AFurtherAccountoftheTryalsoftheNewEngland

Witches,sentinaLetterfromthence,toaGentlemanin
London.
LettertoNathanielHigginson
ThisletterappendedtoaneditionofDeodatLawsonsABriefandTrue
Narrative,inareprintedformdated1692listedinLondonMassachusetts
Historicalcardcatalogas1693.
AFurtherAccountoftheTryalsoftheNewEnglandWitches,sentinaLetter
fromthence,toaGentlemaninLondon.
HerewereinSalem,June10,1692,about40personsthatwereafflictedwith
horribletormentsbyEvilSpirits,andtheafflictedhaveaccused60or70as
Witches,forthattheyhaveSpectralappearancesofthem,thothePersonsare
absentwhentheyaretormented.WhentheseWitcheswereTried,severalof
themconfessedacontractwiththeDevil,bysigninghisBook,anddidexpress
muchsorrowforthesame,delareingalsothirConfederateWitches,andsaid
theTemptersofthemdesiredemtosigntheDevilsBook,whotormented
themtilltheydidit.TherewereatthetimeofExamination,beforemany
hundredsofWitnesses,strangePranksplayd;suchasthetakingPinsoutof
theClothesoftheafflicted,andthrustingthemintotheirflesh;manyofwhich
weretakenoutagainbytheJudgesownhands.Thornsalsoinlikekindwere
thrustintotheirflesh;theaccusersweresometimesstruckdumb,deaf,blind,
andsometimeslayasiftheyweredeadforawhile,andallforeseenand
declaredbytheafflictedjustbeforetwasdone.Oftheafflictedtherewere
twoGirls,about12or13yearsofage,whosawallthatwasdone,andwere
thereforecalledtheVisionaryGirls;theywouldsay,Nowhe,orshe,orthey,
aregoingtobite,orpinchtheIndian;andalltherepresentinCourtsawthe
visiblemarksontheIndiansarms;theywouldalsocryout,Nowlook,look,
theyaregoingtobindsuchanonesLegs,andallpresentsawthesameperson
spokenof,fallwithherLegstwistedinanextraordinarymanner;Nowsay
they,weshallallfall,andimmediately7or8oftheafflictedfelldown,with
terribleshrieksandOutcrys;atthetimewhenoneoftheWitcheswas
sentencd,andpinniondwithaCord,atthesametimewastheafflicted
IndianServantgoinghome,beingabout2or3milesoutoftown,andhadboth
hisWristsatthesameinstantboundaboutwithalikeCord,inthesamemanner
asshewaswhenshewassentencd,butwiththatviolence,thattheCord
enteredintohisflesh,nottobeuntied,nothardlycut.ManyMurdersare
supposdtobeinthiswaycommitted;fortheseGirls,andothersofthe
afflicted,say,theyseeCoffins,andbodiesinShrowds,risingup,andlooking
ontheaccused,crying,Vengeance,VengeanceontheMurderersManyother
strangethingsweretransactedbeforetheCourtinthetimeoftheir
Examination;andespeciallyonethingwhichIhadliketohaveforgot,whichis
this,Oneoftheaccusd,whilsttherestwereunderExamination,wasdrawn
upbyaRopetotheRoofofthehousewherehewas,andwouldhavebeen
choakdinallprobability,hadnottheRopebeenpresentlycut;theropehung
attheRoofbysomeinvisibletye,fortherewasnoholewhereitwentup;but
afteritwascuttheremainderofitwasfoundintheChamberjustabove,lying
bytheveryplacewhereithungdown.
InDecember1692,theCourtsateagainatSaleminNewEngland,andcleared
about40personssuspectedforWitches,andCondemnedthree.TheEvidence
againstthesethreewasthesameasformerly,sotheWarrantfortheirExecution
wassent,andtheGravesdiggedforthesaidthree,andforaboutfivemorethat
hadbeenCondemnedatSalemformerly,butwereRepreivedbythe
Governour.
InthebeginningofFebruary1693,theCourtsateatCharlesTown,wherethe
Judgeexpresthimselftothiseffect.
ThatwhoitwasthatobstructedtheExecutionofJustice,orhinderedthose
goodproceedingstheyhadmade,heknewnot,buttherebytheKingdomof
Satanwasadvancd,&candtheLordhavemercyonthisCountry;andso
declinedcominganymoreintoCourt.InhisabsenceMr.DsateasChief
Judge3severaldays,inwhichtime5or6werecleardbyProclamation,and
almostasmanybyTrial;sothatallareacquitted.
ThemostremarkablewasanOldWomannamedDayton,ofwhomitwassaid,
IfanyintheWorldwereaWitch,shewasone,andhadbeensoaccounted30
years.IhadtheCuriositytoseehertried;shewasadecrepidWomanofabout
80yearsofage,anddidnotusemanywordsinherowndefence.Shewas
accusedbyabout30Witnesses;butthematteralledgedagainstherwassuchas
neededlittleapology,onherpartnotonepassionateword,orimmoralaction,
orevil,wasthenobjectedagainstherfor20yearspast,onlystrangeaccidents
fallingout,aftersomeChristianadmonitiongivenbyher,assaying,Godwould
notprosperthem,iftheywrongdtheWidow.Uponthewhole,therewasnot
provdagainstheranythingworthyofReproof,orjustadmonition,mustless
soheinousaCharge.
SothatbytheGoodnessofGodweareoncemoreoutofpresentdangerofthis
HobgoblinMonster;thestandingEvidenceusedatSalemwerecalled,butdid
notappear.
TherewereothersalsoatCharlestownbroughtupontheirTryals,whohad
formerlyconfessdthemselvestobeWitches;butupontheirtryalsdenyd
it,andwereallcleard;Sothatatpresentthereisnofurtherprosecutionof
any.Cases.
2010byBenjaminRayandtheRectorandVisitorsoftheUniversityofVirginia