The Witch of Salem; or, Credulity Run Mad Read online

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  SUPERSTITION REIGNS.

  The awful tragedy was through, And friends and enemies withdrew. Some smite their breasts and trembling say, "Unlawful deeds were done to-day." --Paxton.

  After the escape of Mrs. Stevens and Cora Waters, a wave of superstitionswept over the village of Salem with such irresistible fury, that itseemed in greater danger than the frontier settlements did from theFrench and Indians. The Nurse family and all their relatives came in fora greater share than any other. Mrs. Cloyse was second of the family tobe accused by Parris and his minions. Mrs. Cloyse drew ill-will uponherself at the outset by doing as her brother and sister Nurse did. Theyall absented themselves from the examinations in the church, and, whenthe interruptions of the services became too flagrant, from Sabbathworship. They declared that they took that course, because theydisapproved of the permission given to the profanation of the place andthe service. At last Mrs. Cloyse, or Goody Cloyse, as she was called inthe records of the day, was arrested. Mary Easty and Elizabeth Proctorwere also arrested. Mary Easty, sister of Mrs. Nurse, was tried andcondemned. On her condemnation and sentence, she made an affectivememorial while under sentence of death, and fully aware of thehopelessness of her case, addressing the judges, the magistrates and thereverend ministers, imploring them to consider what they were doing, andhow far their course in regard to accused persons was inconsistent withthe principles and rules of justice.

  "I ask nothing for myself," she said. "I am satisfied with my owninnocence and certain of my doom on earth and my hope in Heaven. What Ido desire, is to induce the authorities to take time, and to use cautionin receiving and strictness in sifting testimony; and so shall theyascertain the truth, and absolve the innocent, the blessing of God beingupon your conscientious endeavors."

  No effect was produced by her warnings or remonstrances. Before settingforth from the jail to the Witches' Hill on the day of her death, sheserenely bade farewell to her husband and many children, and many of herfriends, some of whom afterward related that "her sayings were soserious, religious, distinct and affectionate as could well beexpressed, drawing tears from the eyes of all present."

  The subject of witchcraft grew more interesting after the execution ofMary Easty, and to examine Elizabeth Proctor and Sarah Cloyse, orCloyce, as Mr. Bancroft spells the name, the deputy governor and fivemagistrates went to Salem. It was a great day. Several ministers werepresent. Parris officiated, and, by his own record, it is plain that hehimself elicited every accusation. His first witness John, the WestIndia negro servant, husband to Tituba, was rebuked by Sarah Cloyse as agrievous liar. Abigail Williams, the niece to Parris, was also at handwith her wonderful tales of sorcery. She swore she had seen the prisonerat the witches' sacrament.

  Struck with horror at such bold perjury, Sarah Cloyse called for waterand swooned away before it could be brought her. Upon this, AbigailWilliams, her brother's wife, Sarah Williams, Parris' daughter and AnnPutnam shouted:

  "Her spirit is gone to prison to her sister!"

  Against Elizabeth Proctor, Abigail Williams related stories that were sofoolish that one wonders how any sensible person could believe them.Among other things she told how the accused had invited her to sign theDevil's book.

  "Dear child!" exclaimed the accused, in her agony, "it is not so. Thereis another judgment, dear child," and her accusers, turning toward herhusband, declared that he, too, was a wizard. All three were committed.Examinations and commitments multiplied. Giles Corey, a stubborn old manof more than four-score years, could not escape the malice of hisminister and his angry neighbors, with whom he had quarrelled. Parrishad had a rival in George Burroughs, a graduate of Harvard College, who,having formerly preached in Salem village, had friends there desirous ofhis return. He was a skeptic on the subject of witchcraft, and Parrisdetermined to have his revenge on him, and, through his many agents andinstruments, had him accused and committed. Thus far there had been nosuccess in obtaining confessions, though earnestly solicited. It hadbeen strongly hinted that a confession was an avenue of safety. At last,"Deliverance Hobbs owned every thing that was asked of her," and leftunharmed. The gallows was to be set up, not for those who professedthemselves witches, but for those who rebuked the delusion.

  Lieut.-Gov. Stoughton.]

  On May 14th, the new charter and the royal governor arrived in Boston.On the next Monday, the charter was published, and the parishioner ofCotton Mather, with the royal council, was installed in office. Thetriumph of Cotton Mather was complete. A court of oyer and terminer wasimmediately instituted by ordinance, and the positive, overbearingStoughton was appointed by the governor and council as its chief judge,with Sewall and Wait Winthrop, two feebler men, as his associates. Bythe second of June, the court was in session at Salem, making itsexperiment on Bridget Bishop, a poor and friendless old woman. The factof witchcraft was assumed as "notorious." To fix it on the prisoner,Samuel Parris, who had examined her before her commitment, was theprincipal witness to her power of inflicting torture. He had seen itexercised. Then came the testimony of the bewitched, and a terrible messof stuff it was. One, on reading it, might suppose that all the inmatesof Bedlam had been summoned into court to give their personal experiencein the land of insanity.

  Many of the witnesses testified that the "shape" of the prisoner oftengrievously tormented them, by pinching, choking, or biting them, and didotherwise seriously afflict them, urging them all the while to writetheir names in a book, which "the spectre" called: "Our book."

  Sarah Williams, who was devotedly attached to Mr. Parris and his cause,swore that it was the shape of this prisoner, with Cora Waters, whichone day took her from her wheel and, carrying her to the river side,threatened to drown her, if she did not sign the book mentioned, whichshe yet refused to do.

  Others said that the witch "in her shape," that is, appearing to them ina spiritual body invisible to any save the parties before whom she wouldappear, boasted that she had ridden John Bly, having first changed himinto a horse. One testified to seeing ghosts of dead people, whodeclared that Bridget Bishop had murdered them.

  While the examination of the accused was in progress, the bewitchedseemed extremely tortured. If she turned her eyes on them, they werestruck down. While they lay in swoons or convulsions, the poor old womanwas made to touch them, and they immediately sprang to their feet.Samuel Parris had his minions well trained. On any special action of herbody, shaking of her head, or the turning of her eyes, they imitated herposture and seemed under some strange spell.

  Evidence was given that one of the bewitched persons persuaded a man tostrike at the spot where the "shape of this Bishop stood," and thebewitched cried out:

  "You have tore her coat," and it was found that the woman's dress wastorn in the very place.

  Deliverance Hobbs, who had confessed to being a witch, now testifiedthat she was tormented by the spectres for her confession. And she nowtestified that this Bishop tempted her to sign the book again, and todeny what she had confessed.

  "It was the shape of this prisoner," she declared, "which whipped mewith iron rods, to compel me thereunto, and I furthermore saw BridgetBishop at a general meeting of the witches, in a field at Salem village,where they partook of a diabolical sacrament in bread and wine, thenadministered."

  John Cook testified: "About five or six years ago, one morning, aboutsunrise, I was in my chamber assaulted by the shape of this prisoner,which looked on me, grinned at me, and very much hurt me with a blow onthe side of the head, and on the same day, about noon, the same shapewalked into the room where I was, and an apple strangely flew out of myhand."

  Samuel Gray testified: "About fourteen years ago, I waked on a night,and saw the room wherein I lay full of light. Then I plainly saw awoman, between the cradle and the bedside, which looked upon me. I rose,and it vanished, though I found all the doors fast. Looking out at theentry door, I saw the same woman, in the same garb again, and I said,'In God's name, wh
at do you come for?' I went to bed and had the samewoman again assaulting me. The child in the cradle gave a great screech,and the woman disappeared. It was long before the child could bequieted; and, though it was a very likely, thriving child, yet from thistime it pined away, and, after divers months, died in a sad condition. Iknew not Bishop then, nor her name; but when I saw her after this, Iknew her by her countenance and apparel and all circumstances, that itwas the apparition of this Bishop, which had thus troubled me."

  John Bly testified:

  "I bought a sow of Edmund Bishop, the husband of the prisoner, and wasto pay the price agreed upon to another person. This prisoner, beingangry that she was thus hindered from fingering the money, quarrelledwith me; soon after which the sow was taken with strange fits, jumping,leaping and knocking her head against the fence. She seemed blind anddeaf and could not eat, whereupon my neighbor John Louder said hebelieved the creature was overlooked, and there were sundry othercircumstances concurred, which made me believe that Bishop had bewitchedit."

  The examining magistrates asked Bly:

  "Have you ever been transformed by the prisoner?"

  "I have," Bly answered.

  "When was it?"

  "Last summer. One night, as I was coming home late, the shape of theprisoner came at me. She shook a bridle over my head and I became ahorse. Then she mounted me, rode me several leagues and the bridle wasremoved, and I lay in my bed."

  John Louder, another acquaintance of Charles Stevens, was next called.John had had his experience with witches. He was an ardent admirer ofMr. Parris, and one of his emissaries. Louder, Bly and, in fact, all ofParris' tools were ignorant, bigoted and superstitious. They could bemade to believe anything the pastor would tell them. Louder testified:

  "I had some little controversy with Bishop about her fowls. Going wellto bed, I did awake in the night by moonlight, and did see clearly thelikeness of this woman grievously oppressing me; in which miserablecondition she held me, unable to help myself till near day. I toldBishop of this; but she denied it, and threatened me very much. Quicklyafter this, being at home on a Lord's Day, with the doors shut about me,I saw a black pig approach me, at which I, going to kick, it vanishedaway. Immediately after sitting down, I saw a black thing jump in at thewindow and come and stand before me. The body was like that of a monkey,the feet like a cock's; but the face was much like a man's. I was soextremely affrighted, that I could not speak. This monster spoke to meand said:

  "'I am a messenger sent unto you, for I understand that you are in sometrouble of mind, and if you be ruled by me, you shall want for nothingin this world.'

  "Whereupon, I endeavored to clap my hands upon it; but I could feel nosubstance; and it jumped out of the window again; but it immediatelycame in by the porch, though the doors were shut, and said:

  "'You had better take my counsel.'

  "Whereupon, I struck at it with my stick, but struck only theground-sel, and broke my stick. The arm with which I struck waspresently disenabled, and it vanished away. I presently went out at theporch door and spied this Bishop, in her orchard, going toward herhouse; but I had not power to set one foot forward unto her. Whereupon,returning into the house, I was immediately accosted by the monster Ihad seen before, which goblin was now going to fly at me; whereat I didcry out:

  "'The whole armor of God be between me and you!'

  "So it sprang back and flew over the apple tree, shaking many apples offthe tree in its flying over. At its leap, it flung dirt with its feetagainst my stomach, whereon, I was then struck dumb, and so continuedfor three days together."

  The records of the case on trial shows that William Stacy testified:

  "I received money of this Bishop for work done by me, and I was gone buta matter of three rods from her, when, looking for my money, I found itunaccountably gone from me. Some time after, Bishop asked me if myfather would grind her grist for her? I demanded why not?

  "'Because folks count me a witch.'

  "I answered:

  "'No question but he will grind for you.'

  "Being gone about six rods from her, with a small load in my cart,suddenly the off wheel stumped and sank down into a hole, upon plainground, so that I was forced to get help for the recovering of thewheel; but, stepping back to look for the hole which might give me thisdisaster, there was none at all to be found. Some time after, I waswaked in the night; but it seemed as light as day, and I perfectly sawthe shape of this Bishop in the room, troubling me; but upon her goingout, all was dark again. When I afterward charged Bishop with it, shedid not deny it, but was very angry. Quickly after this, having beenthreatened by Bishop, as I was again in a dark night, going to the barn,I was very suddenly taken or lifted from the ground, and thrown againsta stone wall. After that, I was hoisted up and thrown down a bank, atthe end of my house. After this, again passing by this Bishop, my horsewith a small load, striving to draw, all his gears flew to pieces, andthe cart fell down, and I, going to lift a bag of corn, of about twobushels, could not budge it."

  The foregoing is a sample of the testimony on which people were hung. Wehave given these, that the reader may see what firm hold Mr. Parris andsuperstition had on the people. We could give page after page of thistestimony; but the above is sufficient. If the reader wants a fulleraccount of the trials of Bishop, Martin or any of the unfortunates whosuffered death at Salem during the reign of superstition, we refer themto the collections of Cotton Mather in his "Invisible World." From thatbook we quote the following information, as elicited by the examinationin case of Susanna Martin, at Salem, June 29th, 1692:

  Magistrate.--"Pray, what ails these people?"

  Martin.--"I don't know."

  Magistrate.--"But what do you think of them?"

  Martin.--"I don't desire to spend my judgment upon it."

  Magistrate.--"Don't you think they are bewitched?"

  Martin.--"No; I do not think they are."

  Magistrate.--"Tell us your thoughts about them."

  Martin.--"No; my thoughts are my own, when they are in; but when theyare out, they are another's. Their master----"

  Magistrate.--"Their master? Whom do you think is their master?"

  Martin.--"If they be dealing in the black art, you may know as well asI."

  Magistrate.--"Well, what have you done toward this?"

  Martin.--"Nothing at all."

  Magistrate.--"Why, 'tis you, or your appearance."

  Martin.--"I cannot help it."

  Magistrate.--"If it be not your master, how comes your appearance tohurt these?"

  Martin.--"How do I know? He that appeared in the shape of Samuel, aglorified saint, may appear in any one's shape."

  No wonder that a writer having occasion to examine into the evidence afew years ago, and commenting on it, should exclaim:

  "Great God! and is this the road our ancestors had to travel in theirpilgrimage in quest of freedom and Christianity? Are these themisunderstood doctrines of total depravity?"

  Reverend Mr. Noyes seemed to rival Mr. Parris in the persecution ofwitches.

  "You are a witch. You know you are," he said to Sarah Good, while urgingher to confession.

  "You are a liar," the poor woman replied, "and, if you take my life, Godwill give you blood to drink."

  Confessions became important in the prosecutions. Some, not afflictedbefore confession, were so, presently, after it. The jails were filled;for fresh accusations were needed to confirm the confessions. Mr. Halesays:

  "Some, by these their accusations of others, hoped to gain time, and getfavor from the rulers. Some of the inferior sort of people did illoffices, by promising favor thereby, more than they had ground toengage. Some, under these temptations, regarded not as they should whatbecame of others, so that they could thereby serve their own turns. Somehave since acknowledged so much. If the confessions were contradictory;if witnesses uttered apparent falsehoods, 'the Devil,' the judges wouldsay, 'takes away their memory, and imposes on their brain.'"

  Who, unde
r such circumstances, would dare to be skeptical, or refuse tobelieve the confessors? Already, twenty persons had been put to deathfor witchcraft. Fifty-five had been tortured or terrified into penitentconfessions. With accusations, confessions increased; with confessions,new accusations. Even "the generation of the children of God" were indanger of "falling under that condemnation." The jails were full. Onehundred and fifty prisoners awaited trial, two hundred more were accusedor suspected. It was also observed that no one of the condemnedconfessing witchcraft had been hanged. No one that confessed, andretracted a confession, had escaped either hanging or imprisonment fortrial. No one of the condemned who asserted innocence, even if one ofthe witnesses confessed to perjury, or the foreman of the juryacknowledged the error of the verdict, escaped the gallows. Favoritismwas shown in listening to accusations, which were turned aside fromfriends or partisans. If a man began a career as a witch-hunter, and,becoming convinced of the imposture, declined the service, he wasaccused and hanged.

  Samuel Parris had played a strong hand and was more than successful. Hisharvest of vengeance seemed to have no end. Witches' Hill became aTyburn-hill, and as many as eight were hung at one time.

  Matters had at last gone too far. The delusion reached its climax in themidsummer of 1692, and on the second Wednesday in October following,about a fortnight after the last hanging at Salem, the representativesof the colony assembled, and the people of Andover, their ministerjoining with them, appeared with their remonstrance against the doingsof witch tribunals.

  "We know not," they said, "who can think himself safe, if the accusationof children and others under a diabolical influence shall be receivedagainst persons of good fame." The discussions which ensued were warm,for Mr. Parris had defenders even in the legislature, who denouncedCharles and Hattie Stevens "as murderers and exercisers of the blackart." The general court did not place itself in direct opposition to theadvocates of the trials. It ordered by bill a convocation of ministers,that the people might be led in the right way, as to the witchcraft. Thereason for doing it and the manner were such, that the judges of thecourt, so wrote one of them, "consider themselves thereby dismissed." Asto legislature, it adopted what King William rejected--the English law,word for word, as it was enacted by a house of commons, in which Cokeand Bacon were the guiding minds; but they abrogated the special court,and established a tribunal by statute. Phipps had, instantly on hisarrival, employed his illegal court in hanging the witches. Therepresentatives of the people delayed the first assembling of the legalcourt till January of the following year. Thus an interval of more thanthree months from the last executions gave the public mind security andfreedom. Though Phipps conferred the place of chief judge on Stoughton,yet jurors, representing the public mind, acted independently. When thecourt met at Salem, six women of Andover, at once renouncing theirconfessions, treated the witchcraft but as something "so called," thebewildered but as "seemingly afflicted." A memorial of like tenor comefrom the inhabitants of Andover.

  More than one-half of the cases presented were dismissed; and, thoughbills were found against twenty-six persons, the trials showed thefeebleness of the testimony on which others had been condemned. Theminds of the juries had become enlightened, even before the prejudicedjudges. The same testimony was produced, and there at Salem, withStoughton on the bench, verdicts of acquittal followed.

  One of the parties acquitted on this occasion was an old acquaintance.Mr. Henry Waters, who had been arrested for his brother and taken toVirginia, suddenly appeared in Salem. John Louder, at once cried outagainst him and caused him to be arrested. On being arraigned, he pleadnot guilty and was put on his trial. John Louder was the principalwitness. He stated that one day he and Bly were hunting and thatdefendant pursued them and bewitched their guns. Then he testified thathe fired a silver bullet and wounded the defendant. He also testified tohis appearing before him on the evening he went to stalk deer, andoffering him a book to sign. It was known that the accused had sufferedfrom a wound.

  Mr. Waters then proceeded to explain:

  "My name is Henry Waters, and, in early life, my brother and I wereplayers. We were members of the Church of England and detested theCatholic Religion. The end of Charles II. was drawing near, and wereasoned that James II., his brother, would become heir to the throne.Our only hope was to organize a strong party and seize the throne forthe Duke of Monmouth. I was sent to the American colonies to securepledges of support, and get the names of all who would resist a papalmonarch on my book. I came, leaving my brother and his child in England.On the way here, I was suddenly fired upon by an Indian in ambush andwounded in the side. As these men were stalking a deer I passed alongand affrighted the animal, so it ran away, and I was for this accused ofbeing a wizard."

  He was then asked by the examining magistrate, if he did offer a book toMr. John Louder to sign.

  "I did," he quickly answered.

  "When was it?"

  "At the time and place he states."

  "What book was it?"

  "I have it here," and he produced a small, red-backed blank book. "Thishas caused so much trouble. Examine it, and you will see it was tocontain only the names of those who would resist the accession of theDuke of York to the throne."

  The book was passed around to the Judge and Jury, and a smile dawned onthe face of each, which was dangerous to the friends of the prosecution.That book would have hung Henry Waters during the reign of James II.;but now it was his salvation. He was one of the first acquitted. Thedelusion was on the wane. "Error died among its worshippers."