Witchcraft in Colonial America

Witchcraft in America

Witchcraft in Early America

There was a brief time in American history where witchcraft was the blame for a variety of both real and faked ailments. The charge of witchcraft usually meant death, and could be either misconstrued as a real physical or psychological illness or purposely plotted to alienate members of the society. This particular case does represent elements of both misguided diagnosis of witchcraft.

In Cotton Mather's "Memorable Provinces, Relating to Witchcraft ad Possessions," he recalls the case of the bewitching of the four Goodwin children. In this particular case, which was later deemed witchcraft, four children were thought to be entirely under a demonic spell or possession. The four children were afflicted by terrible pains after one daughter caught the laundry woman stealing. Symptoms were noted as signs of possession, "Their Necks would be broken, so that their Neck-bone would seem dissolved unto them that felt after it; and yet on the sudden, it would become, again so stiff that there was no stirring of their Heads; yea, their Heads would be twisted almost round; and if main Force at any time obstructed a dangerous motion which they seem'd to be upon, they would roar exceedingly," (Mather 1689: 3). When prayer was used, one child got better, and so it was accepted as a case of real witchery within the community. The woman who was blamed was brought to trial and sentenced to death, yet the agony of the children continued on.

This case presents a typical tale of a witch trial, yet also has several elements in its description that go beyond the blame of witchcraft. First, the children were forced to work by their parents. This was typical of the day, to both work for the good of the family and prevent the children from falling into a state of idleness. Yet, it does raise the question on if it was an act construed in order to avoid working. The children only seemed to be affected by this plaguing possession during the day, and were fine at night when their work could not be done. This would also explain why the torment continued even after the supposed witch had been put to death. When the oldest girl was outside of the house, she stopped her act until she realized she would be found out, "But on the Twentieth of November in the Fore-noon, she cry'd out, "Ah, They have found me out! I thought it would be so!" And immediately she fell into her fits again," (Mathers 1689:8). Additionally, there are some elements that can actually be described as medical issues, or symptoms of a real physical ailment. The symptoms resembled medical conditions, "the poor child became variously indisposed in her health, an visited with strange Fits, beyond those that attend an Epilepsy or a Catalepsy," (Mathers 2). These symptoms can be associated with seizure disorders or other physical ailments. The immense physical pain seemed to be constant, which could be reminiscent of fibromyalgia. Moreover, the children were afflicted by great pains that all resembled one another's, "the children were tormented just in the same part of their bodies all at the same time together; and tho they saw and heard not one anothers complaints," (2). A disease or illness would produce this similarities of symptoms. Finally, there are elements which also point to psychological constructions of this supposed witchcraft. This could be a case of schizophrenia, for the children heard voices ad had hallucinations; "wherewith she suddenly gave her self a stroke on the Neck, but complained, it would not cut. When she had rode a minute or two or three, shee'd pretend to be at a Rendezvous with Them, that were Her Company; there shee'd maintain a Discourse with them, and asking many Questions concerning her self," (11). Additionally, the laundry woman was Irish; thus, the entire episode could be a xenophobic reaction of the town to an established outsider. Was this case a testament of real possession, or was it just "a Story all made up of Wonders?" (Mathers 1689: 16).