Abigail Hobbs's Examination 20. April 1692 in Salem Prison.
This Examinant declares that Judah White a Jersey maid that Lived with Joseph Ingrson at Cascoe but now lives at Boston with whome this Examinant was very well formerly acquainted came to her yesterday in apperition together with Sarah Good as this Examinant was going to Examination and advised her to fly and not to goe to be Examined shee told them that She would goe. They Charged her if she did goe to Examination not to confess anything. She said that She would Confess all that She knew. They told her Also that Goody Osborn was a witch. This Judah White came to her in fine cloathes in a Sad coloured Silk Mantel with a Top knot and an hood.
She confesseth further that the Devil in the Shape of a man came to her and would have her to afflict Ann Putnam Mercy Lewis And Abigail Williams and brought their Images with him in Wood like them and gave her thorns and bid
her [page 173] prick them into these images which she did accordingly into each of them one and then the Devil told her they were afflicted which accordingly they were and Cryed out they were hurt by Abigail Hobbs, She confesseth She was at the great meeting in Mr Parris's Pasture when they administered the Sacramt and did eat of the Red Bread and drink of the Red wine at the same time.
Abigail Hobbs Examination att Salem Prison May 12 1692
Q. Did Mr Burroughs bring you any of the poppets of his wives to stick pinns into
An I do not remember that he did
Q. Did he of any of his children or of the Eastward Souldrs
A. No.
Q. Have you known of any that have been killed by witchcraft
A. No. No-Body.
Q. How came you to speak of Mr Burroughs wives yefterday
A. I dont know.
Q. Is that true about Davis's Son of Cascoe and of those of ye village?
A. Yes it is true.
Q. What service did he put you upon ? and who are they you afflicted
A. I cannot tel who, neither do I know whether they dyed
[page 174]Q. Were they strangers to you that Burroughs would have you afflict.
A. Yes
Q. and were they afflicted accordingly.
A. Yes.
Q. Cant you name some of them?
A. No I cannot remember them.
Q. Where did they live?
A. Att the Eastward.
Q. have any vessells been cast away by you?
A. I do not know.
Q Have you consented to the afflicting any other besides those at the village?
A. Yes.
Q. Who were they?
A. I cannot tell But it was of such who Lived att the fort side of the river about half a mile from the fort toward Capt Brackett.
Q. What was the hurt you give to them by consent?
A. I dont know.
Q was their any thing brought to you like them?
An. Yes.
Q. what did you stick into them
A. Thorns.
Q did some of them dy
A. Yes. one of them was Mary Laurence that dyed.
Q. Wher
Q. where did you stick the thorns?
A. I do not know
[page 175]Q was it about the middle of her body?
A. Yes and I stuck it right in.
Q. what provoked you, had she displeased you?
A. Yes by some words she spoke of mee.
Q who brought the image to you?
A. it was Mr Burroughs.
Q How did he bring itt to you?
A. In his own person bodily.
Q. where did he bring it to you?
A. abroad a little way of from or house.
Q. and what did he say to you then?
A. he told me he was angry with that ffamily.
Q. how many years Since was it?
A. Before this Indian war.
Q. How did you know Mr Burroughs was a witch?
A I dont know. She owned againe she had made two Covenants with the Devil first for two years and after that for four years and she confesseth herself to have been a witch these six years
Q. did the maid complain of pain about the place you stuck the thorn in.?
A. Yes but how long she Lived I dont know.
Q. How do you know Burroughs was Angry wth Laurence's ffamily ?
A. Because he told me so.
Q where did any other live that you afflicted?
A. Just by ye other toward James Andrews's and they dyed also.
Q. How many were they more than one?
A Yes.
[page 176]Q. And who brought those poppets to you?
A. Mr Burroughs.
Q. Whatt did you stick into them?
A. Pinns. and he gave them to mee.
Q. Did you keep those poppets?
A. No he carryed them away with him
Q. Was he there himselfe with you in Bodily person?
A. Yes and so he was when he appeared to tempt mee to set my hand to the Book he then appeared in person and I felt his hand at the same time.
Q. Were they men women or children you killed?
A. They were both Boys and Girls.
Q. Was you angry with them yourself?
A Yes tho I dont know why now.
Q. Did you know Mr. Burrougs wife?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you know of any poppits pricked to kill her?
A. No I dont.
Q. Have you seen severall witches at ye Eastward?
A. Yes, But I dont know who they were.
Examination of Abigail Hobbs before theire Majties Justices June 29 1692
Saith yt on Friday last John Proctor Senr being in a Roome wth her alone told her yt she had [page 177] better to afflict than be afflicted and yt she should not be hanged & but Enjoyned her to afflict Ann Putnam and persuaded her to Set her hand to ye Book and Guided her hand personally to do it and after this his appearance brought me a poppet and a Thorne whch I stuck into ye poppit to afflict sd Ann Putnam a friday.
lidea Nichals aged about 17 years testifieth and saith that about a yeare & halfe agoe I asked abigaille hobs how she darst lie out a nights in ye woods alone she told me she was not a fraid of any thing for she told me she had sold herselfe boddy & soule to ye old boy.
and sins this about a fortnight agoe ye said abigaille hobs & her mother came to our hous my father & mother being not at home She begane to be rude & to behave herselfe unseemly I told her I wondered she was not ashamed She bide me hold my tong or elce she would rays all the folks thereabouts and bid me look there was old " or else old cratten sate over ye bedsted then her mother told her shee little thought to a bin mother of Such a daster.
Elizabeth Nichals aged about 12 years testifieth ye same she said at our house about a fortnight agoe.
The deposistion of prisceller chub aged about 31 : years, this deponent testifieth and saith that [page 178] sum time the last winter I was discoursing with Abigaill Hobbs about her wicked cariges and disobedience to hir father and Mother and she tould me she did not care what any body said to hir for she had seen the divell and had made a covenant or bargain with him.
The deposition of margarett knight aged about 18 years who testifieth and saith that about a year agoe Abigail Hobbs and hir mother ware att my fathers house : and Abigail Hobbs Said to me Margarett have you baptized and I said yes, then said she my mother is not baptized but said I will baptise her and immediately took watter and sprinckled in hir mothers face and said she did baptised hir in the name of the ffather Son and Holy Ghost.
The deposistion of mircy lewes agged about 19 yeares who testifieth that about the 17th of April. 1692. I saw the apperishtion of Abigail Hoobs the daughter of William Hobbs com and afflect me by pinching and almost choaking me urging me to writ in hir book and so she continued hurting of me by times tell the 19th of April, being the day of hir examination but as soon as she began to confess she left ofe hurting me.
[page 179]
The deposistion of Mary Walcott aged about 17 years who testifieth and saith that about the 14th April. 1692 I saw the Apperishtion of Abigail Hoobs, the daughter of William Hoobs com and afflict me by pinching and almost choaking me urging me to writ in hir book and so the continewed to afflect me by times tell the day of hir examination being the 19th April but as Soon as she began to confess she left ofe afflecting me.
The deposistion of Ann Putnam who testifieth and saith that about the 13th of April. 1692 I Saw the Apperishtion of Abigail Hoobs the daughter of William Hoobs com and afflect me by biting pinching and almost choaking me urging me to writ in hir book and so she continewed by times hurting me tell the 19th of April being the day of hir examination but as soon as she began to confess she left ofe hurting me.
The deposistion of Eliz : Hubbard who testifieth and saith that I was afflicted and tormented by Abigail Hoobs : several times before hir examination, also on the day of hir examination she did most greviously torment me also I saw Abigail Hoobs on her appearance most greviously afflect and torment Mercy Lewes Mary Walcott and Ann [page 180] Putnam on the 19th April. 1692 being the day of her examination, but as soon as she began to confess she left ofe afflecting of us. and I belev in my heart yt Abigail Hobbs was a witch and that she has often afflected both me and the abovesaid persons by acts of witchcraft.
Eliz Hubbard owned the truth of ye abovewritten evidence To ye Jury of Inqwest upon oath Sept. 10 1692.