May 1692
Day-By-Day chronicle of events during the Salem Witch Trials
Sunday
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Thursday
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Saturday
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May 2nd
With warm weather and a chance of thunderstorms, the court was in session by 10 a.m. at the meeting house. Only four out of six suspects were in custody at Ingersoll’s. Philip English was evading authorities in Boston, prompting the magistrates to issue a second arrest warrant for him. Meanwhile, George Burroughs was having breakfast with his family in Wells, Maine, when marshals arrived and, with little explanation, took him into custody.
The court began by questioning Sarah Morrell, Lydia Dustin, and Dorcas Hoar. After their examinations, all three were sent to jail to await trial. Susanna Martin was the last to be questioned. As she walked into the room, all the afflicted fell into fits, and she laughed at the spectacle. When the magistrates asked her what she was laughing at, Martin responded, “Well, I may laugh at such folly.”
The afflicted then testified against her. The magistrates asked if she thought they were bewitched, to which she replied, “No, I do not think they are.” Mercy Lewis testified that Martin had hurt her many times, Elizabeth Hubbard accused Martin of pinching her, and John Indian cried out, “She bites. She bites.”
The magistrates, finding the accusations credible, said, “Pray God discover you.” With a sharp tone, Martin replied, “Amen, amen. A false tongue will never make a guilty person.” The court then sent Martin to jail to await trial.
May 3rd
The jail guards enjoyed a warm breakfast at Ingersoll’s before escorting Sarah Morrell, Lydia Dustin, Dorcas Hoar, and Susanna Martin to Boston Jail.
Meanwhile, the specter of George Burroughs visited Elizabeth Hubbard again. This time, instead of afflicting her, he revealed that he wasn’t just a wizard; he was a conjurer.
Rebecca Nurse’s specter visited and tormented Mary Walcott, boasting about killing several of her neighbors. Ann Putnam was visited by the specter of George Burroughs, who attempted to force the Devil’s book on her. Burroughs’s two dead wives also appeared, looking like corpses, which frightened Ann even more than Burroughs. The ghosts of his wives told him that while they were in heaven, he would be in hell, and they revealed to Ann that he had murdered them.
After Burroughs and his wives vanished, other ghosts appeared to Ann later in the day. These included Deodat Lawson’s first wife and child, as well as Goody Fuller, all accusing Burroughs of killing them.
May 4th
George Burroughs arrived in Salem Town and was brought to Beadles Tavern.
May 6th
Hathorne and Corwin held court in Boston and issued a third arrest warrant for Philip English. Marshals searched George Hollard’s home, where English was hiding. He concealed himself behind a sack of dirty laundry and managed to evade arrest.
Margaret Jacobs, who lived in her grandfather George Jacobs’s house, saw the specter of Alice Parker.
May 7th
The specter of George Burroughs visited Mercy Lewis with an unfamiliar book. He assured her it was safe to touch, explaining that it had once been in his study when she worked for him in Maine. Burroughs revealed that he had recruited Abigail Hobbs and bewitched John Shepard’s daughter. When Mercy asked how he could cause so much trouble while imprisoned in Salem Jail, he replied that the Devil was his servant and had taken his form. Despite his efforts, Mercy refused to sign his book.
May 8th
On this sacrament Sabbath day, Reverend Parris addressed his congregation with a sermon based on I Corinthians 10:21: “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”
Despite it being the Sabbath, Thomas Putnam and John Putnam Jr. traveled to Salem Town to speak with Magistrates Hathorne and Corwin. They reported that the girls were being tortured by Bethia Carter and her daughter Bethia Jr., as well as Ann Sears and Sarah, the daughter of Lydia Dustin. The magistrates promptly issued arrest warrants for the four new suspects.
Upon their return, they found that Ann had identified a new tormentor. She reported that an old, grey-headed man with a large nose had brought her the book, claiming to be Old Father Pharaoh.
May 9th
Before court began for the day, Mercy Lewis was abducted by the specter of George Burroughs and taken to a high mountain. Showing her the kingdoms of the earth, he promised them to her if she signed the book. She retorted that it wasn’t his to give. Infuriated, he threatened to break her neck and throw her onto a hundred pitchforks.
Unsuccessful in his efforts with Mercy, Burroughs’ specter turned his attention to Susanna Sheldon at Ingersoll’s. As he tortured her, he boasted about killing three children in Maine and claimed to have murdered his own two children and wives by smothering and choking them.
The court convened at the village meeting house, and William Stoughton and Samuel Sewall joined Hathorne and Corwin. The first to be questioned was Reverend George Burroughs. As he was led into the room, all the afflicted fell into fits. Susanna Sheldon testified about his dead wives, claiming they said he had killed them. The court read the testimonials of the other afflicted, who were also in fits. When asked what he thought of the testimony and depositions, Burroughs responded, “An amazing and humbling Providence, some of you may observe, that when they begin to name my name, they cannot name it.”
More testimony was given about his unusual strength, the witch meeting in Parris’s field, and his recruiting of others. Burroughs was sent to jail to await trial.
May 10th
At Susanna Sheldon’s house one morning, apparitions manifested, including the specter of Willard who threatened vengeance if she testified against him. Suddenly, an angel appeared, banishing Willard’s specter. This angel assured Susanna of protection on her journeys to and from the court, although it could not shield her during the examination. Later, the spirits of Willard’s deceased wives and other victims visited her. The angel disclosed the names of these ghosts and revealed their injuries. Among them was Josiah Southwick, visibly marked by a pitchfork impaled in his left side.
Later that day, the magistrates issued an arrest warrant for John Willard. However, by the time the constable reached his residence, Willard had already fled. The magistrates also ordered the arrests of George Jacobs Sr. and his granddaughter, Margaret. Both were successfully apprehended and taken to Thomas Beadle’s tavern in Salem Town.
George Jacobs Sr. was brought before the courtroom to face the accusations against him. As the magistrates began to summon the witnesses, one of them, his servant Sarah Churchill, took the stand. She testified that she had been afflicted the previous night at Ingersolls. Mary Warren, who was also present, described the perpetrator as a man wielding two staves. Subsequently, Sarah identified the man as her master, Jacobs Sr. She further recounted an incident where he had harmed her by the river and another instance when he had presented her with a book. Despite the allegations, Jacobs Sr. vehemently maintained his innocence, proclaiming, “Well, burn me or hang me! I will stand in the truth of Christ!”
After the court adjourned for the day, Sarah Churchill was approached outside by Ann Andrews, the daughter of George Jacobs Sr., and Sarah Ingersoll. Distraught and in tears, Churchill confessed to them that she had lied in her testimony. She revealed that the magistrates had threatened her, saying they would imprison her alongside Burroughs and other accused individuals if she did not cooperate.
May 11th
Salem Town
The magistrates questioned George Jacobs Sr. at Beadle’s Tavern. As he responded to their questions, the afflicted present fell into fits. Ann Putnam Jr. claimed he had promised to cure her if she signed his book. Elizabeth Hubbard, who had previously been unaffected by Jacobs, suddenly experienced afflictions attributed to him. Mary Walcott testified that he had come to her and beaten her with his walking stick. Despite these accusations, Jacobs maintained his innocence and denied all charges.
The magistrates then questioned Margaret Jacobs. Previously afflicted but now cured, others were convinced she must have signed the Devil’s book. The magistrates warned her that she should confess or face imprisonment and hanging, implying that only a confession could spare her life. Fearing for her life, Margaret confessed to save herself. She agreed with whatever the magistrates suggested and implicated her grandfather George Jacobs, Reverend George Burroughs, John Willard, and Alice Parker.
May 12th
Salem Town
The magistrates visited Salem Prison to question Abigail Hobbs, seeking information about the killing of George Burroughs neighbors in Maine. She claimed she did not know anything about the murders. However, she admitted to being a witch for six years and having made two covenants with the Devil: the first lasting two years and the second four years.
Next, the magistrates turned their attention to Mary Warren, questioning her further about signing the book. She explained that she didn’t initially know what the book was but was now certain it was the Devil’s book, which her master Proctor had forced her to sign. She confessed to afflicting the girls using image magic, revealing that her master had brought her a doll and that Alice Parker and Ann Pudeator had also provided her with dolls. She told them Ann Pudeator had killed James Cloyse’s Child.
The magistrates issued arrest warrants for Ann Pudeator and Alice Parker.
Alice Parker was arrested and brought before the magistrates. Despite suffering from fits caused by epilepsy, she denied being a witch. John Louder testified that he had been chased across Salem Commons by her specter. Mary recounted that after her father failed to mow Parker’s grass for hay, Parker visited their home and warned him to complete the task. Shortly after her visit, Mary’s mother and sister fell ill; her mother died, and her sister became mute.
The magistrates ordered the following be transferred to Boston Jail: George Jacobs Sr., Giles Corey, William Hobs, Edward and Sarah Bishop, Bridget Bishop, Sarah Wildes, Mary Black, Mary English, Alice Parker and Ann Pudeator.
May 13th
Salem Town
Mary Warren was so severely tormented by the specter of Abigail Soames that the magistrates ordered Soames to be arrested and brought to Beadle’s Tavern. Mary was taken from prison to the tavern for the questioning, pursued the entire way by Soames’ specter, which bit and pinched her. As soon as Abigail Soames was brought into the tavern, Mary collapsed and identified her as the woman who was hurting her.
A search of Abigail revealed a crochet needle in her apron, and once it was confiscated, Mary’s fits stopped. Mary stated that she had never seen Abigail before, only her specter, which had identified itself as Abigail Soames and claimed to have helped kill someone named Southwick. As Mary recounted this, she turned to face Abigail and fell into a severe seizure.
It was noted that Abigail had been bedridden for most of the past year. Abigail explained, “I have been distracted many a time, and my senses have gone from me, and I thought I have seen many a body hurt me, and might have accused many as well as she doth. I really thought I had seen many persons at my mother’s camp at Gloucester, and they greatly afflicted me as I thought.”
The court then ordered a touch test. Mary’s fits ceased as soon as Abigail took her hand, and this test was repeated three times during the questioning. As Mary drifted in and out of consciousness, she reported that Abigail’s specter threatened to bring an awl and stab her in the heart that night. Mary would fall into fits anytime Abigail looked at her. When asked if she thought witches caused the fits or believed there were witches, Abigail replied that she knew nothing about it and blamed the enemy or some wicked person. Abigail was sent to Salem Jail to await further questioning.
May 14th
Ann Putnam Jr. was visited by the specter of Elizabeth Hart. Initially, Hart was not there to cause harm but to discuss the accusations with Ann. However, when she failed to persuade Ann to drop her accusation, she began to torment her.
Nathaniel Ingersoll and Thomas Putnam then visited the magistrates to file official complaints against Elizabeth Hart and Thomas Farrar Sr. of Lynn, Elizabeth Coleson and Bethia Carter Jr. of Reading, and George Jacobs Jr., his wife Rebecca, and her brother Daniel Andrews, as well as Sarah Buckley and her daughter Mary Witheredge, all of Salem Village.
