Robert Pike Popular Books

Robert Pike Biography & Facts

Robert Pike (1616—1706) was an opponent of the Salem witchcraft prosecutions of 1692. He was also involved in two other notable, public controversies prior to 1692. The first was his open criticism of the persecution of the Quakers, for which he was arraigned by the Massachusetts General Court in 1653. Years later, he became embroiled in a long feud with the pastor of Salisbury, the Reverend John Wheelwright, who excommunicated him in 1675 and was later obliged to reinstate him. Early life and education Robert Pike was probably born in Landford, Wiltshire, England about 1616. He came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635 with his father, John Pike (1572–1654) and four siblings. His mother Dorothy Day had died several years before. They first settled in Newbury. Within a few years Robert Pike moved to the east side of the Merrimack River and became one of the founders and first land owners of Salisbury (originally called Colchester), where he remained the rest of his life. Pike married Sarah Sanders, of Salisbury, on 3 April 1641. They raised eight children before her death in 1679. While nothing is known about his formal education in England, it is clear that he was well-educated, for he wrote with a flowing hand and could formulate well-reasoned arguments in his own defence and the defence of others. His brother, John Pike (1613–1689), also appears to have been well-educated prior to their arrival in 1635. Civic life As one of the leading men of the new settlement that became Salisbury, Pike took on numerous civic and military duties and held several offices. In 1641, his first appointment was as a fence viewer, which involved the settling of disputes about property boundaries, "livestock proof" fences, and resolving disputes about fence repairs. In May 1644, he was appointed by the General Court, along with two others, with the power "to end small causes in Salisbury". In modern terms, this is roughly equivalent to a justice of the peace. By 1646, Pike was the leader of the local militia and known as Lieutenant Pike, then Major Pike. Thomas Bradbury, husband of Mary Bradbury, was second in command, as an ensign. In 1648, Salisbury elected Pike to the post of Deputy to the General Court, based in Boston. He was re-elected 10 times and later served one term as magistrate. At the time of King Philip's War (1675–78) Pike served as Sergeant-Major, and was responsible for much of the area North of Boston (Maine was then a part of Massachusetts). Captain Benjamin Church reported to Sergeant-Major Pike. In defence of Quakers Small numbers of Quakers started arriving in New England by 1656. The Puritan-dominated General Court immediately enacted laws to discourage their activities. The new laws provided for harsh punishment to anyone who professed the "heretical opinions" of Quakers. They even punished ship captains who knowingly carried Quakers as passengers. However, these new measures brought heated debate within the General Court, as their passage was far from unanimous. The Deputies of the General Court, including Robert Pike, who represented the outlying areas, were much more likely to be sensitive to the issue of religious freedom and probably voted against the new laws. Nonetheless, numerous Quaker missionaries were punished by public whippings, banishment, and the threat of death if they returned to Massachusetts Bay Colony. Between 1659 and 1661, five Quakers, all of whom had returned to Boston to continue preaching publicly, were hanged. In the winter of 1662, three Quaker women arrived in Dover, New Hampshire, to preach and soon after were arrested and ordered whipped. Richard Waldron, the magistrate at Dover, even went to the extreme of issuing a warrant declaring that the constables of 11 surrounding towns, including Salisbury, were to carry out public whippings of the three women. After they were transported in a cart to Salisbury, the third town of the 11, they were set free by the local authorities, which included Thomas Bradbury, Walter Barefoote, and Pike. While historians are uncertain as to some of the details, it is believed that Pike was the local constable and he deputised an eager Barefoote, who then "misused" his authority to free the women. In any case, over 200 years later, the Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier immortalised this cruel episode in his poem, "How the Women Went from Dover". One of the verses is engraved upon a stone memorial to Robert Pike in Salisbury Common. Massachusetts property records substantiate that Major Pike was one of the owners of Nantucket who gave that island to the Quakers as a place of seclusion in which they would be less likely to be persecuted. Role in Salem witchcraft crisis By 1692, Robert Pike had risen to the office of Assistant to the General Court. In that role, he was directed to take depositions of both the accused and the accuser, for the immediate region around Salisbury, during the witchcraft crisis of 1692. In May, he took notes regarding the stories and accusations against Susannah Martin of neighbouring Amesbury. More depositions against her followed in June. She was tried and convicted in Boston in late June, then executed by hanging on 19 July, along with Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Howe and Sarah Wildes. On 26 May 1692, George Herrick brought charges, on behalf of Ann Putnam and Mary Walcott, against Mary Bradbury of Salisbury. The wife of Thomas Bradbury, she was well known and respected by Robert Pike and many others. She was convicted in her final trial of 9 September, despite several witnesses supporting her and a petition on her behalf signed by 115 townspeople. Pike prepared her sworn statement on her behalf, defending her character and good works. Prior to Mary Bradbury's conviction, Pike wrote a remarkable letter to Jonathan Corwin, one of the trial judges, in which he composed a tightly reasoned attack upon the use of spectral evidence and the testimony of the "afflicted girls" in general. While Pike, like all Puritans, believed witches and witchcraft existed and were the work of Satan, he was questioning the current methods of the court in determining credibility and guilt. In his letter of 9 August, Pike makes several points: Citing 1st Samuel xxviii 13, 14: Any person, virtuous or not, may be in truth a witch. A poor reputation does not suggest or substantiate guilt (as with Sarah Good). Satan is capable of presenting anyone's spectre to a tormented person (not only a witch's spectre). How can it be known if Satan acts with or without the permission of any specific (accused) person. It is completely contrary to a witch's well-being for them to practice witchcraft within a courtroom. It is likewise contrary for witches to accuse others of witchcraft (as was the case), as "they are all part of Satan's kingdom, which would fall, if divided against itself".It is not known just how Pike's letter was received, since there is no writt.... Discover the Robert Pike popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Robert Pike books.

Best Seller Robert Pike Books of 2024

  • The Last Detective synopsis, comments

    The Last Detective

    Robert Crais

    With his acclaimed bestsellers, Hostage and Demolition Angel, Robert Crais drew raves for his unstoppable pacing, edgy characterizations, and cinematic prose. Now, Crais re...

  • A Dangerous Man synopsis, comments

    A Dangerous Man

    Robert Crais

    A brilliant new crime novel from the beloved, bestselling, and awardwinning master of the genreand Joe Pike's most perilous case to date.Joe Pike didn't expect to rescue a woman th...

  • The Old Man and the Sand Eel synopsis, comments

    The Old Man and the Sand Eel

    Will Millard

    'A wonderfully fluent account of how the strange magic of water and the beings that inhabit it can enchant and intoxicate' Chris YatesGrowing up on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Will Mi...

  • The Wanted synopsis, comments

    The Wanted

    Robert Crais

    THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERInvestigator Elvis Cole and his partner Joe Pike take on the deadliest case of their lives in the new masterpiece of suspense from #1 New York Timesbes...

  • Memory Palaces and Masonic Lodges synopsis, comments

    Memory Palaces and Masonic Lodges

    Charles B. Jameux

    Reveals how the art of memory is the origin of the Masonic method Explains the classical techniques of the art of memory, how they were reworked by hermetic thinkers during the Re...

  • The Watchman synopsis, comments

    The Watchman

    Robert Crais

    At last, the enigmatic partner of Elvis Cole (The Two Minute Rule) takes center stage in this pulseracing thriller. When Joe Pike is charged with safeguarding a wealthy heiress, he...

  • Blood Knots synopsis, comments

    Blood Knots

    Luke Jennings & Thomas McGuane

    Blood Knots is a brilliant and dramatic memoir of an angler’s life. It places Jennings in the front rank of natural history writers. As a child in the 1960s, he was fascinated by t...

  • The Forgotten Man synopsis, comments

    The Forgotten Man

    Robert Crais

    “[A] riveting novel with a vivid sense of place . . . Anyone who enjoys a wellwritten, fastpaced, noirish thriller with a great aha! moment shouldn’t miss The Forgotten Man.”The Bo...

  • Taken synopsis, comments

    Taken

    Robert Crais

    The search for a missing girl leads private investigators Elvis Cole and Joe Pike into the nightmarish world of human trafficking in this #1 New York Times bestseller from Robert C...

  • The Promise synopsis, comments

    The Promise

    Robert Crais

    Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are joined by Suspect heroes LAPD K9 Officer Scott James and his German shepherd, Maggie, in this heartstopping thriller from #1 New York Tim...

  • Racing the Light synopsis, comments

    Racing the Light

    Robert Crais

    On Reader's Digest's list of "30 new books we can't wait to read in 2022" Private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, are back on the case in this brillian...