"If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent of any thing in this nature."
-Elizabeth Howe
"Here is a clear evidence that [you have] been not only a Tormenter [but that] You have caused one to sig[ne the] book, the night before last [What do]you say to this?
I never saw the book in my life and I never saw these persons before."
-From the Examination of Sarah Wildes
"And what grief of heart it brings to a tender conscience, to have been unwittingly encouraging of the Sufferings of the innocent."
-From A Modest Enquiry Into the Nature of Witchcraft by Rev. John Hale
"When he was upon the ladder, he made a speech for the clearing of his innocency, with such solemn and serious expressions as were to the admiration of all present; his prayer…was so well worded, and uttered with such composedness as such fervency of spirit, as was very Affecting, and drew tears from many, so that it seemed to some that the spectators would hinder the execution."
-Robert Calef, regarding George Burroughs’ speech prior to his execution
"I will say it, if it was my last time, I am clear of this sin."
-Mary Eastey
"Thankes be to the Lord I know my selfe altogether Innocent & Ignorant of the crime of witchcraft w'ch is layd to my charge…your poor and humble petition'r doe humbly begge and Implore of yo'r Excellencye to take it into yo'r pious and Judicious consideration that some speedy Course may be taken w'th me for my releasement that I and my children perish not through meanes of my close confinement here…"
-Abigail Faulkner
"[He] asked them why they should think that he should come to that Village to afflict those persons that he never knew or saw before…"
-From the Examination of John Alden
"It being Asked of her how she could soe pinch & hurt them and yet she be at that distance personally from them she Answered she did not then hurt them. nor never did. she was Asked who then did it, or who she Imployed to doe it, she Answered she did not know that the divell goes aboute in her likeness to doe any hurt."
-From the Examination of Sarah Osborne
"When did I hurt thee?
A great many times.
Oh! you are a grievous liar."
-From the Examination of Sarah Cloyce
"I [believe] the reports have been Scandalous, and unjust, neither will bear the light… and I [believe] many Innocent persons have been accused, & Imprisoned, the Conceit of Spectre Evidence as an infallible mark did too far [prevail] with us…"
- Rev. Francis Dane of Andover
"Goodwife Bridges said that she had confessed against herself things which were all utterly false; and that she was brought to her confession by being told that she certainly was a witch, and so made to believe it, -- though she had no other grounds so to believe."
- From Rev. Increase Mather's Report of his Conversation in Prison with Mary Bridges, Sr.
"I...am straingly surprized that any person should speake or thinke of her as one worthy to be susspicted of any such crime that she is now charged with..."
- From Testimony of William Hubbard for Sarah Buckley
Special Collections at the BPL holds a collection of original manuscripts related to the trials, consisting primarily of depositions and other legal documents. You can see a listing of them in our online catalog here- https://tinyurl.com/357budkn
For more information about these manuscripts, please contact Special Collections- https://www.bpl.org/have-a-question-about-our-special-collections/.