, and there were 4
persones more upon another pole, viz. Mistriss Osgood, Goody Wilson, Goody
Wardwell, Goody Tyler, and Hanneh Tyler. And when she came to the pond the
Devil made a great light, and took her up and dypt her face in the pond,
and she felt the water, and the Devil told her he was her lord and master,
and she must serve him for ever. He made her renounce her former baptisme,
and carryed her back upon the pole. She confesses she has afflicted the
persones that accused her, viz. Sprague, Lester, and Sawdy, both at home
and in the way comeing downe. The manner thus:--The Devil does it in her
shape, and she consents unto, and clinches her hands together, and sayes
the Devil cannot doe it in her shape without her consent. She sayes she was
at a meeting at Moses Tyler's house, in company with Mistriss Osgood, Goody
Wilson, Goody Tyler, and Hanah Tyler. She said the mark above was on her
left legg by her shin. It is about two yeare agoe since she was baptized.
She said that all this was true; and set her hand to the original as a true
confession. _Noate_, that before this her confession she was taken dumb,
and took Mr. Epps about the neck and pulled him down, thereby showing him
how the black man bowed her down; and for one houre's tyme could not open
her lips.

I, underwritten, being appointed by authority to take the above
examination, doe testify upon oath taken in court, that this is a true
coppy of the substance of it to the best of my knowledge.

WM. MURRAY.

6th July, 1692/3.

The above Abigail Barker was examined before their Majesties Justices of
the Peace in Salem.

(Atest.) JOHN HIGGINSON, Just. Peace.

Owned before the Grand Jury.

(Atest.) ROBERT PAYNE, Foreman.

6th January, 1692. {448}

* * * * *

SPRING, ETC.

Our ancestors had three verbs and three corresponding substantives to
express the growth of plants, namely, _spring_, _shoot_, and _sprout_,--all
indicative of rapidity of growth; for _sprout_, (Germ. _spriessen_) is akin
to _spurt_, and denotes quickness, suddenness. The only one of these which
remains in general use is _shoot_: for _sprout_ is now only appropriated to
the young growth from cabbage-stalks; and _spring_ is heard no more save in
_sprig_, which is evidently a corruption of it, and which now denotes a
small slip or twig as we say, sprigs of laurel, bay, thyme, mint, rosemary,
&c.

Of the original meaning of _spring_, I have m