|
||||||||||||
| Misc. Notes | ||||||||||||
| Mary was hung unjustly as a witch in the famous Salem witch trials. Notes on the 'Witch Trial' of Mary Estey (Easty) by Nick Reese 1989 Mary Estey mother of 9 children was hung as a witch in 1692 at age 58. The following is a brief account of that event. Mary, wife of Isaac Estey (or as she spelled it, Easty) lived in Topsfield a short distance from Salem Village MA. The whole witch trial business seems to have started in the home of the Rev. Sammuel Parris with his daughter and their slave 'Tituba'. Tituba, a slave from the West Indies, began telling Voodoo stories to Mr. Parris' nine year old daughter Elizabeth and a group of her friends. During the winter of 1691 and 1692, a circle of young girls had been formed, who were in the habit of meeting at Mr. Parris' house for the purpose of practicing fortune-telling, palmistry, magic, and spiritualism. Soon afterward this group of girls ranging in age from 9 to 17 years old began acting strangely. The girls became quite skillful in the arts they were learning and began to display their skill to the amazement of the onlookers. They would would creep into holes, under benches and chairs, put themselves into odd and unnatural postures, make wild and antic gestures, and utter incoherent and unintelligible sounds. They would be seized with spasms, drop insensible to the floor, or writhe in agony, suffering dreadful tortures, and utter loud piercing outcries. Soon the whole neighborhood and surrounding country were full of stories of the 'afflicted girls'. No one could explain their behavior and it seemed the condition was becoming worse. The town physician, Dr. Griggs, was called in and the opinion finally given was that the girls were bewitched. This was a common diagnosis in the day when no physical illness could be found. The strange actions of the 'afflicted girls' was expanded beyond the Parris' house into the public places, and into the church meetings. Several families voiced disapproval of such goings on in church and excused themselves from the meetings. It will be noted that, the women of these families were later accused of being witches. Mr. Parris called for a meeting of other Ministers in the area to devote a day to solemn religious services and earnest prayer for rescue from the power of the great enemy of souls. The meeting was at Mr. Parris's house and the 'afflicted girls' put on quite a show for them. The opinion of Dr. Griggs was fully corroborated that the girls were bewitched. Now the big question was who is afflicting these girls? The girls soon gave answers by naming a number of people including Tituba. It should be noted that Tituba confessed to being a witch (one of the few who did) and thus only spent time in prison and did not die on the gallows. Several women were accused including Rebecca Nurse, Mary Estey's older sister. On April 21, 1692 a warrant was issued for the arrest of Mary Estey. Her examination was accompanied by the usual, the 'afflicted girls' had fits, displayed great suffering in that if the accused were to touch some part of her body such as scratch her arm, the 'afflicted girls' all would grab their similar arm and act as though great pain was being felt by them. The magistrate expostulated with Mary for not confessing her guilt, which he believed beyond question as being demonstrated by the suffering of the afflicted girls. The following is the actual transcript from Mary’s trail: Mary:"Would you have me, accuse myself?" Mag:"How far, have you complied with Satan?" Mary:"Sir, I never complied, but prayed against him all my days. What would you have me do?" Mag:"Confess, if you be guilty." Mary:"I will say it, if it is my last time, I am clear of this sin." The magistrate apparently affected by her manner and bearing, inquired of the girls, "Are you certain this is the woman?" All the 'afflicted girls' went into fits and presently Ann Putnam, coming to herself, said "that was the woman, it was like her, and she told me her name." Mary Estey clasped her hands together, and Mercy Lewis's (one of the afflicted girls, aged 17) hands become clenched together. Mary separated her hands and Mercy's hand were released. Mary tilted her head to one side and the girls screamed out, "Put up her head; for, while her head is bowed, the necks of these are broken." Mary straightens her head and the girls seemed to be released and can straighten up their heads. Mag:"Is this the woman?" The girls made signs but could not speak, but later Ann Putnam and others cried out: "O Goody Easty, Goody Easty, you are the woman, you are the woman." (Note: 'Goody' is slang for 'Goodwife' a common title of the day) Mag:"What do you say to this?" Mary:"Why, God will know." Mag:"Nay, God knows now." Mary:"I know he does." Mag:"What did you think of the actions of the others before your sisters came out? Did you think it was witchcraft?" (Mary's sisters Rebecca and Sarah being also arrested for witchcraft) Mary:"I cannot tell." Mag:"Why do you not think it is witchcraft?" Mary:"It is an evil spirit; but whether it be witchcraft I do not know." She was committed to prison. It can also be noted that 7 out of 9 accused people at this time were from Topsfield and the accusing 'afflicted girls' were all from Salem. There seems to have existed some measure of animosity between the Salem people and the 'Topsfield men' and the accusing girls probably heard the adults talking angrily about the 'Topsfield men' and availed themselves, as at all times, of existing prejudices, to guide them in the selection of victims. For an unknown reason, Mary was discharged from prison on May 18, 1692 and wholly released. Two days later on May 20th Mercy Lewis went into terrible fits and afflictions of unprecedented severity while at Ann Putnam's house. Ann's father, John Putnam after consulting with his daughter and one of the other girls who both accused Mary Estey of afflicting Mercy Lewis, went about getting the authorities to arrest Mary Estey. Just after midnight, after enjoying liberty for two days and being back in reunion with her family, Mary Estey, was dragged out of bed sent back to prison and put into chains. Such was the power that these girls held. Mary's older sister, Rebecca Nurse was hung on July 19, 1692 accused and condemned as a witch. The following is a transcription of a petition hand written by Mary Estey and Sarah Cloyse (Mary's sister who was also imprisoned for witchcraft) to the Special Court, and was presented immediately before the trial of Mary Estey: "The Humble Request of Mary Easty and Sarah Cloyse to the Honored Court humbly showeth, that, whereas we two sisters, Mary Easty and Sarah Cloyse, stand now before the honored Court charged with the suspicion of witchcraft, our humble request is- First, that, seeing we are neither able to plead our own cause, nor is counsel allowed to those in our condition, that you who are our judges would please to be counsel to us, to direct us wherein we may stand in need. Secondly, that, whereas we are not conscious to ourselves of any guilty in the least degree for that crime whereof we are now accused (in the presence of the living God we speak it, before whose awful tribunal we know we shall ere long appear), nor of any other scandalous evil or miscarriage inconsistent with Christianity, those who have had the longest and best knowledge of us, being persons of good report, may be suffered to testify upon oath what they know concerning each of us; vis., Mr. Capen, the pastor, and those of the town and church of Topsfield, who are ready to say something which we hope may be looked upon as very considerable in this matter, with the seven children of one of us; viz., Mary Easty: and it may be produced of like nature in reference to the wife of Peter Cloyse, her sister. Thirdly, that the testimony of witches, or such as are afflicted as is supposed by witches, may not be improved to condemn us without other legal evidence concurring, We hope the honored Court and jury will be so tender of the lives of such as we are, who have for many years lived under the unblemished reputation of Christianity, as not to condemn them without a fair and equal hearing of what by be said for us as well as against us. And your poor supplicants shall be bound always to pray, &c." The Special Court met again on September 9th and Mary Estey along with five other women were tried and condemned. After her sentence of death, Mary presented another petition to the Special Court. Charles Upham in his book Salem Witchcraft eloquently states of Mary's Petition: "It would be hard to find, in all the records of human suffering and of Christian deportment under them, a more affecting production. It is a most beautiful specimen of strong good-sense, pious fortitude and faith, genuine dignity of soul, noble benevolence, and the true eloquence of a pure heart; and was evidently composed by her own hand. It may be said of her- and there can be no higher eulogium- that she felt for others more than for herself. The following is a transcription of her hand written petition: "The Humble Petition of Mary Easty unto his Excellency Sir William Phips, and to the Honored Judge and Bench now sitting in Judicature in Salem, and the Reverend Ministers, humbly showeth, that, whereas your poor and humble petitioner, being condemned to die, do humbly beg of you to take it in your judicious and pious consideration, that your poor and humble petitioner, knowing my own innocency, blessed be the Lord for it! and seeing plainly the wiles and subtlety of my accusers by myself, cannot be judge charitably of others that are going the same way of myself, if the Lord steps not mightily in. I was confined a whole month upon the same account that I am condemned now for, and then cleared by the afflicted persons, as some of Your Honors know. And in two days' time I was cried out upon them, and have been confined, and now am condemned to die. The Lord above knows my innocency then, and likewise does now, as at the great day will be known to men and angels. I petition to Your Honors not for my own life, for I know I must die, and my appointed time is set; but the Lord he knows it is that, if it be possible, no more innocent blood may be shed, which undoubtedly cannot be avoided in the way and course you go in. I question not but Your Honors do to the utmost of your powers in the discovery and detecting of witchcraft and witches, and would not be guilty of innocent blood for the world. But, by my own innocency, I know you are in the wrong way. The Lord in his infinite mercy direct you in this great work, if it be his blessed will that no more innocent blood be shed! I humbly beg of you, that Your Honors would be pleased to examine these afflicted persons strictly, and keep them apart some time, and likewise to try some of these confessing witches; I being confident there is several of them has belied themselves and others, as will appear, if not in this world, I am sure in the world to come, wither I am now agoing. I question not but you will see an alteration of these things. They say myself and others having made a league with the Devil, we cannot confess. I know, and the Lord knows, as will . . . appear, they belie me, and so I question not but they do others. The Lord above, who is the Searcher of all hears, knows, as I shall answer it at the tribunal seat, that I know not the least thing of witchcraft; therefore I cannot, I dare not , belie my own soul. I beg Your Honors not to deny this my humble petition from a poor, dying, innocent person. And I question not but the Lord will give a blessing to your endeavors." On September 22, 1692 Mary Estey proceeded to 'Witch Hill' and there, with seven other condemned, was hanged. Mary's parting farewell to her family and friends is said to have been a most solemn, affecting and truly sublime scene. Calef reports that, by persons who were present and listened to her last communications, were "as serious, religious, distinct, and affectionate as could well be expressed, drawing tears from the eyes of almost all present." Mary's sister Rebecca was hanged previously on July 19, 1692. Mary's other accused sister, Sarah was not executed but did spend time in prison. The group of eight that died on September 22nd was the last group to be executed. The Special Court intended to meet every several weeks to provide the hangman with a new cart load of 'witches' but for some unknown reason, the executive authority intervened, the curtain fell unexpectedly, and the tragedy ended. Whether Mary's petition had anything to do with this sudden ending is unknown. In all, twenty people were executed and at least two women died in prison. Five men, fourteen women were hanged and one man was crushed to death. On March 18, 1702 a petition was presented to the General Court that something be done to publicly remove the infamy from the names and memory of those who have suffered and that none of their surviving relations nor their posterity may suffer reproach on account of that. This was signed by Isaac Estey along with twenty others. On the 20th of July, 1702 a bill was ordered up by the House of Representatives which prohibited future such actions and cleared the names of all such accused. However nothing was done until September 12, 1710 when Isaac Estey presented a strong memorial to the General Court in reference to his case. He calls for some remuneration. In speaking of the arrest and execution of his "beloved wife, my sorrow and trouble of heart in being deprived of her in such a manner, which this world can never make me any compensation for." The General Court on October 17th, 1710 passed an act that "the several convictions, judgments, and attainders be, and hereby are, reversed, and declared to be null and void." Governor Dudley, on December 17, 1711 issued a warrant which gave Isaac Estey £20 for the loss of Mary. Mary's sister, Sarah Cloyse received 3 gold crowns (a gold coin each worth about a 1/4 of a pound or 5 shillings). One final footnote on the person of Ann Putnam, chief accuser of Mary Estey and her two sisters. Ann had a written confession read in church on August 25, 1706 in which she confessed to being deceived by the Devil into accusing the three sisters as well as others. She declared their innocence and begged forgiveness of God. Ann died ten years later at the age of 36 never having married and always being sickly and weak bodied for most of her life after her activities in the fateful year of 1692. | ||||||||||||
| Spouses | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Last Modified 5 Jul 2002 | Created 20 Feb 2011 using Reunion for Macintosh |