heels ouer head, & so lay down,
saying come if you will not Ile beat your head & ye wall together &
haueing ended these words she goot up looking aboute ye house, & sd look
shes gone, & so fell into a fit."

LIDIA PENOIR--_"A lying gairl"_

"The testimony of Lidia Penoir. Shee saith that shee heard her ant
Abigal Wescot say that her seruant gairl Catern Branch was such a lying
gairl that not any boddy could belieue one word what shee said and saith
that shee heard her ant Abigail Wescot say that shee did not belieue
that Mearcy nor goody Miller nor Hannah nor any of these women whome
shee had apeacht was any more witches then shee was and that her husband
would belieue Catern before he would belieue Mr. Bishop or Leiftenat
Bell or herself.

"The testor is ready to giue oath to sd testimony. Standford, Augt 24th
1692."

ELEZER SLAWSON--"_A woman for pease"--A good word_

"The testimony of Elezer Slawson aged 51 year.

"He saith yt he liued neare neighbour, to goodwife Clawson many years &
did allways observe her to be a woman for pease and to counsell for
pease & when she hath had prouacations from her neighbours would answer
& say we must liue in pease for we are naibours & would neuer to my
obseruation giue threatning words nor did I look at her as one giuen to
malice; & further saith not

"ELEAZAR SLASON.
"CLEMENT BUXSTUM.

"The above written subscribers declared the aboue written & signed it
with their own hands before me

"JONOTHAN BELL Comissionr."

In closing the citations of testimony in the Clawson case, other
performances of Catherine Branch, the maid servant of Daniel and Abigail
Wescot, are given to emphasize the absurdities which found credence in
the community and brought several women to the bar of justice, to answer
to the charge of a capital offense.

_An epileptic fit--Muscular contortions--"Talkeing to the
appearances"--"Hell fyre to all eternity"--A creature "with a great head
& wings & noe boddy & all black"--Songs and tunes--Secular and
scriptural recitations--" The lock of hayer"_

"June 28th 1692.

"Sergt Daniell Wescott brought his Mayd Katheren Branch to my house to
be examined, which was dune as is within mentioned, & the sd Katheren
Branch being dismised was gott about 40 or 50 rodd from my house, my
Indian girl runeing back sayinge sd Kate was falen downe & looked black
in the face soe my sonn John Selleck & cousen Dauid Selleck went out &
fecht her in, shee being i