Essay - The Trial of Bridget Bishop Testimony from Bridget Bishop's Trial...

The Trial of Bridget Bishop

Testimony from ***** Bishop's trial in Salem, during the 17th century, to determine whe*****r she was a witch or not, startles today's reader. In a time when we h*****ve fingerprints, blood spatter patterns and DNA to help us determine who committed a crime, it's hard to understand how any of the witches of ***** were convicted. To understand those events, we have to try ***** think as ***** Puritans of that era, in that place, did. Only ***** that way can ***** understood how intelligent people could use reason and determine that Bridget Bishop was a witch.

In 1692, the ***** had been ousted from power in England and forced to leave the country. King Charles II allowed plays to be performed, ***** had a mistress. Excess w*****s everywhere, to them. The Puritans may have reasoned that this was evidence that Satan ***** ***** and only needed a small opportunity to triumph over good. There could be no physical proof of witchcraft, so they had ***** look for signs, ***** around ***** Bishop, they believed they had found *****: Samuel Gray saw an apparition he was sure was Bishop; Richard Coman wrestled with ghosts as well as Bishop **********, and ***** the ghosts were scared away, Bishop vani*****d as well; John Louder reported multiple visits by monstrous creatures at night, and when they were over, saw Bishop in her orchard. Ot***** witnesses had such stories to tell.

None were verified, but the Puritans ***** Satan to be clever enough to avoid any way to verify, ***** the courts ***** to judge ***** worthiness of the witness. They ***** all upstanding citizens, and they ***** pointed their finger at Bridget Bishop.

***** the fact ***** *****ing a witch is not a crime now, today's re*****on would ***** us these events could ***** possibly true. The Puritan reasoning of 1692 said just the