The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism: With Dr. Doddridge's Dream — John Shaqi
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
She had not to wait long for the consequences. On the 4th
of April she was apprehended with several others; and on the 11th her
examination took place, the questions being framed to suit the evidence
known to be forthcoming, and Mr. Parris being the secretary for the
occasion. The witness in one case was asked whether she saw a company
eating and drinking at Mr. Parris', and she replied, as expected, that
she did. "What were they eating and drinking?" Of course, it was the
Devil's sacrament; and Mr. Parris, by leading questions, brought out the
testimony that about forty persons partook of that hell-sacrament, Mrs.
Cloyse and Sarah Good being the two deacons! When accused of the usual
practices of cruelty to these innocent suffering children, and to the
ugly, hulking Indian slave, who pretended to show the marks of her
teeth, Mrs. Cloyse gave some vent to her feelings. "When did I hurt
thee?" "A great many times," said the Indian. "O, you are a grievous
liar!" exclaimed she. But the wrath gave way under the soul-sickness
which overcame her when charged with biting and pinching a black man,
and throttling children, and serving their blood at the blasphemous
supper. Her sisters in prison, her husband accused with her, and young
girls--mere children--now manifesting a devilish cruelty to her, who had
felt nothing but good-will to them--she could not sustain herself before
the assembly whose eyes were upon her. She sank down, calling for water.
She fainted on the floor, and some of the accusing children cried out,
"Oh! her spirit has gone to prison to her sister Nurse!" From that
examination she was herself carried to prison.
When she joined her sister Easty in the petition to the Court in the
next summer, she certainly had no idea of escaping the gallows; but it
does not appear that she was ever brought to trial. Mr. Parris certainly
never relented; for we find him from time to time torturing the feelings
of this and every other family whom he supposed to be anything but
affectionate to him. Some of the incidents would be almost incredible to
us if they were not recorded in the church and parish books in Mr.
Parris' own distinct handwriting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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