Description:

(NEW ENGLAND WITCHCRAFT) ELIZABETH MORSE
ELIZABETH MORSE (1617-1690) British-born American accused and convicted of witchcraft almost 20 years before the Salem witchcraft trials. Exceeding rare manuscript D.S., 1p. legal folio, Newburyport, Ma., May 20, 1665, her bold signature at the bottom of a document witnessing the sale of a four-acre tract of land in Newburyport. Last letter in signature bears some ink erosion, else very good. Elizabeth and her husband, William, had experienced strange things in their household. William accused a young man, Caleb Powell, who often visited them with witchcraft. Powell was acquitted, and the problems really seemed to be caused by the Morse's grandson, John Stiles, Elizabeth was accused of witchcraft in 1679. The townspeople lined up to testify against her. On May 20, 1680 at a Court of Assistants in Boston, Elizabeth was indicted as 'having familiarity with the Devil contrary to the peace of our sovereign lord the King' and the laws of God, and condemned to death. Apparently there was dispute between the members of the court as to whether or not to go ahead with her execution, with the end result being she ended up spending a year in jail and was then sent home.

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April 2, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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