a leading part with those opposed to the party that had favored the witchcraft prosecutions.  He must have known Rebecca Nurse quite intimately, and much of the influence used in her favor, and which almost saved her, may be attributed to him; there was a particular intimacy between him and Increase Mather, and together they held Cotton Mather somewhat in check, occasionally at least.  The Rev. Joshua Moody had been settled in the ministry at Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  In the maintenance of the principles of religious liberty he suffered a long imprisonment, and was afterwards exiled by arbitrary power.  He was then invited to the First Church in Boston, where he preached from 1684 to 1693, when he returned to Portsmouth.  He died in 1697.  By his active exertions, Mr. and Mrs. English were enabled to escape from the jail at Boston.  The Rev. Samuel Willard, pastor of the Old South Church in Boston, was one of the most revered and beloved ministers in the country.  His publications were numerous, learned, and valuable; consisting of discourses, tracts, and volumes.  His “Body of Divinity” is an elaborate and systematic work, comprising two hundred and fifty lectures on the Assembly’s Catechism.  That Procter was not in error in supposing Mr. Willard open to reason on the subject is demonstrated by the fact, that the “afflicted girls” were beginning to cry out against this eminent divine.  The Rev. John Bailey was one of the ejected ministers who had here sought refuge from oppression in the mother-country.  He was a distinguished person, associated with Mr. Allen and Mr. Moody in the ministry of the First Church at Boston.  Cotton Mather made him the subject of the strongest eulogium in his “Magnalia.”  Procter addressed his letter to these persons because he believed them to be superior in wisdom and candid in spirit.  It cannot be doubted that the good men did what they could in his behalf, but in vain.

     “SALEM PRISON, July 23, 1692.

     “Mr. Mather, Mr. Allen, Mr. Moody, Mr. Willard, and Mr.
     Bailey.

“REVEREND GENTLEMEN,—­The innocency of our case, with the enmity of our accusers and our judges and jury, whom nothing but our innocent blood will serve, having condemned us already before our trials, being so much incensed and enraged against us by the Devil, makes us bold to beg and implore your favorable assistance of this our humble petition to His Excellency, that if it be possible our innocent blood may be spared, which undoubtedly otherwise will be shed, if the Lord doth not mercifully step in; the magistrates, ministers, juries, and all the people in general, being so much enraged and incensed against us by the delusion of the Devil, which we can term no other, by reason we know, in our own consciences, we are all innocent persons.  Here are five persons who have lately confessed themselves to be witches, and do accuse some of us of being along with them at a sacrament, since we were committed into