Letter
Salem-Prison, July 23,
1692.
Mr. Mather, Mr.
Allen, Mr. Moody, Mr. Willard, and Mr. Bailey[274]
Reverend Gentlemen.
The innocency of our Case with the Enmity of our Accusers and our
Judges, and Jury, whom nothing but our Innocent Blood will serve their turn,
having Condemned us already before our Tryals, being so much incensed and
engaged against us by the Devil, makes us bold to Beg and Implore your
Favourable Assistance of this our Humble Petition to his Excellency, That if it
be possible our Innocent Blood may be spared, which undoubtedly otherwise will
be shed, if the Lord doth not mercifully step in. The Magistrates, Ministers,
Jewries,[275] and all the People in general, being so much inraged and incensed
against us by the Delusion of the Devil, which we can term no other, by reason
we know in our own Consciences, we are all Innocent Persons. Here are five
Persons who have lately
confessed themselves to be Witches, and do accuse some of us, of being along
with them at a Sacrament, since we were committed into close Prison, which we
know to be Lies. Two of the 5 are (Carriers Sons
[276]) Young-men, who would not
confess any thing till they tyed them Neck and Heels
[277] till the Blood was ready
to come out of their Noses, and 'tis credibly believed and reported this was the
occasion of making them confess that
[278] they never did, by reason they said one
had been a Witch a Month, and another five Weeks, and that their Mother had
made them so, who has been confined here this nine Weeks. My son William
Procter, when he was examin'd, because he would not confess that he was Guilty,
when he was Innocent, they tyed him Neck and Heels till the Blood gushed out
at his Nose, and would have kept him so 24 Hours, if one more Merciful than the
rest, had not taken pity on him, and caused him to be unbound. These actions are
very like the Popish Cruelties. They have already undone us in our Estates, and
that will not serve their turns, without our Innocent Bloods. If it cannot be
granted that we can have our
Trials at Boston, we humbly beg that you would endeavour to have these
Magistrates changed, and others in their rooms, begging also and beseeching you
would be pleased to be here, if not all, some of you at our Trials, hoping thereby
you may be the means of saving the shedding our Innocent Bloods, desiring your
Prayers to the Lord in our behalf, we rest your Poor Afflicted Servants,
