(Warrant for the Apprehension of Elizabeth Dicer and Margaret Prince, & Officer's Return)

[September 3, 1692]

To the Constable of Gloster.
complaint haveing ben made to us their Majesties Justices of the Peace in Salem by Ebenezer Babson of Gloster against Elizabeth Dicer wife of Wm Dicer and Margaret Prince widow of Gloster for that they have griveously hurt & Tortured. Elonor Babson widow & Mary Sargent wife of Wm Sarjant Just'e of Gloster by witchcraft & has given Bond to their Majesties to procecut Said Complaint to Effect These are therfore in their Majestes name to require you to Aprehend & seize the Bodys of Elizab't Dicer wife of william Dicer of Boston Seaman & Margret Prince widow of Gloster & them bring before their Majesties Justices of the Peace in Salem their to be Examined about the premises for w'ch this shall be your warrant Salem 3: September 1692.
*Bartho Gedney
*John Hathorn
*Jonathan. Corwin

(Reverse) in obedience to this within warrant I have Seized the
bodys of Elizabeth Dicer & Margret Prince widow & brought them to Salem before their Majestes Justices of the Peace
5 Sep'r 1692 *Thom griggs jun'or
Constbl of Glostr

Eliz. Dicer
Margaret Prince

( MS Ch K 1.40, vol. 2, p. 50, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Boston Public Library, Boston, MA. )

(Examination of Margaret Prince )

[September 5, 1692]

Margaret Prince of Capan [=Cape Ann] examined Sept 5: 1692 before. Jno
Hawthorn Esq & other ye majests Justices
Margaret Prince you are Complayned of for afflicting of the Widdow Babson: & Wm Serjants
wife of Capan. what say you.
She answered I am: inocent
Mr Serjant of Capan was asked: what: he could say. of this woman: he sd his sister. was
greivously afflicted: & the Afflicted persons sd that this woman hurt her: but he: knew
nothing but that Her conversation was: well: & good:
Eliz Hubert & mary warin were struck down into a fitt and helped up: & was well by a touch
of sd Princes hand mary warin was helped another time so: Eliz Boothe & George Boothes
wife: were asked if ever they had seen this woman: they sd no not before but both they: &
two more were struck down into a fit & recovere[d] by a touch of sd Princes hand: & they sd
the woman at the bar hurt them. Some of the afflicted sd they saw the black man on: the table::
divers of them: having their eyes fixed was asked what they saw. & when: they could speake:
sd they saw a coffin: Elizabeth Hubberd sd that Margret Princes spectre. had told her that
she killd Mrs Duncun of Capan but sd Prince sd she had never hurt sd Duncun nor Babson
nor would not hurt anybody for a thousand worlds
Eliz Hubbert: was dumb: for a while. & yong Babson sd Eliz Hubbert told him as they came
from Capan. that goodwife prince: told her she should not speak anything against her. when
she came to Salem
this is the substance: of what was sayd: to. & by Margret Prince: att: her exam[i]nation

Attest Simon Willardr
I und written bei[n]g. appinted: by Athority to take the above: examination doe testifie upon
oath taken in Court: that this: is a tru Coppy: of the substance of it: to ye best of my
knowledge

Janu 5: 1692/3 Simon Willard
owned before the Grand Jury
5 January 1692/3 Robert: Payne
foreman
the aboue Margret prince was Examined befor their majesties. of peace in Salem
atest Jno Higginson Just peace

( Goodspeed Bookshop Catalogue no. 271, Boston, Nov. 1936. )

(Indictment of Margaret Prince for Afflicting Elizabeth Booth)

[September 5, 1692 ]

Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England ] Anno RR's & Reginae & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Annoq'e Domini 1692
Essex sc
The Juriors for our Soveraigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen doe present that Margreet Prince of Gloster alis Cap Ann in the County of Essex widow upon the fift day of September 1692 and Divers other Dayes and Times as well before as after Certaine Detestable Arts Caled witch Craft and Sorceries wickedly Mallitiously & feloniously hath used practiced and Exersised at & in the Towne of Salem in the County of Essex upon & against one Elizabeth Booth of Salem aforsaid Singlewoman By which Said Wicked Acts the Said Elizabeth Booth the Day & yeare above said and Divers other Dayes & times both before & after was & is tortured aflicted Consumed Pined wasted & Tormented Against the peace of our soveraigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen their Crowne & Dignity & the Laws in that case made & Provided.

Witnesses Elizabeth Huberd
Mary Warren
Elenor Babson
Eliz. Booth

( Suffolk Court Files, vol. 32, Docket No. 2676, p. 7. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives. Boston, MA.)

(Recognizance for Margaret Prince by Thomas Prince & Richard Tarr )

[December 15, 1692]

Memorandum:

That on this fifteenth Day of December anno D[mbar ]: one Thousand Six hundred Ninty and two in the fourth year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord & Lady William & Mary by the Grace of God of England Scottland &c King & Queen Defend'rs of the faith &c Personally Came and Appeared before me George Corwin High Shirriffe of the County of Essex of the Province of the Massathutetts Bay in New England Thomas Prince of Gloster in the County of Essex in New England Husbandman Richard Tarr of said Towne and County Husbandman and Acknowledged them selves indebted to our said Sovereigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen, and the Surviver of them their Heires and Successers in the summe of two hundred pounds to be Leavied on their Goods & Chattles Lands & Tennements for the Use of our said Sovereigne Lord & Lady: King & Queen & the Surviver of them if Default be made in the Performance of the Condition Under written

Videllisett

The Condition of this Above Recognizance is such that Whereas Margarett Prince Widdow Of Gloster aboves'd: is suspected & Accused of Committing Acts of Witchcrafts. if therefore Margerett Prince Widdow afores'd shall & do make her Personall Appearance before the Justices of our s'd Sovereigne Lord & Lady the King and Queen at the Next Court of Assize Oyer & Terminer next: Generall Geoall Delivery to be held for or within the County of Essex afores'd to answer w't shall be Objected ag't her on their Maj'ties behalfe: & Referring to the Witchcrafts. & to do & Receive that by w'ch said Court shall be then & there Injoyned & not depart without Lycence Then the above Recognizance to be void or Else to abide & Remaine in full force and Virtue In Wittness whereof the above Named Persons have here unto sett their hand & seales this fifteenth Day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred Ninty & two and in the fourth year of our Maj'ties Reigne

Wittness
*Benja Gerrish
*Nathaniel Beadle Sr.
*Jno Gyles
1692 Thomas Prince
his marke T
*Richard Tarr L.S.

( Mass. Archives Collection Vol. 135 No. 71. Massachusetts State Archives. Boston, MA )