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Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur ia dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole '-*>signifie "A SUIVRE", le synibole y signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour §tre reproduil en un seul cliche, ii est fiSmd d partir de {'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Los diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. irrata to pelure, n d □ 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. BY SAMUEL A. GREEN, M.D. -♦— [1 GROTON, MASS. 1883. IMMMiilMM^M^ I ■« 4\ University Press: John Wilson and Son, Cambridge. PR i: » •60 m TO m CTbe illmorp of mv ^nttntov, THE REVEREND JOSEPH GREEN, OF SALEM VILLAGE, DURING WHOSE MINISTRY IN THAT PARISH THE WORK OF RECONCILJATION WAS BROUGHT ABOUT, AFTER THE TERRIBLE WITCHCRAFT TRAGEDY, This Chapter is Inscribed BY THE WRITER. ■Mil mm ■■IBlUlKini lilllir i^ 1^ Mi '^ t^ GROT ON m THE WITCHCRAF1 TIMES. «^ o»=:o m In the early days of our history a belief in witchcraft, so far from being peculiar to Massachusetts, was held throughout Christendom. By no means confined to the ignorant or superstitious classes, it was entertained by educated and thoughtful men everywhere. It was a delusion for which the age was responsible, rather than any particular land or country. To us of to-day, with our light and experience, this state of affairs seems incredible; but perhaps a time may come when even some of our actions will need apologies and explanations. In the autumn of 167 1 a case of so-called witchcraft oc- curred at Groton, and the Reverend Samuel VVillard, at that time the minister of the town, gave much attention and study to it. He wrote a long letter to Cotton Mather, giving the minutest details of the case, and Dr. Mather refers to it in his '^Magnalia Christi Americana" (book vi. chapter vii. page 67). Two years later Mr. Willard published a volume of sermons entitled " Useful Instructions for a professing People in Times of great Security and Degeneracy: deliv- ered in several Sermons on Solemn Occasions." It consists f 3K«SdE-Z= rxc^TW 6 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. of tlircc sermons, of which one was preached in consequence of this sui)i)osecl manifestation of the Devil. The fame or notoriety of tlic case evidently had spread far and wide throughout the colony. Mr. Willard says: There is a voice in it to the whole Land, hut in a more especial manner to poor Groton : it is not a Judgement afar off, hut it is near us, yea among us, God hath in his wisdome singled out this poor Town out of all others in this Wilderness, to dispense such an amazing Providence in, and therefore let us make a more near and spec;ial use of it : Let us look upon our selves to he set up as a Beacon upon a Hill hy this Providence, and let those that hear what liath heen done among us, hear also of the good effects, and reformation it hath wrought among us. , ? ; The victim of the witchcraft was one Elizabeth Knapp, who had the long train of symptoms which were then usually ascribed to the personal influence of the Evil One, but which nowadays would constitute a well-marked case of hysteria. She was the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Warren) Knapp, and born at Watcrtown, on April 2i, 1655. Her father's house-lot was situated on the west side of Main Street, at the southerly end of the village ; and the family were living, doubtless, on that site when the daughter was seized with the symptoms. The original letter of Mr. Willard, describing the case, is still preserved, and is found numbered 3 in the second volume of the " Mather Papers " now at the Boston Public Library. It is written in a very small, cramped hand, and contained in four pages of manuscript, which is extremely difficult to read. It has been printed in the Collections of the Massacliusctts Historical .Society, volume viii., fourth series, pages 555-570; but the present copy is made inde- pendently of that one, and varies slightly from it. The letter is as follows : -^ "f <• *# <• kk, 1671 Oct. 30. GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. 7 A bricfe account of a strange &> unnsuaU rroi'idence of God be- fall 'ii to Elizabeth Knap of Groton, p me Sam'' Wtllard. This poore & miserable ol)ject, about a fortnight before shee was taken, wee observed to curry horsclfe in a strange cS; unwonted man- ner, sometimes shee would give sudden shriekes, ^: if wee enquired a Reason, would alwayes put it off with some excuse, iV then would burst forth into iiTioderate & extravagant laughter, in such wise, as some times shee fell onto y" ground w'' it : I my selfe observed often- times a strange change in here countenance, but could not suspect y" true reason, but conceiued shee might bee ill, i\: y'fore divers times en(iuired how shee did, ^: shee alwayes answered well ; w*^'' made mee wonder : but the tragedye began to unfold itselfe upon Munday, Octob. 30. 71, after this mafier (as I received by credible information, being that day my selfe gon from home). In the evening, a little before shee went to bed, sitting by y" fire, shee cryed out, oh my legs ! & clapt her hand on y'", ifnediately oh my breast ! & removed her hands thither ; & forthwith, oh I am strangled, i\: put her hands on her throat : those y' observed her could not see what to make uf it ; whither shee was in earnest or dissembled, & in this maner they left her (excepting y" psui. y* lay with her) complaining of her breath be- ing stopt : The next day shee was m a strange frame, (as was Oct. 31 observed by divers) sometimes weeping, sometimes laughing. & many foolish (S: apish gestures. In y" evening, going into y" cellar, shee shrieked suddenly, t\: being enquired of y" cause, shee answered, y' shee saw 2 ,psons in y" cellar ; whereupon some went downe with her to search, but found none ; shee also looking with y"" ; at last shee turned her head, & looking one way stedfostly, used y" exp'ssion, w' cheere old man ? which, they that were with her tooke for a fansye, & soe ceased; afterwards (y*-" same evening,) y" rest of y" family being in bed, shee was (as one lying in y'' roome saw, & shee herselfe also afterwards related) suddenly +hrowne downe into y*" midst of y" floore w"' violence, & taken with a violent fit, whereupon y" whole family was raised, & with much adoe was shee kept out of y^ fire fro destroying herselfe after w'-'' time she was followed w"' fits from thence till y'= sabbath day; in which shee was violent in bodily motions, leapings, strainings & strange agitations, scarce to bee held in bounds by the strength of 3 or 4 : violent alsoe in roarings & screamings, wmm mtm tttll'**!^ SIBi M MIWP HM 8 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. rep'senting a dark resemblance of hellisli torm", iS: fre(iueiuly using in these fits divers 'vords, sometimes crying out money, money, some- Nov. I. times, sin & misery with oth';r words. On Wednesday, being in y" time of intermission questioned about y" case shee was in, w"' rcfer- , ence to y*" cause or occasion of it, shee seemed to impeach one of y' neighl)o's, a ])son (I doubt not) of sincere uprightnesse before (Jod, as thougli cidier slice, or y- devill in her likenesse «S: habit, ptic- ularly her riding hood, had come downe y" chimney, stricken her t lat night shee was first taken violently, w*^'' was y" occasion of her bemg cast into y" floore ; whereupon those about her sent to request y"" j)son to come to her, who coming unwittingly, was at y" first assaulted by her stranglye, for though her eyes were (as it were) sealed up (as they were alwayes, or for y'' most jtt, in those fits, cV soe continue in y"' all to this day) shee yet knew her very touch from any other, though no voice were uttered, & discovered it evidently by her ges- tures, soe powcrfiiU were Satans suggestions in her, yet afterward God was pleased to vindicate y ' case \: justifye y'' iiiocent, ever to remove jealousyes fro y" spirits of y" pty concerned, & satisfaction of y"" l)y standers ; for after shee had gon to prayer w"' her, shee confessed that she beleeved Satan had deluded her, & hath never since com- plained of any such apparition or disturbance from y" ,])son. These fits continuing, (though w"' intermission) divers, (when they had opportunity) p'ssed upon her to declare w' might bee y'' true & real occasion of these amazing fits. Shee used many tergiversatio & excuses, p'tending shee would to y'' & y' young ,pson, who coming, Nov. 3. she put it off to another, till at y'^ last, on thurdsday night, shee brake forth into a large confession in y" ])'sence of many, y" substance whereof amounted to thus much : That y*-" devill had oftentimes ap- peared to her, p'senting y treaty of a Covenant, & pffering largely to iier : viz. such things as suted her youthfiill fancye, money, silkes, fine cloaths, ease from labo' to show her y" whole world, &c : that it had bin then 3 yeers since his first appearance, occasioned by her discon- tent : ' That at first his apparitions had bin more rare, but lately more frequent ; yea those few weekes y' shee had dwelt with us almost con- stant, that shee seldome went out of one roome into another, but liee appeared to her urging of her : & y' hee had p'sented her a booke writ- ten w"' blood of covenants made by others w"* him, & told her such & such (of some wherof we hope better things) had a name there ; r GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. I \ that hee urged upon her constant temptations to murder her ,pents, her neighho's, our children, < specially y'^ youngest, tempting her to throw it into y*" fire, on y' ht ath, into y" oven ; & that once hee put a bill hooke into her hand, to murder my selfe, psuading her I was asleep, but coming about it, shee met me on y'' staires at which shee was aflrighted, the time I remember well, & observd a strange frame in her countenance & saw she endeav'ed to hitle something, but I knew not what, neither did I at all suspect any such matter ; & y' often he |)suaded her to make aw?y w"' herselfe & once she v.aj goingf to drowne herselfe in y'= well, for, looking into it, shee saw such sighcs as allured her, & was gotten w hin y"' curbe, & was by God's providence prevented, many other like things shee related, too tedi- ous to recollect : but being passed to declare whither she had not consented to a coven' w"" y^ Devill, shee with solemne assertions de- ny^d it, yea asserted y' shee had neuer soe much as consented to dis co'se with him, nor had ever but once before y' night used y"" exp'ssion, W cheere, old man? & this argimi' shee used, y' y"" providence of God had ordered it soe, y' all his apparitions had bin frightfull to her 3 yet this shee acknowledged, (which seemed contradictorye, viz :) y' when shee came to our house to schoole, before such time as shee dwelt with us, shee delayed her going home in y» evening, till it was darke, (w*^'' wee observed) upon his psuasion to have his company home, & y' shee could not, when hee appeared, but goe to him ; one evident testimony wherof wee can say somlhing to, viz. y'= night before y" Thanksgiving, Octob. 19. shee was with another maid y' boarded in y^ house, whei oth of them saw y'= appearance of a mans head & shoulders, w"' a great white neckcloath, looking in at y-^ window, at which they came up affrighted both into y'= chamber, where y" rest of us were, they declaring y" case, one of us went downe to see who it might bee, but shee ran immediately out of y" doore before him, which shee halh since confessed, was y« Devill coming to her ; shee also acknowledged the reason of her former sudden shriekings, was from a sudden apparition, & that y<= devill put these excuses into her mouth, & bit her soe to say, & hurried her into those violent (but shee saith feigned & forced) laughters : shee then also complained against her- selfe of many sins, disobedience to ^ents, neglect of attendance upon ordinances, attempts to murder herselfe & others ; but this {tticular of a covenant shee utterly disclaimed : which relation seemed faire, 10 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. especially in y* it was attended w"' bitter teares, selfe condemnations, good counsells given to all about her, especially y"-" youth y" p'sent, & an earnest desire of prayers : shee sent to Lancaster for M'. Row- landson, who came & prayed with her, & gave her serious counsells ; but shee was still followed, all this notwithstanding, with these fits : Nov. 3. & in this state (coming home on fryday) I found her; but could get nothing from her, whenever I came in p'sence shee fell into those fits, concerning which fits, I find this noteworthy, shee knew & understood %yhat was spoken to her, but could not answer, nor use uay other woras but y' forementioned, money, &c : as long as y*" fit continued, for when shee came out of it, shee could give a relation of all y' had been spoken to her : shee was demanded a reason why bhee used those words in her fits, & signifyed that the Devill p'sented her with such things, to tempt her, & with sin & miserye, to terrifye her ; shee also declared that shee had seene y" Devills in y' hellish shapes, & more Devills y" any one there ever saw men in y*" world. Many of Nov. 5. these things I heard her declure on Saturday at night : On y" Sab- bath the Physitian came, who judged a' maine p': of her distempr to be naturall, arising from the foulnesse of her stomacke, & corrupt- nesse of her blood, occasioning fumes in her braine. & strange fan- syes ; whereupon (in order to further tryall & administration) shee was removed home, & the succeeding weekc shee tooke physicke, & was not in such violence handldd in her fits as- before ; but enjoyed an intermission, & gave some hopes of recovery ; in which intermis- sion shee was altogether sercelesse (as to our discoverye) of her state, held under securitye, & hardnesse of heart, j)fessing shee had no Nov. 8. trouble upon her spirits, shee cried satan had lef. her : A soleme day was kept w*" her, yet it had then, (as I app'hend,) little efficacy upon her ; shee that day again exp'ssed hopes that y'' Devill h?.d left her, but y"" was little ground to thinke soe, because she remained under such extreame sencelessenesse of her owne estate : & thus shee con- tinued, being exercised with some moderate fits, in w'" shee used none of y'= former exp'ssions, but sometimes fainted away, sometimes used Nov. 15. some struglings, yet not with extrem^Lye, till y"' Wednesday following, w'='' day was spent in prayer w''" her, when her fits something more en- , creased, & her tongue was for many houres together drawne into a semicircle up to y- roofe of her mouth, & not to be 'emooved, for Nov. 16. some tryed w'" y" fingers to doe it : fro thence till y' sabbath seuen GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. II night following : she continued alike, only shee added to former con- fessions, of her twise consenting to travell with y^ Devili in her com- pany between Groton & Lanc^ter, who accompanied her in forme of a blacke dog w"* eyes in his backe, sometimes slopping her horse, sometimes leaping up behind, & keeping her (when si ? came home w"' company) 40 rod at least behind, leading her out of y* way into a swampe, &c. : but still no conference would shee ovvne, but urged that the devills quarell with her was because shee would not scale a cov- ena' w"" him, & y' y' was y'' ground of her first being taken, besides this nothing observable came fro her, only one morning shee said God is a father, y^ next morning, God is my father, which words (it is to be feared) were words of p'sumption, put into her mouth by y* adversary. I suspecting the truth of her former storye, pressed, whether shee never verbally promised to covenant w"* him, which shee stoutly denyed : only acknowledged that shee had had some thoughts soe to doe : but on y" forenamed Nov. 26. shee was again with violence & extremity seized oy her fits, in such wise y' 6 ^sons could hardly hold her, but shee leaped & skipped about y^ house gforce roaring, & yelling extreamly, & fetching deadly sighs, as if her heartstrings would have broken, & looking w"' a frightfuU aspect, to y"" amazem' & astonishm' of all the beholders, of which I was an eye witnes* : The Physitian being then agen with her consented that y^ distemper was Diabolicall, refused further to administer, advised to extraordinary fasting ; whereupon some of Gods ministers were sent for : shee meane while continued extreamly tormented night & day, till Tuesday about noon ; having this added on Munday & Tuesday morning that shee barked like a dog, & bleated like a calfe, in w'^'' her organs were visibly made use of: yea, (as w?s carefully obsen-ed) on Mund y night, & Tuesday morning, when ever any came neere y'= house, though they within heard nothing at all, yet would shee barke Nov. 28. till they were come into y^ house, on Tuesday, about 1 2 of y'' clocke, she came out of y^ fit, which had held her fro Sabbath day about y* same time, at least 48 howers, w"" little or no intermission, & then her speech was restored to her, & shee exp'ssed a great seeming aence of her state : many bitter teares, sighings, sobbings, complainings shee ut' red, bewailing of many ..ins fore mentioned, begging prayers, & in y* houre of prayer o.pressing much affection : I then p''ssed if y' were anything behind in reference to y* dealings between her & Satan, •»C'J*^»«1!'V., . IIIHKI mi 12 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. when she agen pfessed y' shee had related all : & declared that in those fits the devill had assaulted her many wayes, that hee came downe y" chimney, & shee essayed to escape him, but was siezed upon by him, that hee sat upon her breast, & used many arg'' w"* her, & y' hee urged here at one time w"" persuasions & promises, of ease, & great matters, told her y' shee had done enough in w' shee had already confessed, shee might henceforth serve him more securely ; anon told hir her time was past, & there was no hopec unlesse shee would serve him ; & it was observed in the time of her extremity, once when a little moments respite was granted her of speech, shee advised us to make o' peace with God, & use o' time better y" shee Nov. 29. had done, y" pty advised her also to bethinke herselfe of making her peace, shee replyed, it is too late for me : the next day was solemnized, w" we had y^ presence of M. Bulkley, M' Rowlandson, & M! Estabrooke, whither coming, we found her returned to a sottish & stupid kind of frame, much was prest upon her, but no affection at all discovered ; though shee was litde or nothmg 'xercised w"* any fits, & her speech also continued : though a day or two after shee was rr.elancholye & being enquired of a reason, shee complained y' shee was grieved y' so much pains were taken w"* her, & did her no Dec 4. good, but this held her not long : & thus shee rema'ned till Munday, when to some neighbors there p'sent, shee related something more of he converse w"" y- devill, "iz. That it had bin 5 yeers or therabouts, since shee first saw him, & declared methodically y*" sundry apparitions fro time to time, till shee was thus dreadfully assaulted, in which, y* principall was, that after many assaults, shee had resolved to seale a covenant with Satan, thinking shee had better doe it, then be thus followed by him, that once, when shee lived at Lancaster, he p'sented himselfe, & desired of her blood, & shee nould have done it, but wanted a knife, in y" parley shee was prevented by the providence of God interposing my father ; a 2'' time in y"-" house hee met her, & p''sonted her a knife, & as she was going about it my father stept in agen & p'vented, that when shee sough. & enquired for y* knife, it was not to bee found, & y' afterward shee saw it sticking in y^ top of the bame, & some other like passages shee agen owned an observable passage w'''' shee also had confessed in her first declaration, but is not there inserted, viz. y' y*^ devill had often pffered her his service, but shee accepted not ; & once in £tic : to bring her in chips for /"= fire, GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. 13 shee refused, but when shee came in shee saw them lye by the fire side, & was affraid, & this I remarke, I sitting by y" fire spake to her to lay y'" on, & she turned away in an unwonted manner : she then also declared a'-'*' herselfe her unj)fitable life she had led, & how justly God had thus jimitted Satan to handle her, telling them, they little knew w' a sad case shee was in. I after asked her concerning these pas- sages, & shee owned y'' truth of y'", & declared y' now shee hoped y* devill had left her, but being prest whether there were not a covenant, she earnestly gfessed, y' by Gods goodnesse shee had bin p'vented fro doing that, w*"'' shee of herselfe had been ready enough to assent to ; & shee thanked God there was no such thing : The same day shee was agen taken w"* a new kind of unwonted fitt in which after shee had bin awhile exercised w"' violence, shee got her a sticke, & went up and downe, thrusting, & pushing, here & there, & anon look- ing out at a window, & cryed out of a witch appearing in a strange maner in forme of a dog downward, wth a womans head, & declared y' ^son, other whiles that shee appeard in her whole likenesse, & described her shape and habit : signifyed that shee went up y* chimney & went her way : what impression wee re'** in y* clay of y° chimney, in similitude of a dogs paw, by y° operation of Satan, & in y' form of a dogs going in y* same place she tould of, I shall not conclude, though something y"^ was, as I myselfe saw in y^ chim- ney in y" same place where shee declared y' foot was set to goe up : In this maner was she handled that night, & y* 3 next dayes, using strange gestures, complaining by signes, when shee could not speake explaining that shee was sometimes in y' chamber, somet. in y^ chim- ney, & anon assaults her, sometimes scratching her breast, beating her sides, strangling her throat, & she did oftentimes seeme to our ap- p'hension as if shee would forthwith bee strangled : She declared y* if y" j)ty were app'hended shee should forthwith bee well, but never till y" ; whereupon her father went, & j)cured y' coining of y"" woman Dec. 7. impeached by her, who came downe to her on Thurdsday night, where (being desired to be |)sent) I observed y* she was violently handled, & lamentably tormented by y*" adversarye, & uttered unirual shriekes at y^ instant of y* j)sons coming in, though her eyes were fast closed : but having experience of such former actings, wee made nothing of it, but waited y' issue : God therefore was sought to, to signifye something, whereby y'' innocent might bee acquitted, or y° guilty dis- 14 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. covered, & hee Answered o' prayers, for by 2 evident & cleere mis- takes she was cleered, & then all p'judices ceased, & she never more to this day hath impeached her of any apparition : in y" foremen- tioned allegation of y j)son, shee also signifyed y' somet. y* devil alsoe Dec. 8. in y* likenesse of a little boy appeared together w"" y^ j)son : Fryday wns a sad day w"' her, for shee was sorely handled w"* fits, which some ,pceiving pressed that y' was something yet behind not discov- ered by her ; & shee after a violent fit, holding her betweene two & 3 houres did first to one, & afterwards to many acknowledge that shee had given of her blood to y' Devill, & made a covenant w"* him, whereupon I was sent for to her ; & understanding how things had passed, I found that there was no roome for privac3'e, in another alredy made by her soe publicke, I therefore examined her concerning the matter ; & found her not soe forward to confesse, as shee had bin to others, yet thus much I gathered fro her confession : That after shee came to dwell w"* us, one day as shee was alone in a lower roome, all y^ rest of us being in y'' chamber, she looked out at y^ window, & saw y" devill in y" habit of an old man, coming over a great meadow lying neere the house ; & suspecting his designe, shee had thoughts to have gon away, yet at length resolved to tarry it out, & heare w' hee had to say to her ; when hee came hee de- manded of her some of her blood, which shee forthwith consented to, & with a knife cut her finger, hee caught y'' blood in his hand, & then told her she must wTite her name in his tooke, shee answered, shee could not write, but hee told her he w'** direct her hand, &. then took a little sharpened sticke, & dipt in the blood, & put it into her hand, & guided it, & shee wrote her name with his helpe : what was the matter shee set her hand to, I could not learne from her ; but thus much shee confessed, that the terme of time agreed upon with hun was for 7 yeeis ; one yeere shee was to be faithful! in his service, & then y* other six hee would serve her, & make her a witch : shee also re- lated, y' y^ ground of contest between her 6z y^ devill which was y' occasion of this sad providence, was this, y' after her covenant made the devill showed her hell & y" daiued, & told her if shee were not faithfull to him, shee should goe thither, & bee tormented there ; shee desired of him to show her heaven, but hee told her y' heaven was an ougly place, & that none went thither but a company of base roagues whom he hated ; but if shee w''' obey him, it should be well with her : GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. 15 but aftenvard shee considered with herselfe, that the terme of her coven', was but short, & would soone bee at an end, & shee doubted (for all y^ devills .pmises) shee must at last come to y' place hee had showne her, & withall, feared, if shee were a witch, shee should bee dis- covered, & brought to a shamefull end ; which was many times a trouble on her spirits ; this the Devill j)ceiving, urged upon her to give him more of her blood, & set her hand agen to his booke, which shee refused to doe, but |)tly through promises, ,ptly by threatnings, hee brought her at last to a promise y* she'^ would sometime doe it : after which hee left not incessantly to urge her to y'' j)formance of it, once hee met her on the staires. & often elsewhere pressing her with vehemencye, but shee still put it off; till the first night shee was taken when y* devill came to her, & told her he would not tarry any longer : shee told him shee would not doe it het Ansv/ered shee had done it already, & w' further damage would it bee to doe it agen, for shee was his sure enough : she rejoyned shee had done it already, & if shee were his sure enough, what need hee to desire any more of her : whereupon he strucke her y" first night, agen more violently y'= 2d as is above exp'*' : This is y" sume of y^ Relation I then had fro her : which at that time seemed to bee methodicall : These things she uttered with great affection, overflowing of teares, & seeming bitter- nesse : I asked of the Reason of her weeping & bittemesse, shee complained of hersinns, & some in j)ticular, profanation of the sab- bath &c : but nothing of this sin of renouncing > goverm' of God. & giving herselfe up to y" devill : I therfore, (as God helped) applied it to her & asked her whether shee desired not prayers with «S: for her, shee assented with eamestnesse, & in prayer seemed to bewaile the sin as God helped, then in y'= aggravation of it, & afterward declared a desire to rely on y^ power & mercy of God in Christ : shee then also declared, that y^ Devill had deceived her concerning those j)soRS impeached by her, that hee had in their likenesse or resemblance tormented her, |)suading her that it was they, that they bare her a spleen, but he loved her, & would free her from them, & pressed on her to endeavo' to bring them forth to y' censure of y* law. In this case I left her ; but (not being satisfied in some things) I promised to visit her agen y*^ next day which accordingly I did, but coming to her, I found her (though her speech still remained) in a case sad enough, her teares dryed up, & sences stupifyed, & (as was observed) when I \\\ \6 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. .; could get nothing from her, & therfore applyed myselfe in counsell to her, shee regarded it not, but fixed her eye steadfastly upon a place, as shee was wont when y' Devill p'^sented himselfe to her, which was Dec. 10, a griefc to her p'ents, & brought mee to a stand ; in y' condition I left her : The next day, bting y'= Sabbath, whither upon any hint given her, or any advantage Satan tooke by it '.:pon her, shee sent for mee in hast at noone, coming to her, shee iiiiediately with teares told me y* shee had belied the Devill, in saying shee had given him of her blood : &c : professed y' y* most of y" apparitions shee had spoken of were but fansyes, as images rep'sented in a dreame ; earnestly en- treated me to beleeve her, called God to witnesse to her assertion, I told her I would willingly hope y*" best, & beleeve what I had any good grounds to app'hend ; if therefore shee would tell a more me- thodicall relation y" y'= former, it would be well, but if otherwise, she must bee content y' every one should censure according to their app'hen- si'^i^ GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. 23 This Story has been given to show how, in those Times, a toler- ably severe Case of Hysterics coulil be magnified by those who had an exceedingly large Maggot of Credulity in their Brains. Croton is only thirty-three l\liles from Hoston, but the Story, in travelling even that short Distance, had no Doubt swollen into such Proportions, as to have but a faint Likeness to the Original. The Condition of Elizabeth Knap was probably very similar to that of Elizabeth Barton (the Holy Maid of Kent), who. for her Pretensions to Insj iration, " Convulsions ant' .itrange Motions of Body," was put to Death in the Time of Henry the Eighth, 1584. (Pages 132, 133.) John Willard, who was hung as a witch at Salem on Au- gust 19, 1692, had previously lived in Groton. The papers relating to his arrest and trial are still on file in the office of the clerk of the courts for Ivssex County at Salem, and give many particulars of the unfortunate affair. They are found in the first volume of " Witchcraft Papers," and numbered from 91 to 107 inclusive. The trial was held before a special term of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, of which the records are now lost. A warrant for Willard's arrest was issued on May 10, 1692, addressed '* To y" Constable of Salem " and put in the hands of John Putnam, Jr., who made a return dated May 12, that he " went to the house of the Vsuall abode of John VVillards and made search for him, and in seuerall other houses and places butt could not find him ; and his relatione and friends then gaue mee accompt that to theire best knowledge he was fflecd." Seven indictments were found against him und the original copies of four of them are still in existence. These all charge him with practising his sorceries on various spinsters. According to Robert Calef, in his " More Wonders of the Invisible World " (London, 1700) : — yo/in Willard, had been imployed to fetch in several that. were accused j but taking dissatisfaction from his being cent, to fetch up 24 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. some that he had better thoughts of, he declined the Service, and presently after he himself was accured of the same Crime, and that with such vf hemency, ihat they sent after him to apprehend him ; he had made his Escape as far as Nashaxvag, about 40 Miles from Salem ; yet 't is said those Accusers did then presently tell the exact time, saying, now Willard'vi, taken. (Page 104.) It will be noticed that Calef leaves it to be inferred that VVillard was arrested at Nashawag, which is another form of Nashua, and an old name of Lancaster. The Nashua River is sometimes called the Nashawag, in the early records of Groton. Mr. Upham, in his "'Salem Witchcraft" (Boston, 1867), says de6nitely that Willard "was seized in Groton" (ii. 173); but I do not find his authority for the statement. Lancaster may have been the place of his arrest. Willard had previously lived at Groton, which was then a frontier town ; and after his flight from Salem he would naturally have gone thither. The following are copies of some of the original papers: — Anno Regiii Regis et Regince et Marice nunc Anglia, ^c. Quarto, Essex ss The Juro? for our Sovereigne Lord and Lady the King & Queen presents that John Willard of Salem Village in the County of Essex husb. the Eighteenth day of May in the ffourth year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William & Mary by the Grace of God of England Scottland ffrance & Ireland King & Queen Defenders of the ffaith &c : Divers other Dayes & times as well be- fore as after, certaine detestable arts called Witchcrafts & Sorceries wickedly & feloniously hath vsed, Practised & Exercised at & within the Towne of Salem in the County of Essex afores'j in. vpon. and ag' one Mercy Lewis of Salem Village afores'- in the County afores"? single woman by which said wicked arts the s-' Mercy Lewis the s'.' Eighteenth Day of May in the ffoiTth year abovesf and divers other Dayes & times as well before as after was & is hurt, tortured afflicted consumed . Pined wasted & tormented, ag5 the Peace of our Sovereigne Lord & GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. 25 Lady the King & Queen, and ag' the forme of the Statute in that case made & Provided Witnesses Mercy Lewis Abigail Williams Mary Walcott Susanna Sheldon Ann Puttnam Senr Ann Puttnam Junr Elizabeth Hubbard Another warrant was issued on May 15, 1692: " To The Marshall of the County of Essex or to the Constables in Salem or any other Marshal or Marshalls Constable or Con- stables within this their Majes Colony or Terretory of the Massachusetts in New England." This warrant was " To be prosecuted according to the di- rection of Constable John putnam of Salem Village who goes with the same." The following endorrement L made on the paper: — I haue apprehended John Wilard of Salam Veleg acorden to the tener of this vvarant and brought him before your worsheps Date 18 May 1692 by me. John Putnam' Constoble of Salam The Deposition of Samuel Parris aged about . 39 . years, & Nathanell Ingersoll aged about fifty & eiglit yeares & also Thomas Putman aged about fourty yeares all of Salem — testifyeth & sailh that Eliz : Hubbard, Mdry Warren & Ann Putman & John Indian were exceedingly tortured at the examination of John WillaM of Salem Husbandman, betbre the honoured Magistrates the . 18 . May . 1692 . & also that upon his looking upon Eliz : Hub- bard she was knockt down, & also that some of the afflicted & par- ticularly Susannah Sheldon then & there testifycd that they saw a black man whispering him in the ear, & that said Sheldon could not come near to said Willard but was knockt down, and also that Mary J 26 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. Warren in a fit being carried to him the said Willard she said Warren was presently well upon his grasping her arm, & farther that several! of the afflicted also then tP'^lihed, that divers of those he had mur- thered then rose up against him, & farther that he could by no means rightly repeat the Lords Prayer tho he made manifold assayes. Mr. Samuel Parris and Nathanael Ingersoll and : thomas putnam did uppon the oath which they had taken did before us the Juris of inquest owne this thar testimony : this 3 . day of June : 92 : Sworn in Court by Mr Parris & Tho : Putman June the.3 . 1692 : Sarah Vibber aged 36 yeares or thearabouts testifie and saith the befor Jn" Welard was exammend at the uilleg I being in Lef Engor- sols Chambor I saw y* aporition of John willard com to mary wolcot & marcy luis & hurt tliem griuosly & almost choked Them Then I tould of it & emediatly y*" said wiliard fel upon me & tonnented me greuesly & pinched me. & threw me down Sarah uibber : ownid this har testimony before us the Jurriars for Inqwest : tliis . 3 . of June : 1692 Jurat in Curia The depositiOxi of Lydia Necols aged . 46 yeares and of Margaret Knight . aged . 20 . yeares who testefy and say. That the wife of John Willard being at her fathers house when the said Willard lined at Groten . she made a lamentable complaynt . how cruelty her husband had beaten her . she thought her selfe that she should neuer recouer of the blows he had giuen her : the next niorn- inge he was got into a litle hole vnder the stayres . and then she thougiit some thinge extra ordinary had befallen him then he ran out at the doore : and ran up. a steep hill . almost impossible for any man to nm vp : as she sayd : then she tooke her mare and rid away . fear- ing some euil had ben intended agaynst her. and when she came to the house of Henery or Beniamin Willard she told how it was with her and the sayd Henery Willard or both went to looke after him and met him comeinge in a strange distracted frame The deposition of Thomas Baly aged 36 yeares who testefieth and sayth. GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. 2^ That I being at Groaton some short tyme after John Willard. as the report went, had beaten his wife I went to cal him home and comeinge home with him in the night I heard such a hideous noyse of Strang creatures I was much affrighted for I never had heard the Hke noyse I fearinge they might be some euil spirits I enquired of the said Willard what might it be that made such a hideous noyse the sayd Willard sayd they ware Locust : the next day as I suppose the sayd Willards wife with a younge child and her mother being vpon my mare, ridinge between Groaton Mil and Chensford. they .being willing to goe on foote a litle desired me to ride : then I taking my mare being willing to let her feed a litle : there as I remember I aprehend I heard the same noyse agayne where at my mare started and got from me Jurat in Curia The testomony of Rebeckah Wilkins aged ninteen years Boe testifie that 29'!' July at night shee se John Wilard seting in the Conner and hee said that hee wold afflick me that night and forthwith hee ded affhck me : and the nax day I ded se him afflick me soer by Choaking & Polling one ear into Peases the nex day being the Lords day I being Going to meting I se John Wilard and hee afflickted me uery soer Jurat in Curia The deposition of Henery Wilknes sen aged 41 yeares who testi- fieth and sayth that vpon the third of May last John Willard came to my house : and uery earnesdy entreated me to go with him to Boston w'''' I at lenght consented to go with him, my Son Daniel comeinge and vnderstandinge I was goinge with him to Boston . and seemed to be much troubled that I would go with the sayd Willard : and he sayd he thought it were wel. If the sayd Willard were hanged : w'^'' made me admire for I neuer heard such an expression come from him to any one beinge since he came to yeares of discretion, but after I was gone in a fe v days he was taken sicke : and grew euery day worse & worse where vpon we made aplication to a physitian who affirmed his sicknes was by some preter natural cause & would make no aplication of any phisicke. Some tymes after this our neigh- bours comeing to visit my son Mercy Lewis came w"' them and i ' ^xss s^ jfumj u s^Mi M H pm/mm 28 GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. affirmed that she nw the apperition of John Willard aflicting him : quickly after came An Putnam, and she saw the same apperition and then my eldest daughter was taken in a sad manner & the sayd An : saw the sayd Willard aflicting her. at Another tyme mercy lewes and mary Walcott came to visit him, and they saw the same apparition of Willard aflicting him, and this not but a little tyme before his death. Sworne in Court John Willard was tried on the 5th of August and hung on the 19th. Three other men and one woman were executed at the same time for witchcraft ; one of whom was the Reverend George Burroughs. They all were convicted on the same kind of absurd and flimsy testimony as that given in the depositions against Willard. They were allowed no counsel for defence, and their execution was nothing short of judicial murder. Under the gallows Mr. Burroughs made a speech, declaring his innocence, and also a prayer which he ended by repeating correctly the Lord's Prayer. This produced a great effect on the multitude, as it was then the common belief that a witch or wizard could not say it without blun- dering. The sympathy of the crowd was so much excited that the leaders of the wicked movement began to fear lest the executions would be prevented; and Cotton Mather, mounted on horseback, addressed the assemblage and told them that the punishment was a righteous one. Mr. Upham, in his " Salem Witchcraft," says : — John Willard appears to have been an honest and amiable person, an industrious farmer, having a comfortable estate, with a wife and three young children. He was a grandson of Old Bray Wilkins; whether by blood or marriage, I have not been able to ascertain. The indications are that he married a daughter of Thomas or Henry Wilkins, most probably the former, with both of whom he was a joint possessor of lands. He came from Groton ; and it is for local antiquaries to discover whether he was a relative of the Rev, Samuel " Willard of Boston. If so, the fact would shed much light upon our story, (ii. 321.) V'**^" **"-«^'*- / GROTON IN THE WITCHCRAFT TIMES. 29 After a careful investigation I cannot discover any kinship between the Reverend Samuel Willard and John, though there may have been a remote one. Lydia Nichols and Margaret Knight, according to their depositions, were acquainted with Henry and Benjamin Willard, of Groton, both sons of the mmister, and these men knew John Willard. The Reverend Mr. Willard, who had carefully studied Elizabeth Xnapp's case twenty years before the Salem tragedy, evidently believed in the demoniacal origin of witchcraft, though he held moder- ate views on the subject. In a pamphlet written by him, entitled " Some Miscellany Observations on our present De- bates respecting Witchcrafts." and printed in the year 1692, he takes the ground that there are witches in New England,' and they ought to be punished. In passing judgment on the authors of this monstrous de- lusion, let us not forget the fact that witchcraft was recog- nized as a crime in the colonial and provincial laws of Massa- chusetts, following those of England; and let us remember, too, that many of the wisest and best men at ihat period looked upon it as a -in against Go- vhich should be pun- ished in accordance with the Mc"-'' Sir William Blackstone, in his ' ...taries on the Laws of England" (Boston, 1818), ?.a.yi - To deny the possibility, nay, actual existence of witchcraft and sorcery, is at once flatly to contradict the revealed word of God, in various passages both of the old and new testament : and the thing itself is a truth to which every nation in the world hath -n its turn borne testimony, either by examples seemingly well attested, or by prohibitory laws ; which at least suppose the possibility of a commerce with evil spirits, (iv. 60.)