Goodwife desired this depont to goe out and
speake wth the wardsmen; Thomas Shervington, who was one of them, said
hee remembred not that Knapps wife said a woman in the towne was a witch
and would be hanged, but spake something of shining things, but Kester,
Mr. Pells man, being by said, but I remember; and as they were goeing to
the graue, goodwife Staplyes said, it was long before she could beleeve
this poore woman was a witch, or that their were any witches, till the
word of God convinced her, wch saith, thou shalt not suffer a witch to
liue.
"Thomas Lyon of Fairfeild testifyeth vpon oath, taken before Mr. Fowler,
the 27th May, 1654, that he being set by authority to watch wth Knapps
wife, there came in Mris. Pell, Mrs. Ward, goodwife Lockwood, and Mris.
Pells two daughters; the fell into some discourse, that goodwife Knapp
should say to them in private wch goodwife Knapp would not owne, but did
seeme to be much troubled at them and said, the truth is you would haue
me to say that goodwife Staplyes is a witch; I haue sinnes enough
allready, I will not add this to my condemnation, I know no such thing
by her, I hope she is an honest woman; then goodwife Lockwood caled to
mee and asked whether they had named goodwife Staplyes, so I spake to
goodwife Knapp to haue a care what she said, that she did not make
differrence amongst her neighbours when she was gon, and I told her that
I hoped they were her frends and desired her soules good, and not to
accuse any out of envy, or to that effect; Knapps wife said, goodman
Lyon hold yor tongue, you know not so much as I doe, you know not what
hath bine said to me in private; and after they was gon, of her owne
accord, betweene she & I, goody Knapp said she knew nothing against
goodwife Staplyes of being a witch.
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