A Bewitched Group of Girls
In Salem Village, as the winter of 1692 progressed, more girls became bewitched. Now, joining Elizabeth Parris and her cousin Abigail Williams, in their affliction were Ann Putnam, Jr., and Mercy Lewis. Mary Walcott also joined the group of bewitched girls, as did Elizabeth Hubbard.
Interestingly, of all of these afflicted girls only two of them were not orphans. Mary Walcott had lost her mother when she was eight. It is unknown how Elizabeth Hubbard's parents died but Mercy Lewis saw her parents slaughtered by Indians only three years prior to this time.
From Bewitched Babbling to Accusations
All of these girls in their fits were writhing, choking, and babbling. They also seemed to suffer deafness and blindness. These fits soon progressed to screaming accusations at their tormentor. Tituba, the Caribbean Indian slave woman who belonged to the Reverend Samuel Parris, was the object of their accusations.
Tituba denied her guilt. Not even when the Reverend Parris beat her did she confess. But soon the focus of accusation was aimed at two additional tormentors.
In Salem Village at this time were two "middle-aged, assertive, awkward" women who were so despised by many that they were considered outcasts. Sarah Good provided for herself and children, including her four-year-old daughter Dorcas, by begging and borrowing. Sarah Osborne was considered "weak-witted" and was well known for having a scandalous past connected with a suspicion for having lived with her husband as man and wife prior to them being wed.
In February of 1692, four village leaders, Thomas Putnam, Edward Putnam, Joseph Hutchinson, and Thomas Preston, filed a complaint for witchcraft against Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne for the bewitching of the group of girls so far afflicted.
Accused Witches Arested
On March 1, the three accused women were apprehended by the constables. They were then brought to the Salem Village meetinghouse to be examined to determine whether or not they were witches.
Recommended Reading
The Salem Bewitchings Begin: Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams Under a Spell.
Sources:
Hill, Frances. A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials. De Capo Press, 1995.
