Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-09-12
GOODY NURSE. THE WITCH.
Erection ola Monumen mt in Danvers, Mass,
to Her Memory-Story OF Her convic-
ton and Execution.

Collins street station is quite near
the monument. 1t stands in the
family burial lot on the farm, sur
rounded by thrifty white pines on each
side of the little square. 1t is shaft
of Quincy granite, eight and halffeet
high, with a cap of Rockport granite.
On the front are the lines:
Rebeca Nourse,
Yarmouth, England,
1921.
Salem, Mass,
1892.
BAow It are John G. Winters
lines:
"oh. Christian martyr, who for truth could
When all about owned the hideous lie;
The world redeemed from superstitious
sway
Is breathing ireer, for thy sake, to-day"
On the other side of the monument
the inscription runs:
ACCUSED OF witchcraft, 81. declared, i am
innocent, and God will clear my innocency.'
Once acquitted, yet falsely condemned, sne
suffered death, July 10, 1892. In loving
memory OF her Christian character, even
then fully attested by forty OF her neigh
bors. this monument is erected, July,
1885,"
The exact place of her grave ID not
marked, but it is known within a few
feet. Near the monument are the
graves of John Tarbell, her son-in-law,
who died March 25, Ills, and OF his
son Jonathan. She was buried under
the eallows on Gallows Hill at the
time of her execution, but on that
night her friends stole away the body
and buried it in this lot. An ancient
writer makes this comment:
"Rebecca Nurse of Salem Village, a
Lady of great Worth, but aged and In
poor Health, was drawn into the aw-
ful Vortex in what would appear at
this Time, but from a knowledge Of
the Existence of Feuds which arose
from various causes, as very strange
Occurrence. She was sacrificed IN a
Manner too cruel for Belief. The Ju
nv returned verdict OF Not Guilty!
bat thecourt, by the most barefaced
Perversion of her Answers, and being
Determined on her Destruction, sent
the Jury out again and forced a Yer
dict of Guilty from them! There Il
nothing more memorable or lament
able, in all the Trials and Convictions
than the Case OF this Poor Woman
She was hanged with the five that sui
fered on the 10th ofJuly."
Her fate was not as cruel as that o
Miles Corey, On aged man of over 81
wears. who refused to testify becaus
he knew that whatever he said would
be used against him. He was pressed
to death, and just before he expired
as his tongue was forced out, by
stander thrust in back again with hi
cane. The old ballad of Goody Core,
says:
They got them then heavy Be,.m,
They layde it on his Breast,
They loaded it with heavy stones,
And hard upon him prest.
.'More weight" now sayd this wretchs
Man,
"More weight" again he cryed,
And he did not confession make
But wickedlie he Dyed.
The feuds which are alluded to in tn
extract above were probably the har
feeling aroused against "Goody Nurse
by her reproval of some Tightly youn
women. She was II years of age, an
most of her accusers were young wome
of less than 20. .Theindictments chare
her with "certaine detestable arts cal
ed Witchcraft and Sorceries wickedl
and ffeloniously used, practiced an
exercised" by which her victims wei
hurt, tortured afflicted consume
Pinned wasted and tormented agt tt
Peace OF our said Sovereigne Lord an
Lady the King & Queen and agt IL
fforme of the statute in that cas-
made and provided" She was a
rested and examined, and record I
the questions and answers were kep
1t ends thus:
''This is true account OF the sun
of hir examination, but by reason
great noyses, by the afflicted and mar
speakers, many things are pretermi
ted memorandum"
Nurse held her neck on one side ar
Eliz Hubbard lone of the sufferer
had her neck set in that posture, wheI
upon another patient. Abigail w
liams, cried out, Set up Goody Nurse
head, the maids neck will be brok
And when some set up Nurses hea
Aaron Wey observed, vt Betty Hu
bard's was Immediately righted."
Dispositions of four young WON
were taken charging Mrs. Nurses "a
perishion" with ''grievously" bitil
pincbing, choking and torment
them. She was tried and acquittt
but was subsequently convicted a
hanged, as stated in the extrs
above. She protested against t
great injustice, and sent petition
the court, which ends thus:
s. For my Life Ives n,
in your Hand, under God: And
ing conscious of my owne Innocen,
Ihumbly begg that may haveliber
to manifest it to the wourld partly
the Meanes above said: And y
Poore pettissioner shall Evermt
pray as in duty bound &c.
REBEocA NURSE
hir Marke X.
The original records OF the witchcr
trials are horrible reading. 1t see
as il men lost their senses, or til
belief in hobgoblins and witches m
haze been phenomenally stro
"Goody'' Nourse was acquitted, 6
the sole reason for a reversal OF
verdict was her remark regarding
witness Good wife Hobbs: "Wh
do you bring her? She is one OF u
One OF the jurors has left a writ
statement OF the case. Mrs. Nou
explained her remark to the court:
intended no other ways than as Il
- s,rora ,,risorerS with MS and theref