Final answer:
To save their life if accused of witchcraft, a person historically might confess to the accusations or undergo a trial by ordeal, though neither method guaranteed safety, as seen during the Salem Witch Trials.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a person is accused of witchcraft, historically, there were a variety of ways in which they might try to save their life, although during times of hysteria such as the Salem Witch Trials, doing so could be exceedingly difficult. One of the most common ways recounted in historical texts for someone to save their life was to make a confession to the accusations of witchcraft, often implicating others in the process. Another method, though less reliable and often deadly in itself, involved undergoing some form of trial by ordeal, such as the tests involving fire or boiling water described by Abu Zayd al-Sirafi in his 'Accounts of China and India', where survival or lack of injury would be taken as proof of innocence. However, these methods were rooted in superstition and often did not guarantee a person's safety. During the Salem Witch Trials, for example, both confession and accusation of others were used by individuals attempting to avoid execution.