Witches Examined in Salem Village: April 22 & 23, 1692

Confessions, Fits, and a Red Communion: April 22–23, 1692We revisit two volatile days in Salem, as Deliverance Hobbs is brought in under a ruse, identified by Ann Putnam Jr., and pressured into a confession that names Sarah Wilds, Sarah Osborne, poppets, pins, and a “tall man” in a high-crowned hat—while the afflicted abruptly fall quiet. We track the court’s fixation on marks, rapiers, and spectral claims, then watch Sarah Wilds deny everything as the fits return and accusations multiply. William Hobbs faces both staged torment and a pointed turn toward religious suspicion before being sent to jail alongside others. Our timeline then shifts to April 23, where jailhouse questioning spins out a pasture meeting near Parris’s home: Burroughs preaching, red bread and wine, coercion to sign the Devil’s book, and Abigail Hobbs’s terrifying fit—setting up testimony that will echo for months.00:00 Two-Day Setup00:33 Deliverance Hobbs Examined02:08 Confession and Evidence03:59 Sarah Wilds in Court04:53 William Hobbs Questioned06:48 Depositions and Missing Records07:55 April 23 Witches Meeting09:31 Sabbath Details and Fallout09:47 Looking Ahead Testimony