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Show DEATH FOR "WITCH" INTERESTINO RELIC OF THE DAYS OF IGNORANCE. Historical Archives of ealem, Mass., Reveal Depths of Superstition and Folly In Which Our Forefathers Were Sunk. Investigators making search through tho archives of. tho Poabody Institute at Snlcm, Mass,, hnvo Just unearthed a seventeenth century wnrrnnt condemning con-demning to death Dridgot Bishop, wifo of a Salem attorney, on a chargo of witchcraft Contrary to tho traditions thnt wltchoa woro burned in Massachusetts, Massachu-setts, In tho wnrrnnt condemning Mrs, Bishop to death William Slough-ton, Slough-ton, who with his associates in the warrant nro Btyled Judges of a spo-cial spo-cial court of Oyer nnd Terminer for tho counties of Eesox, Middlesex nnd Suffolk, orders thnt Oeorgo Corwln, tho Bherlff, shnll hnng her by tho neck until alio Is dead. Appended to tho wnrrnnt 1b tho return re-turn cortlflcnto mndo by Corwln showing show-ing thnt ho hnd cnrrled out tho or-dors or-dors of tho court. Tho wnrrnnt nnd roturn nro in sov ontoonth century English acrlpt, nnd trnnecribfld rends ns follows: "To 0sorgo Corwln Qont'n, High Shorlffo of tho County of Essex Orcoting: "WhoroaB Ilrldgot Bishop nl's 0111-vor, 0111-vor, tho wifo of Edward Bishop of Sa-lorn Sa-lorn in tho County of Ebbox Lnwyor at a speciall Court of Oyer nnd Terminer Termi-ner hold at Salem tho second Day of this instant month of Juno for tho Countyos of Essox Middlesex nnd Suffolk Suf-folk boforo William Stoughton, Esquo, and his associates of tho aald court was Indicted nnd arraigned upon flvo sovoral Indictments for using practising prac-tising nnd oxorclsolng on tho . . . Inst past nnd divers dnys nnd tlmos tho folontos of Witchcraft in and upon tho bodyos of Ablgnl Wllllnms, Ann Puttnam . . . Morcy Lewis, Mnry Wnlcott nnd Ellznbeth Hubbnrd of Sn-lorn Sn-lorn villngo . . . olnglo womon; whorcby their bodyes woro hurt, nf-fllctod, nf-fllctod, pined consumed nnd tormonted contrary to tho fonno of tho stntuo in that ciido mndo nnd provided. To which Indtctm'ta tho snld Brldgot BlBhop plcndcd not guilty nnd tor Trynll thereof put horBolfo upon God nnd hor Country whereupon nho wns found guilty of tho Felonyes and Witchcrafts whoroof sho stood Indicted In-dicted nnd sontonco of Donth accordingly accor-dingly passed ng't hor ns tho Law directs. "Execution whereof yet re-mntnos re-mntnos to bo dono. Theso nro thoro-foro thoro-foro in tho nnmos of their mnj'tlea William nnd Mary now King nnd Queen ovor England &c. to will nnd command you Thnt upon Frydny next being tho Tenth Dny of this Instant month or Juno hotweon tho hours of eight nnd twelvo In tho nforonoon of tho snmo dny you safely conduct tho n'd Bridget Bishop nl's Olllver from their mnj'tlea Gnol in Salem nforos'd to tho plnco of execution nnd thoro causo hor to bo hanged by tho neck until she bo dond and of your doings heroin mnko returno to tho clerk of tho B'd Court nnd of this pr'copt. And horcof you nro not to fnilo nt your peril. And this shnll bo your sufficient wnrrnnt given under my hand & seal at Boston tho eighth dny of Juno in tho fourth yonr of tho retgno of our Sovereign Lord William and Mary now King nnd Queen ovor England, &o., Annoq'o Dom. 1C92. "WM. STOUGHTON. "June 10th. 1C02. "According to tho within written precept I have taken tho body of tho wltljln named Brlgett Bishop out of their majesties gaol in Snlom nnd snfoly convelghd hor to tho plnco provided pro-vided for her execution and caused y sd Brlgett to be banged by tho nock until alio wns dond nil which wns nc-cording nc-cording to tho tlmo within required nnd bo I mnko roturnu by mo. "GEORGE COIUVIN, Shorlft." |