The Examination of Bridget Byshop at Salem Village 19. Apr. 1692
By John Hawthorn & Jonathan Corwin Esquiers
As soon as she came near all fell into fits
H. Bridget Bishop, You are now brought before Authority to Give account.
of what witchcrafts you are conversant in
B. I take all these people (turning her head & eyes about) to witness
that I am clear.
H. Hath this woman hurt you speaking to the afflicted.
Eliz: Hubbard Ann Putman, Abigail Williams & Mercy Lewes
affirmed she had hurt them.
H. You are here accused by 4.or.5. for hurting them, what do you
say to it,
B. I never saw these persons before, nor I never was in this place
before.
Mary Walcot said that her brother Jonathan stroke her appearance
& she saw that he had tore her coat in striking, & she heard it tare.
Upon some search in the Court, a rent that seems to answer
what was alleged was found.
H. They say you bewitched your first husband to death.
B. If it please your worship I know nothing of it.
She shook her head & the afflicted were tortured.
The like again upon the motion of her head.
Sam: Braybrook affirmed that she told him to day that she had
been accounted a Witch these 10 years, but she was no Witch, the
Devil cannot hurt her.
B. I am no witch
H. Why if you have not wrote in the book, yet tell me how far you
have gone? Have you not to do with familiar Spirits?
B. I have no familiarity with the devil.
H. How is it then, that your appearance doth hurt these?
B. I am innocent.
H. Why you seem to act witchcraft before us, by the motion of your
body, which seems to have influence upon the afflicted.
B. I know nothing of it. I am innocent to a Witch. I know not what
a Witch is.
H. How do you know then that you are not a witch
B. I do not know what you say.
H. How can you know, you are no Witch, & yet not know what a
Witch is?
B. I am clear: if I were any such person you should know it.
H. You may threaten, but you can do no more than you are per-
mitted .
B. I am innocent of a witch.
H. What do you say of those murders you are charged with?
B. I hope, I am not guilty of Murder
Then she turned up her eyes, the eyes of the afflicted were
turned up
H. It may be you do not know, that any have confessed to day, who
have been examined before you, that they are Witches.
B. No. I know nothing of it.
John Hutchinson & John Lewis in open Court affirmed that they
had told her
H. Why look you, you are taken now in a flat lie.
B. I did not hear them.
Note: Samuel Goldsmith [said] that after this examination he asked
Bridget Bishop if she were not troubled to see the afflicted persons
so tormented, said Bishop answered no, she was not Troubled for
them: Then he asked her whether she thought they were bewitched,
she said she could not tell what to think about them. Will Good,
& John Buxton, junior was by, & he supposeth they heard her also.
Salem Village April the.19th 1692 Mr. Samuel Parris being
desired to take into writing the Examination of Bridget Bishop,
hath delivered it as aforesaid. And upon hearing the same, and
seeing what we did then see, together with the Charge of the afflic-
ted persons then present: We Committed said Bridget Oliver –[to jail].
*John Hathorne.
(Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA)
By John Hawthorn & Jonathan Corwin Esquiers
As soon as she came near all fell into fits
H. Bridget Bishop, You are now brought before Authority to Give account.
of what witchcrafts you are conversant in
B. I take all these people (turning her head & eyes about) to witness
that I am clear.
H. Hath this woman hurt you speaking to the afflicted.
Eliz: Hubbard Ann Putman, Abigail Williams & Mercy Lewes
affirmed she had hurt them.
H. You are here accused by 4.or.5. for hurting them, what do you
say to it,
B. I never saw these persons before, nor I never was in this place
before.
Mary Walcot said that her brother Jonathan stroke her appearance
& she saw that he had tore her coat in striking, & she heard it tare.
Upon some search in the Court, a rent that seems to answer
what was alleged was found.
H. They say you bewitched your first husband to death.
B. If it please your worship I know nothing of it.
She shook her head & the afflicted were tortured.
The like again upon the motion of her head.
Sam: Braybrook affirmed that she told him to day that she had
been accounted a Witch these 10 years, but she was no Witch, the
Devil cannot hurt her.
B. I am no witch
H. Why if you have not wrote in the book, yet tell me how far you
have gone? Have you not to do with familiar Spirits?
B. I have no familiarity with the devil.
H. How is it then, that your appearance doth hurt these?
B. I am innocent.
H. Why you seem to act witchcraft before us, by the motion of your
body, which seems to have influence upon the afflicted.
B. I know nothing of it. I am innocent to a Witch. I know not what
a Witch is.
H. How do you know then that you are not a witch
B. I do not know what you say.
H. How can you know, you are no Witch, & yet not know what a
Witch is?
B. I am clear: if I were any such person you should know it.
H. You may threaten, but you can do no more than you are per-
mitted .
B. I am innocent of a witch.
H. What do you say of those murders you are charged with?
B. I hope, I am not guilty of Murder
Then she turned up her eyes, the eyes of the afflicted were
turned up
H. It may be you do not know, that any have confessed to day, who
have been examined before you, that they are Witches.
B. No. I know nothing of it.
John Hutchinson & John Lewis in open Court affirmed that they
had told her
H. Why look you, you are taken now in a flat lie.
B. I did not hear them.
Note: Samuel Goldsmith [said] that after this examination he asked
Bridget Bishop if she were not troubled to see the afflicted persons
so tormented, said Bishop answered no, she was not Troubled for
them: Then he asked her whether she thought they were bewitched,
she said she could not tell what to think about them. Will Good,
& John Buxton, junior was by, & he supposeth they heard her also.
Salem Village April the.19th 1692 Mr. Samuel Parris being
desired to take into writing the Examination of Bridget Bishop,
hath delivered it as aforesaid. And upon hearing the same, and
seeing what we did then see, together with the Charge of the afflic-
ted persons then present: We Committed said Bridget Oliver –[to jail].
*John Hathorne.
(Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA)
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