the night, felt a great weight upon my breast, and, awakening, looked;
and, it being bright moonlight, did clearly see said Bridget Bishop, or
her likeness, sitting upon my stomach; and, putting my arms off of the
bed to free myself from the great oppression, she presently laid hold
of my throat, and almost choked me, and I had no strength or power in
my hands to resist, or help myself; and, in this condition, she held me
to almost day. Some time after this, my mistress (Susannah Gedney) was
in our orchard, and I was then with her; and said Bridget Bishop, being
then in her orchard,—which was next adjoining to ours,—my mistress told
said Bridget that I said or affirmed that she came, one night, and sat
upon my breast, as aforesaid, which she denied, and I affirmed to her
face to be true, and that I did plainly see her; upon which discourse
with her, she threatened me. And, some time after that, I, being not
very well, stayed at home on a Lord's Day; and, on the afternoon of
said day, the doors being shut, I did see a black pig in the room
coming towards me; so I went towards it to kick it, and it vanished
away." [ii.265]
Louder goes on to say, that, immediately after this, on the same
occasion while he was staying at home from meeting, he saw a black
thing jump into the window, and it came and stood just before his face
"upon the bar." The body of it looked like a monkey, only the feet were
like a cock's feet with claws, and the face somewhat more like a man's
than a monkey's. He says that he was greatly affrighted, "not being
able to speak or help myself by reason of fear, I suppose;" and that
his mysterious visitor made quite a speech to him, representing that it
was a messenger sent to say, that, if he would "be ruled by him, he
should want for nothing in this world." The virtuous and indignant
Louder says that he answered, "You devil, I will kill you!" and gave it
a blow with his fist, but "could feel no substance; and it jumped out
of the window again." It immediately came in by the porch, although the
doors were shut, and said, "You had better take my counsel." Hereupon
Louder struck at it with a stick, hitting the ground-sill and breaking
the stick, but felt no substance. Louder concludes his testimony as
follows:—
"The arm with which I struck was presently disenabled. Then it vanished
away, and I opened the back-door and went out; and, going towards the
house-end, I espied said Bridget Bishop in her orchard going towards
her house, and, seeing her, had no power to set one foot forward, but
returned in again: and, going to shut the door, I again did see that or
the like creature, that I before did see within doors, in such a
posture as it seemed to be agoing to fly at me;[ii.266] upon which I
cried out, 'The whole armor of God be between me and you.' So it sprang
back and flew over the apple-tree, flinging the dirt with its feet
against my stomach, upon which I was struck dumb, and so continued for
about three days' time; and also shook many of the apples off from the
tree which it flew over."
Before removing to his farm, Edward and Bridget Bishop made the
alterations, before mentioned, on their town estate. John Bly, Sr.,
aged fifty-seven years, and William Bly, aged fifteen, were employed in
the operation of removing the cellar wall of "the ould house;" and
testified, that they found in holes and crevices of said cellar wall
"several puppets made up of rags and hogs' bristles, with headless pins
in them with the points outward."
Upon such evidence, Bridget Bishop was condemned, and executed the next
week. The death-warrants, in these trials, were collected together in
one envelope, marked as such. The envelope remains, but its contents
have all been abstracted. The death-warrant of Bridget Bishop was
probably overlooked when the others were gathered together. The
consequence is that it has been preserved, and is the only one known to
be in existence.
The sheriff seems to have proceeded, immediately after the execution,
to the clerk's office, and indorsed his return on the warrant. When he
wrote it, he added, after the word "dead,"—"and buried her on the
spot." On its occurring to him that the burying of the body was not
mentioned in the warrant, he drew [ii.267] his pen through the words;
as is seen in the photograph. This superfluous clause, thus partially
obliterated, is the only positive evidence we have of the disposal of
the bodies at the time. They were undoubtedly all thrown into pits dug
among the rocks, on the spot, and hastily covered by the officers
having in charge the details of the executions. There were no prayers
over their graves, except those uttered by themselves in their last
moments.
death warrant
[View larger image (383K)]
return on warrant
[View larger image (327K)]
The descendants of Bridget Bishop are very numerous in Salem; embracing
some of our oldest and most respectable families, and branching widely
from them. There is no evidence of issue by her first marriage. Thomas
Oliver, her second husband, had daughters by a former wife, who were
represented in the next generation under the names of Hilliard, Hooper,
and Jones. By his wife Bridget, he had but one child,—a daughter,
Christian, born May 8, 1667. She married Thomas Mason, and died in
1693; leaving an only child, Susannah, born August 23, 1687. Edward
Bishop was her guardian. She married John Becket in 1711, and by him
had a son, John, and six daughters, as follows: Susannah, married to
David Felt, Elizabeth to William Peele, Sarah to Nathaniel Silsbee,
Rebecca to William Fairfield, Eunice to Thorndike Deland, and Hannah to
William Cloutman.
After the condemnation of Bridget Bishop, the Court took a recess, and
consulted the ministers of Boston and the neighborhood respecting the
prosecutions. The response of the reverend gentlemen, while
urging,[ii.268] in general terms, the importance of caution and
circumspection in the methods of examination, decidedly and earnestly
recommended that the proceedings should be vigorously carried on; and
they were, indeed, vigorously carried on.
Hutchinson says, that, "at the first trial, there was no colony or
provincial law against witchcraft in force. The statute of James the
First must therefore have been considered as in force in the province,
witchcraft not being an offence at common law. Before the adjournment,
the old colony law, which makes witchcraft a capital offence, was
revived with the other local laws, as they were called, and made a law
of the province." The General Court, which thus revived the law making
witchcraft a capital offence, met, June 8, two days before the
execution of Bridget Bishop. The proceedings that took place at Salem
were thus assumed as a provincial matter, for which the immediate
locality was not responsible, but the legislature, clergy, and people
of the country at large.
The Court met again on Wednesday, the 29th of June; and, after trial,
sentenced to death Sarah Good, Sarah Wildes, Elizabeth How, Susanna
Martin, and Rebecca Nurse, who were all executed on the 19th of July.
Calef says, that, at the trial of Sarah Good,—
"One of the afflicted fell in a fit; and, after coming out of it, cried
out of the prisoner for stabbing her in the breast with a knife, and
that she had broken the knife in stabbing of her. Accordingly, a piece
of the blade of a knife was [ii.269]found about her. Immediately,
information being given to the Court, a young man was called, who
produced a haft and part of the blade, which the Court, having viewed
and compared, saw it to be the same; and, upon inquiry, the young man
affirmed that yesterday he happened to break that knife, and that he
cast away the upper part,—this afflicted person being then present. The
young man was dismissed and she was bidden by the Court not to tell
lies; and was improved after (as she had been before) to give evidence
against the prisoners."
Hutchinson, in relating this circumstance, refers to a case tried
before Sir Matthew Hale, when a similar kind of falsehood was proved
against an "afflicted" witness; notwithstanding which he says the
person on trial was found guilty, "and the judge and all the court were
fully satisfied with the verdict."
Sarah Good appears to have been an unfortunate woman, having been
subject to poverty, and consequent sadness and melancholy. But she was
not wholly broken in spirit. Mr. Noyes, at the time of her execution,
urged her very strenuously to confess. Among other things, he told her
"she was a witch, and that she knew she was a witch." She was conscious
of her innocence, and felt that she was oppressed, outraged, trampled
upon, and about to be murdered, under the forms of law; and her
indignation was roused against her persecutors. She could not bear in
silence the cruel aspersion; and, although she was just about to be
launched into eternity, the torrent of her feelings could not be
restrained, but burst upon[ii.270] the head of him who uttered the
false accusation. "You are a liar," said she. "I am no more a witch
than you are a wizard; and, if you take away my life, God will give you
blood to drink." Hutchinson says that, in his day, there was a
tradition among the people of Salem, and it has descended to the
present time, that the manner of Mr. Noyes's death strangely verified
the prediction thus wrung from the incensed spirit of the dying woman.
He was exceedingly corpulent, of a plethoric habit, and died of an
internal hemorrhage, bleeding profusely at the mouth.
We have no information relating to the execution of Elizabeth How. Her
gentle, patient, humble, benignant, devout, and tender heart bore her,
no doubt, with a spirit of saint-like love and faith, through the
dreadful scenes. We cannot doubt, that, in death as in life, she
forgave, prayed for, and invoked blessing upon her persecutors. Neither
has any thing come down in reference to the deportment of Sarah Wildes
or Susanna Martin. We may take it for granted, that the former was a
patient and humble, but firm and faithful sufferer; and that the latter
displayed the great energy of spirit, and probably the strength of
language, for which she was remarkable. Of the case of Rebecca Nurse we
have more information.
The character, age, and position of this venerable matron created an
impression, which called, to the utmost, all the arts and efforts of
the prosecution to counteract. Many who had gone fully and earnestly in
support of the proceedings against others paused[ii.271] and hesitated
in reference to her; and large numbers who had been overawed into
silence before, bravely came forward in her defence. The character of
Nathaniel Putnam has been described. He was a man of extraordinary
strength and acuteness of mind, and in all his previous life had been
proof against popular excitement. The death of his brother Thomas,
seven years before, had left him the head and patriarch of his great
family: as such, he was known as "Landlord Putnam." Entire confidence
was felt by all in his judgment, and deservedly. But he was a strong
religionist, a life-long member of the Church, and extremely strenuous
and zealous in his ecclesiastical relations. He was getting to be an
old man; and Mr. Parris had wholly succeeded in obtaining, for the
time, possession of his feelings, sympathy, and zeal in the management
of the Church, and secured his full co-operation in the witchcraft
prosecutions. He had been led by Parris to take the very front in the
proceedings. But even Nathaniel Putnam could not stand by in silence,
and see Rebecca Nurse sacrificed. A curious paper, written by him, is
among those which have been preserved:—
"Nathaniel Putnam, Sr., being desired by Francis Nurse, Sr., to give
information of what I could say concerning his wife's life and
conversation, I, the abovesaid, have known this said aforesaid woman
forty years, and what I have observed of her, human frailties excepted,
her life and conversation have been according to her profession; and
she hath brought up a great family of children and educated[ii.272]
them well, so that there is in some of them apparent savor of
godliness. I have known her differ with her neighbors; but I never knew
or heard of any that did accuse her of what she is now charged with."
A similar paper was signed by thirty-nine other persons of the village
and the immediate vicinity, all of the highest respectability. The men
and women who dared to do this act of justice must not be forgotten:—
"We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being desired by Goodman Nurse
to declare what we know concerning his wife's conversation for time
past,—we can testify, to all whom it may concern, that we have known
her for many years; and, according to our observation, her life and
conversation were according to her profession, and we never had any
cause or grounds to suspect her of any such thing as she is now accused
of.
"Israel Porter. Samuel Abbey.
Elizabeth Porter. Hepzibah Rea. Edward Bishop, Sr. Daniel Andrew.
Hannah Bishop. Sarah Andrew. Joshua Rea. Daniel Rea. Sarah
Rea. Sarah Putnam. Sarah Leach. Jonathan Putnam. John
Putnam. Lydia Putnam. Rebecca Putnam. Walter Phillips, Sr. Joseph
Hutchinson, Sr. Nathaniel Felton, Sr. Lydia Hutchinson. Margaret
Phillips. William Osburn. Tabitha Phillips. Hannah Osburn. Joseph
Houlton, Jr. Joseph Holton, Sr. Samuel Endicott. Sarah
Holton. Elizabeth Buxton. Benjamin Putnam. Samuel Aborn, Sr.
Sarah Putnam. Isaac Cook. Job Swinnerton. Elizabeth Cook. Esther
Swinnerton. Joseph Putnam." Joseph Herrick, Sr.
[ii.273]
An examination of the foregoing names in connection with the history of
the Village will show conclusive proof, that, if the matter had been
left to the people there, it would never have reached the point to
which it was carried. It was the influence of the magistracy and the
government of the colony, and the public sentiment prevalent elsewhere,
overruling that of the immediate locality, that drove on the storm.
Israel Porter was the head of a great and powerful family. His wife
Elizabeth was, as has been stated, a sister of Hathorne, the examining
magistrate. Edward and Hannah Bishop were the venerable heads and
founders of a large family. They lived in Beverly, and must each have
been about ninety years of age. The list contains the names of the
heads of the principal families in the village,—such as John and
Rebecca Putnam, the Hutchinsons, Reas, Leaches, Houltons, and Herricks;
and, in the neighborhood, such as the Feltons, Osbornes, and Samuel
Endicott. The most remarkable fact it discloses is that it contains the
name of one of the two complainants who procured the warrant against
Rebecca Nurse,—Jonathan Putnam, the eldest son of John; and also of his
wife Lydia. Subsequent reflection, and the return of his better
judgment, satisfied him that he had done a great wrong to an innocent
and worthy person; and he had the manliness to come out in her favor.
This document ought to have been effectual in saving the life of
Rebecca Nurse. It will for ever vindicate her character, and reflect
honor upon each and every name subscribed to it.[ii.274]
One of the most cruel features in the prosecution of the witchcraft
trials, and which was practised in all countries where they took place,
was the examination of the bodies of the prisoners by a jury of the
same sex, under the direction and in the presence of a surgeon or
physician. The person was wholly exposed, and every part subjected to
the most searching scrutiny. The process was always an outrage upon
human nature; and in the cases of the victims on this occasion, many of
them of venerable years and delicate feelings, it was shocking to every
natural and instinctive sentiment. There is reason to fear that it was
often conducted in a rough, coarse, and brutal manner. Marshal Herrick
testifies, that, "by order of Their Majesties' justices," he,
accompanied by the jail-keeper Dounton, and Constable Joseph Neal, made
an examination of the body of George Jacobs. In persons of his great
age, there would, in all likelihood, be shrivelled, desiccated, and
callous places. They found one on the old man, under his right
shoulder. Herrick made oath that it was a veritable witch teat, and his
deposition describes it as follows: "About a quarter of an inch long or
better, with a sharp point drooping downwards, so that I took a pin,
and run it through the said teat; but there was neither water, blood,
or corruption, nor any other matter." As proof positive that this was
"the Devil's mark," Herrick and the turnkey testify that "the said
Jacobs was not in the least sensible of what had been done"!
The mind loathes the thought of handling in this[ii.275] way refined
and sensitive females of matronly character, or persons of either sex,
with infirmities of body rendered sacred by years. The results of the
examination were reduced to written reports, going into details, and,
among other evidences in the trials, spread before the Court and
jury.[C]
The evidence in the case of Rebecca Nurse was made up of the usual
representations and actings of the "afflicted children." Mary Walcot
and Abigail Williams charged her with having committed several murders;
mentioning particularly Benjamin Houlton, John Harwood, and Rebecca
Shepard, and averring that she was aided therein by her sister Cloyse.
Mr. Parris, too, gave in a deposition against her; from which it
ap[ii.276]pears, that, a certain person being sick, Mercy Lewis was
sent for. She was struck dumb on entering the chamber. She was asked to
hold up her hand, if she saw any of the witches afflicting the patient.
Presently she held up her hand, then fell into a trance; and after a
while, coming to herself, said that she saw the spectres of Goody Nurse
and Goody Carrier having hold of the head of the sick man. Mr. Parris
swore to this statement with the utmost confidence in Mercy's
declarations.
The testimony of three persons particularly is required to be given, as
illustrating the extraordinary extent to which the minds of those
involved in the affair were under infatuation or hallucination.
Mrs. Ann Putnam was about thirty years of age. For six months she had
been constantly absorbed in what was then, as now, regarded as
spiritualism. Her[ii.277] house had been the scene of a perpetual
series of wonders supposed to be disclosures and manifestations of a
supernatural character. Apparitions, spectral shapes of living witches,
ghosts of their murdered victims, and demons generally, were of daily
and hourly occurrence. The dread secrets of the world unknown had been
revealed to her in waking fancies and dreams by night. An originally
sensitive and imaginative nature had been wrought into a condition in
which her mental faculties were at once enfeebled and exalted. Besides
all this, there were the trials to which her constitution had been
subjected by the experiences of maternity so early begun, and the
pressure upon her mind and heart of the anxieties and cares incident to
a large family of young children. An accumulation of disappointments,
vexations, and consuming griefs, spread like a dark cloud over her
life,—the deaths of her own children, and of her sister Bayley and her
children, and of her sister Baker's children; and, finally, the
long-continued, and constantly recurring sufferings, tortures,
convulsions, fits, and trances of her daughter Ann, and her
servant-woman Mercy Lewis, under, as she fully believed, a diabolical
hand.—These things must have given to her countenance and tones of
voice a wonderful impressiveness to all who looked upon or listened to
them. Her eminent social position, her general reputation,—for Lawson,
who knew her well, calls her "a very sober and pious woman," so far as
he could judge,—the stamp of profound earnestness marked on all
her[ii.278] language, the glow which morbid excitement long experienced
gave to her expression, must have arrested, to a high degree, the
attention of the assembled multitude. An air of sadness, in the wild
ravings of imagination, pervades her testimony. I present her
deposition in full, as one of the phenomena of this strange
transaction:—
"The Deposition of Ann Putnam, the wife of Thomas Putnam, aged about
thirty years, who testifieth and saith, that, on the 18th March, 1692,
I being wearied out in helping to tend my poor afflicted child and
maid, about the middle of the afternoon I lay me down on the bed to
take a little rest; and immediately I was almost pressed and choked to
death, that, had it not been for the mercy of a gracious God and the
help of those that were with me, I could not have lived many moments:
and presently I saw the apparition of Martha Corey, who did torture me
so as I cannot express, ready to tear me all to pieces, and then
departed from me a little while; but, before I could recover strength
or well take breath, the apparition of Martha Corey fell upon me again
with dreadful tortures, and hellish temptation to go along with her.
And she also brought to me a little red book in her hand and a black
pen, urging me vehemently to write in her book; and several times that
day she did most grievously torture me, almost ready to kill me. And,
on the 19th March, Martha Corey again appeared to me; and also Rebecca
Nurse, the wife of Francis Nurse, Sr.: and they both did torture me a
great many times this day with such tortures as no tongue can express,
because I would not yield to their hellish temptations, that, had I not
been upheld by an Almighty arm, I could not have lived[ii.279] while
night. The 20th March, being sabbath-day, I had a great deal of respite
between my fits. 21st March, being the day of the examination of Martha
Corey, I had not many fits, though I was very weak; my strength being,
as I thought, almost gone: but, on the 22d March, 1692, the apparition
of Rebecca Nurse did again set upon me in a most dreadful manner, very
early in the morning, as soon as it was well light. And now she
appeared to me only in her shift, and brought a little red book in her
hand, urging me vehemently to write in her book; and, because I would
not yield to her hellish temptations, she threatened to tear my soul
out of my body, blasphemously denying the blessed God, and the power of
the Lord Jesus Christ to save my soul; and denying several places of
Scripture which I told her of, to repel her hellish temptations. And
for near two hours together, at this time, the apparition of Rebecca
Nurse did tempt and torture me, and also the greater part of this day,
with but very little respite. 23d March, am again afflicted by the
apparitions of Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey, but chiefly by Rebecca
Nurse. 24th March, being the day of the examination of Rebecca Nurse, I
was several times afflicted in the morning by the apparition of Rebecca
Nurse, but most dreadfully tortured by her in the time of her
examination, insomuch that the honored magistrates gave my husband
leave to carry me out of the meeting-house; and, as soon as I was
carried out of the meeting-house doors, it pleased Almighty God, for
his free grace and mercy's sake, to deliver me out of the paws of those
roaring lions, and jaws of those tearing bears, that, ever since that
time, they have not had power so to afflict me until this 31st May,
1692. At the same moment that I was hearing my evidence read by the
honored magistrates, to take my[ii.280] oath, I was again re-assaulted
and tortured by my before-mentioned tormentor, Rebecca Nurse."
"The Testimony of Ann Putnam, Jr., witnesseth and saith, that, being in
the room when her mother was afflicted, she saw Martha Corey, Sarah
Cloyse, and Rebecca Nurse, or their apparition, upon her mother."
Mrs. Ann Putnam made another deposition under oath, at the same trial,
which shows that she was determined to overwhelm the prisoner by the
multitude of her charges. She says that Rebecca Nurse's apparition
declared to her that "she had killed Benjamin Houlton, John Fuller, and
Rebecca Shepard;" and that she and her sister Cloyse, and Edward
Bishop's wife, had killed young John Putnam's child; and she further
deposed as followeth:—
"Immediately there did appear to me six children in winding-sheets,
which called me aunt, which did most grievously affright me; and they
told me that they were my sister Baker's children of Boston; and that
Goody Nurse, and Mistress Carey of Charlestown, and an old deaf woman
at Boston, had murdered them, and charged me to go and tell these
things to the magistrates, or else they would tear me to pieces, for
their blood did cry for vengeance. Also there appeared to me my own
sister Bayley and three of her children in winding-sheets, and told me
that Goody Nurse had murdered them."