The ministers of Rowley investigated the case of the Perley child, and were evidently convinced that the parents had put the idea into the child’s head, and gave plain testimony to that effect, and several neighbors came forward with testimony to the prisoner’s good character. But a fresh collection of marvels was adduced by a family of the name of Comins or Cummins who accused her of bewitching their horses, and other neighbors, not to be outdone, testified to other strange occurrences, and the court condemned her and she was executed on the sixteenth of July. She was, however, only convicted upon the evidence obtained in Parris’s investigation, though the testimony of her Ipswich neighbors undoubtedly had great weight with the jury. The other trials are of much the same character, some revealing a most fiendish animosity on the part of neighbors or relatives, and leaving a very painful impression of the condition of country life in New England at that time. For testimony as to the cowardice of friends and neighbors and the confessions extorted from weak-minded persons, see letter of Francis Dane, Sen.; Woodward, _Records_, II., 66–68. [88] Brattle, _ut supra_ 68, 69. [89] Drake, _Annals of Witchcraft_, 193. [90] Increase Mather says: “In _December_ the court sat again at _Salem_ in _New England_, and cleared about 40 persons suspected for witches, and condemned three. The evidence against these was the same as formerly, so the Warrant for their Execution was sent, and the _Graves digged_ for the said three, and for about five more that had been condemned at _Salem_ formerly, but were Repreived by the Governour. In the beginning of _February_, 1693, the Court sate at Charlestown, where the Judge exprest himself to this effect. _That who it was that obstructed the Execution of Justice, or hindered those good proceedings they had made, he knew not, but thereby the Kingdom of Satan was advanc’d, etc. and the Lord have mercy on this Country_; and so declined coming any more into Court. In his absence Mr. D---- sate as Chief Judge 3 several days, in which time 5 or 6 were cleared by Proclamation, and almost as many by Trial; so that all were acquitted.... So that by the _Goodness of God_ we are once more out of present danger of this Hobgoblin monster; the standing evidence used at _Salem_ were called, but did not appear. There were others also at Charlestown brought upon their Tryals, who had formerly confessed themselves to be witches; but upon their Tryals deny’d it; and were all cleared; So that at present there is no _further prosecution of any_.” _A Further Account of the Tryals_, London, 1693, p. 10. The court apparently met December 31st, and sat into January, which would account for the apparent discrepancy in regard to the time of its session.