authorities and embodied in the criminal
codes. It was the notorious water test, or ordeal by water. September
15, 1692, this test was made, chiefly on the testimony of a young girl
subject to epileptic fits and hysterics, who was carried into the
meetinghouse where the examination was being held. Thus runs the record:

_Daniel Westcott's "gerle"--Scenes in the meeting house--"Ye
girl"--Mercy's voice--Usual paroxisme_

"The afflicted person being carried into ye meeting house & Mercy
Disbrow being under examination by ye honable court & whilst she was
speaking ye girl came to her sences, & sd she heard Mercy Disbrow saying
withall where is she, endeavoring to raise herself, with her masters
help got almost up, in ye open view of present, & Mercy Disbrow looking
about on her, she immediately fel down into a fit again. A 2d time she
came to herself whilst in ye meeting house, & askd whers Mercy, I hear
her voice, & with that turned about her head (she lying with her face
from her) & lookd on her, then laying herself down in like posture as
before sd tis she, Ime sure tis she, & presently fell into a like
paroxisme or fit as she usually is troubled with."

Mercy Disborough, and another woman on trial at the same time
(Elizabeth Clauson), were put to the test together, and two eyewitnesses
of the sorry exhibition of cruelty and delusion made oath that they saw
Mercy and Elizabeth bound hand and foot and put into the water, and that
they swam upon the water like a cork, and when one labored to press them
into the water they buoyed up like cork.[G]

[Footnote G: Depositions of Abram Adams and Jonathan Squire, September
15, 1692.]

At the close of the trial the jury disagreed and the prisoner was
committed "to the common goale there to be kept in safe custody till a
return may be made to the General Court for further direction what shall
be don in this matter;" and the gentlemen of the jury were also to be
ready, when further called by direction of the General Court, to perfect
their verdict. The General Court ordered the Special Court to meet again
"to put an issue to those former matters."

October 28, 1692, this entry appears of record:

"The jury being called to make a return of their indictment that had
been committed to them concerning Mercy Disborough, they return that
they find the prisoner guilty according to the indictment of familiarity
with Satan. The jury being sent forth upon a second consideration of