CHAPTER II Opinions of Blackstone and Lecky--Witchcraft nomenclature--Its earlier and later phases--Common superstitions--Monna Sidonia's invocation-- Leland's Sea Song--Witchcraft's diverse literature--Its untold history-- The modern Satanic idea--Exploitation by the Inquisitors--The chief authorities--The witch belief--Its recognition in drama and romance--The Weird Sisters--Other characters. CHAPTER III Fundamentals--The scriptural citations--Old and New Testament--Josephus--Ancient and modern witchcraft--The distinction--The arch enemy Satan--Action of the Church--The later definition--The New England indictments--Satan's recognition--Persecutions in Italy, Germany and France--Slow spread to England--Statute of Henry VIII--Cranmer's injunction--Jewell's sermon--Statute James I--His Demonologie--Executions in Eastern England--Witch finder Hopkins--Howell's statement--John Lowes--Witchcraft in Scotland--Commissions--Instruments of torture--Forbes' definition--Colonial beliefs CHAPTER IV Fiske's view--The forefathers' belief--Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Haven laws--Sporadic cases--The Salem tragedy--Statements of Hawthorne, Fiske, Lowell, Latimer--The victims--Upham's picture--The trial court--Sewall's confession--Cotton Mather--Calef and Upham--Poole--Mather's rules--Ministerial counsel--Longfellow's opinion--Mather's responsibility--His own evidence--Conspectus CHAPTER V The Epidemic in Connecticut--Palfrey--Trumbulls--Winthrop's Journal--Treatment of witchcraft--Silence and evasion--The true story--How told--Witnesses--Testimony--All classes affected--The courts--Judges and jurors--The best evidence--The record--Grounds for examination of a witch--Jones' summary--Witch marks--What they were--How discovered--Dalton's Country Justice--The searchers--Searchers' report in Disborough and Clawson cases CHAPTER VI Hamersley's and Morgan's comment--John Allyn's letter--The accusation--Its origin--Its victims--Many witnesses--Record evidence--The witnesses themselves--Memorials of their delusion--Notable depositions--Selected testimonies, and cases--Katherine Harrison--The court--The judge--The indictment--Grand jury's oath--Credulity of the court--Testimony--Its unique character--Bracy--Dickinson--Montague-- Graves--Francis--Johnson--Hale--Smith--Verdict and sentence--Court's appeal to the ministers--Their answer--A remarkable document--Katherine's petition--"A Complaint of severall grieuances"--Katherine's reprieve-- Dismissal from imprisonment--Removal