The evidence of Giles Corey [who] testifies and says that last Saturday, in the evening, sitting by the fire, my wife asked me to go to bed. I told [her] I would go to pray, and when I went to prayer, I could not utter my desires with any sense, not open my mouth to speak.
2 My wife did perceive it and came towards me, and said she was coming to me. After this, in a little space, I did according to my measure, attend the duty.
Sometime last week, I fetched an ox well out of the woods, and he, laying down in the yard, I went to raise him to yoke him, but he could not rise, but dragged his hinder parts as if he had been hipshot, but after did rise.
I had a cat sometimes last week strangely taken of the sudden, and did make me think she would have died presently. My wife bid me knock her in the head, but I did not, and since, she is well.
Another time going to duties, I was interrupted for a space, but afterward I was helped according to my poor measure.
My wife has been wont to sit up after I went to bed, and I have perceived her to kneel down on the hearth, as if she were at prayer, but [I] heard nothing.
At the examination of Sarah Good and others my wife was willing
March 24th 1692
[Reverse]
John |
Essex County Court Archives, vol. 1, no. 43, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, on deposit James Duncan Phillips Library, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA. |