Bridget bishops trial

In she had been charged but cleared of witchcraft, and on other occasions she had ended up in the courthouse for violent public quarreling with her husband. Bishop had never seen or met any of her accusers until her questioning. While several of the afflicted girls cried out and writhed in the supposed pain she was causing them, John Hathorn and Jonathan Corwin questioned her, although there was little doubt in either of their minds as to her guilt:. When asked by one of her jailers, Bishop claimed that she was not troubled to see the afflicted persons so tormented, and could not tell what to think of them and did not concern herself about them at all.

But the afflicted girls were not Bishop's only accusers. Her sister's husband claimed that "she sat up all night conversing with the Devil" and that "the Devil came bodily into her. On June 10, as crowds gathered to watch, she was taken to Gallows Hill and executed by the sheriff, George Corwin. She displayed no remorse and professed her innocence at her execution. Bishop's death did not go unnoticed in Salem.

The court took a short recess, accusations slowed down for a time, more than a month passed before there were any more executions, and one of the judges, Nathaniel Saltonstall resigned, having become dissatisfied with the court's methods. Even Governor Phips had doubts about the methods of the court and went to Boston to consult the ministers there as to what should be done with the rest of the accused. Unfortunately for the eighteen others who would be hanged as witches in addition to the one pressed to death and the several who died in prison , the ministers decidedly and earnestly recommended that the proceedings should be "vigorously carried on," and so they were.

Upham, Charles W. Gibson, Marion. Witchcraft and Society in England and America, Continuum, Mudgel, Zachariah Atwell. Hearn, Daniel Allen. McFarland, Incorporated Publishers , Goss, K.

Greenwood Press , Rebecca, I just read your post of October 10, on Bridget Bishop. Thanks for posting this well-researched and documented article. The deeds and tax records have been very helpful in sorting out this confusion. Looking at deeds in which any Edward Bishop was a grantor in Salem town or village has been the most probative.

Edward Bishop c. Edward Bishop signed with his full name and his wife Sarah signed with her mark. They state that it can take 6 weeks to get copies from their collection. Any ideas where I could access this article? Thank you for your comment, Nora. I too wish I could get a copy of David L. Rebecca, I was just reviewing these comments we share in regarding the article by Dr. David L. I was able to get a copy of the article later through my membership at the New England Historic Genealogy Society.

Hello again, Rebecca. Nice to see this posted again in remembrance of Bridget Bishop and want to thank you again for untangling the confusion about Bridget and Sarah Bishop. Several others died in prison.

Within months of Bridget Bishop's death, her husband remarried. Bridget's descendants through Christian Oliver still live in New England today, and her tavern, the Bishop House, still stands. For more background on the trials, the accusers, and the ultimate outcome of the Salem events, be sure to read The Salem Witch Trials.

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