(Mary Walcott, Mary Warren, and Ann Putnam, Jr. v.
Rebecca Eames)
Mary Walcott affirmed to the grand Inquest: that Rebecca Eames:
hath afflicted her at the time of her examination
this she ownd: Sept 15: 1692
Mary Warren: & Ann Putnam: affirmed that Rebecca: Eames: did
afflict Mary Walcott at the time of her examination: this they owned
Sept 15. 1692.
(On Reverse)
Sept 15 1692
Affirmation agt. Rebecca Eames
of {
Mary Walcott
Mary Warren
Ann Putnam }
( Boston Public Library -- Dept. of Rare Books and Manuscripts [1939 acquisition] )
(Examination of Rebecca Eames and Mary Lacey Sr.)
Rebecca: Eames: examined. before Salem Majestrats: Aug'st
19: 1692 She owned she had bin in the snare a monthe: or 2: and
had bin perswaded to it: 3 monthes: & that the devil: apeared to
her like a colt. very ugly: the first: time: but she would not own:
that she had bin baptized by him. she did not know but that the
devil did perswade her: to renounce god & christ & folow his wicked
wayes & that she did take his Counsell: and that she did afflict Timo:
Swan: she did not know but that the devil might ask: her body
& soul: & she knows not but that she did give him soul & body: after
ward she s'd she did do itt & that she would for sake god & his works:
and the devil promised her: to give her powr: to avenge her selfe
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on them that offended her afterward she s'd the devil apeared to her
7 year agoe: & that he had tempted her to ly and had made her to
afflict persons but she could not tell their names that she first
afflicted: Q who came w'th the devil when he made you a witch
A: a ragged girl: they came to gether and they perswaded me to
afflict: & I afflicte mary warin & an other fayr face: it is abo't a
quarter of a year agoe: I did it by sticking of pins. but did you afflict
Swan: yes but I am sorry for it: Q where had you your spear A I
had nothing but an all but was it with yo'r body or spirit you came
to hurt these mayds: A with my spirit: Q but can you ask them
forgivnes: A: I wil fall down on my knees: to ask it: of them: She
would not own: that she signd the devils book when he askd her
body & soul: but he would have had her done it nor. to a burch
Rign: nor nothing: she s'd the devil was in the Shape of a hors
when: he caried her to afflict: but would not own any body went
with her to afflict but the afflicted s'd her son Dan'll went with her:
to afflict:
Q did you not say: the Devil babtized yo'r son Daniell. A he told
me so: but: did you not touch the book nor lay yo'r hand on book
nor paper: A I layd my hand on nothing without it was a peice of
board: and did you lay yo'r hand on the board when he bid you. A
yes: mary Lascy: s'd she had given her son Dan'll to the devil; at
2 years old: & that her aperition told her so: but: she could not
remember it: she was bid to take warin & lasy by the hand & beg
forgivnes & did so: & they forgave her. she s'd if she had given
her son Dan'll to the devil it was in an Angry fitt she did not know
but she might do it nor I do not know he is a wich but I am afrayd
he is: mary lascy saw her son Dan'll stand before her & s'd Dan'll
bid his mother not confess he was a Wich: his mother: did not know
she s'd but: she might se him for she saw a burlling: thing before
her: Mary lascy s'd she had babtized her: son Dan'll & that she had
bin babtized in five mile Pond: she s'd the reason she feared Dan'll
was a witch: was because he used dredfull bad words when he was
Angry: and bad wishes being asked: the #[s'd her] age of Dan'll:
s'd he was 28 years old: she was told she had bin long a witch: then
if she gave her son to the devil at 2 years old she owned she had
bin discontented since she had bin in league: with the devil: she
knew not but the devil might come once a day: lik a mous: or ratt:
she s'd she knew Sarah parker but did not know her to be a wich:
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but she heard she had bin crosd in love & the devil had come to her
& kisd her who was with you when you afflicted Swan: A. no body
but my son Dan'll he was there when I came: theether: she would
have Dan'll perswaded to confes: but was told she were: best to per-
wade him becaus she knew him to be a wich: she was askt if she was
at the execution: she was at the hous below: the hill: she saw a few
folk: the woman of the hous had a pin stuck into her foot: but:
she s'd she did not doe it: but how do you afflict: A I Consent to
it: but have you bin a wich 26 years: A no I can remember but 7:
years & have afflicted: about a quarter of a year: but: if you have
bin a wich so long: why did you not afflict before seing you pro-
mised to serv the devil A: others: did not Afflict before: and the
devil: did not require it: but: doth not the devil threaten: #[to
tare] you #[in peices:] if you not do what he ses: A yes he thretens
to tere me in peices but did you use: to goe to meeting on sabath
dayes: yes: but not so often as I should have done: what shape did
the devil Com in when you layd yo'r hand on the board: A. I can-
not tell except it was a mous #[or rat]
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 25 )
(Second Examination of Rebecca Eames)
August 31't: 1692 Present Jn'o Hathorne Jona't Corwin Esq'r
Rebeca Eames further acknowledgeth & declareth that she was
baptized aboute three years agoe in five Mile pond and that her
son Daniell was also then baptized by the Divell, and that her son
Daniell hath benne a Wizard aboute thurteene Yeares and that []
Toothaker Widow, and Abigail faulkner are both Witches and that
her son and both them have benne in Company with her in Ando-
ver afflicteing of Timothy Swan and further Confirmes what she
formerly acknowledged (viz) that she hath benne a wicth this 26
years and that the Divell then appeared to her in the likeness of a
black man and she then gave herselfe she sayth soul and body to
the Divell and promised to sarve & obey him and Keepe his ways
and further declares that she did Then at that tyme signe to a paper
the Divell then had that she would soe doe and sayth she made a
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Mark upon said paper with her finger, and the spott or Mark she
made was black, and that she was then in such horror of Conscienc
that she tooke a Rope to hang herselfe and a Razer to cutt her throate
by Reason of her great sin in Committing adultery & by that the
Divell Gained her he promiseing she should not be brought out or
ever discovered.
the abovesaid
Confession is the
truth as wittnese my hand
Rebecka Emes
The mark
of
Rebecka Emes
Exa 31 August 92 Salem,
Rebecka. Emes. signed & owned the abovesaid Conffesion to be the
truth before me *John Higginson Justice of peace. 15 Sep't 1692
( Essex Institute -- Fowler Papers )
(Indictment v. Rebecca Eames, No. 1)
Essex in the Province of
the Massachusetts Bay
in New England ss/ Anno R R's & Reginae Gulielmi
& Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Anno'qe
Domini. 1692.
The Juriors for our Sov'r. Lord and Lady the King and Queen
doe. present.That. Rebeckah Eames Wife of Robert Eames of Box-
ford in the County of Essex. aforesaid In the Yeare afores'd. and
divers other dayes and times as well before as After Certaine detest-
able Arts Called witchcraft & Sorceries Wickedly Mallitiously and
felloniously hath used practised and Exercised at and. in the Towne
of Andivor in the County of Essex afores'd. in upon and against one.
Timothy Swan afores'd. by which said wicked acts the Said Timothy
Swan the day and yeare -- afores'd. and divers other dayes and
times both before and after was and Is Tortured aflicted Consumed
Wasted Pined and Tormented and also for Sundry Acts of Witch-
craft by the said Rebeckah Eames Comitted and done. before and
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Since that time against the peace of our Sov'r. Lord and Lady the
King and Queen theire Crowne and dignity and the forme in the
Stattute In that Case made and provided.
(Endorsement)
(Reverse) She acknowledged that she aflicted Timo. Swann.
Indictm't agst Rebecka Eames for bewitching Timo Swan
Billa Vera
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 25 )
(Indictment v. Rebecca Eames, No. 2)
Essex in the province
of the Massachusetts
Bay in New England ss Ano: R R's & Reginae Gulielmi
& Mariae Angliae &c quarto Ano'qe
Dom 1692
The Juriors for o'r Sov'r Lord and Lady the King & Queen doe
present That Rebeckah Eames Wife of Robert Eames of Boxford in
the County afores'd About Twenty six years past in the Towne
of Boxford in the County aforesaid Wickedly & felloniously A Cove-
nant with the evill Speritt the Devill did make in & by which Wicked
Covenant Shee the said Rebeckah Eames hir Soule & body to the
Devill did give & promised to serve & obey him & Keep his Wayes,
Contrary to the Stattute Of the first yeare of the Reigne of King
James the First in that Case made & provided And Against the
peace of o'r Soveraigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen their Crowne
& dignity Cogn.
(Reverse) Indictm't ag'st Rebecka Eames for Covenanting with the
Devil Billa vera Cogn.
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2. Page 26 )
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(Petition of Rebecca Eames)
The humble Petition of Rebecka Eames unto his Excellencye S'r:
W'm: Phipps knight & Govern'r of their Majestyes Dominions in
America humbly sheweth
That wheras your Poor and humble petitioner having been
here closely confined in Salem prison neare four monthes and
likewise Condemned to die for the crime of witchcraft w'ch the
Lord above he knowes I am altogether innocent and ignorant
off as will appeare att the great day of Judgment having had no
Evidences against me but the Spectre Evidences and my owne
confession w'ch the Lord above knowes was altogether false
and untrue I being hurried out of my Senses by the Afflicted
persons. Abigaill Hobbs and Mary Lacye who both of them
cryed out against me charging me with witchcraft the space of
four dayes mocking of me and spitting in my face saying they
knew me to be an old witch and If I would not confesse it I
should very Spedily be hanged for there was some such as my
selfe gone before and it would not be long before I should fol-
low them w'ch was the Occasion with my owne wicked heart of
my saying what I did say: and the reason of my standing to my
confession att my tryall was: That I know not one word w't
I said when I was upon my Tryall att what the honourd Majes-
tr'ts said to me but only the Name of Queen Mary: But may it
please yo'r Excellencye: when mr Matther and mr Brattle were
here in Salem they disowned w't they before had said against me
and doe still owne and say w't they had sayd against me was
Nothing but the Divells delusions and they knew nothing in
the least measure of any witchcraft by me: your poor and
humble petition'r doe begg and Implore of yo'r Excellencye to
Take it into yo'r Pious and Judicious consideration To Graunt
me A Pardon of my life Not deserving death by man for wich-
craft or any other Sin That my Innocent blood may not be shed
and your poor and humble petitioner shall for ever pray as she is
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bound in duty for yo'r health & happinesse in this life and
eternall felicity in the world to come So prayes
Your poor and humble petition'r
*Rebecka: Eames
from Salem prison
Decem the 5th: 1692
( New York Public Library -- Manuscripts and Archives Division )
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