Today In Salem: Seven days. Just seven days left. The pious Mary Esty had started counting down a week ago, when the judges had found her guilty and sentenced her to hang. She’s spent much of the time since then on her knees, praying and fasting every waking minute, trying to understand. Why did her friends decide at the last minute not to testify? How could the judges possibly believe the shrieking afflicted girls? Did a lifetime of sincere piety and good works count for nothing?
There are only two things she knows, deeply and without questioning.
She is innocent. She will hang.
If this is true of her, it must be true of others as well. Surely the judges don’t realize that innocent blood is being shed. So she writes them a letter, trying to move the quill neatly across the page, but the words come rushing out in one long sentence of crooked lines and misplaced words. If only the judges would question the afflicted girls separately, she writes. If only they would re-try the prisoners who’d pleaded guilty and confessed.
If only.
The humbl petition of mary Eastick unto his Excellencyes S’r W’m Phipps to the honour’d Judge and Bench now Sitting In Judicature in Salem and the Reverend ministers humbly sheweth
That whereas your poor and humble Petitioner being condemned to die Doe humbly begg of you to take it into your Judicious and pious considerations that your Poor and humble petitioner knowing my own Innocencye Blised be the Lord for it and seeing plainly the wiles and subtility of my accusers by my Selfe can not but Judg charitably of others that are going the same way of my selfe if the Lord stepps not mightily in. … I now am condemned to die the Lord above knows my Innocencye … I Petition to your honours not for my own life for I know I must die and my appointed time is sett but the Lord he knowes it is that if it be possible no more Innocentt blood may be shed which undoubtidly cannot be Avoydd In the way and course you goe in I question not but your honours does to the uttmost of your Powers in the discovery and detecting of witchcraft and witches and would not be gulty of Innocent blood for the world but by my own Innocencye I know you are in the wrong way the Lord in his infinite mercye direct you in this great work if it be his blessed will that no more Innocent blood be shed I would humbly begg of you that your honors would be plesed to examine theis Aflicted Persons strictly and keepe them apart some time and Likewise to try some of these confesing wichis I being confident there is severall of them has belyed themselves and others as will appeare if not in this world I am sure in the world to come whither I am now agoing and I Question not but youle see an alteration of thes things they say my selfe and others having made a League with the Divel we cannot confesse I know and the Lord knowes as will shortly appeare they belye me and so I Question not but they doe others the Lord above who is the Searcher of all hearts knowes that as I shall answer it att the Tribunall seat that I know not the least thinge of witchcraft therfore I cannot I dare not belye my own soule I beg your honers not to deny this my humble petition from a poor dy ing Innocent person and I Question not but the Lord will give a blesing to yor endevers.
Tomorrow in Salem: The stubborn Giles Corey makes a dire choice