(Examination of Mercy Wardwell, Copy )

[September 1, 1692]

1th Sept 1692. Before Maj'r Gidney Mr Hathorne Mr Corwin & Jno Higginson Esq'r

The Examination & Confession of Mercy Wardwel Daughter of Sam'll Wardwell of Andivor

She Confesses she hath been in the Snare of the Divel a quartter of a Year the Cause of her being Inticed was her discontent & the occation of her discontent was because that people told her that she should Never hath such a Young Man who Loved her & he finding no Encouragement threatned to drowne himself at w'ch She was much troubled Somtime after to her Apprehention he that mad love to her Came & Intreated her to be his & She did not then Consent & Soe dismist him w'th that Awnswer the Next time he appeared in the Shame [shape] of a dogg & told her She Must be his for he was god & Christ & She Should want for no thing if She would Serve him and she did then beleve him. & promised to Serve him He told her She must always wish the Divel had this or that & that She must Curse & lye she Confeses she Cuevantted to Serve the Divel twenty Years & he promised that She Should be happy & She Made a red Mark Upon a peece of Paper wher She Saw no other Names And thinks he keeps thee paper becaue He #(paper) Carried it away w'th him, She owned She Afflicted Martha Spraug & Rose fostter butt Never any before -- Here Companians ware her father Mother Sister Sarah hawks & Wm Barker She Sd furth'r (w'ch is Remarkable) that when She lookt dwone Upon the Table she Could Conffese nothing -- She Conffesses She was Baptized at home in a pale of Watt'r in Which He dipt her face telling her She must Serve him & that it is about a Quarter of a Year agoe Since She was Baptized She says also that She afflicted Timo Swan by Squeezing her hands & Thinking Upon him & the Divel made #[him] her doe it whome She hath not seen @ 4 Times -- Noate Here a thing Remarkable that Notwithstanding all this Confession yett the afflicted p'rsons Could Nott Come Near her But upon the Maj'r asking of her if the Divel had not made her Renounce her former baptizime And She Answering Yes then they Could all take one another by the Hand without any hurt

Marcy Wardwell
owned all the
above S'd Examination & Conffession
before Me *Jno Higginson
Just'e peace 15 Septemb'r 1692 --

Marcy Wardwell owned all the
above S'd Examination & Conffession
(only S'd she did not know her farther & Mother
ware witches as witness her hand
The Mark X of March Wardwell

( Essex Institute Manuscfipt Collection, no. 24, 9r. Peabody Essex Museum, Phillips Library, Rowley, MA. )

(Indictment v. Mercy Wardwell, for Covenanting )

[+ January 10, 1693]

Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Essex ss
Anno RR's & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Anoq'e Dom 1692

The Jurors for o'r Sov'r lord & Lady the King & Queen present That Mercy Wardwell daught'r of Samuel Wardwell late of Andivor in the County of Essex oforesaid #(th) Sometime in this present yeare 1692, Wickedly mallitiously & felloniously A Covenant with the Divel Did make and Signed A pap to the Divill with a Red marke & Beleived the Devill & promised to Serve him & was Baptized by the Deivill & unto him Renounced hir form'r Baptizme By which Diabollicall Covenant With the Devill by the Said Mercy Wardwell in forme aforsaid made She is become a detestable Witch Contrary to the peace of o'r Sov'r lord & Lady the King & Queen Their Crowne & dignity & the Laws in that Case made & provided.

(Reverse) Mercy Wardwell for Covenanting with the Devill
Salem January 1692
Billa Vera
Robert: Payne foreman
ponet Se Not Guilty
14
Salem Court of Oyer & Terminer Janu'r 1692/3
No: 1

( Mass. Archives Collection. Vol. 135, No. 101. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. )