(Officer's Return)
March 21'st I have taken Martha Cory and brought to the house
of Leut Nath: Engersoll where she is in the Costody of some persons
by mee Required and is forth Comeing att demand
per: mee. *Joseph Herrick Constable for Salem
(Reverse) Good. Wild Goody Oliver
( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1 Page 12 )
(Examination of Martha Corey)
21 March 1691/2
Mr Hathorne.
You are now in the hands of Authority tell me now
why you hurt these personsMartha Kory.
I do not.
who doth?
Pray give me leave to goe to prayer
This request was made sundry times
We do not send for you to go to prayer But tell me
why you hurt these?I am an innocent person: I never had to do with
Witchcraft since I was born. I am a Gospel Woman
Do not you see these complain of you
The Lord open the eyes of the Magistrates & Ministers:
the Lord show his power to discover the guilty.Tell us who hurts these children.
I do not know.
If you be guilty of this fact do you think you can
hide it.The Lord knows --
Well tell us w't you know of this matter
Why I am a Gosple-woman, & do you think I can have
to do with witchcraft tooHow could you tell then that the Child was bid to
observe what cloths you wore when some came to
speak w'th you.