The Salem Witch Hunt

Foreword

Preface

A Note about the Documents

Putting Salem into a Larger Context

Puritanism and the Supernatural World

Dangerous Women

Malevolent Neighbors

The Witch Panic of 1692

The Afflicted Girls

Trying a Witch

The Collapse of the Trials

1. The Arrival of a Comet and the Death of a Star Preacher

2. Samuel Sewall Finds Reassurance in a Rainbow

3. The Death of Cotton Mather’s Infant Son

4. Strange Afflictions in the Goodwin Household

5. The Horseshoe Controversy in Newberry, Massachusetts

6. Mary Rowlandson’s Account of the Indian Attack on Lancaster

7. Cotton Mather on the Quaker Threat

8. The Dominion of New England

9. Cotton Mather on the Recent History of New England

10. John Hale’s Account, 1702

11. Deodat Lawson’s Account, 1692

12. Samuel Parris on the Outbreak of Witchcraft Accusations in Salem Village, March 27, 1692

13. Samuel Parris’s Statement to His Congregation about Mary Sibley’s Use of Countermagic, March 27, 1692

14. Arrest Warrant for Sarah Good, February 29, 1692

15. Examination of Sarah Good (as Recorded by Ezekiel Cheever), March 1, 1692

16. Elizabeth Hubbard against Sarah Good, March 1, 1692

17. Ann Putnam Jr. against Sarah Good, March 1, 1692

18. William Allen, John Hughes, William Good, and Samuel Braybrook against Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, March 5, 1692

19. Abigail Williams against Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, May 23, 1692

20. Indictment against Sarah Good for Afflicting Sarah Bibber, June 28, 1692

21. Sarah Bibber against Sarah Good, June 28, 1692

22. Sarah Gadge and Thomas Gadge against Sarah Good, June 28, 1692

23. Joseph Herrick Sr. and Mary Herrick against Sarah Good, June 28, 1692

24. Samuel Abbey and Mary Abbey against Sarah Good, June 29, 1692

25. Henry Herrick and Jonathan Batchelor against Sarah Good, June 29, 1692

26. Samuel Sibley against Sarah Good, June 29, 1692

27. Death Warrant for Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth How, and Sarah Wilds (June 12, 1692) and Officer’s Return (July 19, 1692)

28. First Examination of Tituba (as Recorded by Jonathan Corwin), March 1, 1692

29. Second Examination of Tituba (as Recorded by Jonathan Corwin), March 2, 1692

30. Elizabeth Hubbard against Tituba, March 1, 1692

31. Ann Putnam Jr. against Tituba, March 1, 1692

32. Indictment against Tituba for Covenanting with the Devil, May 9, 1693

33. Elizabeth Booth against John Proctor, April 11, 1692

34. Abigail Williams against John Proctor, May 31, 1692

35. Physical Examination of John Proctor and John Willard, June 2, 1692

36. Mary Warren against John Proctor, June 30, 1692

37. Petition of John Proctor, July 23, 1692

38. Samuel Sibley against John Proctor, August 5, 1692

39. Petition for John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor, August 5, 1692

40. Petition for John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor, August 5, 1692

41. Examination of Bridget Bishop (as Recorded by Ezekiel Cheever), April 19, 1692

42. William Stacy against Bridget Bishop, May 30, 1692

43. Sarah Churchill and Mary Warren against Bridget Bishop and Others, June 1, 1692

44. Physical Examinations of Bridget Bishop and Others, June 2, 1692

45. John Bly Sr. and Rebecca Bly against Bridget Bishop, June 2, 1692

46. John Bly Sr. and William Bly against Bridget Bishop, June 2, 1692

47. Richard Coman against Bridget Bishop, June 2, 1692

48. John Louder against Bridget Bishop, June 2, 1692

49. Samuel Shattuck and Sarah Shattuck against Bridget Bishop, June 2, 1692

50. Susannah Sheldon against Bridget bishop and Others, June 3, 1692

51. Examination of Dorcas Hoar (as Recorded by Samuel Parris), May 2, 1692

52. Sarah Bibber against Dorcas Hoar, July 2, 1692

53. Elizabeth Hubbard against Dorcas Hoar, July 2, 1692

54. Ann Putnam Jr. against Dorcas Hoar, July 2, 1692

55. Mary Walcott against Dorcas Hoar, July 2, 1692

56. Mary Gage against Dorcas Hoar and Others, September 6, 1692

57. John Hale against Dorcas Hoar, September 6, 1692

58. Joseph Morgan and Deborah Morgan against Dorcas Hoar, September 6, 1692

59. John Tuck against Dorcas Hoar, September 6, 1692

60. Petition of John Hale, Nicholas Noyes, Daniel Epes, and John Emerson Jr., September 21, 1692

61. Benjamin Hutchinson against George Burroughs and Others, April 22, 1692

62. Examination of George Burroughs (as Recorded by Samuel Parris), May 9, 1692

63. Elizar Keyser against George Burroughs, May 9, 1692

64. Mercy Lewis against George Burroughs, May 9, 1692

65. John Putnam Sr. and Rebecca Putnam against George Burroughs, May 9, 1692

66. Mary Walcott against George Burroughs, May 9, 1692

67. Simon Willard and William Wormall against George Burroughs, May 9, 1692

68. Abigail Hobbs, Deliverance Hobbs, and Mary Warren against George Burroughs and Others, June 1, 1692

69. Mary Webber against George Burroughs, August 2, 1692

70. Ann Putnam Jr. against George Burroughs, August 3, 1692

71. Hannah Harris against George Burroughs, August 5, 1692

72. Thomas Greenslit against George Burroughs, September 15, 1692

73. Sarah Wilson and Martha Tyler against George Burroughs, September 15, 1692

74. Examination of Samuel Wardwell (as recorded by William Murray), September 1, 1692

75. Abigail Martin and John Bridges against Samuel Wardwell, September 14, 1692

76. Thomas Chandler against Samuel Wardwell, September 14, 1692

77. Ephraim Foster against Samuel Wardwell, September 14, 1692

78. Joseph Ballard against Samuel Wardwell, September 14, 1692

79. Martha Sprague, Mary Walcott, and Mary Warren against Samuel Wardwell, September 14, 1692

80. Petition from Andover Selectmen, September 26, 1692

81. Confession of William Barker Sr., August 29, 1692

82. Recantation of Margaret Jacobs, undated

83. Declaration of Mary Osgood, Mary Tyler, Deliverance Dane, Abigail Barker, Sarah Wilson, and Hannah Tyler, undated

84. Increase Mather’s Conversation in Prison with Mary Tyler, undated

85. The Return of Several Ministers Consulted by His Excellency and the Honorable Council upon the Present Witchcrafts in Salem Village, June 15, 1692

86. Letter from Cotton Mather to John Foster, August 17, 1692

87. Letter from Robert Pike to Jonathan Corwin, August 9, 1692

88. Letter from Thomas Brattle to an Unnamed Clergyman, October 8, 1692

89. Letter from William Phips to William Blathwayt, Clerk of the Privy Council in London, October 12, 1692

90. Samuel Parris’s Meditations for Peace, Read to the Congregation at the Salem Village Church, November 18, 1694

91. Summary of Grievances against Samuel Parris, Read to the Congregation at the Salem Village Church, November 26, 1694

92. A Proclamation, December 17, 1696

93. Public Apology by Samuel Sewall, January 14, 1697

94. Public Apology by Jurymen, undated

95. The Public Confession of Ann Putnam, August 25, 1706

96. Reversals of Conviction, Judgment, and Attainder, October 17, 1711

97. The Massachusetts General Court Makes Restitution, December 17, 1711

98. Reversals of Excommunication at the Church in Salem Town, March 6, 1712

99. John Hale on "Hidden Works of Darkness," 1702

A Chronology of the Salem Witch Hunt (1692-1712)

Questions for Consideration

Selected Bibliography