[21] An account of the Walton case was furnished to Increase Mather
by Joshua Moody, then minister at Portsmouth. (_Mather Papers_, p.
361.) The paper is given in _Remarkable Providences_, pp. 114-116, and
_Magnalia_, vol. ii. p. 453.
A long and circumstantial account of the disturbance in George
Walton’s house is the subject-matter of a tract, printed in London,
1698, 15 pp. 4to., a copy of which is in the Dowse Library belonging
to the Massachusetts Historical Society. The title of the tract is
“LITHOBOLIA; or the STONE THROWING DEVIL. Being an exact and true
Account of the various actions of Infernal Spirits, or (Devils
Incarnate) Witches, or both; and the great Disturbance and Amazement
they gave to George Walton’s family, at a place called Great Island,
in the Province of New-Hampshire in New-England.... By R. C. who was
a sojourner in the same family the whole time, and an ocular witness
of these Diabolic Inventions; the contents thereof being manifestly
known to the inhabitants of that Province, and the persons of other
provinces, and is upon record in his Majesty’s Council Court held in
that Province.”
The writer says, “Some time ago being in America, in his Majesty’s
service, I was lodged in the said George Walton’s house, a planter
there.”
The following names appear as attestants of the truth of the
narrative: “Samuel Jennings, Governor of West-Jarsey; Walter Clark,
Deputy-Governor of Road-Island; Arthur Cook; Matt. Borden of
Road-Island; Oliver Hooton of Barbadoes, Merchant; T. Maul of Salem in
N. E. merchant; Capt. Walter Barefoot; John Hussey and John Hussey’s
wife.” The narrative treats of throwing about, by an invisible power,
stones, brick-bats, hammers, mauls, crow-bars, spits and other domestic
utensils, for the period of three months.
“R. C.,” the author of the tract, I have no doubt, was Richard
Chamberlayne, Secretary of the Province of New-Hampshire in 1682.
That he resided at Great Island appears by his signature to several
depositions printed in _New-Hampshire Hist. Coll._, vols. ii. and
viii. Chamberlayne and Barefoot were among the prosecutors of Joshua
Moody at Portsmouth the next year for not conducting his services
according to the English Prayer Book, and occasioned his imprisonment
for three months. It appears that Increase Mather was aware that
Secretary Chamberlayne had prepared an account of the Walton case, and
he wrote to Mr. Moody to procure it, together with a narrative of the
Hortando case. Mr. Moody, July 14, 1683, writes to Mr. Mather: “About
that at G. Walton’s, because my interest runs low with the Secretary,
I have desired Mr. Woodbridge to endeavor the obtaining it; and if
he can get it, shall send it by the first; though if there should be
any difficulty thereabout, you may do pretty well with what you have
already.” (_Mather Papers_, p. 359.) Mr. Moody writes again, August 23:
“My endeavors also have not been a-wanting to obtain the other [the
Walton case], but find it difficult. If more may be gotten, you may
expect [it] when I come, or else must take up with what you had from
me at first, which was the sum of what was then worthy of notice, only
many other particular actings of like nature had been then and since.
It began on a Lord’s day, June 11, 1682, and so continued for a long
time, only there was some respite now and then. The last thing [printed
_sight_] I have heard of was the carrying away of several axes in the
night, notwithstanding they were laid up, yea locked up very safe, as
the owner thought at least, which was done this spring. [Postscript.]
Before sealing of my letter came accidentally to my hand this enclosed
that I had from William Morse of Newbury concerning the troubles at his
house in 1679. If it may be of use to me, you may please to peruse and
return it.” (_Ibid._ 360.)
The Secretary doubtless declined to furnish the unlovely Puritans at
the Bay with his narrative, and, on returning to England, he printed
it in London in 1698. The tract shows that Church-of-England men
were quite as observant of signs and wonders as the Puritans. “Who
that peruses these preternatural occurrences,” asks the writer, “can
possibly be so much of an enemy to his own soul and irrefutable reason,
as obstinately to oppose himself to, or confusedly fluctuate in, the
opinion and doctrine of demons or spirits, and witches?”
The tract is reprinted in _Historical Magazine_ (N.Y., vol. v. pp.
321-327), and is followed (vol. vi. p. 159) with a statement, by
Rev. Lucius Alden, on the persons and localities mentioned therein.
Brewster’s _Rambles about Portsmouth_, 2d series, 1869, has a chapter
on the subject (pp. 343-351), with Mr. Alden’s statement; but none of
these writers seem to be aware that Richard Chamberlayne was the author
of _Lithobolia_. Since writing the above I find the tract under the
name of Richard Chamberlain in British Museum Catalogue, 1814, and the
title was so copied into Watt and Lowndes.