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
7. One Mr. _Ruck_, Brother in Law to this _G. B._ testified that _G.
B._ and he himself, and his Sister, who was _G. B_'s. Wife, going
out for two or three Miles, to gather Strawberries, _Ruck_ with his
Sister, the Wife of G. B. rode home very softly, with G. B. on foot, in
their company, G. B. stept aside a little into the Bushes, whereupon
they halted and hollow'd for him. He not answering, they went away
homewards, with a quickened pace; without any expectation of seeing
him in a considerable while: and yet when they were got near home, to
their astonishment they found him on foot, with them, having a Basket
of Strawberries. G. B. immediately then fell to chiding his Wife, on
the account of what she had been speaking to her Brother of him on the
Road: which when they wondered at, he said, He knew their thoughts.
_Ruck_ being startled at that, made some reply, intimating that the
Devil himself did not know so far; but G. B. answered, my god, makes
known your thoughts unto me. The Prisoner now at the Bar had nothing
to answer unto what was thus witnessed against him, that was worth
considering. Only he said, _Ruck_ and his Wife left a man with him,
when they left him. Which _Ruck_ now affirm'd to be false; and when
the Court asked G. B. What the mans name was? His countenance was
much altered; nor [119] could he say who it was. But the Court began
to think that he then stept aside, only that by the Assistance of the
black Man, he might put on his invisibility, and in that fascinating
Mist, gratify his own jealous humour, to hear what they said of him.
Which trick of rendering themselves invisible, our Witches do in their
Confessions pretend that they sometimes are masters of; and it is the
more credible, because there is demonstration that they often render
many other things utterly invisible.
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