close prison, which we know to be lies.  Two of the five are (Carrier’s sons) young men, who would not confess any thing till they tied them neck and heels, till the blood was ready to come out of their noses; and it is credibly believed and reported this was the occasion of making them confess what they never did, by reason they said one had been a witch a month, and another five weeks, and that their mother made them so, who has been confined here this nine weeks.  My son, William Procter, when he was examined, because he would not confess that he was guilty, when he was innocent, they tied him neck and heels till the blood gushed out at his nose, and would have kept him so twenty-four hours, if one, more merciful than the rest, had not taken pity on him, and caused him to be unbound.

“These actions are very like the Popish cruelties.  They have already undone us in our estates, and that will not serve their turns without our innocent blood.  If it cannot be granted that we can have our trials at Boston, we humbly beg that you would endeavor to have these magistrates changed, and others in their room; begging also and beseeching you, that you would be pleased to be here, if not all, some of you, at our trials, hoping thereby you may be the means of saving the shedding of our innocent blood.  Desiring your prayers to the Lord in our behalf, we rest, your poor afflicted servants,

     “JOHN PROCTER [and others].”

The bitterness of the prosecutors against Procter was so vehement, that they not only arrested, and tried to destroy, his wife and all his family above the age of infancy, in Salem, but all her relatives in Lynn, many of whom were thrown into prison.  The helpless children were left destitute, and the house swept of its provisions by the sheriff.  Procter’s wife gave birth to a child, about a fortnight after his execution.  This indicates to what alone she owed her life.

John Procter had spoken so boldly against the proceedings, and all who had part in them, that it was felt to be necessary to put him out of the way.  He had denounced the entire company of the accusers, and their revenge demanded his sacrifice.  They brought the whole power of their cunning and audacious arts to bear against him, and pursued him to the death with violence and rage.  The manly and noble deportment exhibited in his dying hour seems to have made a deep impression on the minds of some, and gave an effectual blow to the delusion.  The descendants of John Procter have always understood that his remains were recovered from the spot where the hangman deposited them, and placed in his own grounds, where they rest to-day.

[Illustration:  [signatures]]

[Illustration:  [signatures]]