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
IX. _Samuel Shattock_ testify'd, That in the Year, 1680, this _Bridget
Bishop_, often came to his House upon such frivolous and foolish
Errands, that they suspected she came indeed with a purpose of mischief.
Presently, whereupon, his eldest Child, which was of as promising Health
and Sense, as any Child of its Age, began to droop exceedingly; and the
oftner that _Bishop_ came to the House, the worse grew the Child. As the
Child would be standing at the Door, he would be thrown and bruised
against the Stones, by an invisible Hand, and in like sort knock his
Face against the sides of the House, and bruise it after a miserable
manner. Afterwards this _Bishop_ would bring him things to Dye, whereof
he could not imagin any use; and when she paid him a piece of Mony, the
Purse and Mony were unaccountably conveyed out of a lock'd Box, and
never seen any more. The Child was immediately, hereupon, taken with
terrible Fits, whereof his Friends thought he would have dyed: Indeed he
did almost nothing but Cry and Sleep for several Months together; and at
length his Understanding was utterly taken away. Among other Symptoms of
an Inchantment upon him, one was, That there was a Board in the Garden,
whereon he would walk; and all the Invitations in the World could never
fetch him off. About 17 or 18 years after, there came a Stranger to
_Shattock's_ House, who seeing the Child, said, _This poor Child is
Bewitched; and you have a Neighbour living not far off, who is a Witch._
He added, _Your Neighbour has had a falling out with your Wife; and she
said, in her Heart, your Wife is a proud Woman, and she would bring down
her Pride in this Child._ He then remembred, that _Bishop_ had parted
from his Wife in muttering and menacing Terms, a little before the Child
was taken Ill. The abovesaid Stranger would needs carry the bewitched
Boy with him, to _Bishop's_ House, on pretence of buying a pot of Cyder.
The Woman entertained him in furious manner; and flew also upon the Boy,
scratching his Face till the Blood came; and saying, _Thou Rogue, what
dost thou bring this Fellow here to plague me?_ Now it seems the Man had
said, before he went, That he would fetch Blood of _her_. Ever after the
Boy was follow'd with grievous Fits, which the Doctors themselves
generally ascribed unto _Witchcraft_; and wherein he would be thrown
still into the _Fire_ or the _Water_, if he were not constantly look'd
after; and it was verily believed that _Bishop_ was the cause of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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