| |
Individual:
= January 17, 1683; Petition for settlement of a small estateleft the undersigned by their father, who died ten years agoleaving no will, but left his estate in the hands of theirmother who was appointed administatrix and the estate remainedunsettled until her death, and now they desire that thefollowing division may be allowed: the land to be dividedequally to his three sons, Edmond, Jacob, and Joseph and themoveables equally to the three daughters, Rebecca, Mary, andSarah; also the three brothers to pay all debts now due and whatcharges shall arise in settlement of the estate to be equallyborne by all six. Signed by Mary (her mark) Towne relict ofEdmond, Jacob Towne, Joseph (his mark) Towne, Francis (his mark)Nurse with the consent of Rebecca, Mary (her mark) Esty formerlyMary Towne, Sarah (her mark) Bridges. Witness: John How, JohnPritchet Allowed by the court at Ipswich April 10, 1683 (IpswichDeeds, Vol 4 page 515) Tituba, the slave of Rev. Samuel Parris was the accuser ofRebecca Nurse. "Rebecca was a respectable grandmother ofseventy-one in 1692. She had brought up eight children. Sheappeared to have no dark secrets in her past, so suspectedfornication before marriage, no mulatto child. She was on goodterms with her husband. He had not led a scandalous life, unlessto be considered by some of sharp dealings in aquiring hisproperty 'scandalous', Unlike the husbands of the three previoussuspects, all of whom had in one way or another, failed todefend their wives, Rebacca's husband was faithful and loyalthroughout. He and his sons and sons in law had all been activein parish activities ever since their settling in Salem Villagesome fourteen years before. Rebecca herself had only one thingin common with those already accused. She was awoman...Furthermore Rebecca had some powerful friends. Sometimein March (the exact date is not given in the records), she wasvisited by a deputation consisting of four persons. They wereher brother in law Peter Cloyes, still a loyal supporter of theReverend Samuel Parris, Daniel Andrew, a co-owner with Cloyes ofa four hundred acre tract of farm land in Salem Village. DanielAndrew was, in turn, a brother in law of the other two membersof the deputation, Israel Porter and his wife Elizabeth.Israel's father, John Porter, had been an early settler of SalemVillage and was described as a farmer. By the time of his death,in 1676, he was the largest landowner in Salem. Two of his sonshad married daughters of William Hathorne, father of the sameJohn Hathorne with whom we have already become familiar as thepresiding judge at the examinations." (Currents of Malice -Persis W. McMillen) March 19, 1692; Saturday - friends Daniel Andrew (Israel'sbrother in law), Israel and Elizabeth Porter, and brother in lawPeter Cloyse found Rebecca ill in bed - warned her of possiblewitchcraft charges. A record of this interview was laterpresented to the court in an attempt to clear Rebecca. (TheDevil Discovered by Enders A. Robinson) "We whose names areunderwritten being desired to go to Goodman Nurse his house tospeak with his wife and to tell her that several of theafflicted persons mentioned her; and accordingly we went andfound her in a weak and low condition in her body as she told usshe had been sick almost a week. And we asked how it wentotherwise with her and she said, blest be God for it, she hadmore of his presence in this sickness than sometimes she havehad but not so much as she desired. But she would with theapostle press forward to the mark and many other places of thescripture to the like purpose. And then of her own accord shebegan to speak of the affliction that was amongst them and inparticular of Mr. Parris his family and how she was grieved forthem though she had not been to see by reason of fits that sheformerly used to have for people said it was awful to behold.But she pitied them with all her heart and went to God for them.But she said she heard that there was persons spoke of that wereas innocent as she was, she believed, and after much to thispurpose. We told her we heard that she was spoken of also."Well," she said, "if it be so, the will of the Lord be done."She sat awhile, being as it were amazed. And then she said:"Well, as to this thing I am innocent as the child unborn, butsurely, " she said, "what sin hath God found out in meunrepented of that he should lay such an affliction upon me inmy old age?" And according to our best observation we could notdiscern that she knew what we came for before we told her."(Currents of Malice - Persis W. McMillen) March 23, 1692; Wenesday - warrant for Rebecca's arrest forpracticing witchcraft. (Salem Witchcraft Vol II by Upham: TheDevil Discovered by Enders A. Robinson) March 24, 1692; taken from her sickbed, arrested and brought tohome of Nathaniel Ingersoll for examination. Committed toprison, refused to confess. (Salem Witchcraft Vol II by Upham:The Devil Discovered by Enders A. Robinson: Daily News Record -8/19/1993) 3/24/1692; Rebecca brought before the magistrates forexamination at the meeting house. "The Rev. Samuel Parris tookdown this examination in writing as the court desired. "Uponhearing the aforesaid and seeing what we then did see, togetherwith the charge of the persons then present --- we committedRebecca Nurse, the wife of Francis Nurse of Salem village, untotheir Majesties' jail in Salem, as permission then given out, inorder to farther examination." " (Currents of Malice - Persis W.McMillen) Goodwife Nurse was brought before Mr. Hathorn and Mr.Curwin (Magistrates) in the Meeting House. Mr. Hale, Minister ofBeverly, began with Prayer, after which she being Accus'd ofmuch the same Crimes made the like answers, asserting her ownInnocence with earnestness. The Accusers were mostly the same,Tho. Putmans Wife, etc. complaining much. The dreadful Shreikingfrom her and others, was very amazing, which was heard at agreat distance; she was also Committed to Prison. A Child ofSarah Goods was likewise apprehended, being between 4 and 5years Old. The Accusers said this Child bit them, and would shewsuch like marks, as those of a small Sett of Teeth upon theirArms; as many of the Afflicted as the Child cast its Eye upon,would complain they were in Torment; which Child they alsoCommitted. Concerning these that had been hitherto Examined andCommitted, it is among other things observed by Mr. Lawson thatthey were by the Accusers charged to belong to a Company thatdid muster in Arms, and were reported by them to keep Days ofFast, Thanksgiving and Sacraments; and that those Afflicted (orAccusers) did in the Assembly Cure each others, even with atouch of their Hand, when strangled and otherways tortured, andwould endeavour to get to the Afflicted to relieve them thereby(for hitherto they had not used the Experiment of bringing theAccused to touch the Afflicted, in order to their Cure) andcould foretel one anothers Fits to be coming, and would say,look to such a one, she will have a Fit presently and so ithappened, and that at the same time when the Accused person waspresent, the Afflicted said they saw her Spectre or like-ness inother places of the Meeting House Suckling of their Familiars.The said Mr. Lawson being to Preach at the Village, after thePsalm was Sung, Abigail Williams said, "Now stand up and nameyour Text"; after it was read, she said, "It is a long Text."Mrs. Pope in the beginning of Sermon said to him, "Now there isenough of that." In Sermon, he referring to his Doctrine,Abigail Williams said to him, "I know no Doctrine you had, ifyou did name one I have forgot it." Ann Putman, an afflictedGirl, said, There was a Yellow Bird sateon his Hat as it hung onthe Pin in the Pulpit. May 14, 1692; petition signed by 39 citizens protestinginnocence of Rebecca. (The Devil Discovered - Robinson) May 31, 1692; Rebecca was sent from Boston jail to Salem to bequestioned once again by the Court of Oyer and Terminer.(Currents of Malice - Persis W. McMillen) June 2, 1692; two physical examinations were performed one, inam and one in afternoon. (The Devil Discovered - Robinson) June 28, 1692; petitioned court for a third examination of herbody. (The Devil Discovered - Robinson) June 29, 1692; Found not guilty initially but jury instructed byWilliam Stoughten to rethink their verdict so a guilty verdictwas the second one brought back. sentenced to death. (SalemWitchcraft Vol II by Upham) (6/30/1692 - The Devil Discovered byEnders A. Robinson) "Sarah Nurse, a daughter of Rebecca Nurse,testified that on the 29th of June 1692, she saw Sarah Bibberpull pins out of her clothes and hold them between her fingersand clasp her hands around her knees. Then she cried out, sayingthat Rebecca Nurse had pricked her." (Currents of Malice -Persis W. McMillen) At the Tryal of Rebecca Nurse, this was remarkable that the Jurybrought in their Verdict not Guilty, immediately all theaccusers in the Court, and suddenly after all the afflicted notof Court, made a hideous out-cry, to the amazement, not only ofthe Spectators, but the Court seemed strangely surprized; one ofthe Judges exprest himself not satisfied, another of them as hewas going off the Bench, said they would have her Indicted anew.The chief Judge said he would not Impose upon the Jury; butintimated, as if they had not well considered one Expression ofthe Prisoners, when she was upon Tryal, that when one Hobbs, whohad confessed her self to be a Witch, was brought into the Courtto witness against her, the Prisoner turning her head to her,said, "What, do you bring her? she is one of us," or to thateffect; this together with the Clamours of the Accusers, inducedthe Jury to go out again, after their Verdict, not Guilty. Butnot agreeing, they came into the Court, and she being at theBar, her words were repeated to her, in order to have had herexplanation of them, and she made no Reply to them, they foundthe Bill, and brought her in Guilty; these words being theInducement to it, as the Foreman has signified in writing, asfollows; July 4, 1692. I Thomas Fisk, the Subscriber hereof,being one of them that were of the Jury the last week atSalem-Court, upon the Tryal of Rebecka Nurse, etc., beingdesired by some of the Relations to give a Reason why the Jurybrought her in Guilty, after her Verdict not Guilty; I do herebygive my Reasons to be as follows, When the Verdict not Guiltywas, the honoured Court was pleased to object against it, sayingto them, that they think they let slip the words, which thePrisoner at the Bar spake against her self, which were spoken inreply to Goodwife Hobbs and her Daughter, who had been faulty insetting their hands to the Devils Book, as they have confessedformerly; the words were "What, do these persons give inEvidence against me now, they used to come among us." After thehonoured Court had manifested their dissatisfaction of theVerdict, several of the Jury declared themselves desirous to goout again, and thereupon the honoured Court gave leave; but whenwe came to consider of the Case, I could not tell how to takeher words, as an Evidence against her, till she had a furtheropportunity to put her Sense upon them, if she would take it;and then going into Court, I mentioned the words aforesaid,which by one of the Court were affirmed to have been spoken byher, she being then at the Bar, but made no reply, norinterpretation of them; whereupon these words were to me aprincipal Evidence against her. THOMAS FISK. When Goodwife Nursewas informed what use was made of these words, she put in thisfollowing Declaration into the Court; These presents do humblyshew, to the honoured Court and Jury, that I being informed,that the Jury brought me in Guilty, upon my saying that GoodwifeHobbs and her Daughter were of our Company; but I intended nootherways, then as they were Prisoners with us, and thereforedid then, and yet do judge them not legal Evidence against theirfellow Prisoners. And I being something hard of hearing, andfull of grief, none informing me how the Court took up my words,and therefore had not opportunity to declare what I intended,when I said they were of our Company. REBECKA NURSE After herCondemnation she was by one of the Ministers of Salemexcommunicated; yet the Governour saw cause to grant a Reprieve,which when known (and some say immediately upon granting) theAccusers renewed their dismal outcries against her, insomuchthat the Governour was by some Salem Gentleman prevailed with torecall the Reprieve, and she was Executed with the rest. July 19, 1692; Hanged. Her family secretly removed her body toher homestead and there buried her in an unmarked grave.(promotional brochure of the Rebecca Nurse homestead) Mach 2,1702-3; A Petition to the Governor and General Court requestingthe reversal of Attainder "on thoses Executed and thoseCondemned in 1692" was made by "severall of the Inhabitants ofAndover, Salem Village, and Topsfield." Among the signers werePeter Cloyes, senior, Isaac Easty, Isaac Easty, Junior, SamuelNurse, and John Nurse. Summons for witnesses from Topsfield totestify versus Sarah Cloyce and Mary Easty. (Records of thePeabody Institute Library, Danvers, MA) 1710; A Samuel Nurse made this statement; We were at the wholecharge of providing for her during her imprisonment in Salem andBoston for the space of almost four months. We spent much timeand made many journeys to Boston, Salem and other places inorder to have vindicated her innocence. Although we producedplentiful testimony that my honored mother had led a blamelesslife from her youth up, yet she was condemned and executed" (TheDevil Discovered - Robinson) March 1721; At the request of her children, the notice of herexcommunication was erased from church records) (George Townebook; Salem Witchcraft Vol II by Upham) 1885; Nurse family had a monument erected to her at Danvers,Massachusetts, inscribed with John Greenleaf Whittier poem; OChristian martyr, who for Truth could die When all about thee owned the hideous lie The World redeemed from Superstitions sway Is breathing freer for they sake today. A tribute to her entitled "Rebecca Nurse, Saint but WitchVictim", by Charles Sutherland Tapley. Contains a list of herdescendants compiled by Charles A. Towne of Park Ridge, Illinoisabout 1930. 1997; The Rebecca Nurse Homestead is open to the public. Itincludes 27 acres of fields, pasture and woods. An old dirt roadleads to the ancient saltbox style house situated on a smallknoll near the property midpoint. The property has been usedextensively in film and video documentaries and dramas,including Alistair Cooke's America, Three Sovereigns for Sarah,My Mother the Witch, and Young Goodman Brown. The home passedfrom the hands of the Nurse family in 1784 when Phineas Putnambought it. It then remained in the Putnam family until 1908,when the house was purchased and restored by the Rebecca NurseMemorial Association. In 1926 the property was given to theSociety for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, and in1981, ownership of the homestead was taken on by the DanversAlarm List Company, Inc. Today the house includes three restoredrooms with period furnishings of the 17th and 18th century.Among other buildings on the properties is the abt 1681Zerubabel Endecott house frame, now clad on the outside toresemble a barn. Inside the building is and exhibit of 'FirstPeriod' architecture as well as a gift shop area. A shortdistance away is a reproduction of the 1672 Salem VillageMeeting House. This building features a multimedia sound andsight program explaining the 1692 witchcraft outbreak.(promotional brochure of the homestead)
|
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
|
| |
