a woman of strong character, good common sense, and capable of
comprehending both the dangers besetting any one then accused of
witchcraft, and also the purport and bearings of such questions as the
court was accustomed to ask, is presented in the following account.
"The examination of Mary Easty, at a court held at Salem Village,
April 22, 1692, by the Wop. John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin.
"At the bringing in of the accused, several fell into fits. 'Doth
this woman hurt you?' Many mouths were stopt, and several other fits
seized them. Abigail Williams said it was Goody Easty, and she had
hurt her; the like said Mary Walcot and Ann Putnam. John Jackson said
he saw her with Goody Hobbs.
"'What do you say; are you guilty?' _Ans._ 'I can say before Jesus
Christ I am free.' _Response._ 'You see these accuse you.' _Ans._
'There is a God.'
"'Hath she brought the book to you (the accusing girls)?' Their months
were stopt.
"'What have you done to these children?' _Ans._ 'I know nothing.'
"'How can you say you know nothing, when you see these tormented and
accuse you?' _Ans._ 'Would you have me accuse myself?' 'Yes, if you be
guilty. How far have you complied with Satan whereby he takes this
advantage of you?'
"'Sir, I never complied: but prayed against him all my days. I have no
compliance with Satan in this. What would you have me do?'
"'Confess, if you be guilty.'
"'I will say it, if it was my last time: I am clear of this sin.'
"'Of what sin?'
"'Of witchcraft.'
"(To the children.) 'Are you certain this is the woman?'
"Never a one could speak for fits.
"By and by, Ann Putnam said that was the woman: it was like her; 'and
she told me her name.'
"(The court.) 'It is marvelous to me that you should sometimes think
they are bewitched and sometimes not, when several confess that they
have been guilty of bewitching them.'
"'Well, sir, would you have me confess what I never knew?'
"Her hands were clenched together, and then the hands of Mercy Lewis
were clenched.
"'Look: now your hands are open, her hands are open. Is this the
woman?'
"They made signs, but could not speak. But Ann Putnam, (and)
afterwards Betty Hubbard, cried out, 'Oh, Goody Easty, Goody Easty,
you are the woman!'
"'Put up her head; for while her head is bound, the necks of these are
broken.'
"'What do you say to this?'
"'Why, God will know.'
"'Nay, God knows now.'
"'I know he does.'
"'What did you think of the actions of others before your sisters came
out? Did you think it was witchcraft?'
"'I cannot tell.'
"'Why, do you not think it is witchcraft?'
"'It is _an evil spirit_; but whether it be witchcraft I do not know.'
"Several said she brought them the book, and then they fell into fits.
"Salem Village, March 24, 169-1/2.
"Mr. Samuel Parris, being desired to take in writing the examination
of Mary Estie, hath delivered it as aforesaid.
"'Upon hearing the aforesaid, and seeing what we did then see,
together with the charge of the persons then present, we committed
said Mary Easty to their Majesty's jail.
"JOHN HATHORNE, }
"JONATHAN CORWIN, } _Assists_.'"
Among the records of examinations and trials for witchcraft in 1692 we
have met with none other more commendable in its apparent spirit on both
sides, and in its continuous decorum, than the above; none other, also,
which reveals more clearly extreme depth of public conviction that the
prevalent witchcraft creed was sound to the core, and belief that spectral
evidence alone might legally prove the crime charged. From aught that
appears, there was something pertaining to Mrs. Easty, probably her whole
general character and her intellect, which held back both court and
spectators from rudeness in treatment of her, and even frequently tied up
the tongues of the accusing girls. The spectacle presented by that
examination was most rare and wonderful. We feel, when reading the
records, that magistrates, populace, and the accusers, all--all longed for
her acquittal; that none desired to, because none did accuse her of
anything but having been seen as an apparition, and of being the cause of
the fits which the girls were enduring. The girls named her as the cause
of their fits, but seemingly with less alacrity than they did most others
in like circumstances. But sympathy and respect must yield before belief;
her fit-producing emanations at that day proved her to have covenanted to
serve the devil. Having done that, she was _witch_, and therefore must
die.
Her clear head perceived that the sufferings of the girls must owe their
existence to some occult power outside of themselves, and ascribed it to
"an evil spirit." Such an origin, however, did not prove to her
satisfaction that the doings were witchcrafts, that is, acts performed
either at the instigation or by aid of some mortal who was in covenant
with the devil. She was enough in advance of her times to suspect that a
spirit might work upon and among men without having formed such connection
with a mortal ally as would prove one's operations to be witchcrafts. She
perceived that the girls were wrought upon by some spirit, and she deemed
it an evil one.
This noble woman was wife of Isaac Easty of Topsfield, fifty-eight years
old, and mother of seven children. After her conviction and sentence, and
when hope of escaping the dire penalty had fled, she addressed an
admirable letter to those then in power. The same inborn susceptibilities
which made her a victim may also have permitted a free influx of uplifting
power which raised her above narrow, selfish, and domestic views, and
prompted her, in moods generous and lofty, to appeal, in behalf of the
whole people of the land, for a stop in the course which the civil
authorities were pursuing. We judge the letter to be her own production,
and deem it indicative of good mental powers and of elevated philanthropy.
"_The humble petition of Mary Easty unto His Excellency Sir William
Phips, and to the honored Judge and Bench now sitting in judicature in
Salem, and the reverend Ministers, humbly showeth_, That, whereas your
poor and humble petitioner, being condemned to die, do 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 myself, cannot but judge charitably of others that are going the
same way of myself if the Lord steps not mightily in. I was confined a
whole month upon the same account that I am condemned now for, and
then cleared by some of the afflicted persons, as some of Your Honors
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 does now, as at the great day will be
known to men and angels. I petition Your Honors not for my own life,
for I know I must die, and my appointed time is set; but, the Lord he
knows it is, that if it be possible, no more _innocent blood_ may be
shed, which undoubtedly cannot be avoided in the way and course you go
in. I question not but Your Honors 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 no more
innocent blood be shed! I would humbly beg of you that Your Honors
would be pleased to examine these afflicted persons strictly, and keep
them apart some time, and likewise to try some of these confessing
witches; I being confident there is several of them has belied
themselves and others, as will appear, if not in this world, I am sure
in the world to come, whither I am now agoing. I question not but you
will see an alteration in these things. They say, myself and others
having made a league with the devil, we cannot confess.... The Lord
above, who is the searcher of all hearts, knows, as I shall answer it
at the tribunal seat, that I know not the least thing of witchcraft:
therefore I cannot, I dare not belie my own soul. I beg Your Honors
not to deny this my poor humble petition from a poor, dying, innocent
person. And I question not but the Lord will give a blessing to your
endeavors."
Calef says, that, "when she took her last farewell of her husband,
children, and friends," she "was, as is reported by them present, as
serious, religious, distinct, and affectionate as could well be expressed,
drawing tears from the eyes of almost all present." We can readily credit
that account to its fullest possible import; for her deportment and
language, throughout all the scenes in which she is presented, bespeak a
strong, clear, discriminating intellect, a true and brave heart, elevated
and generous sentiments, firm faith in God, and broad charity toward man.
A most welcome child found entrance to some bright home above when her
tried spirit gained release from its mortal form.