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
It was on the Second of _May_ in the Year 1687, that a most ingenious,
accomplished and well-disposed Gentleman, Mr. _Joseph Beacon_, by Name,
about Five a Clock in the Morning, as he lay, whether Sleeping or Waking
he could not say, (but judged the latter of them) had a View of his
Brother then at _London_, altho he was now himself at Our _Boston_,
distanced from him a thousand Leagues. This his Brother appear'd unto
him, in the Morning about Five a Clock at _Boston_, having on him a
_Bengal_ Gown, which he usually wore, with a Napkin tyed about his Head;
his Countenance was very Pale, Gastly, Deadly, and he had a bloody Wound
on one side of his Fore-head. _Brother!_ says the Affrighted _Joseph_.
_Brother!_ Answered the Apparition. Said _Joseph_, _What's the matter
Brother? How came you here!_ The Apparition replied, _Brother, I have
been most barbarously and injuriously Butchered, by a Debauched Drunken
Fellow, to whom I never did any wrong in my Life._ Whereupon he gave a
particular Description of the Murderer; adding, _Brother, This Fellow
changing his Name, is attempting to come over unto +New-England+, in
+Foy+, or +Wild+; I would pray you on the first Arrival of either of
these, to get an Order from the Governor, to Seize the Person, whom I
have now described; and then do you Indict him for the Murder of me your
Brother: I'll stand by you and prove the Indictment._ And so he
Vanished. Mr. _Beacon_ was extreamly astonished at what he had seen and
hear'd; and the People of the Family not only observed an extraordinary
Alteration upon him, for the Week following, but have also given me
under their Hands a full Testimony, that he then gave them an Account of
this Apparition.
All this while, Mr. _Beacon_ had no advice of any thing amiss attending
his Brother then in _England_; but about the latter end of _June_
following, he understood by the common ways of Communication, that the
_April_ before, his Brother going in haste by Night to call a Coach for
a Lady, met a Fellow then in Drink, with his _Doxy_ in his Hand: Some
way or other the Fellow thought himself Affronted with the hasty passage
of this _Beacon_, and immediately ran into the Fire-side of a
Neighbouring Tavern, from whence he fetch'd out a Fire-fork, wherewith
he grievously wounded _Beacon_ in the Skull; even in that very part
where the Apparition show'd his Wound. Of this Wound he Languished until
he Dyed on the Second of _May_, about five of the Clock in the Morning
at _London_. The Murderer it seems was endeavouring to Escape, as the
Apparition affirm'd, but the Friends of the Deceased _Beacon_, Seized
him; and Prosecuting him at Law, he found the help of such Friends as
brought him off without the loss of his Life; since which, there has no
more been heard of the Business.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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