Dutch New York and the Salem Witch Trials: Some New Evidence.

Jacob Melyen (1640-1706) credited a letter from New York with helping to stop the Salem witchcraft trials. On 6 October 1692 someone in New York composed a response to a series of questions about witchcraft that was endorsed by New York clergy. Many historians credit the authorship to Dutch Reformed minister Henricus Selijns (1636-1701). The author suggests that Melyen's correspondent, Johannes Kerfbijl, may have written this letter. Kerfbijl, a moderate, provides a link between the Leislerian (anti-British crown) and anti-Leislerian opposition to the trials. The article includes the text of some of Melyen's correspondence in the original Dutch and in English translation.