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The First New England Witch, continued
The records abound in reports of the testimony. We will only quote the evidence of Zachariah Davis, who said:— "I having offended Goody Morse, my three calves fell a dancing and roaring, and were in such a condition as I never saw a calf in before. . . . A calf ran a roaringe away soe that we gott him only with much adoe and putt him in ye barne, and we heard him roar severell times in ye night. In ye morning I went to ye barne, and there he was setting upon his tail like a dog. I never see no calf set after that manner before; and so he remained in these fits till he died." The entry on the court record is as follows:— "Boston, May ye 20, 1680:— The Grand Jury presenting Elizabeth, wife of William Morse. She was indicted by name of Elizabeth Morse for that she not having ye fear of God before her eyes, being instigated by the Devil, and had familiarity with the Devil contrary to ye peace of our sovereign lord, the King, his crown and dignity, the laws of God, and of this jurisdiction. After the prisoner was att ye barr and pleaded not guilty, and put herself on ye country and God for trial. Ye evidences being produced were read and committed to ye jury."
"Boston, May 21st, of 1680:— Ye jury brought in their verdict. They found Elizabeth Morse guilty according to indictment.
"May ye 27:— Then ye sentence of ye Governor, to wit: - "Elizabeth you are to goe from hence to ye plaice from which you come, and thence to the plaice of execution, and there to be hanged, by ye neck, till you be dead; and ye Lord have mercy on your Soule."
"June ye 1st:— Ye Governor and ye magistrates voted ye reprieving of Eliz. Morse, as attests,
Edward Rawson, Secretary.
The unfortunate woman seems to have remained imprisoned until the meeting of the Legislature. On the records of that body we find:— "Ye Deputies in perusal of ye Acts of ye Hon. Court of Assistants relating to ye woman condemned for witchcraft doe not understand why execution of ye sentence given her by ye sd.
court is not executed. Her repreeval seems to us to be beyond what ye law will allow, and doe therefore judge meete to declare ourselves against it, etc. This Nov. 3d., 1680.
Wm. Torrey, Clerk."
Then follows this entry:— "Exceptions not consented to by ye magistrates.
Edward Rawson, Secretary.
Mrs. Morse continued in prison until May 1681. On the fourteenth of that month her husband petitioned for her to "the honorable gen. court now sitting in Boston," begging "to clere up ye truth." This petition recites a review of the testimony of seventeen persons who had testified against Goody Morse. On the eighteenth, he petitioned "ye hon. Governor, deputy Governor, deputies and magistrates." In answer, a new hearing was granted. The court record says:— "Ye Deputyes judge meet to grant ye petitioner a hearing ye next sixth day and that warrants go forth to all persons concerned from this court, they to appear in order to her further trial, our honored magistrates hereto consenting.
Wm. Torrey, Clerk."
Again the magistrates were refractory, for we find:— May twenty-fourth, 1681:—Not consented to by ye magistrates.
Edward Rawson, Secretary."
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