The True Story of Salem: Book 1-7. Charles Wentworth Upham

Afflicted, her Mouth drawn on one side, and her Body strained for about a Minute, and then said, I will tell, I will tell; it is, it is, it is, three or four times, and then was afflicted to hinder her from telling, at last she broke forth, and said, It is the third Chapter of the Revelations. I did something scruple the reading it, and did let my scruple appear, lest Satan should make any Superstitiously to improve the Word of the Eternal God. However, tho' not versed in these things, I judged I might do it this once for an Experiment. I began to read, and before I had near read through the first Verse, she opened her Eyes, and was well; this Fit continued near half an hour. Her Husband and the Spectators told me, she had often been so relieved by reading Texts that she named, something pertinent to her Case; as Isa. 40.1. Isa. 49.1. Isa. 50.1. and several others.

      On Thursday the Twenty-Fourth of March, (being in course the Lecture-Day at the Village,) Goodwife. N. was brought before the Magistrates Mr. Hathorne and Mr. Corwin, about Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon, to be Examined in the Meeting-House, the Reverend Mr. Hale begun with Prayer, and the Warrant being read, she was required to give Answer, Why she afflicted those persons? She pleaded her own Innocency with earnestness. Thomas Putman's Wife, Abigail Williams, and Thomas Putman's Daughter accused her that she appeared to them, and afflicted them in their Fits; but some of the others said, that they had seen her, but knew not that ever she had hurt them; amongst which was Mary Walcut, who was presently after she had so declared bitten, and cryed out of her in the Meeting-House, producing the Marks of Teeth on her wrist. It was so disposed, that I had not leisure to attend the whole time of Examination, but both Magistrates and Ministers told me, that the things alledged by the afflicted, and defences made by her, were much after the same manner as the former was. And her motions did produce like effects, as to Biting, Pinching, Brusing, Tormenting, at their Breasts, by her Leaning, and when bended back, were as if their Backs were broken. The afflicted Persons said, the Black Man whispered to her in the Assembly, and therefore she could not hear what the Magistrates said unto her. They said also, that she did then ride by the Meeting-House, behind the Black Man. Thomas Putman's Wife had a grievous Fit in the time of Examination, to the very great impairing of her strength, and wasting of her spirits, insomuch as she could hardly move hand or foot when she was carried out. Others also were there grievously afflicted, so that there was once such a hideous scrietch and noise (which I heard as I walked at a little distance from the Meeting-House) as did amaze me, and some that were within, told me the whole Assembly was struck with Consternation, and they were afraid, that those that sate next to them were under the Influence of Witchcraft. This Woman also was that day committed to Salem Prison. The Magistrates and Ministers also did inform me, that they apprehended a Child of Sarah G. and examined it, being between 4 and 5 years of Age. And as to matter of Fact, they did unanimously affirm, that when this Child did but cast its Eye upon the afflicted Persons, they were tormented; and they held her Head, and yet so many as her Eye could fix upon were afflicted. Which they did several times make careful Observation of: The afflicted complained, they had often been Bitten by this Child, and produced the marks of a small set of teeth accordingly; this was also committed to Salem Prison, the Child looked hail, and well as other Children. I saw it at Lieut. Ingersol's. After the Commitment of Goodw. N. Tho. Putman's Wife was much better, and had no violent Fits at all from that 24th. of March, to the 5th. of April. Some others also said they had not seen her so frequently appear to them, to hurt them.

      On the 25th. of March (as Capt. Stephen Sewal of Salem did afterwards inform me) Eliz. Paris had sore Fits at his House, which much troubled himself, and his Wife, so as he told me they were almost discouraged. She related, that the great Black Man came to her, and told her, if she would be ruled by him, she should have whatsoever she desired, and go to a Golden City. She relating this to Mrs. Sewal, she told the Child, it was the Devil, and he was a Lyar from the Beginning, and bid her tell him so, if he came again: which she did accordingly, at the next coming to her, in her Fits.

      On the 26th. of March, Mr. Hathorne, Mr. Corwin, and Mr. Higison, were at the Prison-Keeper's House to Examine the Child, and it told them there, it had a little Snake that used to suck on the lowest Joynt of its Fore-Finger; and when they enquired where, pointing to other places, it told them, not there, but there, pointing on the lowest Joint of the Fore-Finger, where they observed a deep Red Spot, about the bigness of a Flea-bite; they asked who gave it that Snake? whether the great Black Man? It said no, its Mother gave it.

      The 31 of March there was a Publick Fast kept at Salem on account of these Afflicted Persons. And Abigail Williams said, that the Witches had a Sacrament that day at an house in the Village, and that they had Red Bread and Red Drink. The first of April, Mercy Lewis, Thomas Putman's Maid, in her Fit, said, they did eat Red Bread, like Man's Flesh, and would have had her eat some, but she would not; but turned away her head, and spit at them, and said, I will not Eat, I will not Drink, it is Blood, &c., she said, That is not the Bread of Life; that is not the Water of Life; Christ gives the Bread of Life; I will have none of it! The first of April also Mercy Lewis aforesaid saw in her Fit a White Man, and was with him in a glorious Place, which had no Candles nor Sun, yet was full of Light and Brightness; where was a great Multitude in White glittering Robes, and they Sung the Song in the fifth of Revelation, the 9th verse, and the 110 Psalm, and the 149 Psalm; and said with her self, How long shall I stay here! let me be along with you: She was loth to leave this place, and grieved that she could tarry no longer. This white Man hath appeared several times to some of them, and given them notice how long it should be before they had another Fit, which was sometimes a day, or day and half, or more or less, it hath fallen out accordingly.

      The 3d of April, the Lord's-day, being Sacrament-day, at the Village, Goodw. C. upon Mr. Parris's naming his Text, John 6.70. One of them is a Devil, the said Goodw. C. went immediately out of the Meeting-House, and flung the Door after her violently, to the amazement of the Congregation. She was afterwards seen by some in their Fits, who said, O Goodw. C. I did not think to see you here! (and being at their Red bread and drink) said to her, Is this a time to receive the Sacrament, you ran away on the Lord's-Day, and scorned to receive it in the Meeting-House, and, Is this a time to receive it? I wonder at you! This is the sum of what I either saw my self, or did receive Information from persons of undoubted Reputation and Credit.

      Remarks of things more than ordinary about the

       Afflicted Persons

       Table of Contents

      1. They are in their Fits tempted to be Witches, are shewed the List of the Names of others, and are tortured, because they will not yeild to Subscribe, or meddle with, or touch the Book, and are promised to have present Belief if they would do it.

      2. They did in the Assembly mutually Cure each other, even with a Touch of their Hand, when Strangled, and otherwise Tortured; and would endeavour to get to their Afflicted, to relieve them.

      3. They did also foretel when anothers Fit was a-coming, and would say, Look to her! she will have a Fit presently, which fell out accordingly, as many can bear witness, that heard and saw it.

      4. That at the same time, when the Accused Person was present, the Afflicted Persons saw her Likeness in other places of the Meeting-House, suckling her Familiar, sometimes in one place and posture, and sometimes in another.

      5. That their Motions in their Fits are Preternatural, both as to the manner, which is so strange as a well person could not Screw their Body into; and as to the violence also it is preternatural being much beyond the Ordinary force of the same person when they are in their right mind.

      6. The eyes of some