INFAMOUS SALEM WITCH TRIALS~
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Witches just want to live a happy
life just like you and me |
Well, I Welcome you once again to another strong topic that I have been wanting to cover by just having had the time. But I have always felt it has needed my attention. I have had many of dearest friends, and supporters that follow the pagan ways and are wonderful people that are witches of good healing herbs and white magick. Also, since I have had migraines most of my life they have the most wonderful ways of using herbs to help my migraines too. My dearest friend Gail who is now my spiritsister angle studied the art of the pagan ways and I have nothing but love and light in my heart for all---.
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Women that life by the code of the land
witches are a gentle folk |
So I feel I need to write about the horror that was done to many of the ancestors of these witches grandmothers, Aunty's and mothers, sisters and so many more. So in honor of my sisters who ancestors that went through the horror of the Salem witch trials this is for you all!
Well, the infamous Salem Witch Trials all started during the spring of 1692. This was after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, had claimed to be possessed by the devil. From that, these young girls accused several local women of witchcraft. Apparently the young girls thought the local women had possessed them with the devil by their witchcraft. After that, a huge wave of hysteria spread throughout the colonies of Massachusetts. Even a special court was made called the 'Convened' in Salem to hear such cases. So the hysteria began to an enormous rate. Sadly no one at the time had any idea to the extent of the hysteria and the lives that would be affected. Also, the extent of how many woman, men, and children were murdered by either hanging or burned to the stake. Of course being burned to the stake was the worst and most painful of all these courts could have done to the incident women, children and some men.
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woman being hung
for witchcraft |
The first to be accused of being a witch was Bridget Bishop. She was convicted in June and hanged. There were eighteen other that followed Bridget to the Salem Gallows Hill---while some 150 more men, women, and children were accused over the next several month in the 'Convened' special court to hear all such cases. By September of 1692, the hysteria had begun to abate an public opinion to turn against the witch trials. Throughout the Massachusetts area, the General Court later annulled the guilty verdicts against the accused witches and granted them all indemnities to their families. However there was enormous bitterness that lingered within the communities and the painful legacy of the Salem witch trials would still endure for many more centuries sadly.
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In January of 1692, the rage started once again with a young girl of only 9-years old. Her name Elizabeth[Betty], Parris an eleven-year-old and Abigail Williams. All the daughters and niece of Samuel Parris an minister of Salem Village. All of the girls began to having fits, including violent contortions and uncontrollable outbursts of screaming. After their local doctor William Griggs, diagnosed them with being bewitchment, other young girls in the community began to exhibit similar symptoms, including Ann Putnam Jr, Mercy Lewis, Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Walcott and Mary Warren too.
From all of this it came about in late February of 1692, the arrests came sadly once again the Salem witch trials were ON! They were issued for the Parris Caribbean slave, Tituba, along with two other women these were Sarah Good an homeless beggar and the poor elderly Sarah Osborn whom the girls,[Elizabeth,Parris and Abigail Williams they are in the photo above]
accused of bewitching them.
All three girls Tituba, Sarah Good and poor elderly Sarah Osborn were accused of being witches and were brought before the magistrates---Jonathan Corwin and John Hawthorne. Who in those days were the ones that condemned so many young, old and children to death with no proof of any kind to convinced the jury that these women were witches. Then with no real proof but his own, he would murder them either by hanging or burning them at the stake which was the most inhuman way. One day he will answer to his crimes. This is my opinion of course.
So these two men would question, and even as
their accusers appeared in the courtroom in a grand display of spasms, contortions, screaming and writhing. Though Sarah Good and Sarah Osborn denied their guilt, Sadly Tituba confessed. Likely seeking to save herself from certain conviction by acting as an informer she claimed. Tituba even went on to say there were other witches acting alongside her in service of the devil against the puritans. As hysteria spread through the community and beyond into the rest of Massachusetts a number of other were being accused of being witches including Martha Corey and Rebbecca Nurse---both were regarded as upstanding members of the Church and the community too. Plus they one of them was the four-year-old daughter of Sarah Good....Hummmm
So what did happen to Tituba who confessed to witchcraft and said there were many others? And to Poor Sarah Good & Sarah Osborn?
It isn't really clear what happened to the three of them, but what I can tell you is this;
Sarah Good--- was condemned to hang but was pardoned until the birth of her child. Her daughter Dorcas was accused of witchery and was also imprisoned for over seven months. Although the child of six years was eventually released on bond, she was psychologically damaged for the rest of her life. Good's infant died in prison with her before Good was hanged. Her execution occurred on Tuesday, July 19, 1692. According to local tradition, when Good stood at the gallows prepared to die she was asked once more time by Rev. Nicholas Noyes, assistant minister in the Salem church to confess and thus save her immortal soul. Far from confessing, Sarah Good is said to have screamed, "You're a liar! I'm no more a witch than your are a wizard! If you take my life away. God will give you blood to drink! It was this constant refusal to confess that Bernard Rosenthal Believes led Sarah Good to the Gallows, even more so than all of the accusations against her. Sarah Osborn---
was accused by Thomas and Edward Putnam. Joseph Hutchinson, Thomas Preston for afflicting Ann Putman Jr. Betty Parris. Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Hubbard. Unlike the other two women accused with her. Tituba and Sarah Good, Osborne never confessed to witchcraft not attempted to accuse anyone else. In her own defense, she was the first defendant to assert in her defense the theological claim that the devil could take the shape of another person without their compliance---a view that eventually prevailed and brought the Salem trials to a halt. Nonetheless. Sarah Osborne never came to trial because she died. shackled in prison on May 10, 1692, at the age of 49.
Tituba--- had nothing to lose by confessing to
the crime and probably knew that a confession could save her life. It is not known what religion Tituba practiced, but if she was not a Christian she had not fear of going to hell for confessing to being a witch, as the other accused witches did. That is at least what they say in those times. I don't know if I truly believe that because all witches to me aren't evil. Since Tituba confessed, her case never went to trial and she was spared the gallows. According to the book; [yes I guess there was a book on all three woman] 'Tituba; The Reluctant Witch of Salem' is what it is called. Tituba remained in jail but as the witch trials continued she retracted her confession;
'Quote this is what she said,'
At the end Tituba recanted her confession, admitting that
she had lied to protect herself. That action had little effect on
the subsequent events and was almost lost in the rush by other confessors, in fear of damnation, to admit their terrible sin. Tituba's attempt to retract her confession received scant
attention at the time and was ignored in the written reports of
most observers. Only Robert Calef made note of it;
'The account she [Tituba] since gives of it is, that her Master did beat her and other ways abuse her, make her confess and accuse such as he call'd her Sister-Witches and that whatsoever she said by way of confession or accusing others was the effect of such usage,' Hers was not the first retraction of a reluctant confession. The others had already received a great deal of attention.'
In the end on May 9, 1692, a grand jury in Ipswich declined to
indict Tituba, writing 'ignoramus' on her paperwork, indicating she was found not guilty due to the lack of evidence.
Despite this Tituba remained in Jail in Boston because Parris refused to pay her jail fees, for reasons unknown. It was possible he wanted to be rid of her because she served as a reminder of the witch trials or because he was angry at her for recanting her confession. Sadly in April of 1693 Tituba was sold once again into slavery to an unknown person for the price of just her jail fees. It is also assumed her husband, John was also sold along with her. To this date no one knows what happened to Tituba or her husband John after they were taken from the jail to their new slave owners.
Like Tituba, several accused witches confessed and named many others and the trials soon began to overwhelming rate. The local justice system at the time in 1692 became soon too overwhelm with all the trials of the women they accused as witches. So in some ways the plan of the ladies of the time worked whatever it was it seemed to work; because on May of 1692 there was a newly appointed governor of Massachusetts.His name 'William Philips, which he ordered the establishment of an special court of 'Oyer to hear & Terminer to decide on witchcraft cases for Suffolk, Essex & Middlesex counties. This new special court would preside over by the judges Judge Hawthorne, Samuel Sewall and William Stoughton.
Sadly this new court wasn't what women of healing and believers of the earth thought it would be because the new court would hand down its first conviction against Bridget Bishop on June 2, 1692, she was hanged eight days later on what would become known as Gallows Hill in Salem Town. Five more people were hanged that July; Five more in August & eight more in September. In addition, there were seven others that were accused as witches that died in jail while the elderly Giles
Corey Martha's Husband was pressed to death by stones after he refused to enter a plea at his arraignment. Sadly the trials continued with dwindling intensity until early 1693. Then by that time May Phips had pardoned and released all those who were in prison on witchcraft charges. Then in January of 1697,
The Massachusetts General Court declared a day of fasting for the tragedy of the Salem witch Trials; The court later deemed the trials unlawful and the leading justice Samuel Sewall publicly apologized for his role in the process. It seems the town of Salem is trying very hard to make right what they did wrong. However, the damage to the community and to the world as a people is already done.
And to be honest, I don't know if it can be fixed. In Salem, it lingers even after Massachusetts colony passed an legislation to restored the good names of the condemned and providing financial restitution to their heirs in 1711.
Indeed, the vivid pain & suffering that the people of Salem have endured over the many centuries and the legacy of their ancestors has gone well into the 21th century. There are still witch hunts to this day. The past is still haunting the gentle people who love to live by the land. I just wish that more could understand what they went through is just as bad and horrible as other horrors or war. And they need to be protected too because they the ladies of the earth protect our earth. I hope that I have done
a good job in writing about my
friends of the earth the witch's
the kind woman of herbs and other
things of out earth .You all are dear woman
Blessed be to you all
