What is the author's purpose in this excerpt from "a witch trial at mount holly"? the parties being met and the people got together, a grand consultation was held, before they proceeded to trial; in which it was agreed to use the scales first; and a committee of men were appointed to search the men, and a committee of women to search the women, to see if they had any thing of weight about them, particularly pins. to inform the reader regarding the events of the witch trial to persuade the audience of the guilt of the 'witches' to entertain the reader with the humor of the trial to engage the reader in a debate regarding the validity of the trial'