many years ago I had an opportunity to have brought forth such People as have in the late storm of _Witchcraft_ been complain'd of, but that I smother'd all, and after that storm was rais'd at _Salem_, I did myself offer to provide Meat, Drink and Lodging for no less than Six of the Afflicted, that so an Experiment might be made, whether _Prayer_ with _Fasting_ upon the removal of the distressed might not put a Period to the trouble then rising, without giving the _Civil Authority_ the trouble of prosecuting those things which nothing but a Conscientious regard unto the cries of Miserable Families, could have overcome the Reluctancies of the Honourable Judges to meddle with;[30] In short I do humbly but freely affirm it, there is not that Man living in this World who has been more desirous than the poor Man I _to shelter_ my Neighbours from the Inconveniences of _Specteral Outcries_, yea I am very jealous I have done so much _that way as to Sin_ in what I have done, such have been the Cowardize and Fearfulness whereunto my regard unto the dissatisfactions of other People has precipitated me. I know a Man in the World, who has thought he has been able to Convict some such _Witches_ as ought to Dye, but his respect unto the Publick _Peace_ has caused him rather to try whether _He_ [12] _could not renew them by repentance_: and as I have been Studious to defeat the _Devils_ of their expectations to set people together by the Ears, thus, I have also checked and quell'd those forbidden curiosities, which would have given the _Devil_ an invitation to have tarried amongst us, when I have seen wonderful _Snares_ laid for _Curious_ People, by the secret and future things discovered from the _Mouths of Damsels possest with a Spirit of divination_; Indeed I can recollect but one thing wherein there could be given so much as a Shadow of Reason for _Exceptions_, and that is my allowing of so many to come and see those that were _Afflicted_,[31] now for that I have this to say, that I have almost _a Thousand times_ intreated the Friends of the Miserable, that they would not permit the Intrusion of any Company, but such as _by Prayers_ or other ways might be helpful to them; Nevertheless I have not absolutely forbid all Company from coming to your Haunted Chambers, partly because the Calamities of the Families were such as required the Assistance of _many friends_; partly because I have been willing that there should be _disinterested Witnesses_ of all sorts, to confute the Calumnies of such as would say _all was but Imposture_; and partly because I saw God had Sanctified the Spectacle of the Miseries on the Afflicted unto the Souls of many that were Spectators, and it is a very Glorious thing that I have now to mention--The Devils have with most horrendous operations broke in upon our Neighbourhood, and God has at such a rate over-ruled all the Fury and Malice of those Devils, that all the Afflicted have not only been _Delivered_, but I hope also savingly