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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 January 2010
They protested their innocency as in the presence of the great God, whom forthwith they were to appear before: they wished, and declared their wish, that their blood might be the last innocent blood shed upon that account. With great affection [emotion] they intreated Mr. C. M. [Cotton Mather] to pray with them: they prayed that God would discover what witchcrafts were among us; they forgave their accusers; they spake without reflection on Jury and Judges, for bringing them in guilty, and condemning them: they prayed earnestly for pardon for all other sins, and for an interest in the pretious blood of our dear Redeemer; and seemed to be very sincere, upright, and sensible of their circumstances on all accounts; especially Proctor and Willard, whose whole management of themselves, from the Goal to the Gallows, and whilst at the Gallows, was very affecting and melting to the hearts of some considerable Spectatours, whom I could mention to you: – but they are executed, and so I leave them.
– Thomas Brattle, 1692It takes nothing away from the integrity of those who in July would not lie to save their lives to observe that a politically very unsophisticated person might conceivably have failed to grasp the equation of confession and safety from the gallows. However, such an oversight a month later seems impossible, so the August victims must have gone to their execution unambiguously choosing not to buy their lives with fraud.
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