Source: Martha Corey's Testimony, Salem, Massachusetts, 1692

"Mr. HATHORNE: You are now in the hands of authority. Tell me, now, why you hurt these persons." -- MARTHA COREY: "I do not."

"Who doth?" -- Pray, give me leave to go to prayer."

(This request was made sundry times.)

"We do not send for you to go to prayer; but tell me why you hurt these." -- "I am an innocent person. I never had to do with witchcraft since I was born. I am a gospel woman."

"Do not you see these complain of you?" -- "The Lord open the eyes of the magistrates and ministers: the Lord show his power to discover the guilty."

"Tell us who hurts these children." -- "I do not know."

"If you be guilty of this fact, do you think you can hide it?" -- "The Lord knows."

"Well, tell us what you know of this matter." -- "Why, I am a gospel woman; and do you think I can have to do with witchcraft too?"

(CHILDREN: "There is a man whispering in her ear.")

"What did he say to you?" -- "We must not believe all that these distracted children say."

"Cannot you tell what that man whispered?" -- "l saw nobody.

"But did not you hear?" -- "No."

(Here was extreme agony of all the afflicted.)

"If you expect mercy of God, you must look for it in God's way, by confession. Do you think to find mercy by aggravating your sins?" -- "A true thing."

"Look for it, then, in God's way." -- "So I do."

"Give glory to God and confess, then." -- "But I cannot confess."

"Do not you see how these afflicted do charge you?" -- "We must not believe distracted persons."

"You charge these children with distraction: it is a note of distraction when persons vary in a minute; but these fix upon you. This is not the manner of distraction." -- "When all are against me, what can I help it?"

"Now tell me the truth, will you? Why did you say that the magistrates' and ministers' eyes were blinded, you would open them?"

"(She laughed, and denied it.)

"Now tell us how we shall know who doth hurt these, if you do not?" -- "Can an innocent person be guilty?"

"Do you deny these words?" -- "Yes."

"Tell us who hurts these. We came to be a terror to evil-doers. You say you would open our eyes, we are blind." -- "If you say I am a witch."

"You say you are no witch. Maybe you mean you never covenanted with the Devil. Did you never deal with any familiar?" -- "No, never."

"What bird was that the children spoke of?" -- (Then the witnesses spoke: "What bird was it?") "I know no bird."

"It may be you have engaged you will not confess; but God knows." -- "So he doth."

"Do you believe you shall go unpunished?" -- "I have nothing to do with witchcraft."

"Do not you believe there are witches in the country?" -- "l do not know that there is any."

"Do not you know that Tituba confessed it?" -- "I did not hear her speak."

"I find you will own nothing without several witnesses, and yet you will deny for all."

(It was noted, when she bit her lip, several of the afflicted were bitten. When she was urged upon it that she bit her lip, saith she, "What harm is there in it?")

(Mr. NOYES: "I believe it is apparent she practiseth witchcraft in the congregation: there is no need of images.")

"What do you say to all these things that are apparent?" -- "If you will all go hang me, how can I help it?"

"What book is that you would have these children write in?" -- "What book? Where should I have a book? I showed them none, nor have none, nor brought none."

(The afflicted cried out there was a man whispering in her ears.)

"What book did you carry to Mary Walcot?" -- "l carried none."

"Who is your God?" -- "The God that made me."

"What is his name?" -- "Jehovah."

"Do you know any other name?" -- "God Almighty."

"Doth he tell you, that you pray to, that he is God Almighty?" -- "Who do I worship but the God that made [me]?"

"How many gods are there?" -- "One."

"How many persons?" -- "Three."

"Do not you see these children and women are rational and sober as their neighbors, when your hands are fastened?"

(Immediately they were seized with fits: and the standers-by said she was squeezing her fingers, her hands being eased by them that held them on purpose for trial. Quickly after, the marshal said, 'She hath bit her lip;' and immediately the afflicted were in an uproar.)

"[Tell] why you hurt these, or who doth?"

(She denieth any hand in it.)

"Why did you say, if you were a witch, you should have no pardon?" -- "Because I am a woman."