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

NUMBER V

The Examination of Mary Clark 190 of Haverhill. Taken before Jno. Hauthorn, Esq. and otheir their Majesties Justices of the Peace, August 4th, 1692

THE Accused, Mary Clark, being called, it was enquired of Mary Walcot, if ever Clark had afflicted her? She answered Yes, that is the very woman. And, upon Mary Clarks looking upon Walcott, and others of the afflicted, they were struck into Fitts.

The Justices having used severall Arguments (for the Good of her Soul) to confess, if she knew herself guilty. She absolutely denyed. And then the Constable191 of Haverhill was called; and being asked of what Fame and Reputation Mary Clark was off? He answered they had heard she was or had been guilty of such Things, but, as to any Thing in Particular, he could not say. The Justices asked Mary Walcot if she were not mistaken in this Woman? Walcot answered, This is the very Woman I saw afflict Timothy Swan,192 and she has afflicted me several Times. And after a Fitt she was then immediately in, she said she saw the above Mary Clark afflict Betty Hubbard, and Ann Putnam.

The said Mary Clark looking upon Walcott, Hubbard, Putnam, Warrin, they were in Fitts.

Mary Walcott haveing a Pinn runn into her Arme suddenly, said that Mary Clark did it.

At the same Tyme Mary Warrin had a Pinn run into her Throat, under her Chin, which Mr. Noice took out.

Susanna Sheldon, upon said Examination, had four Pinns taken out of her Hand; saying that said Clark put in two of them, and Mr. Usher193 the other two.

Mary Post194 said she saw the said Clark afflict Timothy Swan.

Richard Carryer, a former Confessor said he beleeved he saw the said Mary Clark with some others and himself baptised at Newburry Falls.

Betty Hubbard195 was struck down, by her looking upon her.

It was asked, if she could say the Lords Prayer, perfectly.

She erred much.

Ann Putnam said that said Clark had afflicted her by pinching, choakeing, and striking her in the Face, and told her, that her Name was Mistriss Mary Clark, but that People used to call her Goody Clark.

Ann Putnam said further, that she saw the said Clark stabb Timothy Swan with a square ragged Speare, as long as her Hand. And, being asked why she called it a ragged Speare, she said because it was ragged like a File.

Mary Post said she saw this Mary Clarks Spirit at the Village Witch-meeting, and that she did eat and drink there as the rest did. And further, she has seen the said Mary Clark afflict Timothy Swan.

I, underwritten, being appoynted by Authority, to take the within Examination, in Wryting, Doe testify upon Oath, taken in Court, that this is a true Coppy of the Substance of it, to the best of my Knowledge.

[All of the Above is in the Hand of Edward Rawson. There is no Signature attached.]

NUMBER VI

An Account of the Life and Character of the Rev. Samuel Parris, of Salem Village, and of his Connection with the Witchcraft Delusion of 1692

MR. Parris, whose History is so intimately connected with the Salem Witchcraft Delusion of 1692, was a Son of Thomas Parris of London, and was born in 1653. He was a Member of Harvard College, but did not graduate at that Institution. He was at first a Merchant in Boston, but not succeeding in Business he left it, and offered himself as a Candidate for the Ministry.

The People at Salem Village being without a Pastor, on the 15th of November, 1688, sent a Committee, consisting of three Persons, viz: Captain John Putnam, Mr. Joshua Rea, Sen., and Francis Nurse, "to treat with Mr. Parris about taking ministerial Office." Nothing was done however at this Meeting towards effecting a Settlement, and on the 25th of November, after the Services in the Afternoon, the Audience was stayed, and by a general Vote, requested Mr. Parris to take Office. On the 10th of December, 1688, the Brethren of the Church, sent Lieut. Nath'l Putnam, Sergeant Fuller, Mr. Joshua Rea, Sen., and Sergeant Ingersoll, who came, they said, "as Messengers to know whether Mr. Parris would accept of Office." He replied, "ye Work was weighty, they should know in due Time." After this, several came on like Errands, but as yet, no Proposals of Maintenance were tendered.

On the 29th of April, 1689, Deacons Nath'l Ingersoll and Edward Putnam, Daniel Rea, Thomas Fuller, Jr., and John Tarbell, came to Mr. Parris, from the meeting House, where there had been a general Meeting of the Inhabitants, and said, "being the aged Men had had the Matter of Mr. Parris's Settlement so long in Hand, and effected nothing, they were desirous to try what the Younger could do." Upon Mr. Parris's asking them what their Will was, they answered "they were sent, by ye People to desire him to take Office, and had concluded to offer him sixty Pounds for his Salary." Twenty Pounds of which, was to be in Money, and the Remainder as follows: Wheat at 4 Shillings per Bushel, Indian Corn at 2 Shillings per Bushel, Barley, Rye and Malt at 3 Shillings per Bushel, Pork at 2 Pence per. Pound, Beef at 1½ Pence per. Pound.

The Committee being desirous of a speedy Answer, Mr. Parris informed them, that he would accept of their Proposals, provided they would comply with the following Provisions for his Maintenance: 1st, "When Money shall be more plenteous, the Money Part to be paid me, shall accordingly be increased. 2d, Tho' Corn or like Provisions should arise to a higher Price than you have set, yet for my own Family Use, I shall have what is needful, at ye Price now stated; and so if it fall lower. 3d, The whole sixty Pounds to be only from our Inhabitants, that are dwelling in our Bounds, or proportionable to what Lands they have, within ye same. 4th, No Provision to be brought in, without just asking whether needed, and myself to make choice of what, unless ye Person is unable to pay in any Sort but one. 5th, Fire Wood to be given in yearly freely. 6th, Two Men to be chosen yearly to see that due Payments be made. 7th, Contributions each Sabbath in Papers, and only such as are in Papers, and dwelling within in our Bounds, to be accounted as Part of the sixty Pounds. 8th, As God shall please to bless ye Place, so as to be able to rise higher, than ye said sixty Pounds, that then a proportionable Increase be made. If God shall please for our Sins to diminish the Substance of said Place, I will endeavour accordingly to bear such Losses, by proportionable Abatements of such as shall reasonably desire it."

These Proposals of Mr. Parris to the Committee were read to them and accepted, and they expressed their Belief, that the Inhabitants would approve of them. But it would seem that at a Meeting of the People of the Village, May 17th, 1689, Mr. Parris was sent for, when Objections were made against the 5th and 7th Provisions of his Settlement. "Touching the 5th it was objected, they had no Commons, and therefore could not conveniently give in Fire Wood, because some must bring in half Cord, others more, others less, &c. Therefore they would allow six Pounds per annum, one third Money, which would buy 3 °Cords, as they had dealt by former Ministers." Parris replied, he was willing to ease them, but then he desired, that one of them would take the six Pounds annually, and furnish him with 3 °Cords of Wood, to which Proposal he found none of them willing to consent. He then told them, if he did accept the six Pounds, it might in Time be insufficient to purchase 3 °Cords of Wood. In reply to the Fears of Parris in regard to the Rise of the Price of Wood, he says, I had a general Answer from many that at four Shillings per Cord, I should be supplied during my Life among them. He continues, after much urging, I replied I would try them for one Year. Mr. Parris says: "touching his 7th Provision, nothing at the Time was said or objected against Contributions by Papers, for it had been their former usual Way, but only against those, that dwelled within their Bounds, they urging that some did not live within their Bounds, yet they were constant Hearers, and therefore it was meet to have their Help."

"In fine, after much Agitation here, it was agreed on my Part and theirs, that such out Persons had Liberty to please themselves, in paying to the Minister or the meeting House. And so I left them, fully acquiescing with my aforesaid Conditions, not doubting but that they had truly entered it on the Records, as I took for granted, nor heard any Thing otherwise, till after my Ordination a good while, in another public Meeting of the Village; when another Vote, recorded and read, vastly different from the Agreement, as above said – which I then openly did, and still must deny, to be any Contract of mine."

We have now presented Mr. Parris's Account, of the Transactions between himself and the People of Salem Village, in regard to his Settlement. This was drawn up by him, and used upon his Trial before the Court of Common Pleas at Ipswich in 1696-7. We have been thus particular in Relation to the Settlement of Mr. Parris at Salem Village, it being one of the Causes, which led to the most bitter parochial Quarrel, that ever existed in New-England, and in the Opinion of some Persons, was the chief or primary Cause of that world-wide famous Delusion, the Salem Witchcraft.

Salem Village, since embraced in the Parish of Rev. Dr. Milton P. Braman, in Danvers, Massachusetts, was, on the 19th of November, 1689 (when the Rev. Samuel Parris entered upon his Duties there as a Pastor and Teacher,) a small Hamlet or Village, inhabited principally by Farmers, but embracing within its Limits, much adjoining Territory, extending its Lines to Wills Hill, now Middleton, there being many Families who attended Worship at Salem Village. The number of rateable Polls in the Parish was 100. It appears, from the Records, that Mr. Parris presented to his Church, upon his Settlement, a new Covenant and Form of Admission for its Members, together with the Question, who were the proper Subjects of Baptism? These caused some Debate in the Church, but none opposed the final Action upon them. Some singular and unusual Cases of Discipline came before them, but they appeared to have been disposed of peaceably. It was not until the 8th of October, 1691, that we discover any unfriendly feeling, existing between Mr. Parris and his People. It was on that Day, he says in his Church Records, – "Being my Lecture Day after public Service was ended, I was so bare of Fire Wood, that I was forced publicly to desire the Inhabitants to take Care that I might be provided for, telling them, had it not been for Mr. Corwin (who had brought Wood, being here at my House), I should hardly have had any to burn." Upon the Pastor's informing the Church of his Destitution of Fire Wood, the Brethren raised a Committee, who were instructed to see the Town Committee, and desire them to make a Rate for the Minister. The Committee on Rates met November 10th, 1691, and reported that they did not see good Cause to take Notice of the Church Committee, without they had a Letter to show, under the Church and Pastor's Hand. Upon this, Mr. Parris complained of the Treatment of the Committee towards him, but more especially the Church, whom he said manifested an indifference in this Affair. The Committee, whose Business it was to raise a Tax to procure the Pastor's Wood, still continuing to refuse to do it, on the 27th of December, 1691, a Petition was sent to the Quarter Sessions, wherein the Petitioners complain, that "no Reparations of the Village Meeting House has been for a great while regarded, so that broken Windows, stopt up some of them by Boards or otherwise, and others wide open, and is sometimes so dark, that it is almost unuseful." The Court, upon this Petition, appointed a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Village, to choose a new Committee to meet on the 25th of January, 1692, for the Purpose of assessing Rates to repair the meeting House, and procure the Pastor's Wood. The Inhabitants of the Village met on that Day, and made choice of Joseph Pope, Joseph Holten, Jr., John Tarbell, Thomas Preston, and James Smith, as their Committee.

This is the last we hear about this Affair of procuring Wood, &c., probably all further Consideration of it was absorbed in the great Witchcraft Delusion, which was now close at Hand, and about to break forth.

We are now brought to the Period of the Commencement of Salem Witchcraft, as it first developed itself in the Family of Samuel Parris, Minister at Salem Village in 1692.

Mr. Parris's Household consisted, at this Time, of himself and Wife, his age being 39 Years, that of his Wife 44 Years, a Daughter Elizabeth, aged nine Years, a Niece of eleven Years by the Name of Abigail Williams, and two Servants named John Indian, and Tituba his Wife, both Natives of South America, then called New Spain. These were held as Slaves, and Parris probably came into possession of them in some of his Commercial Transactions. By some Persons, these Indians have been supposed to belong to the Aborigines of our Country and to have obtained their knowledge of Witchcraft from the Indian Powows; but this appears to have been a mistake. Mr. Parris's nearest Neighbors were Capt. Jona. Walcut, who had a Daughter called Mary, 17 years of Age, and his Parish Clerk. Thomas Putnam, who had a Daughter named Ann, aged 12 Years, and a servant Girl, living with him, named Mercey Lewis aged 17 Years, Mary Warren, aged 20 Years, lived with John Proctor, Elizabeth Booth, aged 18 Years, lived near to John Proctor, Sarah Churchill, aged 20 Years, lived in the Family of Geo. Jacobs, Sen., Susannah Sheldon, aged 18 Years, lived in the Village. These Girls, together with Abigail Williams, a Niece of Mr. Parris, aged 11 Years, were in the Habit of meeting in a Circle in the Village, to practice Palmistry, Fortune Telling, &c. It appears by Evidence, given at the Courts, that some of their Parents and Guardians did not approve of these Meetings. Mary Warren, one of the most Violent of the accusing Girls, lived as we have before said, with John Proctor, and at last became his principal Accuser, upon his examination for Witchcraft. Proctor, out of all Patience with the Meetings of the Girls, composing this Circle, one Day said he "was a going to the Village to bring Mary Warren, the Jade, Home; for, if let alone, these Girls would make us all Devils and Witches together quickley. They should rather be had to the Whipping Post; but he would fetch his Jade Home, and thrash the Devil out of her." Proctor said, when Mary Warren was first taken with Fits, he kept her close to the Wheel, and threatened to thrash her, and then she had no more Fits; but the next Day, he being gone from Home, she had her Fits again. If the accusing Girls had been dealt with as John Proctor would have had them, we probably should have had a short Story to tell, about Salem Witchcraft. It is at the Meeting of this Circle of eight Girls, for the purpose of practising Palmistry and Fortune Telling, that we discover the Germ, or the first Origin of the Delusion. We have endeavored to follow them after the Excitement had subsided, for the Purpose of ascertaining their Character in after Life. One only of this Circle, Ann Putnam, confessed her Folly, and sought Forgiveness. Some of them grew up Licentious in their Habits, and all of them appear to have sought Obscurity. Their whole Course, as seen in their Depositions, discloses much Malignancy, and their Ignorance was so great, that of the Eight accusing Girls, Six of them signed their Names with a Cross.

It was in the latter End of February, 1692, that the Daughter of Mr. Parris, named Elizabeth, aged 9 Years, together with his Niece, Abigail Williams, aged 12 Years, were taken Sick and received such attention from Mrs. Parris as their Case seemed to require. But growing worse under her Treatment, and not being able to ascertain what their Disease was, application was made to their Family Physician, Dr. Gregg, living in the Village. He visited them, and observed that they were afflicted with a sad Distemper, the Name of which he could not tell. Other Physicians were called in, in Consultation, when one of them gave it as his Opinion, that the Children were under an evil Hand. It is probable that it was Dr. Gregg that supposed the Girls bewitched, for he had expressed the same Opinion of many of his Patients when he could not understand their Disease, many times before. It is highly probable that the Opinion of these Physicians went far to form the Belief of not only Parris, but also of his ministerial Friends, in the Existence of Witchcraft in the Village. Mr. Parris appears to have been much astonished, when the Physicians informed him, that his Daughter and Niece were, no doubt, under an evil Hand. There is Evidence that Mr. Parris endeavored to keep the Opinion of the Physicians a Secret, at least, till he could determine what Course to pursue. At this Time, Mary Sibley, a Member of his Church, gave directions to John Indian how to find out, who bewitched Betsy Parris and Nabby Williams. This was done without the Knowledge of Parris. The Means used to make this Discovery, was to make a Cake of Rye Meal, with the Urine of the Children, and Bake it in the Ashes, and give it to a Dog to eat. Similar disgusting Practices appear to have been used to discover and kill Witches, during the whole Period of the Delusion.

On the 27th of March, 1692, Mr. Parris called together his Church, when he presented Testimony against the Error of sister Mary Sibley, in giving direction to John Indian in an unwarrantable Way, to find out Witches. Upon Mary Sibley's manifesting Sorrow and Grief for her Conduct, the Brethren of the Church received Satisfaction. By the diabolical Means thus used by Mary Sibley, Mr. Parris supposed the Devil had been raised, and seeing the apparent distressed Condition of his Family, and not knowing what Course to pursue, requested some worthy Gentlemen of Salem, and some neighboring Ministers to consult together at his House; who when they came, and had inquired diligently into the Sufferings of the Afflicted, concluded they were Preternatural, and feared the Hand of Satan was in them. The Advice given to Parris by them was, that he should sit still and wait upon the Providence of God, to see what Time might discover; and to be much in Prayer for the Discovery of what was yet secret. They also examined Tituba, who confessed the making a Cake, and said her Mistress in her own Country was a Witch, and had taught her some Means to be used for the Discovery of a Witch, and for the Prevention of being bewitched, &c. But said she herself, was not a Witch. Soon after this, there were two or three private Fasts at Parris's House, one of which was kept by the neighboring Ministers, and another in Public at the Village. And one general Fast, by Order of the General Court, observed throughout the Colony, to seek the Lord, that he would rebuke Satan, and be a Light unto his People in this Day of Darkness.

It is evident from the Account given by Rev. John Hale, who was an Eye Witness to many of the Transactions at Salem Village, and one of the Ministers called for Consultation, that Mr. Parris proceeded with Caution at the Commencement of the Troubles, and was anxious to seek Council and Advice. He likewise wished to inform himself on the Subject of Witchcraft, and for that Purpose received as a Loan from Dea. Robert Sanderson, of Boston, a Copy of Perkins' Works, which treated upon that Subject.