Escaping Salem

The Devil’s mark, or witch’s teat, is an abnormal growth thought to be found on a witch. It was believed to act as a third nipple, from which demonic creatures could suck. The Devil’s mark was important because it was one of the few concrete pieces of evidence available to the accusers. Kate, during a fit, accused Goody Miller of having one, and Mercy Disborough was convicted based on the existence of one. However, it was also considered to be controversial, at best, and the existence of one could only be confirmed by male physicians.

Trust and reliability are important motifs throughout the text. Katherine Branch’s reliability was continually called into question; in fact, one might argue that this questioning of her reliability contributes to Godbeer’s argument, and one might remember that Katherine Branch’s testimony was deemed to be insufficient for conviction. (It is important to reiterate here that a witchcraft charge was one of religious transgression; the personal injury to Katherine Branch was irrelevant.) However, these motifs recur in other ways, as well. Quarrels, which formed the basis of accusations, typically arose from a break in trust among neighbors; to that end, these motifs tie directly into the aforementioned theme of