Elizabeth Howe was one of the residents of Salem, Massachusetts, accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. She was found guilty and then executed on July 19, 1692.
Mrs. Howe had a good reputation until these accusations. Her children, husband, and many who knew her talked well of her and came to her defense. However, the courts allowed spectral evidence to be admitted, which was ridiculous and caused the death of many innocent people.
Family
Elizabeth Howe was born to William and Joanne Jackson in 1637 around Rowley, Yorkshire, England. She married James Howe in April 1658 and proceeded to birth to six children. At this point, she had already moved from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The couple's children were as follows:
- James Howe (b. 1659)
- Elizabeth Howe Jr. (b.1661)
- Mary Howe (b. 1664)
- Deborah Howe (b.1667)
- John Howe (b. 1671)
- Abigail Howe (b. 1673)
The city in the colony her family resided in was Topsfield, which had been founded by the Puritans. The Puritans had a goal to purify the Church of England, and when that did not occur, they migrated to the New World to create a new society. This new society was to be one of discipline and not one of indulgence.
The colony had been a great success. However, one of the problems with the Puritan beliefs is that they allowed spectral evidence to be admitted into the courtroom. This type of evidence was hard to cross-examine and led to emotional decisions.
Couple the use of spectral evidence with their religious views of Satan, and it could lead to serious problems if there was a lack of discernment in the application of the law. This would be the case during the Salem Witch Trials.
The Accusations
The Perley family of Ipswich, Massachusetts, were among the chief accusers of Elizabeth Howe. They had a ten-year-old daughter they claimed was being afflicted by Howe. The child complained of being pricked by pins and sometimes fell into fits. In their testimony against Howe, on June 1, 1692, they quoted their daughter as saying, "I could never afflict a dog as Good Howe afflicts me." At first, the parents did not believe their daughter's accusations.
They took the child to several doctors who told them she was "under an evil hand." Her condition continued for two or three years until "she pined away to skin and bones and ended her sorrowful life."
Howe would then be accused of afflicting several other girls within the village. These women would accuse many others in the village:
- Mercy Lewis: She was 19 years old and had lost her entire family to a Native American attack. She had undoubtedly dealt with much trauma at a young age. She served as a servant in the house of Thomas Putnam and would become a key accuser of Elizabeth Howe. She was one of the main actors in throwing herself onto the floor and going into a fit. Howe would be accused of putting her into that fit.
- Mary Walcott: Another one of the "afflicted" who accused Howe of witchcraft. Mary'sname appears on the arrest warrant and the two indictments of Howe.
- Ann Putnam Jr: She was the most active of the afflicted girls accusing Howe. Her name appeared over 400 times, and she would go on to accuse many more people, 19 of whom would be executed.
- Abigail Williams: Only 11 years old, and her name appears on the arrest warrant for Howe. She lived in the house of Samuel Parris, who had political motivations for the trials.
- Mary Warren: She was 21 and accused Howe of witchcraft. She would later pull back on accusing others and claim that the girls were lying. They then turned on her, and she switched sides again.
The Arrest
On May 28, 1692, a warrant was released for the arrest of Elizabeth Howe by John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin. She was to be apprehended and taken to the home of Lieutenant Nathaniel Ingersolls. 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." She was apprehended by Ephraim Wildes, constable of Tops-field, on May 29, 1692. A copy of her original warrant can be read below. This transcript was taken from The Salem Witchcraft Papers.
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 Ingersollsof 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. & hereof you are nott to fayle.
Dat'd. Salem. May. 28th. 1692/
In obedience to this warrant, I have appreend [r] ed Elizabeth Howe, the wife of Jems how, on the 29th of May 1692 and have brought har unto the house of leftenant nathaniell engleson according too to the warrant as attested by me, Ephraim Wildes constabell
For the town of Topsfelld.
Dated May 31st 1692
Elizabeth Howe was thrown in prison in Boston and bound with cords and irons for months. While in prison, she was excommunicated from the church and subjected to terrible insults and conditions. Her children often came and brought her clean linen, country butter, and comfort. Her husband was blind but would also occasionally make the trip.
The Trial
Elizabeth Howe's trial began on May 31, 1692.
When she was brought into the meeting house, Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott fell into fits and accused Elizabeth of pinching and choking them. Ann Putnam Jr then joined in with her accusations. Unfortunately, these accusations would stick despite it being nonsensical.
Elizabeth had been a blameless citizen up until this point, and these three girls were able to accuse her by using spectral evidence and convincing those in the courtroom.
Despite the false allegations and the pressure to admit guilt, Elizabeth stood firm and boldly responded to the accusations by saying, "If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent of anything of this nature."
Samuel Parris documents the trial with the following:
The examination of Eliz: 31. May. 1692
Mercy Lewis & Mary Walcot fell into a fit quickly after the examinant came in
Mary Walcot said that this woman, the examinant had pincht her & choakt this month.
Ann Putnam said she had hurt her three times.
What say you to this charge? 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?
I cannot help it.
You are charged here; what doe you say?
I am innocent of anything of this nature.
Is this the first time that ever you were accused?
Yes, S'r.
Do not you know that one at Ipswitch hath accused you?
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.
Ann Putnam had a pin stuck in her hand
What do you say to this?
I cannot help it.
What consent have you given?
Mary Warren cryed out she was prickt
Abig: Williams cryed out that she was pincht, & great printes were seen in her arm.
Have you not seen some apparition
No, never in all my life
Those who have confessed tell us they used images & pins. Now tell us what you have used.
You would not have me confess that which I know not
She looks upon Mary Warren, & said Warren violently fell down.
Look upon this maid viz: Mary Walcot, her back being towards the examinant Mary Warren & Ann Putnam said they saw this woman upon her. Susan: Sheldon saith this was the woman that carryed her yesterday to the Pond Sus: Sheldon carried to the Examinant in a fit & was well upon grasping her arm.
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.
What do you say about these things? They cannot come to you.
S'r. I am not able to give an account of it
Cannot you tell what keeps them off from your body?
I cannot tell. I know not what it is.
That is strange that you should do these things & not be able to tell how.
This is a true account of the examination of Eliz: How taken from my characters written at the time thereof. Witness my hand
Sam. Parris.
(Reverse) Eliza. How Exam.Adjour't. June 30, 92 How
(witnesses v. Elizabeth Howe)
Witnesses on behalf of Howe
Having witnessed a conversation between Samuel Perley (also spelled Pearly) a little girl, and Elizabeth Howe. Reverend Phillips of Rowley was able to testify in her defense on June 3, 1692. This testimony is taken from the Salem Witchcraft Papers.
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. 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."
In her defense, Elizabeth Howe's father-in-law testified to her good nature. 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 eyesight." 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."
Conclusion
Despite these defenses, the spectral evidence that was allowed into the courtroom was overwhelming and just too convincing.
Elizabeth Howe was found guilty.
She, along with Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, Sarah Wildes, and Susanna Martin, were hanged on July 19, 1692, and buried in a crevice on Gallows Hill. Elizabeth would leave behind her six children and her blind husband.
The Salem Witch Trials would become a stain on the New England Colonies.