innocents and such as do, in the fear of God, defy the Devil and all his works.  The great rage he is permitted to attempt holy Job with; the abuse he does the famous Samuel in disquieting his silent dust, by shadowing his venerable person in answer to the charms of witchcraft; and other instances from good hands,—­may be arguments.  Besides the unsearchable footsteps of God’s judgments, that are brought to light every morning, that astonish our weaker reasons; to teach us adoration, trembling, dependence, &c.  But we must not trouble Your Honors by being tedious.  Therefore, being smitten with the notice of what hath happened, we reckon it within the duties of our charity, that teacheth us to do as we would be done by, to offer thus much for the clearing of our neighbors’ innocency; viz., that we never had the least knowledge of such a nefandous wickedness in our said neighbors, since they have been within our acquaintance.  Neither do we remember any such thoughts in us concerning them, or any action by them or either of them, directly tending that way, no more than might be in the lives of any other persons of the clearest reputation as to any such evils.  What God may have left them to, we cannot go into God’s pavilion clothed with clouds of darkness round about; but, as to what we have ever seen or heard of them, upon our consciences we judge them innocent of the crime objected.  His breeding hath been amongst us, and was of religious parents in our place, and, by reason of relations and properties within our town, hath had constant intercourse with us.  We speak upon our personal acquaintance and observation; and so leave our neighbors, and this our testimony on their behalf, to the wise thoughts of Your Honors.

JNO.  WISE.             NATHANILL PERKINS.    BENJAMIN MARSHALL. 
WILLIAM STORY Senr.    THOMAS LOVKINE.       JOHN ANDREWS Jur. 
REINALLD FOSTER.       WILLIAM COGSWELL.     WILLIAM BUTLER. 
THOS.  CHOTE.           THOMAS VARNY.         WILLIAM ANDREWS. 
JOHN BURNUM Sr.        JOHN FELLOWS.         JOHN ANDREWS. 
WILLIAM THOMSONN.      WM. COGSWELL Jur.     JOHN CHOTE Ser. 
THO.  LOW Senr.         JONATHAN COGSWELL.    JOSEPH PROCTER. 
ISAAC FOSTER.          JOHN COGSWELL Ju.     SAMUEL GIDDING. 
JOHN BURNUM junr.      JOHN COGSWELL.        JOSEPH EVLETH. 
WILLIAM GOODHEW.       THOMAS ANDREWS.       JAMES WHITE. 
ISAAC PERKINS.         JOSEPH ANDREWS.”

I have given the names of the men who signed this paper, as copied from the original.  It is due to their memory; and their descendants may well be gratified by the testimony thus borne to their courage and justice.

Their neighbors living near the bounds of the village presented the following paper, in the handwriting of Felton, the first signer.  From the appearance of the document, it seems that a portion of it, probably containing an equal number of names, has been cut out by scissors.