The witch hunt that took place in England and Europe at large was an iconic event that was driven by misconceptions and ill-advised ideologies. Numerous innocent people were wrongfully executed as witches because the society used stereotypes and situational evidence as the basis for convictions. In this regard, individuals, especially old women who were widowed and purportedly suited the description of a witch were persecuted without further investigations or interrogation. Scholars and the intellectuals in the society at the time, such as Cotton Mathers, made it their primary obligation to educate the society on witchcraft both from a religious and political standpoint, as a means of preventing the prevalence of wrongful convictions. Resultantly, scholars such as Racheal Walker and John Demos have applauded the role of Mathers in improving the fairness and the objectivity of the Salem witch trial process as a means of preventing the innocent from suffering.
Racheal Walker, in her works, acknowledges that although Mathers was not directly involved in the Salem trials, his contribution played a pivotal role in advocating for caution in the conviction process. Mather’s letter intended for one of the magistrates of Salem court, John Richards, urged the jury to exercise caution in the utilization of spectral evidence. Mather contended that the devil could sometimes exist in a myriad of forms, which includes residing in an innocent person. However, Mather is also accused of applying double standards on his contribution to the hanging of George Burroughs, who had recited the Lord’s Prayer with perfect renditions, an act that an individual who was in an alliance with the devil could never accomplish.
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In addition, scholars such as John Demos allude to the fact that Mathers contradicted himself in many of his carefully-worded letters and books to portray him as an individual who fueled the killings associated with the Salem witch trials. In Mathers’ work, More Wonders of the Invisible World , Mather seems to justify the Salem killings by stating the use of spectral evidence was justifiable. Even though Mathers continued to affirm his impartiality, in the text, he calls Susanna Martin the most wicked creature that has ever roamed the face of the earth.
Although scholars tend to argue about the impartiality and the perception of Cotton, it is evident he played a pivotal role in fostering the formulation of a judicial system that employed immense caution in a bid to avoid convicting the wrong people. In this regard, my paper on the contribution of Cotton to the Salem witch trial process, will not only acknowledge the controversies surrounding the position of Cotton on the executions but also extensively explore how his contribution shaped the societal view of the people involved in the witch hunt in England and Europe at large. The fact that Cotton advocated for caution in consideration of spectral evidence in the trial process and the notion that the devil could resume various shapes, specifically possess innocent people, compelled Salem’s witch trial process to consider that the accused individuals could indeed be innocent.
Conclusively, Cotton Matters is an iconic figure in the British witch hunt and trial process. Although, his stances, as demonstrated by the book he authored seem to contradict, it is evident that his intervention in the Salem witch trial was integral in fostering justice and fairness. From the humanistic standpoint, the execution was not only barbaric but an endeavor that cannot be justified from any moral perspective. However, Cotton’s role in maintaining the objectivity and the fairness of the trials saved numerous innocent lives from undergoing a gruesome fate.
