Antipas Works a Miracle.
The next morning Antipas Newton was brought before the Magistrates for
examination. Antipas seemed so quiet and peaceful in his demeanor, that
Squire Hathorne could hardly credit the story told by the constables of
his violent behavior on the night of the arrest.
"I thought you were a Quaker," said he to the prisoner.
"No, only half Quaker; the other half gospeller," replied the old man
meekly.
Mistress Ann was not present; her husband brought report that she was
sick in bed. Probably she did not care to come, the game being too
insignificant. Perhaps she had not quite recovered from the stunning
effect of Dulcibel's prediction. Though it was not likely that a doom
that was to be seven years in coming, would, after the first impression
was past, be felt very keenly. There was time for so much to happen
during seven years.
But the Rev. Master Parris's little niece, Abigail Williams, was
present, and several other older members of the "circle," prepared to
witness against the old man to any extent that seemed to be necessary.
After these had made their customary charges, and had gone through some
of their usual paroxysms, Joseph Putnam, accompanied by Goodman Buckley,
came forward.
"This is all folly," said Joseph Putnam stoutly. "We all know Antipas
Newton; and that he has been deranged in his intellects, and of unsound
mind for the last twenty years. He is generally peaceful and quiet;
though in times of excitement like the present, liable to be driven into
outbreaks of violent madness. Here is his employer, Goodman Buckley, who
of course knows him best, and who will testify to all this even more
conclusively than I can."
Then Goodman Buckley took the oath with uplifted hand, and gave similar
evidence. No one had even doubted for twenty years past, that Antipas
was simple-minded. He often said and did strange things; but only when
everybody around him was greatly excited, was he at all liable to
violent outbreaks of passion.
Squire Hathorne seemed half-convinced; but the Reverend Master Parris
rose from the bench where he had been sitting, and said he would like
to be heard for a few moments. Permission being accorded: "What is
insanity?" said he. "What is the scriptural view of it? Is it anything
but a judgment of the Lord for sin, as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar; or
a possession by a devil, or devils, as in the Case of the Gadarene who
made his dwelling among the tombs as told in the fifth chapter of Mark
and the eighth of Luke? That these were real devils is evident--for when
permission was given them to enter into the herd of swine, they entered
into them, and the swine ran down a steep place into the sea and were
drowned. And as there were about two thousand swine, there must have
been at least two thousand devils in that one so-called insane man;
which no doubt accounted for his excessive violence. After the devils
had left him, we are told that his countrymen came and saw him sitting
at the feet of Jesus, no longer naked, but clothed and in his right
mind. Therefore it follows as a logical deduction, that his not being
before in his right mind was because he was possessed with devils."
The magistrates and people evidently were greatly impressed with what
Master Parris had said. And, as he sat down, Master Noyes, who was
sitting beside his reverend brother, rose and said that he considered
the argument they had just heard unanswerable. It could only be refuted
by doubting the infallibility of the Scripture itself. And he would
further add, as to the case before them, that this so-called insanity of
the prisoner had not manifested itself until he had been repeatedly
guilty of harboring two of that heretical and abominable sect called
Quakers and had incurred imprisonment and heavy fines for so doing; to
pay which fines his property had been rightfully sold. This punishment,
and the death of his daughter by the decree of a just God, apparently
not being sufficient to persuade him of the error of his ways, no doubt
he had been given over to the devil, that he might become a sign and a
warning to evil-doers. But, instead of repenting of his evil ways, he
seems to have entered the service of Captain Burton, who was always
known to be very loose in his religious views and observances; and who
it now seems was himself a witch, or, as he might be rather more
correctly termed, a wizard, and the father of the dangerous girl who was
properly committed for trial yesterday. Going thus downward from bad to
worse, this Antipas had at last become a witch himself; roaming around
tormenting godly and unoffending people to please his mistress and her
Satanic master. In conclusion he said that he fully agreed with his
reverend brother, that what some of the world's people, who thought
themselves wise above that which was written, called insanity, was
simply, as taught in the holy scriptures, a possession by the devil.
Magistrate Hathorne nodded to Magistrate Corwin, and Magistrate Corwin
nodded in turn decidedly to his learned brother. They evidently
considered that the ministers had settled that point.
"Well, then," said Joseph Putnam, a little roughly to the ministers,
"why do you not do as the Savior did, cast out the devils, that Antipas
may sit down here in his right mind? We do not read that any of these
afflicted people in Judea were cast into prison. In all cases they were
pitied, not punished."
"This is an unseemly interruption, Master Putnam," said Squire Hathorne
sternly. "We all know that the early disciples were given the power to
cast out devils and that they exercised the power continually, but that
in later times the power has been withdrawn. If it were not so, our
faithful elders would cast out the spectres that are continually
tormenting these poor afflicted persons."
While this discussion had been going on, Antipas had been listening to
all that was said with the greatest attention. Once only had he
manifested any emotion; that was when the reference had been made to the
death of his daughter, who had died from her exposure to the severity of
the winter season in Salem jail. At this time he put his hand to his
eyes and wiped away a few tears. Before and after this, the expression
of his face was rather as of one who was pleased and amused at the idea
of being the center of attraction to such a large and goodly company. At
the conclusion of Squire Hathorne's last remark, a new idea seemed to
enter the old man's confused brain. He looked steadily at the line of
the "afflicted" before him, who were now beginning a new display of
paroxysms and contortions, and putting his right hand into one of his
pockets, he drew forth a coil of stout leather strap. Grasping one end
of it, he shouted, "I can heal them! I know what will cure them!" and
springing from between the two constables that guarded him, began
belaboring the "afflicted" with his strap over their backs and shoulders
in a very energetic fashion.
Dividing his energies between keeping off the constable and "healing the
afflicted," and aided rather than hindered by Joseph Putnam's
intentionally ill-directed efforts to restrain him, the insane man
managed to administer in a short time no small amount of very exemplary
punishment. And, as Masters Putnam and Raymond agreed in talking over
the scene afterwards, he certainly did seem to effect an instantaneous
cure of the "afflicted," for they came to their sober senses at the
first cut of the leather strap, and rushed pell-mell down the passage as
rapidly as they could regardless of the other tormenting "spectres."
"This is outrageous!" said Squire Hathorne hotly to the constables as
Antipas was at last overpowered by a host of assailants, and stood now
firmly secured and panting between the two officers. "How dared you
bring him here without being handcuffed?"
"We had no idea of his breaking out anew, he seemed as meek as a lamb,"
said constable Herrick.
"Why, we thought he was a Quaker!" added his assistant.
"I am a Quaker!" said Antipas, looking a little dangerous again.
"You are not."
"Thou liest!" said the insane man. "This is one of my off days."
Joseph Putnam laughed outright; and a few others, who were not
church-members, laughed with him.
"Silence!" thundered Squire Hathorne. "Is this a time for idle levity?"
and he glared around the room.
"We have heard enough," continued the Squire, after a few words with his
colleague. "This is a dangerous man. Take him off again to prison; and
see that his chains are strong enough to keep him out of mischief."