The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)Mather, Cotton
History
The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England
IT was on the Second of _May_ in the Year 1687, that a most ingenious,
accomplished and well-disposed young Gentleman, Mr. _Joseph Beacon_,
by about Five a Clock in the Morning, as he lay, whether Sleeping or
[54] Waking he could not say, (but judged the latter of them) had a
View of his Brother then at _London_, altho he was now himself at our
_Boston_, distanced from him a thousand Leagues.[146] This his Brother
appear'd unto him, in the Morning about Five a Clock at _Boston_,
having on him a _Bengal_ Gown, which he usually wore, with a Napkin
tyed about his Head; his Countenance was very Pale, Gastly, Deadly, and
he had a bloody Wound on one side of his Fore-head. _Brother!_ says the
Affrighted _Joseph. Brother!_ Answered the Apparition. Said _Joseph,
What's the matter Brother? How came you here!_ The Apparition replied,
_Brother, I have been most barbarously and injuriously Butchered, by a
Debauched Drunken Fellow, to whom I never did any wrong in my Life_.
Whereupon he gave a particular Description of the Murderer; adding,
_Brother, This Fellow changing his Name, is attempting to come over
unto_ New-England, _in_ Foy, _or_ Wild; _I would pray you on the first
Arrival of either of these, to get an Order from the Governor, to
Seize the Person, whom I have now described; and then do you Indict
him for the Murder of me your Brother: I'll stand by you and prove the
Indictment_. And so he Vanished. Mr. _Beacon_ was extreamly astonished
at what he had seen and hear'd; and the People of the Family not only
observed an extraordinary Alteration upon him, for the Week following,
but have also given me under their Hands a full Testimony, that he then
gave them an Account of this Apparition.
All this while, Mr. _Beacon_ had no advice of any thing amiss attending
his Brother then in _England;_ but about the latter end of _June_
following, he understood by the common ways of Communication, that the
_April_ before, his Brother going in haste by Night to call a Coach
for a Lady, met a Fellow then in Drink, with his _Doxy_ in his Hand:
Some way or other the Fellow thought himself Affronted with the hasty
passage of this _Beacon_, and immediately ran into the Fire-side of a
Neighbouring Tavern, from whence he fetched out a Fire-fork, wherewith
he grievously wounded _Beacon_ in the Skull; even in that very part
where the Apparition show'd his Wound. Of this Wound he Languished
until he Dyed on the Second of _May_, about five of the Clock in the
Morning at _London_. The Murderer it seems was endeavouring an Escape,
as the Apparition affirm'd, but the Friends of the Deceased _Beacon_,
Seized him; and Prosecuting him at Law, he found the help of such
Friends as brought him off without the loss of his Life; since which,
there has no more been heard of the Business.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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