Thr trials of Bridget Bishop.

Bridget Bishop. (1640 - 1692) In Salem, in the 1690's a great witch hunting hysteria broke out. Witch hunting's and trials took place and were responsible for the death of more than 25 people in the effort to stamp out witches. Many innocent women, and girls as young as 5 were gaoled. Many were tortured into confessing, one person was pressed to death, using heavy weights that were placed on the chest. The first woman to be trialed was …

…for the 18 others hanged as witches (in addition to the one pressed to death and the several who died in prison) the ministers decidedly and earnestly recommended that the proceedings should be "vigorously carried on," so they were. Less than a year after her death, Bridget's husband married Elizabeth Cash. Years after, several of those who had testified against her, in deathbed confessions said that their accusations were "deluted by the devil."By Nikki Clayton