(Examination of Mary Parker )

[September 2, 1692. ]

2 Sep'r 1692. The Examination of mary Parker of Andover widow taken before Bartho' Gidny John Hathorne Jonat' Corwin & John Higginson Esq'rs ther majesties Justices of the peace for the County of Essex in the forth yeare of their majesties Reigne

upon mentioneing of her name, severall afflicted persones wer struck down as mary warrin Sarah churchhill. hannah post , Sarah Bridges Mercy wardwell, And when she came before the Justices, she recovered all the afflicted out of their fitts by the touch of their hand

She is accused for #[bewitching] acting of witchcraft upon martha Sprague And Sarah Phelps . Q. how long have ye been in the snare of the devil. Ansr. I know nothing of it There is another woman of the same name in Andover But martha Sprague affirmed that that this is the very woman that afflicted her

The said mary Parker Lookeing upon Sprague struck her down, and recovered her again out of her fitt,

Mary Lacey being in a fitt, cryd out upon mary Parker, & s'd
Parker recovered her out of her fitt,

Mercy wardwell was twice afflicted by Parker & recovered again by her

William Barker Jun'r lookeing upon mary Parker said to her face That she was one of his company. And that the last night she afflicted martha Sprague in company with him

Mercy wardwell said that this mary parker was also one of her company and that the said parker afflicted Timothy Swan in her company --
Mary Warrin in a violent fitt was brought neare haveing a pin run through her hand and blood runeing out of her mouth she was recovered from her fitt by s'd mary parker The said mary warrin said that this mary Parker afflicted & tormented her, And further that she saw the said Parker at ane examination up at Salem Village sitting upon one of the Beams. of the house./

I underwritten being appointed by the Justices of the peace in Salem to wryt down the Examination of Mary Parker abovementioned Doe testify this to be a true coppy of the originall examination As to the substance of it,

*W'm Murray

(Reverse) Exam'n of Mary Parker

( Essex County Court Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2, no. 63, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. )
)

(Indictment of Mary Parker, for Afflicting Sarah Phelps )

[+ September 16, 1692 ]

Essex in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England ss ] Anno RR's & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &ca Quarto Annoq'e Domini 1692 The Jurors for our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen p'rsent That Mary Parker
of Andivor -- In the County of Essex Widdow In or about the last day of August -- In the Yeare aforesaid and divers other days and times as well before as after Certaine detestable Arts Called Witchcraft and Sorceries Wickedly Mallitiously and felloniously hath used practised & Exercised at and in the Towne of Andivor in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and against one Sarah Phelps of Andivor -- Aforesaid Single Woman -- by which said Wicked Acts the said Sarah Phelps the day & Yeare aforesaid and divers other days and times both before and after was and is Tortured Aflicted Consumed Pined Wasted and Tormented, & also for sundry other Acts of Witchcraft by the said Mary Parker -- Comitted and done before and since that time against the Peace of our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen theire Crowne and Dignity and the forme Of the Stattute in that case made and Provided.

Inquir'd of Capt. Chandler

(Reverse) Mary Parker for bewitching Sarah Phelps of Andivo'e

(Witchcrat Papers, no. 35. Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA.)

(Indictment of Mary Parker for Afflicting Hannah Bigsby )

[+ September 16, 1692 ]

Essex in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England. ] Anno RR's Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae & Quarto. Annoq'e Domini 1692

The Jurors for o'r Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen do present That. Mary Parker of Andiver ----- in the County of Essex Widdow Upon or about the first day of September ----- In the year aforesaid and divers other dayes and Times as well before as after Certaine detestable Arts Called Witchcraft and Sorceries wickedly Mallistiously & felloniously hath used Practised and Exercised at and in the Towne of Andivor in the County aforesaid in upon and against one Hannah Bigsbee of Andivor in the County aforesaid Wife of Daniell Bigsby of Andivor afors'd Carpenter by whitch Said wicked acts the said Hannah Bigsby the Day & Yeare aforesaid and divers other dayes and Times both before and after was and is Tortured aflicted Consumed Pined Wasted and Tormented and also for Sundry othe[r] Acts of Witchcraft by the Said Mary Parker Comitted and done Before and Since That time against the peace of o'r Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen theire Crowne and Dignity and the forome of the Stattute in That Case made and Provided.

Inquir'd of Capt. Chandler

(Reverse) Mary Parker Indictm't
for bewitching Hanah Bigsby
Billa Vera
Ponet Se

( Essex Institute Collection, No. 4. Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA.)

(Indictment v. Mary Parker for Afflicting Martha Sprague)

[+ September 16, 1692 ]

Essex in the Province of the Massachusetts. Bay in New England ss/ ] Anno R R's & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &.c Quarto Annoq'e Domini 1692.

The Jurors for o'r Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen doe present that Mary Parker of Andivor ------- In the County of Essex Widdow the first day of Septemb'r In the year aforesaid and divers other dayes and Times as well before as after Certaine detestable Arts called Witchcraft and Sorceries Wickedly Mallistiously and felloniously hath used Practised and Exercised at and in the Towne of Salem in the County of Essex -- aforesaid in upon and against one Martha Sprague of Boxford in #[aforesaid] the County of Essex aforesaid Single Woman By which said wicked Acts the Said Martha Sprague the day & year aforesaid and divers other dayes and times both before and after was and is Tortured aflicted Consumed Pined wasted and Tormented and also for Sundry other acts of Witchcraft by the said Mary Parker ------ Comitted and done before and since that Time against the peace of o'r Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen theire Crowne & dignity and the forme of the Stattute, in that Case made and Provided.

(Reverse) Indictm't ags't
Mary Parker for bewitching
Martha Sprague
Ignoramus

( Essex County Court Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2, no. 64, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. )
)

(Statements of William Barker, Jr. & Mercy Wardwell v. Mary Parker )

[September 16, 1692 ]

Wm Barker Jun'r affirmed to the grand Inquest:that: Mary Parker: did in Company with him s'd Barker : afflict Martha Sprag by: witchcraft. the night before: s'd Barker Confessed: which was: the 1 of Sept'r 1692: this he owned: to the grand Inquest: Sept'r 16 : 1692
Owned in Court

Mercy Wardwell: owned to the grand Inquest that she had seen: the shape of Mary Parker: When she: s'd Wardwell: afflicted: Timo Swan: also: she: s'd she saw: s'd parkers Shape: when the s'd wardwell afflicted Martha Sprage: but I did not certainely know: that s'd Parker was a witch: this she owned: to the grand Inquest: Sept'r 16: 1692

(Reverse) William Barker & Mercy Wardw evidence agst
Mary Parker:

( Essex County Court Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2, no. 68, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. )
)

(Petition of John Parker & Joseph Parker, for Restitution for Mary Parker)

[November 7, 1692 ]

To his Excellency the Governor, and Councill and Representatives; now sitting in Boston
the humble Petition of John Parker, & Joseph Parker of Andover sheweth,

That whereas our mother mary Parker of Andover, was apprehended upon suspition of witchcraft, and being brought to a tryall at Salem Court, was condemned: since her death the sherriff of Essex sent an officer to seise on her estate. The said officer required us in their majestyes name to give him an Account of our mothers estate, pretending it was forfeited to the King; we told him that our mother left no estate; (which we are able to make appear) notwithstanding which, he seised upon our cattell, Corn & hay, to a considerable value; and ordered us to go down to Salem and make an agreement with the sherrife, otherwise the estate would be exposed to sale. We not knowing what advantage the Law might give him against us, and fearing we should sustain greater Damage by the loss of our Estate, went to the sherriff accordingly, who told us he might take away all that was seised. if he pleased, but was willing to do us a kindness by giveing us an oppertunity to redeem it. He at first demanded ten pounds of us, but at length was willing to take Six pounds, which he has obliged us by Bill to pay him within a moneth. Now if our Mother had left any Estate, we know not of any Law in force in this Province, by which it should be forfeited upon her condemnation; much less can we understand that there is any Justice or reason, for the sherriff to seise upon our Estate And tho it is true our own act has obliged us to pay him a Summ of money, yet we declare that we were drawn to it partly by the officers great pretences of Law for what he did, partly to prevent the loss of our estate which we feard would be immediately sold.

Now we humbly pray this Hon'red Court to consider our case, and if it be judged that so much money ought not to have been demanded of us, upon the forementioned account: we pray that we may be discharged from that obligation, which the sherriff, taking advantage of our ignorance hath brough us under And yo'r Petition'rs as in duty bound shall ever pray &c --

Dated at Andov'r 7'th Novemb'r 1692 John Parker Joseph Parker

( Mass. Archives Collection, Vol. 135, no. 65, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. )