Massachusetts has a long history of passing legislation to clear the names of people convicted for witchcraft. This legacy of addressing injustice dates back to 1703, with the most recent exoneration occurring in 2022. Through the combined force of the laws presented below, Massachusetts has cleared all 30 individuals convicted during the Salem Witch Trials, as well as the 1 man who was pressed to death in Salem. To date, legislation has not addressed the victims of the witch trials which took place in Boston between 1648 and 1691.
Previous Acts and Resolves to Exonerate Witch Trial Victims
1703. Order of the General Court Concerning a Bill of Attainder of Abigail Faulkner
In the House of Representatives
July 20th. 1703
In Answer to the Petitions of Abigail faulkner , and Sundry of the Inhabitants of Andover, in the behalfe of sundry persons in and late of s’d Town, & Elsewhere, who in the Year 1692 were Indicted, accused and Condemned, & many of them Executed for the crime of Felony by witchcraft. And whereas it is Conceived by many worthy and pious Persons that the Evidence given against many of the s’d condemned Persons was weak and insufficient as to Taking away the lives of sundry so condemned &ca Wherefore it is thought meet and it is hereby Ordered †That a bill be drawn up for Preventing the like Procedure for the future, and that no Spectre Evidence may hereafter be accounted valid, or Sufficient to take away the life, or good name, of any Person or Persons within this Province, and that the Infamy, and Reproach, cast on the names and Posterity of the s’d accused and Condemned Persons may in some measure be Roll’d away. sent up for Concurrence.
*Jam’s Converse Speaker.
(Reverse) Order for bringing in a bill to reverse the attainder of
Abiga’ Faulkner &ca of witchcraft.In Council
July 21, 1703. agreed to.
die dict. agreed to.
1703. An Act for Reversing the Attainder of Abigail Faulkner, Sarah Wardel, Elizabeth Proctor
Whereas Abigail Faulkner, wife of Francis Faulkner of Andover in the County of Essex, Sarah Wardel Wife of Samuel Wardel of the same place, Elizabeth Proctor Wife of John Proctor of Salem Village within the said County. In the Court of Oyer and Terminer and Goal Delivery holden at Salem within the said County of Essex in the year One Thousand Six hundred ninety two were arraigned convicted and attainted of Felony for practicing Witchcraft, who have now humbly petitioned this Court, That the said Attainders may be set aside and made void.—Wherefore
Be it Declared & Enacted by his Excellency the Governor Council and Representatives in Generalcourt Assembled, and by the authority of the same,
That the said Several convictions, Judgements and Attainders of the said Abigail Faulkner, Sarah Wardel, Elizabeth Proctor and every of them be, and are repealed, reversed, made and declared null and void to all intents, constructions and purposes whatsoever; as if no such convictions, Judgements or Attainders had ever been had or given. And that no corruption of blood, pains penalties or Forfeitures of Goods or Chattels be by the said convictions and Attainders or any of them incurred, But that the said persons and every of them be and hereby are reinstated in their just Credit and reputation—
Any Law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding
An Act for Reversing the Attainders of Abigail Faulkner, & Others
Att a Great & Generall Court or assembly of Her Majties Province Of ye Massachusets Bay in New England begun and held at Boston Upon Wednesday The Twenty sixth of May 1703 & continued by adjournment unto Wednesday the thirtieth of June following & Then Mett: Province of ye Massachusetts Bay} An Act for reversing the attainders of Abigail Faulkner & others:
Whereas Abigail Faulkner Wife Of Francis Faulkner of Andover in ye Countey of Essex Sarah Wardel Wife of Samuel Wardel of ye same place Elizabeth Proctor Wife of John Proctor of Salem Village within the said County In ye Court of Oyer & Terminer & Goal Delivery holden att Salem within ye said Countey of Essex In the yeare One thousand Six hundred Ninety two were arraigned convicted & attainted of Felony for practising Wichcraft who have now humbly Petitioned This Court that ye said attainders May be set aside & made void Wherefore
be it Declared & Enacted by his Excellency the Governour Council and Representatives in Generall Court assembled and by the Authority of ye same
That the said severall Convictions Judgments and attainders of ye said Abigail Faulkner Sarah Wardel Elizabeth Proctor and Every of them be and are repealed reversed made and declared Null and Void to all Intents Construcons & purposes Whatsoever as if no such Convictions Judgments or Attainders had Ever been had or given: And that no corrupcon of blood pains penalties or Forfeitures of Goods or chattels be by the said Convictions and Attainders or any of them Incurred but that The Said Persons and Every of them be and are hereby reinstated in their Just Credit & Reputacon Any Law usage or Custom to ye Contrary Notwithstanding
1711. Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs and Others for Witchcraft
An act to reverse the attainders of George Burroughs, et al. for witchcraft, October 17, 1711, Massachusetts Court of Oyer and Terminer records, DEP 01, Box 12, Folder 30. Property of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Division of Archives and Records Preservation. Digital image courtesy of Phillips Library, Peabody Essex Museum, Rowley, MA.
[October 17, 1711]
Province of the Massachusets Bay: Anno Regni Anna Reginae Decimo.
An Act to reverse the attainders of George Burroughs and others for Witchcraft
Forasmuch as in the year of our Lord one Thousand six hundred ninety two several Towns within this Province were Infested with a horrible Witchcraft or possession of devils; And at a Special Court of Oyer and Terminer holden at Salem in the County of Essex in the same year 1692. George Burroughs of Wells, John Procter , George Jacobs , John Willard , Giles Core , and his wife, Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Good all of Salem aforesaid Elizabeth How of Ipswich, Mary eastey , Sarah Wild and Abigail Hobbs all of Topsfield, Samuel Wardell , Mary Parker; Martha Carrier , Abigail Falkner: Anne Foster , Rebecca Eames , Mary Post and Mary Lacey all of Andover, Mary Bradbury, of Salisbury, and Dorcas Hoar of Beverley Were severally Indicted convicted and attainted of Witchcraft and some of them put to death, others lying still under the like sentance of the said Court, and liable to have the same Executed upon them.
The Influence and Energy of the Evil Spirits so great at that time acting in and upon those who were the principal accusers and Witnesses proceeding so far as to cause a Prosecution to be had of persons of known and good reputation, which caused a great disatisfaction and a stop to be put thereunto until theire Majesty’s pleasure should be known therein:
And upon a Representation thereof accordingly made her late Majesty Queen Mary the second of blessed memory by Her Royal Letter given at her Court at Whitehall the fifteenth of April 1693. was Graciously pleased to approve the care and Circumspection therein; and to Will and require that in all proceedings ag’t persons accused for Witchcraft, or being possessed by the devil, the greatest Moderation and all due Circumspection be used, so far as the same may be without Impediment to the Ordinary course of Justice.
And
(Reverse) And Some of the principal Accusers and Witnesses in those dark and severe prosecutions have since discovered themselves to be persons of profligate and vicious Conversation.
Upon the humble Petition and suit of several of the s’d persons and of the children of others of them whose Parents were Executed. Be it Declared and Enacted by his Excellency the Governor Council and Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same That the several convictions Judgments and Attainders against the said George Borroughs , John Procter , George Jacob , John Willard , Giles Core and Martha Core , Rebecca Nurse , Sarah Good , Elizabeth How , Mary Easty , Sarah W[ild] Abigail Hobbs , Samuel Wardell , Mary Parker , Martha Carrier , Abigail Falkner , Anne Foster , Rebecca Eame[s,] Mary Post , Mary Lacey , Mary Bradbury , and Dorcas [Hoar] , and every of them Be and hereby are reversed made and d[eclared] to be null and void to all Intents, Constructions and purposes wh[atso] ever, as if no such convictions, Judgments or Attainders had ever [been] had or given. And that no penalties or forfeitures of Goods or Chattels be by the said Judgments and attainders or either of them had or Incurrd.
And Any Law Usage or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding. And that no Sheriffe, Constable, Goaler or other officer shall be Liable to any prosecution in the Law for anything they then Legally did in the Execution of their Respective Offices.
Made and Pass’d by the Great and General Court or Assembly of her Majestys Province of the Massachusets: Bay: in New England held at Boston the 17th day of october. 1711.
1957. Resolve Relative To The Indictment, Trial, Conviction and Execution of Ann Pudeator and Certain Other Persons for “Witchcraft” in the Year Sixteen Hundred and Ninety-Two
Whereas, One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons were indicted, tried, found guilty, sentenced to death and executed in the year sixteen hundred and ninety-two for “Witchcraft”; and
Whereas, Said persons may have been illegally tried, convicted and sentenced by a possibly illegal court of oyer and terminer created by the then governor of the Province without authority under the Province Charter of Massachusetts Bay; and
Whereas, Although there was a public repentance by JudgeSewall, one of the judges of the so-called “Witchcraft Court”,and by all the members of the “Witchcraft” jury, and a public Fast Day proclaimed and observed in repentance for the proceedings, but no other action taken in regard to them; and
Whereas, The General Court of Massachusetts is informed that certain descendants of said Ann Pudeator and said other persons are still distressed by the record of said proceedings; therefore be it
Resolved, That in order to alleviate such distress and although the facts of such proceedings cannot be obliter-ated, the General Court of Massachusetts declares its belief that such proceedings, even if lawful under the Province Charter and the law of Massachusetts as it then was, were and are shocking, and the result of a wave of popular hysterical fear of the Devil in the community, and further declares that, as all the laws under which said proceedings,even if then legally conducted, have been long since abandoned and superseded by our more civilized laws no disgrace or cause for distress attaches to the said descendants or any of them by reason of said proceedings; and be it further
Resolved, That the passage of this resolve shall not bestow on the commonwealth or any of its subdivisions, or on any person any right which did not exist prior to said passage,shall not authorize any suit or other proceeding nor deprive any party to a suit or other proceeding of any defense which he hitherto had, shall not affect in any way whatever the title to or rights in any real or personal property, nor shall it require or permit the remission of any penalty, fine or forfeiture hitherto imposed or incurred.
Approved August 28, 1957
2001. An Act Relative to the Witchcraft Trial of 1692
1 SECTION 1. Resolved, Chapter 145 of the Resolves of 1957 is
2 hereby amended by striking out the words “One Ann Pudeator and
3 certain other persons”, in line 1, and inserting in place thereof the
4 following;— Ann Pudeator, Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin,
5 Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.
1 SECTION 2. Said chapter 145 is hereby further amended by
2 striking out the word “Said”, in line 5, and inserting in place
3 thereof the following;— the above named.
1 SECTION 3. Said chapter 145 is hereby further amended by
2 striking out the words “and said other persons”, in lines 9 and 10,
3 and inserting in place thereof the following:— Bridget Bishop,
4 Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.
2022. Budget Amendment ID: FY2023-S4-842-R1
“SECTION 47A. Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957, as amended by chapter 122 of the acts of 2001, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “Scott”, each time it appears, the following words:- “, Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.”.