Salem witch trials petitions

If it cannot be granted that we can have our Trials at Boston, we humbly beg that you would endeavour to have these Magistrates changed, and others in their rooms, begging also and beseeching you would be pleased to be here, if not all, some of you at our Trials, hoping thereby you may be the means of saving the shedding our Innocent Bloods, desiring your Prayers to the Lord in our behalf, we rest your Poor Afflicted Servants,.

Mather, Mr. Allen, Mr. Moody, Mr. Willard, and Mr. Bailey Reverend Gentlemen. In late April or early May , Parris's enemies presented a petition to the elders of neighboring churches, hoping to pressure Parris to step down. Eighty-four villagers signed this Anti-Parris Petition. The signers identified themselves under six group labels: Sixteen males signed as " young men years old "; twenty-nine men signed as "householders" ; six men signed as church "members" ; eleven women signed as church "members "; sixteen women signed as church "non-members" ; and five males signed as "free-holders ," an uncertain designation likely meaning that these men were members of a church other than Salem Village's.

Parris's supporters soon countered with a petition of their own. The resulting Pro-Parris Petition of May , contained names , identified in four groups. Twenty-four women signed as "householders" ; twenty-nine men signed as "householders "; twenty-five men signed as "church-members" ; and twenty-seven women signed as "church-members. The two petitions are not direct measures of how Salem Villagers felt before or during the witchcraft outbreak.

They circulated over two years after the outbreak subsided, and they did not specifically refer to the sentiments of its signers about the outbreak itself or about Parris's suitability as minister before or during In fact, a few signers of the anti-Parris petition had helped prosecute someone for witchcraft in And some of those who signed the pro-Parris petition had defended an accused. But in general, those Salem Villagers who signed the pro-Parris petition are known to have promoted the trials, and those whose names are on the anti-Parris petition tried to stop Parris's salary, defended accused witches, and had family members among the accused.

Although imperfect, the petitions are credible indicators of Salem Villagers' earlier attitudes about Parris and about the witchcraft outbreak and can be used to determine social and economic distinctions between rival village factions.

Users can consult court transcripts and compare the names of pro- and anti-Parris petitioners of with their activities during the outbreak.