Representation of the trial of Rebecca Nurse from The Witch of Salem, or Credulity Run Mad by John R. Musick
Place Created: Salem, MA
Year Created: 1692
Collection this Document is Affiliated with:
Description: Rebecca Nurse was a pious, respected woman whose specter, according to Ann Putnam, Jr. and Abagail Williams, attacked them in mid March of 1692. Ann Putnam, Sr. added her complaint that Nurse demanded that she sign the Devil's book, then pinched her. Nurse was one of three Towne sisters , all identified as witches, who were members of a Topsfield family that had a long-standing quarrel with the Putnam family. Apart from the evidence of Putnam family members, the major piece of evidence against Nurse appeared to be testimony indicating that soon after Nurse lectured Benjamin Houlton for allowing his pig to root in her garden, Houlton died. The Nurse jury returned a verdict of not guilty, much to the displeasure of Chief Justice Stoughton, who told the jury to go back and consider again a statement of Nurse's that might be considered an admission of guilt (but more likely an indication of confusion about the question, as Nurse was old and nearly deaf). The jury reconvened, this time coming back with a verdict of guilty. On July 19, 1692, Nurse rode with four other convicted witches to Gallows Hill.
Categories of Documents:
EVIDENCE AGAINST NURSE:
(Ann Putnam, Sr. v. Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Cloyce, Bridget Bishop, and Elizabeth Cary)
The Deposition of Ann putnam the wife of Thomas putnam who testifieth and saith that on the first day of June 1692. the Apperishtion of Rebekah Nurs did again fall upon me and almost choak me and she toald me that now she was come out of prision she had power to afflet me and that now she could for she tould me she had kiled benjamine Holton and John fuller and Rebekah Shepard: and she also toald me that she and her sister Cloyes and Ed: Bhishop wife of of Salem village had kiled young Jno putnams Child because yong Jno putnam had said that it was no wonder they were witches for their mother was so before them and because they could not aveng themselves on him they did kill his child: and immediatly they did appere to me: six children in winding sheets which caled me aunt: which did most greviously affright me: and they tould me that they ware my sisters Bakers children of Boston and that gooddy Nurs and Mistris Cary of Charletown and an old deaft woman att Boston had murthered them: and charged me to go and tell these things to the magestrats or elce they would tare me to peaces for their own blood did crie for vengance also their Appeared to me my own sister Bayley and three of hir children in winding sheets and tould me that gooddy Nurs had urthered them
Citation:
Linder, Doug. “THE TRIAL OF REBECCA NURSE.” Petitions Relating to the Trial of Rebecca Nurse for Witchcraft, law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/ASA_NUR.HTM. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
Linder, Doug. “The Witchcraft Trials in Salem: A Commentary.” An Account of the Salem Witchcraft Investigations, Trials, and Aftermath., law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.