The Influence of Cotton Mather (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
The Influence of Cotton Mather
Introduction
Cotton Mather (1663–1728) was one of the most influential Puritan clergymen in Massachusetts and played a significant role in shaping attitudes towards witchcraft in colonial New England. His writings and sermons, particularly his 1689 publication Memorable Providences relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions, helped establish a framework for identifying and prosecuting witches that would directly influence the Salem witch trials of 1692–93.
Mather's influence on the Salem witch trials was not simply theoretical. His writings provided concrete examples and practical methods that would be directly applied by those conducting witch hunts just three years after his most influential work on witchcraft was published.
Mather's background and credentials
Family heritage and social standing
Cotton Mather came from an exceptionally prestigious Puritan family, which gave him considerable authority and influence in Massachusetts society:
- He was a third-generation colonist, born in Boston in 1663 to Increase Mather and Maria Cotton
- His father, Increase Mather, was one of the most senior Puritan clergymen in Massachusetts
- His paternal grandfather, Richard Mather, was a respected minister who had migrated from England to New England in the 1630s
- His maternal grandfather, John Cotton, was a well-respected Puritan minister who had fled to New England to escape persecution from Anglican authorities in England
This family background meant that Mather was born into the religious and social elite of Puritan Massachusetts, giving his words significant weight and authority. When he spoke about witchcraft, people listened – not just because of his learning, but because of his family's prestigious position in colonial society.
Education and early career
Mather's intellectual credentials were impressive and further enhanced his authority:
- He graduated from Harvard University at the age of just 15 in 1678, demonstrating exceptional academic ability
- He joined the clergy almost immediately after graduation
- In 1685, at the age of 22, he became pastor of Boston's North Church, one of the most important religious positions in the colony
- He was politically active, joining the rebellion against Governor Sir Edmund Andros in 1688
Mather as a writer and authority on witchcraft
Mather became the leading intellectual authority on Puritanism and witchcraft in the colonies:
- His comprehensive religious training enabled him to write extensively on theological matters
- He wrote over 400 books during his lifetime, making him one of the most prolific authors in colonial America
- By the time of the Salem trials in 1692, he had already preached widely and published several works on witchcraft
- His 1702 work, Magnalia Christi Americana, became his most influential theological text
Mather's particular strength lay in his ability to relay real-life examples of his own contact with witches and those who had been bewitched. This gave his preaching about the danger of witches a sense of immediacy and credibility that theoretical discussions could not match.
The publication of Memorable Providences relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions (1689)
Structure and purpose of the book
Published in 1689, just three years before the Salem trials began, Memorable Providences relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions served as both an inspiration and a practical guide for those conducting witch hunts. The book contained two main sections:
- An extensive account of the Goodwin possessions – a detailed case study of a Boston family whose children appeared to be bewitched in 1688
- A sermon warning against witches – practical advice on how to detect witches, delivered by Mather and then reprinted in the book
The publication was significant because it provided concrete examples and methods that could be applied by others seeking to identify witchcraft in their communities. It was not merely a theoretical treatise but a practical handbook based on a recent, well-documented case.
The Goodwin possessions case (1688)
Background to the case
The Goodwin possessions represented a crucial precedent for the Salem trials. The case involved a respectable Boston family:
- John Goodwin was a mason from Boston
- He and his wife had six children
- The family was described as extremely devoted to Puritanism, making them appear as unlikely victims of deception or fraud
- The case began in the summer of 1688, just four years before Salem
The respectability of the Goodwin family was crucial to the case's credibility. If such a devout Puritan family could be bewitched, then no one was safe from the Devil's influence – a message that would resonate powerfully when similar accusations arose at Salem.
The initial accusation
The case began with a domestic dispute that escalated into accusations of witchcraft:
- The eldest Goodwin child, 13-year-old Martha, accused the family's laundress of stealing bed linen
- Mather believed the stolen linen was being used to practice witchcraft
- The laundress was the daughter of Mary Glover
- When confronted about the theft, Mary Glover allegedly swore at Martha Goodwin
- Soon after this confrontation, Martha began suffering from fits
Mary Glover as a typical outsider
Mary Glover fit the profile of a typical witch suspect – she was a social outsider in Puritan Massachusetts:
- Mather described her as an "ignorant and scandalous old woman in the neighbourhood"
- She only spoke Gaelic, creating a language barrier that isolated her from the English-speaking community
- She was Catholic in a strongly Puritan society, which would have made her deeply suspect
- Even her own husband, before his death, had reportedly complained that she was a witch
- Her status as a widow, non-English speaker, and Catholic made her extremely vulnerable to accusations
Mary Glover embodied three characteristics that made someone particularly vulnerable to witch accusations in Puritan New England: she was an elderly woman, a religious outsider (Catholic in a Puritan society), and unable to communicate effectively with the English-speaking community. These same characteristics would be common among many of those accused at Salem.
The spread of symptoms
What made the case particularly alarming was that the affliction spread to other children:
- Not just Martha, but one of her sisters and two brothers also began suffering fits
- A doctor, Thomas Oakes, was called to examine the children
- He concluded that only witchcraft could explain the fits
Evidence of supernatural affliction
Dr Oakes justified his conclusion that witchcraft was responsible based on specific observations:
- All of the children were afflicted by pains in the same parts of their bodies at the same times
- This simultaneous affliction occurred even though the children were not kept in the same rooms
- This suggested a supernatural rather than natural cause
The involvement of a medical professional was crucial in legitimizing the witchcraft diagnosis. Dr Oakes' conclusion that only supernatural forces could explain the symptoms gave scientific credibility to what might otherwise have been dismissed as childish hysteria or fraud.
Detailed descriptions of possession symptoms
Mather dedicated a significant portion of his book to describing the symptoms suffered by the Goodwin children. According to his account, the children experienced:
Sensory impairments:
- Sometimes they would be deaf
- Sometimes dumb (unable to speak)
- Sometimes blind
- Often all three at once
Physical contortions and pain:
- Their tongues would be drawn down their throats
- Their tongues would be pulled out upon their chins to a prodigious length
- Their mouths would open so wide that their jaws went out of joint
- Their mouths would then snap together with force like a strong spring-lock
- Similar joint problems affected their shoulder blades, elbows, and wrists
Extreme bodily positions:
- They would lie in a benumbed condition and be drawn together like those tied neck and heels
- They would be stretched out and drawn backwards so severely it was feared their skin would crack
- Their necks would appear broken, with the neck bone seeming dissolved
- Their necks would then become stiff with no ability to move their heads
- Their heads would be twisted almost round (nearly 360 degrees)
Other manifestations:
- They would cry out that they were being cut with knives and struck with blows
- If force was used to prevent dangerous motions, they would roar exceedingly
- The tortures were so varied it would take as much time to relate them all as it took the children to endure them
Pattern of relief:
- Around nine or ten at night, they would have release from their miseries
- They would eat and sleep relatively well at night
- But the afflictions would return during the daytime
These detailed descriptions became a reference point for identifying bewitchment. When similar symptoms appeared in Salem four years later, those familiar with Mather's account could recognize what they believed to be the unmistakable signs of demonic possession.
The arrest and trial of Mary Glover
The investigation of Mary Glover produced what appeared to be strong evidence of witchcraft:
Physical evidence:
- A search of Glover's house revealed she had been making dolls out of rags and stuffing them with goat hair
- These dolls were interpreted as poppets used in witchcraft
- Glover admitted to using the dolls in witchcraft
Courtroom demonstration:
- When one of the dolls was given to her in court, the Goodwin children, who were present at the trial, fell into fits and screamed out in pain
- This appeared to demonstrate a direct link between Glover's actions and the children's suffering
Religious test:
- Mary Glover was unable to recite the Lord's Prayer correctly
- It was widely believed that witches were incapable of correctly reciting the Lord's Prayer
- This failure was seen as strong evidence of her guilt
Confession:
- Ultimately, Glover confessed to being in league with the Devil
The combination of physical evidence (the poppets), dramatic courtroom demonstrations (the children's fits), religious tests (inability to recite the Lord's Prayer), and a confession created what appeared to be an overwhelming case against Mary Glover. This same combination of evidence types would be used extensively at Salem.
Mather's personal investigation
Cotton Mather took a direct, hands-on role in investigating the case:
- He interviewed Mary Glover in person before her execution
- He found the encounter difficult because he had to rely on an interpreter due to Glover's inability to speak English
- He attempted to rid her of the Devil and convert her to Puritanism, but failed
- During the interview, Glover apparently named other witches who had assisted her in bewitching the children
Significantly, Mather never released the names of the other alleged witches. He justified this decision by arguing that women who had made a pact with the Devil were inclined to lie, and therefore their testimony could not be trusted. This showed some awareness of the dangers of accepting accusations uncritically, though this caution would not prevent the escalation of accusations at Salem.
Execution and aftermath
Mary Glover was executed, but this did not end the children's affliction:
- She was given an execution date of 16 November 1688
- Before her death, she told Mather that her execution would not end the children's misery
- Her prediction appeared to come true: after she was hanged, the children's fits continued
Mather's attempted exorcism
Mather took personal responsibility for attempting to cure the children:
- He took Martha Goodwin into his home in order to exorcise her
- Initially, her fits resumed after moving to his house
- Eventually, they stopped again
- Ultimately, all of the Goodwin children appeared to be cured
Mather's willingness to take Martha Goodwin into his own home demonstrated his commitment to understanding and combating witchcraft. It also gave him firsthand experience observing the symptoms of possession, which added further authority to his writings on the subject.
The influence on Salem
Parallels between the Goodwin case and Salem
The pattern of events in the Goodwin possessions case bore striking resemblance to what would occur at Salem in 1692:
- Young girls experiencing fits and physical torments
- Accusations beginning with social outsiders
- Symptoms that appeared to be beyond natural explanation
- Multiple accusers experiencing simultaneous afflictions
- Use of physical objects (poppets) as evidence
- Confessions obtained from the accused
- Naming of additional suspects by those already accused
These parallels were not coincidental. Mather's detailed account of the Goodwin case provided a template that those involved in Salem could follow. When similar events began to unfold, they had a ready-made framework for understanding what was happening and how to respond.
Mather's role during the Salem trials
Although Mather was influential in shaping attitudes towards witchcraft, his direct involvement in Salem was limited:
- He was not present at the Salem trials themselves
- However, he did witness executions that resulted from the trials
- In 1693, he published Wonders of the Invisible World in support of the trials
Mather's views on spectral evidence
Despite his belief in witchcraft, Mather expressed important cautions about the use of certain types of evidence:
- He preached that the evidence of a witch should never be used to charge another suspect
- His reasoning was that the Devil may have been attempting to incriminate innocent people
- This showed some awareness of the dangers of accepting accusations uncritically
However, this caution came too late to prevent the escalation of accusations at Salem, and Mather's earlier writings had already helped create the intellectual framework that made the trials possible. His warnings about spectral evidence were overshadowed by the credibility his earlier work had given to witchcraft accusations.
Mather's lasting influence
Cotton Mather's influence on the Salem witch trials was profound:
- His book Memorable Providences provided a detailed template for identifying possession and witchcraft
- His account of the Goodwin case gave credibility to similar accusations when they arose at Salem
- His descriptions of symptoms became a reference point for identifying bewitchment
- His involvement in the Glover case demonstrated that educated, respected clergy took witchcraft seriously
- His writings helped create an atmosphere of fear and vigilance regarding the Devil's influence in New England
His dual role as both a documentor of witchcraft cases and an active participant in investigating them gave him unique authority. When similar events began to unfold at Salem in 1692, the precedent he had established through the Goodwin case provided both a framework for understanding events and justification for aggressive prosecution of suspected witches.
Key Points to Remember:
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Cotton Mather was one of the most influential Puritan clergymen in Massachusetts, with impeccable family credentials and exceptional education (Harvard graduate at age 15).
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Memorable Providences (1689) was published just three years before Salem and provided both a detailed case study and practical guidance for identifying witchcraft.
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The Goodwin possessions case (1688) established a template that closely resembled the Salem accusations: young accusers, dramatic physical symptoms, social outsider as suspect, and use of physical evidence like poppets.
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Mary Glover was a typical witch suspect – an elderly Catholic widow who spoke only Gaelic, making her a complete outsider in Puritan society.
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Mather's detailed descriptions of possession symptoms became a reference point for identifying bewitchment, including physical contortions, sensory impairments, and claims of invisible torment.
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Despite his caution about spectral evidence, Mather's earlier writings had already helped create the intellectual and religious framework that made the Salem trials possible.