The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials

She accused 16 people, was named a victim in 13 indictments, and may have been the most powerful force driving the Salem witch trials of 1692. So why does history overlook Mercy Lewis?What You'll LearnWhy some historians consider Mercy Lewis the ringleader among the afflicted girlsHow surviving the Wabanaki wars shaped her role in the Salem witch trialsThe full content of her April 1st visions, including the biblical passages a glittering multitude sangWhat she claimed George Burroughs offered her on top of a high mountainHow her near-death episode sent the Marshal of Essex County riding through the night to re-arrest Mary EstyWhy former employers testified she was a pathological liarAt 19, Mercy Lewis was a maidservant in the Thomas Putnam household, carrying the trauma of war, probable orphanhood, and displacement from Maine. Her visions were among the most vivid and theologically detailed of the entire crisis. Her accusations helped send people to the gallows.Were those visions vivid dreams, trauma responses, or deliberate fabrications? Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack dig into the evidence.Follow 1692 day by day on Salem Witch Trials Daily Podcast. Resources and episodes at www.aboutsalem.com.LinksBuy the Books Mentioned in this Episode Salem Witch Trials Daily Videos & Course The Thing About Salem Website⁠The Thing on YouTube⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts WebsiteSign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Project www.massachusettswitchtrials.org Support the nonprofit End Witch Hunts Podcasts and Projects

Follow the events of April 4, 1692, as new testimony and complaints target recent suspects. We cover a reported spectral attack involving the shape of John Proctor afflicting Abigail Williams, then dig into multiple depositions against Rachel Clinton, including claims of meetinghouse disturbances, strange animal apparitions, a mysterious loss of beer, and a tense late-night confrontation followed by an apparent affliction and near-death of Betty Fuller. We also examine Mercy Lewis’s statements about being bitten, pinched, choked, and urged to “write in a book,” attributed to the shape of four-year-old Dorothy Good and to Sarah Osburn. Finally, we follow new complaints filed against Sarah Cloyce and Elizabeth Proctor, including an early mention of John Indian among the afflicted.00:00 April 4 Overview00:23 Proctor Spectral Attack00:38 Boarman vs Clinton01:49 Beer Barrel Curse02:56 Edwards Livestock Losses04:38 Fuller Night Visit06:10 Dorothy Good Accusation06:34 Osburn Book Pressure06:54 New Complaint Filed07:19 Afflicted List UpdateA Brief and True Narrative by Deodat LawsonSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegeHigh Quality Scans of the Original Court Documents -Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

We explore a striking claim from within the crisis itself: that the afflicted may have been “dissembling.” We revisit Sunday, April 3, 1692, when Samuel Parris read aloud a note Mary Warren had posted at the Salem Village meetinghouse, inviting the congregation to offer prayers of gratitude for her deliverance—yet the note’s contents are unknown because Parris never copied it into his church record book. We also examine the puzzling gaps in Parris’s records during the most active months of the trials, raising questions about what was happening in the meetinghouse. Finally, we tease an April 19 court record showing Elizabeth Hubbard accusing Mary Warren of making the “dissemble” remark, which we’ll dig into next.Note: We will soon publish Salem Witch Trials Daily only to its own podcast feed00:00 Afflicted Dissembling00:10 Daily Show Intro00:17 Mary Warren Note00:42 Parris Missing Records01:22 Silence Raises Questions01:38 Hubbard Accusation TeaseA Brief and True Narrative by Deodat LawsonSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegeHigh Quality Scans of the Original Court Documents -Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In today’s Salem Witch Trials Daily, we walk through Saturday, April 2, 1692, focusing on Abigail Williams’ claims that the specters of Elizabeth Procter and Rebecca Nurse repeatedly afflicted her in March and April, including being “grievously pinched” and tempted with fine things to sign the book. We also explore how accusers often listed dates of spectral attacks and why our day-by-day approach helps reveal what life was like during the witch-hunt. Elsewhere in Salem Village, we cover Mary Warren’s recovery and her meetinghouse note requesting prayers of gratitude—then hint at the serious drama that follows when, in Mary’s later testimony, Elizabeth Procter reportedly appeared to her that night in “her bodily person” and confessed to witchcraft.00:00 Daily Introduction00:14 Abigail's Spectral Attacks00:26 Why Track Day by Day00:59 Temptation to Sign the Book01:06 Mary Warren's Note01:27 Elizabeth Appears Bodily01:46 Spectral vs Physical AssaultsA Brief and True Narrative by Deodat LawsonSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In our April 1, 1692 episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we explore how the afflictions continue to mislead people in Salem and nearby communities through the reported testimony of Mercy Lewis. We recount her vivid description of being taken to a “glorious place” filled with light, where she saw a multitude in white robes singing from Revelation 5:9, Psalm 110, and Psalm 149—passages we connect to the religious climate of the moment, including Samuel Parris’s recent focus on Psalm 110. We also follow Mercy’s reluctance to leave the vision and discuss Deodat Lawson’s report that a recurring “white man” foretold the timing of future fits, which he claimed happened as predicted.00:00 April Fools Intro00:30 Mercy Lewis Vision01:02 Revelation New Song01:20 Psalm 110 Footstool02:09 Parris Sermon Context02:28 Psalm 149 Vengeance03:19 Lawson Closing NoteSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victims: https://change.org/witchtrialsFind My Massachusetts Legislators: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislatorThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About Salem: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collectionLinks

Fast Day in Salem: Prayer, Fasting, and Abigail Williams’ Witch Feast VisionIn this episode, we follow Thursday, March 31, 1692, as Salem observes a Puritan fast day while Abigail Williams reports seeing about 40 witches feasting near the Salem Village parsonage of minister Samuel Parris and claims the specter of Rebecca Nurse attacks her. We explore how Puritans in New England viewed prayer and fasting—grounded in the Gospel of Mark—as powerful defenses against demonic possession and witchcraft, from private household fasts like those held for the Goodwin children in 1688 and the Parris family earlier in 1692, to government-ordered public fasts during crises, including the 1697 fast when Judge Samuel Sewall’s apology was read aloud. We also preview Abigail’s testimony pattern, listing multiple March and April dates when she says Nurse afflicted her.00:00 Fast Day in Salem00:33 Why Puritans Fasted00:54 Private Fasts and Afflictions01:31 Public Fast Days02:15 Witches Sabbath Allegation03:05 Rebecca Nurse Specter Claims03:18 Testimony Timeline Wrap UpSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we cover Wednesday, March 30, 1692, when Rachel Clinton—arrested the day before—was slated for examination, though no record of that hearing survives. We focus on three depositions made against her that day: Thomas Burnam Jr. describes watching for a cow-milker he associates with Clinton and claims the figure vanished and later turned into a gray cat; Mary Fuller Sr. recounts Clinton confronting her at home amid a crisis involving her niece Betty Fuller, who later indicated Clinton was responsible; and Thomas Knowlton Jr. reports an incident at the John Rogers household involving demands for food, insults, a thrown stone followed by severe toe pain, and earlier claims about his daughter being harmed by Clinton’s specter. We also discuss how wartime language and imagery appear in these records.00:00 Welcome and Date00:15 Rachel Clinton Arrested00:43 Burnam Cow Milking Tale01:36 Fuller Family Accusation02:42 Knowlton Confrontation03:40 Specter Pricking Threats04:03 Warfare Imagery Context04:30 Closing ReflectionsSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

We are so happy to introduce Salem Witch Trials Daily, our new podcast that follows the 1692 Salem Witch Trials in real time, day by day, court date by court date, through the documented record. In Salem, Massachusetts, 19 people were executed, one man was pressed to death for refusing trial, and more than a hundred others were accused and imprisoned, leaving a lasting mark on American history. Building on the extraordinary listener response to this series when it launched within The Thing About Salem, the show now has its own dedicated feed, available wherever you get podcasts. Each micro-episode is tied to the actual calendar of 1692 and draws directly from primary sources like court documents, examination transcripts, petitions, letters, and contemporary accounts, alongside established scholarship and our own research. We also provide weekly companion blog posts and downloadable worksheets on aboutsalem.com for deeper, self-paced learning.⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily – The Thing About Salem Podcast

The Salem witch trials of 1692 were not driven by local grudges alone. Behind the arrests, examinations, and executions was a centuries-old theological framework that convinced educated elites, magistrates, and Puritan clergy that they were fighting a coordinated demonic war against the Christian church itself.Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack trace the elaborated theory of witchcraft from its origins at the Council of Basel in the 1430s through the circulation of the Errores Gazariorum, the standardization of the witches' Sabbath concept, and the mass distribution of the Malleus Maleficarum following the invention of the printing press. By the late 17th century, this framework had transformed witchcraft from a personal crime of harmful magic into an existential conspiracy — witches organized under the devil, sworn to pull down the kingdom of Christ and replace it with a kingdom of Satan.In Salem, that theory played out in real time. Tituba's confession named nine witches in the devil's book. That number grew to forty, then a hundred, then three hundred alleged conspirators gathering in Samuel Parris's own pasture to consume red bread and blood wine in mockery of the Christian sacraments. Reverend George Burroughs was accused of leading the diabolical assembly. Coerced confessions described a formal pact to destroy the churches. Cotton Mather, in Wonders of the Invisible World, traced the conspiracy back more than forty years — to executions in Connecticut and Massachusetts that included Alice Young, Margaret Jones, and the Carringtons.This episode examines how fear of an anti-church conspiracy — not panic, but deliberate legal prosecution rooted in genuine theological terror — drove the witchcraft crisis and what that pattern of fear-driven scapegoating reveals about witchcraft accusation violence today.Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack are co-hosts of The Thing About Salem, The Thing About Witch Hunts, and Salem Witch Trials Daily. Both are descendants of families who experienced the Salem witch trials.📚 Full course and resources at aboutsalem.com 🌍 End Witch Hunts: endwitchhunts.orgLinksSalem Witch Trials Daily Videos & Course The Thing About Salem Website⁠The Thing on YouTube⁠!⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts WebsiteSign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Project www.massachusettswitchtrials.org Support the nonprofit End Witch Hunts Podcasts and Projects

On Sunday, March 27, 1692, Reverend Samuel Parris led Salem Village through two Sabbath services shaped by the recent “dreadful witchcraft” crisis and the public suspicion of alleged witches. We cover how his sermon warned that Christ knows how many devils are in the church, prompting Sarah Cloyce—sister of Rebecca Nurse—to flee the meetinghouse, and we note later claims about what witnesses said happened after she left. We also discuss how, after dismissing non-members on sacrament Sunday, Parris addressed the congregation about Mary Sibley’s role in the witch cake incident, calling it seeking the devil’s help against the devil, while still allowing her to remain in fellowship if she humbled herself and promised greater caution.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:11 Sabbath in Salem00:41 Parris Targets Cloyce01:13 Seven Sins Listed01:48 Sacrament Sunday Dismissal02:03 Condemning the Witch Cake03:12 Mary Sibley Rebuked03:54 Church Response and ClosingSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

We revisit Mercy Lewis’s reported afflictions and connect them to later depositions involving Elizabeth Proctor and Martha Cory. We also discuss a pivotal event recorded by former Salem Village minister Deodat Lawson in A Brief and True Narrative, describing how magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin, along with minister John Higginson, examined the youngest witchcraft suspect at the prison keeper’s house. We explore Lawson’s account of what the child said about a “little snake” and what investigators claimed to observe, as well as the allegation that the familiar came from the child’s mother, Sarah Good, who was already jailed.00:00 Welcome and Date00:15 Mercy Lewis Afflictions00:36 Lawson’s Jail Visit00:54 Dorothy Good Examined01:24 Snake Familiar Accusation01:32 Wrap Up and Meaning

Note: We are moving these daily episodes to a new Salem Witch Trials Daily podcast.In this episode, we dig into Friday, March 25, 1692, as tensions surge in Salem Village and beyond. We discuss John Procter’s furious confrontation with Samuel Sibley at Walter Phillips’ Tavern over Mary Warren’s fits and his harsh skepticism toward the afflicted girls. Back in the village, we cover Ann Putnam Jr.’s reported violent spectral assault—attributed to Rebecca Nurse—with witnesses claiming visible bite marks and chain impressions, alongside Edward Putnam’s deposition against Nurse. In Salem Town, we examine Betty Parris’s severe seizures at Captain Stephen Sewall’s home and her account of a dark figure offering temptation, as well as the advice that seemed to end her fits. We also explore Rev. Samuel Parris’s discovery of Mary Sibley’s role in the witch cake and the church repentance he orchestrated.00:00 Welcome and Date00:23 Procter Confronts Sibley01:34 Skepticism Turns Violent02:08 Ann Putnam Chain Attack02:49 Betty Parris in Salem Town03:44 Temptation and Recovery05:13 Parris Learns Witch Cake06:20 Mary Sibley Public RebukeDeposition of Edward Putnam v. Rebecca NurseDeodat Lawson, Christ’s Fidelity the Only ShieldDeodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this episode, we revisit Thursday, March 24, 1692, when Salem Village’s packed meetinghouse witnessed chaotic examinations that sent Rebecca Nurse and the very young Dorothy Good toward jail. We follow how accusations and courtroom theatrics escalated under Magistrates Hathorne and Corwin, with Reverend Parris recording the proceedings and the afflicted reacting violently to the accused’s movements. We also discuss the troubling scrutiny of Dorothy Good, including claims about bite marks and a “snake” on her finger, and the decision to imprison her. After the examinations, we cover Reverend Deodat Lawson’s lecture, “Christ’s Fidelity the Only Shield Against Satan’s Malignity,” his warnings about Satan and spectral affliction, and his rejection of countermagic in favor of prayer. We end with how depositions and suspicions—reaching even Giles and Martha Corey—deepened the village’s panic.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:27 Rebecca Nurse Arrives01:22 Accusations Erupt02:51 Spectral Chaos in Court04:37 Nurse Jailed and Defended04:55 Dorothy Good Examined06:04 Lawson Thursday Lecture06:58 No Countermagic Warning08:17 Evening Fallout and New Targets08:49 Day Ends in DreadExamination of Rebecca NurseStatement of Giles Cory Regarding Martha CoryDeodat Lawson, Christ’s Fidelity the Only ShieldDeodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this March 22, 1692 episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we cover a Salem town meeting that resolves long-running tension between Salem and Salem Village by keeping the Village part of Salem while easing obligations on both sides: villagers no longer support the town’s ministers or maintain the town meetinghouse, and townspeople are no longer required to fund Village roads. We also discuss Ann Putnam, Sr.’s account of being tormented by the apparition of Rebecca Nurse, who urges her to sign a red book. Finally, we follow a committee visit to the real Rebecca Nurse, who is recovering from illness and praying for the afflicted, but is unaware of rumors accusing her until friends inform her she is a suspect, leaving her stunned as she insists on her innocence.00:00 Daily Introduction00:14 Town Meeting Compromise01:02 Ann Putnam Specter Attack01:58 Friends Visit Rebecca Nurse02:42 Accusation Revealed03:08 Nurse Proclaims InnocenceDeposition of Ann Putnam Sr. v. Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse, and testimony of Ann Putnam Jr. v. Rebecca Nurse, Martha Cory, and Sarah CloyceDeodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

Episode SummaryThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692 didn't emerge from nowhere. They emerged from a library. This episode traces the centuries of theological and legal texts that shaped how Salem's magistrates understood witchcraft, the demonic pact, and the infamous Devil's book.From a 15th-century inquisitor's manual to a Scottish king's royal obsession to a Boston minister's bestseller, Josh and Sarah open the books that made Salem possible.Books and Sources CoveredMalleus Maleficarum (1486) — Heinrich Kramer's foundational witch-hunting manual codified the idea of a vast anti-Christian conspiracy sealed by a formal pact with the devil. It provided the theological and legal framework for prosecuting witchcraft across Europe for centuries.Daemonologie (1597) — Written by King James VI of Scotland (later King James I of England), this royal text argued that witches entered the devil's service through a pact alone. The king's authority gave the work enormous cultural weight, and his framework for the devil's covenant shaped New England Puritan thought directly.A Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft (1608) — William Perkins detailed the diabolical compact in legal terms, distinguishing between explicit verbal pacts and implicit ones inferred through action. He also established seven grounds for suspicion of witchcraft. During the Salem crisis, Cotton Mather specifically recommended judges follow the guidelines of Perkins and his successor Richard Bernard.A Guide to Grand Jury-men (1627) — Richard Bernard's practical manual for witch trial proceedings was among the texts Cotton Mather recommended to the Salem court.The Discovery of Witches (1647) — Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witch Finder General, ran one of the most lethal witch-hunting campaigns in English history across East Anglia. His methods, his obsession with the witch's mark, and the confessions he extracted helped cement the Devil's book as a recognizable cultural image decades before Salem.Hudibras (Samuel Butler, 17th century) — Butler's satirical poem mocked Hopkins by portraying him as a secret witch himself, hanged for possessing the very Devil's book he hunted. The satire is significant: it confirms the Devil's book was already deeply embedded in the popular imagination.Memorable Providences Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions (1689) — Cotton Mather's account of the Goodwin children's afflictions, attributed to an Irish woman named Goody Glover, circulated widely through New England. When Salem's afflictions began in 1692, the symptoms closely mirrored the Goodwin case. The Devil's Book at Salem: First AppearancesFebruary 27, 1692 — Ann Putnam Jr. claimed Sarah Good's specter tormented her and pressured her to sign the Devil's book. This is the first accusation involving the Devil's book in the Salem crisis. Elizabeth Hubbard named Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne as tormenters, alleging Osborne's specter urged her to write in the book.March 2, 1692 — Tituba confessed to making her mark in the Devil's book with blood and stated the book was already signed by nine witches, including Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. Seven signers remained unidentified, located in Roxbury, Salem, and Boston.March 14, 1692 — Abigail Williams claimed she was tempted to put her hand to the Devil's book and saw Martha Corey at a Devil's Sacrament. Mercy Lewis reported similar pressure to sign.LinksBuy Book: The Hammer of Witches, ed. Christopher S MacKayDaemonologie by King James VI/IThe Discovery of Witches by Matthew HopkinsHudibrasA Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft by William PerkinsMemorable Providences Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions by Cotton MatherSalem Witch Trials Daily Videos & CourseThe Thing About Salem Website⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts WebsiteSign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice ProjectMassachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice ProjectSupport the nonprofit End Witch Hunts Podcasts and Projects

We cover March 21, 1692, when Joseph Herrick arrests Martha Cory and notices an unusual ointment in her home that she says came from a recipe given by magistrate Major Bartholomew Gedney. We follow Cory to the packed Salem Village meetinghouse, where Nicholas Noyes opens with prayer and magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin question her while Samuel Parris records the interrogation and Deodat Lawson documents events. We describe how multiple afflicted accusers—including Mrs. Pope, identified as Benjamin Franklin’s aunt—claim Cory torments them, and how physical gestures by Cory are said to correspond with their injuries and fits. We also discuss how, after the examination and Cory’s commitment to Salem prison, witnesses submit depositions that will later serve as legal evidence.00:00 Aunt’s Shoe Throw00:25 Arrest and Ointment00:44 Meetinghouse Begins02:06 Accusers and Spectral Claims04:03 Fits and Physical Signs05:15 Drumbeats and Devil Talk06:10 Catechism and Commitment06:40 Depositions as EvidenceThe Examination of Martha Cory, as Recorded by Samuel ParrisDeodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we revisit March 20, 1692, when guest preacher Deodat Lawson delivered a sermon in Salem Village and later described the day in A Brief and True Narrative. We share who Lawson observed attending the meeting, including several of the “afflicted persons,” and how their fits and interruptions disrupted public worship. We recount some of the remarks attributed to Abigail Williams and Mrs. Pope during the prayers and sermon, and we touch on the moment when Goodwife Cory was singled out with a vivid accusation involving a “yellow bird.” We also note Ann Putnam’s claim about a yellow bird and how those nearby tried to keep her from speaking out loudly.00:00 Welcome to the Show00:11 Setting the Date and Scene00:29 Afflicted at Worship00:46 Disruptions During Prayer00:56 Abigail Challenges the Sermon01:06 More Interruptions and Critiques01:27 Goodwife Cory and the Yellow Bird01:40 Ann Putnam Spots a BirdDeodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

We cover March 19, 1692, when Henry Kinney and Edward Putnam file a witchcraft complaint against Martha Corey for allegedly afflicting several Salem Village residents, leading magistrates to issue a warrant for her arrest and examination at Nathaniel Ingersoll’s tavern. We also follow reports from Ann Putnam Sr. of intense spectral torment attributed to Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse. Our story then turns to the arrival of former minister Deodat Lawson, who lodges at Ingersoll’s and records striking observations of the afflictions, including Mary Walcott’s apparent bite marks and Abigail Williams’ severe fit and accusations, notes he later publishes in his narrative of events.00:00 Welcome to Salem00:14 Complaint Against Corey00:53 Spectral Torment Reports01:13 Lawson Arrives01:43 Mary Walcott Bitten02:19 Abigail's Violent Fit02:47 Devil's Book Refusal03:13 Firebrand FrenzyDeodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In today’s March 18, 1692 episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we recount renewed spectral activity in Salem Village as Ann Putnam Senior describes being attacked and pressured to sign a book by the specter of Martha Corey while trying to rest. We also shift to Ipswich, where late-night fears of witchcraft accusations erupt when Rachel Clinton visits James Fuller, Jr. amid talk of fits in the community. After sudden news of Betty Fuller’s apparent death and Rachel’s abrupt disappearance into the night, we follow the confusing aftermath as Betty later revives and describes a terrifying encounter with something ghastly that pursued and struck her down.00:00 Welcome and Date00:15 Martha Corey Attacks01:02 Red Book Temptation01:27 Ipswich Night Visit02:37 Betty Fuller Found Dead02:53 Beast Chase AftermathBetween God and Satan: Thomas Thornton, Witch-Hunting, and Religious Mission in the English Atlantic World, 1647–1693Sign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victims: https://change.org/witchtrialsFind My Massachusetts Legislators: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislatorThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About Salem: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collectionLinks

In this St. Patrick’s Day episode, we explore overlooked trans-Atlantic links between Ireland and Colonial New England that helped shape the intellectual and theological foundations of the 1692 Salem Witch-Hunt, drawing on Katherine A. Hermes and Beth M. Caruso’s article on Thomas Thornton and the English Atlantic world. We follow Puritan networks forged during Cromwell’s 1650s conquest of Ireland, including the Mathers’ time in Dublin under Samuel Winter and Thornton’s ministry at military garrisons, and we trace how the 1660 Restoration drove ejected ministers to Massachusetts, where they reconnected and influenced responses to alleged afflictions. We also discuss how Irish-focused ideas about possession affected cases like Goody Glover and how Ireland connections both fueled panic and contributed to later doubts about spectral evidence, plus humanitarian aid raised in Dublin during King Philip’s War.00:00 St Patrick Intro01:03 Why Ireland Matters01:26 Cromwell Era Exchange02:44 Mathers In Dublin03:14 Thomas Thornton Story04:37 Restoration And Ejections05:39 Possession Theology Shift06:07 Goody Glover Case07:51 Ministers Fuel Salem08:57 Thornton In Boston10:02 Skepticism And Legacy10:45 Aid And Closing CallBetween God and Satan: Thomas Thornton, Witch-Hunting, and Religious Mission in the English Atlantic World, 1647–1693Sign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection