lent Twitch of his Hand, as if it would have been torn off; immediately thereupon appeared in the Sufferers hand, the Corner of a Sheet, a real cloth, visible to the Spectators, which (as it is said) remains still to be seen.

Deodat Lawson, Christ's Fidelity the only Shield against Satan's Malignity (Boston, 1704), Appendix, 93–109 passim.

The original minutes of the witch trials at Salem, still well preserved, afford the most striking proof of the inadequacy of the evidence and of the terror of the prosecutors. — Bibliography: Winsor, Memorial History of Boston, II, ch. vi, notes; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 129.

Salem ffeby the 29th 169!

W

HEREAS M" Joseph Hutcheson, Thomas Putnam, Edward Putnam, and Thomas Preston, Yeomen of Salem Village in ye County of Essex, personally appeared before vs and made Complaint on Behalfe of their Majests against Sarah Good the wife of William Good of Salem Village aboves for suspition of Witchcraft by her Committed, and thereby much Injury donne by Eliz. Paris, Abigail Williams, Anne Putnam and Elizabeth Hubert all of Salem Village afores Sundry times within this two moneths and Lately also don, at Salem Village Contrary to ye peace of our Souer" Ld and Lady Wm & Mary, King & Queen of Engld &c - You are therefore in theire Majesties names hereby required to apprehed & bring before vs, the said Sarah Good to morrow aboute ten of ye clock in ye forenoon at y house of Lt Nathaniele Ingersalls in Salem Village or as soon as may be then and there to be Examined Relating to ye aboves" premises and hereof you are not to faile at your perile. Dated. Salem, feb' 29th 169)

JOHN HATHORNE
JONATHAN CORWIN

Assists.

To Constable George Locker.

I brought the person of Saragh Good the wife of William Good according to the tenor of the within warrant, as is Attest by me

1 March 1691

GEORGE LOCKER — Constable

Essex ss.

Anno: Regis et Reginee Willm et Mariae
nunc Anglice &c. Quarto

The Juro" for our Sovereigne Lord and Lady the King and Queen, present, That Sarah Good the wife of William Good of Salem Village in the County of Essex, Husbandman, the Second Day of May in the forth year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England, Scotland ffrance & Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the ffaith &c and Divers other Days and times as well before as after, certaine Detestable arts called Witchcrafts and Sorceries, Wickedly and ffeloniously hath vsed, Practised and Exorcised, at and within the Township of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid, in, upon and against one Sarah Vibber wife of John Vibber of Salem aforesaid, Husbandman, by which said wicked Arts, she the said Sarah Vibber the said Second Day of May in the fourth year abovsaid and divers other Days and times as well before as after was and is Tortuered Afflicted, Pined, Consumed, wasted and Tormented, and also for Sundry other Acts of witchcraft by said Sarah Good committed and done before and since that time agt the Peace of our Sovereigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen theire Crowne and Dignity and ag' the forme of the Statute in that case made and Provided.

The examination of Sarah Good before the worshipfull Assts John Harthorn Jonathan Curran

(H.) Sarah Good what evil Spirit have you familiarity with

(S. G.) None.

(H.) Have you made no contracte with the devil

Good answered no.

(H.) Why doe you hurt these children

(g) I doe not hurt them. I scorn it.

(H) Who doe you imploy then to doe it. (g) I imploy no body

(H) What creature do you imploy then.

(g) no creature but I am falsely accused.

(H) why did you go away muttering from M' Parris his house.

(g) I did not mutter but I thanked him for what he gave my child. (H) have you made no contract with the devil.

(g) no.

(H) desired the children all of them to look upon her and see if this were the person that had hurt them and so they all did looke upon her, and said this was one of the persons that did torment them— presently they were all tormented.

(H) Sarah Good do you not see now what you have done, why doe you not tell us the truth, why doe you thus torment these poor children (g) I doe not torment them.

(H) who do you imploy then.

(g) I imploy nobody I scorn it.

(H) how came they thus tormented

(g) what doe I know you bring others here and now you charge me with it.

(H) why who was it.

(g) I doe not know but it was some you brought into the meeting house with you.

(H) wee brought you into the meeting house.

(g) but you brought in two more.

(H) who was it then that tormented the children.

(g) it was osburn.

(H) what is it you say when you go muttering away from persons houses

(g) if I must tell I will tell.

(H) doe tell us then

(g) if I must tell, I will tell, it is the commandments. I may say my commandments I hope.

(g) after a long time shee muttered over some part of a psalm.

(H) who doe you serve

(g) I serve God

(H) what God doe you serve.

(g) the God that made heaven and earth. though shee was not willing to mention the word God. her answers were in a very wicked spitfull

manner. reflecting and retorting against the authority with base and abussive words and many lies shee was taken in it was here said that her husband had said that he was afraid that she either was a witch or would be one very quickly. the worsh. Mr. Harthon asked him his reason why he said so of her, whether he had ever seen any thing by her, he answered no, not in this nature, but it was her bad carriage to him, and indeed said he I may say with tears that shee is an enemy to all good. Salem Village March the 1* 1691

Written by Ezekiell Chevers

Salem Village March th 1" 1691

...

Salem Village March the 1st 1691

Sarah Osburne the wife of Alexander Osburne of Salem Village brought before vs by Joseph Herrick constable in Salem, to answer Joseph Hutcheson and Thomas putnam &c yeomen in s Salem Village Complainants on behalfe of theire Majest against s Sarah Osburne for Suspition of Witchcraft by her Committed and thereby much Injury don to the bodys of Elizabeth Parris, Abigail Williams Anna Putnam and Elizabeth Hubert, all of Salem Village aforesaid, according to theire Complaint, according to a Warrant, Dated Salem ffebu" 29th 1694

Sarah Osburne vpon Examination denyed ye matter of fact (viz) y' she ever vnderstood or vsed any Witchcraft, or hurt any of ye aboue sa children.

The children aboue named being all personally present accused her face to face which being don, thay ware all hurt, afflicted and tortured very much; which being ouer and thay out of theire fitts thay sayd yt said Sarah Osburne, did then come to them and hurt them, Sarah Osburn being then keept at a distance personally from them. S. Osburne was asked why she then hurt them, she denyed it, it being asked of her how she could soe pinch and hurt them and yet she be at that distance personally from ym, she Answered she did not then hurt them, nor never did, she was asked who then did it, or who she Imploy to doe it, she Answered she did not know yt ye Divell goes aboute in her likeness to doe any hurt. Sarah Osburn being told yt Sarah Good one of her Companions had vpon Examination accused her, she nottwithstanding denyed ye same, according to her Examination, weh is mor at Large giuen in as therein will appeare.

p. vs.

JOHN HATHORNE )
JONATHAN CORWINS

Assits.

(H) what evil spirit have you familiarity with. (0) none.

(H) have you made no contract with the devill. (0) no I never saw the devill in my life.

(H) why doe you hurt these children. (0) I doe not hurt them.

(H) who do you imploy then to hurt them.
(0) I imploy no body.

(H) what familiarity have you with Sarah Good.
(0) none. I have not seen her these 2 years.
(H) where did you see her then.

(O) one day a going to town.

(H) what communications had you with her.

(0) I had none, only, how doe you doe or so, I did not know her by name.

(H) what did you call her then.

Osburn made a stand at that, at last said, shee called her Sarah. (H) Sarah Good saith that it was you that hurt the children.

(0) I doe not know that the devil goes about in my likeness to doe any hurt.

Mr Hathorn desired all the children to stand up and look upon her and see if they did know her, which they all did and every one of them said that this was one of the women that did afflict them, and that they had constantly seen her in the very habit, that shee was now in, theire evidence do stand that shee said this morning that shee was more like to be bewitched, than that shee was a witch. Mr Hathorn asked her what made her say so, shee answered that shee was frighted one time in her sleep and either saw or dreamed that shee saw a thing like an indian all black which did prick her in her neck and pulled her by the back part of her head to the dore of the house

(H) did you never see anything else.

(0) no.

it was said by some in the meeting house that shee had said that shee would never be tied to that lying spirit any more.

(H) what lying spirit is this, hath the devil ever deceived you and

been false to you.

(0) I doe not know the devil I never did see him.

(H) what lying spirit was it then.

(0) it was a voice that I thought I heard.