APRIL 19, 1692
(The examination of Bridget Bishop before the Worshipfull John Harthon and Jonathan Curren esq'rs)
Bridget Bishop being now coming in to be examined relating to her accusation of Suspicon of sundry acts of witchcrafts the afflicted persons are now dreadfully afflicted by her as they doe say.
(Mr. Harthon) Bishop what doe you say you here stand charged with sundry acts of witchcraft by you done or committed upon the bodyes of mercy Lews and An Putnam and others.
(Bishop) I am innocent I know nothing of it I have done no witchcraft
(Mr. Har) Looke upon this woman and see if this be the woman that you have seen hurting you. Mercy Lewes and An Putnam and others doe [doe] now charge her to her face with hurting of them.
(Mr. Harthon) What doe you say now you see they charge you to your face
(Bish) I never did hurt them in my life I did never see these persons before I am as innocent as the child unborn
(Mr. Harth) is not your coate cut
(Bish)[RECORDER'S NOTE: answers no but her garment being Looked upon they find it cut or toren two wayes Jonathan walcoate saith that the sword that he strucke at goode Bishup with was not naked but was within the scabbord so that the rent may very probablie be the very same that mary walcoate did tell that she had in her coate by Jonathans stricking at her apperance The afflicted persons charge her, with having hurt them many wayes and by tempting them to sine to the devils Booke at which charge she seemed to be very angrie and shaking her head at them saying it was false they are all greatly tormented (as I conceive) by the shaking of her head]
(Mr Har) good Bishop what contract have you made with the devill
(Bish) I have made no contract with the devill I never saw him in my life. An Putnam sayeth that shee calls the devill her God
(Mr. Har) what say you to all this that you are charged with can you not find in your heart to tell the truth
(Bish) I doe tell the truth I never hurt these persons in my life I never saw them before.
(Mercy Lewes) oh goode Bishop did you not come to our house the Last night and did you not tell me that your master made you tell mor than you were willing to tell
(Mr Har) tell us the truth in this matter how comes these persons to be thus tormented and to charge you with doing
(Bish) I am not come here to say I am a witch to take away my life
(Mr. Har) who is that that doth it if you doe not they say it is your likenes that comes and torments them and tempts them to write in the booke what Booke is that you tempt them with.
(Bish) I know nothing of it I am innocent.
(Mr Harth) doe you not see how they are tormented you are acting witchcraft before us what doe you say to ths why have you not an heart to confese the truth
(Bish) I am innocent I know nothing of it I am no witch I know not what a witch is.
(Mr. Har) have you not given consent that some evill spirit should doe this in your likeness.
(B) no I am innocent of being a witch I know no man woman or child here
(Marshall Herrik) how came you into my bed chamber one morning then and asked me whether I had any curtains to sell shee is by some of the aflicted persons charged with murder
(Mr Harth) what doe you say to these murders you are charged with
(B) I am innocent I know nothing of it now she lifts up her eyes and they are greatly tormented again
(Mr Har) what doe you say to these things here horrible acts of witch craft (Bish) I know nothing of it I doe not know whither be any witches or no
(Mr Har) no have you not heard that some have confessed.
(Bish) no I did not.
[RECORDER'S NOTE:two men told her to her face that they had told her here shee is taken in a plain lie now shee is going away they are dreadfully afflicted 5 afflicted persons doe charge this woman to be the very woman that hurts them This is a true account of what I have taken down at her examination according to best understanding and observation I have also in her examination taken notice that all her actions have great influence upon the aflicted persons and that they have been tortored by her]
Ezekiel Cheever