far as to remove the saddle from the horse brought up to convey him to some meeting at the village connected with the witchcraft excitement.  Angry words, uttered by him, were heard and repeated.  As she was a woman of notable piety, a professor of religion, and a member of the church, it was evident that her case, if she were proceeded against, would still more heighten the panic, and convulse the public mind.  It would give ground for an idea which the managers of the affair desired to circulate, that the Devil had succeeded in making inroads into the very heart of the church, and was bringing into confederacy with him aged and eminent church-members, who, under color of their profession, threatened to extend his influence to the overthrow of all religion.  It was, indeed, established in the popular sentiments, as a sign and mark of the Devil’s coming, that many professing godliness would join his standard.

For a day or two, it was whispered round that persons in great repute for piety were in the diabolical confederacy, and about to be unmasked.  The name of Martha Corey, whose open opposition to the proceedings had become known, was passed among the girls in an under-breath, and caught from one to another among those managing the affair.  On the 12th of March, Edward Putnam and Ezekiel Cheever, having heard Ann Putnam declare that Goody Corey did often appear to her, and torture her by pinching and otherwise, thought it their duty to go to her, and see what she would say to this complaint; “she being in church covenant with us.”  They mounted their horses about “the middle of the afternoon,” and first went to the house of Thomas Putnam to see his daughter Ann, to learn from her what clothes Goody Corey appeared to her in, in order to judge whether she might not have been mistaken in the person.  The girl told them, that Goody Corey, knowing that they contemplated making this visit, had just appeared in spirit to her, but had blinded her so that she could not tell what clothes she wore.  Highly wrought upon by the extraordinary statement of the girl, which they received with perfect credulity, the two brethren remounted, and pursued their way.  Goody Corey had heard that her name had been bandied about by the accusing girls:  she also knew that it was one of their arts to pretend to see the clothes people were wearing at the time their spectres appeared to them.  This required, indeed, no great amount of necromancy; as it is not probable that there was much variety in the costume of farmer’s wives, at that time, while about their ordinary domestic engagements.

They found her alone in her house.  As soon as they commenced conversation, “in a smiling manner she said, ’I know what you are come for; you are come to talk with me about being a witch, but I am none:  I cannot help people’s talking of me.’” Edward Putnam acknowledged that their visit was in consequence of complaints made against her by the afflicted children.  She inquired whether