testimonies against her were unique, and yet so typical
that they are given in part as the second illustration.

MERCY (DISBRO) DISBOROUGH

A special court, presided over by Robert Treat, Governor, was held at
Fairfield by order of the General Court, to try the witch cases, and
September 14, 1692, a true bill was exhibited against Mercy Disborough,
wife of Thomas Disborough of Compo in Fairfield, in these words:

"Mercy Disborough is complayned of & accused as guilty of witchcraft for
that on the 25t of Aprill 1692 & in the 4th year of their Maties reigne
& at sundry other times she hath by the instigation & help of the diuill
in a preternaturall way afflicted & don harme to the bodyes & estates of
sundry of their Maties subjects or to some of them contrary to the law
of God, the peace of our soueraigne lord & lady the King & Queen their
crowne & dignity."

"BILLA VERA."

Others were indicted and tried, at this session of the court and its
adjournments, notably Elizabeth Clawson. Many depositions were taken in
Fairfield and elsewhere, some of the defendants were discharged and
others convicted, but Mercy Disborough's case was the most noted one in
the tests applied, and in the conclusions to which it led. The whole
case with its singular incidents is worthy of careful study. Some of the
testimony is given here.

EDWARD JESOP--_The roast pig--"The place of Scripture"--The bewitched
"cannoe"--The old cart horse--Optical illusions_

"Edward Jesop aged about 29 years testifieth that being at The:
Disburrows house at Compoh sometime in ye beginning of last winter in ye
evening he asked me to tarry & sup with him, & their I saw a pigg
roasting that looked verry well, but when it came to ye table (where we
had a very good lite) it seemed to me to have no skin upon it & looked
very strangly, but when ye sd Disburrow began to cut it ye skin (to my
apprehension) came againe upon it, & it seemed to be as it was when upon
ye spit, at which strange alteration of ye pig I was much concerned
however fearing to displease his wife by refusing to eat, I did eat some
of ye pig, & at ye same time Isaac Sherwood being there & Disburrows
wife & hee discoursing concerning a certain place of scripture, & I
being of ye same mind that Sherwood was concerning yt place of scripture
& Sherwood telling her where ye place was she brought a bible (that was
of very large print) to me to read ye particular scripture, but tho I
had a good