Salem Witchcraft, Volumes I and II: With an Account of Salem Village and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred SubjectsUpham, Charles Wentworth
History
Salem Witchcraft, Volumes I and II: With an Account of Salem Village and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects
Upham, Charles Wentworth
Salem (Mass.) -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Witchcraft -- Massachusetts -- Salem -- History -- 17th century
Comparing this record with the account given by Mr. Parris of the eight
conditions upon which he agreed, in conference with the committee of
the "younger" sort, on the 29th of April, to accept the call of the
parish, the difference is not very essential. The matter of firewood
was arranged, according to his account, by mutual agreement, they to
add six pounds to his salary, and he to find his own wood. The rates of
"the inhabitants" were to be paid "in papers." The only point of
difference, touching this matter, is that the record is silent about
contributions by outsiders and strangers; whereas he says it was
agreed, on the 29th of April, that they should not go towards making up
his salary. The idea of his salary rising with the growth and sinking
with the decline of the society is expressed in the record[i.293]
substantially as it is by him, only it is made exact; and, in case of a
decline in the means of the people, a corresponding decline is to be in
the aggregate of his salary, and not by abatements made by him in
individual cases. The variations are nearly, if not quite, all
unimportant in their nature, and such as a regard to mutual convenience
would suggest. Yet there was something in the above record which highly
exasperated Mr. Parris.
In his deposition he states, that, at a meeting held on the 17th of
May, of which there is no record in the parish book, he was sent for
and was present. He says that there was "much agitation" at the
meeting. He says that objection was made by the people to two of his
"eight" conditions, the fifth and seventh. But there is nothing in the
record of the 18th of June in conflict with what he says was finally
agreed upon, except the disposition that should be made of "strangers'
money." The question then recurs, What was the cause of the "much
agitation" at that meeting? What was it in the language of that record
which always so excited Mr. Parris's wrath?
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