Rebecca Nurse was a daughter of William Towne, of Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England, where she was baptized, Feb. 21, 1621.  Her sister Mary, who married Isaac Easty, was baptized at the same place, Aug. 24, 1634.  The records of the First Church at Salem, Sept. 3, 1648, give the baptism of “Joseph and Sarah, children of Sister Towne.”  Sarah was at that time seven years of age.  She became the wife of Edmund Bridges, and afterwards of Peter Cloyse.

On the 23d of March, a warrant was issued, on complaint of Edward Putnam, and Jonathan, son of John Putnam, for the arrest of “Rebecca, wife of Francis Nurse;” and the next morning, at eight o’clock, she was brought to the house of Nathaniel Ingersoll, in the custody of George Herrick, the marshal of Essex.  There were several distinct indictments, four of which, for having practised “certain detestable arts called witchcraft” upon Ann Putnam, Mary Walcot, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Abigail Williams, are preserved.  The examination took place forthwith at the meeting-house.  The age, character, connections, and appearance of the prisoner, made the occasion one of the extremest interest.  Hathorne, the magistrate, began the proceedings by addressing one of the afflicted:  “What do you say?  Have you seen this woman hurt you?” The answer was, “Yes, she beat me this morning.”  Hathorne, addressing another of the afflicted, said, “Abigail, have you been hurt by this woman?” Abigail answered, “Yes.”  At that point, Ann Putnam fell into a grievous fit, and, while in her spasms, cried out that it was Rebecca Nurse who was thus afflicting her.  As soon as Ann’s fit was over, and order restored, Hathorne said, “Goody Nurse, here are two, Ann Putnam the child, and Abigail Williams, complain of your hurting them.  What do you say to it?” The prisoner replied, “I can say, before my eternal Father, I am innocent, and God will clear my innocency.”  Hathorne, apparently touched for the moment by her language and bearing, said, “Here is never a one in the assembly but desires it; but, if you be guilty, pray God discover you.”  Henry Kenney rose up from the body of the assembly to speak.  Hathorne permitted the interruption, and said, “Goodman Kenney, what do you say?” Then Kenney complained of the prisoner, “and further said, since this Nurse came into the house, he was seized twice with an amazed condition.”  Hathorne, addressing the prisoner, said, “Not only these, but the wife of Mr. Thomas Putnam, accuseth you by credible information, and that both of tempting her to iniquity and of greatly hurting her.”  The prisoner again affirmed her innocence, and said, in answer to the charge of having hurt these persons, that “she had not been able to get out of doors these eight or nine days.”  Hathorne then called upon Edward Putnam, who, as the record says, “gave in his relate,” which undoubtedly was a statement of his having seen the afflicted in their sufferings, and heard them accuse Rebecca Nurse as their tormentor.