338. During the trial, Maule faced the judges criticism which included Danforths accusation that the publication of such a book was a horrid wickedness and even claimed the motivation was to overthrow all good in church and commonwealth. Maules counter argued that as a religious text, nothing he published was contrary to sound doctrine. Maule even went so far to argue that the court could not prove he wrote the book, anyone could print Maules name which he argued was no more than the specter evidence, a remark relating to the Court of Oyer and Terminers use of spectral evidence. He also believed that the book, as a religious text, should be judged by a religious court and not the secular courts. The jury convened to discuss the case and returned to declare Thomas Maule not guilty. The judges, however, decided that the jury needed to reconsider and sent them back, much like the trial of Rebecca Nurse. -A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience by Emerson W. Baker
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 23:24:10 +0000
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