. The Salem Witchcraft Papers, Volume 3 : Verbatim Transcripts of the
Legal Documents of the Salem Witchcraft Outbreak of 1692 /
edited and with an Introduction and Notes by Paul Boyer and
Stephen Nissenbaum
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
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Mary Toothaker (See also: Martha Carrier -- Complaint.)
(Examination of Mary Toothaker)
30 July 92 The Examination and confession of widow Toothaker Taken before Major Gidney Mr Hauthorn Mr Corwin & Cap'n Higginson.
After many questiones and negative answers returned and her Stricking Down of severall of the afflicted persons with her looks, she was Desyred to tell the truth in this matter She then said that this May last she was under great Discontentednes & troubled w'h feare about the Indians, & used often to dream of fighting with them. Being asked what was the Devils temptation under her discontent
t she said she would confess if she could But that there was something at her breast that hindered her. she said she had often prayed but thought she was the worse for praying and knows not but that the Devil has tempted her not to pray, for her breath has been often Stopt as it was just now; Being asked if the Devil did not Desier her to renounce her baptisme, she answered that she had thoughts she was rather the worse for her baptisme and has wished she had not been baptised because she had not improved it as she ought to have done she saith she used to get into a corner alone and Desryed to prey but her mouth would be Stopt but sometymes she had been helped to say Lord be merce full to me a sinner. Being again asked how far she had yeilded to Satan she said the Devil promised her she should not be discovered and if she was discovered & brought down that she should goe home Innocent & cleare but now find he has deluded her. Being again asked how long it is since saten furst wrought with her in this manner she said she could not well tell how long but thinks it is not two years. And confesses that she went In her Spirit [to Timo' Swans] and did often think of him &
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her hands would be clinched, and that she would grip the dishclout or anything else and so think of the person; And by this & afflicting of others since She came down she is convinced she is a witch -- she saith now, the Devil appeared to her in the shape of a Tawny man and promised to keep her from the Indians and she should have happy dayes with her sone -- she was asked if she did not signe the Devills book; answered he brought something which she [took] to bee a piece of burch bark and she made a mark with her finger by rubbing off the whit Scurff. And he promised if she would serve him she should be safe from the Indians (she was then a litle stopt again & believed it was the Devil that did it)// Being asked if the Devil did not say she was to serve him Answered Yes, and signed the mark upon that condition and was to praise him w'h her whole heart, and twas to that appearance she prayed at all tymes for he said he was able to delyver her from the Indians And it was the feare of the Indians that put her upon it. she confesses she hurt Timothy Swan and thinks she was twice at salem Village witch meeting and that Goody Bridges was one of her company -- she said as she came along in order to examination she promised herself twenty tymes by the way (but [seald] it was to the Devil) That if she should Dye upon the Gallowse yet she would not say any thing but that she was Innocent. & rejoyced In the thought of it that She Should goe home Inocent -- she saith that Goody Green and Goody Broomage were also her companions and that Broomage afflicted Swan by squeezing his arms, And is afrayd that she the s'd Toothaker squeezed his throat -- she said further that when Goody Bridges (who had confessed before) urged her also to confess she had then no remembrance of this but with the justices Discourse and the help of god it came into her mind. she saith she thought that that appearance was God her creator & being asked if she did not know otherwise answered The Devil is so subtel that when she would confess he stops her and deludes also by scripture and being asked what scripture he made inser of to her she mentioned that in the Psalmes where it is said Let my enemies be confounded, And so she had wished them all Destroyed that raised such reports of her she confesses that her sister was with her at all the meetings & particularly at Salem Village & there went with her Goody Bridges Goody foster Goody Green & Goody Broomage Several afflicted persons said they saw the black man before her in the tyme of her examination And she now, her self confesses
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she saw him upon the table before her. She sayes further there was a minister a litle man whose name is Burroughs that preached at the Village meeting of witches, and she heard that they used read & write at these meetings And, that they did talk of 305 witches in the country. she saith their discourse was about the pulling down the Kingdom of Christ and setting up the Kingdom of satan, and also Knew Goody How emong the rest. Being asked if there was not a woman that stirred them up to afflict Swan Answered yes there was a pretty [Elderly] woman that was most busie about him and encouraged the rest to afflict him. she thinks she set her hand to that book at Salem Village meeting. And thinks the [End] of all their setting their hand to that book was to come in, and afflict & set up the Devils Kingdome. she being asked if her husband did not speak to his daughter to Kill one Button a reputed witch answered yes, and that they used to read many historyes, especially one book that treated of the 12 signes, from which book they could tell a great Deale. -- she saith she never knew her daughter to be in this condition before this summer, But that she was at Salem Village meeting once with her, she cannot tell that her daughter did then signe the book but a great many did. Being asked how many were of her Society she said Goody Broomage, foster, green, the two Mary Laceyes older and younger, Richard Carrier, her sister Carryer and another aged woman -- she saith she heard the Beating of a drum at the village meeting And think also heard the sound of a trumpet. I underwritten being appointed to take the above & within examination in wryting Doe testify upon oath taken in Court That this is a true coppy, of the substance of it, to the best of my knowledge
6't Jan'ry in 1692/3
*Wm Murray
The within named Mary Toothaker was examined by their Majesties Justices of the peace in Salem
Mary Toothaker:Examined 30 July 1692 -- acused Goody Bridges 2 lacys Goody Gren Goody Brumage Rd. Carier
*Atest Jno Higginson Just'es peace. owned before the Grand Jury: 6 January 1692 Atest.
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Goody Carrier
Goody Foster
Mr. Burroughs
Goody How
Math. Emerson
afflicted Timo Swan
*Robert Payne
Foreman
[( Suffolk Court Records Case No. 2713 Page 50 ) ]
(Indictment v. Mary Toothaker)
Province of the Massachusetts [unclear: ] Bay in New England ss
At A Superior Court of Judicature held in Charlston for the County of Midlesex the 31: Jan'ry: 1692 Annoq'e RR & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto
The Jurors for our Sover lord & lady the King & Queen present that Mary Toothaker of Billrica in the County of Midlesex Widow on or about [] at & In the Towne of Balerica in the County of Midlesex -- aforesaid -- Wickedly felloniously And mallitiously A Covenant with the Devill did make & for Confirmacon of the Said Covenant made a Marke upon a peece of Birch Ryne which the Devill brought to her & promised to Serve the Devill, & to praise him with hir whole heart by which Diabolicall Covenant with the Devill made in maner & forme aforesaid the Said Mary Toothaker is become A Detestable Witch Against the peace of o'r Sov'r lord & lady the King & Queen their Crowne & Dignity & the Laws in that Case made & provided.
Billa Vera
Attest *Simon Stone foreman
(Reverse) "Pon't Se, Non Cull"
[( Suffolk Court Records Case No. 2713 Page 50 ) ]
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