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
VII. _Phebe Chandler_[185] testify'd, that about a Fortnight before the
apprehension of _Martha Carrier_, on a Lordsday, while the Psalm was
singing in the _Church_, this _Carrier_ then took her by the shoulder
and shaking her, asked her, _where she lived:_ she made her no Answer,
although as _Carrier_, who lived next door to her Fathers House, could
not in reason but know who she was. Quickly after this, as she was at
several times crossing the Fields, she heard a voice, that she took to
be _Martha Carriers_, and it seem'd as if it [42] was over her head.
The voice told her, _she should within two or three days be poisoned_.
Accordingly, within such a little time, one half of her right hand,
became greatly swollen, and very painful; as also part of her Face;
whereof she can give no account how it came. It continued very bad
for some dayes; and several times since, she has had a great pain in
her breast; and been so siezed on her leggs, that she has hardly been
able to go. She added, that lately, going well to the House of God,
_Richard_, the son of _Martha Carrier_, look'd very earnestly upon
her, and immediately her hand, which had formerly been poisoned, as is
abovesaid, began to pain her greatly, and she had a strange Burning
at her stomach; but was then struck deaf, so that she could not hear
any of the prayer, or singing, till the two or three last words of the
Psalm.
VIII. One _Foster_,[186] who confessed her own share in the Witchcraft
for which the Prisoner stood indicted, affirm'd, that she had seen
the prisoner at some of their _Witch-meetings_, and that it was this
_Carrier_, who perswaded her to be a Witch. She confessed, that the
Devil carry'd them on a pole, to a Witch-meeting; but the pole broke,
and she hanging about _Carriers_ neck, they both fell down, and she
then received an hurt by the Fall, whereof she was not at this very
time recovered.
IX. One _Lacy_,[187] who likewise confessed her share in this
Witchcraft, now testify'd, that she and the prisoner were once Bodily
present at a _Witch-meeting_ in _Salem Village;_ and that she knew the
prisoner to be a Witch, and to have been at a Diabolical sacrament, and
that the prisoner was the undoing of her, and her Children, by enticing
them into the snare of the Devil.
X. Another _Lacy_, who also confessed her share in this Witchcraft,
now testify'd, that the prisoner was at the _Witch-meeting_, in _Salem
Village_, where they had Bread and Wine Administred unto them.
XI. In the time of this prisoner's Trial, one _Susanna Sheldon_,[188]
in open Court had her hands Unaccountably ty'd together with a
Wheel-band, so fast that without cutting, it could not be loosed:
It was done by a _Spectre;_ and the Sufferer affirm'd, it was the
_Prisoners_.
_Memorandum._ This Rampant Hag, _Martha Carrier_, was the [43] person,
of whom the Confessions of the Witches, and of her own Children among
the rest, agreed, That the Devil had promised her, she should be _Queen
of Hell_.[189]
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