Sometimes it is used for vile & wicked persons, the worst of such, who for their villany & impiety do most resemble Devils & wicked Spirits.”. Salem Witchcraft Hysteria: An Original National Geographic Interactive Feature This interactive site simulates the terrifying experience of being accused of witchcraft in Salem in 1692. This consulting of these afflicted children, as abovesaid, seems to me to be a very grosse evill, a real abomination, not fitt to be known in N.E.”. In 1704, Lawson wrote another account of the Salem Witch Trials, a sermon titled “Christ’s Fidelity the only Shield against Satan’s Malignity,” aka “Witchcraft in Salem,” which was published in London in 1704. The majority of these primary sources were critical of the trials and made strong arguments against how the trials were conducted. "Coming to Terms with the Salem Witch Trials," in The Enduring Fascination with Salem Witchcraft. Caption: "Arresting a Witch." This is a great web resource with lots of information, including some primary sources, on the Salem Witch Trials from The University of Virginia. Green’s records mention the failed attempt to revoke Martha Corey’s excommunication in 1702, Ann Putnam’s confession in 1706 to being “made an instrument for ye accuseing of severall persons of a grievous crime” during the trials and the successful attempt to revoke Martha Corey’s excommunication in 1707. ♦ Some Miscellany Observations on Our Present Debates Regarding Witchcraft in a Dialogue Between S & B by P.E. While both sides agree that witches exist, Boston argues that the accused witches should only be convicted if sufficient evidence is found while Salem argues that spectral evidence is sufficient. Morgan, Edmund S. Visible Saints: The History of a Puritan Idea. Since this type of behavior was so unusual for young children in Puritan society, Lawson decided to dig deeper into the events at Salem village and, as a result, wrote what became the first eyewitness account of the Salem Witch Trials. Select primary source materials from the fifteenth through seventeenth centuries pertaining to European witch hunts. Wonders of the Invisible World by Cotton Mather. On October 8, 1692, Thomas Brattle, a Boston merchant, wrote a letter to an unnamed English clergyman in which he criticized the Salem Witch Trials. Salem: Cushing and Appleton, 1823.Hildeburn, Charles R. “Printing in New York in the Seventeenth Century.” The American Historical Magazine, Vol 3, The Americana Society, 1908. Hale concludes the book by stating that it was Satan, not witches, who hurt and tormented the afflicted girls. Thank you! The Story of the Salem Witch Trials. Even if an apparition was real, it is impossible to know whether it is real or a delusion. Pike also points out how illogical it is that these accused witches would plead innocent but then incriminate themselves by using witchcraft openly in the courtroom, as the accusers stated they were doing, and suggests that the accusers were delusional or possibly possessed. Cambridge University Press, 1993.Hill, Frances. Mather’s collection of papers include a number of letters and diary entries related to the Salem Witch Trials, such as his many letters to the judges of the trials, his letters to the other ministers involved in the trials and his letters to his grandfather, John Cotton. Great from NHD thank you. This document collection includes various documents relating to the witch craze in 17th century England. ♦ More Wonders of the Invisible World by Robert Calef. Rebecca is a freelance journalist and history lover who got her start in journalism working for small-town newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire after she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. These court records are available on the website of the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project and were also published in a book, titled The Salem Witchcraft Papers which was edited by Paul S. Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum. "History of the Salem Witch Trials. Pike’s letter to Corwin was later republished in a number of books, such as Salem Witchcraft by Charles W. Upham and The New Puritan: New England Two Hundred Years Ago by James Shephard Pike. Salem Witch Trials FAQs. Border Conflicts in the Eastwards. Published in October of 1692, this book by Boston minister Cotton Mather discusses a number of witchcraft cases in New England during the 17th century, including the Salem Witch Trials. Visit this site's About page to find out more about Rebecca. The primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer a wealth of information on these infamous trials. Through its extensive use of primary source materials and provision of essential accompanying explanations, this book places readers into the context of late 17th-century Salem society to shed light on one of the darkest events in American history--the Salem witch trials. After Burroughs was pushed off the ladder and hanged, Mather reassured the crowd that Burroughs wasn’t an ordained minister and that he was in fact guilty, which seemed to appease them and allowed the remaining executions that day to continue. The book discusses various witchcraft cases in New England from 1648 to 1692 and includes the events that led up to the Salem Witch Trials, many of which Hale witnessed firsthand. Many historians have pointed out that this ban is essentially the first government cover up in American history and was designed to stifle the growing opposition to the trials because it was a threat to the government of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Edited by George Lincoln Burr, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1914.Ray, Benjamin C. Satan and Salem: The Witch-Hunt Crisis of 1692. For example, in his March 27, 1692 sermon, Parris preached that the Devil had infiltrated the church: “Our Lord Jesus Christ knows how many Devils there are in his Church, & who they are…. Calef wrote the book after a visit to Salem in the spring and summer of 1692, during which he witnessed and described many of the events of the trials, such as some of the executions. And by Devil is ordinarily meant any wicked Angel or Spirit: Sometimes it is put for the Prince or head of the evil Spirits, or fallen Angels. The Salem Witchcraft Papers An alphabetical organization of the Salem court records according to the last names of these accused and a list of records under various headings, including the two letters of Governor William Phips, the records of the trials of January–May 1693, and petitions to the General Court 1696-1725. Historian Elizabeth Reis analyzes testimony from the Salem Witch Trials, looking at what both confessions and denials say about religious and social norms among the Massachusetts communities involved. Sources:Calef, Robert. The Salem Witch Trials Reader. Corwin then took Maule to the Salem jail and then burned the confiscated copies (Hildeburn 305.). In the pamphlet, Maule criticizes the use of spectral evidence in the trials, argues that many of the accused witch’s confessions were forced and states that God would adversely judge the prosecutors of the Salem Witch Trials. Although Pike previously supported the testimony of several accusers against Salisbury native Susannah Martin, he eventually came out against the Salem Witch Trials and also signed an affidavit in defense of another accused Salisbury woman, Mary Bradbury, who was his son’s mother-in-law. Primary sources provide details the narratives of popular, textbook history often neglect. Even though the ban was in effect, it couldn’t stop the circulation of some unpublished letters criticizing the trials and the ban was eventually broken with the publications of various books by people who were either involved in or had witnessed the events of the trials. Samuel Sewall was one of the judges of the court of Oyer and Terminer, which was a special court set up to hear the Salem Witch Trials cases. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. Published in mid-October of 1692, this 16-page book by Samuel Willard criticizes the use of spectral evidence in the Salem Witch Trials. It allows students and teachers to develop their own questions and lines of historical enquiry on the nature of beliefs and behaviours, the role of the authorities and legal restraint, attitudes of communities or the role of women in society. The Salem Witch Trials Reader. Pike goes on to argue that spectral evidence is considered unreliable evidence for three specific reasons: 1. Bridget Bishop, Hanged, June 10, 1692. Parris’ records also mention the absence of many of the dissenting parishioners during and after the trials, the excommunication of Martha Corey after her conviction of witchcraft and the efforts by some of the parishioners to remove Parris from his position due to his involvement in the trials. Written in 1697 and published posthumously in 1702, this book by John Hale, who was the pastor of the Church of Christ in Beverly, Mass, is a critique of the Salem Witch Trials. Mather referenced scriptures from the Bible and historical stories to illustrate his point: “Argu I. The remaining copies were ordered to be burned. What is meant here by Devils. Samuel Parris served as the pastor from 1689 to 1696 and wrote all of the records from that time period. And J.A. The book is structured as a debate between “S and B,” which stands for Salem and Boston, with Willard’s views being represented by Boston. Some historians argue that the book doesn’t reflect how Mather really felt about the trials since his personal letters and diaries reflect a much more cautious view of spectral evidence and of the trials in general. The primary source of Salem Witch Trials is “Examinations Of Some Of The Accused Witches In Salem, 1692”, written by the Douglas O. Linder in 2009. Essays, primary documents, biographical sketches, chronology, images, and other documents relating to the 1692 trials for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts Check-out the new Famous Trials website at www.famous-trials.com : More Wonders of the Invisible World. The Salem witch trials have gripped American imaginations ever since they occurred in 1692. Although Mather wasn’t directly involved in the Salem Witch Trials, he gave the judges advice on what is considered acceptable evidence of witchcraft by the church, attended some of the executions and even intervened in one of the executions after Reverend George Burroughs recited the Lord’s Prayer perfectly upon the ladder and dissent began to grow in the crowd. In fact, Calef’s description of the execution site was one of many sources that later helped researchers identify Proctor’s Ledge as the site of the hangings in 2016. "Salem Witch Trials" from the Gale Encyclopedia of American Law In 1692 the community of Salem, Massachusetts, was engulfed in a series of witchcraft afflictions, accusations, trials, and executions. A Brief and True Narrative of Some Remarkable Passages Relating to Sundry Persons Afflicted by Witchcraft, at Salem Village, Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases 1648-1706, The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, Cause of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits, A Modest Enquiry Into the Nature of Witchcraft, The Sermon Notebook of Samuel Parris, 1689-1694, View all posts by Rebecca Beatrice Brooks. The Salem Village Church record books are in the Danvers Archival Center, First Church Collection, in Danvers, Mass and were also published in a book, titled Salem-Village Witchcraft which was edited by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum. Lawson had a personal interest in Salem because he had been the minister at Salem Village from 1687 to 1688 but was denied the position of full minister after several parishioners objected to his permanent tenure as a result of ongoing disputes between the parishioners. Three Salem Women: The Stories of Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator and Bridget Bishop. "Authentic Salem Witch Trials Artifacts Are On Display Amid Halloween Kitsch. Apparitions and visions are sometimes caused by delusion.2. ♦ The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England by Cotton Mather. Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648-1706 by George Lincoln Burr The many secondary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer some much needed analysis and interpretations of this complicated event.. Most of the primary source materials (statutes, transcripts of court records, contemporary accounts) are available electronically. In order to defend its actions, the Massachusetts government asked Boston minister Cotton Mather to write a book about the trials in which he justified the trials and the way they were conducted. Available from Hanover Historical Texts Project. Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits by Increase Mather. Selected excerpts of Sewall’s diaries related specifically to the Salem Witch Trials, from volume five of his diary, are available on the website of the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project. Descrption: A generic scene that shows a woman being arrested for witchcraft, depicted conventionally as an old hag by the famous illustrator Howard Pyle.The picture illustrates an article by T. W. Higginson, "The Second generation of Englishmen in America," which briefly describes the Salem witch trials. DaCapo Press, 2000.Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648-1706. The book is considered both a justification for and an official defense of the verdicts in the Salem Witch Trials. The narrative was written after Lawson had been invited to Salem to serve as a guest preacher for the sabbath service on March 20, 1692 and his sermon was interrupted several times by some of the afflicted girls in attendance. More Wonders of the Invisible World by Robert Calef. The records were written by the pastor of the church at the time. There are several scriptures from which we may infer the possibility of what is affirmed. Brattle supports his argument against spectral evidence by stating that it is actually the work of the devil: “I think it will appear evident to any one, that the Devil’s information is the fundamental testimony that is gone upon in the apprehending of the aforesaid people…Liberty was evermore accounted the great priviledge of an Englishman; but certainly, if the Devil will be heard against us, and his testimony taken, to the seizing and apprehending us, our liberty vanishes, and we are fools if we boast our liberty.”. ]: Da Capo, 2000. As a descendant of Mary (TOWNE) ESTEY, I have a verify, verify, verify approach to family history and primary sources are always part of the quest. Sewall kept a diary, from 1672 to 1729, in which he described many of the events of the trials, such as Giles Corey’s death, the confession of Dorcas Hoar, the dismissal of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, his meetings the following year with some of the surviving accused witches, and his public apology for his role in the trials. Through the documents students could explore questions such as how the persecution of witches w… Boston goes on to argue that spectral evidence is insufficient because the afflicted girls are possessed, not bewitched, but Salem argues that they were indeed bewitched because they display the “seven signs of one bewitched.”. A Modest Inquiry Into the Nature of Witchcraft by John Hale. Related Museums/Attractions Salem Witchcraft Trials Includes primary sources--documents and images--relating to the trials of 1692 and an informative introductory essay that recounts events in Salem at the time of the trials. Salem Story: Reading the Witch Trials of 1692. Travelers’ accounts of their journeys, encounters with various Native Americans, the landscape, and much more. Use “Find a Document” and then “Select a Field” followed by “Select a Topic” to help narrow your search. "The Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project consists of an electronic collection of primary source materials relating to the Salem witch trials of 1692 and a new transcription of the court records." In the letter, Brattle criticizes the methods in which the accused are examined, points out the unreliablity of confessions from the accused, denounces the use of spectral evidence and criticizes the practice of relying on the “afflicted girls” for information on suspected witches. Mather also argues that another cause of these visions and specters is that the afflicted persons might be possessed by evil spirits. Overall, Mather’s main problem with the use of this spectral evidence is the religious consequences of it: “To take away the life of any one; meerly because a spectre or devil, in a bewitched or possessed person does accuse them, will bring the guilt of the innocent blood on the land.”. Written in 1697 and published in 1700, this book by Boston cloth merchant Robert Calef denounces the Salem Witch Trials and Cotton Mather’s role in it. Calef then concludes the book by stating that Mather’s actions were “highly criminal” and his beliefs in witches and witchcraft made him “guilty of of sacrilege in the highest nature…”. American Journeys Expansive and easy to use, this site is a dream for anyone interested in European and Euro-American exploration of North America. One of you is a Devil. Mather’s entire collection of papers are also located in the records of the Massachusetts Historical Society. In the book, Mather argued that specters could take the shape of innocent people and therefore rendered spectral evidence invalid. Malleus Maleficarum (1486) This is the best known (i.e., the most infamous) of the witch-hunt manuals. For Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light. Salem witch trials, (June 1692–May 1693), in American history, a series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted “witches” to be hanged and many other suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (now Danvers, Massachusetts). The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They? Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1998. These sources include official court records as well as several books, diaries and letters written by the various people involved in the trials. Map of Salem Village, 1692 Map of Andover Map of Salem, 1700 Map of ... 2018 by Benjamin Ray and The University of Virginia The material presented in the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive is provided freely for non-commercial educational purposes. ♦ Thomas Brattle’s Letter to an Unnamed Clergyman. This is part of the Famous American Trials site of Douglas O. Linder at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Worcester: American Antiquarian Society, 2003. The link of the website is http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/ASA_REC.HTM The author discusses … We find that the devil by the instigation of the witch at Endor appeared in the likeness of the prophet Samuel…But that is was a demon represent Samuel has been evidenced by learned and orthodox writers: especially (e) Peter Martyr, (f) Balduinus, (t) Lavater, and our incomparable John Rainolde…And that evil angels have sometimes appeared in the likeness of of living absent persons is a thing abundantly confirmed in history…Paulus and Palladius did both of them profess to Austin, that one in his shape had divers times, and in divers places appeared them (k) Thyreus; mentions several apparitions of absent living persons, which happened in his time…Nevertheless, it is evident from another scripture, viz, that in, 2 Cor 11. Hale first became involved in the Salem Witch Trials when, on March 11, 1692, he was asked by Reverend Samuel Parris to observe the afflicted girls symptoms in order to determined what was wrong with them. Collection of primary source materials relating to the Salem witch trials of 1692 and a new transcription of the court records. ♦ Cause of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits by Increase Mather. Most of the links will take you to It is not known what Corwin thought of the letter since there is no record of a reply or response. Abigail Williams: The Mysterious Afflicted Girl. Mather finished writing the book on October 3, 1692 and sent it to Governor Phips and presented a summary of the book to the assembly of ministers in Boston for their approval. Mather’s letters to the Salem judges and to his grandfather are also available on the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project website. The primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer a wealth of information on these infamous trials. Published in 1692, this 10-page narrative by Deodat Lawson is about Lawson’s personal observations of the events at Salem in the spring of 1692. Reverend Cotton Mather was a prolific writer and kept a diary from 1681-1724, wrote and published numerous sermons, and wrote many letters. University of Virginia Press, 2015.Miller, Jon. Advanced search features are useful if you want to find a particular explorer, expedition, or settlement. Witchcraft Collection at the Cornell University Library website, Sampler (left) made by Mary (Hollingworth) English, This website is a free portal to make it easier to access the on-line primary sources -- both in transcription and facsimile images -- of the Salem Witch Trials located at other websites on the internet. An army of devils is horribly broke in upon the place which is the center, and after a sort, the first-born of our English settlements.”. On December 14, 1695, Sheriff George Corwin arrested Maule for printing the pamphlet “without license of authority”, and seized the 31 copies in his possession. The book is located in the records of the Massachusetts Historical Society and is also available on the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project website. This is a really good cite. In the letter, Pike argues that spectral evidence is unreliable because these alleged visions and apparitions are “more commonly false and delusive than real, and cannot be known when they are real and when feigned.”. Many of these primary sources were published in the latter half of 1692, while the trials were still going on. The book also criticizes the use of spectral evidence and criticizes Puritans for their “unscriptual” belief in witches, arguing that the Bible makes no mention of witchcraft and therefore gives no basis for the existence of witches’ pacts with the devil. Keep Reading. Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. "WBUR (October 26 … ), ♦ A Brief and True Narrative of Some Remarkable Passages Relating to Sundry Persons Afflicted by Witchcraft, at Salem Village by Deodat Lawson. Some historians have accused Parris of causing the Salem Witch Trials by preaching many frightening and foreboding sermons that may have possibly caused panic among his anxious and stressed parishioners. Reverend Samuel Parris, pastor of the Salem Village church, delivered a series of sermons between 1689 and the autumn of 1692 related to the Salem Witch Trials. Most Americans’ knowledge of the seventeenth century comes from heavily mythologized events: the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth, Pocahontas purportedly saving Captain John Smith from execution in early Virginia, and the Salem witch trials of 1692. At the end of the 17th century, after years of mostly resisting witch hunts and witch trial prosecutions, Puritans in New England suddenly found themselves facing a conspiracy of witches in a war against Satan and his minions. ♦ Robert Pike Letter to Judge Jonathan Corwin. The court records from the Salem Witch Trials include examinations of the accused witches, depositions, testimonies, petitions, formal examinations, arrest warrants and death warrants. Some of the events described in the book include how some of the “afflicted girls” dabbled in folk magic and fortune-telling techniques shortly before they became ill, what the afflicted girls symptoms were, how Tituba baked a “witch cake” with the help of a neighbor to identify who was bewitching the girls, how Tituba’s confession prompted officials to examine more suspects and also includes brief mentions of other accused Salem witches.

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