Robert Calef, WitchCraft
Confessions
G.L. Lincoln, ed., Narratives of the
Witchcraft Case, New York, 1914. A Delusion of Satan : The Full Story of the Salem
Witch Trials by Frances Hill,
Karen Armstrong (Introduction). Paperback (October 1997) Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut,
1647-97 by J. J Taylor
FROM LIBRARY OF AMERICAN
LITERATURE, VOLUME 2 Part Vb Here followeth what account some of those miserable Creatures give
of their Confession under their own hands " We; whose names are under written,
inhabitants of Andover, where as that horrible and tremendous
judgment beginning at Salem Village, in the year :1692, (by some
called witchcraft) first breaking forth at Mr. Pa: ris's house,
several young persons being seemingly afflicted, clid accus several
persons for afflicting them, and many there believing it so to be we
being informed that if a person were sick, the afflicted persons
could tell what or who was the cause of that sickness:
Joseph Ballard, of Andover (his wife being sick at the same time) he
either from himself, or by the advice of others, fetched two of the
persons, called the afflicted persons, from Salem Village to Andver:
which was the beginning of that dreadful calamity that befell us in
Andover. And the authority in Andover, believing the said accusations
to be true, sent for the said persons to come together to the
meeting~house in Andover (the afflicted persons being there.) After
Mr. Barnard had been at prayer, we were blindfolded, and our hands
were laid upon the afflicted persons, they being in their fits, and
falling into their fits at our coming into their presence (as they
said) and some led us and laid our hands upon them, and there they
said they were well, and that we were guilty of afflicting of them;
whereupon we were all seized as prisoners, by a warrant from a
justice of the peace, and forthwith carried to Salem. And by reason
of that sudden surprisal, we knowing ourselves altogether innocent of
that crime, we were all exceedingly astonishecl and amazed, and
affrighted even out of our reason; and our nearest and dearest
relations, seeing us in that dreadful condition, and knowing our
great danger, apprehending that there was no other way to save our
lives, as the case was then circumstanced, but by our confessing
ourselves to be such and such persons, as the afflicted represented
us to be, they out of tender love and pity persuaded us to confess
what we did confess. And indeed that confession, that it is said we
made, was no other than what was suggested to us by some gentlemen;
they telling us, that we were witches, and they knew it, and we knew
it, and they knew that we knew it, which made us think that it was
so; and our understanding, our reason and our faculties almost gone,
we were not capable of judging our condition; as also the hard
measures they used with us rendered us uncapable of making our
defence; but said any thing and every thing which they desired; and
most of what we said was but in effect a consenting to what they
said. Sometime after, when we were better composed, they telling of
us what we had confessed, we did profess that we were innocent, and
ignorant of such things. And we hearing that Samuel Wardwell had
renounced his
confession, and quickly after was
condemned and executed, some of us were told that we were going after
WardwelL MABY OSGOOD, ABIGAIL
BARKEB, MARY TILER, SARAH WILSON, DELIV. DANE, HANNAH TILER."
It may here be further added, concerning those
that did confess, that besides that powerful argument, of life (and
freedom from hardships, not only promised, but also performed to all
that owned their guilt) there are numerous instances, too many to be
here inserted, of the tedious examinations before private persons,
many hours together; they all that time urging them to confess (and
taking turns to persuade them) till the accused were wearied out by
being forced to stand so long, or for want of sleep, etc., and so
brought to give an assent to what they said; they then asking them, "
Were you at such a witch-meeting?" or " Have you signed the devil's
book?" etc., upon their replying, "Yes," the whole was drawn into
form, as their confession. But that which did mightily further such
confessions was, their nearest and dearest relations urging them to
it. These, seeing no other way of escape for them, thought it the
best advice that could be given; hence it was that the husbands of
some, by counsel often urging, and utmost earnestness, and children
upon their knees intreating, have at length prevailed with them to
say they were gilty. April 25, 1693. I'he first superior court was
held at Boston, for the county of Suffolk; the judges were the
lieutenant Governor, Mr. Danforth, Mr.
Richards, and Mr. Sewall, esquires; where(besides the
acquitting Mr. John Aldin by
proclamation) the most remarkable was,
what related to Mary Watkins, who had been a servant, and lived about
seven miles from Boston, having formerly accused her mistress of
witchcraft, and was supposed to be distracted; she was threatened, if
she persisted in such accusations, to be punished. This, with the
necessary care to recover her health, had that good effect, that she
not only had her health restored, but also wholly acquitted her
mistress of any such crimes, and continued in health till the return
of the year, and then again falling into melancholy humours, she was
found strangling herself: her life being hereby prolonged, she
immediately accused herself of being a witch; was carried before a
magistrate, and committed. At this court a bill of indictment was
brought to the grand jury against her, and her confession upon her
examination given in as evidence; but these, not wholly satisfied
herewith, sent for her, who gave such account of herself, that they
(after they had returned into the court to ask some questions) twelve
of them agreed to find ignoramus, but the court
was pleased to send them out again, who again at coming in returned
it as before. She was continued for some time in prison, etc., and at
length was sold to Virginia. About this time the prisoners in all the
prisons were released. To omit here the mentioning of several wenches
in Boston, etc., who pretended to be afflicted, and accused several,
the ministers often visiting them, and praying with thern, concerning
whose aflliction narratives are in being, in manuscript; not only
these, but the generality of those accusers, may have since convinced
the ministers, by their vicious courses, that they might err in
extending too much charity to them. The conclusion of the whole in the
Massachusetts colony was, Sir William Phips, governor, being called
home, before he went he pardoned such as had been condemned, for
which they gave about thirty shillings each to the King's attorney.
Before this, the govermnent issued forth the
following proclamation: By the honourable the lieutenant governor,
council and assemly of his majesty's province of the
Massachusetts-bay in generalcourt assembled. Whereas, the anger of God is not yet turned
away, but his hand is still stretched out against his people in
manifold judgments, particularly in drawing out to such a length the
troubles of Europe, by a perplexing, war; and more especially
respecting ourselves in this province, in that God is pleased still
to go on in diminishing our substance, cutting short our harvest,
blasting our most promising undertakings more ways than one,
unsettling of us, and by his more immediate hand snatching away many
out of our embraces by sudden and violent deaths, even at this time
when the sword is devouring so many both at home and abroad, and that
after many days of public and solemn addressing of him: and although,
considering the many sins prevailing in the midst of us, we cannot
but wonder at the patience and mercy moderating these rebukes, yet we
cannot but also fear that there is something still wanting to
accompany our supplieations; and doubtless there are some lparticular
sins, which God is angry with our Israel for, that have not been duly
seen and resented by us about which God expects to be sought, if ever
He turn again our captivity : Wherefore it is commanded and appointed, that
Thursday, the fourteenth of January next, be observed as a day of
prayer, with fasting, throughout this province; strictly forbidding
all servile labour thereon; that so all God's people may offer up
fervent supplications unto him, Ior the preservation and prosperity
of his majesty's royal person and government, and success to attend
his affairs both at home and abroad; that all iniquity may be put
away, which hath stirred God's holy jealousy against this land; that
He would shew us what we know not, and help us wherein we have done
amiss to do so no more; and especially that whatever mis takes on
either hand have been fallen into, either by the body of this people,
or any orders of men, referring to the late tragedy, raised among us
by Satan and his instruments, through the awful judgment of God, he
would humble us therefore, and pardon all the errors of his servants
and people, that desire to love his name; that he would remove the
rod of the wicked from off the lot of the righteous; that he would
bring in the American heathen, and cause them to hear and obey his
voice. Given at Boston, December 17, 1696, in the
eighth year of his Majesty's reign. ISAAC ADDINGETON, Secretary. Upon the day of the fast, in the full assembly
at the south meetinghouse in Boston, one of the honourable judges,
who had sat in judicature in
Salem, delivered in a paper, and while
it was in reading, stood up; but the copy being not to be obtained at
present, it can only be reported by memory to this effect, viz., It
was to desire the prayers of God's people for him and his; and that
God having visited his family, etc., he
was apprehensive that he might have fallen into some errors in the
matters at Salem, and pray that the
guilt of such miscarriages may not be imputed either to the country
in general, or to him or his family in particular. Some, that had been of several juries, have
given forth a paper, signed with their own hands, in these words:
"We whose names are under written, being in
the year 1692 calied to serve as jurors in court at Salem on trial of
many, who were by some suspected guilty of doing acts of witchcraft
upon the bodies of sundry persons: "We confess that we ourselves were not capable
to understand, nor able to withstand, the mysterious delusions of the
powers of darkness, and prince of the air; but were, for want of
know]edge in ourselves, and better information from others, prevailed
with to take up with such evidence against the accused, as, on
further consideration and better information, we justly fear was
insufficient for the touching the lives of any (Duet. xvii. 6),
whereby we fear we have been instrumental, with others, though
ignorantly and unwittingly, to bring upon ourselves and this people
of the Lord the guilt of innocent blood; which sin the Lord saith, in
Scripture, he would not pardon (II. Kings, xxiv. 4), that is, we
suppose, in regard of his temporal judgments. We do therefore hereby
signifyto all in general (and to the surviving sufferers in especial)
our deep sense of, and sorrow for, our errors, in acting on such
evidence to the condemning of any person; and do hereby declare, that
we justly fear that we were sadly deluded and mistaken; for which we
are much disquieted and distressed in our minds; and do therefore
humbly beg forgiveness first of God for Christ's sake, for this our
error; and pray that God would not impute the guilt of it to
ourselves, nor others; and we also pray that we may be considered
candidly, and aright, by the living sufferers, as being then under
the power of a strong and general delusion, utterly unacquainted
with, and not experienced in, matters of that nature. "We do heartily ask forgiveness of you all,
whom we have justly offended; and do declare, according to our
present minds, we would none of us do such things again on such
grounds for the whole world j praying you to accept of this in way of
satisfaction for our offence, and that you would bless the
inheritance of the Lord, that he may be entreated for the land.
