The trials were all spread upon the records, word for word. Rev. Samuel Parris, stenographer to the court, says they were “taken down in my characters written at the time,” barring, of course, the evidence by affidavits, which were written, signed, and attested, and filed in the Clerk of Court’s office, where they may now be seen.
Great research has hitherto been made, keen, sagacious acumen employed, and much written; but the true criterion of judgment, a trial,—a word for word trial,—has not before this been published. Here, then, is the first opportunity of readers to judge for themselves.
The trials were unique. The court was without authority; none of the judges, it is said, was bred to the law; evidence was arbitrarily admitted or excluded; the accused were not allowed counsel in law or the consolation of the clergy in religion.
The careful reader may discover, between the lines, in questions, in answers, and in the strange exhibitions, the real state of mind pervading all, which has been mildly characterized as a “delusion”; also he may be able to compare the Mosaic, the 1692, and the modern spirit manifestations, and advantageously determine for himself what is worth while in modern spiritualism, mind-reading, clairvoyance, mesmerism, and the rest.
Though men of education, religion, titled dignity, and official station, of the professions and the élite, were responsible for the horrible catastrophy, and in one instance or more forced the yeoman jurors to convict (who at the end signed recantations and expressed their grief),—religion and education must not be undervalued; a religious education will yield the highest type of manhood.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
|---|---|
| Notice | [3] |
| The Introduction | [9] |
| The Witch, Her Antiquity, Legal Status | [9] |
| The Modern Witch; Her Persecution | [10] |
| Learned Men’s Views, Dissenters, Crone Lore | [11] |
| Ingersoll; The Four Ministers | [13] |
| The Witch School; “Who’s Who” | [18] |
| Unwarrantable Usurpation | [21] |
| Names of the Court and Jury | [23] |
| Names of Those Hanged | [24] |
| Rev. John Hale Converted | [27] |
| Lofty Character of the Condemned | [28] |
| Place of Execution; The Crevice | [29] |
| Mrs. Howe’s Case: | [31] |
| The Sunday Warrant; Her Examination | [31] |
| Indicted, Remanded to Salem Jail | [35] |
| Case Called June 29th. The Witnesses: | |
| Andrews, Thomas | [57] |
| Chapman, Simon and Mary | [41] |
| Cummings, Isaac, Sr. and Jr. | [43]-46 |
| Cummings, Mary, Sr. | [47]-49 |
| Foster, Jacob | [53] |
| Hadley, Deborah | [40] |
| Howe, James, Sr. (ninety-four years old) | [46] |
| Howe, John (brother-in-law) | [52] |
| Knowlton, Joseph and Mary | [45] |
| Lane, Francis | [50] |
| Payson, Rev. Edward | [40] |
| Perley, Samuel[[1]] and Ruth | [37] |
| Perley, Timothy[[1]] and Deborah | [36] |
| Phillips, Rev. Samuel | [38] |
| Safford, Joseph | [54] |
| Warner, Daniel, John, Sarah | [41] |
| Imprisoned at Boston. Her Execution | [24] |
| Petition for Reimbursement and Removal of Attainder | [58] |
| Mrs. Howe’s Home Located | [60] |
| Judge Joseph Story’s Tribute | [28] |
| Who Were the Howes? | |
| James Branch of the Ipswich Howes | [65] |
| Coats of Arms | [66] |
| James Howe, Sr. | [67] |
| James Howe, Jr., and His Wife Elizabeth | [68] |
| Bibliography | [70] |