William Barker, Jr.

(Recognizance for b , and Mary Barker )

Memorandum

That on the Thirteenth day of Jan'ry 1692 In the Fourth Year of the
Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William and Mary by the
Grace of God of England &c: King & Queen defenders of the faith
&c: Personally appeared before W'm Stoughton Esq'r cheife Justice
of their Maj'ies Province of the Massachusets bay in New England
Jno Barker and Jno Osgood both of the Towne of Andiver in the
County of Essex Husbandmen and acknowledged themselves to be
Joyntly & Severally indebted unto our s'd: Sovereigne Lord & Lady
and the survivor of them their Heires & Successors in the sum of one
Hundred Pounds to be levied on their or either of their lands & Tenni-
ments goods & chattles for the use of our s'd: Sovereigne Lord
& Lady the King & Queen or Survivor of them on Condition that W'm Barker Jun'r & Mary Barker haveing stood Committed for Suspition
of Witchcraft shall make their personall appearance before the Jus-
tices of our s'd: Lord & Lady the King & Queen at the next Court of
Assizes and Generall Goale Delivery to be holden for the County of
Essex then & their to answer to all such matters and things as shall
in their Maj'ies behalfe be alledged against them and to doe & re-
ceive that which by the s'd: Court shall be then & there Injoyned
them and thence not to departe without licence --

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(Indictment v. William Barker, Jr. )

1st Paper

Case of William Barker Witchcraft-Aug 1692-May 1693)

The Jurors for o'r Sov'r lord and Lady the King & Queen [pbar ]r'sents
that William Barker Junior of Andver in the County of Essex aforsaid
sometime in the month of August last in the yeare 1692 afors'd
Wickedly Mallitiously & felloniously a Covenant withe the Devill
did make & Signed the Devills Booke and by the Devill was Baptized
& before him Renownced his form'r Baptisme & Promised to be the
Devills for ever and ever By which wicked & Diabollicall Covenant
the Said William Barker is become A Detestable Witch Against the
Peace of o'r So'r lord & Lady the King & Queen their Crowne
& Dignity And the laws in that Case made & provided.

(Reverse)

Billa Vera
*Robert Payne
Foreman
ponet se
Not Guilty
Court of Ispswich
Ipswich 2 Tuesday May
1693

( Suffolk Court Records Case No. 2761 Page 102 )

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(Indictment v. William Barker, Jr. )

3rd Paper

The Jurors for our Souvereigne Lord and Lady the King & Queen
Presents - - -
That William Barker Junior of Andiver in the County of Essex
aforesaid - - -
Sometime in the Moneth of August in the Yeare 1692 aforesaid And
Divers other Dayes & times as well before as after Certaine Detestable
Arts called Witchcrafts & Sorceries: Wickedly Mallishiously & fello-
niously hath used Practised & Exercised at &: in the Towne of
Salem -- in the County of Essex aforesaid upon and against one
Martha Sprague Allias Martha Tyler -- by which wicked artes the
Said Martha Sprague All[ibar ] Tyler the Day and Year aforesaid and
Divers -- other dayes & times as well before as after was & is Tour-
tered Afflicted Tormented Pined & Wasted against the Peace of our
Souvereigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen their Crowne & Dignity
and the Lawes in that Case made & Provided./

(Reverse)

Billa Vera
*Robert Payne
foreman
ponet se
Not Guilty

( Suffolk Court Records Case No. 2761 Page 102 )

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(Examination of William Barker, Jr. )

The Exam & Confes'[obar ][nbar ] of W[mbar ] Barker Jun'r aged 14 Yeares or
their about He is accused for Exercising acts of Witchcraft Upon
the bodyes of Martha Sprauge Rosse fostter & abigall Martin w'ch
he did not deny but Could Not Rememb'r It -- He Conffesses now
that he hath not been in the Snare of the Divel above Six # [Years]
days, that as he was Goeing into the Woods one Evening to louk
after Cows he Saw the Shape of a black dog w'ch looked Verry
fercly Upon him & he was much disturbed in his Mind about it
& Could not Sleep Well that Night & betimes Next Morning he Mett
w'th a black Man(he Calls him a black man because he had black
Cloaths & thinks he had a black Skin) Who bid him Sett his hand to
his book & Serve him as long as he the s'd Barker lived w'ch he pro-
mised And theirupon Sett His hand to this book by putting his
fing'r Thereon he Saith the black man brought Red Stuf among w'th
him in an Inkorn & he the S'd Barker dipt his finger into it and ther
w'th Made a Red Mark on the paper He Conffesses he was to doe any
Servis the black man appointed him # [to doe] & was to have Suite
of Cloaths for it he S'd further the black man would have him bapt-
ized but he Never was -- he Saith further that goode Parker went
w'th him last Night to Afflict Martha Sprauge & that he afflicts by
Clinching his hands together he Saith he Now is Sorry & hates the
Divel but yett Struck dwon the afflicted w'th his Eyes -- and Martha Sprauge being Recovered out of a fitt S'd that barkers apperition
& Goode Parker rod upon a pole & was baptized at 5 Mile pond -- He
Now Says there was Such a load Upon his Stomach that he Could
Not Speak a little affter he owned he was baptized by the black man
at 5 Mile pond & Renounced his former baptizime he Knows Goode
parker to be a witch & Says the Divel dipt his head into the Watter
& Spook these words that he the S'd Barker was his for Ever & Ever
He S'd he Could not think of his baptizime before & that the Load
that was Up[on] his Stomach Is not Soe heavy as it was Just now He
Stil afflicted Martha Sprauge & Shut her Mouth but by laying his
hand Theron opened [it] again -- and after wards Confessed that
there ware of his Compa' Goode parker Goode JohnSon Sam'll Wardwel his wife & two Daughters & then Could take the afflicted
p'rsons by the Hand w'th out doeing them any harm

Wm Barker Jun'r Signed & owned
the aboveS'd Exa[mbar ] & Conffession
before Me

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(Examination of William Barker, Jr. , Second Version)

2nd Paper

Sept. 12 Before Maj'r Gidney Mr Hawthorn Mr Corwin & Cap't Higginsone

The Examination and Confession of W'm Barker aged 14 yeares or
thereabout

He is accused for exerciseing acts of witchcraft upon the bodyes
of Martha Sprague Rose foster and Abigail Martin , which he did not
deny but could not remember it.

He confesses now that he hath not been in the snare of the Devil
above six Dayes, That as he was goeing in the woods one evening
to look after cowes he sene the shape of a black Dog which looked
very fiercely upon him And he was much disturbed in his mynd
about it and could not sleep well that night. And betymes next
morneing he mett with a black man (he calls him a black man be-
cause he had black cloaths and thinks he had a black skin) who
bid him set his hand to a book and serve him as long as he the said
Barker Lived, which he promised And thereupon set his hand to the
book by putting his finger thereon, He saith the black man brought
red stuff along with him in an Inkhorn And he the said Barker dipt
his finger into it and therewith made a red mark on the paper He
confesses he was to doe any Service the black man appoynted him
and was to have a sute of cloaths for it, he said further the black
man would have him baptised but he never was.

He saith further that Goody Parker went with him last night to
afflict Martha Sprague , and that he afflicts by clinching his hands to-
gether . He now saith he is sorry & hates the Devill but yet struck
down the afflicted with his eyes, And Martha Sprague being re-
covered out of a fitt said that Barkers apparition and Goody Parker
rid upon a pole and was baptized at five myle pond He now sayes
there was such aload upon his stomach that he could not speak,

a little after he owned he was baptised by the black man at five
myle pond and did also renounce his former baptisme, he knowes
Goody Parker to be a witch and sayes the Devil Dipt his head into
the water and spoke these words that he the said Barker was his
for ever and ever

He said he could not think of his baptisme before, And that the load
that was upon his stomach is not so heavy as it was but just before

He still afflicted Martha Sprague & Shut her mouth but by layeing
his hand thereon opened it again -- and afterwards confessed that
there were of his Company Goody Parker Goody Johnson Samuel Wardwell & his wife and two Daughters. And then could take the af-
flicted persons by the hand without Doeing them any harme. --

W'm Barker Jun'r Signed
& owned the abovesaid
Examination & Confession. --
before me

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(Examination & Confession of William Barker, Jr.)

1 Sep 92 Before Majr Gidney Mr Hathorne Mr Corwin Jno Higginson Esqr ----
The Exam & Conffson of Wm Barker Junr aged 14 yeares or their about
He is accused for Exercising acts of Witchcraft Upon ye bodyes of Martha Sprauge Rosse ffostter & abigall Martin wch he did not deny but Could
not Remember it ---- He Conffesses now yt he hath not been in ye snare of ye
Divel above Six yeares days; yt as he was Going into ye Woods one Evening
to look after Cows he saw ye shape of a black dog wch looked verry fercly
Upon Him & he was Much disturbed in his mind about it & Could not sleep
well yt night & betimes next morning he mett wth a black man (he Calls
him a black man because he had black Cloaths & thinks he had a black -
skin) Who bid him sett his hand to his book & serve him as long as
he ye sd Barker lived wch he promised And soe ^thereupon^ sett His hand to the book
by putting his fingr Theron he saith ye black man brought Red stuf along
wth him in an Inkhorn & he ye sd Barker dipt his finger into it and ther
wth made a Red Mark on ye paper He Conffesses he was to doe any servis
ye black man appointed him to doe & was to have Suite of New Cloaths for
it he sd further ye black man would have him baptized but he never
was ---- he saith further yt goode Parker wentwth him last night

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to afflictt Martha Sprauge & yt he afflicts by Clinching his hands
Together he saith he now is sorry & hates ye Divel but Yett struck downe
Ye afflicted wth his Eyes ---- and Martha Sprauge being Recovered out of afitt
Sd ye barkers apparition & Goode Parker rod Upon a pole & was baptized
At 5 Mile pond ---- He Now says there was Such a load Upon his
Stomach yt he Could Not Speak alittle affter he owned he was baptized
by ye black man at 5 Mile pond & Renounced his former baptisme
he knows Goode parker to be a witch & says ye Divel dipt his head into
ye Watter & Spook these words yt he ye sd Barker was his for Ever
& Ever He sd he Could not think of his baptizime before & yt ye
Load yt was Upon his Stomack Is not soe heavy as it was Just now
He stil afflicted Martha Sprauge & Shut her Mouth but by ^laying^ his hand
Theron upon [ink blot covers word] again ---- and after wards Confessed yt ther were of
his Compai Good[ink blot] parker Good JohnSon Saml Wardwel his wife &
two Daughters & yn Could take ye afflicted persons by ye Hand wthout
doing ym any harm

Wm Barker Junr signed & owned
ye abovesd Exam & Conffession
before Me John Higginson Justs peace
The Marke
of
Wm Barker Junr

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