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Document A:
In the speech below, Cotten Mather, an influential leader of the
Puritans, argues for the existence
of witchcraft:
3 will prove that Witchcraft exists. /hose who deny it exists
argue that they never saw any witches,
therefore there are none. /hat would $e as if you or 3 said: We
never met any ro$$ers, thereforethere are none.
3 have two pieces of evidence that witchcraft exists: 4irst, the
#cripture mentions witchcraft.
#econdly, many people have experienced the horrors of
witchcraft.
#ource: Cotton Mather, 5Memora$le Providences relating to
Witchcrafts and Possessions,6 fromA Discourse on Witchcraft,
78oston, 1(09, pp. %0. Cotton Mather was one of the most
influential religious leaders in )merica at the time.
Document B:
53 went to give Mr. Parris a visit. When 3 was there, his
;inswoman, )$igail Williams
7a$out 1! years of age9, had a grievous fit: she was at first
hurried with violence to and
fro in the room 7though Mrs. 3ngerrsoll endeavored to hid her9,
sometimes ma;ing as if
she would fly, stretching to hid her arms as high as she could,
and crying, 5whish,whish and run against the $ac;, as if she would
run up the chimney, as
they said, she had attempted to go into the fire in other
fits.
*eodat ?awson, 5) 8rief and /rue Narrative of Witchcraft at
#alem @illage.6Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases
+dited $y Aeorge ?incoln 8urr, 7New Bor;:#cri$ner&s, 101%.9
p.1'%.
Document C:
!elow is the testi"on# of a teenager accused of witchcraft,
Abigail $obbs, on April %&, %'&(
Judge: )$igail "o$$s, you are $rought $efore )uthority to answer
to various acts of witchcraft.
What say you )re you guilty, or not #pea; the truth.
Abigail Hobbs: 3 will spea; the truth. 3 have seen sights and
$een scared. 3 have $een very wic;ed.
3 hope 3 shall $e $etter, if Aod will help me.Judge: What sights
did you see
Abigail Hobbs: 3 have seen the *evil.
Judge: "ow often, many times
Abigail Hobbs: 8ut once.
Judge: What would he have you do
Abigail Hobbs: Why, he would have me $e a witch.
Judge: Would he have you ma;e a covenant with him
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Abigail Hobbs: Bes.
Document D:
Ann Putnams Deposition, 1692
Who testifieth and saith that on !2th of )pril, 1(0! at evening
she saw the
)pparition of a minister at which she was grievously affrighted
and cried out ohdreadful: dreadful her and What is your name for 3
will complaine of you tho you $e a
Minister: if you $e a wiard=and 3mmediately 3 was tortured $y
him $eing Dac;edand allmost choa;ed $y him: and he tempted me to
write in his $oo; which 3 Defused
with loud out cries and said 3 could not write in his $oo; tho
he tore al o peaces $ut
tould him that it was a dreadfull thing: that he which was a
Minister that should
teach children to feare Aod should com to perswad poor creatures
to give their soulsto the devill> oh, dreadfull, dreadfull, tell
me your name that 3 may ;now who you are>
then againe he tortored me and urged me to writ in his $oo;>
which 3 refused and then
presently he tould me that his name was Aeorge 8urroughs, and
that he had threewives: and that he had $ewitched the /wo first of
them to death> and that he had
;iled Miss /. ?awson $ecause she was so unwilling to goe from
the village, and also;illed Mr. ?awson&s child $ecause he went
to the eastward with #ir +dmon andpreached to the souldiers that he
had made )$igail "o$$s a witch and several witches
more: and he has continwed evere sene> $y times tempting me
to write in his $oo; and
grievously tortoring me $y $reathing, pinching and almost
choa;ing me severall timesa day and he also tould me that he was
a$ove a witch he was conEurer.
