Person:Mercy Wardwell (1)

Salem Witch Trials

Mercy was tried but found not guilty during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.

Indictment of Mercy Wardwell:

Province of the Massachusetts Bay [unclear: ] in New England Essex ss Anno RR's & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Anoq'e Do 1692

The Jurors for o'r Sov'r lord & lady the King & Queen present That Mercy Wardwell daughter of Samuel Wardwell late of Andivor in the County of Essex aforesaid Sometime in this present Year 1692, Wickedly Mallitiously & felloniously A Covenant with the Divel Did Make and Signed A pap to the Divill with a Red Marke & Beleived the Devill & promised to Serve him & was Baptized by the Deivill & Unto him Renounced hir form'r Baptizme By which Diabollicall Covenant With the Devill by the Said Mercy Wardwell in forme aforsaid made She is become a detestable Witch Contrary to the peace of o'r Sov'r lord & Lady the King & Queen Their Crowne & dignity & the Lawes in that Case made & provided.

(Reverse)

Mercy Wardwell for Covenanting with the Devill Salem January 1692 Billa Vera Robert Payne foreman ponet Se Not Guilty 24 Salem Court of Oyer & Terminer Janu'r 1692/3 No 1

( Mass. Archives. Vol. 135 No. 101 )

1st Sept 1692 . Before Maj'r Gidney Mr Hathorne Mr Corwin & Jno Higginson Esq'r

The Examination & Conffession of Mercy Wardwel Daughter of Sam'll Wardwell of Andivor

She Conffesses she hath been in the snare of the Divel a quartter of a Year the Cause of her being Inticed was her discontent & the occation of her discontent was because that people told her that she should Never hath such a Young Man who loved her & he finding no Encouragement threatned to drown himself at w'ch she was much troubled Somtime after to her Apprehention he that mad love to her came & Intreated her to be his & she did not then Consent & soe dismist him w'th that Answer the Next time he appeared in the [shape] of adogg & told her she must be his for he was god & Christ & she should Serve him and she did then beleve him & promised to Serve him He told her she must always wish the Divel had this or that & that she must Curse & lye she Conffeses she Covenanted to Serve the Divel twenty Years & he promised that she should be happy & she made a red Mark Upon a peace of Paper wher she saw no other names And thinks he keeps thee paper becaue He Carried it away w'th him, she owned she Afflicted Martha Spraug & Rose fostter but Never any before -- Here Companians ware her father Mother sister sarah hawks & Wm Barker she s'd furth'r (w'ch is Remarkable) that when she lookt dwone Upon the Table she Could Conffese nothing -- She Conffesses she was Baptized at home in a pale of Watt'r in Which He dipt her face telling her she must serve him & that it is about a Quarter of a Year agoe since she was Baptized she say also that shee afflicted Timo Swan by Squeezing her hands & Thinking Upon him & the Divel made #[him] her doe it whome she hath not seen @@ 4 Times -- Noate Here athing Remarkable that Notwithstanding

1. ↑ Births, in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1912)
   v.1 p.372.

   WARDLE (see also Wardwell), Marcy, [Mary CT.R.] d. Samuell and Sara, [born] Oct. 3, 1673.

2. ↑ Deaths, in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1912)
   v.2 p.572.

   WRIGHT, Marcey, wid., [died] Feb. 16, 1754, in her 81st y.