the Salem witchcraft outbreak of 1692

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Mary Bridges, Sr.
Mary Bridges, Jr.
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Mary Bridges, Jr.

Mary Bridges, Jr.

(Indictment v. Mary Bridges, Jr., No. 1)
1st Paper

Province of the Massathusets
Bay in New England Essex Anno RR's & Reginae Gulielmi
&Mariae Angliae & Quinto Annoq'e
Dom 1693


The Jurors for our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King & Queen
psents

That Mary Bridges of Andover Junior On or about the Twenty fifth
Day of August last in the Yeare 1692 [aforesaid] -- and Divers
other Dayes & times as well before as after Certaine Detestable Arts
called witchcrafts and Sorceries wickedly Mallishiously and fello-
niously hath used Practised and Exercised at and in the Towne of
Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid Upon and against one Rose
foster of Andov'r aforesaid Single Woman by which wicked Arts the
said Rose foster -- The Day and year aforesaid and Diverse other
Dayes and times as well before as after, was and is Tortured af-
flicted Tormented Consumed Pined and wasted against the Peace of
our Sovereigne Lord and Lady the King and Queen their Crowne
and Dignity and ag't the Lawes in that case made & Provided


Wittness his Confession

Martha Sprague Alle Tyler
& Rose foster hir selfe

(Reverse)
Billa Verra
Abraham Haseltine
foreman of the
Grand Jury
not Guilty

( Suffolk Court Records Case No. 2729 Page 72 )



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(Indictment v. Mary Bridges, Jr., No. 2)
2nd Paper

Province of the Massachusetts
Bay In New England Essex Ss Anno RRs & Reginae Gulielmi
& Mariae Angliae &c Quinto Annoq'e
Dom 1693\s-\


The Jurors for O'r Sov'r Lord & Lady the King & Queen pr'sent That
Mary Bridges Junior of Andiver In the County of Essex afors'd In or
about the month of July last in the Yeare 1692 afors'd in the Towne
of Andiver in the County of Essex aforesaid -- Wickedly Mallisi-
tiously & Felloniously A Covenant with the Devill did make & Signed
A [pap'r] to the Devill & by him was [] Baptized by the Dev-
ill By which Wicked Diabollicall Covenant with the Devill made by
the Said Mary Bridges Junior shee become A detestable Witch Con-
trary to the Peace of o'r Sov'r Lord & Lady the King & Queen their
Crowne & Dignity & the Laws in that Case made & Provided

Witness hir owne
Confession

(Reverse)
Billa Verra
Abraham Heseltine
foreman of the
granjury
not Guilty

( Suffolk Court Records Case No. 2729 Page 72 )


(Examination of Mary Bridges, Jr.)
Mary Bridges: An Andover Maid was examined before Jno Hawthorn
Esq'rs & other Their Majest'ies in Salem: August 25 1692

Mary Bridges you are acused here for acting witchcraft upon Martha
Sprage & Rose foster how long have you bin in this Snare: she
Answered about a month but after ward s'd was since the spring: She



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s'd a yellow bird appeared to her: out of dores: & bid her serve him:
he promised me mony s'd she and fine Cloathes & I promised to
serve him: & I was to afflict: Martha Spreag but: he gave me neither
money nor fine Clothes: she s'd she thought when he appeared: it
was the Devil & she was to serve him two years: then was: to be his
body & soul: she owned she had bin babtized by him. Then she was
bid to goe take the two afflicted persons by the hand & she did
& they were not hurt. --

She s'd the next time she saw any such shape: it was a black bird
& he would have her serve him & would have her to touch a paper:
which she did with her fingers & it made a red mark: she s'd she did
not dip her finger in any thing when she made the mark then she saw
next a black man she owned she was at the witch meeting at Chand-
lers at Andover last week & she thought there were near a hundred at
it she s'd her shape was there: she s'd she knew not that her mother
was a witch but she knew her sister suzanna Post & Sarah were so:
the way of her afflicting was by sticking pins into things and Clothes
& think of hurting them: & she s'd the Dead tought her this way of
afflicting on the black man: she s'd she had afflicted only these 2:
that complayned: only: she afflicted one the other night she knew
not but that it might be Mary Warin: she thought it might be she:
the Devil told her she should never be brought out: she s'd they
Drank Sack at the witch meeting at Andover: it stood there in potts
& they drawed it out of a barrill: she knew but few there but s'd
Good wife foster & Carrier was there: she also s'd she rod to Salem
village meeting upon a pole & the black man Carried the pole over
the tops of the trees: & there they promised on another to afflict
persons

I und'r written being appointed by Authority to take the above ex-
amination doe testify upon oath taken in Court: that this is a true
copy of the substance of it to the best of my knowledge Jan'y 10'th
1692


*Simon Willard

Mary Bridges was Examined before their Majesties Justices of the
peace in Salem attest

*John Higginson Just'e peace


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Simon Willard owned the above: written: to be the truth: to the best
of his knowledge before: the grand Inquest Jan'y 10'th 1692

*Robert Payne
Foreman

( Suffolk Court Files Case No. 2729 Page No. 73 )


(Recognizance for Mary Bridges, Jr.)
Know All Men By these presents That I John Bridges of Andover in
the Cownty of Essex in New England Blacksmith And John Osgood
Sen'r of the Same Towne & Cownty afforesaid Husbandman, Are
Holden And firmely Bownd Joyntly & Sevirally to there Maj'es King
William And Queen Mary of England Scottland France And Ireland
King & Queen Defenders of the faith in the full & Juste Sum of five
hundrid Pownds Sterling, for the True & Juste payments of w'ch
Said Sum of five hundrid pownds to there Maj'es King William And
Queen Mary Wee do Bind our Selves Our heires Executtors Adminis-
trators & Assignes firmely by these presents, Dated in Salem the fife-
teenth day of October in the year of Our Lord One thowsand Six
hundrid Ninety and Two And in the fourth Year of theire Maj'es
Reigne of King William & Queen Mary King & Queen of England
Scottland France & Ireland Defenders of the faith --

The Condition of this Obligation is Such that Whereas the above
named Jno Osgood Sen'r & John Bridges Both of the Towne of And-
ever in the County of Essex in New England have Taken into theire
Care & Custodye the Bodye of Mary Bridges Aged about Twelve
yeares who was Comited to theire Maj'es Goale in Salem in the
Cownty of Essex in New England for havinge used practised & Com-
itted Divers Acts of Witchcrafte Upon the Bodyes of Sundry persons
who her Selfe hath also Conffessed the same, is that the Abovesaid
John Bridges Blacksmith & John Osgood Sen'r, Aforesaid husband-
man Shall Well & Truely keep the Aforesaid Mary Bridges & Them
Secure Untill they Shall Receive Order from George Corwin Sherriff
of the Cownty of Essex to deliver the Aforesaid Mary Bridges Unto
William Dowton Now Keeper of theire Maj'es Goale in Salem Or to
Any Other Whome the Aforesaid George Corwin Shall Appointe,



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that then they Shall forthwith deliver the Same Mary Bridges Accord-
ing to his Order -- And if the Above Bownd do perform the Above
mentioned Articles, And shall pay Unto George Corwin the Sheriff
Afforesaid, the forfieture of Said Bond for there Maj'es Use in Case
of Default then this Obligation shall be Void & of None Effect Or
Otherwise To Stand in full force & Virtue, In Wittness hereof we
have Sett to Our hands & Seals this fifetenth day of October One
thowsand Six hundrid Ninety & Two And in the fourth year of theire
Maj'es Reigne --


Wittness
*Jno Turner
*Thomas Gardner Jun'r
*John Bridge
Seal
*John Osgood
[L. S.]
[L. S.]

( Mass. Archives Vol. 135 No. 60 )