Month: November 2021

Nov. 2

This is the written examination of Mary How, condemned and killed for witchcraft in 1682.

Here’s the first paragraph. See what you can make out in the original. You’ll have to zoom in.

The examination of Eliz: How. 31. May. 1692

Mercy Lewis & Mary Walcot fell in a fit quickly after the examinant came in Mary Walcot said that this woman the examinant had pincht her & choakt this month. Ann Putman said she had hurt her three times. What say you to this charge? Here are them that charge you with witchcraft It it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent of any thing in this nature Did not you take notice that now when you lookt upon Mercy Lewis she was struck [down?] I cannot help it. You are charged here; what doe you say? I am innocent of any thing of this nature. Is this the first time that ever you were accused? Yes S’r. Do not you know that one at Ipswitch hath accused you? This is the first time that ever I heard of it You say that you never heard of these folks before

 

Lesson- People from the past are a different culture than us. They fundamentally thought differently.

Lesson- People look for scapegoats when they are scared.

Lesson- In times of cultural change, sometimes people become very scared and thus people look for scapegoats.

Question- Why did a society that gave women and children no power, believe these girls? What was going on?

 

Remember, witchcraft as defined by the people of Massachusetts 330 years ago was very different from the religion of Wicca, the religion of witches today.

People at the time defined witchcraft as the use of supernatural means to cause harm. And they put the Devil behind it; witches were seen as his followers. Wicca (today) is almost the opposite: a supernatural force for good in the lives of its believers.

As we continue to think about how people thought differently and look at Salem, I want you to think about how this relates to today? Because while we may not believe that witches are everywhere, our society is very quick to embrace conspiracy theories. We believe the outlandish.  Perhaps some of you have heard of the Qanon believers. There are hundreds of thousands of them.  I think one lesson I want you to know is that in uncertain times, people want a scapegoat. And historically speaking, in 1692 Salem was facing very uncertain times.

On a different note entirely, I was very much inspired by these thoughts from WNBA star, Candace Parker the other week when her team won the WNBA championships. Great advice to live by.