Elizabeth Howe

Elizabeth married James Howe on 13 April 1658 in Ipswich, MA; the couple had six children, and resided in Topsfield, Massachusetts.

They were a deeply pious society, with an extreme religious focus not only as a community but also on an individual basis.

"The devil, as envisioned by the people of Salem, was a short, black man with cloven feet who stood about as high as a walking stick".

[1] The Perley (also spelled Pearly) family of Ipswich, Massachusetts, were among the chief accusers of Elizabeth Howe.

[2] Her condition continued for two or three years, until "she pined away to skin and bones and ended her sorrowful life".

She stood charged with "Sundry Acts of Witch-craft done or [committed] on the [bodies] of Mary Walcott, Abigail Williams, and others of Salem Village."

[2] To the Constable of Topsfield Your are in they're Majestyes Names hereby Required to Apprehend & bring before us Elizabeth Howe the wife of James Howe if Topsfeild Husbandman on Tuesday next being the thirty first day of may about Ten of the Clock forenoone att the house: of Leut Nathaniell Ingersolls of Salem Village, Whoe stande Charged w'th Sundry Acts of Witch-craft done or Committed on the bodyes of Mary Walcott, Abigaill Williams & others of Salem Village, to theyr great hurt, in order to hir examination, Relating to the above s'd premises.

Dated May 31st 1692The accused "witches" were, "bound with cords and irons for months, subjected to insulting, unending examinations and excommunication from the church".

[1] In Marion L. Starkey's The Devil in Massachusetts it says, "... they were periodically subjected by prison officials, especially by the juries assigned to search them for witch marks".

[1] Magistrate Samuel Sewall of Boston recorded his observation about the conditions he found in the meeting house.

When Howe was brought in for examination Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott, two of her main accusers, fell into a fit.

When asked how she pleaded to the charges made against her, Elizabeth Howe boldly responded, "If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent of any thing of this nature.

Here are them that charge you with witchcraft If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent of any thing in this nature Did not you take notice that now when you lookt upon Mercy Lewis she was struck down?

This is the first time that ever I heard of it You say that you never heard of these folks before Mercy Lewis at length spake & charged this woman with hurting & pinching her: And then Abigail Williams cryed she hath hurt me a great many times, a great while & she hath brought me the book.

You said you never heard before of these people Not before the warrant was served upon me last Sabbath day John Indian cryed out O she bites, & fell into a grevious fit, & so carried to her in his fir & was well upon her grasping him.

Essex ss The Jurors for our Sovereigne Lord and Lady the King & Queen presents that Elizabeth Howe Wife of James How of Ipswich — the 29th day of May in the forth Year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God [of God] of England Scottland France and Ireland King and Queen defend'rs of the faith &c: and divers other dayes and times as well before as after certaine detestable Arts called witchcraft & Sorceries wickedly & felloniously hath Used Practised and Exercised at and within the Towne ship of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and against one: Marcy Lewis of Salem Villiage Single woman — by which said wicked Acts the said Marcy Lewis — the 29th day of May in the forth Year aboves'd: and divers other dayes & times as well before as after was and is Tortured.

Afflicted: Pined Consumed & Tormented and also for sundrey other Acts of witchcraft by the Said Elizabeth Howe Committed & done before and since that Time ag't.

the Peace of our Sovereigne Lord and Lady the King & Queen, and ag't the forme of the Statute in that case made and Provided (7) Witnesses.

the thirty first day of May in the forth Year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scottland.

hath used Practised and Exercised at and within the Towneship of Salem in the County of Essex afores'd: in upon and against one Mary Wolcott of Salem Villiage Singlewoman by which said wicked arts the said Mary Walcott the 31st day of May in the forth Year as abovesaid, and divers other dayes and times as well before as after was and is Tortured Afflicted Pined Consumed wasted & Tormented and also for sundrey other Acts of witchcraft by said Elizabeth Howe Committed and Done before and since that time, ag't.

of our Sovereigne Lord & Lady the King and Queen, and against the forme of the Statute in that Case made & Provided.

[2] This was due, they claimed, to the fact that they had thwarted Elizabeth Howe's chance of becoming a member of the Ipswich Church.

Around sunset he recounted the sow "leaped up about [three or four feet high] and [turned about] and gave one [squeak] and fell [down dead]".

[2] Having witnessed a conversation between Samuel Perley (also spelled Pearly)'s little girl and Elizabeth Howe.

[2] The testimony of Samuel Phillips aged about 67, minister of the word of God in Rowly, who sayth, that mr payson (minister of gods word alsoe in Rowley) and my self went, being desired, to Samuel pearly of ipswich to se their young daughter who was viseted with strang fitts & in her fitts (as her father & mother affirmed) did mention good wife How the wife of James Howe Junior of Ipswich, as if she was in the house & did afflict her: when we were in the house the child had one of her fitts but made noe mention of goodwife how; & when the fitt was over & she come to herself, goodwife How, went to the child and took her by the hand & askt her whether she had ever done her any hurt And she answered no never and if I did complain of you in my fitts I know not that I did soe: I further can affirm upon oath that young Samuel Pearly, Brother to the afflicted girle looking out of a chamber window (I and the afflicted child being without dores together) and say to his sister say goodwife Howe is a witch, say she is a witch & the child spake not a word that way, but I lookt up to the window where the youth stood & rebuked him for his boldness to stirr up his sister to accuse the said goodw: How where as she had cleared her from doing any hurt to his sister in both our hearing, & I added noo wonder that the child in har fitts did mention Goodwife Howe, when her nearest relations were soe frequent in expressing theire suspicions in the childs hearing when she was out of her fitts, that the sayd Goodwif How, was an Instrument of mischief to the child.A colleague of Phillips, Payson of Rowley, was also present at this "encounter" between Elizabeth Howe and the Perley (also spelled Pearly)'s daughter.

[8] He added his testimony as a second witness stating, "their afflicted daughter, upon something that her mother spake to her with tartness, presently fell into one of her usuall strange fitts, during which, she made no mention(as I observed)of the above s'd How her name, or any thing relating to her some time after, the s'd how came in.

He said that she, "[set] a side humain infurmitys as [become] a Christion with Respact to [himself] as a father very dutifully & a wifife to [his] son very carfull loveing obedient and kind Considering his want of eye sight."

He concluded his witness by saying, "now desiering god may guide your honours to se a difference between predigous and Consentes I rest yours to Sarve.

In an ideal situation the convicted would confess to their crime, alleviating worry from the community that they were sending an unprepared soul to the next life.

[8] Nineteen people were hanged for witchcraft during the Salem witch trials, and one man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death because he refused to attest to the indictment against him.