The Above is in the Autograph of Gov. Bradstreet and Edward Rawson.
[50] Son of Governor Simon Bradstreet. In 1698, when the Indians
attacked Andover, Bradstreet and his Family were captured; but they
were set at Liberty the same Day.
[51] I am unable to ascertain the Name of the "worthy Gentleman." He
was doubtless one of those, like Mr. Calef, not afraid "to take the
Bull by the Horns."
[52] Sarah, the Wife of Peter Cloyce and Mary Green were probably the
two Persons. The Latter seems to have made her Escape by the Assistance
of John Shepard of Rowley. See Felt, _History of Ipswich and Hamilton_,
207.
[53] See the Evidence against Susanna Martin, i, Pages 177, _et seq._
See, also, Woodward's _Rec. of Salem Witchcraft_, i, 193-206, ii, 215.
[54] Mr. John Barnard, who is duly commemorated by Dr. Allen in the
_Amer. Biog. Dictionary_. He was Author of several Works.
[55] Slight Notices of the Families to which these Persons belonged may
be seen in Abbot's _History of Andover_.
[56] It is a Wonder that Mr. Calef did not tell his Readers how
shockingly Mr. Mather reported those Trials; and it is accounted for
only by presuming that the Originals were not accessible to him, having
been put into the Hands of Mr. Mather.
[57] Their Names were not printed according to the original MS. in the
_Cases of Conscience_. They _are_ correctly printed from that MS.,
however, by the Editor, with some Remarks, in his Edition of Mather's
_Relation_, xxii. The Order of Subscription is entirely changed.
[Mather's _Preface to the Tryals_.]
[113] 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 hearty a
mourner, 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 Honorable 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 rejoice that God is glorified; and pray that no wrong steps of
ours may ever sully any of his glorious works.
[George Burrough's _Tryal_.]
_The Indictment of_ George Burroughs.[58]
[Essex ss.] _Anno Regni Regis & Reginæ Williemi & Mariæ nunc Angliæ,
&c. quarto._--
THE Jurors for our Sovereign 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 Sovereign
Lord and Lady _William_ and _Mary_, by the Grace of God, of _England_,
_Scotland_, _France_ and _Ireland_, King and Queen Defenders of the
[114] Faith, _&c._ And divers other days and times, as well before as
after, certain detestable Arts, called Witchcrafts, and Sorceries,
Wickedly and Feloniously 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 Sovereign 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,[59] 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_, and _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 Wolcott_, _Elizabeth Hubbard_, and _Mary
Warren_.[60]
_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 trial, 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
the confessing Witches, as being an head Actor at some of their Hellish
Randezvouzes, and who had the promise of being a King in Satan's
Kingdom, now going to be erected; he was accused by Nine persons, for
extraordinary lifting, and such feats of strength as could not be done
without a Diabolical Assistance. And for other such things he was
accused, until about Thirty Testimonies[61] were brought in against
him; nor were these judg'd the half of what might have been consider'd
for his Conviction: however they were enough to fix the Character of a
Witch upon him, according to the Rules of Reasoning, by the judicious
_Gaule_, in that case directed.
[115] The Court being sensible, that the Testimonies of the Parties
Bewitched, use to have a Room among the Suspicions, or Presumptions,
brought in against one Indicted for Witchcraft, there were now heard
the Testimonies of several Persons who were most notoriously bewitched,
and every day tortured by Invisible hands, and these now all charged
the Spectres of _G. B._ to have a share in their Torments. At the
Examination of this _G. B._ the bewitched People were grievously
harrassed with preternatural Mischiefs, which could not possibly be
dissembled; and they still ascribed it unto the Endeavours of _G. B._
to kill them. And now upon his Trial, one of the bewitched persons
testified, That in her _Agonies_ a little Black-haired Man came to her,
saying his name was _B._ and bidding her set her hand unto a Book,
which he shewed unto her; and bragging that he was a Conjuror above
the ordinary Rank of Witches; that he often persecuted her, with the
offer of that Book, saying, she should be well, and need fear nobody,
if she would but sign it: but he inflicted cruel pains and hurts upon
her, because of her denying so to do.[62] The Testimonies of the other
Sufferers, concurred with these; and it was remarkable, that whereas
Biting, was one of the ways, which the Witches used, for the vexing of
the Sufferers, when they cry'd out of _G. B._ biting them, the print of
his Teeth would be seen on the Flesh of the Complainers; and just such
a set of Teeth as _G. B_'s. would then appear upon them, which could be
distinguished from those of some other Mens.
Others of them testified, that in their Torments _G. B._ tempted them
to go unto a Sacrament, unto which they perceived him with a sound of
Trumpet summoning of other Witches; who quickly after the sound would
come from all quarters unto the Randezvous. One of them falling into a
kind of Trance, afterwards affirmed, that _G. B._ had carried her into
a very high Mountain, where he shewed her mighty and glorious Kingdoms,
and said he would give them all to her, if she would write in his
Book; but she told him, They were none of his to give; and refused the
Motions; enduring of much misery for that refusal.[63]
It cost the Court a wonderful deal of trouble to hear the Testimonies
of the Sufferers; for when they were going to give in their
Depositions, they would for a long while be taken with Fits, that made
them uncapable of saying any thing. The chief Judge asked the Prisoner,
who he thought hindered these Witnesses from giving their Testimonies?
and he answered, He supposed it was the Devil. That Honourable person
then replied, How comes the Devil so loth to have any Testimony borne
against you? Which cast him into very great confusion.[64]
3. It hath been a frequent thing for the bewitched People, to be
entertained with Apparitions of Ghosts of murdered People, at the
same time that the Spectres of the Witches trouble them. These Ghosts
do always [116] affright the beholders, more than all the other
Spectral Representations; and when they exhibit themselves, they cry
out of being murdered by the Witchcrafts or other Violences of the
persons who are then in Spectre present. It is further considerable,
that once or twice these Apparitions have been seen by others, at
the very same time they have shown themselves to the bewitched; and
seldom have there been these Apparitions, but when something unusual
and suspected hath attended the death of the Party thus appearing.
Some that have been accused by these Apparitions, accosting of the
bewitched People, who had never heard a word of any such persons ever
being in the World, have upon a fair Examination, freely and fully
confessed the Murders of those very persons, although these also did
not know how the Apparitions had complained of them. Accordingly
several of the bewitched had given in their Testimony, that they had
been troubled with the Apparitions of two Women, who said they were
_G. B_'s two Wives; and that he had been the death of them; and that
the Magistrates must be told of it, before whom, if _B._ upon his
Tryal denied it, they did not know but that they should appear again
in the Court. Now _G. B._ had been infamous, for the barbarous usage
of his two successive Wives, all the Countrey over. Moreover, it was
testified, the Spectre of _G. B._ threatning of the Sufferers told them
he had killed (besides others) Mrs. _Lawson_ and her Daughter _Ann_.
And it was noted, that these were the Vertuous Wife and Daughter of
one, at whom this _G. B._ might have a prejudice, for being serviceable
at _Salem_-Village, from whence himself had in ill terms removed some
Years before, and that when they dy'd, which was long since, there were
some odd circumstances about them, which made some of the Attendants
there suspect something of Witchcraft, though none imagined from what
quarter it should come.
Well _G. B._ being now upon his Tryal, one of the bewitched persons
was cast into horror at the Ghosts of _B_'s. two deceased Wives, then
appearing before him, and crying for vengeance against him. Hereupon
several of the bewitched persons were successively called in, who all,
not knowing what the former had seen and said, concurred in their
horror of the Apparition, which they affirmed, that he had before him.
But he, though much appalled, utterly denied that he discerned any
thing of it, nor was it any part of his Conviction.
4. Judicious writers have assigned it a great place, in the Conviction
of Witches, when persons are Impeached by other notorious Witches to
be as ill as themselves, especially if the persons have been much
noted for neglecting the Worship of God. Now as there might have
been Testimonies enough of _G. B_'s. Antipathy to Prayer, and the
other Ordinances of God, though by his Profession singularly obliged
thereunto; so there now came in against the Prisoner, the Testimonies
of several persons, who [117] confessed their own having been horrible
Witches, and ever since their Confessions, had been themselves
terribly tortured by the Devils and other Witches, even like the other
Sufferers; and therein undergone the pains of many deaths for their
Confessions.
These now testified, that _G. B._ had been at Witch-meetings with them;
and that he was the person who had seduced and compelled them into the
Snares of Witchcraft: that he promised them fine Cloaths for doing
it; that he brought Poppets to them, and thorns to stick into those
Poppets, for the afflicting of other People: And that he exhorted them,
with the rest of the Crue to bewitch all _Salem_-Village; but be sure
to do it gradually; if they would prevail in what they did.
When the _Lancashire_ Witches were Condemned, I do'nt remember
that there was any considerable further Evidence, than that of the
bewitched, and than that of some that had confessed. We see so much
already against _G. B._ But this being indeed not enough, there were
other things to render what had already been produced credible.
5. A famous Divine, recites this among the Convictions of a Witch; the
Testimony of the party bewitched, whether pining or dying; together
with the Joint Oaths of sufficient persons, that have seen certain
podigious pranks or feats, wrought by the party accused. Now God had
been pleased so to leave this _G. B._ that he had ensnared himself,
by several instances which he had formerly given of a preternatural
strength; and which were now produced against him. He was a very puny
Man, yet he had often done things beyond the strength of a Giant.[65]
A Gun of about 7 Foot barrel, and so heavy that strong Men could not
steadily hold it out, with both hands; there were several Testimonies
given in by persons of Credit and Honor, that he made nothing of taking
up such a Gun behind the Lock with but one hand, and holding it out
like a Pistol, at Arms-end. _G. B._ in his vindication was so foolish,
as to say, that an _Indian_ was there, and held it out, at the same
time: whereas, none of the Spectators ever saw any such _Indian_; but
they supposed the black Man (as the Witches call the Devil; and they
generally say he resembles an _Indian_) might give him that Assistance.
There was Evidence likewise brought in, that he made nothing of
taking up whole Barrels fill'd with Mellasses, or Cyder, in very
disadvantageous Postures, and carrying of them thro' the difficultest
places, out of a Canoa to the Shore.
Yea, there were two Testimonies, that _G. B._ with only putting the
Fore-finger of his right hand into the Muzzel of an heavy Gun, a
fowling piece of about six or seven foot Barrel did lift up the Gun,
and hold it out at Arms-end; a Gun which the Deponents, though strong
men, could not with both hands lift up, and hold out at the Butt-end,
as is usual. Indeed one of these Witnesses, was over-perswaded by
some persons to [118] be out of way upon _G. B_'s. Tryal; but he came
afterwards with sorrow for his withdraw, and gave in his Testimony. Nor
were either of these Witnesses made use of as Evidence in the Tryal.
6. There came in several Testimonies, relating to the Domestick affairs
of _G. B._ which had a very hard Aspect upon him; and not only proved
him a very ill Man, but also confirmed the belief of the Character,
which had been already fastned on him.
'Twas Testified, that keeping his two successive Wives in a strange
kind of slavery, he would when he came home from abroad pretend to
tell the talk which any had with them. That he has brought them to
the point of Death, by his harsh dealings with his Wives, and then
made the People about him to promise that in case Death should happen
they would say nothing of it. That he used all means to make his Wives
Write, Sign, Seal, and Swear a Covenant never to reveal any of his
Secrets. That his Wives had privately complained unto the Neighbours
about frightly Apparitions of Evil Spirits, with which their House was
sometimes infested; and that many such things have been whispered among
the Neighbourhood. There were also some other Testimonies, relating
to the death of People, whereby the Consciences of an impartial Jury
were convinced, that _G. B._ had bewitched the persons mention'd in
the Complaints. But I am forced to omit several such Passages in this
as well as in all the succeeding Tryals, because the Scribes who took
notice of them, have not supplied me.
7. One Mr. _Ruck_, Brother in Law to this _G. B._ testified that _G.
B._ and he himself, and his Sister, who was _G. B_'s. Wife, going
out for two or three Miles, to gather Strawberries, _Ruck_ with his
Sister, the Wife of G. B. rode home very softly, with G. B. on foot, in
their company, G. B. stept aside a little into the Bushes, whereupon
they halted and hollow'd for him. He not answering, they went away
homewards, with a quickened pace; without any expectation of seeing
him in a considerable while: and yet when they were got near home, to
their astonishment they found him on foot, with them, having a Basket
of Strawberries. G. B. immediately then fell to chiding his Wife, on
the account of what she had been speaking to her Brother of him on the
Road: which when they wondered at, he said, He knew their thoughts.
_Ruck_ being startled at that, made some reply, intimating that the
Devil himself did not know so far; but G. B. answered, my god, makes
known your thoughts unto me. The Prisoner now at the Bar had nothing
to answer unto what was thus witnessed against him, that was worth
considering. Only he said, _Ruck_ and his Wife left a man with him,
when they left him. Which _Ruck_ now affirm'd to be false; and when
the Court asked G. B. What the mans name was? His countenance was
much altered; nor [119] could he say who it was. But the Court began
to think that he then stept aside, only that by the Assistance of the
black Man, he might put on his invisibility, and in that fascinating
Mist, gratify his own jealous humour, to hear what they said of him.
Which trick of rendering themselves invisible, our Witches do in their
Confessions pretend that they sometimes are masters of; and it is the
more credible, because there is demonstration that they often render
many other things utterly invisible.
8. Faultering, Faulty, Unconstant, and contrary Answers upon Judicial
and deliberate Examination, are counted some unlucky symptoms of
Guilt in all Crimes, especially in Witchcrafts. Now there never was a
Prisoner more Eminent for them, than _G. B._ both at his Examination
and on his Tryal. His Tergiversations, Contradictions, and Falsehoods,
were very sensible: he had little to say, but that he had heard some
things that he could not prove, Reflecting upon the Reputation of some
of the Witnesses. Only he gave in a Paper to the Jury; wherein, altho'
he had many times before granted, not only that there are Witches, but
also that the present Sufferings of the Countrey are the Effects of
Horrible Witchcrafts, yet he now goes to evince it, that there neither
are nor ever were, Witches, that having made a compact with the Devil,
can send a Devil to torment other People at a distance. This Paper was
transcribed out of _Ady_; which the Court presently knew, as soon as
they heard it. But he said, he had taken none of it out of any Book;
for which his evasion afterwards was, that a 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.[66]