The Supernatural Murders

by Jonathan Goodman

  Postscript

  The following account of one of the trials is from The Wonders of The Invisible World by the Rev Cotton Mather, the most famous or infamous of all the New England Puritans, who is said to have ‘combined a mystical strain (he believed in witchcraft) with a modern scientific interest (he supported smallpox inoculation)’. In May 1692, when fifty accused witches were in various jails awaiting trial, his father, Increase Mather, who was also a Congregational minister, persuaded the newly-arrived Royal Governor of Massachusetts to appoint twelve ministers to set up guidelines for the conduct of the trials. According to Leo Bonfanti, author of a pamphlet, The Witchcraft Hysteria,1‘The appointed ministers, convinced that the Devil had the power to assume the shape of anyone he chose to impersonate, recommended, among other things, that spectral evidence – instances in which the spectre of a person was seen performing acts of witchcraft while the person was elsewhere and unaware of what was taking place – should not be permitted. Once they had completed their task, they assigned Cotton Mather the responsibility of writing the final draft. Although he followed their recommendations faithfully, he nullified the one pertaining to spectral evidence by adding his praise for the authorities and the members of the Court for their diligence in detecting and prosecuting the witches to this date. He urged them to continue their good work, being careful in doing so that they were always guided by the laws of God and the English statutes.’

  1. Pride Publications, Wakefield, Mass., n.d.

  The Trial of Susanna Martin

  at the Court of Oyer and Terminer,

  Held by Adjournment at Salem, 29 June 16921

  Susanna Martin, pleading Not Guilty to the Indictment of Witchcraft brought in against her, there were produced the Evidences of many Persons very sensibly and grievously Bewitched, who all complained of the Prisoner at the Bar as the Person whom they believed the cause of their Miseries. And now, as well as in the other Trials, there was an extraordinary Endeavour by Witchcrafts, with Cruel and frequent Fits, to hinder the poor Sufferers from giving in their Complaints, which the Court was forced with much Patience to obtain, by much waiting and watching for it.

  An account was given of what passed at her first Examination before the Magistrates. As to the Cast of her Eye, which struck the afflicted People to the Ground, whether they saw that Cast or no, there were these among other Passages between the Magistrates and the Examinate:

  Magistrate Pray, what ails these People?

  Martin I don’t know.

  Magistrate But what do you think ails them?

  Martin I don’t desire to spend my Judgment upon it.

  Magistrate Don’t you think they are bewitched?

  Martin No, I do not think they are.

  Magistrate Tell us your Thoughts about them, then.

  Martin No, my thoughts are my own when they are in, but when they are out they are another’s. Their Master –

  Magistrate Their Master? Who do you think is their Master?

  Martin If they be dealing in the Black Art, you may know as well as I.

  Magistrate Well, what have you done towards this?

  Martin Nothing at all.

  Magistrate Why, ’tis you or your Appearance.

  Martin I cannot help it.

  Magistrate Is it not your Master? How comes your Appearance to hurt these?

  Martin How do I know? He that appeared in the Shape of Samuel, a glorified Saint, may appear in anyone’s Shape.

  1. EDITOR’S NOTE. I have made slight changes, mainly of spelling and punctuation, to Cotton Mather’s account.

  It was then also noted in her, as in others like her, that if the Afflicted went to approach her, they were flung down to the Ground. And, when she was asked the reason of it, she said, I cannot tell; it may be that the Devil bears me more Malice than another.

  The Court, alarumed by these Things, inquired further into the Conversation of the Prisoner, to see what might occur to render the Accusations further credible. Whereupon, John Allen of Salisbury, testified that he refused, because of the weakness of his Oxen, to Cart some Staves at the request of this Martin, and she was displeased at it and said, His Oxen should never do him much more Service. Whereupon, this Deponent said, Dost thou threaten me, thou old Witch? I’ll throw thee into the Brook: Which to avoid, she flew over the Bridge and escaped. But as he was going home, one of his Oxen tired, so that he was forced to Unyoke him. He then put. his Oxen, with many more, upon Salisbury Beach, where Cattle did use to get food. In a few days, all the Oxen upon the Beach were found, by their Tracks, to have run unto the Mouth of Merrimack-River; the next day they were found come ashore upon Plum-Island. They that sought them used all imaginable gentleness, but they would still run away with a violence that seemed wholly Diabolical till they came near the mouth of Merrimack-River, when they ran right into the Sea, swimming as far as they could be seen. One of them then swam back again, with a swiftness amazing to the Beholders who stood ready to receive him and help up his tired Carcass: but the Beast ran furiously up into the Island, and thence through the Marshes, up into Newbury Town, and so up into the Woods; after a while he was found near Amesbury. Of fourteen good Oxen, there was only this one saved: The rest were cast up, some in one place and some in another, all Drowned.

  John Atkinson testified that he exchanged a Cow with a Son of Susanna Martin’s, whereat she muttered and was unwilling he should have it. Going to receive this Cow, tho he Hamstring’d her and Halter’d her, she, once a Tame Creature, grew so mad that they could scarce get her along. She broke all the Ropes that were fastened unto her, and though she were tied fast unto a Tree, yet she made her escape and gave them such further trouble as they could ascribe to no cause but Witchcraft.

  Bernard Peache testified that, being in Bed on the Lord’s-day Night, he heard a scrabbling at the Window, whereat he then saw Susanna Martin come in and jump down upon the Floor. She took hold of his Feet and, drawing his Body up into a Heap, lay upon him near Two Hours, in all which time he could neither speak nor stir. At length, when he could begin to move, he laid hold of her Hand, and pulling it up to his Mouth, bit three of her Fingers, as he judged, unto the Bone. Whereupon she went from the Chamber, down the Stairs, and out at the Door. This Deponent thereupon called unto the People of the House, to advise them of what passed, and did follow her. The People saw her not; but there was a Bucket at the Left-hand of the Door, and a drop of Blood was found upon it; several more drops of Blood were upon the Snow newly fallen abroad: there was the print of her two Feet just without the Threshold, but no more sign of any Footing further off.

  At another time this Deponent was desired by the Prisoner to come unto a Husking of Corn at her House; and she said, If he did not come, it were better that he did! He went not, but the Night following, Susanna Martin, as he judged, and another came towards him. One of them said, Here he is! but he, having a Quarter-staff, made a Blow at them. The Roof of the Barn broke his Blow, but following them to the Window, he made another Blow at them and struck them down; yet they got up and got out, and he saw no more of them. About this time, there was a Rumour about the Town that Susanna Martin had a Broken Head, but the Deponent could say nothing to that.

  Robert Downer testified that, this Prisoner being some Years ago prosecuted at Court for being a Witch, he then said unto her, He believed she was a Witch. Whereat she, being dissatisfied, said That some She-Devil would shortly fetch him away! Which words were heard by others as well as himself. The Night following as he lay in his Bed, there came in at the Window the likeness of a Cat, which flew upon him, took fast hold of his Throat, lay on him a considerable while, and almost killed him. At length he remembered what Susanna Martin had threatened the Day before; and with much striving he cried out, Avoid, thou She-Devil! In the Name of God the Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost, Avoid! Whereupon it left him, leaped on the Floor, and flew out at the Window.

  And there also came in several Testimonies that before ever Downer spoke a word of thi
s Accident, Susanna Martin and her Family had related How this Downer had been handled!

  John Kembal testified that Susanna Martin, upon a Causeless Disgust, had threatened him about a certain Cow of his, That she should never do him any more Good: and it came to pass accordingly, for soon after the Cow was found stark dead on the dry Ground, without any Distemper to be discerned upon her. He was followed with a strange Death upon more of his Cattle, whereof he lost in one Spring to the value of Thirty Pounds.

  The said John Kembal had a further Testimony to give in against the Prisoner which was truly admirable:

  Being desirous to furnish himself with a Dog, he applied himself to buy one of this Martin, who had a Bitch with Whelps in her House. But as she would not let him have his choice, he said he would supply himself at one Blezdels. Having marked a Puppy which he liked at Blezdels, he met George Martin, the Husband of the Prisoner, who asked him, Whether he would not have one of his Wife’s Puppies? and he answered, No. The same Day, one Edmund Eliot, being at Martin’s House, heard George Martin relate where this Kembal had been and what he had said. Whereupon Susanna Martin replied, If I live, I’ll give him Puppies enough! A few days after, when this Kembal was coming out of the Woods, there arose a little Black Cloud in the N.W. and Kembal immediately felt a force upon him which made him not able to avoid running upon the stumps of Trees, albeit he had a broad, plain Cart-way before him; tho’ he had his Axe on his Shoulder to endanger him in his Falls, he could not forbear going out of his way to tumble over them. When he came below the Meeting House, there appeared unto him a little thing like a Puppy, of a Darkish Colour; it shot backwards and forwards between his Legs. He had the Courage to use all possible Endeavours of Cutting it with his Axe, but he could not Hit it: the Puppy gave a jump from him and went, as to him it seemed, into the Ground. Going a little further, there appeared unto him another Puppy, somewhat bigger than the first but as Black as a Coal. Its Motions were quicker than those of his Axe; it flew at his Belly and away; then at his Throat; over his Shoulder one way and then over his Shoulder another way. His Heart now began to fail him and he thought the Dog would have torn his Throat out. But he recovered himself and called upon God in his Distress; and naming the Name of JESUS CHRIST, it vanished away at once. The Deponent spoke not one Word of these Accidents, for fear of affrighting his Wife. But the next Morning, when Edmund Eliot went into Martin’s House, this Woman asked him where Kembal was? He replied, At home abed, for ought he knew. She said, They say he was frighted last Night. Eliot asked, With what? She answered, With Puppies. Eliot asked Where she heard of it, for he had heard nothing of it. She rejoined, About the Town. Kembal had mentioned the Matter to no Creature living.

  William Brown testified that, Heaven having blessed him with a most Pious and Prudent Wife, this Wife of his one day met with Susanna Martin; but when she approached just unto her, Martin vanished out of sight and left her extremely affrighted. After which time, Martin often appeared unto her, giving her no little trouble; and when she came, his Wife was visited with Birds that sorely pecked and pricked her; and sometimes, a Bunch, like a Pullet’s Egg, would rise in her Throat, ready to choke her, till she cried out, Witch, you shan’t choke me! While this good Woman was in this extremity, the Church appointed a Day of Prayer on her behalf; whereupon her Trouble ceased; she saw not Martin as formerly; and the Church gave Thanks for her Deliverance. But a considerable while after, she being Summoned to give some Evidence at the Court against this Martin, Martin came behind her while she was milking her Cow and said unto her, For thy defaming me at Court, I’ll make thee the miserablest Creature in the World. Soon after, she fell into a strange kind of distemper and became horribly frantic and uncapable of any reasonable Action; the Physicians declared that her Distemper was preternatural and that some Devil had certainly betwitched her. And in that condition she now remained.

  Sarah Atkinson testified that Susanna Martin came from Amesbury to her House at Newbury in an extraordinary Season, when it was not fit for any to Travel. She came (as she said, unto Atkinson) all that long way on Foot. She bragged and she showed how dry she was; nor could it be perceived that so much as the Soles of her Shoes were wet. Atkinson was amazed at it, and professed that she should herself have been wet up to the knees if she had come so far; but Martin replied, She scorned to be Drabbled [made wet and muddy]. It was noted that this Testimony at the Trial cast her in a very singular Confusion.

  John Pressy testified that several times one Evening he was unaccountably Bewildered near a Field of Martin’s, as one under an Enchantment; at length he saw a marvellous Light, about the bigness of a Half-bushel, near two Rod away. He went and struck at it with a Stick, laying on it with all his might. He gave it near forty blows, and felt it a palpable substance. But going from it, his Heels were struck up and he was laid with his Back on the Ground, sliding, as he thought, into a Pit, whence he recover’d by taking hold on a Bush; afterwards he could find no such Pit in the place. Having, after his Recovery, gone five or six Rod, he saw Susanna Martin standing on his Left-hand, as the Light had done before, but they changed no words with one another. He could scarce find his House on his Return; but at length he got home extremely affrighted. The next day, it was upon Inquiry understood that Martin was in a miserable condition with pains and hurts that were upon her.

  It was further testified by this Deponent that twenty years ago, after he had given some Evidence against Susanna Martin, she gave him foul words about it; she said, He should never prosper more; particularly, That he should never have more than two Cows; that tho’ he was likely to have more, yet he should never have them. And from that very day to this, he could never exceed that number; some strange thing or other still prevented his having any more.

  Jervis Ring testified that about seven years ago he was oftentimes and grievously oppressed in the Night, but saw not who troubled him, until at last he, Lying perfectly Awake, plainly saw Susanna Martin approach him. She came to him and forcibly bit him by the Finger, so that the Print of the bite is now, so long after, to be seen upon him.

  Besides all of these Evidences, there was a most wonderful Account by one Joseph Ring, who has been strangely carried about by Demons from one Witch-meeting to another for near two years together; for one quarter of this time, they made him Dumb, tho’ he is now again able to speak.

  Afterwards, this poor Man would be visited with unknown shapes which would force him away with them unto unknown Places, where he saw Meetings, Feastings and Dancings; and after his return, having been hurried along through the Air, he gave Demonstrations to the Neighbours that he had indeed been so transported. When he was brought unto these hellish Meetings, one of the first Things they did to him was to give him a knock on the Back, whereupon he was ever as if bound with Chains, uncapable of stirring out of the place till they should release him. He related that there often came to him a Man who presented him a Book whereto he would have him set his Hand, promising to him that he should then have whatever he desired, and presenting him with all the delectable Things, Persons and Places that he could imagine. But as he refused to subscribe, the business would end with dreadful Shapes, Noises and Screeches, which almost scared him out of his Wits. Once with the Book, there was a Pen offered him, and an Ink-horn with Liquor in it that seemed like Blood: But he never touched it.

  This Man, Joseph Ring, did now affirm that he saw the Prisoner at several of these hellish Rendezvouzes.

  Note that this Woman was one of the most impudent, scurrilous, wicked Creatures in the World – and she did throughout her whole Trial expose herself to be such a one.

  Yet when she was asked what she had to say for herself, her chief Plea was:

  She had led a most virtuous and holy Life.

  EDITOR’S NOTE. Just over a fortnight before Susanna Martin was tried, the first of the persons convicted of witchcraft had been hanged. Susanna was one of five who were hanged on 19 July 1692. There were five more executions on 19 August. On 19 September a
man was pressed to death for refusing to answer the charges against him. Three days later, his wife was one of the last eight persons hanged.

  In the following May, the Royal Governor of Massachusetts, having received instructions from England, pardoned everyone who had been found Guilty or who was in jail awaiting trial (pardons for the untried!), and those who had made confessions so as to save their lives, and granted amnesty to those, perhaps as many as a couple of hundred, who had fled from the jurisdiction of the Court.

  None of the ‘afflicted accusers’ or their influential supporters was ever brought to trial. Ann Putnam – who, though she was not quite into her teens in 1692, is generally believed to have been ‘the leader of the tormented maidens’ – humbled herself at church-services in Salem Village Church. Subsequently becoming a recluse, allegedly broken in mind and health, she lingered on to the age of thirty-six. It is an interesting question, whether she should have been more or less affrighted by the prospect of a rendezvous with Satan than by expectation of an appearance before the Judge of all men.

  (So far as I am aware, no journalist, social worker or epidemiologist – or anyone else, for that matter – has thought to compare the Salem hysteria of exactly three centuries ago with or to recent sudden outbreaks in English towns and on Scottish islands of sound-alike accusations by many local children of sexual molestation. Such a comparison might be interesting – and might even be valuable, if it were done by a person who was not sure of answers before he asked questions.)