The Witches of Salem: Sarah Good

One of the first people to be accused in what would become the Salem Witch Trials was a woman named Sarah Good. She along with two other women in town were accused of bewitching Elizabeth Paris and Abigail Williams when the girls began to have convulsions and fits. A warrant was issued for Sarah’s arrest in March of 1692 and she was taken into custody shortly thereafter. She maintained her innocence while she awaited trial, but little did she know the tragedy that would soon befall her and the village of Salem.  

Artist depiction of Salem Witch Trials (smithsonianmag.org)

You may be wondering what was so evil about Sarah Good that she would stand accused of such a crime. In the centuries since the trials, many theories have come to light about why the girls of Salem chose her. It turns out a  Sarah (who was pregnant) and her second husband were basically destitute and often begged for work or shelter. That in itself was not really a problem. It was when people declined to help that Sarah became a problem. Her reaction towards the townfolk was what started to get her in trouble. She would often yell or curse those that would shun her or her husband. It was those curses that would later be used against her in court as evidence of her guilt. 

Memorial honoring Sarah Good (historyofmassachusettes.org)

Like many of the court proceedings that would follow over the years, Sarah’s was absolutely crazy. Following her arrest, she was examined by court officials in the presence of her accusers. As if on cue, the girls began having their fits and conniptions, claiming Sarah was torturing them. Her own husband and five-year-old daughter even gave damning testimony against her that was also used in her trial. Oh yeah… and remember how I said Sarah was pregnant? She also gave birth while these insane proceedings were taking place, but sadly the baby did not survive. It is believed that her treatment while in police custody contributed to the death of her child. 

Gallows Hill, Salem, MA (historyofmassachusettes.org)

Sarah’s trial proceeded and she was eventually convicted of witchcraft. There were four other women who were tried and convicted of the same crime around the same time as Sarah. All five women were sentenced to hang for their crimes. On July 19, 1692, Sarah Good along with Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, and Sarah Wildes were hanged on Gallows Hill outside Salem. In her final moments, Sarah was urged by Reverend Nicholas Noyes to confess to her “crimes”. She replied, “I am no more a witch than you are a wizard, and if you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink.” Ironically enough, the reverend dropped dead of a brain hemorrhage a short time later, which obviously made the townsfolk a little uneasy. It was not until 1711  that these same people recognized the error of their ways and reversed the convictions against Sarah Good and 21 others. Her husband also received a large settlement for his wife’s death and the treatment of his daughter during the trial. 

 

Memorial Marker for Sarah Good (historyofmassachusettes.org)

So far we have met three women who were convicted and killed for a crime they never committed. But women were not the only ones to be persecuted during the Salem Witch Trials. The last person on the list for The Witches of Salem Series is Giles Corey. Definitely stay tuned for his story because I guarantee it is unlike anything you have ever heard before. 

The Witches of Salem: Rebecca Nurse

I want you to imagine a beloved and respected member of your community. Someone older in years, but has been a staple of your school, church, or town for many years. You see this person on a regular basis and say hello on the street. They have been married to their spouse for almost 50 years, are family-oriented, and a productive member of society. Now imagine that one day they were accused of some sort of heinous crime. There is no physical proof that this crime took place, but based upon accusations from a handful of people, this person is sentenced to die. Sounds pretty crazy am I right? Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened to Rebecca Nurse during the Salem Witch Trials. 

Rebecca Nurse Homestead ( Wikipedia)

Rebecca Nurse was a staple of the Salem community for years. The people of the village adored this woman so one would think that she would be the last person to be accused of witchcraft. She was essentially untouchable. That all changed one day when John and Edward Putnam accused the 71-year-old grandmother of bewitching their family members. Rebecca was soon arrested and put on trial, but she was not allowed to have a lawyer because of the accusations against her. The judge also allowed the introduction of spectral evidence, into the trial. Because of this allowance, Anne Putnam Jr., Abigail Williams, and others all claimed that the spirit of Rebecca Nurse tortured them on numerous occasions. The jury then had to accept these visions or dreams as actual evidence. 

Artist Rendering of Rebecca Nurse (Wikipedia)

Unlike many of the others who were put on trial for witchcraft, Rebecca had a large number of people come to her defense. They knew the charges brought against her were false and made their opinions known. As many as 40 people signed a petition to protest her trial and treatment, but they had an uphill battle ahead of them. The trial itself was a complete circus, starting with the accusers having fits and seizures during the proceedings. People shouting, crying, and swearing up and down that this old woman’s spirit was pinching, choking and harassing them. With all of that chaos going on, I don’t know how anyone could think clearly or get anything done. 

Memorial for Rebecca Nurse ( HistoryofMassachusetts.com)

Somehow, as if by magic, Rebecca Nurse was found not guilty of the charges against her. Then all hell broke loose. Renewed tantrums and spasms by the accusers and defiant cries by others in the courtroom prompted the judge to go over the case with the jury. The jury then asked for an opportunity to review the case again, after one statement was brought to their attention. Yes, this ridiculous practice was allowed during these days and the jury got another crack at it. This time, they found Rebecca guilty and sentenced her to death. The governor did grant her reprieve for a short time, only to later take it away. Rebecca Nurse was hung on July 19, 1692, at what is now known as Gallows Hill. Fifteen years later her main accuser, Anne Putnam confessed to basically making the whole thing up and apologized for her role in Rebecca’s death.  There are now multiple memorials around Salem and Danvers honoring the memory of a wonderful woman, who was so wrongfully convicted. 

 

Next week, we will be taking a look at the story of Sarah Good, one of the first women to be accused during the Salem Witch Trials.

The Witches of Salem: Bridget Bishop

 

*New Series Starts……Now!*

Double Double Toil and Trouble….

The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most well-known events in American history. Though the hunt was on for witches the world over, the events that took place in and around Salem in 1692 were particularly brutal. Over 200 people were accused and tried for the crime of witchcraft over a 15 month period and  20 people were executed as a result. Most of their names have been lost to history and their individual stories along with it. Over the next few weeks, I want to give some of those people their voices back and tell a few of their stories. First, we meet Bridget Bishop, the first person to be executed during the trials.

Bridget Bishop -bostonmagazine.com

Bridget Bishop was born sometime in the year 1632, but not much else is documented about her early life. She grew up and was married at least three times and between all of her marriages she had three children. Her life took a turn down a rough road for the first time in 1679, following the death of her second husband, Thomas Oliver. This is when she was first accused of witchcraft and “bewitching” her husband to death. Due to a lack of evidence, Bridget was initially acquitted of all charges. Her reprieve did not last as she was one of the first people accused in the Salem Witch Trials 13 years later. 

Salem Witch Trials- Wikipedia

Chaos hit Salem in February of 1692 when five young women turned the town on its head by accusing numerous people of being witches. One of their first victims was Bridget Bishop, who by this time was nearly 60 years old. Abigail Williams, Anne Putnam, Mercy Lewis, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Mary Walcot all accused Bishop of bewitching them. They claimed her figure would pinch and choke them and another victim testified that the same figure threatened to drown her if she did not do as she was told. She was also accused of bewitching a 14-year-old child to death. Bridget was caught in many different lies during her court proceedings and was ultimately found guilty of her charges. 

Death Warrant for Bridget Bishop ( Copy)- hawthorneinsalem.com

Bridget Bishop was the first person to be sentenced to death for her alleged crimes. She was taken to Proctor’s Ledge on June 10, 1692, where she died by hanging. A month later, 5 more witches were taken to the same site to suffer the same fate. As a convicted witch, Briget’s remains were not allowed to be buried in the local cemetery and as such, she was buried where she died. While other victims of the trials were cleared within a decade of the witch hunt, Bridget Bishop was not officially cleared of all charges until 2001. 

Memorial Marker- historyofmassachusetts.com

Unfortunately, Bridget’s tale is not unique in that hundreds have a similar story to tell. The next post will tell the story of Rebecca Nurse, one of the oldest victims of the Salem Witch Trials.

A Bibliophile’s Library Bucket List: Abbey Library at Saint Gall

Hey there and Hello ♥ 

I’m backkkkkk! Thanks for sticking around while I was ill… I appreciate it more than I can say. 

You all are amazing and I adore you ♥

Anywho….On to the fun stuff!!!!

Today I get to talk about one of the most magical looking places I have ever seen, the Abbey Library at Saint Gall, located in St. Gallen, Switzerland. One of the oldest monastic libraries in the world, this library was founded by Saint Othmar in 719 as part of the Abbey of Saint Gall. The abbey had been around for at least 100 years prior to the founding of the library, but it was not until the 9th century that the abbey received both respect and an elevated status. Sadly during the 10th century the abbey experienced both a major raid and a fire that severely damaged the abbey, but the library remained undamaged. 

Abbey Library at Saint Gall- Wikipedia

The library’s collection contains over 160,000 books that are mostly available to the public.There are also over 2000 texts and codices are also contained in the library and date back to the earliest days of the monastery. One such piece includes the St. Gall Cantatorium, which is recognized as the oldest  music manuscript in the world. The library now resides in the library hall which was designed and constructed between 1758 and 1767. Designed by Peter Thumb and in the Rocco style, the library is arguably one of the most elaborate buildings on earth. From the two-story columns to the painted ceilings, wooden paneling and hand carved statues, this library is a beautiful place to be. 

 

Saint Gallen Cathedral-Wikipedia

St, Gallen Cathedral Interior – Wikipedia

 

When visiting the library there are a couple of things to keep in mind. One is that the library is a part of a much bigger abbey. It shares its grounds namely with a large and ornate Catholic cathedral that the public also has access to. This cathedral is almost equally as beautiful and ornate as the library hall that is just across the complex. The other thing to keep in mind is that in an effort to preserve the library’s collection for future generations, no pictures are allowed to be taken by the public. Yep, even the small ones on your cell phone are not permitted. You have to have special permission and pay a fee for certain pictures to be taken so be aware of that. As much as I would love to take all kinds of pictures all over this beautiful piece of history, I understand why it has to be this way. If this is all that they ask in order to preserve this amazing institution for future generations, that is perfectly fine with me. 

Library Interior-Pinterest

 

A Bibliophile’s Library Bucket List: The Vatican Library

Whatever your feelings are about organized religion, it is hard to deny the contribution it has made in preserving knowledge over the centuries. Monasteries, churches, mosques and other religious houses of worship often doubled as institutions of learning, where the most educated of men resided. Over the centuries we have moved to separate the two in other ways, but the fact is, without these religious institutions much of the knowledge we now possess would have been lost to history. One of the oldest libraries in the world is The Vatican Library, the personal library of the Papacy which is also open to select members of the public. 

The Apostolic Palace- Wikipedia

Located within Vatican City, The Vatican Library was officially established in 1475, making it over 500 years old. This research library is located within the Vatican Palace and inside its walls you can study history, science, theology, law and philosophy. The library contains over 26 miles of shelving for  the over 1.1 million books and texts that the Papacy has requisitioned over the centuries. It was Pope Nicholas V that pushed forward in establishing this public library partially because of his personal love of books, and partially to reestablish Rome as a center of higher learning. This library does not just contain millions of books and manuscripts, it is also a place of beautiful architecture and art as well. Some of the most recognizable features an ancient Roman sculpture of St. Hippolytus, a statue of St. Thomas Aquinas, and The Sistine Hall.

Pope Nicholas V- Wikipedia

Statue of Hippolytus- Wikipedia

When it comes to being allowed access to the libraries contents, there is a process that you must go through in order to be approved. Anyone is welcome to enter the library for research purposes if they can provide proof of their qualifications and research requirements. You can even request photocopies of certain works be delivered to you for the purposes of private study. For the last 200 years or so there have been some limitations have been placed on access to the library’s holdings, such as checking things out. Other libraries can request items under certain circumstances but items will not be released to individuals. The Vat also limits the number of researchers allowed access to the library to 200 individuals at any given time, and inturn that limits the number of people that have access to about 6000 a year. Have no fear if you cannot gain access to these items in person, though. In 2012 the Vatican Library began the process of digitizing a million pages worth of the library’s content which will is now provided on the library’s website for the public.

Inside the Vatican Library – New York Times