(Death Warrant v. Bridget Bishop)
To George Corwin Gent'm high Sherriffe of the County of
Essex Greeting
Whereas Bridgett Bishop als
Olliver the wife of Edward Bishop
of [Salem] in the County of Essex Sawyer at a speciall Court of
Oyer and Termin[er held at] Salem the second Day of this instant
month of June for the Countyes of Esse[x] Middlesex and Suffolk
before William Stoughton Esq'r and his Associates J[ustices] of the
said Court was Indicted and arraigned upon five severall
[Seal]I[ndictments] for useing practiseing and exercisein[g] [on
the Nyneteenth day of April] last past and divers other dayes
and times [before and after certain acts of] Witchcraft in and upon
the bodyes of Abigial Williams, Ann puttnam J[un'r] Mercy Lewis,
Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Hubbard of Salem village singlewomen,
whereby their bodyes were hurt, afflicted pined, consu[med] Wasted
and tormented contrary to the forme of the Statute in that Case
[made and] provided To which Indictm'ts the said Bridgett Bishop
pleaded no[t guilty] and for Tryall thereof put her selfe upon God
and her Country, where[upon] she was found guilty of the felo-
nyes and Witchcrafts whereof she stood Indicted and sentence of
Death accordingly passed ag't her as the Law directs, Execution
whereof yet remaines to be done These are theref[ore] in the Name
of their Maj'ties William and Mary now King & Queen [over] Eng-
land &c to will and Comand you That upon fryday next being the
Tenth day of this instant month of June between the houres of
Eight and twelve in the afternoon of the same day You safely con-
duct the s'd Bridgett Bishop als
Olliver from their Maj'ties Gaol in
Salem afores'd to the place of Execution and there cause her to
be hanged by the neck untill she be de[ad] and of your doings here-
in make returne to the Clerk of the s'd Court and pr'cept And here-
of you are not to faile at your peril And this shall be [your] Suffi-
cient Warrant Given under my hand & Seal at Boston. the Eig[hth
day] of June in the fourth Year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne
Lord and [Lady] William & mary now King & Queen over England
&c Annoq'e Dm 1692;
*Wm Stoughton
June 10th -- 1692
According to the Within Written precept I have taken the body
of the within named Brigett Bishop of their Majes'ts Goale in Salem
and Safely Conveighd her to the place provided for her Execu-
tion and Caused the s'd Brigett to be hanged by the neck untill
Shee was dead # [an d b uried in the pla] all which was according
to the time within Required and So I make Returne by me
George Corwin Sheriff
(Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA)
To George Corwin Gent'm high Sherriffe of the County of
Essex Greeting
Whereas Bridgett Bishop als
Olliver the wife of Edward Bishop
of [Salem] in the County of Essex Sawyer at a speciall Court of
Oyer and Termin[er held at] Salem the second Day of this instant
month of June for the Countyes of Esse[x] Middlesex and Suffolk
before William Stoughton Esq'r and his Associates J[ustices] of the
said Court was Indicted and arraigned upon five severall
[Seal]I[ndictments] for useing practiseing and exercisein[g] [on
the Nyneteenth day of April] last past and divers other dayes
and times [before and after certain acts of] Witchcraft in and upon
the bodyes of Abigial Williams, Ann puttnam J[un'r] Mercy Lewis,
Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Hubbard of Salem village singlewomen,
whereby their bodyes were hurt, afflicted pined, consu[med] Wasted
and tormented contrary to the forme of the Statute in that Case
[made and] provided To which Indictm'ts the said Bridgett Bishop
pleaded no[t guilty] and for Tryall thereof put her selfe upon God
and her Country, where[upon] she was found guilty of the felo-
nyes and Witchcrafts whereof she stood Indicted and sentence of
Death accordingly passed ag't her as the Law directs, Execution
whereof yet remaines to be done These are theref[ore] in the Name
of their Maj'ties William and Mary now King & Queen [over] Eng-
land &c to will and Comand you That upon fryday next being the
Tenth day of this instant month of June between the houres of
Eight and twelve in the afternoon of the same day You safely con-
duct the s'd Bridgett Bishop als
Olliver from their Maj'ties Gaol in
Salem afores'd to the place of Execution and there cause her to
be hanged by the neck untill she be de[ad] and of your doings here-
in make returne to the Clerk of the s'd Court and pr'cept And here-
of you are not to faile at your peril And this shall be [your] Suffi-
cient Warrant Given under my hand & Seal at Boston. the Eig[hth
day] of June in the fourth Year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne
Lord and [Lady] William & mary now King & Queen over England
&c Annoq'e Dm 1692;
*Wm Stoughton
June 10th -- 1692
According to the Within Written precept I have taken the body
of the within named Brigett Bishop of their Majes'ts Goale in Salem
and Safely Conveighd her to the place provided for her Execu-
tion and Caused the s'd Brigett to be hanged by the neck untill
Shee was dead # [an d b uried in the pla] all which was according
to the time within Required and So I make Returne by me
George Corwin Sheriff
(Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA)
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