William Barker, Sr.

(Indictment v. William Barker, Sr. )

The Jurors for our Sov'r Lord & Lady the King & Queen [pbar ][rbar ]'sent
that William Barker Senior of Andivor In the County of Essex afo[rbar ]sd
Husbandman About Three Years past in the Towneship of Andivo'r
afores'd Wickedly, Mallitiously & felloniously a Covenant with the
Devill did Make, And did Signe the Devills Booke with Blood,
& gave himselfe Soule & body to the Devill, By Which Wicked & diabol-
licall Covenant with the Devill made in maner & forme Aforesaid The
Said William Barker is become A [A] detestable Witch Against the
peace of o'r Sover' Lord & Lady the King & Queen their Crowne
& dignity & the Laws in that Case made & provided,

(Reverse) William Barker Senior for Covenanting with Devill.

Billa vera *Robert Payne foreman

( Massachusetts Archives Vol. 135 No. 38 )

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(Warrant for Arrest of William Barker, Sr. , Mary Marston and Mary Barker , Aug. 25, 1692)

Complaint being made to me this day, by Sam'l Martin of Andover
& Moses Tyler sen'r of Boxford, against Will[abar ]a Barker sen'r Mary Marstone the wife of John Marstone jun'r & Mary Barker the Daugh-
ter of Lef't John Barker , all of Andov'r in that the aboves'd William Barker Mary Marstone & Mary Barker, have woefully afflicted
& Abused, Abigail Martin & Rose foster of Andov'r, & Martha Sprague
of Boxford by witchcraft, Contrary to the peace of O'r Sovereigne
Lord & Lady William & Mary King & Queen of England &c: & to
their Majes'ts Laws in that Case provided:

These therefore require you in their Majes'ts names upon sight

hereof, to apprehend & seize the bodies of William Barker sen'r
Mary Marstone the wife of John Marstone jun'r & Mary Barker the
Daughter of Lef't John Barker all of Andov'r & them safely Convey
to Salem, before their Majes'ts justices of the Peace there, to be ex-
amined & Proceeded with according to law, for which this shall be
the warrant: given und'r my hand & seal this 25'th [25] day of
August Anno Domini 1692: in the fourth year of their Majes'ts
Reigne:/

(Indictment v. William Barker, Sr. )

The Juror for our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King & Queen Presents
That William Barker Seinor of Adivor in the County of Essex afore-
said Husband[mbar ] Sometime in August last 1692 afors'd - - - - - And
Divers other Dayes & times as well before as after Certaine Detestable
Arts called Witchcrafts & Sorceryes Wickedly Mallishously & fellon-
iously hath Used Practised & Exercised at and in the Towne of An-
divor -- in the County of Essex afores'd Upon & against one Abagaiele Martin of Andivor SingleWoman By which Wicked Arts the said
Abagaile Martin -- the Day and year afores'd and Divers other Dayes
and Times as well before as after, was and is Tortured Afflicted
Tormented Consumed Pined & wasted ag't the Peace of Sov'r Lord
& Lady the King and Queen their Crowne and Dignity & the Lawes
in that case made & Provided:

(Examination of William Barker, Sr. )

29. agust. 92.
Coram
Maj'r Gidney
Mr. hathorn
Mr. Corwin
Capt higginson

William Barker of Andovers examination
& confession

He confesses he has been in the snare of the
devil three years, that the devil first appeared
to him lyke a black man and perceived he had
a cloven foot, That the devil demanded of
him to give up himself soul & Body unto him, which he promesed to
doe. He said he had a great family, the world went hard with him and
was willing to pay every man his own, And the devil told him he
would pay all his debts and he should live comfortably -- He confesses
he has afflicted Sprague foster and martin , his three accusers. That
he did syne the devils book with blood brought to him in a thing
lyke an Inkhorn that he dip't his fingers there in and made a blott in
the book which was a confirmation of the Covenent with the devil.

He confesses he was at a meeting of witches at Salem Village
where he judges there was about a hundred of them, that the meeting
was upon a green peece of ground neare the ministers house, He said
they mett there to destroy that place by reason of the peoples being
divided & theire differing with their ministers

Satans design was to set up his own worship, abolish all the
churches in the land, to fall next upon Salem and soe goe through
the countrey, He sayth the devil promeised that all his people should
live bravely that all persones should be equall; that their should be no
day of resurection or of judgement, and neither punishment nor
shame for sin -- He sayth there was a Sacrament at that meeting,
there was also bread & wyne Mr. Burse was a ringleader in that meet-
ing and name several persones that were there at the meeting, It was
proposed at the meeting to make as many witches as they could,
and they were all by Mr. Burse and the black man exhorted to pull
down the Kingdome of christ and set up the kingdome of the devil,
He said he knew Mr. Burroughs and Goody How to be such persones,
And that he heard a trumpet sounded at the meeting and thinks it
was Burse that did it, the sound is heard many myles off and then
they all come one after another -- In the spring of the yeare the wit-
ches came from Connecticut to afflict at Salem Village but now
they have left it off And that he has been informed by some of the
grandees that there is about 307 witches in the country, -- He sayth
the witches are much disturbed with the afflicted persones because
they are descovered by them, They curse the judges Because their
Society is brought under, They wold have the afflicted persones count-
ed as witches but he thinks the afflicted persones are Innocent
& that they doe god good service And that he has not known or
heard of one innocent persone taken up & put in prisone -- He saith
he is heartily sorry for what he has done and for hurting the afflicted
persones his accusers, prayes their forgiveness, desyres pray'rs for
himself, promises to renounce the devil and all his works, And then
he could take them all by the hand without any harme by his eye or
any otherwise --

5. 7: 92 the aboveSaid is the Truth as wittnese my hand:

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

29 August 1692 . W'm Barker Sen'r of Andivers Examination
& Confession

Before Maj'r Gidney Mr. Hathorne Mr. Corwin Jno Higginson Esq'r --
He Conffesses he has been in the Snare of the Divel [@'bt] Three
Years that the first apeared to Him in the Shape of a black man
& perceived he had a Cloven foott that the Divel deman'd of him to
give up himself Soul & body to him w'ch he promised to doe he
Said he had a greate family the world went hard w'th him & was
willing to pay Every Man his owne & the Divel told him he would
pay all his Debts & he Should live Comfortably -- He Conffesses
he has afflicted Sprauge fostter & Martin his three akusers that he
did Sign the Divel book w'th blood brought to him in a thing like
an Inkhorn that he dipt his finger therein and made a bloot in the
book w'ch was a Confermation of a Covenant made w'th the divel --
He Conffesses he was at a metting of the witches at Salem Village
where he Judges there was about a hundred of them that the meet-
ing was upon a green peice of ground Near the Ministers house he
Says they Meet their to destroy that place by reason of the peoples
being devided & their differing w'th there Ministers -- Satans desire
was to Sett up his own worship, abolish all the Churches in the land
to fall next upon Salem & Soe goe through the Country he Saith
the Divel promised al his people should live Bravely that al persons
Should be Equal that their Should be no day of resurection or
Judgment And Nither Punishment nor Shame for Sin -- he Saith
their was a Sacrement at the Metting there was also bread & wine Mr
Burse was a Ring Leader in that Metting & named several persons
that Ware there at the Metting It was proposed at the Metting to
make as Many witches as they Could & they were al by Mr. Burse
& the black Man Exhorted to pull dwone ye Kingdom of Christ
& Sett Up the Kingdome of the Divel, He S'd he knew Mr. Burroughs
& Goody How to be such persons & that he heard a trumpet Sounded
at the Metting & thinks it was Burse that did it the Sound is heard
Many Miles of and then they all Come one after another -- In the
Spring of the Year the witches Came from Connecticut to afflict at
Salem Village butt now they have left it of, & that he has been In-
formed by Some of the Grandees that there is @ 307 witches in
the Country -- He Saith the witches are much disturbed w'th the
afflicted persons because they are Discovered by th'm, they Curse
the Judges because their Society is brought under they would have
the afflicted persons Counted as witches but he thinks the afflicted
persons are Inocent & that they doe god good Service & that he has
not knowne or heard of one Inocent person taken up And putt in
prison -- he Saith he is hartyly Sorry for W't he has done & for
hurting the afflicted persons his accusers, prays there forgivenes,
desire prayers for him Self promises to Renounce the Divel & al
his works & then he could take them all by the hand w'thout any
harme by his Eye or otherwise -- the above S'd is the truth as witt-
nesse my hand --

(Confession from Prison of William Barker, Sr. )

God having called me to Confess my sin and Apostasy in that fall
in giving the Devil advantage over me appearing to me like a Black,
in the evening to set my hand to his Book, as I have owned to my
shame. He told me that I should not want so doing. At Salem Village,
there being a little off the Meeting-House, about an hundred five
Blades, some with Rapiers by their side, which was called and might
be more for ought I know by B and Bu[rroughs] and the Trumpet
sounded, and Bread and Wine which they called the Sacrament, but I
had none; being carried all over on a Stick, never being at any other
Meeting. I being at Cart a Saturday last, all the day, of Hay and English
Corn, the Devil brought my Shape to Salem, and did afflict M[artha] S[prague] and R[ose] F[oster] by clitching my hand; and a Sab-
bath day my Shape afflicted A[bigail] M[artin] and at night afflic-
ted M[artha] S[prague] and A[bigail] M[artin] . E[lizabeth] J[ ohn- son ] and A[bigail] F[aulkner] have been my Enticers to this great
abomination, as one have owned and charged her to her Sister with
the same. And the design was to Destroy Salem Village, and to begin
at the Ministers House, and to destroy the Church of God, and to set
up Satans Kingdom, and then all will be well. And now I hope God
in some measure has made me something sensible of my sin and apos-
tasy , begging pardon of God, and of the Honourable Magistrates and
all Gods people, hoping and promising by the help of God, to set to
my heart and hand to do what in me lyeth to destroy such wicked
worship, humbly begging the prayers of all Gods People for me, I
may walk humbly under this great affliction and that I may procure
to my self, the sure mercies of David, and the blessing of Abraham.

(John Hale, A Modest Inquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft [Boston, 1702], excerpted in George Lincoln Burr , ed., Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648-1706 [N.Y., 1914; re- issued , 1968], pp. 419-420.)