Sarah Bridges

(Examination of Sarah Bridges)
August 25'th 1692.

Sarah Bridges of Andivor Examined before the Justices of Salem --
She was told She was Charged for Hurting Martha Sprage by witch-
craft but denyed it & hoped God would Clear her Inocencey the
afflicted persons were Struck Dwone into a fitt & helped up by the
touch of her hand Rich'd Carrier S'd it was She that was Upon
the afflicted in there fitt She disowned witchcraft Saying She had
never Sett her hand to the Divels book nor been baptized by him
though She was told that her Sister Hannah Post had Confesed
that She was one of the Company that had been baptized w'th her
at 5 Mile pond yett denyed that She had any thing to doe w'th the
Divel or that She had Seen or heard anything that was [tending]
She was throwne of her horse once Indeed Coming from Ipswich
& frighted by it but She thought it was by her aunt How, know
nothing of Witchcraft She was Sensible the afflicted were Strang-
ly Struck Dwone but She knew not the Mening of it -- Yett after
She owned She had been in the Divels [Snare] Ever Since the last
winters & that the Divel Came to her like a man would have her
Signe to his book & told His name Was Jesus & that She must Serve
& worship him She did Sign the book & the Mark was Red he told
me I must goe and afflict Some body & the Divel prickt her finger
& She made a Red Mark in the book the Divel told her She must Re-
nounce god & Christ & promis to Serve him & I did S'd She & She
S'd the Divel Came Sometimes like a bird Som times like abare Som-
times like aman but most frequently like aman he told me Since I
Came here he would kill me if I Conffesed She S'd her Compa. was
Mary Post her Sister hanah & Mary Bridges that She used to afflict
persons by Squezing her hands & Sticking pins in her Cloths She
owned She had been baptized by the Divel w'th her Sister Susana

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post Mary Bridges & that She was to Serve the Divel 4 year [Brought
from over leafe]

& he was to have body & Soul She owned She had been to the witch
Meeting at Chandlers Garrison at Andivor & that She thought there
ware @ 200 Witches their & that they Eat bred & Drank wine & that
Some of the prisoners were there She S'd She had heard of but one
Inocent man Imprisoned yet for witchcraft & that was abbott of Ips-
wich being asked w't She thought of the afflicted whether they Ware
witches She S'd no they were Honest persons that helped to bring
out the witches She owned She had Some times Rid upon a pole
& being bid to goe and ask foregiveness of the afflicted She did
& owned She had afflicted them but would Doe it no more but would
Renounce the Divel & his Works & the afflicted persons forgave her
& She could talk w'th them & not hurt them -- These two persons
Hanah Post & Sarah Bridges have Conffesed the Circumstances of
what the afflicted S'd of them & not Saying falswhood to them or
any one of their Charging of them as that they have afflicted the
time when the way how they afflicted them the place where all agree-
ing w'th the afflicted have Charged them as thus the afflicted would
Say did not you afflict me Such atime in Such a place in Such amaner
they did answer Yes I did I am Sorry for it pray forgive me & for-
givenes they asked w'th plenty of tears whereas they Could not Shed
on tear before as was well observed Hannah Post owned her being
Struck at her unkle Tilers by the Constab'e as the afflicted had Said
and as to the number of witches the afflicted S'd their Saw @ 200
at Chandlers Metting Soe S'd those two they thought their was
@ 200, Soe also Susana Post in her Confession Sayth She Saw @ 200,
at a witch Metting at the Village Mary Bridges Said in her Con-
ffesion Sayd She Saw @ 100 at a witch Metting that She was at --

( Miscellaneous Papers -- Essex Institute, Salem No. 7 )

(Indictment v. Sarah Bridges, No. 1)
Province of the Mattathusets Bay
in New Engl. Essex ss. Anno R. R's & Reginae
Gulielmi & Mariae Nunc Ang
liae &c quarto Annoq'e
Domini. 1692

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The Jurors for Our Soveraign Lord & Lady the King & Queen
doe pr'sent That Sarah Bridges of Andover Singlewoman Some-
time in the yeare of Our Lord One Thousand Six hundred Ninety
One at Andover afores'd in the County aforesaid Wickedly felon-
iously and Malitiously a Covenant with the Evil Spirit the Devill
did Make & Signed to his Booke by Making a Red Marke Renounc-
ing God and Christ & Gave her Soul & Body to the Devil and was
Baptized by him by which Diabolicall Covenant the Said Sarah
Bridges is become a detestable Witch Contrary to the peace of Our
Soveraign Lord & Lady the King & Queen & the Laws in that Case
Made & provided

Witness her Owne Confession
acknowledged before Authority

(Reverse) Sarah Bridges Indictm't Cont -- w'th the Devill Vide con-
fession .

Billa Vera Robert Payne foreman. Ponet Se. Not Guilty

( Mass. Archives. Vol. 135 No. 40 )

(Indictment v. Sarah Bridges, No. 2)
Province of the Mattachusetts bay
in New England Essex ss. Anno R R's & Reginae Gulielmi
& Mariae Nunc Angliae &c. quarto Annoq'e Domini One
Thousand Six hundred Ninety
Two

The Jurors for Our Soveraign Lord & Lady the King & Queen
pr'sent That Sarah Bridges of Andover in the County of Essex Single-
woman On the 25'th day of August in the yeare afores'd in the
County afores'd and divers other Days and Times as well before as
after Certain detestable arts Caled Witchcrafts Wickedly Malitiously
& feloniously hath used practiced & Exercised at & in the Towne of
Salem in the County afores'd upon & Against One Martha Sprague
alias Tyler of Boxford in the County afores'd which Said Wicked
Acts the Said Martha Sprague alias Tyler the day afores'd & yeare

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afores'd & Divers other Dayes & Times as well before as after was
& is Tortured aflicted pined Consumed & Tormented against the peace
of Our Soveraign Lord & Lady the King & Queen thier Crowne
& dignity & the Lawes in that Case Made & provided --

Witness her owne Confession

Rose Foster

(Reverse) Sarah Bridges Aflec't Martha Sprague Bella Vera Robert
Payne foreman Not Guilty

( Mass. Archives. Vol. 135 No. 36 )