fit presumption to
cause a strait examination;" the latter treating it as sufficient to
convict a fellow witch, that is, another person also accused of being in
"league with the Devil." Bernard specifies, as the kind of evidence,
sufficient for conviction, such witnesses might give: "If they can make
good the truth of their witness and give sufficient proof of it; as that
they have seen them with their Spirits, or that they have received
Spirits from them, or that they can tell when they used witchery-tricks
to do harm, or that they told them what harm they had done, or that they
can show the mark upon them, or that they have been together in those
meetings, or such like."

Mather remarks, in connection with his synopsis of these Rules: "They
are considerable things, which I have thus related." Those I have
particularly noticed were enough to let in a large part of the evidence
given at the Salem trials--in many respects, the most effective and
formidable part--striking the Jury and Court, as well as the people,
with an "awe," which rendered no other evidence necessary to overwhelm
the mind and secure conviction. The Prisoners themselves were amazed and
astounded by it. Mr. Hale, in his account of the proceedings, says:
"When George Burroughs was tried, seven or eight of the confessors,
severally called, said, they knew the said Burroughs; and saw him at a
Witch-meeting at the Village; and heard him exhort the company to pull
down the Kingdom of God and set up the Kingdom of the Devil. He denied
all, yet said he justified the Judges and Jury in condemning him;
because there were so many positive witnesses against him; but said he
died by false witnesses." Mr. Hale proceeds to mention this fact: "I
seriously spake to one that witnessed (of his exhorting at the
Witch-meeting at the Village) saying to her; 'You are one that bring
this man to death: if you have charged any thing upon him that is not
true, recall it before it be too late, while he is alive.' She answered
me, she had nothing to charge herself with, upon that account."

Mather omits this circumstance in copying Mr. Hale's narrative. It has
always been a mystery, what led the "accusing girls" to cry out, as they
afterwards did, against Mr. Hale's wife. Perhaps this expostulation with
one of their witnesses, awakened their suspicions. They always struck at
every one who appeared to be wavering, or in the least disposed to
question the correctness of what was go