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
II. The Court being sensible, that the Testimonies of the Parties
Bewitched, use to have a Room among the _Suspicions_ or _Presumptions_,
brought in against one Indicted for Witchcraft; there were now
heard the Testimonies of several Persons, who were most notoriously
Bewitched, and every day Tortured by Invisible Hands, and these now all
charged the Spectres of _G. B._ to have a share in their Torments. At
the Examination of this _G. B._ the Bewitched People were grievously
harassed with Preternatural Mischiefs, which could not possibly be
dissembled; and they still ascribed it unto the endeavours of _G. B._
to Kill them. And now upon his Tryal of one of the Bewitched Persons,
testified, that in her Agonies, a little black Hair'd Man came to her,
saying his Name was _B._ and bidding her set her hand unto a Book which
he shewed unto her; and bragging that he was a _Conjurer_, above the
ordinary Rank of Witches; That he often Persecuted her with the offer
of that Book, saying, _She should be well, and need fear nobody, if
she would but Sign it;_ But he inflicted cruel Pains and Hurts upon
her, because of her denying so to do. The Testimonies of the other
Sufferers concurred with these; and it was remarkable, that whereas
_Biting_ was one of the ways which the Witches used for the vexing of
the Sufferers; when they cry'd out of _G. B._ Biting them, the print of
the Teeth would be seen on the Flesh of the Complainers, and just such
a Set of Teeth as _G. B's_ would then appear upon them, which could be
distinguished from those of some other Mens. Others of them testified,
That in their Torments, _G. B._ tempted them to go unto a Sacrament,
unto which they perceived him with a Sound of Trumpet, Summoning
of other Witches, who quickly after the Sound, would come from all
Quarters unto the Rendezvouz. One of them falling into a kind of
Trance, afterwards affirmed, that _G. B._ had carried her into a very
high Mountain, where he shewed her mighty and glorious Kingdoms, and
said, _He would give them all to her, if she would_ [62] _write in his
Book;_ but she told him, _They were none of his to give;_ and refused
the Motions; enduring of much Misery for that refusal.
It cost the Court a wonderful deal of Trouble, to hear the Testimonies
of the Sufferers; for when they were going to give in their
Depositions, they would for a long time be taken with Fits, that
made them uncapable of saying anything. The Chief Judg asked the
Prisoner, who he thought hindred these Witnesses from giving their
_Testimonies?_ And he answered, _He supposed it was the Devil_. That
Honourable Person, then repli'd, _How comes the Devil so loathe to
have any Testimony born against you?_ Which cast him into very great
Confusion.[151]
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