(Examination of Mary Marston )

[August 29, 1692]

29 Agust 1692

Before Maj'r Gidney Mr Hauthorn & Cap'n Higginson

The Examination & confession of mary marston wife of Jno marston Jun'r of Andover:

Being asked how long she had practised witchcraft, Answered a week agoe since she gave consent or Leave to afflict, she said she heard a voice in the night tyme which desyred leave of her to afflict & she answered yes, and being asked if she had not afflicted Abigail martin she said the devil did it for her

Said Abigail martin being in a choakeing fitt, Mary Lacey saw William Barker and this mary marston afflicting of her. S'd lacey saw them also afflict martha Sprague -- The said mary Marston being again asked how long it is since she was first seduced, she said sometyme in the last winter, And that being at home in her onw house, & her husband absent, she saw the appearance of a black man in the evening a litle after it was dark. The said black man bid her serve him, and beleeve in him, He also offered a paper book without covers to signe, which she did with a pen dipt in Ink and therewith made a stroake, He told her she [should] not be discovered, he also told her he was the devil and that she should live happily

She again said it is not above a week agoe since the devil asked her consent to afflict and that yesterday being sabath day and the 28th of the month she afflicted Abigail martin , And martha Sprague on the Saturnday before, she again said that on the munday before that she only heard a voice and that if it was any body it was the devil that taught her this witchcraft. Being asked what she was to doe when the persones should be afflicted Answered to pinch and Squeeze her hands together and so to think upon the persones to be afflicted

She saith that W'm Barker & she afflicted in company together the last saturnday And it was by their spirits they conversed and agreed so to doe And they mett at Mr Tylers house for that end, And further they began their affliction first upon martha Sprague , next upon Rose foster and then upon Abigail martin --

Martha Sprague said that she was afflicted upon Saturday at Salem by s'd mary marston & others The said marston being asked how long she was comeing from Andover to Salem upon saturnday in her spirit, Ansred not long. Q: how brought you A. the black man. and said also ther came along with her William Barker & mary Barker And that she Viz marston for. her part Squeezed Spragues neck

Being asked what moved her to afflict any persone she said the devil made her doe it And when she refused he looked angry and threatned her very much

(Noate) That hitherto she still struck down the afflicted persones w'th her eyes and recovered them again by Layeing her hand upon their wrist or arme

Being again asked how long since the devil seduced her answered about three years agoe (noate, Lacey & sprague saw the apparitions of the black man and barker standing before said mary marston #[She now saith that about the tyme when her mother dyed and she was over come with melancholly] about three year since the black man appeared to her in the great Roome and told her she must serve and worship him And so she did And that was the first tyme she signed the devils book, she saith Wm & Mary Barkers were her companiones, She acknowledges the hurting of the aflicted persones, & was sorry for it But yet could not Look upon them without strykeing of them down. --

A litle after she confessed she was at the witchmeet[i]ng at Salem Village and that she did ryde upon a pole and the meeting was upon a green Martha sprague said the apparitions told marston she #[should not] had confessed too much already and therefore would not Let her speak any more.

Mary Marston signed & owned the abovesaid
Examination & Conffession 15 Sept. 1692:
before me: *John Higginson Just'ce peace
15 Sept. 1692

The marke
of S
Mary Marston

(Reverse) Confessions of Mary Marston wife of
John Marston Jun'r of
Andover. Accused W'm Barker
Mary Barker

Aflicted Martha Sprage
Rose foster
Abigaill Martin

Billa vera

*Robert Payne
foreman.

( Massachusetts Archives Collection. Vol. 135, No. 47. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. )

(Examination of Mary Marston, Copy )

[August 29, 1692]

August 29th 1692 Before Majr Gedney Mr Hathorne Mr Corwin & John Higginson Esqr ---

The Examination & Conffession of Mary Marston wife of Jno Marston Junr of Andiver ---

Being asked how long she had practised witchcraft a week agoe Since she gave ^consent or^ leave to afflict She sd heard a voyce in ye nighttime which desired leave ^of her^ to afflict & she answerd yes & bing asked if She had not afflicted abigall Martin She sd ye Divel did it for her, sd Abigall Marttin being in Choaking fitt Mary Lacy Saw Wm Barker ------

1692 & This Mary Marston afflicting of Her Sd lacey Saw ym also afflictt Martha Sprauge -- The sd Mary Martston being agin asked how long it was since she was first seduced she sd sometime in ye last Winter, & that being at home in her owne house & her husband absent she saw ye apearan^ce^ of a black man In ye Evening a litle after it was dark she sd ye black man bid her serve him & believe ^in^ him, he also offered apaper book wth out Covers to Signe wch she did wth a pen dipt in Ink & therwith made a stroake He told her she should not be discovered & he also told her he was ye Divel & yt she should live happily, she again sd it was not above aweek agoe since ye Divel asked her Consent to afflict & yt Yesterday being Sabbath day & ye 28th of ye Mon. She afflicted abigal Martin, & Martha Sprauge ye Satterday before. She again sd yt on ye mooday before yt she only heard a voice & yt if it was any body it was ye Divel yt taught her this witch craft Being asked what She was to doe when ye persons Should be afflicted Answered to pinch & Squeez her hands to [word crossed out: gether?] gether & soe think upon ye persons to be afflicted she saith yt wm Barker & She afflicted in Compy Togethr ye last Satterday & it was by their Spirits they Conversed & agreed so to doe & they mett at Mr Tylers House for yt End, & further they began their affliction upon Martha Sprauge Next upon Rosse foster & yn upon Abigal Martin ---

Martha Sprauge sd yt she was afflicted last Satterday at Salem By sd Marston & others ye sd Marston being asked how long she was Coming from Andiver to Salem upon Satterday in her Spirit Answered [abbreviated as: A] Not long Q: how brought you A. ye black man and sd also yn Came along wth her Wm & Mary Barker & yt she Viz Marston for He part Squeezed Sprauges Neck being asked wt moved her to afflict ^any^ persons she sd ye Divel Made her do it & when she Refused he looked angry & Threatned her much ---- Noate, yt Hitherto she still struck Downe ye afflicted persons wth her Eyes & recovered them again by laying Her Hand upon there Riste or armes ----

Being asked how long it was since ye Divel seduced Her A: @ 3 years agoe (Noate Lacey & Sprauge saw ye apperittions of ye black man & Willm Barker standing before sd Mary Marston) The black man appeared to her in ye Greate room @ 3 years Since & told her she must serve & Worship him & so she did & yt was ye first time she signed ye Divels book, she saith yt Wm & Mary Barkers were her Companians she acknowledges ye Hurting of ye afflicted persons & was sorry for it butt Yett Could not look on ym without Stricking ym downe -- a little after she Confessed she wa at ye witch meetting at Salem Village & yt she did Rid upon a pole & ye metting was Upon a Green Martha Sprauge said ye aperitons told Marston she had Conffesed to Much already & Therefore would not lett her speak any More
Mary Marston Signed & owned the abovesd

Examination & Conffession before The Mark X of
15 Sept 1692 me John Higginson Justc pease Mary Marston

(Essex Institute Collections, no. 24, 7r-v, Peabody Essex Museum, James Duncan Phillips Library, Rowley, MA. )