though to the wounding of my own soul; (the Lord pardon me for it!) but, oh! the terrors of a wounded conscience who can bear?  But, blessed be the Lord! he would not let me go on in my sins, but in mercy, I hope, to my soul, would not suffer me to keep it any longer:  but I was forced to confess the truth of all before the magistrates, who would not believe me; but it is their pleasure to put me in here, and God knows how soon I shall be put to death.  Dear father, let me beg your prayers to the Lord on my behalf, and send us a joyful and happy meeting in heaven.  My mother, poor woman, is very crazy, and remembers her kind love to you, and to uncle; viz., D.A.  So, leaving you to the protection of the Lord, I rest, your dutiful daughter,

     MARGARET JACOBS.”

A temporary illness led to the postponement of her trial; and, before the next sitting of the Court, the delusion had passed away.

The “uncle D.A.,” referred to, was Daniel Andrew, their nearest neighbor, who had escaped at the same time with her father.  She calls him “uncle.”  He was, it is probable, a brother of John Andrew who had married Ann Jacobs, sister of her father.  Words of relationship were then used with a wide sense.

Margaret read the recantation of her confession before the Court, and was, as she says, forthwith ordered by them into a dungeon.  She obtained permission to visit Mr. Burroughs the day before his execution, acknowledged that she had belied him, and implored his forgiveness.  He freely forgave, and prayed with her and for her.  It is probable, that, at the same time, she obtained an interview with her grandfather for the same purpose.  At any rate, the old man heard of her heroic conduct, and forthwith crowded into the space between two paragraphs in his will, in small letters closely written (the jailer probably being the amanuensis), a clause giving a legacy of “ten pounds to be paid in silver” to his grand-daughter, Margaret Jacobs.  There is the usual declaration, that it “was inserted before sealing and signing.”  This will having been made after conviction and sentence to death, and having but two witnesses, one besides the jailer, was not allowed in Probate, but remains among the files of that Court.  As a link in the foregoing story, it is an interesting relic.  The legacy clause, although not operative, was no doubt of inexpressible value to the feelings of Margaret:  and the circumstance seems to have touched the heart even of the General Court, nearly twenty years afterwards; for they took pains specifically to provide to have the same sum paid to Margaret, out of the Province treasury.