Members of the fresh new Putnam family relations affirmed he is actually vicious in order to their wives, certainly who is connected with Judge Hathorne. Ann Putnam said the a couple wives stumbled on her due to the fact visions and informed her you to Burroughs had slain him or her and this he was actually doing work for the fresh Demon. Burroughs was also known for their superhuman energy. Guys during the demonstration affirmed they had seen your “lay their fingers to your Bung Barrall and you will raised it up, and you will transmitted they round your and place they downe again.” Anybody else reported that he were able to easily pick up an effective six-legs weapon on one give. His brute strength try far more proof of his allegiance towards the devil.
All of this testimony led the latest legal to close out you to Burroughs is actually in fact a good sorcerer and you may was basically the first choice of your witchcraft-associated occurrences. On April 29, 1692, Burroughs, in addition to many others, is accused away from witchcraft. Burroughs was faced with “high uncertainty regarding sundry acts regarding witchcraft done or the time by up coming through to new authorities out of and you will Eliz. Hubbard and you can Susan Sheldon.” On cuatro, 1692, he had been forcefully taken from their house for the Wells, Maine, so you’re able to Salem, and put into the prison.
Boyer and Nissenbaum suggest that Burroughs was applied just like the good scapegoat. From the attributing so you’re able to your the newest role of your own ringleader, the newest witchcraft disease is actually not any longer in the area regarding Salem Community but is actually put upon new arms of just one guy, George Burroughs.
Into the Salem Tale, Rosenthal, worries the newest significanceof that the fresh new Rev
Bernard Rosenthal also has directed to help you Burroughs’ reputation for having unconventional religion. Boost Mather and his man Cotton Mather, both preferred ministers inside the Boston, failed to agree with Burroughs’ religious beliefs. Rosenthal ends that the Mathers approval out of Burroughs’ conviction just like the a beneficial witch possess hidden suspicions which he was in fact a great Baptist and you will a good witch.
Thread Mather was at this time noted for their cautionary blog into the means to access spectral proof regarding the samples. not, just like the Rosenthal means, inside Burroughs’ case Mather reserve his viewpoints on the unreliability out-of 
spectral research, next suggesting one to Mather’s hatred off Burroughs was considering Burroughs’ role since a spiritual dissident.
Ergo, scholars have long viewed Burroughs once the one individual conducted for witchcraft to own his religion. To the August step three, 1692, of numerous affirmed against Burroughs. Age Hubbard, Compassion Lewis, Susannah Sheldon, every claimed which he got visited him or her and you will tried to force them to signal his book and therefore Age told you is actually authored during the terms and conditions “because purple due to the fact blood.” Accused witches such as for example Abigail Hobbs and Mary Warren also recharged your with taking him or her into realm of Satan. He was the new “ring chief of all time” holding new group meetings into the Salem.
Thomas Putnam and Jonathan Walcott closed the original document out of complaint saying the brand new charges
Burroughs’ trial try the only one attended of the Improve Mather. Mather considered that if someone else you may perfectly repeat the Lord’s Prayer then he or she wasn’t an excellent witch. Yet not, because Robert Calef writes within his book Significantly more Secret of Undetectable Globe, “Mr. Burroughs are sent, from the avenue away from Salem to help you Performance; when he is up on the newest Hierarchy, he made a presentation with the cleaning out-of his Innocency, having such as for example Solemn and you can Major Words, since would be to brand new Like of all of the introduce; their Prayer (that he finished from the continual the fresh new Lord’s Prayer) is actually so well worded, and you will uttered that have particularly composedness, and eg (at the least seeming) fervency off Soul, just like the is actually extremely impacting, and you may received Rips of of several ( to make certain that was appeared to specific that Visitors carry out hamper the fresh Execution)”.
