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Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England: A Documentary History 1638-1693
This superb documentary collection illuminates the history of witchcraft and witch-hunting in seventeenth-century New England. The cases examined begin in 1638, extend to the Salem outbreak in 1692, and document for the first time the extensive Stamford-Fairfield, Connecticut, witch-hunt of 1692–1693. Here one encounters witch-hunts through the eyes of those who participated in the accusers, the victims, the judges. The original texts tell in vivid detail a multi-dimensional story that conveys not only the process of witch-hunting but also the complexity of culture and society in early America. The documents capture deep-rooted attitudes and expectations and reveal the tensions, anger, envy, and misfortune that underlay communal life and family relationships within New England’s small towns and villages. Primary sources include court depositions as well as excerpts from the diaries and letters of contemporaries. They cover trials for witchcraft, reports of diabolical possessions, suits of defamation, and reports of preternatural events. Each section is preceded by headnotes that describe the case and its background and refer the reader to important secondary interpretations. In his incisive introduction, David D. Hall addresses a wide range of important witchcraft lore, antagonistic social relationships, the vulnerability of women, religious ideologies, popular and learned understandings of witchcraft and the devil, and the role of the legal system. This volume is an extraordinarily significant resource for the study of gender, village politics, religion, and popular culture in seventeenth-century New England.
378 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 1990
About the author
David D. Hall
43 books10 followers
For the Fenland Survey historian, see David D. Hall.
Professor David D. Hall is an American historian, and was Bartlett Professor of New England Church History, at Harvard Divinity School.
He graduated from Harvard University, and from Yale University with a Ph.D. He is well known for introducing Lived religion to religious studies scholarship in the United States, most notably at Harvard Divinity School.
Hall was Bartlett Professor of New England Church History until 2008, when he became Bartlett Research Professor. He writes extensively on religion and society in seventeenth-century New England and England.
His books include The Faithful Shepherd: A History of the New England Ministry in the Seventeenth Century; Worlds of Wonder, Days of Judgment: Popular Religious Belief in Early New England; Puritans in the New World: A Critical Anthology and, most recently, A Reforming People: Puritanism and the Transformation of Public Life in New England (2011). He has edited two key collections of documents: The Antinomian Controversy of 1636–1638: A Documentary History and Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England: A Documentary History, 1638–1693.
Another interest is the "history of the book," especially the history of literacy and reading in early America. He edited, with Hugh Amory, The Colonial Book in the Atlantic World, the first of a five-volume series of which he was the general editor.
He continues to study and write about religion and culture in early America, with particular attention to "lived religion," and is presently writing a general history of Puritanism in England, Scotland, and New England c. 1550 to 1700, to be published by Princeton University Press.
Professor David D. Hall is an American historian, and was Bartlett Professor of New England Church History, at Harvard Divinity School.
He graduated from Harvard University, and from Yale University with a Ph.D. He is well known for introducing Lived religion to religious studies scholarship in the United States, most notably at Harvard Divinity School.
Hall was Bartlett Professor of New England Church History until 2008, when he became Bartlett Research Professor. He writes extensively on religion and society in seventeenth-century New England and England.
His books include The Faithful Shepherd: A History of the New England Ministry in the Seventeenth Century; Worlds of Wonder, Days of Judgment: Popular Religious Belief in Early New England; Puritans in the New World: A Critical Anthology and, most recently, A Reforming People: Puritanism and the Transformation of Public Life in New England (2011). He has edited two key collections of documents: The Antinomian Controversy of 1636–1638: A Documentary History and Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England: A Documentary History, 1638–1693.
Another interest is the "history of the book," especially the history of literacy and reading in early America. He edited, with Hugh Amory, The Colonial Book in the Atlantic World, the first of a five-volume series of which he was the general editor.
He continues to study and write about religion and culture in early America, with particular attention to "lived religion," and is presently writing a general history of Puritanism in England, Scotland, and New England c. 1550 to 1700, to be published by Princeton University Press.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 22, 2023
I find early witch trials fun!
September 24, 2021
If you're looking for a compendium of primary source documents on the witch hunts that took place in Seventeenth Century New England, this book is an excellent resource. While it does not cover the scope of all witch trials that took place during this time period, it does include a wide range of cases ranging in their documentation. The editor also provides a brief biographical sketch of the accused and background information about the trial at the outset of each case. However, it is fairly limited, so if you are not already knowledgeable about the social climate of Seventeenth Century New England, you may also want to pick up additional books to provide more context.
January 20, 2009
Excellent documentary history; the majority of its documents are taken directly from archives, rather than published sources, and so would not otherwise by easily available to most who wish to review cases other than Salem (which is much more thoroughly researched than any other seventeenth-century New England witch case).
But reader, beware: in the 1999 edition-- at least in my copy -- pages 187-219 have been inserted in reverse order, and upside down. Very, very strange. Could it be . . . demonic ??
But reader, beware: in the 1999 edition-- at least in my copy -- pages 187-219 have been inserted in reverse order, and upside down. Very, very strange. Could it be . . . demonic ??
July 10, 2012
It is a very informative historically accurate book based on all of the recorded witch trials in the seventeenth-century... I used it for my book report in my history class and looks like he enjoyed it since I received a good grade on it..
March 30, 2008
An exhaustive collection of primary documents. Amazing.
October 12, 2008
This book reveals some very CRAZY times. How lucky I am to be alive now. I'm pretty sure I'd be labeled a witch and so would several others in my family, and friends!
January 26, 2011
Fascinating account of the poor souls accused of being witches in places other than Salem.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews