[31] Gov. Hutchinson condensed the above statement from a manuscript
prepared by Ebenezer Turell, minister of Medford, to whom the
confession was made, which has since been printed in full in _Mass.
Hist. Coll._ vol. xx. pp. 6-22. Though fully in the belief that there
were fraud and deception in the actions of the Littleton children,
Mr. Turell could not divest himself of the idea that there was also
diabolical agency manifested in these transactions. “I make no doubt,”
he says (p. 16), “but in this sinning Satan was very officious.” Again
(p. 19) he gives this excellent advice: “Never use any of the Devil’s
legerdemain tricks. You only gratify Satan, and invite him into your
company to deceive you.” Persons who can accept the possibility of
diabolical agency will find in Mr. Turell’s narrative ample scope for
the exercise of their belief.