The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England WitchesMather, Cotton
History
The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England -- Early works to 1800
The 3d of _April_, the Lord's-day, being Sacrament-day, at the Village,
_Goodw. C._ upon Mr. _Parris's_ naming his Text, _John 6.70._ _One of
them is a Devil_, the said _Goodw. C._ went immediately out of the
Meeting-House, and flung the Door after her violently, to the amazement
of the Congregation. She was afterwards seen by some in their Fits, who
said, _O +Goodw. C.+ I did not think to see you here!_ (and being at
their _Red bread and drink_) said to her, _Is this a time to receive the
Sacrament, you ran away on the Lord's-Day, and scorned to receive it in
the Meeting-House, and, Is this a time to receive it? I wonder at you!_
This is the sum of what I either saw my self, or did receive Information
from persons of undoubted Reputation and Credit.
REMARKS OF THINGS MORE THAN ORDINARY ABOUT THE
AFFLICTED PERSONS.
1. They are in their Fits tempted to be _Witches_, are shewed the List
of the Names of others, and are tortured, because they will not yeild to
Subscribe, or meddle with, or touch the BOOK, and are promised to have
present Belief if they would do it.
2. They did in the Assembly mutually _Cure_ each other, even with a
_Touch_ of their Hand, when Strangled, and otherwise Tortured; and would
endeavour to get to their Afflicted, to relieve them.
3. They did also foretel when anothers Fit was a-coming, and would say,
_Look to her!_ she will have a Fit presently, which fell out
accordingly, as many can bear witness, that heard and saw it.
4. That at the same time, when the _Accused_ Person was present, the
_Afflicted Persons_ saw her Likeness in other places of the
Meeting-House, suckling her _Familiar_, sometimes in one place and
posture, and sometimes in another.
5. That their Motions in their Fits are _Preternatural_, both as to the
manner, which is so strange as a well person could not Screw their Body
into; and as to the violence also it is preternatural being much beyond
the Ordinary force of the same person when they are in their right mind.
6. The _eyes_ of some of them in their fits are exceeding fast closed,
and if you ask a question they can give no answer, and I do believe they
cannot hear at that time, yet do they plainely converse with the
Appearances, as if they did discourse with real persons.
7. They are utterly pressed against any persons _Praying_ with them, and
told by the appearances, they shall not go to _Prayer_, so _Tho.
Putman's_ wife was told, _I should not Pray;_ but she said, _I should:_
and after I had done, reasoned with the _Appearance_, _Did not I say he
should go to Prayer._
8. The forementioned _Mary W._ being a little better at ease, the
Afflicted persons said, _she had signed the Book_; and that was the
reason she was better. Told me by _Edward Putman_.
REMARKS CONCERNING THE ACCUSED.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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