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earnestly requested Mr. Nayes to pray with and
For him, but it was wholly denied, because he
Would not own himself to be a witch.
During his imprisonment he sent the following letter,
in behalf of himself and others.
Salem-Prison, July 23, 1692.
Mr. Mather, Mr. Allen,
Mr. Moody, Mr. Willard, and
Mr. Baily.
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 engaged against us by
the devil, makes us bold to beg and implore your
favourable assistance of this our humble petition
to his Excellency, that if it be possible our inno–
cent blood may be spared, which undoubtedly
otherwise will be shed, if the Lord doth not mer–
cifully step in. The magistrates, ministers, juries,
and all the people in general, being so much en–
raged 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 inno–
cent 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 close
prison, which we know to be lies. Two of the
five are (Carrier’s sons) young men, who would
not
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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 had 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 inno–
cent, they tied him neck and heels till the blood
gushed out at his nose, and would have kept him
so 24 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 Po–
pish cruelties. They have already undone us in
our estates, and that will not serve their turns,
without our innocent blood. If it cannot be grant–
ed that we can have our trials at Boston, we hum–
bly beg that you would endeavour to have these
magistrates changed, and others in their rooms,
begging also and beseeching 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, &c.
He pleased very hard at execution, for a little
Espite of time, saying that he was not fit to die ;
But it was not granted.
Old Jacobs being condemned, the sheriff and
officers
Petition of John Proctor Sr. from prison, July 23, 1692, in Robert Calef, More Wonders of the Invisible World, first published 1700, reprinted 1796, Phillips Library, E C148 1796