She was arrested, and brought to the Village, on the 19th of April.  The next day, she began her operations by declaring that “Judah White, a Jersey maid” that lived with Joseph Ingersoll at Casco, “but now lives at Boston,” appeared to her “in apparition” the day before, and advised her to “fly, and not to go to be examined,” but, if she did go, “not to confess any thing:”  she described the dress of this “apparition,”—­she “came to her in fine clothes, in a sad-colored silk mantle, with a top-knot and a hood.”—­“She confesseth further, that the Devil in the shape of a man came to her,” and charged her to afflict the girls; bringing images made of wood in their likeness with thorns for her to prick into the images, which she did:  whereupon the girls cried out that they were hurt by her.  She further confessed, that, “she was at the great meeting in Mr. Parris’s pasture, when they administered the sacrament, and did eat of the red bread and drink of the red wine, at the same time.”  This confession established her credibility at once; and, the next day, the warrants were issued for the nine persons above mentioned, against whom they had secured in her an effective witness.  She had resided for some time at Casco Bay; and we shall soon see how matters began in a few days to work in that direction.  There are two indictments against this Abigail Hobbs:  one charging her with having made a covenant with “the Evil Spirit, the Devil,” at Casco Bay, in 1688; the other with having exercised the arts of witchcraft upon the afflicted girls, at Salem Village, in 1692.

When her unhappy father was brought to examination, he found that his daughter was playing into the hands of the accusers; and that his wife, overwhelmed by the horrors of the situation, although for a time protesting her innocence and lamenting that she had been the mother of such a daughter, had broken down and confessed, saying whatever might be put in her mouth by the magistrates, the girls, or the crowd.  Under these circumstances, he was brought forward for examination.  Parris took minutes of it.  It is to be regretted, that the paper is much dilapidated, and portions of the lines wholly lost.  What is left shows that the mind of William Hobbs rose superior to the terrors and powers arrayed against it.  The magistrate commenced proceedings by inquiring of the girls, pointing to the prisoner, “Hath this man hurt you?” Several of them answered “Yes.”  Goody Bibber, who seems generally to have been a very zealous volunteer backer of the girls, on this occasion, for a wonder, answered “No.”  The magistrate, addressing the prisoner, “What say you?  Are you guilty or not?”—­Answer:  “I can speak in the presence of God safely, as I must look to give account another day, that I am as clear as a new-born babe.”—­“Clear of what?”—­“Of witchcraft.”—­“Have you never hurt these?”—­“No.”  Abigail Williams cried out that he “was going to Mercy Lewis!” Whereupon Mercy was seized with a fit.  Then Abigail cried out again, “He