331 years ago, in March 1692, the famous Salem trials began. This witch hunt, which lasted until May 1693, resulted in the arrest of a hundred people and the deaths of fourteen women and six men. Elsewhere in Europe, and even in New France, religious and civil authorities became increasingly critical of superstitions and allegations of evil spells.
Salem is a Massachusetts village inhabited by a predominantly Puritan population in the 17th century. Within these communities, pastors often attribute social problems to the devil’s influence. A belief that was already firmly entrenched in Europe at the time and which caused the deaths of thousands of people in trials for heresy or witchcraft.
This fear of evil magic was very useful to both the Catholic and Protestant churches. It served as a means of controlling the rural population, which was further removed from the oversight and administration of the cities.
Any person who actually deviated from pre-established societal norms, or who had knowledge of herbal medicine and practiced medicinal activities outside of the religious and civil framework, could quickly be suspected of witchcraft. Especially when inexplicable phenomena began to appear in small communities, like a deadly epidemic.
Photo provided by Library and National Archives of Quebec, 06M,TL4,S1,D4863
Archive of the trial of François-Charles de Beaufort.
The Salem trials in context
Salem’s situation was perfect for a collective obsession that degenerated into a series of lawsuits with disastrous results. In 1692 the village expanded and there were economic rivalries between certain families. Since entertainment is prohibited in the community, boredom is also a factor to consider. Because this story of witchcraft begins with Pastor Samuel Parris’ daughter, Betty, and her niece. They begin to suffer from strange disorders: they suddenly freeze, have convulsions or spontaneously throw objects in a room. Suspicion of evil spells began to spread, encouraged by a book, very popular at the time, that described the symptoms attributed to witchcraft.
Other instances of strange discomfort are reported, and people begin to accuse enemies and neighbors of evil deeds…often out of revenge or jealousy.
A first trial was therefore opened on March 1, 1692 and led to the indictment of three women who lived on the outskirts of their community. Accusations are quickly added, based on simple testimonies from people who claim to have seen appearances or behavior described as witches. Only in May 1693 and with several deaths did the provincial governor end these interrogations, which were conducted without concrete evidence of guilt.
Witchcraft allegations in New France?
New France did not escape this fear of witchcraft and evil spells, but in the 17th and 18th centuries, claiming to have seen a ghost or magical act could not be taken as proof. However, this did not prevent trials for witchcraft or profanation being held.
Such was the case of a Montreal innkeeper named Anne Lamarque, who was accused of witchcraft in 1682. Thanks to her good connections, she escaped the exile reserved for those convicted of witchcraft in New France.
Men are threatened with witchcraft too. In this context, the case of a wily soldier, François-Charles Harvard de Beaufort, who enjoyed card and magic tricks, terrified his viewers by using them to trick a thief into admitting his crime. These tricks led to his trial for witchcraft and fraud in the summer of 1742, his sentencing to the whip and 3 years on the king’s galleys… sentencing after which we lost track of him in the archives!