“May 24.—­I having heard, some days, that my wife was accused of witchcraft; being much disturbed at it, by advice went to Salem Village, to see if the afflicted knew her:  we arrived there on the 24th of May.  It happened to be a day appointed for examination; accordingly, soon after our arrival, Mr. Hathorne and Mr. Corwin, &c., went to the meeting-house, which was the place appointed for that work.  The minister began with prayer; and, having taken care to get a convenient place, I observed that the afflicted were two girls of about ten years old, and about two or three others of about eighteen:  one of the girls talked most, and could discern more than the rest.

“The prisoners were called in one by one, and, as they came in, were cried out at, &c.  The prisoners were placed about seven or eight feet from the justices, and the accusers between the justices and them.  The prisoners were ordered to stand right before the justices, with an officer appointed to hold each hand, lest they should therewith afflict them:  and the prisoners’ eyes must be constantly on the justices; for, if they looked on the afflicted, they would either fall into fits, or cry out of being hurt by them.  After an examination of the prisoners, who it was afflicted these girls, &c., they were put upon saying the Lord’s Prayer, as a trial of their guilt.  After the afflicted seemed to be out of their fits, they would look steadfastly on some one person, and frequently not speak; and then the justices said they were struck dumb, and after a little time would speak again:  then the justices said to the accusers, ’Which of you will go and touch the prisoner at the bar?’ Then the most courageous would adventure, but, before they had made three steps, would ordinarily fall down as in a fit:  the justices ordered that they should be taken up and carried to the prisoner, that she might touch them; and as soon as they were touched by the accused, the justices would say, ’They are well,’ before I could discern any alteration,—­by which I observed that the justices understood the manner of it.  Thus far I was only as a spectator:  my wife also was there part of the time, but no notice was taken of her by the afflicted, except once or twice they came to her, and asked her name.  But I, having an opportunity to discourse Mr. Hale (with whom I had formerly acquaintance), I took his advice what I had best do, and desired of him that I might have an opportunity to speak with her that accused my wife; which he promised should be, I acquainting him that I reposed my trust in him.  Accordingly, he came to me after the examination was over, and told me I had now an opportunity to speak with the said accuser, Abigail Williams, a girl eleven or twelve years old; but that we could not be in private at Mr. Parris’s house, as he had promised me:  we went therefore into the alehouse, where an Indian man attended us, who, it seems, was one of the afflicted; to him