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
There were such Apparitions of Ghosts testified by some of the present
Sufferers; and the Ghosts affirmed, that this _How_ had Murdered them:
Which things were _fear'd_ but not _prov'd._
III. This _How_ had made some Attempts of joyning to the Church at
_Ipswich_, several years ago; but she was denyed an admission into
that Holy Society, partly through a suspicion of Witchcraft, then
urged against her. And there now came in Testimony, of preternatural
Mischiefs, presently befalling some that had been Instrumental to debar
her from the Communion whereupon she was intruding.
IV. There was a particular Deposition of _Joseph Safford_,[174] That
his Wife had conceived an extream Aversion to this _How_, on the
Reports of her Witchcrafts: But _How_ one day, taking her by the Hand,
and saying, _I believe you are not ignorant of the great Scandal that
I lye under, by an evil Report raised upon me_. She immediately,
unreasonably and unperswadeably, even like one Enchanted, began to take
this Woman's part. _How_ being soon after propounded, as desiring an
Admission to the Table of the Lord, some of the pious Brethren were
unsatisfy'd about her. The Elders appointed a Meeting to hear Matters
objected against her; and no Arguments in the World could hinder
this Goodwife _Safford_ from going to the Lecture. She did indeed
promise, with much ado, that she would not go to the Church-meeting,
yet she could not refrain going thither also. _How's_ Affairs there
were so canvased, that she came off rather _Guilty_ than _Cleared;_
nevertheless Goodwife _Safford_ could not forbear taking her by the
Hand, and saying, _Tho' you are Condemned before Men, you are justify'd
before God_. She was quickly taken in a very strange manner, Frantick,
Raving, Raging and crying out, _Goody_ How _must come into the Church;
she is a precious Saint; and tho' she be condemned before Men, she is
Justify'd before God_. So she continued [78] for the space of two or
three Hours; and then fell into a Trance. But coming to her self, she
cry'd out, _Ha! I was mistaken;_ and afterwards again repeated, _Ha!
I was mistaken!_ Being asked by a stander by, _Wherein?_ she replyed,
_I thought Goody_ How _had been a precious Saint of God, but now I see
she is a Witch: She has bewitched me, and my Child, and we shall never
be well, till there be a Testimony for her, that she may be taken into
the Church_. And _How_ said afterwards, that she was very sorry to
see _Safford_ at the Church-meeting mentioned. _Safford_, after this,
declared herself to be afflicted by the Shape of _How;_ and from that
Shape she endured many Miseries.
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