Ye Lyttle Salem Maide: A Story of WitchcraftMackie, Pauline Bradford
History
Ye Lyttle Salem Maide: A Story of Witchcraft
Mackie, Pauline Bradford
Salem (Mass.) -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Fiction; Trials (Witchcraft) -- Fiction
Deliverance sighed and sighed again. She glanced at her father’s
delicate hands, so transparent in the sunlight, and a prophetic sadness
reminded her of the time when she and Ronald would be left alone in the
world. Her glance travelled to her brother’s rapt, almost transfigured,
countenance. Although she felt no sympathy with his over-strange
university views, yet the thought of leaving him alone in this country
while she abided in luxury in England, smote her heart with a sense of
guilt, so that she moved over to him and slipped her hand in his and
rested her head against his shoulder.
“Good sir,” she said, “I will remain with Ronald and with father, but
with all my heart I thank you for your kindness and desire that I might
be the companion of your sweetest daughter.”
And none of the three knew that through a blinding mist of tears she saw
vanish forever the dream of a velvet gown with immoderate slashed sleeves.
So Lord Christopher went far away, but he did not go alone. He bore with
him a hunchback of Ipswich whose mother had been hanged as a witch on
Gallows’ Hill. Thus it sometimes happens that they who have had least to
do with a brave deed do, by some happy chance, reap the richest benefit
of another’s nobility. And thus it was with this little Hate-Evil. He
found himself no longer alone in the world. There in London he developed
into a scholar, becoming a poet of much fame, one who, honoured in the
court, was not less revered by the common people, that so poor and
deformed a body carried so great a soul. And at last he ceased to be
known by his stern New England appellation of Hate-Evil and was called by
the sweeter name of Content.
Yearly from England came a gift to Deliverance from Lord Christopher’s
fair daughter Elizabeth, in memory of the loyal service she had rendered
England in regaining the precious powder.
Within a few months, Abigail received a small package containing a
string of gold beads and a rare and valuable book entitled: “The Queen’s
Closet Opened: having Physical and Chirurgical Receipts: the Art of
Preserving Conserving and Candying & also a Right Knowledge of Perfuming
& Distilling: the Compleat Cook Expertly Prescribing the most ready wayes
whether French, Italian or Spanish, for the dressing of Flesh and Fish &
the ordering of Sauces & making of PASTRY.”
On the fly-leaf was written a recipe for pumpkin-pie, which the great
physician had himself compounded while in America, and which to this day
is handed down by the descendants of Abigail Brewster. Also, he wrote a
letter to the little girl who had so bravely journeyed to Boston Town to
save her friend.
“For,” he wrote, “fame is a fickle jade, & as often passes over as
she rewards those who are brave & so while some of us serve but as
instruments to further others’ brave actions yet, than loyal friendship,
there is no truer virtue & I speak with authority on the subject, having
had sad experience.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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