Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern SpiritualismPutnam, Allen
Religion
Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern Spiritualism
Putnam, Allen
Spiritualism; Witchcraft -- New England
Therefore, some years before the time of Mrs. Morse's trial, Mr. Morse, in
Mrs. Sewall's own house, volunteered "to say that his wife was accounted a
_witch_;" at which he wondered because of her beneficence, and then he
instanced her doings in the case of Mrs. Wells as evidence of her
goodness. The accounts pertaining to her render it probable that Mrs.
Morse sometimes acted as midwife, and show clearly that some people had
previously called her a witch. Such reports being in circulation, it is
not surprising that some women should object to admitting her into their
houses, fearing the introduction of brimstone; while others, who had
previously found her help very efficient, would seek her assistance in
hours of pain or sickness. The point of most significance is, that Mrs.
Morse had, some years previous to the disturbances at her house, _been
suspected of witchcraft_. Why? We do not know with any certainty. But the
appearance that she was a midwife, whose labors involved more or less of
general medical practice, suggests the possibility that her "simple
remedies," or her hands, had sometimes produced such extraordinary
effects, as led people to surmise that the devil must be her helper; just
as, for the same reasons, more than thirty years before, he was believed
to be co-operator with Margaret Jones. The conjecture naturally follows
that she was highly mediumistic, and that her intuitions and magnetism, if
nothing more, enabled and caused her to be a worker of marvelous cures. It
was at the abode of such a woman, and in apartments saturated with her
emanations, that the unseen ones frequently held high, rude, and
consternating frolic, during many weeks; it was at the home of one
_previously_ reputed a _witch_.
An indication that, even before the wonders occurred at her home, she had
been suspected of exercising also perceptive faculties that were more than
human; had been suspected of manifesting "wit" of the special kind which
cost Ann Hibbins her life, is given in the following deposition by
Margaret Mirack, who testified thus, Woodward's "Hist. Series," No. VIII.
p. 287:--
"A letter came from Pispataqua by Mr. Tho. Wiggens. We got Mr. Wiggens to
read the letter, and he went his way; and I promised to conceal the letter
after it was read to my husband and myself, and we both did conceal it;
nevertheless, in a few days after, Goode Morse met me, and clapt me on the
back, and said, 'I commend you for sending such an answer to the letter.'
I presently asked her, what letter? Why, said she, hadst not thee such a
letter from such a man at such a time? I came home presently and examined
my husband about it. My husband presently said, What? Is she a witch or a
cunning woman? Whereupon we examined our family, and they said they knew
nothing of the letter."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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