"May twenty-fourth, 1681:--Not consented to by ye magistrates.
"EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary."
No further trial followed. Mr. Morse did not rest in his efforts for
the release of his wife. He called a council of the clergymen of the
neighborhood to examine her. The council met and acted. The report
of the Rev. John Hale of Beverly (probably chairman) is before me.
It reads:--
"This touching Madam Elizabeth Morse:--
"She being reprieved, her husband desired us to discourse her, which
we did. Her discourse was very christain, and she still pleaded her
innocence of that which was laid to her dischage. We did not esteem
it prudence for us to pass any definite sentence upon on under her
circumstances, yet we inclined to ye more charitable side."
After this examination the court permitted her to return home, when she
never gave further occasion for slander, dying the death of a hopeful
Christian not many years after.
And the mischievous grandson, what of him? He went to Beverly, married,
had children, died. His great-great-grandson lives to-day. He,
descendant of William, over wires that Anthony's descendant made to do
noble work, sends this message, written on paper made by a descendant of
Robert, to Miss Russell, representing Samuel Morse and Oliver
Cromwell:--
"After two centuries witch-work is in electricity, and that witch-work
has made us a name."
* * * * *