Sarah Wildes Bishop

Sarah who was a Wildes

before she was a Bishop,

having married Edward

of that same name,

and accused of witchery

by those jealous bitches

the two Elizabeths,

Balch and Hubbard

and the credulous

James Kettle.

that her tavern where

they served strong spirits

and made much racket

with games of shovel board

that disturbed the peace

of her good neighbor

Christian Trask, causing

her such distress that

she slashed her own throat

with a pair of sewing scissors.

and Kettle claimed

he saw Liz Hubbard

at Doctor Griggs' abode

on the day, May tenth instant

in several fits and after these fits

Hubbard said that she'd seen

Kettle's children lying dead

and they cried for vengeance

looking as they did the same

as when laid out in their coffins.

Elizabeth Balch

was then deposed

and said that she was at Salem

on the very day that Captain Curtin

was buried and in the evening

of said day, coming into Salem

on horseback with her sister

Abigail, wife of Nathaniel Walden,

as they came to the River Crane,

Sarah and Edward Bishop

overtook them, said Edward

rode into the brook in haste

causing some words of difference

with Sarah it seemed,

Sarah finding fault with Edward

for so doing, for it would throw her

into the water and cause her

much mischief or words

to that purpose.

and he replied

that it was no matter if he did

that she had been a bad wife

ever since they were married

and of late she was much worse.

the Devil did come bodily to her

and that she sat up all night

with the Devil and was familiar

with him. and this deponent,

this good neighbor Elizabeth Balch,

did reprove Edward Bishop

for speaking thus unto his wife

who made very little reply to him

until they came to their house.

after this testimony, affirm'd

with the mark of Balch and Hubbard

Sarah Wildes Bishop answered

if it be so, you had need pray for me.

And she and her husband were found

to have committed witchcraft

and so were bound to the gaol

in Salem Village and thence

to Boston gaol, from which

they escaped and fled

to Reheboth until the trials

were repudiat'd and revoked

and their son, Samuel regain'd

their various and sundry properties.