When these citations are collated and examined, and it is remembered that Mr. Moxon was the “reverend elder” of the church at Springfield, it cannot be doubted that the case of the Parsonses is that referred to by Johnson in the “Wonder-working Providence,” and that Hutchinson was in error as to the date.  We are left in doubt as to the fate of Mary Parsons.  There is a marginal entry on the records, to the effect that she was reprieved to the 29th of May.  Neither Johnson nor Hutchinson seem to have thought that the sentence was ever carried into effect.  It clearly never ought to have been.  The woman was in a weak and dying condition, her mind was probably broken down,—­the victim of that peculiar kind of mania—­partaking of the character of a religious fanaticism and perversion of ideas—­that has often led to child-murder.

These instances show, that, at that time, the General Court exercised consideration and discrimination in the treatment of questions of this kind brought before it.

Hutchinson, on the authority of Hale, says that a woman at Dorchester, and another at Cambridge, were executed, not far from this time, for witchcraft; and that they asserted their innocence with their dying breath.  He also says, that, in 1650, “a poor wretch,—­Mary Oliver,—­probably weary of her life from the general reputation of being a witch, after long examination, was brought to a confession of her guilt; but I do not find that she was executed.”

In 1656, a very remarkable case occurred.  William Hibbins was a merchant in Boston, and one of the most prominent and honored citizens of Massachusetts.  He was admitted a freeman in 1640; was deputy in the General Court in that and the following year; was elected an assistant for twelve successive years,—­from 1643 to 1654; represented the Colony, for a time, as its agent in England, and received the thanks of the General Court for his valuable service there.  No one appears to have had more influence, or to have enjoyed more honorable distinction, during his long legislative career.  He died in 1654.  Hutchinson says, in the text of his first and second volumes, that his widow was tried, condemned, and hanged as a witch in 1655, although he corrects the error in a note to the passage in the first volume.  The following is the statement of the case in the Massachusetts colonial records, under the date of May 14, 1656:—­

“The magistrates not receiving the verdict of the jury in Mrs. Hibbins her case, having been on trial for witchcraft, it came and fell, of course, to the General Court.  Mrs. Ann Hibbins was called forth, appeared at the bar, the indictment against her was read; to which she answered, ’Not guilty,’ and was willing to be tried by God and this Court.  The evidence against her was read, the parties witnessing being present, her answers considered on; and the whole Court, being met together, by their vote, determined that Mrs. Ann Hibbins is guilty of witchcraft, according to the bill