Part 13

10. John Pressy testified, that being one Evening very unaccountably bewildred near a Field of Martin, and several times as one under an Enchantment, returning to the place he had left, at length he saw a Marvellous light, about the bigness of an half Bushel, near two Rood out of the way. He went and struck at it with a Stick, and laid it on with all his might. He gave it near Forty blows; and felt it a palpable substance. But going from it, his heels were struck up, and he was laid with his back on the ground; sliding as he thought into a Pit: from whence he recovered, by taking hold on the Bush; altho afterwards he could find no such Pit in the place. Having after his recovery, gone five or six Rood, he saw Susanna Martin standing on his Left hand, as the Light had done before; but they changed no words with one another. He could scarce find his House in his return; but at length he got home, extreamly affrighted. The next Day it was upon enquiry understood, that Martin was in a miserable condition by pains and hurts that were upon her.

It was further testified by this Deponent, that after he had given in some Evidence against Susanna Martin many Years ago, she gave him foul words about it, and said, He should never prosper, more particularly, that he should never have more than two Cows: that tho he were never so likely to have more, yet he should never have them. And that from that very day to this; namely for Twenty Years together, he could never exceed that number; but some strange thing or other still prevented his having of any more.

11. Jarvis Ring testified that about Seven Years ago he was oftentimes grievously oppressed in the Night; but saw not who troubled him, until at last he lying perfectly awake, plainly saw Susanna Martin approach him. She came to him and forcibly bit him by the Finger; so that the print of the bite is now so long after to be seen upon him.

12. But besides all these Evidences, there was a most wonderful Account of one Joseph Ring produced on this occasion. This Man has been strangely carried about by Dæmons. From one Witch-meeting to another, for near two Years together; and for one quarter of this time they made him and kept him Dumb, though he is now again able to speak. There was one T. H. who having, as 'tis judged, a design of Engaging this Joseph Ring in a snare of Devilism, contrived a while, to bring this Ring two Shillings in Debt unto him. Afterwards this poor Man would be visited with unknown shapes, and this T. H. sometimes among them; which would force him away with them, unto unknown places, where he saw Meetings, Feastings, Dancings; and after his return wherein they hurried him along thro the Air, he gave demonstrations to the Neighbours, that he had indeed been so transported. When he was brought unto these hellish meetings, one of the first things they still did unto him, was to give him a knock on the back, whereupon he was ever as if bound with Chains, uncapable of stirring out of the place, till they should release him. He related, that there often came to him a Man, who presented him a Book, whereto he would have him set his hand; promising to him that he should then have even what he would; and presenting him with all the delectable things, persons, and places, that he could imagine. But he refusing to subscribe, the business would end with dreadful shapes, noises and screeches, which almost scared him out of his wits. Once with a Book, there was a Pen offer'd him, and an Inkhorn, with liquor in it, that seem'd like Blood: but he never touched it.

This Man did now affirm, that he saw the Prisoner at several of those hellish Randezvouzes.

Note--This Woman was one of the most Impudent, Scurrilous, wicked Creature in the World; and she did now throughout her whole Tryal, discover herself to be such an one. Yet when she was asked what she had to say for herself, her chief plea was, that she had led a most vertuous and holy life.

FOOTNOTES:

This second Indictment is given in full in the Records, for which see Records of Salem Witchcraft, Vol. i, 195-6.

Lieut. John Allen was of Salisbury; and his Age 45. The Accused troubled him at some previous Period, but the Time he does not state.

The Witness, John Atkinson, was aged about 56 Years. His Evidence related to Matters of some five Years past. See Wonders of Invisible World, Vol. I, Page 178.

Peache's Evidence was of Troubles of about ten Years before. He said his Age was about 42; and at the Time of the Witchcraft complained of, he lived with William Osgood, of Salisbury.

Downer's Age was 52, and he belonged to Salisbury. What he swore to was of Events which happened "several Years ago."

Three Persons of the Name of Elliot are implicated in the Witch Court Proceedings--Andrew, Daniel, and this Edmund, who was of Amesbury. The Boston Eliots were of this Lineage.

John Kimball was of Amesbury, and was "aged 45 or vpward." His swearing was to Occurrencies of twenty-three Years standing; that about that Time he removed from Newbury to Amesbury, having bought a Piece of Land of Geo. Martin. The Testimony of Kimball occupies three and an half Pages of the Records, i, 218-21. He probably married Mary Hobbs, in Newbury.

This Testimony was by William Browne, of Amesbury, whose Age was 70 Years, or "ther about." What he swore to happened, he said "about on or to and thirty Years ago." The Trouble seems to have been between Mrs. Martin, and Browne's Wife, who was afflicted with hysteric Fits: insomuch that she was insane. He had applied to Doctors Fuller and Crosby, but they said her Complaint was supernatural, and that some evil Person had bewitched her. When in this State she would not own him for her Husband, and "asked him whether he did not mett with one Mr. Bent of Abey in England by whom he was divorced."--Records S. W., i, 206-8.

Sarah Atkinson was probably the Wife of John Atkinson, mentioned at Note 86. The "singular Confusion" appears to have been gratuitously thrown in by Dr. Mather. It is not in the Record. Her Age is given as 48 Years, or thereabouts.

John Pressy, aged 53, and "Marah his Wif aged 46 or ther abouts." It comes out in this Evidence, but is not mentioned by Mather, that at some 20 Years previous, this John Pressy and Wife had testified against Mrs. Martin, and that she had accused them of taking a false Oath. Such was the Origin of much of the Testimony.

Thomas Hardy of Great Island, at Pascatequay. Why Mather conceals his Name, except by the Initials, is not known.

Jarvis Ring's Case could have been nothing but one of Nightmare. Joseph Ring, brother of Jarvis, was 27 years of Age. They belonged to Salisbury. His Evidence compares very well with that of the Girls and other Miscreants, foregone. The Testimonies of the Amesbury Accusers were taken before "Robert Pike, Assist."

The Indictment of Elizabeth How.

THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady, the King and Queen present, That Elizabeth How, Wife of James How of Ipswich, the Thirty first Day of May, in the Fourth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord and Lady, William and Mary, by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King and Queen, Defenders of the Faith, &c. and divers other days and times, as well before as after, certain detestable Arts, called Witchcrafts and Sorceries, wickedly and Felloniously hath used, practiced, and exercised at, and within the Township of Salem, in the County of Essex aforesaid, in, upon, and against one Mary Wolcott, of Salem-Village, in the County aforesaid, single Woman; by which said wicked Arts, the said Mary Wolcott, the said Thirty first Day of May, in the Fourth Year as abovesaid, and divers other days and times, as well before as after, was and is Tortured, Afflicted, Pined, Consumed, Wasted and Tormented; and also for sundry other Acts of Witchcrafts, by said Elizabeth How; committed and done before and since that time, against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord and Lady, the King and Queen, and against the form of the Statue, in that case made and provided.

Witnesses--Mary Wolcott, Ann Putnam, Abigail Williams, Samuel Pearly, and his Wife Ruth, Joseph Andrews, and Wife Sarah, John Sherrin, Joseph Safford, Francis Lane, Lydia Foster, Isaac Cummins, Junior.

There was also a second Indictment for afflicting of Mercy Lewis.

Witnesses--Mercy Lewis, Mary Wolcott, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Samuel Pearly and Wife, Joseph Andrews and Wife, John Sherrin, Joseph Safford, Francis Lane, Lydia Foster.

The Tryal of Elizabeth How, June 30, 1692. As is Printed In Wonders of the Invisible World, from P. 126 to P. 132, inclusively.

1. ELIZABETH How, pleading, not Guilty to the Indictment of Witchcrafts, then charged upon her; the Court, according to the usual proceeding of the Courts in England; in such Cases, began with hearing the Deposition of several Afflicted People, who were grievously tormented by sensible and evident Witchcrafts, and all complained of the Prisoner, as the cause of their trouble. It was also found that the Suffers were not able to bear her look, as likewise, that in their greatest swoons, they distinguished her touch from other Peoples, being thereby raised out of them.

And there was other Testimony of People to whom the shape of this How, gave trouble Nine or Ten Years ago.

2. It has been a most usual thing for the bewitched persons at the same time that the Spectres representing the Witches, Troubled them to be visited with Apparitions of Ghosts, pretending to have been murdered by the Witches then represented. And sometimes the confessions of the Witches afterwards acknowledged those very Murders, which these Apparitions charged upon them; altho they had never heard what Information had been given by the Sufferers.