Salem Witchcraft Part 23

"Who doth?--Pray, give me leave to go to prayer.

"(This request was made sundry times.)

"We do not send for you to go to prayer; but tell me why you hurt these.--I am an innocent person. I never had to do with witchcraft since I was born. I am a gospel woman.

"Do not you see these complain of you?--The Lord open the eyes of the magistrates and ministers: the Lord show his power to discover the guilty.

"Tell us who hurts these children.--I do not know.

"If you be guilty of this fact, do you think you can hide it?--The Lord knows.

"Well, tell us what you know of this matter.--Why, I am a gospel woman; and do you think I can have to do with witchcraft too?

"How could you tell, then, that the child was bid to observe what clothes you wore, when some came to speak with you?

"(Cheever interrupted her, and bid her not begin with a lie; and so Edward Putnam declared the matter.)

"Mr. HATHORNE: Who told you that?--He said the child said.

"CHEEVER: You speak falsely.

"(Then Edward Putnam read again.)

"Mr. HATHORNE: Why did you ask if the child told what clothes you wore?--My husband told me the others told.

"Who told you about the clothes? Why did you ask that question?--Because I heard the children told what clothes the others wore.

"Goodman Corey, did you tell her?

"(The old man denied that he told her so.)

"Did you not say your husband told you so?

"(No answer.)

"Who hurts these children? Now look upon them.--I cannot help it.

"Did you not say you would tell the truth why you asked that question? how came you to the knowledge?--I did but ask.

"You dare thus to lie in all this a.s.sembly. You are now before authority. I expect the truth: you promised it. Speak now, and tell who told you what clothes.--n.o.body.

"How came you to know that the children would be examined what clothes you wore?--Because I thought the child was wiser than anybody if she knew.

"Give an answer: you said your husband told you.--He told me the children said I afflicted them.

"How do you know what they came for? Answer me this truly: will you say how you came to know what they came for?--I had heard speech that the children said I troubled them, and I thought that they might come to examine.

"But how did you know it?--I thought they did.

"Did not you say you would tell the truth? who told you what they came for?--n.o.body.

"How did you know?--I did think so.

"But you said you knew so.

"(CHILDREN: There is a man whispering in her ear.)

"HATHORNE continued: What did he say to you?--We must not believe all that these distracted children say.

"Cannot you tell what that man whispered?--I saw n.o.body.

"But did not you hear?--No.

"(Here was extreme agony of all the afflicted.)

"If you expect mercy of G.o.d, you must look for it in G.o.d's way, by confession. Do you think to find mercy by aggravating your sins?--A true thing.

"Look for it, then, in G.o.d's way.--So I do.

"Give glory to G.o.d and confess, then.--But I cannot confess.

"Do not you see how these afflicted do charge you?--We must not believe distracted persons.

"Who do you improve to hurt them?--I improved none.

"Did not you say our eyes were blinded, you would open them?--Yes, to accuse the innocent.

"(Then Crosby gave in evidence.)

"Why cannot the girl stand before you?--I do not know.

"What did you mean by that?--I saw them fall down.

"It seems to be an insulting speech, as if they could not stand before you.--They cannot stand before others.

"But you said they cannot stand before you. Tell me what was that turning upon the spit by you?--You believe the children that are distracted. I saw no spit.

"Here are more than two that accuse you for witchcraft. What do you say?--I am innocent.

"(Then Mr. Hathorne read further of Crosby's evidence.)

"What did you mean by that,--the Devil could not stand before you?

"(She denied it. Three or four sober witnesses confirmed it.)

"What can I do? Many rise up against me.

"Why, confess.--So I would, if I were guilty.