The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism: With Dr. Doddridge's DreamStowe, Harriet Beecher
History
The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism: With Dr. Doddridge's Dream
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
Spiritualism; Upham, Charles Wentworth, 1802-1875. Salem witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Massachusetts -- Salem
"The deposition of Ann Putnam, the wife of Thomas Putnam, aged about
thirty years, who testifieth and saith, that on March 18, 1692, I being
wearied out in helping to tend my poor afflicted child and maid, about
the middle of the afternoon I lay me down on the bed to take a little
rest; and immediately I was almost pressed and choked to death, that had
it not been for the mercy of a gracious God and the help of those that
were with me, I could not have lived many moments; and presently I
saw the apparition of Martha Corey, who did torture me so as I can not
express, ready to tear me all to pieces, and then departed from me a
little while; but, before I could recover strength or well take breath,
the apparition of Martha Corey fell upon me again with dreadful
tortures, and hellish temptation to go along with her. And she also
brought to me a little red book in her hand, and a black pen, urging
me vehemently to write in her book; and several times that day she did
most grievously torture me, almost ready to kill me. And on the 19th of
March, Martha Corey again appeared to me; and also Rebecca Nurse, the
wife of Francis Nurse, Sr.; and they both did torture me a great many
times this day, with such tortures as no tongue can express, because
I would not yield to their hellish temptations, that, had I not been
upheld by an Almighty arm, I could not have lived while night. The 20th
of March, being Sabbath-day, I had a great deal of respite between my
fits. 21st of March being the day of the examination of Martha Corey,
I had not many fits, though I was very weak; my strength being, as I
thought, almost gone; but, on 22d of March, 1692, the apparition of
Rebecca Nurse did again set upon me in a most dreadful manner, very
early in the morning, as soon as it was well light. And now she appeared
to me only in her shift, and brought a little red book in her hand,
urging me vehemently to write in her book; and, because I would not
yield to her hellish temptations, she threatened to tear my soul out of
my body, blasphemously denying the blessed God, and the power of the
Lord Jesus Christ to save my soul; and denying several places of
Scripture, which I told her of, to repel her hellish temptations. And
for near two hours together, at this time, the apparition of Rebecca
Nurse did tempt and torture me, and also the greater part of this day,
with but very little respite. 23d of March, am again afflicted by the
apparitions of Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey, but chiefly by Rebecca
Nurse. 24th of March, being the day of the examination of Rebecca Nurse,
I was several times afflicted in the morning by the apparition of
Rebecca Nurse, but most dreadfully tortured by her in the time of her
examination, insomuch that the honored magistrates gave my husband leave
to carry me out of the meeting-house; and, as soon as I was carried out
of the meeting-house doors, it pleased Almighty God, for his free grace
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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