Pressed to Death, September 16, 1692
(Warrant for Arrest of Giles Corey, Mary Warren,
Abigail Hobbs, and Bridget Bishop)
Salem. April the 18'th 1692
There being Complaint this day made (Before us) by Ezekiell
Chevers and John putnam Jun'r both of Salem Village Yeomen: in
Behalfe of theire Majesties, for themselfes and also for theire Neigh-
bours Against Giles Cory, and Mary Waren both of Salem farmes
And Abigaile Hobbs the daughter of Wm Hobs of the Towne of Tops-
feild and Bridgett Bushop the wife of Edw'd Bishop of Salem Sawyer
for high Suspition of Sundry acts of Witchcraft donne or Committed
by them, upon the Bodys of: Ann putnam.Marcy Lewis, and Abig'l
Williams and Mary Walcot and Eliz. Hubert -- of Salem village --
whereby great hurt and damage hath benne donne to the Bodys of
Said persons above named.therefore craved Justice --
You are therefore in their Majest's names hereby required to
apprehend and bring before us Giles Cory & Mary Waren of Salem
farmes, and Abigail Hobs the daugter of Wm Hobs of the Towne of
Topsfeild and Bridget Bushop the wife of Edward Bushop of Salem
To Morrow about Eight of the Clock in the forenoone, at the house
of Lt Nathaniell Ingersalls in Salem Village in order to theire Ex-
amination Relateing to the premises aboves'd and here of you are not
to faile Dated Salem April 18'th 1692
To George Herrick Marshall
of the County of Essex --
*John Hathorne
*Jonathan.Corwin }
Assis'ts
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1. Page 29 )
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(Officer's Return)
Salem April 18'th 1692
April 18'th 1692 I have taken the within named persons and
brought them [to the] house of leu't Nath: Ingersoll according to
the tenner of this warrant
P'r me *Geo: Herrick Marshall of Essex
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1 Page 29 )
(Summons for Witnesses v. Giles Corey et al.)
You are likewise required to summons Margret Knight Lidya
Nichols Elizabeth Nichols and Elizabeth Hubert Jonathan putnam
and Hephzibah Rea & John Howe all & every one of them to appeare
before us at the aboves'd time & place to give in w't evedence thay
know Relateing to the aboves'd or like cases depending.
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1 Page 29 )
(Officer's Return)
April 18'th 1692 I have sumoned the within named persons to
apeare att the time and place within mentioned to Give in whatt
Evidence thay know Relateing the premises
P'r me *Geo: Herrick Marshall of Essex
(Reverse) Complaint Corey Hobbs Warren &ca
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1 Page 29 )
(Summons for Witnesses)
Wm & Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France
& Ireland King and Queen defend'rs of the faith &c
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To the Constable of Salem Greeting
Wee Comand you to Warn & give notice unto Jno Derick the wife
of Stephen Small the Widow Adams & Goody Golthite that they
& Every of them be and personaly Appear at the pr'sent Court of Oyer
& Terminer holden at Salem forthwith there to Testify the Truth to
the best of thier knowledge On Certain Indictments Exhibited
against Giles Cory hereof make return fail not
Salem Sep'r 7'th 1692:
*Stephen Sewall Cl
(Reverse)
Sept 7'th 1692: I Depute mr John Tomkins to serve this within
Sumons and Make Returne thereof:
by mee *Peter Osgood Constable in
Salem
(Reverse) I have warned the w'thin persons to appear att the time
and place within written by
*Jno Tomkins Deputed
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 41 )
(Ann Putnam, Jr. v. Giles Corey)
The Deposistion of Ann putnam who testifieth and saith that on
13'th of April 1692, I saw the Apperishtion of Gilles Cory com and
afflect me urging me to writ in his book and so he continewed hurt-
ing me by times tell the 19'th April being the day of his examina-
tion : and dureing the time of his examination Giles Cory did tortor
me a grat many times.and allso severall times sence Giles Cory or
his Apperance has most greviously afflected me by beating pinching
and almost Choaking me to death urging me to writ in his book also
on the day of his examination I saw Giles Cory or his Apperance
most greviously afflect and torment mary walcott mercy lewes and
sarah vibber and I veryly beleveue that Giles Cory is [is] a dreadfull
wizzard for sence he has ben in prison he or his Apperance has come
to me a grat many tims and afflected me.
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An Putnam owned upon her oath that the above written evidence
is the truth to the Jury of inquest Sept 9: 92
(Reverse) Ann puttnam agst Giles Cory
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 41 )
(Mercy Lewis v. Giles Corey)
The Deposistion of Mercy lewes agged about 19 years who testi-
fieth and saith that on the 14'th April 1692 I saw the Apperishtion
of Giles Cory com and afflect me urging me to writ in his book and
so he contineued most dreadfully to hurt me by times beating me
& almost braking my back tell the day of his examination being the
19th April and then allso dureing the time of his examination he did
afflect and tortor me most greviously: and also several times sence
urging me vehemently to writ in his book and I veryly beleve in my
heart that Giles Cory is a dreadfull wizzard for sence he had ben in
prison he or his Apperance has com and most greviously tormented
me.
Mercy Lewis: affirmd to the Jury of Inquest. that the above
written evidence: is the truth upon the oath: she has formerly taken
in the Court of Oyer & terminer: Sept'r 9: 1692
(Reverse) Mercy Lewis again't Geoyles Cory
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 41 )
(Sarah Bibber v. Giles Corey)
The deposistion of Sarah vibber who testifieth and saith that I
have ben most greviously affleted by giles Cory or his Appearance
and allso I have seen Giles Cory or his Apperance most greviously
(affleted by giles Cory or his Appearance and allso I have seen Giles
Cory or his Apperance most greviously) affleting and tormenting
the bodyes of mary walcott mercy lewes and ann putnam and I
beleve in my heart that Giles Cory is a wizzard and that he has very
often afflected and tor[mented me] and the persons above men-
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tioned by his actts of wicthcraft I testifie that on the fourteenth of
August & ever since: at times s'd Cory [has] afflicted me by whip-
ping me & beating me: & urgeing me Vehemently.to read[&] writ
in his book: and cote me with his knife
Sarah Vibber:affirmed to the Jury of Inquest: that the above
written evidence: is the truth upon oath: Sep'r 9: 1692
(Reverse) Sarah Vibber vs Giles Corey
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2, Page 42 )
(Mary Warren v. Giles Corey)
Mary Warin affirmed: to the Jury of Inquest:that: she hath been
afflicted by Giles Cory or his appearition and that by beating of me
with his staffe: & by: biting me & pinching & choaking me greatly
torturing me & cutting me with a knife. & perticulerly at the time of
his examination he did greviously torment me: also: at the time
of his examination I saw: s'd Cory or his appearition most: dred-
fully afflect: Mary Walcot An putnam.Mercy lewes & Sarah Vibber
Sept'r 9. 1692
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 42 )
(Elizabeth Woodwell and Mary Walcott v. Giles Corey)
Eliz Woodwell upon the oath she formerly has taken in this
Court: did affirm to the Jury of Inquest: that: she saw Giles Cory
at meeting at Salem on a lecture day.since he has ben at prison he
or his apearition came in & sat in the middlemost seat: of the mens
seats: by the post this was the lecture day before. Bridget Bishop was
hanged and I saw him come out: with the rest of the people mary
Walcot: affirmed: that she saw s'd Cory: as above. sit in the same
place at the same time he or his appearance & that she did se him goe
out with the rest of the people: this she affirmed to the Jury of
Inquest. Sept 9: 1692
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 42 )
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(Elizabeth Hubbard v. Giles Corey)
Eliz Hubbard. to the Jury of Inquest. that Giles Cory hath sev-
eral times afflected [me] with several sorts of torments. I veryly
think he is a wizard & afflicted me by wichcraft sept 9: 1692
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 42 )
(Benjamin Gould v. Giles Corey)
The deposistion of benjamin gould aged about 25 yeares ho
testifieth and saith one the 6 day of april 1692 giles Cory and his wife
Came to my bead side and looked upon me sum time and then went
away and emediately I had two penches upon my side: all so another
time I saw giles Cory and John proctir and I had then shuch a paine
in one of my feet that I Cold not ware my shue for 2: or 3.days
& I doe beleive in my: --
&Ben: gould
Jurat
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 42 )
(Susannah Sheldon v. Giles Corey, Elizabeth Proctor,
Sarah Buckley, and John Willard)
Susanna.Shelden saith that the Spectre of Giles Corey Murdered
his first wife & would have murdered this to if she had not been a
Witch that his first wife gave him nothing but Skim Milke.and I for
one he did it & that Goody Procters Spectre told her she Murdered
her owne child & that it was sick & she did it because she would not
be troubled w'th it & that she allso saies that Goody Buckley & Jno
Willard app'd w'th Hen. Wilkins app'en
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 43 )
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(John DeRich v. Giles Corey and Sarah Pease)
the testomeny of John derech Eaged about sixten years testefieth
and sayeth that gils Cory also Came to me and aflicted me this 5 of
September as wel be fore as after he al so Came a bout the 20 of
oges and told me that he wanted som platers for he was gowen to
afeast he told me that he had a good mind to ask my dame but he
sayd that she wouled not let him have them so he took the platers
and cared them a way being gown a bout half a oure with them then
he brot them a gaine gowen a way and sayd no thing
also Sary pese afliceth me at several times she Came to me af
the fast day last at Salam She pinched me then and i have not sene
har sencs --
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2, Page 43 )
(Hannah Small and Martha Adams v. Giles Corey)
these howes nams are under riton were there and saw the platers
were gown as John derich sayed
hanah small
martha Adams
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 43 )
(Elizabeth Booth and Alice Booth v. Giles Corey)
The deposistion of Eliz: booth the wife of George booth & Allies
Booth who testifie and say that on the 12'th of this Isant Sept'r at
the widow Shaflin's house in Salem their appeared to us a grate num-
ber of wicthes as neare as we could tell about fifty thirteen of which
we knew:who did Receive the sacriment in our right amongst whicth
we saw Giles Cory who brought to us bread and wine urging us to
pertake thereof: but because we Refused he did most greviously
afflect and torment us: and we beleve in our hearts that Giles Cory is
a wizzard and that he has often affleted us and sevroll others by acts
of wicthcraft
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Elizabeth Booth's mark
Allice Booth's mark,
(Reverse) Boothese Giles Cory
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 43 )
(Letter from Thomas Putnam to Judge
Samuel Sewall -- Extract)
The Last Night my Daughter Ann was grievously Tormented by
Witches, Threatning that she should be Pressed to Death, before Giles
Cory. But thro' the Goodness of a Gracious God, she had at last a
little Respite. Whereupon there appeared unto her (she said) a man
in a Winding Sheet; who told her that Giles Cory had Murdered him,
by Pressing him to Death with his Feet; but that the Devil there
appeared unto him, and Covenented with him, and promised him,
He should not be Hanged. The Apparition said, God Hardened his
Heart, that he should not hearken to the Advice of the Court, and so
Dy an easy Death; because as it said, "It must be done to him as he
has done to me." The Apparition also said, That Giles Cory was
Carry'd to the Court for this, and that the Jury had found the
Murder, and that her Father knew the man, and the thing was done
before she was born. Now Sir, This is not a little strange to us; that
no body should Remember these things, all the while that Giles
Cory was in Prison, and so often before the Court. For all people
now Remember very well, (and the Records of the Court also men-
tion it,) That about Seventeen Years ago, Giles Cory kept a man
in his House, that was almost a Natural Fool: which Man Dy'd
suddenly. A Jury was Impannel'd upon him, among whom was
Dr. Zorobbabel Endicot; who found the man bruised to Death, and
having clodders of Blood about his Heart. The Jury, whereof sev-
eral are yet alive, brought in the man Murdered; but as if some
Enchantment had hindred the Prosecution of the Matter, the Court
Proceeded not against Giles Cory, tho' it cost him a great deal of
Mony to get off.
( Cotton Mather, Wonders of the Invisible World [ Boston, 1693], excerpted in George
Lincoln Burr, ed., Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648-1706 [ N.Y., 1914; reissued,
1968], p. 250 .)
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