| We, as a people, must never forget the Burning Times. Those times shall never be again. |
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| After researching the Burning Times, The Holocost, the Crusades, and many other jyhads I felt that I must do a seperate page tribute for a small portion of it--the Burning Times. It is believed that less than three actual witches perished. Our people were spared, but many innocent others were murdered due to religous ignorance, hate, and fear. This is my honoring page for all those who suffered, Pagan and otherwise, throughout the ages. Those millions: Native Americans, Jews, Pagans, Wiccans, and countless others- who were condemned to die as they would not not align with Christianity. May peace be with you all and may the Dark Days end. |
| The period we know as the Salem Witch Trials or the Burning Times began in the year 1692. The wildfire hysteria that was raging through Puritan Massachusetts would first capture the towns of Danvers and Salem. Two 9-year-old girls, Betty Paris and Abigail Williams, began to entertain themselves with "magic". The daughter and neice, respectively, of the Reverend Samuel Paris began to act strangely in January of 1692. Possessed by an alleged unseen force, they contorted their bodies painfully and acted like animals. The towns were already tense with worry, fear, and strife. Indians, a brutal winter, and a smallpox epidemic had the people's minds considering that their god had forsaken them. The first stick was placed in the inferno when the two afflicted girls claimed that Tituba, an Indo Carribean slave belonging to the Reverend, was practicing witchcraft. Two magistrates, Jonathan Corwin and John Hawthorne, would oversee the interrogation of the charges. They would base their decisions on confessions, reactions of the two girls, and unnatural attributes. This took place at Corwin's residence, the Witch's House, which still stands today on the corner of North and Essex Streets in Salem. Tituba was questioned in late February. She confessed to the charges claiming that she saw the "devil" as a huge dog or hog and also that there were other witches in Salem. Tituba indicted Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne as fellow "witches". The slave and Sarah Good would be the frist to die by hanging at the notorious Gallows Hill. Sarah Osbourne would be imprisoned and would not die until May 10th. On March 12, the affliction spread when Martha Corey was accused of witchcraft. On March 19, Rebecca Nurse became the 5th victim of the insanity. On Spring Equinox, Martha Corey was questioned at the Witch's House. Corey would be condemned on September 9 and executed on September 22. Three days later, Rebecca Nurse would share her fate. Nurse would again be tried and condemned on June 29. She would be hung on Gallows Hill on July 19. On March 28, Elizabeth Proctor would be indicted for witchcraft. April 3, Rebecca Nurse's sister, Sarah Cloyce, would become the 7th victim of the Trials. Later on April 11, Elizabeth Proctor and Sarah Cloyce were condemned to die while Proctor's husband, John, was accused. John Proctor would be condemned between the dates of August 2-6 and executed on August 19. Elizabeth Proctor was officially condemned between August 2-6. April 19, Abigail Hobbs, Bridget Bishop, Giles Corey, and Mary Warren were brought into the madness by indictment. Mary Warren died in prison. Giles Corey was pressed to death on September 19th when he refused to admit to witchcraft and indict his wife. Bridgit Bishop would be hanged on June 10th, marking the first official exeuction of the Trials under the Court of Oyer and Terminer. On April 22, Nehemiah Abbot, Deliverance Hobbs, William Hobbs, Sarah Basset, Edward Bishop, Mary Easty, Mary Black, Sarah Wildes, and Mary English were all indicted on the charge of witchcraft. Nehemiah Abbot was immediately cleared of all charges. Sarah Wildes would be tried and condemned on June 29 and murdered on July 19. Mary Easty would live in prison , be officially indicted on September 9 and executed on September 22. Sarah Wildes and Mary Easty were to be hung on Gallows Hill. On May 2, Sarah Morey, Lyndia (Lydia) Dustin, Susannah Martin, and Dorcas Hoar. They were all immediatly condemned. Susannah Martin would again be tried on June 29 and executed on July 19. Dorcas Hoar would be officially tried and condemned on September 9. She confessed to the charges and her execution was delayed until the hysteria had subsided. Two days later, George Burroughs, was arrested in Wells, Maine for the crime of witchcraft. May 9, brought the first examination by the magistrates of an afflicted girl named Sarah Churchill. One day later, George Jacobs Sr. and his grandaughter, Margaret Jacobs, would be taken in for questioning pertaining to the allegations of witchcraft. Young Margaret would indict both her grandfather and George Burroughs as witches. George Burroughs and George Jacobs, Sr. would both be condemned between August 2 and 6 and share execution on August 19. On May 14, Increase Mathers had returned from a trip to England. He returned with a new charter for the Massachusetts colony and a new govenor, Sir William Phips. Not even four days later, Mary Easty would be pardoned of her crime and released. She would be re-arrested due to cries from the public. May 27th saw a frightening day when the new Govenor Phips created the Court of Oyer and Terminer. This consisted of 7 judges who would try and convict the "witches" of Massachusetts. The men who beheld this position were Lieutenant Govenor William Stoughton, Wait Still Winthrop, Nathanial Saltonstall, Peter Sergeant, Samuel Sewell, John Richards, Bartholomew Gedney, and the original magistates John Hawthorne and Jonathan Corwin. The last day in the month, brought five individuals into the fray. Martha Carrier, Captain John Alden, Wilmott Redd, Elizabeth Howe, and George Jacobs, Sr. Elizabeth Howe would receive her trial on June 29 of that fateful year and be executed on July 19. Martha Carier was condemned on August 19 and executed on August 19. Wilmott Redd was officially condemned on September 17 the date of his execution is unknown. All of the victims were hung on Gallows Hill. June 2, was to be the first fated day of the Court of Oyer and Terminer. Shortly after the execution of Bridgit Bishop, Nathanial Saltonstall would resign. He was disgusted and fearful of the Court's actions and methods. On June 29, John Williard was accused of witchcraft. He would be tried and condemned for witchcraft by the Court between August 2-6 . He would be killed on August 19. The madness peaked again when Joseph Ballard of nearby Andover asked Betty Paris and Abigail William for their aid in finding witches in his town. Go here to learn more about the Andover Witchhunt. On September 9 Alice Parker and Ann Pudeator would be accused of witchcraft, they would both be murdered by the insanity on September 22. Mary Bradbury was indicted on this day for the crime of being a "witch". On September 17, Margaret Scott, Samuel Wardwel, Mary Parker, Abigail Faulkner Sr., Mary Lacey Sr., Rebecca Eames, and Ann Foster would all be indicted for witchcraft on this day. Margaret Scott, Samuel Wardwell, and Mary Parker were all executed on September 22 at Gallows Hill. On October 8, Thomas Brattle wrote a stinging letter regarding the Trials. Govenor Phips felt affected by it so much that he ruled that intangible evidence was not to be used in the Trials. On October 29 the Govenor disbanded the Court of Oyer and Terminer. On November 25 the General Court of the colony created the Superior Court to try the remaining cases of witchcraft. No one was convicted at this time. Sanity had been restored to Massachusetts. |
| Special thanks to Innana who aided in the research of this project |
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