1692 Before and After

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08/19/2026

The Salem Witch Trials
On This Day, August 19, 1692

A large crowd gathered in Salem to witness the second mass ex*****on of those convicted of witchcraft. Among the spectators were several prominent ministers from across Massachusetts, including the Reverend Nicholas Noyes of Salem, the Reverend John Hale of Beverly, and the Reverends Zachariah Symmes, Samuel Cheever, and Cotton Mather of Boston.

The events of that day left a lasting impression on Cotton Mather. Reflecting on what he had witnessed, he later wrote:

"It would break a heart of stone, to have seen what I have lately seen; even poor children from seven to twenty, more or less, confessing their familiarity with devils, but at the same time, in doleful, bitter lamentations. Expostulating with their execrable parents for devoting them to the Devil in their infancy."



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08/19/2026

The Salem Witch Trials
On This Day, August 19, 1692

As the condemned awaited ex*****on in Salem Jail, John Proctor asked the Reverend Nicholas Noyes to pray with him. Because Proctor continued to maintain his innocence and refused to confess to witchcraft, Noyes declined his request.

Later that morning, the five condemned prisoners were removed from Salem Jail and placed aboard a cart for the journey to the place of ex*****on. Left behind was Elizabeth Proctor, whose sentence had been postponed because she was pregnant. Her ex*****on would not be carried out until after the birth of her child.

As the cart made its way through the streets of Salem Town, a large crowd followed behind. Among the onlookers was a constable from Boxford who had been escorting another accused witch to Salem Jail. Seeing the procession, he left his prisoner at the home of John Macarter, "the house below the hill," so that he could join the crowd and witness the ex*****ons.



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08/19/2026

The Salem Witch Trials
On This Day, August 19, 1692

As the cart reached the place of ex*****on, all five of the condemned were unloaded. All insisted that they were innocent and asked Cotton Mather to pray with them. Noyes had refused to pray with anyone who would not confess their sin, but Mather's granted their request. They asked that their sins and those of their accusers be forgiven and that they would be the last innocent bloodshed.

As each accused climbed the ladder, they spoke their final words. As Rev. Burroughs climbed the ladder, he offered a prayer so moving that it brought many onlookers to tears. He concluded by reciting the Lord's Prayer. It was believed that a true witch could not recite the Lord's Prayer, and as he spoke it flawlessly, many onlookers began to question if he was in fact guilty. The afflicted girls who were present told the crowd that the devil stood by him, prompting the lines.



For more information about the Salem Witch Trials or to get tickets to our 1692 Salem History Tour, Visit: 1692beforeandafter.com

08/18/2026

The Salem Witch Trials
On This Day, August 18, 1692

On the evening before the second mass ex*****on, Margaret Jacobs requested permission to visit the Reverend George Burroughs in Salem Jail. Her request was granted, and she was escorted into the jail.

Overcome with remorse, Margaret confessed the shame she felt for the false testimony she had given against Burroughs, John Willard, and her own grandfather, George Jacobs Sr. With deep regret, she begged Burroughs to forgive her for the part she had played in their convictions.

Burroughs graciously granted her forgiveness. Before she departed, the two knelt together and prayed.



For more information about the Salem Witch Trials or to get tickets to our 1692 Salem History Tour, Visit: 1692beforeandafter.com