Wild all of Topsfield and Edward Bishop of Salem-Village Husbandman and Sarah his Wife and Mary Black a Negro of Lieutenant Nathaniel Putmans of Salem-Vilage also Mary English the Wife of Philip English Merchant in Salem who stand charged with High Suspicion of Sundry Acts of Witchcraft done or committed by them lately upon the Bodies of Ann Putman Mary Lewis and Abigail Williams of Salam-Village whereby great Hurt and Damage hath been done to the Bodies of the said Persons according to the complaint of Thomas Putman and John Buxton of Salem-Village Exhibited Salem Apr. 21. 1692. appears whom you are to secure in order to their further Examination Fail not Dated Salem Ap. 22. 1692. John Hathorn Assistants Jona Curwin Assistants To Marshal George Herrick of Salem Essex You are in their Majesties Names hereby required to convey the above-named to the Goal at Salem Fail not Dated Salem Apr. 22. 1692. John Hathorn Assistants Jona Curwin Assistants The occasion of Bishops being cry'd out of was he being at an Examination in Salem when at the Inn an afflicted Indian was very unruly whom he undertook and so managed him that he was very orderly after which in riding home in company of him and other Accusers the Indian fell into a fit and clapping hold with his Teeth on the back of the Man that rode before him thereby held himself upon the Horse but said Bishop striking him with his stick the Indian soon recovered and promised he would do so no more to which Bishop replied that he doubted not but he could cure them all with more to the same effect immediately after he was parted from them he was cried out of c. May 14. 1692. Sir William Phips arrived with Commission from Their Majesties to be Governour pursuant to the New-Charter which he now brought with him the Ancient Charter having been vacated by King Charles and King Iames by which they had a power not only to make their own Laws but also to chuse their own Governour and Officers and the Countrey for some years was put under an absolute Gommission-Government till the Revolution at which time tho more than two thirds of the People were for reassuming their ancient Covernment to which they had encouragement by His then Royal Highness's Proclamation yet some that might have been better imployed in another Station made it their business by printing as well as speaking to their utmost to divert them from such a settlement and so far prevailed that for about seven Weeks after the Revolution here was not so much as a face of any Government but some few Men upon their own Nomination would be called a Committee of Safety