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Colonial Witch Trials
"The first suspicion of witchcraft in the New England colonies began at
Springfield, Massachusetts, as early as 1645. Several persons were,
about that time, tried and executed in Massachusetts; one at Charlestown,
one at Dorchester, one at Cambridge, and one at Boston. For almost
thirty years afterwards, the subject rested. But in 1687 or 1688, it
was revived in Boston; four of the children of John Goodwin united in
accusing a poor Irish woman with bewitching them. Unfortunately, the
accusation was given attention, and the woman was tried and
executed. Near the close of February 1692, the subject was again
revived, in consequence of several children in Danvers, then a part of
Salem, beginning to act in a
peculiar and unaccountable manner. Their strange conduct continuing
for several days, their friends betook themselves to fasting and prayer. During religious exercises, it was found that the children were generally
decent and still, but after the service ended, they renewed their former
inexplicable conduct. This was deemed sufficient evidence of witchcraft.
After several days, the children began to accuse several persons in the
neighborhood of bewitching them. Unfortunately, they were credited,
and the suspected authors of the spells were seized and imprisoned. From this date, this awful mania rapidly spread into the neighboring
country, and soon appeared in various parts of Essex, Middlesex, and Suffolk
Counties. Persons at Andover, Ipswich, Gloucester, Boston, and several
other places, were accused by their neighbors and others. For some
time, the victims were selected only from the lower classes. But quickly
the accusations fell upon the persons of the most respectable rank. In
August, Mr. George Burroughs, some time the minister at Salem and his wife
were accused;
against Messrs. Dudley and and John Bradstreet, sons of then late Governor
Bradstreet; against the wife of Mr. Hale; and the lady of Sir William
Phipps. The evil by now had become alarming. One man, named
Giles Corey, had been pressed to death for refusing to put himself on a
trial by jury; and nineteen persons had been executed, more than one third
of whom were members of the church. One hundred and fifty were in prison,
and two hundred were accused.
A conviction began to prevail that the proceedings had been rash and
indefensible. A special court was held on the subject, and fifty who
were brought to trial were acquitted, excepting three, who were afterwards
reprieved by the governor. These events were followed by a general
release of those who had been imprisoned. An 1800s historian noted
about the end of hysterics, 'Thus the cloud, which had so long hung over the
colony, slowly and sullenly retired; and, like the darkness of Egypt, was,
to the great joy of the distressed inhabitants, succeeded by serenity and
sunshine.'
Return to History of Massachusetts
Colony
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