Events+That+Led+to+the+Trials

In 1692 sometime during February a young girl named Betty Paris became ill. She dashed about dove under furniture, contorted in pain and complains of a fever. The cause of her fever may have been some combination of stress, asthma, guilt, boredom, child abuse, epilepsy and delusional psychosis. But there was also another theory to explain the girls symptoms. Cotton Mather had recently published a popular book, “memorable providence,” describing the suspected witchcraft of an Irish washerwoman in Boston, and Bettys behaviour in some ways mirrored that of the afflicted person described in Mathers widely read and discussed book. The talk of witchcraft increased when other playmates of Betty, including eleven year old Ann Putnam, seventeen year old Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott, began to exhibit similar unusual behaviour. William Griggs, a doctor called to examine the girls, suggested that the girls’ problems might have a supernatural origin. The people believed that witches targeted children made the doctors diagnosis seem increasing likely. 1692 **January 20** **February** **February 25** **February 29** **March 1** **March 7** **March 14** **March 19** **March 23** **March 28** **April 4** **April 8** **April 19** **April 21** **April 22** **April 30** **May 4** **May 8** **May 10** **May 18** **May 20** **May 21** **May 23** **May 28** **May 31** **June 1** **June 2** **June 10** **June 15** **June 29** **July 19** **July 23** **August 2** **August 5** **August 19** **September 9** **September 16** **September 17** **September 19** **September 22** **October 19** **October 29** **November 25**
 * Samuel Parris' nine year old daughter, Betty, falls ill.
 * More young girls in Salem Village also fall ill.
 * The Salem Village physician, Dr. William Griggs, concludes the girls are bewitched.
 * Parris' servant, Tituba, and her husband, John Indian, are advised by Mary Sibley to bake a witch cake. She hopes the cake will help the girls identify the person(s) who are bewitching them.
 * Thomas and Edward Putnam, Joseph Hutchinson and Thomas Preston swear complaints against Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. They are later arrested for suspicion of witchcraft.
 * Tituba confesses to witchcraft.
 * Sarah Osborne, Sarah Good and Tituba are sent to a Boston prison.
 * Martha Corey is summoned to appear before the magistrates and answer questions.
 * A warrant is issued for Martha Corey's arrest.
 * Rebecca Nurse is accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams.
 * Edward and Jonathan Putnam file complaints against Rebecca Nurse.
 * One of the afflicted girls, possibly Mercy Lewis, accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft.
 * Jonathan Walcott and Nathaniel Ingersoll file complaints against Sarah Cloyce.
 * Warrants are issued for Sarah Cloyce and Giles Corey for the suspicion of witchcraft.
 * Mary Warren appears before the Salem Magistrates under witchcraft charges.
 * Arrest warrants are issued for Mary Easty, Edward and Sarah Bishop, Deliverance and William Hobbs, Sarah Wilds, Mary Black, Nehemiah Abbott, Jr. and Mary English.
 * Abigail Williams identifies the Rev. George Burroughs as the "Black Minister."
 * Mary Easty is found guilty of witchcraft by the Salem Magistrates.
 * Upon the request of the Salem Magistrates, Boston Magistrate Elisha Hutchinson issues a warrant for the Rev. George Burroughs' arrest.
 * George Burroughs is arrested at his home in Wells, Maine. He is then extradited to Salem Town.
 * George Burroughs is examined by the Salem Magistrates.
 * Arrest warrants are issued for George Jacobs, Sr. and John Willard for the suspicion of witchcraft.
 * Sarah Osborne dies in prison
 * Mary Easty is released from prison.
 * Mercy Lewis becomes gravely ill and Mary Easty is blamed for her illness. She is arrested again for witchcraft.
 * An arrest warrant is issued for John and Elizabeth Proctor's daughter, Sarah.
 * An arrest warrant is issued for John and Elizabeth Proctor's son, Benjamin.
 * Susannah Sheldon testifies Joseph Rabson, a deceased man, appeared to her and stated that Philip English had murdered him.
 * An arrest warrant is issued for John and Elizabeth Proctor's second son, William.
 * An arrest warrant is issued for John Alden.
 * Martha Carrier is arrested upon the complaints of Joseph Holton and John Walcott.
 * Philip English, husband of Mary English, is examined by the court.
 * Mary English testifies that Mary Warren had confessed to lying in court.
 * Susannah Sheldon reports that the specters of Mary English, Bridget Bishop and Giles Corey appeared to her.
 * Bridget Bishop's trial begins under the Court of Oyer and Terminer and she is found guilty. She is sentenced to hang.
 * Bridget Bishop is hanged on Gallows Hill.
 * Twelve ministers of the colony advise the court not to rely on spectral evidence for convicting suspected witches.
 * The cases of Sarah Good, Sarah Wilds, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin and Rebecca Nurse are heard by the court.
 * Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Sarah Wilds, Susannah Martin and Rebecca Nurse are hanged on Gallows Hill.
 * Fearing that they can't get a fair trial in Salem Town, John Proctor and other prisoners write a letter from prison to the Reverends Increase Mather, James Allen, Joshua Moody, Samuel Willard and John Bayley. In the letter, they ask the ministers to support their request for a change of venue for the trials.
 * William Beale testifies before an Essex County grand jury that when he was laid up in bed sick in March, Philip English's specter appeared to him. The next day his son, James--who had been recovering from smallpox--complained of a pain in his side and later died.
 * The Court of Oyer and Terminer reconvenes to try the Rev. George Burroughs, John and Elizabeth Proctor, George Jacobs Sr., John Willard and Martha Carrier.
 * George Burroughs, John Proctor, George Jacobs Sr., John Willard and Martha Carrier are hanged on Gallows Hill.
 * Six accused are tried and condemned by the court.
 * Giles Corey refuses to stand trial, so the Court of Oyer and Terminer orders the sheriff to pile rocks on him.
 * Nine accused are tried and condemned by the court.
 * Giles Corey is pressed to death.
 * Martha Corey, Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Margaret Scott, Wilmot Reed, Samuel Wardwell and Mary Parker are hanged on Gallows Hill.
 * Mary Herrick of Wenham, Massachusetts reports that the ghost of Mary Easty appeared to her and proclaimed her innocence of witchcraft.
 * Increase Mather visits the Salem jail and finds that several confessors wish to renounce their earlier testimonies.
 * Gov. Phips dissolves the Court of Oyer and Terminer
 * A Superior Court of Judicature is created to try the remaining persons accused of witchcraft. William Stoughton, Samuel Sewall, John Richards, Wait Still Winthrop and Thomas Danford are its members. Spectral evidence is no longer considered in the remaining trials.

1693
**May**
 * Gov. Phips pardons the remaining accused of witchcraft.