![Major Robert Pike, 1616-1706](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Major_Robert_Pike%2C_1616-1706.jpg)
Robert Pike (16161706) was an opponent of the
Salem witchcraft prosecutions of 1692. He was also involved in two other notable, public controversies prior to 1692. The first was his open criticism of the persecution of the
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...
, for which he was arraigned by the
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ...
in 1653. Years later, he became embroiled in a long feud with the pastor of
Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
, the Reverend
John Wheelwright
John Wheelwright (c. 1592–1679) was a Puritan clergyman in England and America, noted for being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Antinomian Controversy, and for subsequently establishing the town of Exeter, New Hamps ...
, who excommunicated him in 1675 and was later obliged to reinstate him.
Early life and education
Robert Pike was probably born in
Landford
__NOTOC__
Landford is a village and civil parish southeast of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. To the south and east of the parish is the county of Hampshire and the New Forest National Park. The parish includes the small village of Nomansland a ...
, Wiltshire, England about 1616. He came to the
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as the ...
in 1635 with his father, John Pike (1572–1654) and four siblings. His mother Dorothy Day had died several years before.
They first settled in
Newbury. Within a few years Robert Pike moved to the east side of the
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Mas ...
and became one of the founders and first land owners of
Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
(originally called Colchester), where he remained the rest of his life.
Pike married Sarah Sanders, of Salisbury, on 3 April 1641. They raised eight children before her death in 1679. While nothing is known about his formal education in England, it is clear that he was well-educated, for he wrote with a flowing hand and could formulate well-reasoned arguments in his own defence and the defence of others. His brother,
John Pike (1613–1689), also appears to have been well-educated prior to their arrival in 1635.
Civic life
As one of the leading men of the new settlement that became Salisbury, Pike took on numerous civic and military duties and held several offices. In 1641, his first appointment was as a
Fence Viewer A fence viewer is a town or city official who administers fence laws by inspecting new fences and settles disputes arising from trespass by livestock that have escaped enclosure.
The office of fence viewer is one of the oldest appointments in New E ...
, which involved the settling of disputes about property boundaries, "livestock proof" fences, and resolving disputes about fence repairs. In May 1644, he was appointed by the
General Court, along with two others, with the power "to end small causes in Salisbury". In modern terms, this is roughly equivalent to a
justice of the peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
. By 1646, Pike was the leader of the local
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
and known as Lieutenant Pike, then Major Pike. Thomas Bradbury, husband of
Mary Bradbury
Mary (née Perkins) Bradbury (baptized September 3, 1615December 20, 1700) was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. However, she managed to avoid her sentence until the trials had been discredited, and ...
, was second in command, as an
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
. In 1648, Salisbury elected Pike to the post of Deputy to the General Court, based in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. He was re-elected 10 times and later served one term as magistrate. At the time of King Philip's War (1675–78) Pike served as Sergeant-Major, and was responsible for much of the area North of Boston (Maine was then a part of Massachusetts). Captain Benjamin Church reported to Sergeant-Major Pike.
In defence of Quakers
Small numbers of Quakers started arriving in
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
by 1656. The
Puritan
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic Church, Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become m ...
-dominated General Court immediately enacted laws to discourage their activities. The new laws provided for harsh punishment to anyone who professed the "heretical opinions" of Quakers. They even punished ship captains who knowingly carried Quakers as passengers. However, these new measures brought heated debate within the General Court, as their passage was far from unanimous. The Deputies of the General Court, including Robert Pike, who represented the outlying areas, were much more likely to be sensitive to the issue of
religious freedom
Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom ...
and probably voted against the new laws. Nonetheless, numerous Quaker
missionaries
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
were punished by public
whippings, banishment, and the threat of death if they returned to Massachusetts Bay Colony. Between 1659 and 1661,,
five Quakers, all of whom had returned to Boston to continue preaching publicly, were hanged.
In the winter of 1662, three Quaker women arrived in
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 32,741 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city in the New Hampshire Seacoast region and the fifth largest municipality in the state. It is the county se ...
, to preach and soon after were arrested and ordered whipped.
Richard Waldron
Major Richard Waldron (or Richard Waldern, Richard Walderne; 1615–1689) was an English-born merchant, soldier, and government official who rose to prominence in early colonial Dover, New Hampshire. His presence spread to greater New Hampshire ...
, the
magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
at Dover, even went to the extreme of issuing a
warrant declaring that the
constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
s of 11 surrounding towns, including Salisbury, were to carry out public whippings of the three women. After they were transported in a cart to Salisbury, the third town of the 11, they were set free by the local authorities, which included Thomas Bradbury,
Walter Barefoote Walter Barefoote (also Barefoot, fl. 1655 – d. 1688) was colonist and deputy governor of the Province of New Hampshire. From 1685 to 1686 he served as acting governor of the province.
Little is known of his origin, although genealogists believe ...
, and Pike. While historians are uncertain as to some of the details, it is believed that Pike was the local constable and he deputised an eager Barefoote, who then "misused" his authority to free the women. In any case, over 200 years later, the Quaker poet
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...
immortalised this cruel episode in his poem, "How the Women Went from Dover". One of the verses is engraved upon a stone memorial to Robert Pike in Salisbury Common.
Massachusetts property records substantiate that Major Pike was one of the owners of Nantucket who gave that island to the Quakers as a place of seclusion in which they would be less likely to be persecuted.
Role in Salem witchcraft crisis
By 1692, Robert Pike had risen to the office of Assistant to the General Court. In that role, he was directed to take depositions of both the accused and the accuser, for the immediate region around Salisbury, during the witchcraft crisis of 1692. In May, he took notes regarding the stories and accusations against
Susannah Martin
Susannah Martin (née North, baptized September 30, 1621 – July 19, 1692) was one of fourteen women executed for witchcraft during the Salem witch trials of colonial Massachusetts.
Early life
The English-born Martin was the fourth daughter ...
of neighbouring
Amesbury
Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settle ...
. More depositions against her followed in June. She was tried and convicted in Boston in late June, then executed by hanging on 19 July, along with
Sarah Good
Sarah Good (, 1653 – , 1692)Contemporary records commonly used the Julian calendar and the Annunciation Style of enumerating months and years. By the Gregorian calendar and using modern style dating, all of the witch trial events in this artic ...
,
Rebecca Nurse
Rebecca Nurse (February 13, 1621 – July 19, 1692) was a woman who was accused of witchcraft and executed by hanging in New England during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. She was fully exonerated fewer than twenty years later.
She was the wif ...
,
Elizabeth Howe
Elizabeth Howe (née Jackson; c. 1637–July 19, 1692) was one of the accused in the Salem witch trials. She was found guilty and executed on July 19, 1692.
Background
Elizabeth Jackson Howe was born 14 May 1637 near Rowley, Yorkshire, the ...
and
Sarah Wildes
Sarah Wildes (née Averell/Averill; baptized March 16, 1627 – ) was wrongly convicted of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials and was executed by hanging. She maintained her innocence throughout the process, and was later exonerated. Her hu ...
.
On 26 May 1692,
George Herrick
George Herrick (c. 1658–1695) was the "Marshal" for the Court of Oyer and Terminer during the Salem Witch Trials.
Herrick described himself as "bred a gentleman, and not much used to work". He was described by those who knew him as a "very tall ...
brought charges, on behalf of
Ann Putnam
Annie Putnam (October 18, 1679 – 1716) was an important witness at the Salem Witch Trials of Massachusetts during the later portion of 17th-century Colonial America. Born 1679 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, she was t ...
and
Mary Walcott
Mary Walcott (July 5, 1675 – 1752) was one of the "afflicted" girls called as a witness at the Salem witch trials in early 1692-93.
Life
Born July 5, 1675, she was the daughter of Captain Jonathan Walcott (1639–1699), and his wife, Mary Sibl ...
, against
Mary Bradbury
Mary (née Perkins) Bradbury (baptized September 3, 1615December 20, 1700) was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. However, she managed to avoid her sentence until the trials had been discredited, and ...
of Salisbury. The wife of Thomas Bradbury, she was well known and respected by Robert Pike and many others. She was convicted in her final trial of 9 September, despite several witnesses supporting her and a petition on her behalf signed by 115 townspeople. Pike prepared her sworn statement on her behalf, defending her character and good works.
Prior to Mary Bradbury's conviction, Pike wrote a remarkable letter to
Jonathan Corwin
Jonathan Corwin (also Curwin or Corwen, November 14, 1640 – June 9, 1718) was a New England merchant, politician, and magistrate. He is best known as one of the judges involved in the Salem witch trials of 1692, although his later work als ...
, one of the trial judges, in which he composed a tightly reasoned attack upon the use of
spectral evidence Spectral evidence is a form of legal evidence based upon the testimony of those who claim to have experienced visions.
Such testimony was frequently given during the witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. The alleged victims of witchcraft wo ...
and the testimony of the "afflicted girls" in general. While Pike, like all Puritans, believed witches and witchcraft existed and were the work of
Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
, he was questioning the current methods of the court in determining credibility and guilt. In his letter of 9 August, Pike makes several points:
:* Citing
1st Samuel xxviii 13, 14: Any person, virtuous or not, may be in truth a witch.
:* A poor reputation does not suggest or substantiate guilt (as with
Sarah Good
Sarah Good (, 1653 – , 1692)Contemporary records commonly used the Julian calendar and the Annunciation Style of enumerating months and years. By the Gregorian calendar and using modern style dating, all of the witch trial events in this artic ...
).
:* Satan is capable of presenting ''anyone's'' spectre to a tormented person (not only a witch's spectre).
:* How can it be known if Satan acts with or without the permission of any specific (accused) person.
:* It is completely contrary to a witch's well-being for them to practice witchcraft within a courtroom.
:* It is likewise contrary for witches to accuse others of witchcraft (as was the case), as "they are all part of Satan's kingdom, which would fall, if divided against itself".
It is not known just how Pike's letter was received, since there is no written response, but with it he became one of the first of several prominent men to question the handling of the witchcraft crisis. Within a few weeks,
Thomas Brattle
Thomas Brattle (June 20, 1658 – May 18, 1713) was an American merchant who served as treasurer of Harvard College and member of the Royal Society. He is known for his involvement in the Salem Witch Trials and the formation of the Brattle Str ...
and
Samuel Willard
Samuel Willard (January 31, 1640 – September 12, 1707) was a New England Puritan clergyman. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, graduated from Harvard College in 1659, and was minister at Groton from 1663 to 1676, before being driven out by ...
of Boston wrote their own manuscripts, using some of the same arguments Pike had made. By October 1692, the activity of the courts was greatly diminished, the executions had ended, and the witchcraft crisis was effectively over.
References
Notes
Sources
* Warren, Roland L. (1992). ''Loyal Dissenter: The Life and Times of Robert Pike''. Lanham, Maryland:
University Press of America
University Press of America is an academic publisher based in the United States. Part of the independent Rowman & Littlefield
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the ...
. .
*
Upham, Charles Wentworth (1860). ''Salem Witchcraft; with an Account of Salem Village, and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects, Volume I and II''. Boston:
Wiggin and Lunt. .
*
Norton, Mary Beth (2002). ''In the Devil's Snare The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692''. New York City:
Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers in ...
. .
External links
The New Puritan, by James Shepherd Pike*
ttp://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/poetry/dover.htm How the Women Went from Dover, by John Greenleaf WhittierYouTube video on Pike memorial in Salisbury, Massachusetts
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pike, Robert
Date of birth unknown
Date of death unknown
Place of death unknown
1616 births
1706 deaths
17th-century English people
18th-century American people
18th-century English people
Critics of witch hunting
Kingdom of England emigrants to Massachusetts Bay Colony
People of colonial Massachusetts
People from Wiltshire
People excommunicated by Christian churches
People of the Salem witch trials