An Essay on Demonology, Ghosts and Apparitions, and Popular Superstitions: Also, an Account of the Witchcraft Delusion at Salem, in 1692Thacher, James
Philosophy
An Essay on Demonology, Ghosts and Apparitions, and Popular Superstitions: Also, an Account of the Witchcraft Delusion at Salem, in 1692
Thacher, James
Superstition; Witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Massachusetts -- Salem
At the trial of Sarah Good, one of the afflicted girls fell into a
fit, and after coming out of it, she cried out against the prisoner
for stabbing her in the breast while in court, and actually produced a
piece of the blade of the knife which she said was used and broken in
doing it. Upon this, a young man was called to prove the imposition.
He produced a haft and part of the blade, which the court, having
viewed and compared, found to be the same; and the young man affirmed,
that yesterday he happened to break that knife, and that he cast away
the upper part in the presence of the person who now produced it. The
girl was cautioned by the court not to tell any more lies, but was
still employed to give evidence against the prisoners whose lives were
in her hands.
Mr Noyes, the minister, urged Sarah Good to confess, saying he knew
she was a witch, and she knew she was a witch; to which she replied,
'You are a liar. I am no more a witch than you are a wizard.' At the
trial of Rebecca Nurse it was remarkable that the jury brought her in
not guilty; immediately all the accusers in the court, and soon after
all the afflicted out of court, made a hideous outcry, to the
amazement of the court and spectators. The court having expressed some
dissatisfaction, the jury were induced to go out again to consider
better one expression of hers when before the court. They now brought
her in guilty, and she was condemned. After her condemnation, she was
by Mr Noyes of Salem, excommunicated and given to the devil. The
governor, however, saw cause to grant a reprieve, upon which, when
known, the accusers renewed their dismal outcries against her,
insomuch that the governor was by some Salem gentlemen prevailed with
to recall the reprieve, and she was executed with the rest. The
testimonials of her Christian behaviour, both in the course of her
life, and at her death, are numerous and highly satisfactory. Mary
Easty, her sister, was also condemned. She was of a serious and
religious character, and before her execution she presented a petition
to the court and the reverend ministers at Salem, protesting her
innocence before God. She petitioned, not for her own life, for she
knew she must die; but most earnestly prayed, that if possible, no
more innocent blood might be shed. By her own innocence she said she
knew the court was in the wrong way, and humbly begged that their
honors would examine the confessing witches, being confident that many
of them had belied themselves and others. They had accused her and
others, she said, of having made a league with the devil, which she
and they most positively denied. 'The Lord alone, who is the searcher
of all hearts, knows that as I shall answer it at the tribunal seat,
that I know nothing of witchcraft, therefore I cannot, I dare not,
belie my own soul by confessing.' She intreats their honors not to
deny the humble petition of a poor, dying, innocent person, and prays
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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