Witches

..--"12 Dissenting Puritan

knowledge that there are such revelations as do concur with the word but there hath not beert any of this nature.

Dep. Gov. These disturbances that have come among the Germans have been all grounded upon revelations, and so they that have vented them have stirred up their hearers to take up arms against their prince and to cut the throats one of an· other, and these have been the fruits of them, and whether the devil may inspire the same into their hearts here I know not, for I am fully persuaded that Mrs. Hutchinson is deluded by the devil, because the spirit of God speaks truth in all his servants.

Gov. I am persuaded that the revelation she brings forth is delusion. All the court but some two or three ministers cry out, we all beli~ve it-we all

believe it. Mr. Endicot. I suppose all the world may see where the foundation of all these

troubles among us lies. Gov. Seeing the court hath thus declared itself and hearing what hath been

laid to the charge of Mrs. Hutchinson and especially what she by the providence of God hath declared freely without being asked, if therefore it be the mind of the court, looking at her as the principal cause of all our trouble, that they would now consider what is to be done to her.-

Dep. Gov. We shall be all sick with fasting. Mr. Colburn. I dissent from censure of banishment. Gov. The court hath already declared themselves satisfied concerning the

things you hear, and concerning the troublesomeness of her spirit and the danger of her course amongst us, which is not to be suffered. Therefore if it be the mind of the court that Mrs. Hutchinson for these things that appear before us is unfit for our society, and if it be the mind of the court that she shall· be banished out of our liberties and imprisoned till she be sent away, let them hold up their hands.

All but three [did so]. Gov. Mrs. Hutchinson, the sentence of the court you hear is that you are ban-

ished from out of our jurisdiction as being a woman not fit for our society, and are to be imprisoned till the court shall send you away.

Mrs. H I desire to know wherefore I am banished? Gov. Say no more, the court knows wherefore and is satisfied.

f ~ ~ t r

r .,

2 Salem Witchcraft

The Trial of Bridget Bishop 1692

Massachusetts Bay in 1692 was an insecure and unhappy place. The colony was experiencing disaster in King Williams War, stretching from 1689 to 1697. Ref. ugees from the war-including some of the young women who had raised the cry of witchcraft at Salem-streamed in from the frontiers threatened by Indians. Bankrupting the colony, expenses of the war had forced the levy of crushing ·taxes. That Massachusetts Bay's original charter had been voided in 1684 and no new one was provided until 1691 raised questions about who owned what land

. and who had the right to vote. Ministers complained that the old religion was be- ing undermined by luxury and new fashions. It was easy for seventeenth-century New Englanders to see the witchcraft in Salem as but one more bit of evidence that the Devil had launched an assault on New England.

Salem was a vulnerable spot to attack. Church and government were both rent with conflict. Long time residents eyed one another suspiciously as the port town grew richer while parts of the countryside around it stagnated. Young men feared that they might not acquire enough good land to farm. This in turn eroded young women's confidence in finding suitable men to marry. Dreamy young 'women dabbled in magic to pass the dreary days of winter, grew fearful of what they had done, and began making hysterical accusations. In calmer times the whole incident might have ended with a few reprimands or minor punish- ments. Instead the pranks and .accusations reverberated_ terribly through the shaky society as the women's visions of specters attacking them were taken as indications of real capital crimes. / ·

Bridget Bishop was the first (;itch to be tried and executed This woman of independent spirit and bad temper had long been unpopular in Salem. Authori· ties heard complaints over her loud and frequent fights with her first husband, Thomas Oliver. Neighbors objected to the tavern operated out of her home, where, according to one complaint, she "did entertain people in her house at un· seasonable hours in the night to keep drinking and playing at shovel-board whereby discord did arise in other families and young people were in danger to be corrupted. " In 1680 and 1687 she had been accused of witchcraft, but the

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING: Larry Gragg, The Salem Witch Crisis, New York: Praeger, 1992; Carol F. Karlsen, The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England, New York: Norton, 1987.

13

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~~i.f~::-S~m Witchcraft

magistrates released her. In 1692, however, fifteen witnesses deposed that she-or a specter looking like her-had bewitched them, their children, or their livestock. A body search revealed the tell-tale "witch's teat": convincing enough for the court although a later one found her "clear and free ... from any preternatural excrescence. " Two witnesses, a father and son, testified that seven years before while demolishing her cellar wall they had found several puppets with "headless pins in them with the points outward." Eight days after her June 2 trial, Bridget Bishop was hanged. Thirteen other women and five men would soon follow her to the gallows (one man was crushed by stones) until the list of accused began to include prominent people and the authorities ended the prosecution. To the end Bridget Bishop protested "I am innocent of being a witch. ... I am b.s innocent as the child unborn."

One of the many indictments against Bridget Bishop, part of her examina- tion by the magistrates, and an account of the trial by Cotton Mather, an impor- tant minister at the time, are presented here. Full transcripts of the Salem trials have not survived.

Indictment vs. Bridget Bishop

The Jurors for our Sovereign Lord and Lady the King and Queen presents that Bridget Bishop alias Oliver the wife of Edward Bishop of Salem in the County of Essex [on] the nineteenth day of April [1892] and divers other days and times as well before as after, [practiced] certain detestable arts called witchcraft and sor- ceries, wickedly and feloniously hath used, practised and exercised at and within the Towneship of Salem in the County of Essex against one Elizabeth Hubbard of Salem Village in the County aforesaid singlewoman-by which said wick~d arts the said Elizabeth Hubbard ... was and is hurt, tortured, afflicted, pined, consumed, wasted and tormented against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord and Lady the King and Queen and against the form of the statute in that case made and provided.

Witnesses Elizabeth Hubbard. Mr. Samuel Paris. Thomas Putnam. Mary Walcott.

Mercy Lewis. Nathaniel Ingersoll. Ann Putnam Junior Abigail Williams.

Examination of Bridget Bishop

The examination of Bridget Bishop before the Worshipfull John Hathorne and Jonathan Curren esquires.

Bridget Bishop being now coming in to be examined relating to her. accusation of suspicion of sundry acts of witchcrafts, the afflicted persons are now dreadfully afflicted by her as they do say.

Mr. Hathorne. Bishop what do you say you here stand chargeg with sundry acts of witchcraft by you done or committed upon the bodies of Mercy Lewis and Ann Putnam and others.

The Trial of Bridget Bishop 15

Bishop. I am innocent I know nothing of it. I have done no witchcraft. Hathorne. Look upon this woman and see if this be the woman that you have

seen hurting you. Mercy Lewis and Ann Putnam and others do now charge her to her face with

hurting of them. Hathorne. What do you say now you see they charge you to your face? Bishop. I never did hurt them in my life. I did never see these persons before.

I am as innocent as the child unborn. Hathorne. Is not your coat cut? Bishop answers no, but her garment being looked upon they find it cut or

torn two ways. Jonathan Walcoate saith that the sword that he strucke at Goody Bishop with was not naked but was within the scabbard so that the rent may very probably be the very same that Mary Walcoate did tell that she had in her coat by Jonathan's striking at her appearance.

The afflicted persons charge her with having hurt them many ways and by tempting them to sign the Devil's book at which charge she seemed to be very an- gry and shaking her head at them saying it was false they are all 'greatly tormented (as I conceive) by the shaking of her head.

Hathorne. Goody Bishop what contract have you made with the devil? Bishop. I have made no contract with the devil. I never saw him in my life.

Ann Putnam sayeth that she calls the devil her God. Hathorne. What say you tQ all this that you are charged with? Can you not

find in your heart to tell the truth? Bishop. I do tell the truth. I never hurt these persons in my life. I never saw

them before. Mercy Lewis. Oh goody Bishop did you not come to our house the last night

and did you not tell me that your master made you tell more than you were willing to tell.

Hathorne. Tell us the truth. in this matter. How comes these persons to be thus tormented and to charge you with doing? -

Bishop. I am not come here to say I am a witch to take away my life. Hathorne. Who is it that doth it if you do not? They say it is your likeness

that comes and torments them and tempts them to write in the book, what book is that you tempted them with?

Bishop. I know nothing of it. I am innocent. Hathorne. Do you not see how they are tormented? You are acting witchcraft

before us. What do you say to this? Why have you not an heart to confess the truth?

Bishop. I am innocent. I know nothing of it. I am no witch. I know not what a witch is.

Hathorne. Have you not given consent that some evil spirit should do this in your likeness?

Bishop. No. I am innocent of being a witch. I know no man woman or child here.

~-'~ Salem Witchcratt

Marshall Herrick. How came you into my bed chamber one morning then and asked me whether I had any curtains to sell? She is by some of the afflicted per- sons charged with murder.

Hathorne. What do you say to these murders you are charged with? Bishop. I am innocent. I know nothing of it. Now she lifts up her eyes and they are greatly tormented. Hathorne. What do you say to these things here-horrible acts of witchcraft.? Bishop. I know nothing of it. I do not know whether be any witches or no. Hathorne. No have you not heard that some have confessed? Bishop. No I did not.

Two men told her to her face that they had told her, here she is taken in a plain lie. Now she is going away. They are dreadfully afflicted. Five afflicted per- sons do charge this woman to be the very woman that hurts them.

The Tryal of Bridget Bishop, alias Oliver, At the Court of Oyer and Terminer Held at Salem, June 2, 1692.

I. 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 under- gone many kinds of Miseries, which were preternaturally Inflicted, and generally ascribed unto an horrible Witchcraft. There was little Occasion to prove the Witch- craft, 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 Testify'd, That the Shape of the Prisoner did oftentimes very griev- ously pinch them, choak them, Bite them, and Afflict them; urging them to write their Names in a Book, which the said Spectre called, Ours. One of them did fur- ther Testify, 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, threatened there to Drown her, if she did not Sign to the Book mentioned: which yet she refused. Others of them did also Testify, that the said Shape did in her Threats brag to them that she had been the Death of sundry persons, then by her Named; that she had Ridden a man then likewise Named. Another Testify'd 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.

II. It was Testify'd, That at the Examination of the Prisoner before the Magis- trates, 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 o( 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

The Trial of Hridget Hishop 17

at the Bar. One at the same time testifying, That she said, She could not be Trou- bled to see the Afflicted thus Tormented.

III. 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 cried out, that he had Tore her Coat, in the place then particularly specify'd; and the Womans Coat was found to be Torn in that very place.

IV. One Deliverance Hobbs, who had Confessed her being a Witch, was now Tormented by the Spectres, for her Confession. And she now Testify'd, 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 Diaboli- cal Sacrament in Bread and Wine then Administred!

V. 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 testify'd, that about five or six years ago, One morning, about Sun-Rise, he was in his Chamber as- saulted by the Shape of this prisoner: which Look'd on him, grin'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 Shap~ walked in the Room, where he was, and an Ap-

. pie strangely flew out of his Hand, into the Lap of his Mother, six or eight foot from him.

VI. 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 look'd 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 Gods 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 schreech, 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 dy'd in a sad Con- dition. He knew not Bishop, nor her Name; but when he saw her after this, he knew by her Countenance, and Apparrel, and all Circumstances, that it was the Ap- parition of this Bishop which had thus troubled him.

VII. John Bly and his Wife testify'd, that he bought a sow of Edward Bishop, the Husband of the prisoner; and was to pay the price agreed, unto another per- son. This Prisoner being Angry that she was thus hindred from fingring the money, Quarrell'd with Bly. Soon after which, the Sow was taken with strange Fits, Jump- ing, Leaping, and knocking her head against the Fence; she seem'd Blind and

r~ /-..- ~o Salem Witchcraft Deaf, and would neither eat nor be suck'd. Whereupon a neighbour said, she be- lieved the Creature was Over-Looked; and sundry other circumstances concurred, which made the Deponents Belive that Bishop had Bewitched it.

VIII. Richard Coman testify'd, that eight years ago, as he lay Awake in his Bed, with a Light Burning in the Room, he was annoy'd with the Apparition of this Bishop, and of two more that were strangers to him, who came and oppressed him so, that he could neither stir himself, nor wake any one else, and that he was the night after molested again in the like manner; the said Bishop taking hirri by the Throat, and pulling him almost out of the Bed. His kinsman offered for this cause to lodge with him; and that Night, as they were Awake, Discoursing to~ther, this Coman was once more visited by the Guests which had formerly been so trouble· some; his kinsman being at the same time strook speechless and unable to move Hand or Foot. He had laid his sword by him, which these unhappy spectres did strive much to wr..est from him; only he held too fast for them. He then grew able to call the People of his house; but altho' they heard him, yet they had not power to speak or stirr; until at last, one of the people crying out, what's the matter? the spectres all vanished.

IX. Samuel Shattock testify'd, That in the Year 1680, this Bridget Bishop often came to his house upon such frivolous and foolish errands, that they suspected she came indeed with a purpose of mischief. Presently whereupon his eldest child, which was of as promising Health and Sense as any child of its Age, began to droop exceedingly; and the oftener that Bishop came to the House, the worse grew the Child. As the Child would be standing at the Door, he would be thrown and bruised against the Stones, by an Invisible Hand, and in like sort knock his Face against the sides of the House, and bruise it after a miserable manner. Afterwards this Bishop would bring him things to Dy, whereof he could not Imagine· any use; and when she paid him a piece of Money, the Purse and Money were unaccount· ably conveyed out of a Lock'd box, and never seen more. The Child was immedi· ately hereupon taken with terrible fits, whereof his Friends thought he would have dyed: indeed he did almost nothing but cry and Sleep for several Months together; and at length his understanding was utterly taken away. Among other Symptoms of an Inchantment upon him, one was, that there was a Board in the Garden, whereon he would walk; and all the invitations in the world could never fetch him off. About Seventeen or Eighteen years after, there came a Stranger to Shattocks House, who seeing the Child, said, "This poor Child is Bewitched; and you have a Neighbour living not far off, who is a Witch." He added, "Your Nei'ghbour. has had a falling out with your Wife; and she said in her Heart, your Wife is a proud Woman, and she would bring down her Pride in this Child." He then Remembred, that Bishop had parted from his Wife in muttering and menacing Terms, a little be· fore the Child was taken Ill. The abovesaid Stranger would needs carry the Be- witched Boy with him to Bishops House, on pretence of buying a pot of Cycler. The Woman Entertained him in furious manner; and flew also upon the Boy, scratching

The Trial of Bridget Bishop 19

his Face till the Blood came; and saying, "Thou Rogue, what, dost thou bring this Fellow here to plague me?" Now it seems the Man had said, before he went, that he would fetch Blood of her. Ever after the Boy was follow' d with grievous Fits, which the Doctors themselves generally ascribed unto Witchcraft; and wherein he would be thrown still into the Fire or the Water, if he were not constantly look'd after; and it was verily believed that Bishop was the cause of it.

X. John Louder testify'd, that upon some little controversy with Bishop about her fowles, going well to Bed, he did awake in the Night by moonlight, and did see clearly the likeness of this woman grievously oppressing him; in which miserable condition she held him, unable to help him self, till near Day. He told Bishop of this; but she deny'd it, and threatned him very much. Quickly after this, being at home on a Lords day, with the doors shut about him, he saw a Black Pig approach him; at which he going to kick, it vanished away. Immediately after, sitting down, he saw a Black thing Jump in at the Window, and come and stand before him. The Body was like that of a Monkey, the Feet like a Cocks, but the Face much like a mans. He being so extreemly affrighted, that he could not speak, this Monster spoke to him, and said, "I am a Messenger sent unto you, for I understand that you are in some Trouble of Mind, and if you will be ruled by me, you shall want for nothing in this world." Whereupon he endeavoured to clap his hands upon it; but he c~uld feel no substan&", and it jumped out of the window again; but imme· diately came in by the Porch, though the Doors were shut, and said, "You had bet· ter take my Counsel!" He then struck at it with a stick, but struck only the Groundsel, and broke the Stick. The Arm with which he struck was presently Dis· enabled, and it vanished away. He presently went out at the Back-Door, and spyed this Bishop, in her Orchard, going toward her House; but he had not power to set one foot forward unto her. Whereupon returning into the House, he was immedi· ately accosted by the Monster he had seen before; which Goblin was now going to Fly at him; whereat he cry'd out, "The whole Armour o( God be between me and you!" So it sprang back, and flew over the Apple Tree, shaking many Apples off the Tree, in its flying over. At its Leap, it flung Dirt with its Feet against the Stomach of the Man; whereon he was then struck Dumb, and so continued for three Days together. Upon the producing of this Testimony, Bishop deny'd that she knew this Deponent: yet their two Orchards joined, and they had often had their Little Quar· rels for some years tof(ether.

XI. William Stacy Testifyed, That receiving Money of this Bishop, for work done by him, he was gone but a matter of Three Rods from her, and looking for his money, found it unaccountably gone from him. Some time after, Bishop asked him, whether his Father would grind her grist for her? He demanded why? she Re- ply'd, {{Because Folks count me a Witch." He answered, "No Question, but he will grind it for you." Being then gone about six Rods from her, with a small Load in his Cart, suddenly the Off-wheel slump't and sunk down into an Hole upon plain ground, so that the Deponent was forced to get help for the Recovering of the

~:- ,\ 20 Salem Witchcraft

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 seem'd 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 denid 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 suddenly 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 testify. He also testify'd, that he verily Believed, the said Bishop was the Instrument of his Daugh- ter Priscilla's Death; of which suspicion, pregnant Reasons were assigned.

XII. To Crown all, John Bly and William Bly Testify'd, That being Employ'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 Brussels, with Headless Pins in them, the Points being out- ward. Whereof she could give no account unto the Court, that was Reasonable or Tolerable.

XIII. One thing that made against the Prisoner was, her being evidently con- victed of Gross Lying in the Court, several Times, while she was making her Plea. But besides this, a Jury of Women found a preternatural Teat 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.

XIV. 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 Spa- cious Meeting-House of Salem, she gave a Look towards the House. And immedi- ately a Dcemon 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 fastened with several Nails, transported unto another quarter of the House.

* * * One Whetford particularly ten years ago, challenging of Bridget Bishop (whose

Trial you have had) with Stealing of a Spoon, Bishop threatned her very direfully: presently after this was Whetford in the Night, and in her Bed, visited by Bishop, with one Parker, who making the Room Light at their coming in, there discoursed of several mischiefs they would inflict upon her. At last, th~y pull'd her out, and

The Trial of Bridget Bishop 21

carried her unto the Sea-side, there to drown her; but she calling upon God, they left her, tho' not without Expressions of their Fury. From that very Time, this poor Whetford was utterly spoilt, and grew a Tempted, Froward, Crazed sort of a Woman; a vexation to her self, and all about her; and many ways unreasonable. In this Distraction she lay, till those women were Apprehended, by the Authority; then she began to mend; and upon their Execution, was presently and perfectly Recov- ered, from the ten years madness that had been upon her.