Hello, I am new to this discussion group and have been monitoring it for the past few days. As Jean Ely noted, I feel that there is more attention paid to witches and wicca than to the tragedy and delusion of the time when my and many other's ancestors were wrongfully executed because of three young girls became ill due to some fermented grain. I see this as a travesty perpetuated by the town of Salem for monetary purposes. I am including an excerpt from Karl Gelpke's book "ESTEYS of England and America" that speaks of the times and particularly of Mary Easty who was hung September 22, 1692. Her petition clearly demonstrates to all that she was not a Witch. George Estey, Direct descendant of Mary (Towne) Easty "One of the most notable incidents of this generation was the tragic involvement of Mary Easty in the Salem Witchcraft Trials. She and her two sisters, Rebecca Nourse and Sarah Cloyce, were accused of being witches. Rebecca was tried and found guilty and executed by hanging July 19, 1692. Mary followed her sister to the gallows September 22, 1692 but sister Sarah escaped harm for Mary was among the last group hanged during this terrible time of witchcraft delusion. Much has been written on the happenings at Salem -- but probably the wide diversity of opinions expressed stem from the inability of people of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries to understand the genuine power of witchcraft in a society that believes in it. Such was the belief in 17th-century New England, and accusations of fraud directed at the young accusers of Salem Village or of power lust directed at the clerical and judicial leadership do not explain away the fact that some of those who were tried and executed practiced witchcraft consistent with the mores of the time. The innocence of Mary Towne Easty, however, is accepted by her contemporaries and later confirmed by an analysis of trial testimony and her actions. Her preliminary examination was held on April 22, 1692, and her conduct so impressed Judge Hathorne that he asked the afflicted girls "-- are you certain this is the woman?" They repeated their charge and she was imprisoned until May 18, when they changed their minds and she was released. This action brought on more hallucinations and, on May 20, a warrant was issued for her rearrest and imprisonment until September, when she was condemned and executed with seven others: Martha Corey, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Margaret Scott, Wilmot "Mammy" Redd, Samuel Wardwell, and Mary Parker. She is quoted as saying "I am going up the ladder to be hanged for a witch, but I am innocent, and before a twelve month be past you shall believe it." Before he death, Mary Easty sent the following petition to the trial magistrates and to the ministers of the County: The Humble Petition of Mary Easty unto his Excellency Sir William Phips, and to the Honored judge and Bench now sitting in Judicature in Salem, and the Reverend Ministers, humbly showeth, That, whereas, your poor humble petitioner, being condemned to die, do humbly beg of you to take it in your judicious and pious consideration that your poor and humble petitioner, knowing my own innocency, blessed be the Lord for it! and seeing plainly the wiles and subtility of my accusers by myself, cannot but judge charitably of others that are going the same way of myself, if the Lord steps not mightily in. I was confined a whole month upon the same account that I am condemned now for, and then cleared by the afflicted persons, as some of Your Honors know. And in two days' time I was cried out upon them, and have been confined, and now am condemned to die. The Lord knows my innocency then, and likewise does now, as at the great day will be known to men and angels. I petition to Your Honors not for my own life, for I know I must die, and my appointed time is set; but the Lord he knows it is that, if it be possible, no more innocent blood may be shed, which undoubtedly cannot be avoided in the way and course you go in. I question not but Your Honors do to the utmost of your powers in the discovery and detecting of witchcraft and witches, and would not be guilty of innocent blood for the world. But, by my own innocency, I know you are in the wrong way. the Lord in his infinite mercy direct you in this great work, if it be his blessed will that no more innocent blood be shed! I would humbly beg you, that Your Honors would be pleased to examine these afflicted persons strictly, and keep them apart some time, and likewise to try some of these confessing witches; I being confident there is several of them has belied themselves and others, as will appear, if not in this world, I am sure in the world to come, Whither I am now agoing. I question not but you will see an alteration of these things. They say myself and others having made a league with the Devil, we cannot confess. I know, and the Lord knows, as will ... appear, they belie me, and so I question not but they do to others. The Lord above, who is the Searcher of all hearts, knows, as I shall answer it at the tribunal seat, that I know not the least thing of witchcraft; Therefore I cannot, I dare not, belie my own soul. I beg your Honors not to deny this my humble petition from a poor, dying, innocent person. And I question not but the Lord will give a blessing to your endeavors." Mary Easty" The petition prepared by Mary Easty attests to her intelligence, perception, and self-effacement. She has been called the "self forgetful". It is a remarkable document and makes one regret the meager record she left to posterity. After her execution, Isaac, her husband, labored twenty years to clear her name and was, in a measure, successful when the petitions presented to the court were recognized, the verdict annulled. Twenty pounds was granted him in acknowledgement of the injustice done as shown by the following: By His Excellency the Governor Whereas ye General Assembly in their last session accepted ye Report of their Committee appointed to consider of ye Damages sustained by Sundry persons, prosecution for Witch-craft ye Year 1692. Vis. To Elizabeth How, 12-0-0 Rebecca Nurse, 25-0-0 George Jacobs, 70-0-0 John Willard, 20-0-0 Mary Easty, 20-0-0 Sarah Good, 30-0-0 Mary Parker, 8-0-0 Martha Carrier, 7-6-0 George Burroughs, 50-0-0 Samuel Wardwell Giles Corey & wife 21-0-0 and wife, 36-15-0 Sarah Wild, 14-0-0 John Proctor and Abigail Faulkin, 20-0-0 wife, 150-0-0 Abigail Hobbs 10-0-0 Mary Bradbury 20-0-0 Anne Foster 6-0-0 Rebecca Eames 10-0-0 Mary Lacey 8-10-9 Dorcas Hoar 21-14-0 Mary Post 8-14-0 578-12-0 The whole amounting to Five Hundred and Seventy-eight pounds and 12 shillings. (Ordered paid to Stephen Sewell, Esq., who was to distribute legally to heirs, etc.) 17 December 1711 J. Dudley