"I did."
"Who was there?"
"Goody Cloyse, Goody Corey, Goody Nurse and Goody Good."
Then the examining magistrate turned to the old, infirm and unfortunate prisoner, and asked:
"What do you say, Goody Nurse, to these things?"
The old, sick woman, summoning up all her energies, answered:
"I take God to be my witness, that I know nothing of it, no more than the child unborn."
The jury did not consider the evidence strong enough for hanging an old lady, who had been the ornament of their church and the glory of their village and its society, and they brought in a verdict of "not guilty."
The momentary rejoicing of the triumphant defendants was drowned by the howls of the afflicted and the upbraiding of Mr. Parris. One judge declared himself dissatisfied; another promised to have her tried anew; and the chief justice pointed out a phrase used by the prisoner, which might be made to signify that she was one of the accused gang in guilt, as well as in jeopardy. It might really seem as if the authorities were all scheming together, when we see the ingenuity and persistence with which they discussed the three words "of our company," as used by the accused.
The poor old woman offered an explanation, which ought to have been satisfactory.