Tuesday, February 3, 2015

"What Clusterf*^k F*^kery,"

Salem witch trials

she said as she thrashed in the raging river into which she'd been thrown. No higher power came to her aid. Guilty as drowned.

5 comments:

  1. Agreed.

    Hope Henry is feeling better.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Swim away from there. Sending love. Maybe a lifeboat.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been thinking of you all day after listening to the news. You've got some unlikely bedfellows today. Still, madness reigns. Yes, please let's make a plan to see each other when next I come to Oakland. I would love that even though I can be shy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous: Here's what was called "trial by water," an ancient practice that evidently predated the Salem witch trial by water (the sink/float outcome that you described):

    "Witch swimming derived from the “trial by water,” an ancient practice where suspected criminals and sorcerers were thrown into rushing rivers to allow a higher power to decide their fate. This custom was banned in many European counties in the Middle Ages, only to reemerge in the 17th century as a witch experiment, and it persisted in some locales well into the 18th century. For example, in 1710, the swimming test was used as evidence against a Hungarian woman named Dorko Boda, who was later beaten and burned at the stake as a witch."

    Thanks for helping me to clarify this!

    ReplyDelete

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