“WILLIAM OSGOOD testifieth, that, in the yeare ’40, in the month of August,—­he being then building a barn for Mr. Spencer,—­John Godfree being then Mr. Spencer’s herdsman, he on an evening came to the frame, where divers men were at work, and said that he had gotten a new master against the time he had done keeping cows.  The said William Osgood asked him who it was.  He answered, he knew not.  He again asked him where he dwelt.  He answered, he knew not.  He asked him what his name was.  He answered, he knew not.  He then said to him, ’How, then, wilt thou go to him when thy time is out?’ He said, ’The man will come and fetch me then.’  I asked him, ‘Hast thou made an absolute bargain?’ He answered that a covenant was made, and he had set his hand to it.  He then asked of him whether he had not a counter covenant.  Godfree answered, ‘No.’  W.O. said, ’What a mad fellow art thou to make a covenant in this manner!’ He said, ‘He’s an honest man.’—­’How knowest thou?’ said W.O.  J. Godfree answered.  ‘He looks like one.’  W.O. then answered, ‘I am persuaded thou hast made a covenant with the Devil.’  He then skipped about, and said, ‘I profess, I profess!’

     WILLIAM OSGOOD.”

The proceedings against Godfrey were carried up to other tribunals, as appears by a record of the County Court at Salem, 28th of June, 1659:—­

“John Godfrey stands bound in one hundred pound bond to the treasurer of this county for his appearance at a General Court, or Court of Assistants, when he shall be legally summonsed thereunto.”

What action, if any, was had by either of these high courts, I have found no information.  But he must have come off unscathed; for, soon after, he commenced actions in the County Court for defamation against his accusers; with the following results:—­

“John Godfery plt. agst.  Will.  Simonds & Sam.ll his son dfts. in an action of slander that the said Sam.ll son to Will.  Simons, hath don him in his name, Charging him to be a witch, the jury find for the plt. 2d damage & cost of Court 29sh., yet notwithstanding doe conceiue, that by the testmonyes he is rendred suspicious.”

“John Godfery plt. agst.  Jonathan Singletary defendt. in an action of Slander & Defamation for calling him witch & said is this witch on this side Boston Gallows yet, the attachm.t & other evidences were read, committed to the Jury & are on file.  The Jury found for the plt. a publique acknowledgmt, at Haverhill within a month that he hath done the plt. wrong in his words or 10sh damage & costs of Court L2-16-0.”

In the trial of the case between Godfrey and Singletary, the latter attempted to prove the truth of his allegations against the former, by giving the following piece of testimony, which, while it failed to convince the jury, is worth preserving, from the inherent interest of some of its details:—­