... observing the events of that sad
catastrophe,--Anno 1692,--I was brought to a more strict scanning of the
principles I had imbibed, and by scanning to question, and by
questioning at length to reject many of them." _Nathan Hale_ (p. 10),
Johnston.
But no utterance takes higher rank, or deserves more consideration in
its appeal to sanity, justice, and humanity, than the declaration of
certain ministers and laymen of Connecticut, in giving their advice and
"reasons" for a cessation of the prosecutions for witchcraft in the
colonial courts, and for reprieving Mercy Disborough under sentence of
death. This is the remarkable document:
"Filed: The ministers aduice about the witches in Fayrfield, 1692.
"As to ye evidences left to our consideration respecting ye two women
suspected of witchcraft at Fairfield we offer
"1. That we cannot but give our concurrance with ye generallity of
divines that ye endeavour of conviction of witchcraft by swimming is
unlawful and sinfull & therefore it cannot afford any evidence.
"2. That ye unusuall excresencies found upon their bodies ought not to
be allowed as evidence against them without ye approbation of some able
physitians.
"3. Respecting ye evidence of ye afflicted maid we find some things
testifyed carrying a suspition of her counterfeiting; Others that
plainly intimate her trouble from ye mother which improved by craft may
produce ye most of those strange & unusuall effects affirmed of her; &
of those things that by some may be thought to be diabolical or effects
of witchcraft.
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