A warrant went out for Rebecca Nurse. The girls said they saw her shape wandering away from her sick bed abusing every girl. Ann Putman’s mother accused her of murder.

Rebecca Nurse took her stand at the bar in the morning. At ninety, she was so frail and couldn’t stand up after her illness. Captain Walcott stood by to support her. At one stage I thought she would faint and bring the chair down with her. It was pitiful to watch. Tears wetted my eyes. I observed Magistrate Hawthorne and saw that he was moved to both compassion and doubt.

‘I can say before my eternal father that I am innocent, and God will clear my innocence.’

A hush fell.

‘Are you an innocent person relating to this witchcraft?’ asked the magistrate.

Before she could answer with her voice, now feeble, the girls went into convulsions followed by screeches and much noise.

Elder Ann Putman demanded of her, ‘Is the black man not with you?’

‘Oh Lord, help me!’ She spread her hands in supplication.

The girls did likewise.

Every gesture the old woman took, the girls copied.