Editing Matthew Hopkins (section)

===Colonial impact===
Hopkins's witch-hunting methods were outlined in his book ''The Discovery of Witches,'' which was published in 1647. These practices were recommended in law books.<ref name= Jewett>Jewett, Clarence F. The memorial history of Boston: including Suffolk County, Massachusetts. 1630–1880. Ticknor and Company. 1881 Pgs. 133–137</ref> During the year following the publication of Hopkins's book, trials and executions for witchcraft began in the [[New England]] colonies with the hanging of [[Alse Young]] of Windsor, Connecticut, on May 26, 1647, followed by the conviction of [[Margaret Jones (Puritan midwife)|Margaret Jones]].  As described in the journal of Governor [[John Winthrop]], the evidence assembled against Margaret Jones was gathered by the use of Hopkins's techniques of "searching" and "watching".<ref name= Jewett />

Jones's execution was the first in a [[witch-hunt]] that lasted in New England from 1648 until 1663.<ref name=Fraden>Fraden, Judith Bloom, Dennis Brindell Fraden. ''The Salem Witch Trials''. Marshall Cavendish. 2008. Pg. 15</ref>  About eighty people throughout New England were accused of practising witchcraft during that period, of whom fifteen women and two men were executed.<ref name=Fraden /> Some of Hopkins's methods were employed during the [[Salem Witch Trials]],<ref name="Upham">{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Caroline|title=Salem Witchcraft in Outline|url=https://archive.org/details/salemwitchcraft08uphagoog|year=1895|publisher=E. Putnam|pages=[https://archive.org/details/salemwitchcraft08uphagoog/page/n22 5]}}</ref> which occurred primarily in [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]], Massachusetts, in 1692–93. These trials resulted in 19 executions for witchcraft,<ref>[http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/archives/essex/ecca/vol1/071.html The Death Warrant of Bridget Bishop]</ref><ref>[http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/archives/BPL/B05A.html Death Warrant for Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth How & Sarah Wilds],</ref> one man, [[Giles Corey]], [[Crushing (execution)|pressed to death]] [[peine forte et dure|for refusing to plead]],<ref>[[#Salemvillage|Boyer & Nissenbaum 1972]]: p. 8</ref> and 150 imprisonments.