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

The Court being sensible, that the Testimonies of the Parties Bewitched, use to have a Room among the Suspicions, or Presumptions, brought in against one Indicted for Witchcraft, there were now heard the Testimonies of several Persons who were most notoriously bewitched, and every day tortured by Invisible hands, and these now all charged the Spectres of G. B. to have a share in their Torments. At the Examination of this G. B. the bewitched People were grievously harrassed with preternatural Mischiefs, which could not possibly be dissembled; and they still ascribed it unto the Endeavours of G. B. to kill them. And now upon his Trial, one of the bewitched persons testified, That in her Agonies a little Black-haired Man came to her, saying his name was B. and bidding her set her hand unto a Book, which he shewed unto her; and bragging that he was a Conjuror above the ordinary Rank of Witches; that he often persecuted her, with the offer of that Book, saying, she should be well, and need fear nobody, if she would but sign it: but he inflicted cruel pains and hurts upon her, because of her denying so to do.62 The Testimonies of the other Sufferers, concurred with these; and it was remarkable, that whereas Biting, was one of the ways, which the Witches used, for the vexing of the Sufferers, when they cry'd out of G. B. biting them, the print of his Teeth would be seen on the Flesh of the Complainers; and just such a set of Teeth as G. B's. would then appear upon them, which could be distinguished from those of some other Mens.

Others of them testified, that in their Torments G. B. tempted them to go unto a Sacrament, unto which they perceived him with a sound of Trumpet summoning of other Witches; who quickly after the sound would come from all quarters unto the Randezvous. One of them falling into a kind of Trance, afterwards affirmed, that G. B. had carried her into a very high Mountain, where he shewed her mighty and glorious Kingdoms, and said he would give them all to her, if she would write in his Book; but she told him, They were none of his to give; and refused the Motions; enduring of much misery for that refusal.63

It cost the Court a wonderful deal of trouble to hear the Testimonies of the Sufferers; for when they were going to give in their Depositions, they would for a long while be taken with Fits, that made them uncapable of saying any thing. The chief Judge asked the Prisoner, who he thought hindered these Witnesses from giving their Testimonies? and he answered, He supposed it was the Devil. That Honourable person then replied, How comes the Devil so loth to have any Testimony borne against you? Which cast him into very great confusion.64

3. It hath been a frequent thing for the bewitched People, to be entertained with Apparitions of Ghosts of murdered People, at the same time that the Spectres of the Witches trouble them. These Ghosts do always affright the beholders, more than all the other Spectral Representations; and when they exhibit themselves, they cry out of being murdered by the Witchcrafts or other Violences of the persons who are then in Spectre present. It is further considerable, that once or twice these Apparitions have been seen by others, at the very same time they have shown themselves to the bewitched; and seldom have there been these Apparitions, but when something unusual and suspected hath attended the death of the Party thus appearing. Some that have been accused by these Apparitions, accosting of the bewitched People, who had never heard a word of any such persons ever being in the World, have upon a fair Examination, freely and fully confessed the Murders of those very persons, although these also did not know how the Apparitions had complained of them. Accordingly several of the bewitched had given in their Testimony, that they had been troubled with the Apparitions of two Women, who said they were G. B's two Wives; and that he had been the death of them; and that the Magistrates must be told of it, before whom, if B. upon his Tryal denied it, they did not know but that they should appear again in the Court. Now G. B. had been infamous, for the barbarous usage of his two successive Wives, all the Countrey over. Moreover, it was testified, the Spectre of G. B. threatning of the Sufferers told them he had killed (besides others) Mrs. Lawson and her Daughter Ann. And it was noted, that these were the Vertuous Wife and Daughter of one, at whom this G. B. might have a prejudice, for being serviceable at Salem-Village, from whence himself had in ill terms removed some Years before, and that when they dy'd, which was long since, there were some odd circumstances about them, which made some of the Attendants there suspect something of Witchcraft, though none imagined from what quarter it should come.

Well G. B. being now upon his Tryal, one of the bewitched persons was cast into horror at the Ghosts of B's. two deceased Wives, then appearing before him, and crying for vengeance against him. Hereupon several of the bewitched persons were successively called in, who all, not knowing what the former had seen and said, concurred in their horror of the Apparition, which they affirmed, that he had before him. But he, though much appalled, utterly denied that he discerned any thing of it, nor was it any part of his Conviction.

4. Judicious writers have assigned it a great place, in the Conviction of Witches, when persons are Impeached by other notorious Witches to be as ill as themselves, especially if the persons have been much noted for neglecting the Worship of God. Now as there might have been Testimonies enough of G. B's. Antipathy to Prayer, and the other Ordinances of God, though by his Profession singularly obliged thereunto; so there now came in against the Prisoner, the Testimonies of several persons, who confessed their own having been horrible Witches, and ever since their Confessions, had been themselves terribly tortured by the Devils and other Witches, even like the other Sufferers; and therein undergone the pains of many deaths for their Confessions.

These now testified, that G. B. had been at Witch-meetings with them; and that he was the person who had seduced and compelled them into the Snares of Witchcraft: that he promised them fine Cloaths for doing it; that he brought Poppets to them, and thorns to stick into those Poppets, for the afflicting of other People: And that he exhorted them, with the rest of the Crue to bewitch all Salem-Village; but be sure to do it gradually; if they would prevail in what they did.

When the Lancashire Witches were Condemned, I do'nt remember that there was any considerable further Evidence, than that of the bewitched, and than that of some that had confessed. We see so much already against G. B. But this being indeed not enough, there were other things to render what had already been produced credible.

5. A famous Divine, recites this among the Convictions of a Witch; the Testimony of the party bewitched, whether pining or dying; together with the Joint Oaths of sufficient persons, that have seen certain podigious pranks or feats, wrought by the party accused. Now God had been pleased so to leave this G. B. that he had ensnared himself, by several instances which he had formerly given of a preternatural strength; and which were now produced against him. He was a very puny Man, yet he had often done things beyond the strength of a Giant.65 A Gun of about 7 Foot barrel, and so heavy that strong Men could not steadily hold it out, with both hands; there were several Testimonies given in by persons of Credit and Honor, that he made nothing of taking up such a Gun behind the Lock with but one hand, and holding it out like a Pistol, at Arms-end. G. B. in his vindication was so foolish, as to say, that an Indian was there, and held it out, at the same time: whereas, none of the Spectators ever saw any such Indian; but they supposed the black Man (as the Witches call the Devil; and they generally say he resembles an Indian) might give him that Assistance. There was Evidence likewise brought in, that he made nothing of taking up whole Barrels fill'd with Mellasses, or Cyder, in very disadvantageous Postures, and carrying of them thro' the difficultest places, out of a Canoa to the Shore.

Yea, there were two Testimonies, that G. B. with only putting the Fore-finger of his right hand into the Muzzel of an heavy Gun, a fowling piece of about six or seven foot Barrel did lift up the Gun, and hold it out at Arms-end; a Gun which the Deponents, though strong men, could not with both hands lift up, and hold out at the Butt-end, as is usual. Indeed one of these Witnesses, was over-perswaded by some persons to be out of way upon G. B's. Tryal; but he came afterwards with sorrow for his withdraw, and gave in his Testimony. Nor were either of these Witnesses made use of as Evidence in the Tryal.

6. There came in several Testimonies, relating to the Domestick affairs of G. B. which had a very hard Aspect upon him; and not only proved him a very ill Man, but also confirmed the belief of the Character, which had been already fastned on him.

'Twas Testified, that keeping his two successive Wives in a strange kind of slavery, he would when he came home from abroad pretend to tell the talk which any had with them. That he has brought them to the point of Death, by his harsh dealings with his Wives, and then made the People about him to promise that in case Death should happen they would say nothing of it. That he used all means to make his Wives Write, Sign, Seal, and Swear a Covenant never to reveal any of his Secrets. That his Wives had privately complained unto the Neighbours about frightly Apparitions of Evil Spirits, with which their House was sometimes infested; and that many such things have been whispered among the Neighbourhood. There were also some other Testimonies, relating to the death of People, whereby the Consciences of an impartial Jury were convinced, that G. B. had bewitched the persons mention'd in the Complaints. But I am forced to omit several such Passages in this as well as in all the succeeding Tryals, because the Scribes who took notice of them, have not supplied me.

7. One Mr. Ruck, Brother in Law to this G. B. testified that G. B. and he himself, and his Sister, who was G. B's. Wife, going out for two or three Miles, to gather Strawberries, Ruck with his Sister, the Wife of G. B. rode home very softly, with G. B. on foot, in their company, G. B. stept aside a little into the Bushes, whereupon they halted and hollow'd for him. He not answering, they went away homewards, with a quickened pace; without any expectation of seeing him in a considerable while: and yet when they were got near home, to their astonishment they found him on foot, with them, having a Basket of Strawberries. G. B. immediately then fell to chiding his Wife, on the account of what she had been speaking to her Brother of him on the Road: which when they wondered at, he said, He knew their thoughts. Ruck being startled at that, made some reply, intimating that the Devil himself did not know so far; but G. B. answered, my god, makes known your thoughts unto me. The Prisoner now at the Bar had nothing to answer unto what was thus witnessed against him, that was worth considering. Only he said, Ruck and his Wife left a man with him, when they left him. Which Ruck now affirm'd to be false; and when the Court asked G. B. What the mans name was? His countenance was much altered; nor could he say who it was. But the Court began to think that he then stept aside, only that by the Assistance of the black Man, he might put on his invisibility, and in that fascinating Mist, gratify his own jealous humour, to hear what they said of him. Which trick of rendering themselves invisible, our Witches do in their Confessions pretend that they sometimes are masters of; and it is the more credible, because there is demonstration that they often render many other things utterly invisible.

8. Faultering, Faulty, Unconstant, and contrary Answers upon Judicial and deliberate Examination, are counted some unlucky symptoms of Guilt in all Crimes, especially in Witchcrafts. Now there never was a Prisoner more Eminent for them, than G. B. both at his Examination and on his Tryal. His Tergiversations, Contradictions, and Falsehoods, were very sensible: he had little to say, but that he had heard some things that he could not prove, Reflecting upon the Reputation of some of the Witnesses. Only he gave in a Paper to the Jury; wherein, altho' he had many times before granted, not only that there are Witches, but also that the present Sufferings of the Countrey are the Effects of Horrible Witchcrafts, yet he now goes to evince it, that there neither are nor ever were, Witches, that having made a compact with the Devil, can send a Devil to torment other People at a distance. This Paper was transcribed out of Ady; which the Court presently knew, as soon as they heard it. But he said, he had taken none of it out of any Book; for which his evasion afterwards was, that a Gentleman gave him the Discourse in a Manuscript, from whence he transcribed it.

9. The Jury brought him in Guilty; but when he came to dye, he utterly deny'd the Fact, whereof he had been thus Convicted.66

Bridget Bishop's Indictment.