e
anser, that it is not the pleasure of ye Most High, to suffer the wicked
one to make an undistinguishable representation of any innocent person
in a way of doing mischiefe, before a plurality of witnesses. The reason
is because, this would utterly evacuate all human testimony; no man
could testify, that he saw this pson do this or that thing, for it might
be said, that it was ye devill in his shape."

"To the 3d & 4th quests together: Whether a vitious pson foretelling
some future event, or revealing of a secret, be a demonstration of
familiarity with the devill? Wee say thus much."

"That those things, whither past, present or to come, which are indeed
secret, that is, cannot be knowne by human skill in arts, or strength of
reason arguing from ye corse of nature, nor are made knowne by divine
revelation either mediate or immediate, nor by information from man,
must needes be knowne (if at all) by information from ye devill: & hence
the comunication of such things, in way of divination (the pson
prtending the certaine knowledge of them) seemes to us, to argue
familiarity with ye devill, in as much as such a pson doth thereby
declare his receiving the devills testimony, & yeeld up himselfe as ye
devills instrument to comunicate the same to others."

And meanwhile Katherine herself had not been idle even in durance. With
a dignity becoming such a communication, and in a desperate hope that
justice and mercy might be meted out to her, she addressed a petition to
the court setting forth with unconscious pathos some of the wrongs and
sufferings she had endured in person and estate; and one may well
understand why under such great provocation she told Michael Griswold
that he would hang her though he damned a thousand souls, and as for his
own soul it was damned long ago. Vigorous and emphatic words, for which
perhaps Katherine was punished enough, as she was adjudged to pay
Michael in two actions for slander, L25 and costs in one and L15 and
costs in the other.

This was Katherine's appeal:

Filed: Wid. Harrisons greuances presented to the court 6th of Octobr
1669.

"A complaint of severall greiuances of the widow Harrisons which she
desires the honored court to take cognizance of and as far as maybe to
give her reliefe in."

"May it please this honored court, to have patience with mee a little:
having none to complain to but the Fathers of the Commonweale; and yet
meetting with many injurys, which necessitate mee