Backround
Rebecca Nurse was the daughter of William Towne, of Yarmouth, Norfolk
County, England where she was baptized Feb. 21, 1621. Her sister Mary (also
accused and put to death for witchcraft) married Isaac Easty. Nurse's husband was described as
a "traymaker." The making of these articles and similar articles of domestic
use was important employment in the remote countryside. He seems to have been
highly respected by his neighbors, and more often than anyone else was called
in to settle disputes. Nurse had four sons and four daughters.
County, England where she was baptized Feb. 21, 1621. Her sister Mary (also
accused and put to death for witchcraft) married Isaac Easty. Nurse's husband was described as
a "traymaker." The making of these articles and similar articles of domestic
use was important employment in the remote countryside. He seems to have been
highly respected by his neighbors, and more often than anyone else was called
in to settle disputes. Nurse had four sons and four daughters.
Accusations
Nurse was one of the first "unlikely" witches to be accused. At the
time of her trial she was 71 years old, and had "acquired a reputation for
exemplary piety that was virtually unchallenged in the community." It was
written of Nurse: "This venerable lady, whose conversation and bearing were so
truly saint-like, was an invalid of extremely delicate condition and
appearance, the mother of a large family, embracing sons, daughters,
grandchildren, and one or more great-grand children. She was a woman of piety,
and simplicity of heart."
That her reputation was virtually unblemished was evidenced by the
fact that several of the most active accusers were more hesitant in their
accusations of Nurse, and many who had kept silent during the proceedings
against others, came forward and spoke out on behalf of Nurse, despite the
dangers of doing so. Thirty-nine of the most prominent members of the community
signed a petition on Nurse's behalf, and several others wrote individual
petitions vouching for her innocence.
time of her trial she was 71 years old, and had "acquired a reputation for
exemplary piety that was virtually unchallenged in the community." It was
written of Nurse: "This venerable lady, whose conversation and bearing were so
truly saint-like, was an invalid of extremely delicate condition and
appearance, the mother of a large family, embracing sons, daughters,
grandchildren, and one or more great-grand children. She was a woman of piety,
and simplicity of heart."
That her reputation was virtually unblemished was evidenced by the
fact that several of the most active accusers were more hesitant in their
accusations of Nurse, and many who had kept silent during the proceedings
against others, came forward and spoke out on behalf of Nurse, despite the
dangers of doing so. Thirty-nine of the most prominent members of the community
signed a petition on Nurse's behalf, and several others wrote individual
petitions vouching for her innocence.
The Trial
Unlike many of the other accused, during the
questioning of Nurse,
the magistrate showed signs of doubting her guilt,
because of her age,
character, appearance, and professions of innocence.
However, each time he
would begin to waiver on the issue, someone else in
the crowd would either
heatedly accuse her or one of the afflicted girls would break into fits and
claim Nurse was tormenting her. Upon realizing
that the magistrate and the
audience had sided with the afflicted girls Nurse could only reply, " I have
got nobody to look to but God." She then
tried to raise her hands, but the
afflicted girls fell into dreadful fits
at the motion.
At Nurse's trial on June 30, the jury came back
with a verdict of "Not Guilty." When this was announced there was a large
and hideous outcry from both the afflicted girls and the spectators. The
magistrates urged reconsideration. Chief Justice Stoughton asked the jury
if they had considered the implications of something Nurse had said. When
Hobbs had accused Nurse, Nurse had said "What do you bring her? She is one
of us." Nurse had only meant that Hobbs was a fellow prisoner.
Nurse, however, was old, partially hard of hearing,and
exhausted from the day in court. When Nurse was asked to explain
her words "she is one of us?," she did not hear the question. The jury took her
silence as an indication of guilt. The jury deliberated a second time and came
back with a verdict of guilty. Shocking as it seems today, it was not
uncommon in the seventeenth century for a magistrate to ask the jury to
reconsider its verdict. Her family immediately did what they could to
rectify the mistake that had caused her to be condemned, but it was no
use. Nurse was granted a reprieve by Governor Phips, however no sooner had
it been issued, than the accusers began having renewed fits. The
community saw these fits as conclusive proof of Nurse's guilt.
On July 3, this pious, God fearing woman was excommunicated from her
church in Salem Town, without a single dissenting vote, because of her
conviction of witchcraft. Nurse was sentenced to death on June 30. She was
executed on July 19. Public outrage at her conviction and execution have been
credited with generating the first vocal opposition to the trials.
On the gallows Nurse was "a model of Christian behavior."
It was not until 1699 that members of the Nurse family
were welcomed back to communion in the church, and it was fifteen
years later before the excommunication of Nurse was revoked. In 1711, Nurse's
family was compensated by the government for her wrongful death.
questioning of Nurse,
the magistrate showed signs of doubting her guilt,
because of her age,
character, appearance, and professions of innocence.
However, each time he
would begin to waiver on the issue, someone else in
the crowd would either
heatedly accuse her or one of the afflicted girls would break into fits and
claim Nurse was tormenting her. Upon realizing
that the magistrate and the
audience had sided with the afflicted girls Nurse could only reply, " I have
got nobody to look to but God." She then
tried to raise her hands, but the
afflicted girls fell into dreadful fits
at the motion.
At Nurse's trial on June 30, the jury came back
with a verdict of "Not Guilty." When this was announced there was a large
and hideous outcry from both the afflicted girls and the spectators. The
magistrates urged reconsideration. Chief Justice Stoughton asked the jury
if they had considered the implications of something Nurse had said. When
Hobbs had accused Nurse, Nurse had said "What do you bring her? She is one
of us." Nurse had only meant that Hobbs was a fellow prisoner.
Nurse, however, was old, partially hard of hearing,and
exhausted from the day in court. When Nurse was asked to explain
her words "she is one of us?," she did not hear the question. The jury took her
silence as an indication of guilt. The jury deliberated a second time and came
back with a verdict of guilty. Shocking as it seems today, it was not
uncommon in the seventeenth century for a magistrate to ask the jury to
reconsider its verdict. Her family immediately did what they could to
rectify the mistake that had caused her to be condemned, but it was no
use. Nurse was granted a reprieve by Governor Phips, however no sooner had
it been issued, than the accusers began having renewed fits. The
community saw these fits as conclusive proof of Nurse's guilt.
On July 3, this pious, God fearing woman was excommunicated from her
church in Salem Town, without a single dissenting vote, because of her
conviction of witchcraft. Nurse was sentenced to death on June 30. She was
executed on July 19. Public outrage at her conviction and execution have been
credited with generating the first vocal opposition to the trials.
On the gallows Nurse was "a model of Christian behavior."
It was not until 1699 that members of the Nurse family
were welcomed back to communion in the church, and it was fifteen
years later before the excommunication of Nurse was revoked. In 1711, Nurse's
family was compensated by the government for her wrongful death.