Testimony of Samuel Gray v. Bridget Bishop
Summary:
Around 1678, Samuel Gray (42 years old) was wakened one Sunday night to find his house lit as if by candles. An unknown woman was standing between his child's cradle and his bedside. When she looked at him, she vanished. Gray then went to the door to find it locked. He unlocked it and looked out the entry door, where he saw a woman in the same garb. When he asked "what in the name of God did she come for", she vanished. He locked the door again and went to bed, only to be awakened again by something cold upon his lips. As he looked up, the same woman was holding something between her hands before his mouth. Gray's child gave a great screech as if it were hurt and the woman disappeared. The child, which was thriving, was never well again and died several months later in a sad condition.
Within a week or less, Gray happened to see a woman of the same countenance and wearing the same clothes as the specter that haunted him; it was none other than Bridget Bishop of Salem.
Actual Testimony
Samuell Gray of Salem Aged aboute 42 yeares Testifieth and
sayth that aboute fourteen yeare agoe, he goeing to bed well one Lords
Day at night, and after he had benne asleep some time, he awakened
& looking up, saw the house light as if a candle or candles were lighted
in it and the dor locked & that little fire there, was Raked up he ["he"
written over "I"] did then see a woman standing between the Cradle i[ ]
Roome. and the Bed side and seemed to look upon him soe he ["he"
written over "I"] did Rise up in his ["his" written over "my"] bed and it
vanished or disapeared then he ["he" written over "I"] went to the dor and
found it locked. & unlocking and Opening the dore he ["he" written
over "I"] went to the Entry dore and looked out, and then againe did
see the same Woman he ["he" written over "I"] had a ["a" written over
"just"] little before seene in the Rome, and in the same garbe she
was in before, then he ["he" written over "I"] said to her in the name of
God what doe you Come for. then she vanished away soe he ["he" written
over "I"] Locked the dore againe & went to bed and between
sleepeing & wakeing he ["he" written over "I"] felt some thing
Come to his ["his" written over "my"] mouth or lipes cold, & there upon
started & looked up & againe did see the same woman with some thing
betweene both her hands holding before his ["his" written over "my"] mouth
upon which she moved. and the Child in the Cradle gave a great screech out
as if it was greatly hurt and she disappeared, and takeing the child up could not
quiett it in some howres from which tyme, the child that before was a very
Likely thriveing Child #[before] did pine away and was never well, althow
it Lived some moneths after, yet in a sad Condition and soe dyed;
some tyme after within a weeke or less he did see the same Woman
in the same Garb and Cloaths, that appeared to him as aforesaid,
and althow he knew not her, nor her name before, Yett ["Yett" written over
"her"] both by her Countenance & garb doth Testifie that it was the same
Woman that thay now Call Bridget Bishop Alias Oliver. of Salem
*Samell Gray
Sworne Salem May 30'th 1692
Before mee
*John Hathorne Assis't
(Reverse) Sam'll Grays Evedence
Bridgett Bishopp