The Confessions of Mercy Lewis
(Four witnesses reported that on March 28, 1692, at Ingersoll's Tavern, William Raiment, Jr. accused Mercy Lewis of lying when she claimed to see the specter of Goody Proctor.  According to each of the four witnesses, Lewis said that the girls "must have some sport."  Two witnesses (Barton and Houghton) also stated in depositions that Mercy Lewis, at the Thomas Putnam house on March 29th, said "she was out of her head" when she claimed to have seen the specter of Goody Proctor and that she "saw nobody.")

Daniel Elliott: Deposition for Elizabeth Proctor

     the testimony of Daniel elet aged 27 years or thear abouts who testifieth & saith that I being at the hous of leutennant
ingasone one the 28 of march in the year 1692 thear being preasent one of the aflicted persons which cryed out and said thears
goody procter William raiment juner being theare present told the garle he beleved she lyed for he saw nothing then goody
ingerson told the garl she told aly for thear was nothing: then the garl said that she did it for sport they must have some sport

      ( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1 Page 27 )

Samuel Barton and John Houghton:  for Elizabeth Proctor

     the testimony of Samuel Barton aged 28 years or therabouts who testifieth and saith that I being at Thomas putnams a
helping to tend the aflickted folks i heard them talking who the Children Complained of an I heard them teel mercy lewes that
she Cryed out of goody procter and mercy lewes said that she did not Cry out of goody procter nor nobody she said she did
say thear she is but did not teel them who and Thomas putnam & his wife & others told her that she Cryed out of goody procter and marcy lewes said if she did it was when she was out in her head for she said she saw nobody this being the 29 of march in the year 1691/2

           John Houghton aged 23 testifieth and saith I this Deponent was present at the same tyme above written and I
     heard Thomas Putnam , and his wife sayd that mercy Lewis saw or named the wife of John Procter in her fitt and
     we heard the sayd mercy Lewis affirme that she never sayd that ever she saw her

           ( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1 Page 27 )

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