The Bermuda Witches

While I was working on the post, "Early Ancestors: The Ming Family," I found a reference to an incident that happened in David Ming's house in Bermuda and led to accusations of witchcraft. I've been keeping that in the back of my mind for a Halloween post, so here it is!

I was in Salem, Massachusetts, in October of 2012. It was a whirlwind weekend trip, sponsored by a student tour company with which I had booked a tour of Washington, D.C. for my middle school students. The opportunity to visit Boston was a wonderful surprise, and I loved it. I have wanted to go back ever since. On the last full day of the trip we were given the choice of re-visiting some of the Boston tour spots on our own or taking a bus trip to Salem. I chose Salem. 

Salem in October is both somber and whimsical. I visited the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, walking by myself among the fallen leaves, reading the names of the 14 women and 6 men executed as "witches" in 1692. Then I walked back to the touristy part of town, where I encountered numerous visitors wearing elaborate witch hats to celebrate Halloween in Salem. I almost bought a hat myself. 

Salem Witch Memorial

Witch hat from Salem

What little I knew about witchcraft trials came from this short trip to Salem. Even though I knew that accusations of witchcraft had been made in Europe and that executions had taken place there, I had no idea of the number or of the geographic extent of them. I have to admit that when I thought of witchcraft trials, I tended to think of Salem rather than of Europe. 

A little research this week turned up the following facts: Although accusations of witchcraft were made in Europe for centuries, the highest number occurred from 1580 to 1630; geographically, they occurred all over Europe, but at different times and among different religious groups; from 1300 to 1850 the numbers of accused and executed ranged from 16,000 accused, almost 7,000 executed in Germany to 300 accused, 46 executed in the Netherlands; by the time the trials took place in Salem, they had largely faded out in Europe.

Interestingly, hardly any persons were tried for witchcraft in Ireland, but a large number were accused in Scotland. In Scotland the Witchcraft Act of 1563 made the practice of witchcraft, or consulting with a witch, a capital crime. James VI of Scotland (who became James I of England and Ireland in 1603) encouraged the trials, as he thought that the storms that he endured while claiming his Danish bride, Anne, had been the result of witchcraft. He set up commissions to hunt down witches and encouraged torture in dealing with accused witches. His suspicion that a particular nobleman was a witch caused the nobleman to flee the country in fear for his life. Eventually, James had doubts and limited prosecutions for witchcraft.

These facts are important to the incidents I am about to describe in Bermuda, as they began in about 1645, almost 50 years before the Salem trials, so they must have been been the result of European, rather than American, influence. During these years Bermuda was still under the administration of the Virginia-based Somers Isles Company, granted a royal charter by King James I in 1615; in 1684 it became an English Crown colony. (Today, Bermuda is designated a British Overseas Territory; since 1949 when Newfoundland joined Canada, Bermuda has been the oldest remaining British colony.)

According to Memorials of the Discovery and Early Settlement of the Bermudas or Somers Islands, 1515-1685 by J. H. Lefroy, published in 1879, "It is not at all improbable that new arrivals from the mother-country, or the Scotch prisoners about this time sold into servitude in Bermuda, may have brought this superstition with them." The years of witchcraft trials in Bermuda seemed to coincide with Governor Josias Forster's last term of office. LeCroy opines that Forster might not be directly responsible for the trials, "But it is certain that he lent himself very readily to it, and took an active part in the persecution of many harmless old women and half-crazy men." To our modern eyes the accusations seem ridiculous and the "trials" by various means downright silly, but keep in mind the consequences of a guilty verdict: death.

From the colonial records published in Lefroy's book, here is the list of accused "witches" in Bermuda from 1651 to 1696:

• Jeane Gardiner. Accused of threatening a mulatto woman who subsequently "was very much tormented, and struck blind and dumb for the space of twoe hours." The record states that "The Gouvenor and counsell was very careful in findinge out the trewth." They did this by calling a jury of women who were instructed to inspect the accused woman's body for marks of the devil; in her mouth they found a "blewe spot wh. being prickt did not bleed," which she was known to have had for 18 years. "For further triall she was tried and throwne twice in the sea. She did swyme like a corke and could not sink." [If you floated, you were a witch. If you sank, you were innocent and dead. Some choice.] "These signes and other stronge evidences in Court condemme her, yet neverthelesse shee would confesse noethinge att her death. Shee was demanded in Court if she could give a reason why shee did not sinke. She answered that she did open her mouth and breathe but could not sinke." She was sentenced to death and executed on the 26th of May, 1651.
• Anne Bowen. Although the record is not clear, she possibly escaped execution because of the "absence of witch marks on her person."
• Elizabeth Midleton. Accused of using "many cursed speeches against a young child age 9 months...after which it fell into strange fitts." She was acquitted.
• Henry Ward. Accused of "consent[ing] with the Devill to bewitch the Turkeyes of Thomas Atkin...which cast them into strong fitts so that they at last died by that diabolical practice." He was cleared by proclamation.
• John Midleton. Brought to trial for "bewitching of a skotsman called John Makeraton," fifteen witnesses gave testimony, mostly against Midleton. It's hard to tell if they just didn't like him, or if they were intimidated by the authorities who might accuse them next. Even his wife [Elizabeth Midleton, above] had accused him of witchcraft previously but at the trial "declareth that she hath no ground to accuse her husband to be a witch."  One of the weirdest testimonies was Robert Priestly's, who saw a strange sight while gathering cattle in the evening near Midleton's house, "a Black creatuer...upon the ground in the shape of a catt but farre Bigger, with eyes like fier, and a tayle near as long as a mans arme." Even poor John began to believe he was guilty. After failing his trial by water, he told the men taking him back to the prison that "he was a Witch & that he knew yt not before." By the time he was executed on May 9, 1653, he had made a list of his sins, which included disobedience to his parents, going to church "for fashion sake," and "making debate between neighbours."
• Christian Stevenson. When asked if he knew of any other witches, John Midleton accused Christian Stevenson and Alice Moore. Many witnesses and more weird testimony. A jury of women found a "devil's mark" in Christian's mouth, which she claimed to have been caused by a "ragged tooth"; the man who filed the tooth for her would not back her up in court. A friend (with whom she had fallen out on occasion) said that Christian had given her a rose which she wore to bed. "And in the night as she was in bedd she felt a perfect hand...which hand did by force pluck her upright in her bed." The next morning she and her children searched for the rose everywhere and couldn't find it. Another woman argued with Christian about payment for a pair of spectacles. Christian called her "plunder mouth & said that she could teare her flesh from her bones," and that very night "her tongue was puld out of her head and hanged out like a beastes tongue." [How did these people come up with this stuff?] She was found guilty of witchcraft and hanged on May 20, 1653.
• Alice Moore.  John Midleton had accused Alice during his trial, stating that "he feared that she was a naughty woman because he saw her in her window in a witches hatt." She was accused of "destroy[ing] the cattell & hogges of Mr. John Waynewright & Thomas Gaplin," found guilty, and executed on May 20, 1653.

In the warrant for the execution of Christian Stevenson, signed by Josias Forester, was the following statement. It's amazing how people can convince themselves that what they are doing is having a positive effect and that they are doing the right thing:

"We the Grand Inquest taking into our consideration how yt hath pleased god upon slight and slender ground being carefully followed upon one person for suspition of witchcraft, what good successe & yssues hath followed upon yt, Therefore wee desire that All such persons as wee have hereunder mentioned may have some careful eyes cast upon them, soe that if yt shall please our god to discover more of them they may be persued after and proceeded agaynst until as David saith, wee have cut of wicked doers from off this Island."

• Goody Brangman.  And in the very next case recorded there actually was a common sense conclusion. It started out as an argument between two women: Goody Stow and Goody Brangman. The complainant was actually Edward Brangman, the husband of Goody Brangman, who accused "widdow Mary Stow [of] some slanderous speeches used against his wife." The charge of witchcraft against Goody Brangman was made because Goody Stow "tooke up a stone and made as though she would throw yt at her, but did not, and Goody Brangman badd her throw yt if she durst and shortly after her finger fell Lame." In addition, Goody Stow "observed goody Brangman did not use to sing in the Church, and that made her thinke she was a witch." Goodwife Stowe acknowledged her "suspitious speeches" and asked both Brangmans to "passe by her offence," which they did. "Goody Stow did promise to lyve quietly by them for the tyme to come." Case closed.
• Elizabeth Page and Jane Hopkins. Captain William White, master of the ship Maieflower, complained to Governor Forster that there were two women passengers on his ship that he "did vehemently suspect to be witches." Evidence was given that Page "being by the compas had her finger over the compas and made it turne Round...and yet never touched yt"; Hopkins "wished that god might showe some signe whether she was a witch or not, and emediately there was a thing in the likeness of a ratt appeared unto them." [A rat on a ship? She must be a witch!] Both women's bodies were inspected by female jurors for devil's marks; Page didn't have any, but Hopkins did. Page was acquitted; Hopkins was executed by hanging on January 5, 1654.
• Grace Bedwell. Accused of afflicting several persons, especially Kate, an Indian woman servant of Robert Powell, she was found not guilty.
• Mistress Miller. Having accused Mrs. Miller of witchcraft, William Haynes "did acknowledge in open court that he had done her & her posterity...great wrong." He asked for forgiveness and was set free; there is no record of what happened to Mrs. Miller.
• Trial of Goodwife Moore. This section of records is dated 1658 and includes testimony against Thomas Moore and his wife. It is unclear if this is the same Alice Moore described above. Evidence was given by Nathaniell Astwood whose servant, John Richards, passed Moore and his wife on a path, and since "had been very yll and is much ympared in his body"; Richards attested that the wife of Thomas Moore "or the divell in her likeness" appeared to him at night in his room. A jury of women could find no devil marks upon the person of Goodwife Moore.
• Goodwife Crockford. Michael Brother was called before the Governor & Councell on October 26, 1658, to answer the complaint of Goodwife Crockford that he had called her a witch. Brothers "confest himselfe to be in drink and forgott what he spoke" and asked Mrs. Crockford for forgiveness, which she gave.
• Nicholas Hon. Accused of witchcraft on December 6, 1659, by Henrie Sims and his wife, he was admonished by the Governor and dismissed.
• William Haynes. Having accused Mrs. Miller (above) of witchcraft, Haynes is himself accused in December 1663. John Place testified that he was "affrighted by the aforesaid Haynes, or his apparition...with a knife in his hand" in his lodging chambers at night. Haynes was found not guilty and acquitted.
• Christian North. Accused in September 1668 by Merian Ward, the widow North went to trial in December 1668; she was acquitted by proclamation.
• Susan Cole. Finally, we have arrived at the case that caught my eye in the first place because the original incident took place in the home of my ancestor. At the time of the incident Susan Cole was actually Susan Bailey, widow, and her marriage prospects were the subject of the argument between her and her accuser, Thomas Holt. On that day the widow Bailey, Thomas Holt, and several others were guests in the home of David Ming. Holt told the widow that he had been told by Roger Waightman that he, Waightman, was going away to New Providence for two years and on his return would be married to the "Widdow Bayly." She "swore by God, that she would terrifie (or torment) him the said Holt for his soe saying." (As she married Robert Cole between the time of the incident and the trial, it is obvious that marrying Waightman was not her plan.) The argument escalated, with Holt replying "That he did warne the said Susan to have a care for if any thing did befall him or any of his, hee would have her fast enough." She retorted that "if she were in another place, shee would set her fist in his jawes; hee made answer [that] he would sett his foote in her back, if she were a better woman than shee is." "...about a fortnight after they had been together in David Ming's house, hee was taken all in his left Shoulder and his left Arme. Since which time he hath bin, and often times is in extreme paine. And cannot follow his Tailery calling, though he be capable of doeing any worke in the grounds or without doors without any paine or misery." (Well--imagine a tailor having pain in his shoulder or arm! Today they would diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome or a rotator cuff injury.) This would be funny, if it wasn't almost tragic. Susan Cole was found guilty and sentenced to death. On June 21, 1671, Governor Sir John Heydon reprieved her from execution and ordered her returned to prison until further orders were given. (Do you suppose she had been taken all the way to the place of execution, only to be told at the last minute she was reprieved? Just wow.) 

Hold on, it's almost over, although one of the worst is yet to come.

• Martha Franklin. Accused of "the Killing, wounding & waste and pineing away" of  "the Hoggs, Sheepe, Cattle, fowles, etc. of Humphrey Coverlie," the burning down of a house of William Duck five years previously, and "speaking daingerous words which causes her to be suspected for witchcrayft," she was found not guilty on May 27, 1672.
• Gillian Abbot and Elizabeth Ward. Abbot was accused by Edwin Mallory, suspected of causing the illness of his daugher Jane; Ward was accused by Captain John Hubbard, Sheriffe, for the unusual "wasting and pining away" of his servant girl. A jury was impaneled to search the women's bodies for marks; the conclusion of the jury was not recorded. Nothing is recorded about their fates.
• Sarah Spencer. Spencer, a widow, was accused by Mrs. Harmon for causing the affliction of her daughter, Sarah. Sarah Spencer was committed to prison until the next court session; nothing is known of her fate.
• Sarah Bassett. The last indictment for witchcraft in Bermuda was against a black servant, Sarah Bassett, accused in 1696 of attempting to poison her master's family. While referred to as a witchcraft case, it actually was carried through the court as a case of petit treason, defined as an offense involving "betrayal (including murder) of a superior by a subordinate." Bassett was executed by burning in June 1730. An author's note explains that the day of Bassett's execution was extraordinarily hot, so that in the black community of Bermuda a hot day was often described as "a regular Sarey or Sally Bassett day." (The author notes that the particulars of this case were contributed to him by Provost Marshal J. Trott from the Quarter Court records for the year 1696. That's 34 years between indictment and execution, but those are the dates recorded in Lefroy's Memorials.)

Some final thoughts: Some tragic things have happened in this world because humans need to understand why things happen, and in the absence of knowledge, they substitute superstition. Something stuck with me from one of the sources I read about the witchcraft trials of the 17th century; motives and effects were more important as evidence because witchcraft couldn't be seen. If harm came to a person or their property (an effect), then someone was to blame. If that someone had a motive for harming the victim, then he or she was definitely in trouble. Add to that the enthusiasm that the neighbors had for making up good stories, and a faulty belief in "devil's marks" as evidence, and you've got yourself some witchcraft trials. Certainly, our modern ideas of evidence are a little more realistic than rats, cats, and witch's hats. While Governor Forster may have congratulated himself for finding out the "trewth," it's hard to have a fair trial when the whole premise behind the accusation is flawed.