Sarah Pease - Salem Witch Trials 1692

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On Monday, May 23, 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, Sarah was accused of "sundry acts of witchcraft committed on the bodys of Mary Warren, Abigaile Williams and Eliz Hubbard". She was accused along with Benjamin Proctor and Mary Derich. A warrant for her arrest was issued and she was arrested that day. The following day was set aside for examinations and the proceedings were recorded by Nathanial Cary of Charlestown. He and Mrs. Cary had come to observe and to face Mrs. Cary's accuser, Abigail Williams. He writes of the prisioners, one of whom surely was Sarah Pease.

"The prisoners were called in one by one, and as they came in were cried out of, etc. The prisoner was placed about 7 or 8 foot from the Justices, and the accusers between the Justices and them; with an Officer appointed to hold each hand, least they should therewith afflict them, and the prisoners eyes must be constantly on the Justices; for if they look'd on the afflicted, they would either fall into their fits, or cry out of being hurt by them; after examination of the prisoners, who it was afflicted these girls, etc., they were put upon saying the Lords prayer, as a trial of their guilt; after the afflicted seem'd to be out of their fits, they would look steadfastly on some one person, and frequently not speak; and then would speak again; then the Justices said to the accusers, 'which of you will go and touch the prisoner at the bar?' then the most courageous would adventure, but before they mad three steps would ordinarily fall down as in a fit; the Justices ordered that they should be taken up and carried to the prisoner, that she might touch them; and as soon as they were touched by the accused, the Justices would say, they are well, before I could discern any alteration...

Sufficient evidence must have been found against Sara because she was sent to Salem Jail on May 25th, 1962. Although testimony was brought against her again on August 5th, Sarah escaped the condemnation of the judges, who sentenced 15 people to the gallows in September. By the late fall of that year the tide of hysteria had abated, and sympathy was turning from the victims to the accused. Sarah survived the winter and was released in May of 1693, after suffering a year in jail.

This was taken from notes for Sarah.