of her husband in reference to her general conduct, he could not be made to say that he had ever noticed any thing in her of the nature of witchcraft.  The torments the girls affected to experience in looking at her must have produced an overwhelming effect on the crowd, as they did on the magistrate, and even on the poor, amazed creature herself.  She did not seem to doubt the reality of their sufferings.  In this, and in all cases, it must be remembered that the account of the examination comes to us from those who were under the wildest excitement against the prisoners; that no counsel was allowed them; that, if any thing was suffered to be said in their defence by others, it has failed to reach us; that the accused persons were wholly unaccustomed to such scenes and exposures, unsuspicious of the perils of a cross-examination, or of an inquisition conducted with a design to entrap and ensnare; and that what they did say was liable to be misunderstood, as well as misrepresented.  We cannot hear their story.  All we know is from parties prejudiced, to the highest degree, against them.  Sarah Good was an unfortunate and miserable woman in her circumstances and condition:  but, from all that appears on the record, making due allowance for the credulity, extravagance, prejudice, folly, or malignity of the witnesses; giving full effect to every thing that can claim the character of substantial force alleged against her, it is undeniable, that there was not, beyond the afflicted girls, a particle of evidence to sustain the charge on which she was arraigned; and that, in the worst aspect of her case, she was an object for compassion, rather than punishment.  Altogether, the proceedings against her, which terminated with her execution, were cruel and shameful to the highest degree.

On the conclusion of her examination, she was removed from the meeting-house, and Sarah Osburn brought in.  Her selection, as one of the persons to be first cried out upon, was judicious.  The public mind was prepared to believe the charge against her.  Her original name was Sarah Warren.  She was married, April 5, 1662, to Robert Prince, who belonged to a leading family, and owned a valuable farm.  He died early, leaving her with two young children, James and Joseph.

In the early colonial period, it was the custom for persons who desired to come from the old country to America, but had not the means to defray the expenses of the passage, to let or sell themselves, for a greater or less length of time, to individuals residing here who needed their service.  The practice continued down to the present century.  Emigrants who thus sold themselves for a period of years were called “redemptioners.”  Alexander Osburn came over from Ireland in this character.  The widow of Robert Prince bought out the residue of his time from the person to whom he was thus under contract, for fifteen pounds, and employed him to carry on her farm.  After a while, she married him.  This,