Who is mercy lewis

Since she was one of the only people in Salem who knew anything about their backgrounds, she was the main source of information about them.

Although it is not clear why Lewis accused and testified against Reverend George Burroughs, it was most likely an attempt to get revenge against a former employer. George Burroughs whom i very well knew which did grievously torture me and urged me to write in his book and then he brought to me a new fashion book which he did not use to bring and told me I might write in that book: for that was a book that was in his study when I lived with them: but I told him I did not believe him for I had been often in his study but I never saw that book their: but he told me that he had several books in his study which I never saw in his study and he could raise the devil: and now had bewitched Mr.

George Bur-roughs did most dreadfully torment me: and also several times since. Mercy Lewis upon her oath did own this here testimony to be the truth before the jurers for In quest: august 3: He later returned to Salem and was cleared of all charges. One such person was Sarah Cloyce. Probably for that reason, Mercy Lewis did not take an active role in accusing Sarah Cloyce, although she did participate in the prosecution of Rebecca Nurse and a third Towne sister, Mary Easty, who was accused later in April.

Indeed, on the once occasion Mercy evidently named Sarah Cloyce, she quickly recanted. She answered she saw no body. Of the numerous people Lewis accused and testified against, six were executed, one was tortured to death, one died in jail, three escaped from jail, and the rest were either pardoned, found not guilty or were never indicted.

At the Putnam household, Lewis befriended Ann Putnam and her cousin Mary Walcott who were among the first to make claims of affliction resulting in accusations of witchcraft. To support their accusations, Mercy Lewis and the other girls continued to display "evidence" of affliction. In one notable incident, Lewis is reported by Edward Putnam to have been drawn helplessly by an unseen force across a room directly towards a burning hearth while in the presence of an accused Martha Corey.

Is it possible that the girls, including Mercy Lewis, actually were afflicted? The position taken by Bernard Rosenthal in Salem Story considers two possible explanations. Either the girls were experiencing psychological disorders or they were simply frauds, and decides in favor of fraud. Nineteenth century historian Charles Upham, author of Salem Witchcraft, suggests a mixture of explanations "credulity, hallucination, and the delirium of excitement" to account for the girls' behavior.

Regardless of what may have fueled the incessant accusations, the fact remains that the girls accused innocent persons of witchcraft, costing many of them their lives. Historian Carol Karlsen in her book Devil in the Shape of a Woman attempts to explain the girls' afflictions as a response to their personal insecurities -- both economic and social. The abduction of Dorcas, and later of Isaac himself, was the straw that broke the camel.

Saturday Mourning. Hounded in the brothel by the mob, the two were killed by Anne Hale hand, who revealed to Hathorne the real intentions of his wife about widowhood, and how his opinion was irrelevant because he was a man. At that point, Mercy confessed that those were her initial plans, but over time she really fell in love with Hathorne and for this reason, both were killed by the witch during her ascent to "Queen of the Night".

While choking, Mercy and Hathorne looked at each other until life left their bodies. Black Sunday. Mercy is a powerful witch of the Essex Hive , having quickly grown in power by herself, though she still remains inferior to the naturally more powerful witches of the Essex Hive, such as Mary Sibley or Anne Hale.

Upon her initiation into witchcraft, she was taught several basic rituals by Mary Sibley, such as the one to enter a state of astral projection, which she showed considerable skill in, going so far as to be able to temporarily possess her target, who despite resisting was killed by Mercy. She was also able to craft a short-lasting illusion using a potion while playing a game with other girls.

After betraying both Mary and Tituba , she rebelled against the Essex Hive, though her power continued growing naturally as she was quickly able to teleport, fleeing from Mary in this manner. She was also able to change the shapes of her fingers into animalistic nails, which she achieved through sheer will without any assistance.

Mercy eventually learned how to levitate, using this either in fights or when she broke in to help her followers. Unlike the previously seen use of familiars to control humans by forcing them to ingest the familiar, Mercy learned how to use her familiar bird to control men, by castrating them and sowing in the head of a bird in place of castration, showing skill in witchcraft as she possibly thought of this practice herself.

Before this, she also assumed control over Tituba's familiar using her followers in a calculative move, forcing the familiar spider to seal George Sibley 's mouth shut, which led to Tituba's arrest, along with Mercy's accusation. Mercy was also aware that consuming a dying man's flesh would bind their spirit to her will in death, which is something she possibly learned from Mary.

One of the most significant techniques she was taught in is the practice of Blooming, bathing in the blood which is a sophisticated practice used by powerful witches such as the Marburg bloodline. It was, in fact, the Countess Marburg who taught Mercy the art of blooming in the first place, healing her scars and regrowing her hair in the process. She also showed herself capable of invisibility, though whether it was achieved through a spell, ritual or potion remains unknown.

Like other witches seen, Mercy has demonstrated a greater durability than human beings, easily surviving a knife in the chest. She also while horribly burned survived the fire that killed all of her followers. Mercy was possibly one of the more powerful witches of the Essex Hive, growing quickly in power on her own and currently residing in Salem.

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After the Fall Mercy was visited by Magistrate Hathorne , who had come to claim his right to a part of the brothel's revenue as agreed with the previous owner. The Heart Is A Devil When the magistrate pleaded to be saved from certain death that was quickly destroying his body, Mercy Lewis offered an antidote in return for his services, and for sexual favors that were soon consumed once the man was cured with a few drops of a tonic contained in a vial, pour directly on his tongue by the witch, who then invited the man into her bed.

The Reckoning Mercy was willing to use the man for her own personal gain, by leveraging his influential social position among the selectmen of Salem to re-establish her name in society. Night's Black Agents The relationship between the two deepened following the assassination attempt against Mercy by her former henchmen, freed from her witchcraft by Isaac Walton. The Commonwealth of Hell When Alice Land and other prostitutes offered their blood to treat Mercy, Hathorne offered to wash away excess blood and the two began to plan their ascent as the undisputed lords of Salem.

Wednesday's Child Mercy received a visit from Anne Hale at the Bird's Nest, but the madame said she was busy and that she would have visited the young wife of the Reverend when she would have considered appropriate. Friday's Knights Happiness resulted from the marriage was quickly extinguished by the problems caused by Isaac Walton, who was urging the unfortunate citizens of Knocker's Hole to turn against Hathorne and his wife.

Saturday Mourning Mercy and Hathorne's last lovely moment Hounded in the brothel by the mob, the two were killed by Anne Hale hand, who revealed to Hathorne the real intentions of his wife about widowhood, and how his opinion was irrelevant because he was a man.

Mary Sibley. I promised them that they would be safe because you promised me, but you lied! You lied and now they are all dead! Everything that comes from your lips is a lie! At times their relationship was antagonistic due to Tituba's possessiveness of Mary and their relationship finally came to a breaking point when Mercy cast a spell to gain control of Tituba's familiar to silence George Sibley to protect Mary from Increase Mather.

She later accused Tituba of witchcraft leading to her arrest and torture.