The Old-time Spirits

Duiiüg tho winter of 1691-2 a uircle f young girls was formed in Salem ''arnis, which met at the houso of the lev. Mr. Parris, for the practico of palmstry, and fortuue-telling, necromuncy, magie, and apiri tualism. In this circle ! ïoro wore (1) Elizabeth Paris, the minster's daugkter, aged nine year3, who [ irst had a leading part in 'tho j uent excitements, but was early removed ' om them by her father ; (2) Abigail Villiftms, Parris' niece, living in his ïouse, aged eleven ; (3) Ann Putnam, a;ed twelve, daughter of the pariah l lerk and recorder, a prominent man at I ie Farms ; (4) Mary Walcott, seventeen, Í aughter of Jonathan Walcott, Mr. 'arris' next-door neighbor ; (5) Merey jewis, seventeen ; (6) Elizabeth H.ubard, seventeen, nicoe of Dr. Griggs, io villiigij phyaioUn, and rowident in his I amüy;(7 - 8) Elizabeth Booth, Susannah j holdon, cach eighteen, belonging to amilies living near at hand ; (9) ÏJury Varren, aged twenty, a servant in the 'amily of John Proctor, who was bronght o the scaffold by the girls ; and (10) orah Churchill, a servant in the f amily f George Jacobs, Sr. Her omployer also became their victim. With these n, other persous wero drawn to act. 'here were John Indian and Tituba, wo slaves of Mr. Parris', who probably rere brought to the colony from the : 5arbadoes, and besides theso, one or j wo othera; but the girls, with the slaves, 'ormed the circle, and were the leading liaracters in the events which have been horror and mystery ever since they ! Tanspired. In thoso events these girls wero bold and even vicious in their J ng, and evinced an utter absence of com)unction or commisseration ; excopt in ne or two instances, displaying a compete disregard of the agony and destrucdon which they brought upon others. In the course of the winter they be■uue expert in the arts they wre learnng. Gradually they carne to exhibit i ïeir attainments to beholders. At first ' ïese exliibitions consisted in creeping nto holes, and underbenches and cliairs; ratting themselves into odd and unnatral postures, making wild gestares, and ttering incoherent and unintelligible ' ounds. Then they were seized with pasnis, dropped insensible to the floor, ! r writhed in agony, pretending to sulfer ortures, with loud and piorcing outcries. laturally thoy bigau to draw upon ïemselves general attention. Soon they ame to be styled "the afflicted I ren." In the carly stages no explanaion of their condition was so much as uggested by any one ; but as soon as )r. Griggs was called in, and had exainned them, he declared tliem bewitched. i n thoso days, and prior to those days, j mysicians frequently disposed of diffi;uit cases which came before them by j uch a resort. The profession must bear S fair sharo of responsibility for succeedïng occurrences. At once people were excited and larmed, They flocked to the minister's ïouse from all quarters. The girls aried and expanded their j ions, beginning to disturb prayer-meetngs and services on the Lord's day. At his some persons expressed j ion, and, though no accusations hal aa yet been made by the children, these I jersons, as the sequel shows, were imnediatoly marked. Families to wliicli he girls belonged began to fast and to )ray. Neighbors came in with the minster, and supplicated God to deliver .hom from Satan. In tho intervals of ervice the afflicted would break out with .heir cries, though not during tho irayer. In due timo tho Kev. Mr. Parris had lie ministers of the región togotker at ! lis house. Tliey spent the day with each other - the children performing before hem - and wero all astounded. Forthvith they corroborated Dr. Grigg's opinión as to the ailment of the " afflicted," sayingthat the dovil liad commenoed opei-ations on a grander scale and with )old(-r front than ever bofore in any ootmtry. This judgment of theirs was spread abroad, and public opinión becoming fixed, men and women left ficlds, houses, and labors, to wituess this awful unfolding of demoniac power. As it wiis an established doctrine of theology, philosophy, and law, that the de vil could not opérate upon mortals or mortal affairs, excopt through humaD beings in connection with kim - . e., through witches - the qnestion speedily arose, Wko bewitched ihése girls ? The girls held back from inentioning names. Public excitoment doepened. But tho inquiry, "Who is it that bewitehes yon 't" was urgently pressed vipon thsm, and without much delay they began to indícate individúala. One after another Lhcy oried out: "(iood!" " Oaburn!" " Tituba! " On February 29, thereforo, Edward Putuam, Thomas Preston, and Thomas Putnam, all leading men, swore ont wnxrante against tbnao three persons. Thomas Pfesloii wan a son-in-law of Prancis Ntirso, whose wifè, Keböcca Nuïse, will be a marked figure before us. Such a step as this was not taken, assuredly, until all was ripe for going forward; and accordingly, on the next day (March 1), John Hathornu aiul Jonathan Oorwin, Justices of the Peace from Salem Town, entered tho Farms, and roinod up at Nathaniel TngersoITs door. But so great a crowd was found to bü in attondance, that adjournmont was had to the nieoting-houso. The magistrates took seata in front of tho pulpit, faced the assembly, and announcod that they were ready. The prisoners were brought in and put upon a platform, in sight of all present. The officers in charge of them said thcy had mado diligent search for images or puppots, belonging to the accused, but had found none. Prayer was offered, and Sarali Good was exainined. This woman was an object of general dislike. Her husband, a weak, dependent person, had become alienated from lier. Slio was forlorn, friendless - broken down by her sad condition and bad repute. The minutes of her examination are in tho handwritiug of JBzekiel Ohoever, the village schoolmaator, as folloxvs : "Sarah Good, whnt evil spirit havo you fiuniliarity with ?" "None." " Have you mado no contract with the devil?" "No." " Why do you hurt theso children ?" "I do not hurt them; I scorn it. " "Who do you employ then to do it?" "I employ nobody." " What creature do you employ, then ?" "No creature; but I am falsely accused." "Why did you go away muttering from Mr. Parris' house?" ' ' I did not mutter, bui I thanked him for what he gave my child." "Have you made uo contract with the devil?" "No." Haüiorne, the magistrate, desired the children, all of them, to look upon hor, and see if tliis were the person that hurt them; and so thcy all did look upon her, and said this was ono f the persons that did torment them. Presently thcy were all tormented. "Sarah Good, do you not see what you have dono ? Why do you not teil us the truth ? Why do you thus torment these poor children ?" "I do not torment them." " Who do you employ then?" " I employ nobody; I scom it." "How camo they thus tormented?" " Whut do I know? You bring otherá here, and now you charge mo with it. " "Why, who was it?" "I do not know, but it was gomo ono you brought into the meeting-house with you." "We brought you into tho meetinghouse. " " But you brought in two more." "Who was it then that tormented the children ?" " It was Osburn." ' ' Whot is it you say whon you go muttering away from people's housos?" " If I must teil, I will teil." "Do teil us." " Then if I must teil, I will teil; it is the commandments. I niay say my commandments, I hope." " What commnndment is it?" " If I must teil you, I will teil - it is a psalm ?" "What psalm?" (After a long time sho niuttered oversomo part of a psalm.) " Whom do you serve i" "The God that mado heaven and carth " (though she was not willing to mention the word God). Her answers were in a very wicked, spiteful manner, reflecting and retorting against the authority, with base and abusive words, with many lies she was taken in. It was alleged that hor husband had said that he was afraid she either was a witch, or would be one very quickly. The worshipful Mr. Hathome asked him why he said so of her - whether he had ever seen anytlring by her. He answered: " No, not in this nature;" but it was her bad carriage to him, "and indeed," saith he, ' ' I may say with tears, that she is an enemy to aU good." This examination, closed here, speaks for itself as to its candor and justice. BHt upon the whole, it may be said with truth. that the appearance of " the worshipful Mr. Hathome " in this passage, and his demeanor toward the poor person before him, was in no wise essential y different fiom his exliibition of lümself, in all the preliminary examinatious. His assumption of the prisoner's guilt, his leading questions, his brutal deahng with numbers of the accused, made tho investigations a farce. The accused porsons, in all the trials, never had any counsel, never had any method of presenting their sido of a story in open court so far as can be determined. And almost all we know concerning those who were arraigned is from adverse sources. The prisoner (Good) was removed to make room for Sarah Ósbuin. This was a bedridden woman, with two sons. Her second marriage, to Osburn, had been unhappy, and troublo had distracted her inind. Sho had once held a reputable position socially, but liaving become the subject of scandnl, w:i a good object for the "afflicted" to pitch upon. Her examination is preserved in full, but cannot be given. She denied, as Good had done, all contract with tho Devil, and that she hurt the children, or employed any one to hurt them, deelared that she had not seen Sarah Good fot two years; and in reply to that ivninsn's accusation, said, "I do not know that the Devil goes about in my likenoss to ! do any hurt." The cnildren stood up and looked at i her, and said this was one that did afilict them; they had constantly seen lier witli the very habit she then liad on. Her husband and othors stated that sho had ; not been at a meeting for thrae years j and two monthe. No strange mtttter, as ! a charitable mind will think, for a bedridden person. Goody Osburn being taken out, tho Indian slave Tituba was brought forward. At first she too denied all familiarity with evil spirits, or that she hurt the children. Sho suid, indeed, that the Dnvil carne to her, and bid her serve him, and that she had seen four women sometimos hurt the children. Two of them she namcd, G)ody Osburn and Sarah i Good. These two, she declarod, wished her to hurt the. children, but she hiul refused. She had seen, also, a tall m;ui ! from Boston. All three had told ter to hurt the children, kut sho would not. A depoaition. made by tho Eev. Mr. Parris is preserved - that dimng all these days Èlizab'eth Parris, Jr., Ann Putuum, "und Eli.abeth Hubbard wera tormented, and that when Titulm confessed they were all relieved. He says that Tituba herself, when she began to confesa, was very mnch afflicted. Sho accuBod Gooil aul Osburn of doiug this to lier. Of these three p'rísoners, Mra. Osburn died in jai], May 16. Tituba lay in prison far thirleeu months, and was tben sold to pay her jail fees, and Sarah Good was lianged. At the close of these exaininations, ninety-nino out of every hundred pereons in tho corainixnity had been swept into the torrent of dñttóoá and alarm. The physicians liad gayen in their opinión. Tho ministers had approved it. The Bev. Mr. Parris was making it tlie topic of prayer and preaching Sunday by Sunday. ' The girln wero suftering more and more keenly, and the convictiou that the authors of tho miscliief must be found out and put away béoame very strong. Thus the timo drow near for accusations of more reputable persons. Solicitude to know who were the two other wornen making np tho four grew to bo intense. When overything was ready, the girls begau to givo out significant desoriptions, and then to cali ñames. Tho third victim solected was Martha Corey, third wifo of Giles Carey, a man eighty years of age. Mrs. Coroy was a rneinber of tho elmrch, who had not favored theso proceedings, going ko far, indeed, aa to expresa a lack of faith in the childron. In this season of pxcitement, she had, howcver, renewed her prayers, spending honrs in devotion. Her husbaud being carried away with the delusions, she even tried to keep Min back from the gatherings at tho village. All this was doubtless known there; certainly it had been given out tliat soon some persous in great regard for their piety would bo unmasked, and Mrs. Corey's name was mentioned, in undorbreath, by "the afflicted." Accordingly, Mareh 12, Edward Putnam and Ezekiel Cheever, hoaring Ann Putnam declare that Goody Corey did of ten pinch her, at onee thought it their duty to go and see her, ' ' she being in covenant with us." Before they started, I about the middle of the aftornoon, they saw Aan Piitnam, and asked her what clothes Goody Corey wore, for she might ba mistaken in tho porson. Ann cunningly replied that Goody Corey knew of their purpose to visit her, and had come and blinded her so that sho could not teil what sho wore. The two brethren found Mrs. Corey at home, and alono. 8he told them, smiling, and boforo they announced it, that she knew their errand. "You are come to talk with me about being a witch, but I am nono. I cannot help persons talking of me." She said she did not think thero were any witches, and al'fcer somo further conversation, they got nothing ;o erirainato, her and departod. All the reinet of this interview exhibits her as a sensible woman. Two days subsequently (March 14), they sent for her to come to Thomas Putnam's house. Inimediately upon her entranoe, his daughter Ann feil into convulsiona, of which she said Goody Corey was the author. This wai enough, and March 19 a warrant was issued for btei arrest. Broug.Ut t, Inge; :iouse, on tho 21st, ehe was then examJied, and tho record of examination is oy the Kev. Mr. Parris. This venerable grandmother having been led away, they brought in the same day for examination Doreas, a danghter of Sarah Good, a child four or iive years old. Warrant had been procured agninst lier the day beforo (March 23), on complaint of the two Putnams. The afflictad went mad, showed the mark of her teeth on their bodies, and tho pina with which sho pricked them wero alao fonnd upon them. This evidonco was overwholming, and tho poor babe went to jail to hor mother, who was then in shains. So the impriaoned wero usually kept, fot it was said that uviless loaded with chains their apparitions could torture tho afflicted, even whilo their bodiea were in jail. Doubtless tho child was siniilarly bound. k By this time the devü had actnally secured good lodgaiont in Salem Village. On Sunday Bcv. Mr. Parris followed liis coadjutator, preaching, for a communion sermón, from John v. 70-71 : " Havo I not chosen yon twelve, andone of you is a devil ï Ho spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Sirnon, for ho it was I that should betray him, being one of the twelvo." Mrs. Sarah Cloyse, a sister of Rebecca Nurse, who had so far constrained her feelings as. to bo present at the meeting, could not endure the sermón, and left the hause during its delivery. An easy wind cnused the door to slarn behind lier as she went out. Mrs. j Cloyse was attended to in duo time. When the sermón wasfinished, Eov. Mr. ' Parris read to the congregation an humble confossion and regret, from one of tho church members, a sister in Christ, of having tampered with some of the aftiictod in a way that was unlawful, and withoiit his (the minister's) con3enting, or that of the authority. The women had only given to John Indian some directions aa to how ho should find out witches, but the policy to be enforced was that of non-intercourso with the afflicted, save by proper persons. The prisons in Salem, Ipswich, Boston, and Cambridge were now crowded. The only sure way to prevent an accusation was to becomo an accuser. Accusers therefore sprang up everywhere. Every man's life waS at the mercy of t vory other man. Fear feil upon all. Convictiou became assured that the Providenco of God waa removed from over men, and Baten wholly let loose upon licin. It is out of our power, at this day, to conceive what was endured on all hands. Rebecca Nurse's trial öpens o view additional ignominious Ktoci ledinga, Th" reputo of this lady for piety and all domestic and Bocial excellence waf; Kuch that many who had been bitter aga-inst othera faltered as to her. Largi ntuabere of people came forward to defend her. Even Ñathaniel Putnam, in ;iKd and digniüed church member, hitherfco led on by Ber. Mr. Pai-ris, could not seo her sacriliced without trying to prevent it, and with thirty-nine other.", signed a paper attesting her many yixtiea, and liii disbelief of the charge againet her. These were people of the v y highest standing in the commuiiity. It i-i olaimed, indeed, that they werp sui'li aa to show that had the matter of the trials now been left to the Salem Villagors, the prosecutions would not have góne to the point afterward reachod. Certainly, the document thus signed - it in proserved - is a triumphant vindication of tho prisoner. One of the vory eompkioanta who swore out the warrant aga in st hnraffixcd his name to it, búí to no parpóse. Before the court sat, lier liody had boen examinad by a committee, who claimed to find upon it the witrh mark. Two days before she came to court, she petitioned her Judges, Üiat as all this committee did not agree, she might bc :i;;;iiti cxainincd by ntlicr uiiitvons, but it cannot be found that any tiotice was taken of her prayer. Sl luid been afliicted with bcdily ailm mtn for years. The children appeared against her. So did Mra. Aun Pntiiam. Ann Putnam, the daughter, said the spirits had M1 hor that Mis. Nurse had murdered fourteen men, women, andchildren. l Rebecca Nurse had sat upon lier mother - for she had seen it. A woman testilied to the petulance of Mrs. Nurse when her pigs got into Mrs. Nurse's garden, and that afterwarcf her husband feil ill and died. In spite of all, however, the jury I broughtin a verdict of "not guilty." At once the aeouscrs made a hideous outcry. [ Ono of tho Judgea said he was not satis' fied ; anotlier, as he was going off tlie ! bench, said he would havo lier indicted anow. The Chief Justice interposed - the jury went back, and came in again with the desired return of " guilty." She was thcn sentenced ; but the Governor granted her a repriere. Her Mcusers immediately renewed their hubbub - and some Salem gentleman had tlie reprieve recalled, so that she could bo executed on the appointed day. Wlio can contemplato that aged, broken woman, brought for this excomj rnunication, by officers of the law, into j the crowded congregation, probably in chains, her trembling frame unable to sustain itself, upheld by others, while she was publicly delivered over by the zeal(jt in tho pulpit, to that Satan into ■vhose hand he charged this saint of God with having already given her soul - -without a pang of soriow for her, and of exeoration for hirn f The poor woman suryived it, howovor, and perished on the gallows, with others beforo named. It is thought that her body was thrown into a hole in the crevices of rock and thinly sprinklod with earth. Family story says that her aons regained it, and that her ashes are now resting with those of her husband, who liyod but a short time longer, and of her cbildren, in the little enolosure which may be visitcd to-day, in South Danvers. If it be true, these sons must have come, heavy-heartod and by j stealth, at midnight, and borne it home, to gather about and weep over and tlien biu-y the remains, when they could seize upon some favorable moment for their pious offices of