[14] To a person interested in the psychological inquiries pertaining
to the witchcraft manifestations of the seventeenth century, the case
of Elizabeth Knap is one of the most interesting that occurred in
New-England. It took place twenty-one years before the great outbreak
at Salem, and under circumstances which gave opportunity for calm
observation. Samuel Willard, afterwards pastor of the Old South Church,
in Boston, and who distinguished himself by his prudent conduct in
1692, was the pastor of the church in Groton at the time, and was
the daily attendant and spiritual adviser of the family. He wrote a
full account of the case, which fortunately has been preserved, and
is now printed in the _Mather Papers_, pp. 555-571. In this paper
he has calmly discussed the question whether her distemper was real
or counterfeit. At first he was inclined to the latter opinion, and
at times she confessed as much; but in view of all the facts he was
of the opinion that there was something preternatural in the case.
Increase Mather has an abstract of Mr. Willard’s account in _Remarkable
Providences_, p. 99. See also _Magnalia_, vol. ii. p. 449.