An Essay on Demonology 13

An Essay on Demonology 13

Burroughs had been twice married, and it was reported of him, perhaps

truly, that he had treated his wives unkindly.

 

'Several of the bewitched,' adds Dr Cotton Mather, 'gave in their

testimony that they had been troubled with the apparitions of two

women, who said they were Burroughs' two wives, and that he had been

the death of them, and that the magistrates must be told of it, before

whom, if Burroughs upon his trial denied it, they did not know but

they should appear against him in court. Burroughs being now on trial,

one of the bewitched persons was cast into horror at the ghosts of the

two deceased wives, then appearing before him, and crying for

vengeance against him. But he, though much appalled, utterly denied

that he discerned anything of it: nor was this,' adds Dr Mather, 'any

part of his conviction.'[B] It was testified by some of the

witnesses, that the prisoner had been at witch meetings with them; and

that he was the person who had seduced them into the snares of

witchcraft; that he promised them fine clothes for doing it; that he

brought puppets to them, and thorns to stick into those puppets, for

the afflicting of other people; and that he exhorted them with the

rest of the crew to bewitch all Salem village, but be sure to do it

gradually, if they would prevail in what they did. It was testified of

one Ruck, brother-in-law to the prisoner, that himself and sister,

with Burroughs, going out two or three miles to gather strawberries,

Ruck, with his sister, rode home very moderately with Burroughs on

foot in company. Burroughs stepped aside into the bushes, whereupon

they halted and holloed for him. He not answering, they proceeded

homewards with a quickened pace, and yet, when they were got near

home, to their astonishment they found him on foot with them, having a

basket of strawberries. Burroughs then fell to chiding his wife for

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,

intimated that the devil himself, did not know so far. Burroughs

answered, 'My God makes known your thoughts unto me.' The prisoner at

the bar had nothing to answer unto what was thus witnessed against

him, that was worth considering. 'But the court began to think,' says

Dr Mather, 'that he then stepped 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 humor to hear what they said

of him.' This is paying no great compliment to the philosophical

character of the court. Burroughs was, however, condemned, and was

carried in rags in a cart through the streets of Salem, to his

execution; and his body was dragged by the rope over the ground, and

buried among some rocks, one hand and part of the face left uncovered.

When on the ladder, he repeated the Lord's Prayer; probably because it

was the popular opinion, that a wizard is deprived of the power of

doing it, and he also protested against the injustice of his

sufferings with such awful solemnity, as to affect the spectators to

tears, and it was by some apprehended that the populace would have

prevented the execution. He suffered this ignominious death at the age

of about 80 years, with fervent prayers that the dreadful delusion

might cease. As soon as he was turned off, Dr Cotton Mather, being

mounted, addressed himself to the people, declaring that Burroughs was

not an ordained minister, and that there was the fullest proof of his

guilt. Dr Increase Mather, equally credulous in these things with his

son, in his "Cases of Conscience," affirms, that he was present at the

trial of Burroughs, and had he been one of his judges, he could not

have acquitted him. 'For several persons did on oath testify, that

they saw him do such things as no man that has not a devil to be his

familiar, could perform.'

 

[B] In an English court, a witness was about to relate an

account of a murder as he received it from the ghost of the

murdered person. 'Hold, sir,' said the judge; 'The ghost is an

excellent witness, and his evidence the best possible, but he

cannot be heard by proxy in this court; summon him hither, and

I'll hear him in person; but your communication is mere hearsay,

which my office compels me to reject.' If a court or magistrate

will listen to ghost evidence to convict a reputed criminal, why

not admit the same evidence on the contrary, in proof of

innocence. And if a judge or magistrate countenance or abet such

kind of juggling with diabolical influence, do they not come

under the penalty of the statute of King James, which interdicts

all acts of sorcery whatever, and all charms for employing

spirits?

 

John Willard was another who suffered about the same time. He had been

employed in looking up witches, but at last refusing to fetch in more,

as he deemed it unjust, he was accused. He at first made his escape to

a distance of forty miles, but was overtaken and condemned. Giles

Corey, aged about 80 years, was brought to trial, but refused to

plead, being unwilling to be tried by a jury that cleared no one; he

was therefore pressed to death. When in the agonies of death, the

victim thrust out his tongue, and the officer pushed it into his mouth

with his cane. This was the first, and I believe the only one, who was

pressed to death in New England, though there had been examples of it

in Old England. Corey's wife suffered at the gallows, where she made

an eminent prayer.

 

September 22d, eight were executed, the horse carrying them together

in a cart to the gallows, failed for a short time, and the accusers

said the devil hindered it; but it may be asked, if he had power to

arrest the cart for a moment, why not stop it altogether, and prevent

the executions? But they shew no signs of confidence or hope in his

power to save them. One Wardwell, having formerly confessed himself

guilty and afterwards denied it, was brought upon his trial. His

former confession and spectre evidence were adduced against him; but

his own wife and daughter accused him and saved themselves. 'There

are,' says Hutchinson, 'many instances of children accusing their

parents, and some, of parents accusing their children. This is the

only instance of a wife or husband accusing one the other, and surely

this instance ought not to have been suffered. I shudder while I

relate it.' Besides these irregularities, there were others in the

course of these trials. At the execution of Wardwell, while he was

speaking to the people, protesting his innocence, the executioner

being at the same time smoking his pipe, the smoke coming in his face

interrupted his discourse, the accusers said the devil hindered him

with smoke.

 

Mrs English was a woman of superior mind, and an excellent education;

but was thought not to be very condescending or charitable to the

poor; and by some of them she was accused of witchcraft. The officer

read to her the warrant in the evening, and guards were placed round

her house. In the morning, after attending the devotions of the

family, she kissed her children with great composure, proposed her

plan of education, and took leave of them, and told the officer she

was ready to die, being confident that would be her fate. After being

examined, she was by indulgence committed to custody in a public

house, where her husband frequently visited her, and this occasioned

an accusation against him. Being a man of large property, a merchant

in Salem, and having considerable influence, he fortunately obtained

permission to be confined with his wife in a prison in Boston, till

the time of trial. Here their friends found means to effect their

escape, and they fled to New York, where they were received with

friendly attention by Governor Fletcher. In the winter following, Mr

English sent generous supplies to the suffering poor at Salem; but on

his return after the storm had subsided, he found his house plundered,

and his property so reduced, that from an estate valued at £1500, he

realized only about £300.

 

In July, one Goody Foster was examined before four justices. She had

confessed many things of herself, but her daughter now confessed

others in which she was concerned. She was told that her daughter was

with her when she rode on the stick, and was with her at the witch

meetings, and was asked how long her daughter had been engaged with

her. She replied that she had no knowledge of it at all. She was then

told that one of the afflicted persons said, that Goody Carryer's

shape told her that Goody Foster had made her daughter a witch about

thirteen years ago. She replied that she knew no more about her

daughter's being a witch, than what day she should die. If I knew

anything more I would speak it to the utmost. The daughter being

called in, and asked whether she had any discourse with her mother

while riding on the stick, replied, I think not a word. Next comes the

important question by the magistrate, 'Who rid foremost on that stick

to the village?' 'I suppose my mother.' The mother replied, 'no, Goody

Carryer was foremost.' It might be supposed that it was time for the

magistrates to stop; but they proceed to question the daughter. 'How

many years since they were baptized, who baptized them, and how?'

'Three or four years I suppose; the old serpent dipped their heads in

the water, saying they were his, and that he had power over them

forever and ever.' 'How many were baptized that day, and who were

they?' 'I think there were six, some of the chiefs, they were of the

higher powers.' The old woman's grandaughter, M. Lacey, was now called

in, and instantly M. Warren fell into a violent fit, but was soon

restored when Lacey laid her hand on her arm. Question by the

justices. 'How dare you come in here and bring the devil with you to

afflict these poor creatures; which way do you do it?' 'I cannot tell.

If my mother made me a witch I did not know it.' She was now directed

to look on M. Warren in a friendly way, without injuring her; but in

doing so she struck her down with her eyes. Being asked if she would

now acknowledge herself to be a witch, she said yes. Being asked how

long, she said she had not been a witch above a week. The devil

appeared to her in the shape of a horse, bidding her worship him, and

fear nothing, and he would not bring her out, but he has proved a liar

from the beginning. The questions being still put to her, she again

said, she had been a witch but a little more than a week; but at

another time she replied, that the devil appeared to her a little more

than a year ago for the first time.

 

Among other persons accused of witchcraft, was Mrs Hale, whose

husband, the minister of Beverly, had been very active in these

prosecutions; this was a stroke which the good man was not prepared

to receive. Being fully satisfied of his wife's innocence, the

question was now suggested and controverted, whether the devil could

afflict in a good person's shape, taking it for granted, that the

minister's wife was a good person. The accusation of Mrs Hale, and

some others of respectable character, brought them to believe that the

devil could so manage matters as that the afflicted person should

think he did. This affair effected a considerable alteration in the

sentiments and conduct of Mr Hale. He became much more moderate and

rational in his views of witchcraft. In the midst of their distress

and confusion, the clergymen of the town and vicinity held a

consultation by request of the governor and council, upon the state of

things as they stood; particularly, to consider the question, whether

Satan may not appear in the shape of an innocent and pious, as well as

of a nocent and wicked person, to afflict such as suffer by diabolical

molestation? They reported, among other things, as their opinion,

'That presumptions, whereupon persons may be committed, and much more,

convictions, as being guilty of witchcraft, ought certainly to be

more considerable than barely the accused person's being represented

by a spectre unto the afflicted; inasmuch as it is an undoubted and

notorious thing, that a demon may by God's permission appear even to

ill purposes, in the shape of an innocent, yea, of a virtuous man. Nor

can we esteem alterations made in the sufferers by a look or touch of

the accused, to be an infallible evidence of guilt, but frequently liable to be abused by the devil's legerdemain.'