[84] This second Indictment is given in full in the Records, for which
see _Records of Salem Witchcraft_, Vol. i, 195-6.
[85] Lieut. John Allen was of Salisbury; and his Age 45. The Accused
troubled him at some previous Period, but the Time he does not state.
[86] The Witness, John Atkinson, was aged about 56 Years. His Evidence
related to Matters of some five Years past. See _Wonders of Invisible
World_, Vol. I, Page 178.
[87] Peache's Evidence was of Troubles of about ten Years before. He
said his Age was about 42; and at the Time of the Witchcraft complained
of, he lived with William Osgood, of Salisbury.
[88] Downer's Age was 52, and he belonged to Salisbury. What he swore
to was of Events which happened "several Years ago."
[89] Three Persons of the Name of _Elliot_ are implicated in the
Witch Court Proceedings--Andrew, Daniel, and this Edmund, who was of
Amesbury. The Boston _Eliots_ were of this Lineage.
[90] John Kimball was of Amesbury, and was "aged 45 or vpward." His
swearing was to Occurrencies of twenty-three Years standing; that about
that Time he removed from Newbury to Amesbury, having bought a Piece
of Land of Geo. Martin. The Testimony of Kimball occupies three and an
half Pages of the _Records_, i, 218-21. He probably married Mary Hobbs,
in Newbury.
[91] This Testimony was by William Browne, of Amesbury, whose Age was
70 Years, or "ther about." What he swore to happened, he said "about
on or to and thirty Years ago." The Trouble seems to have been between
Mrs. Martin, and Browne's Wife, who was afflicted with hysteric Fits:
insomuch that she was insane. He had applied to Doctors Fuller and
Crosby, but they said her Complaint was supernatural, and that some
evil Person had bewitched her. When in this State she would not own him
for her Husband, and "asked him whether he did not mett with one Mr.
Bent of Abey in England by whom he was divorced."--_Records S. W._, i,
206-8.
[92] Sarah Atkinson was probably the Wife of John Atkinson, mentioned
at Note 86. The "singular Confusion" appears to have been gratuitously
thrown in by Dr. Mather. It is not in the Record. Her Age is given as
48 Years, or thereabouts.
[93] John Pressy, aged 53, and "Marah his Wif aged 46 or ther abouts."
It comes out in this Evidence, but is not mentioned by Mather, that at
some 20 Years previous, this John Pressy and Wife had testified against
Mrs. Martin, and that she had accused them of taking a false Oath. Such
was the Origin of much of the Testimony.
[94] Thomas Hardy of Great Island, at Pascatequay. Why Mather conceals
his Name, except by the Initials, is not known.
[95] Jarvis Ring's Case could have been nothing but one of Nightmare.
Joseph Ring, brother of Jarvis, was 27 years of Age. They belonged to
Salisbury. His Evidence compares very well with that of the Girls and
other Miscreants, foregone. The Testimonies of the Amesbury Accusers
were taken before "Robert Pike, _Assist._"
[_Indictment_ of Elizabeth How.]
The Indictment of _Elizabeth How_.
[_Essex_ ss.] _Anno Regni Regis & Reginæ Williemi & Mariæ, nunc Angliæ,
&c. quarto._--
THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady, the King and Queen present,
That _Elizabeth How_, Wife of _James 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 Township of _Salem_, in the County of _Essex_ aforesaid, in, upon,
and against 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
Sovereign Lord and Lady, the King and Queen, and against the form of
the Statue, in that case made and provided.
Witnesses--_Mary Wolcott_, _Ann Putnam_, _Abigail Williams_, _Samuel
Pearly_, and his Wife _Ruth_, _Joseph Andrews_, and Wife _Sarah_, _John
Sherrin_, _Joseph Safford_, _Francis Lane_, _Lydia Foster_, _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, _Joseph Andrews_ and Wife, _John
Sherrin_, _Joseph Safford_, _Francis Lane_, _Lydia Foster_.
[Elizabeth How's _Tryal_.]
[133] The Tryal of _Elizabeth How_,[96] _June_ 30, 1692. As is
Printed In _Wonders of the Invisible World_, from P. 126 to P.
132, inclusively.
1. E_LIZABETH 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
tormented 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
greatest swoons, 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.[97]
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 was 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.[98]
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.[99]
4. There was a particular Deposition of _Joseph 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. [134] _How_'s affairs there
were so canvassed, 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; Frantick,
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 herself, she
cried out, _Ha! I was mistaken!_ afterwards again repeated, _Ha! I
was mistaken!_ being asked by a stander by, Wherein? she replied, _I
thought Goody_ How _had been a precious Saint of God, but now I see she
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._[100]
And _How_ said afterwards, _That she was very sorry to see_ Safford _at
the Church-meeting mentioned. Safford_ after this, _declared herself
to be Afflicted by the shape of_ How, _and from that shape she endured
many miseries._
5. _John 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.[101]
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.[102]
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 her.[103]
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 [135] 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, insomuch that she
knew not what she said or did.[104]
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 her 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.[105]
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_.[106]
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 _John
Pearly_ to assist him. This Prisoner then told _Lane_ that she believed
the Posts and Rails would not do, because _John Pearly_ helped him; but
that if he had got them alone without _John Pearly_'s help, they might
have done well enough. When _James 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 _helped about them_.[107]
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.[108]