Robert Calef - The Witchcraft Delusion in New England - Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (Vol 3 of 3)

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 ; 56 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. with not only the Recommendation, but thanks of the Lieutenant Governour; and with the Approbation of the Reverend Mr. J. 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 . 57 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.

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.

Upon 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.

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.

Mather's Preface to the Tryals .

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 .

Essex ss.

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 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.

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 60 Of these abandoned Witnesses, we have already had sufficient.

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 61 About twenty appear in the Records, which see, Vol. II, Pages 109, et seq. Respecting Mr. Burrough's great Strength, Samuel Webber, aged about 36, swore, that "aboute ceauen or eight Yeares agoe I liued at Casco Bay, and George Burroughs was then Minester there, and haueing heard much of the great Strength of him sd. Burroughs; he coming to our House wee ware in discourse aboute the same and he then told mee yt he had put his fingers into the Bung of a Barrell of Malases and lifted it vp and carryed it round him." Salem, Augt. 2d, 1692. Ann Putnam swore, that on the 20th of April, 1692, she saw the Apperishtion of Mr. Burroughs who tortured her in a terrible Manner; told her he had had three Wives, and had bewitched two of them to death; had killed Mistress Lawson because she was so unwilling to go from the Village; had killed Mr. Lawson's Children because he went to the Eastward with Sir Edmond [Andros] and preached so to the Soldiers; had bewitched a great many Soldiers to death when Sir Edmon was there, &c. At another time she swore that the two Wives of Mr. Burroughs appeared to her in their Winding-sheets, and told her how they were murdered. Also Mrs. Lawson and her Daughter Ann appeared in the same Manner; also another Woman who told her she was Goodman Fuller's first Wife, and that Mr. Burroughs killed her, because of a Difference between her Husband and him. Simon Willard, aged about 42 Years, was at the House of Mr. Robert Lawrence, of Casco Bay, in Sept., 1689; saw Mr. Burroughs show where he took hold of the Gun of about seven foot Barrel, which was behind the Lock; and Mr. B. said he held it out with one Hand by so taking it, but the Deponent did not see him do it. Willard commanded the Fort at Casco. Thomas Greenslett, aged about 40 Years, said he was at Capt. Joshua Scottow's at Black Point, about the breaking out of the late Indian War, where he saw Mr. B. lift a Gun of six foot Barrel or there-about, by putting the Forefinger of his right Hand into the Muzzle; holding it out at Arm's Length. Lieut. Richard Hunnewell and John Greinslett being present. The above are a few Specimens of the Evidence on which Mr. Burroughs was condemned and executed. 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.