The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (Vol. 3 of 3)Mather, Cotton
History
The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (Vol. 3 of 3)
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England
out, as when she bit a Lip, they would cry out of being bitten, if she
grasped one hand with the other, they would cry out of being Pinched by
her, and would produce marks, so of the other motions of her Body, as
complaining of being Prest, when she lean'd to the seat next her, if
she stirred her Feet, they would stamp and cry out of Pain there. After
the hearing the said _Cory_ was committed to _Salem_ Prison, and then
their crying out of her abated.
_March_ the 24_th_, Goodwife _Nurse_ was brought before Mr. _Hathorn_
and Mr. _Curwin_ (Magistrates) in the Meeting House, Mr. _Hale_
Minister of _Beverly_, began with Prayer, after which she being Accus'd
of much the same Crimes made the like answers, asserting her own
Innocence with earnestness. The Accusers were mostly the same, _Tho
Putmans_ Wife, _&c._ complaining much. The dreadful Shreiking from her
and others, was very amazing, which was heard at a great distance; she
was also Committed to Prison.[10]
A Child of _Sarah Goods_, was likewise apprehended, being between 4 and
5 years Old, the Accusers said this Child bit them, and would shew such
like marks, as those of a small Sett of Teeth upon their Arms, as many
of the Afflicted as the Child cast its Eye upon, would complain they
were in Torment; which Child they also Committed.
Concerning these that had been hitherto Examined and Committed, it
is [93] among other things observed, by Mr. _Lawson_ (in Print[11])
that they were by the Accusers charged, to belong to a Company that
did muster in Arms, and were reported by them to keep Days of Fast,
Thanksgiving and Sacraments; and that those Afflicted (or Accusers)
did in the Assembly, Cure each other, even with a touch of their hand,
when strangled and otherways tortured, and would endeavour to get to
the Afflicted to relieve them thereby (for hitherto they had not used
the Experiment of bringing the Accused to touch the Afflicted, in order
to their Cure) and could foretell one anothers Fits to be coming, and
would say, look to such a one, she will have a Fit presently and so
it happened, and that at the same time when the Accused person was
present, the Afflicted said they saw her _Spectre_ or likeness in other
places of the Meeting House Sucking [suckling] their Familiars.
The said Mr. _Lawson_ being to Preach at the Village, after the Psalm
was Sung, _Abigail Williams_ said, _Now Stand up and name your Text_;
after it was read, she said, _It is a long Text_. Mrs. Pope in the
beginning of Sermon said to him, _Now there is enough of that_. In
Sermon, he referring to his Doctrine, _Abigail Williams_ said to him,
_I know no Doctrine you had, if you did name one I have forgot it_.
_Ann Putman_ an afflicted Girl, said, _There was a Yellow Bird sate on
his Hat as it hung on the Pin in the Pulpit_.[12]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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