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

The number of the Afflicted were at that time about Ten, Viz. Mrs. Pope , Mrs. Putman , goodwife Bibber , 8 8 Indifferently written in the Records Bibber and Vibber . The true Name appears to be Bibber . Sarah Bibber, in her Testimony against Sarah Good, gives her Age as 36. She gave Evidence against nine Persons at different Times. Not much has been found about her beyond her own Testimony. She appears to have had a Husband, who had the Prefix Goodman. At one Time she and her Husband lived at the House of Joseph Fowler. Fowler gave her a bad Character; as given to Tattling and Mischiefmaking; would call her Husband bad Names, was "of a very turbulent, unruly Spirit." Also Thomas Jacobs and his Wife Mary, said that "Good Bibbor did for a Time surgine [sojourn] in their House;" that she "uery often spekeing against one and nother uery obsanely, and wichshing [wishing] uery bad wichchis, and uery often. She wichs that when hor chill [child] fell into the Reuer that she had neuer pull hor child out." That she made ill Wishes against everybody and herself too. "The nayborhud were she liueued amonkes aftor she bered hor fust housbon hes tolld us that this John Bibber Wife coud fall into fitts as she plesed." — Records S. W. , ii, 204-5. Neither Felt nor Savage appear to have met with either the Name of Bibber or Vibber . and Goodwife Goodall , Mary Wolcott , Mercy Lewes (at Thomas Putmans ) and Dr. Griggs Maid, and three Girls, Viz. Elizabeth Parris , Daughter to the Minister, Abigail Williams his Neice, and Ann Putman , which last three, were not only the beginners, but were also the chief in these Accusations. 9 9 "It was several Times observed, that when they were discoursed with about GOD or CHRIST, or the Things of Salvation , they were presently afflicted at a dreadful Rate, and hence were oftentimes Outragious , if they were permitted to be in the Congregation, in the Time of the Publick Worship." — Lawson, Second Edit. , 98. "On Lord's Day, the 20th of March were sundry of the afflicted Persons at Meeting, as Mrs. Pope [Wife of Mr. Joseph P.], Goodwife Bibber , Abigail Williams , Mary Walcut , Mary Lewes , and Docter Grigg's Maid. There was also at Meeting Goodwife C. [Cory] (who was afterward Examined on Suspicion of being a Witch :) They had several sore Fits, in the Time of Publick Worship, which did something interrupt me in my first Prayer; being so unusual. After Psalm was Sung, Abigail Williams said to me, Now stand up , and Name your Text ! And after it was read, she said, It is a long Text . In the beginning of Sermon, Mrs. Pope , a Woman afflicted, said to me, Now there is enough of that . And in the Afternoon, Abigail Williams , upon my referring to my Doctrine , said to me, I know no Doctrine you had, if you did name one, I have forgot it . In Sermon Time when Goodwife C. was present Ab. W. called out, Look where Goodwife C. sits on the Beam suck[l]ing her Yellow Bird betwixt her Fingers ! Anne Putman , another Girle afflicted, said there was a Yellow Bird sat on my Hat as it hung on the Pin in the Pulpit ! But those that were by restrained her from speaking loud about it." — Lawson, First Edition , Pages 3 and 4. This, as will have been noticed, is the Account of an Eye Witness. These Ten were most of them present at the Examination, and did vehemently accuse her of Afflicting them, by Biting, Pinching, Strangling, &c. And they said, they did in their Fits see her likeness coming to them, and bringing a Book for them to Sign; Mr. Hathorn , a Magistrate of Salem , asked her, why she Afflicted those Children? she said, she did not Afflict them, he asked her who did then? she said, I do not know, how should I know? she said, they were Poor Distracted Creatures, and no heed to be given to what they said; Mr. Hathorn and Mr. Noyes replied that it was the Judgment of all that were there present, that they were bewitched, and only she (the Accused) said they were Distracted: She was Accused by them, that the Black Man Whispered to her in her Ear now (while she was upon Examination) and that she had a Yellow Bird, that did use to Suck between her Fingers, and that the said Bird did Suck now in the Assembly; order being given to look in that place to see if there were any sign, the Girl that pretended to see it said, that it was too late now, for she had removed a Pin, and put it on her Head, it was upon search found, that a Pin was there sticking upright. When the Accused had any motion of their Body, Hands or Mouth, the Accusers would cry out, as when she bit a Lip, they would cry out of being bitten, if she grasped one hand with the other, they would cry out of being Pinched by her, and would produce marks, so of the other motions of her Body, as complaining of being Prest, when she lean'd to the seat next her, if she stirred her Feet, they would stamp and cry out of Pain there. After the hearing the said Cory was committed to Salem Prison, and then their crying out of her abated.

March the 24 th , Goodwife Nurse was brought before Mr. Hathorn and Mr. Curwin (Magistrates) in the Meeting House, Mr. Hale Minister of Beverly , began with Prayer, after which she being Accus'd of much the same Crimes made the like answers, asserting her own Innocence with earnestness. The Accusers were mostly the same, Tho Putmans Wife, &c. complaining much. The dreadful Shreiking from her and others, was very amazing, which was heard at a great distance; she was also Committed to Prison. 10 10 The Warrant for the Apprehension of Rebecca Nurse is dated 23 March, 169½. The Day following, the Marshal, George Herrick, made his Return, that he had brought her to the house of Nath. Ingersal , where she was in Custody. The Witnesses were Ann Puttnam, Jr., Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Mary Walcott's Age was about 17; Elizabeth Hubbard's also about 17. Nothing could be too abominable for these Miscreants to make up and swear to. Mary Walcott said, among other things, that besides being "most greviously afflicted by" being bitten, pinched, and almost choked by the Prisoner, because she would not write in her Book, Goody N. said she would kill her if she did not; and on the 3rd of May, in the Evening the Apparition of the Prisoner told her "she had an Hand in the Deaths of Benjamin Holton, John Harrod, Rebekah Sheppard and seuerall others." Abigail Williams's Testimony is much the same. She heard the Accused confess (by her Apparition) the committing of several Murders, together with her Sister Cloyse; as upon old Goodm: Hanvood, Benj. Porter and Rebek: Shepard… Sarah Vibber, Mr. Sam: Parris, N. Ingersoll and T. Putnam also testified against the poor aged Woman. Putnam's Age was about 40; Parris's, as before mentioned, about 39. John Putnam, Sen. (another Wit.) aged about 63. Edwd. Putnam, another, aged about 30. Another, Sarah Holton, relict of Benj. Holton. Another, Ann Putnam, Wife of Thomas, swore to the choking by the Accused, and to her declaring she would kill her, and said she had killed Benj. Holton, John Fuller and Rebekah Shepard; also that she and her Sister Cloyse and Ed: Bishop had killed young John Putnam's Child… "Immediately there did appear to me six Children in Winding-sheets, which called me Aunt… Told me they were my Sister Baker's Children of Boston; and that Gooddy Nurs, and Mistris Cary of Charlestown, and an old deaf Woman at Boston had murthered them… Also there appeared to me my own Sister Bayley and three of her Children in Winding-sheets, and told me Goody Nurs had murthered them." This was all taken as good and sufficient Testimony!

A Child of Sarah Goods , was likewise apprehended, being between 4 and 5 years Old, the Accusers said this Child bit them, and would shew such like marks, as those of a small Sett of Teeth upon their Arms, as many of the Afflicted as the Child cast its Eye upon, would complain they were in Torment; which Child they also Committed.