andoneofthem，whowasasillycreature，toldme，undersecrecy，thatshehadnotconfessedbecauseshewasguilty，butbeingapoorcreaturewhowroughtforhermeat，andbeingdefamedforawitch，sheknewsheshouldstarve；fornopersonthereafterwouldeithergivehermeatorlodging，andthatallmenwouldbeatherandsetdogsather；
andthat，therefore，shedesiredtobeoutoftheworld；whereuponsheweptmostbitterly，anduponherkneescalledGodtowitnesstowhatshesaid。“SirGeorge，thoughnotwhollyelevatedabovetheprejudicesofhisageuponthissubject，wasclearsightedenoughtoseethedangertosocietyoftheundueencouragementgiventothewitch-prosecutions。Hewasconvincedthatthree-fourthsofthemwereunjustandunfounded。Hesays，intheworkalreadyquoted，thatthepersonswhowereingeneralaccusedofthiscrime，werepoorignorantmenandwomen，whodidnotunderstandthenatureoftheaccusation，andwhomistooktheirownsuperstitiousfearsforwitchcraft。Onepoorwretch，aweaver，confessedthathewasawarlock，and，beingaskedwhy，hereplied，because“hehadseenthedevildancing，likeafly，aboutthecandle！“Asimplewoman，who，becauseshewascalledawitch，believedthatshewas，askedthejudgeuponthebench，whetherapersonmightbeawitchandnotknowit？SirGeorgeadds，thatallthesupposedcriminalsweresubjectedtoseveretortureinprisonfromtheirgaolers，whothoughttheydidGodgoodservicebyvexingandtormentingthem；“andIknow，“saysthishumaneandenlightenedmagistrate，“thatthisusagewasthegroundofalltheirconfession；
andalbeit，thepoormiscreantscannotprovethisusage，theactorsinitbeingtheonlywitnesses，yetthejudgeshouldbejealousofit，asthatwhichdidatfirstelicittheconfession，andforfearofwhichtheydarenotretractit。“Anotherauthor，[“Satan’sInvisibleWorlddiscovered，“bytheRev。G。Sinclair。]alsoafirmbelieverinwitchcraft，givesastillmorelamentableinstanceofawomanwhopreferredexecutionasawitchtoliveonundertheimputation。Thiswoman，whoknewthatthreeothersweretobestrangledandburnedonanearlyday，sentfortheministeroftheparish，andconfessedthatshehadsoldhersoultoSatan。“Whereuponbeingcalledbeforethejudges，shewascondemnedtodiewiththerest。Beingcarriedforthtotheplaceofexecution，sheremainedsilentduringthefirst，second，andthirdprayer，andthen，perceivingthatthereremainednomorebuttoriseandgotothestake，sheliftedupherbody，and，withaloudvoice，criedout，“Nowallyouthatseemethisday，knowthatIamnowtodieasawitch，bymyownconfession，andIfreeallmen，especiallytheministersandmagistrates，oftheguiltofmyblood。I
takeitwhollyuponmyself。Mybloodbeuponmyownhead。And，asI
mustmakeanswertotheGodofheavenpresently，IdeclareIamasfreeofwitchcraftasanychild。But，beingdelatedbyamaliciouswoman，andputinprisonunderthenameofawitch，disownedbymyhusbandandfriends，andseeingnogroundofhopeofevercomingoutagain，Imadeupthatconfessiontodestroymyownlife，beingwearyofit，andchoosingrathertodiethantolive。“Asaproofofthesingularobstinacyandblindnessofthebelieversinwitches，itmaybestated，thattheministerwhorelatesthisstoryonlysawinthedyingspeechoftheunhappywomananadditionalproofthatshewasawitch。Trueindeedisit，that“nonearesoblindasthosewhowillnotsee。“