Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Kahle/ Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/salemwitchtrials0000orrt THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS By TAMRA ORR QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY HOLLIS BRANCH 2--05 HILLSIDE AV ENUE 20 HOLUS, N.Y. 11423 BLACICBIRCH PRESS T H O IVISON GALE S,tn Diego • Of>Ltott • New Yotk • Sd.n frc1nuuo • Clevel.ar1d t-•.., ,, M:,,.,,.r- r,.,rr. • •lo.f."\t 1r ~ ",._.,. ff ,. ,,.n,rf...,,,.. • ,., ,r ..-t-, THC>IVISC>N GALE 0 2004 by Blackbirch Press·. Blackbirch Press" is an imprint of The Gale Group. Inc.. a div;sion of Thomson Learning, In<.. Blackbirch Press- and Thomson Learning" are 1rademarks used herein under lkense For more information. contact The Gale Group, Inc. 27500 Orake Rd. Farmin91on Hills. Ml 48331-3535 Or you can visit our Internet site at http:h'WW\111.galo.com All RIGHTS RESERVED No p.,rt of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means-graphic, electro,1ic, or mechanical, induding photocopying, recording. taping, Web distribution, or information s1orage retrieval systems-without the wr,nen permission of IN! publisher. Every effort has been made lo trace the owners of copyrlghled material. Photo credits: cover, pages 15. 26 C Stock Montage, Inc.; cover. pages 16, 26,400 Bridgeman Art libtary; pages 5. 6. 7. 18·19. 27, 28, 32, 43. 45 O CORBIS; pages 8-9, 10, 11. 14, 17. 20, 21, 22. 24, 29. 30, 31. 33. 34, 35, 37. 38, 40 C North Wind Pic10re Archives: pages 12, 13 0 Mary Evans Picture library: page 39 C Hulton Archlve/Get1y Images; page 42 O Oover Publication LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA On. Tamra+ The S..lem Witch Tri<lls ! by Tamra B. Orr. v. cm. - (Peopl• •l the « nt<r of:) Includes bibliographi(al refe(ences and index. Contents~C otton Mather - Elizabeth Parris - Giles Corey - Robert Calef ISBN 1-56711·770-B (hardback : alk. paper) 1. TrJals (Wit<.hcraft)- Massachusetts- Salem- Juvenlle lherature. 2. Witchcraft Mas.wachusetts-Salem-History-Juvcnil&l iterature. 3. Salem (Mass.)-Sociat condi hons-Juvenife 1rteratore. (1. Trials (V1..,'itchcraft)- Massachusetts-Sd'em. 2. WnchCfaft Massachusens-Salem, 3. Salem (Mass.)-Histort-Colomal period, ca. 1600--lnS.I t Ti1Je. If. Series. KFM2478.8.\'\IS077 2004 133.•·3'097445-dc21 2003002618 Printed in Uniled Stales 10 9 8 7 6 S 4 3 2 1 - CONTENTS Introduction ....... . .... . ... . . . . ... •... .........•.................... 4 Heinrich Kramer and Jame.; Sprenger . . . . .......... ..•................... 12 C<)tton ~lather . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Samud Parris. . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Tituha .. .............. .. .... .... .... .... . ....... ................... . 20 Eli:al't'th Parri~ ........ •............. . ... . ....... .... . .............. . 22 Anne Pua1am ............... ..... ............•...................... 24 Sarah Grnxl ......................... .. .. . ........................... 16 Rd1ecca :-Juf<:e .............. .... •... .. ..•....•...................... 28 Bridger R1,hop .............. .. . ...... . .. . .... ................. ...... 30 John Proctor ............... .......... .... .... .... ..... .............. 32 G de~ Core~ .....................• ... . •.. . .... . ...................... 34 William Phi~ ................... . .... .... .... .... ..... .............. 36 Wilham coughcon ........... .... •... ..... .... .... ................... 38 Samuel Sewall ............... .... .. .. ... . . ........................... 40 Rohe rt Cale( ................ . ... •... . •... ... .. ...................... 4 2 Chronolog~ .....................• . .. ..... . ... ....................... 44 Fur Further Information ....... . .. . , . .. . . ... ....•...................... 46 A hour rhe Author ........... . ... .. .. . . .. . ........................... 4 7 Index ....................... . .. .•. .. . .... . .. .................... ... 48 THE SALEM W ITCH TRIALS 3 THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS ExoJu,, a boob. ti lhe Rihle. srntes, ''ThoL1 shalr not suffer a witch ro live." Beginning in Lhe cwelfth century, chm stacenwr1c was taken ~erK)11sly Europe. in Thoui,.,mJs of l"C(lplc were accused of, arrested, anJ execuceJ for pracucing witchcraft over rhe ncxr four hunJrcJ yerirs. The deep fc,1r of witches rr.weleJ aero~ the ocean with the Puritan< as they escapecl England in rhe ,evenrecnrh century to finJ a new lanJ where they could live ond worship ~~s they chose. One ol the place~ chey made their hl>mc wa~ Salem, Ma~:,achusctts. ln 1692 Salem,,.,,~ d1ddeJ inttl distinct nrea,: Salem Town, a bu,cling coa~tal tW(l community, anJ Salem Village, a smt1II, isnlmcd group of scarren.-J hom1..-s anJ forms. Most of rhe rcsiJenr, in Salem Town were wealthy merchants, whereas poor farmers m,1dc up che maioriry S.:ilem Village. 1..>f There wa~ a gre:u deal or tension between Salem Town and Salem Village. Salem Town haJ political and rcl1gi,>us control over Salem Villae:e, and residents of Lhe village wen: llr rwo mind, ahom this fnct. Some residenrs of che \'lllage who lived near Salem Town hcncfited from rhe rown's economic prosperity. The} ~upporred che connection hccwcen rhe village ond rhe cown. Many other;,, such the Putnam fam a,, ily who owne~I a great deal of tarmlancl in the village, wanted to gain independence from Sl'llcm li1wn. They felr thal the worldliness and flffiuence of rhe cown were inconsi,renr wich cheir Purir,m v.ilue~. Hosrilicy herween the two sides was strong, and this worried Lhe Puritans nf Salem Village, who feared that Goel would punish them ior their comtant argumg over the issue of independence, property ownership, and lar1d boundaries. In facr, che Puritans The dct1011t Puritans of Salem Village gai,hered at meetinghouses similar to this one to worship and attend trials. 4 THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS Above: Tltis painting depicts the praye,· ,,,.ece<ling a Puril'an Thanksgit•ing meal. Religion played an im/1(n-tm1t role in all aspect~ of Puritan life. Right: Tho.~e su~/1ectetl of witchcraft fuccd cn,el punishments, including being dunked in freez;ing river H'Oter. worried nfren ahmir offending G11cl. They spcnt at least fivt: hour,, a week m church ser\'ices, where the cmphasi~ nl rhe ~ermlm:, was lhe cur-e of sin. To en:,urn lhal 1.hcir h:havior would pk:ase Goo. the Puritan~ had very stricc ruk'l> of conduct, espl·cially for childn.:11. Running, shnucing, and playing were nor allowecl. Children pciformcJ chores from heron? dawn until after sunscc. Boys spent rhe1r Jays m,r.~ide, hunting anJ fl~hing, while girls usually srnyed ar h,1mc with :,ervan~. G1rb bake,I hread, churned bt1tter, sewed clothes, anJ tendeJ to young-er chil<lrcn. Tht: only book that was rt•ad wa~ the Bible, anJ if a story was shared, it ha,1 ti> bc a biblical nne. Puritan families suffered harsh wemhcr and illness. They li\'cJ in fear of arcacks by the wild animals in che nearhy woods or Indians in rhe area. One of che Purirans' greatest fears was the presence of a wicch. Tilis fear kept them alert for any :,igns of witchcrafc. such as a particularly quarrelsome neighbor or a person with an unsightly physical attribute. The combination of Salem Villc1ge's isol.1tion, insecurity m·er dangers seen and unseen, and fear of witches led co w1usual events during che winter of 1692. One by one, young girl, with in the village began co fall into fits of shaking, crying, yelling, 5 THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS