To the Honorable Judge and Bench now sitting in Judicature in Salem and
the Reverend Ministers, humbly sheweth, That whereas your humble poor
Petitioner being Condemned to die, doth humbly beg of you, to take it into your
Judicious and Pious Consideration, that your poor and humble Petitioner knowing
my own Innocency (blessed be the Lord for it) and seeing plainly the Wiles and
Subtilty of my Accusers, by my self, cannot but judge charitably of others, that
are going the same way with my self, if the Lord step not mightily in. I was
confined a whole Month on the same account that I am now condemned for, and
then cleared by the Afflicted persons, as some of your Honours know, and in two
days time I was cried out upon by them, and have been confined, and now am
condemned to die. The Lord above knows my Innocency then, and likewise doth
now, as at the great day will be known to Men and Angels. I Petition to your
Honours not for my own Life, for I know I must die, and my appointed time is
set; but the Lord he knows it is, if it be possible, that no more Innocent Blood
be shed, which undoubtedly cannot be avoided in the way and course you go in.
I question not, but your Honours do to the utmost of your powers, in the
discovery and detecting of Witchcraft and Witches, and would not be guilty of
Innocent Blood for the World; but by my own Innocency I know you are in the
wrong way. The Lord in his infinite Mercy direct you in this great work, if it be
his blessed will, that Innocent Blood be not shed; I would humbly beg of you,
that your Honours would be pleased to Examine some of those confessing
Witches, I being confident there are several of them have belyed themselves and
others, as will appear, if not in this World, I am sure in the World to come,
whither I am going; and I question not, but your selves will see an alteration in
these things: They say, my self and others have made a league with the Devil, we
cannot confess. I know and the Lord he knows (as will shortly appear) they belye
me, and so I question not but they do others; the Lord alone, who is the searcher
of all hearts, knows that as I shall answer it at the
Tribunal Seat, that I know not the least thing of Witchcraft, therefore I cannot,
I durst not belye my own Soul. I beg your Honours not to deny this my humble
Petition, from a poor dying Innocent person, and I question not but the Lord will
give a blessing to your Endeavours.
