In the Devil's Snare

The Court of Oyer and Terminer was a special court established by Governor Phips to hear the witchcraft cases in 1692. “Oyer and terminer” means to hear and determine in French. Nine judges were appointed to the court. Norton highlights the centrality of Phips’s role in the crisis via the creation of this court and the appointment of its judges.

Essex County refers to a northeastern region of Massachusetts that, at the time of this crisis, included Salem Town and Salem Village, in addition to many other towns. Norton points out that the witch crisis was not limited to Salem but extended throughout the county. Andover, in particular, saw a series of accusations.

The Julian calendar is the old calendar that was in effect during the witch crisis. According to this calendar, the year began on March 25. For this reason, Norton refers to dates from January 1 through March 24 with a reference to both years, such as 1691/2.

King Philip’s War began in the north in September 1675 when the Wabanakis got pulled into what was primarily a struggle between Indigenous forces and settlers in southern New England. The Wabanakis successfully attacked several towns in Maine, including Falmouth, where Mercy Lewis’s relatives were killed; they also attacked 20 fishing boats, mainly from Salem. As a result, many English settlers fled Maine and settled in Essex County. The war concluded in 1678. Norton emphasizes the significance of the fear of the Wabanakis that this experience created in the minds of the English settlers.

King William’s War commenced in 1688 and did not conclude until 1699. The war was fought between England and France over dominance in North America. The Wabanakis allied with the French. Norton attributes the involvement of the Wabanakis in this war to “a tragedy of errors” (95). She notes that some underlying causes were the increasing numbers of English settlers who returned to Maine after the end of King Philip’s War, the failure of settlers to abide by the peace agreements from the war, and the unfair trading practices of the English. During King William’s War, many colonists on the Maine coast once again experienced devastating attacks at the hands of the Wabanakis, and most of them fled to Essex County. Norton believes that this war was the catalyst for the witch crisis. Many of the refugees from the war likely had post-traumatic stress disorder, and the leaders of the Bay Colony sought to blame their political and military failures on the devil.

Maleficium refers to evil doing as a result of sorcery or magic. Those suspected of maleficium in the past were the most commonly accused in the witch crisis. Norton highlights that dynamic but also points out that accusations extended to other unusual suspects in this crisis.

A petty jury refers to a trial jury. The Court of Oyer and Terminer used both petty juries and grand juries that would indict defendants who would then be tried.

Salem Village, which was later called Danvers, was where the witch crisis began and where there were the most accusations. In 1692, it was the rural area of Salem. Norton notes that Salem Village wanted its independence from Salem Town but was reliant on Salem Town’s government to handle its affairs.