thanksgivings; and, upon one of their fast-days, they told a sufferer
she must not eat, it was fast-day. She said she would: they told her
they would choke her then, which, when she did eat, was endeavored.
7. They were also accused to hold and administer diabolical sacraments;
viz., a mock-baptism and a Devil-supper, at which cursed imitations of
the sacred institutions of our blessed Lord they used forms of words to
be trembled at in the very rehearsing: concerning baptism I shall speak
elsewhere. At their cursed supper, they were said to have red bread and
red drink; and, when they pressed an afflicted person to eat and drink
thereof, she turned away her head, and spit at it, and said, "I will
not eat, I will not drink: it is blood. That is not the bread of life,
that is not the water of life; and I will have none of yours." Thus
horribly doth Satan endeavor to have his kingdom and administrations to
resemble those of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8. Some of the most _sober_ afflicted persons, when they were well, did
affirm the spectres of such and such as they did complain of in their
fits did appear to them, and could relate what passed betwixt them and
the apparitions, after their fits were over, and give account after
what manner they were hurt by them.
9. Several of the accused would neither in time of examination nor
trial[ii.534] confess any thing of what was laid to their charge: some
would not admit of any minister to pray with them, others refused to
pray for themselves. It was said by some of the confessing witches,
that such as have received the Devil-sacrament can never confess: only
one woman condemned, after the death-warrant was signed, freely
confessed, which occasioned her reprieval for some time; and it was
observable this woman had one lock of hair of a very great length,
viz., four foot and seven inches long by measure. This lock was of a
different color from all the rest, which was short and gray. It grew on
the hinder part of her head, and was matted together like an elf-lock.
The Court ordered it to be cut off, to which she was very unwilling,
and said she was told if it were cut off she should die or be sick; yet
the Court ordered it so to be.
10. A person who had been frequently transported to and fro by the
devils for the space of near two years, was struck dumb for about nine
months of that time; yet he, after that, had his speech restored to
him, and did depose upon oath, that, in the time while he was dumb, he
was many times bodily transported to places where the witches were
gathered together, and that he there saw feasting and dancing; and,
being struck on the back or shoulder, was thereby made fast to the
place, and could only see and hear at a distance. He did take his oath
that he did, with his bodily eyes, see some of the accused at those
witch-meetings several times. I was present in court when he gave his
testimony. He also proved by sundry persons, that, at those times of
transport, he was bodily absent from his abode, and could nowhere be
found, but being met with by some on the road, at a distance from his
home, was suddenly conveyed away from them.
11. The afflicted persons related that the spectres of several eminent
persons had been brought in amongst the rest; but, as the sufferers
said the Devil could not hurt them in their shapes, but two witches
seemed to take them by each hand, and lead them or force them to come
in.
12. Whiles a godly man was at prayer with a woman afflicted, the
daughter of that woman (being a sufferer in the like kind) affirmed
that she saw two of the persons accused at prayer to the Devil.
13. It was proved by substantial evidences against one person accused,
that he had such an unusual strength (though a very little man), that
he could hold out a gun with one hand behind the lock, which was near
seven foot in the barrel, being as much as a lusty man could command
with both hands after the usual manner of shooting. It was also proved,
that he lifted barrels of meat and barrels of molasses out of a canoe
alone, and that putting his fingers into a barrel of molasses (full
within a finger's length according to custom) he carried it several
paces; and that he put his finger into the muzzle of a gun which was
more than five foot in the barrel, and lifted up the butt-end thereof,
lock, stock, and all, without any visible help to raise it. It was also
testified, that, being abroad with his wife and his wife's brother, he
occasionally staid behind, letting his wife and her brother walk
forward; but, suddenly coming up with them, he was angry with his wife
for what[ii.535] discourse had passed betwixt her and her brother: they
wondering how he should know it, he said, "I know your thoughts;" at
which expression, they, being amazed, asked him how he could do that;
he said, "My God, whom I serve, makes known your thoughts to me."
I was present when these things were testified against him, and
observed that he could not make any plea for himself (in these things)
that had any weight: he had the liberty of challenging his jurors
before empanelling, according to the statute in that case, and used his
liberty in challenging many; yet the jury that were sworn brought him
in guilty.
14. The magistrates privately examined a child of four or five years of
age, mentioned in the remarks of the afflicted, sect. 11: [p. 530] and
the child told them it had a little snake which used to suck on the
lowest joint of its forefinger; and, when they (inquiring where)
pointed to other places, it told them not _there_ but _here_, pointing
on the lowest joint of the forefinger, where they observed a deep red
spot about the bigness of a flea-bite. They asked it who gave it that
snake, whether the black man gave it: the child said no, its mother
gave it. I heard this child examined by the magistrates.
15. It was proved by sundry testimonies against some of the accused,
that, upon their malicious imprecations, wishes, or threatenings, many
observable deaths and diseases, with many other odd inconveniences,
have happened to cattle and other estate of such as were so threatened
by them, and some to the persons of men and women.
REMARKABLE THINGS CONFESSED BY SOME SUSPECTED OF BEING GUILTY OF
WITCHCRAFT.
1. It pleased God, for the clearer discovery of those mysteries of the
kingdom of darkness, so to dispose, that several persons, men, women,
and children, did confess their hellish deeds, as followeth:—
2. They confessed against themselves that they were witches, told how
long they had been so, and how it came about that the Devil appeared to
them; viz., sometimes upon discontent at their mean condition in the
world, sometimes about fine clothes, sometimes for the gratifying other
carnal and sensual lusts. Satan then, upon his appearing to them, made
them fair (though false) promises, that, if they would yield to him,
and sign his book, their desires should be answered to the uttermost,
whereupon they signed it; and thus the accursed confederacy was
confirmed betwixt them and the Prince of Darkness.
3. Some did affirm that there were some hundreds of the society of
witches, considerable companies of whom were affirmed to muster in arms
by beat of drum. In time of examinations and trials, they declared that
such a man was wont to call them together from all quarters to
witch-meetings with the sound of a diabolical trumpet.
4. Being brought to see the prisoners at the bar upon their trials,
they did affirm in open court (I was then present), that they had
oftentimes seen[ii.536] them at witch-meetings, where was feasting,
dancing, and jollity, as also at Devil-sacraments; and particularly
that they saw such a man —— amongst the rest of the cursed crew, and
affirmed that he did administer the sacrament of Satan to them,
encouraging them to go on in their way, and they should certainly
prevail. They said also that such a woman —— was a deacon, and served
in distributing the diabolical elements: they affirmed that there were
great numbers of the witches.
5. They affirmed that many of those wretched souls had been baptized at
Newbury Falls, and at several other rivers and ponds; and, as to the
manner of administration, the great Officer of Hell took them up by the
body, and, putting their heads into the water, said over them, "Thou
art mine, I have full power over thee:" and thereupon they engaged and
covenanted to renounce God, Christ, their sacred baptism, and the whole
way of Gospel salvation, and to use their utmost endeavors to oppose
the kingdom of Christ, and to set up and advance the kingdom of Satan.
6. Some, after they had confessed, were very penitent, and did wring
their hands, and manifest a distressing sense of what they had done,
and were by the mercies of God recovered out of those snares of the
kingdom of darkness.
7. Several have confessed against their own mothers, that they were
instruments to bring them into the Devil's covenant, to the undoing of
them, body and soul; and some girls of eight or nine years of age did
declare, that, after they were so betrayed by their mothers to the
power of Satan, they saw the Devil go in their own shapes to afflict
others.
8. Some of those that confessed were immediately afflicted at a
dreadful rate, after the same manner with the other sufferers.
9. Some of them confessed, that they did afflict the sufferers
according to the time and manner they were accused thereof; and, being
asked what they did to afflict them, some said that they pricked pins
into poppets made with rags, wax, and other materials: one that
confessed after the signing the death-warrant said she used to afflict
them by clutching and pinching her hands together, and wishing in what
part and after what manner she would have them afflicted, and it was
done.
10. They confessed the design was laid by this witchcraft to root out
the interest of Christ in New England, and that they began at the
Village in order to settling the kingdom of darkness and the powers
thereof; declaring that such a man —— was to be head conjurer, and for
his activity in that affair was to be crowned king of hell, and that
such a woman —— was to be queen of hell.
Thus I have given my reader a brief and true account of those fearful
and amazing operations and intrigues of the Prince of Darkness: and I
must call them so; for, let some persons be as incredulous as they
please about the powerful and malicious influence of evil angels upon
the minds and bodies of mankind, _sure I am_ none that observed those
things above mentioned could refer them to any other head than the
sovereign permission of the holy God,[ii.537] and the malicious
operations of his and our implacable enemy. I have here related nothing
more than what was acknowledged to be true by the judges that sat on
the bench, and other credible persons there, which I have without
prejudice or partiality represented.
I therefore close all with my uncessant prayers, that the great and
everlasting Jehovah would, for the sake of his blessed Son, our most
glorious intercessor, rebuke Satan, and so vanquish him, from time to
time, that his power may be more and more every day suppressed, his
kingdom destroyed; and that all his malicious and accursed instruments
in those spiritual wickednesses may gnash their teeth, melt away, and
be ashamed in their secret places, till they come to be judged and
condemned unto the place of everlasting burnings prepared for the Devil
and his angels, that they may there be tormented with him for ever and
ever.
[ii.538]
III.
LETTER FROM R.P. TO JONATHAN CORWIN.
Salisbury, Aug. 9, 1692.
Honored Sir,—According as in my former to you I hinted that I held
myself obliged to give you some farther account of my rude though
solemn thoughts of that great case now before you, the happy management
whereof do so much conduce to the glory of God, the safety and
tranquillity of the country, besides what I have said in my former and
the enclosed, I further humbly present to consideration the
doubtfulness and unsafety of admitting spectre testimony against the
life of any that are of blameless conversation, and plead innocent,
from the uncertainty of them and the incredulity of them; for as for
diabolical visions, apparitions, or representations, they are more
commonly false and delusive than real, and cannot be known when they
are real and when feigned, but by the Devil's report; and then not to
be believed, because he is the father of lies.
1. Either the organ of the eye is abused and the senses deluded, so as
to think they do see or hear some thing or person, when indeed they do
not, and this is frequent with common jugglers.
2. The Devil himself appears in the shape and likeness of a person or
thing, when it is not the person or thing itself; so he did in the
shape of Samuel.
3. And sometimes persons or things themselves do really appear, but how
it is possible for any one to give a true testimony, which possibly did
see neither shape nor person, but were deluded; and if they did see any
thing, they know not whether it was the person or but his shape. All
that can be rationally or truly said in such a case is this,—that I did
see the shape or likeness of such a person, if my senses or eyesight
were not deluded: and they can honestly say no more, because they know
no more (except the Devil tells them more); and if he do, they can but
say he told them so. But the matter is still incredible: first, because
it is but their saying the Devil told them so; if he did so tell them,
yet the verity of the thing remains still unproved, because the Devil
was a liar and a murtherer (John viii. 44), and may tell these lies to
murder an innocent person.
But this case seems to be solved by an assertion of some, that affirm
that the Devil do not or cannot appear in the shape of a godly person,
to do hurt: others affirm the contrary, and say that he can and often
have so done, of[ii.539] which they give many instances for proof of
what they say; which if granted, the case remains yet unsolved, and yet
the very hinge upon which that weighty case depends. To which I humbly
say: First, That I do lament that such a point should be so needful to
be determined, which seems not probable, if possible, to be determined
to infallible satisfaction for want of clear Scripture to decide it by,
though very rational to be believed according to rules; as, for
instance, if divers examples are alleged of the shape of persons that
have been seen, of whom there is ample testimony that they lived and
died in the faith, yet, saith the objecter, 'tis possible they may be
hypocrites, therefore the proof not infallible: and as it may admit of
such an objection against the reasons given on the affirmative, much
more may the same objection be made against the negative, for which
they can or do give no reason at all, nor can a negative be proved
(therefore difficult to be determined to satisfy infallibly); but,
seeing it must be discussed, I humbly offer these few words: First, I
humbly conceive that the saints on earth are not more privileged in
that case than the saints in heaven; but the Devil may appear in the
shape of a saint in heaven, namely, in the shape of Samuel (1 Sam.
xxviii. 13, 14); therefore he can or may represent the shape of a saint
that is upon the earth. Besides, there may be innocent persons that are
not saints, and their innocency ought to be their security, as well as
godly men's; and I hear nobody question but the Devil may take their
shape.
Secondly, It doth not hurt any man or woman to present the shape or
likeness of an innocent person, more than for a limner or carver to
draw his picture, and show it, if he do not in that form do some evil
(nor then neither), if the laws of man do not oblige him to suffer for
what the Devil doth in his shape, the laws of God do not.
Thirdly, The Devil had power, by God's permission, to take the very
person of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the day or time of his humiliation,
and carry him from place to place, and tempted him with temptations of
horrid blasphemy, and yet left him innocent. Why may we not suppose the
like may be done to a good man? And why not much more appear in his
shape (or make folk think it is his shape, when indeed it is not), and
yet the person be innocent, being far enough off, and not knowing of
it, nor would consent if he had known it, his profession and
conversation being otherwise?
Fourthly, I suppose 'tis granted by all, that the person of one that is
dead cannot appear, because the soul and body are separated, and so the
person is dissolved, and so ceaseth to be: and it is as certain that
the person of the living cannot be in two places at one time, but he
that is at Boston cannot be at Salem or Cambridge at the same time; but
as the malice and envy in the Devil makes it his business to seek whom
he may devour, so no question but he doth infuse the same quality into
those that leave Jesus Christ to embrace him, that they do envy those
that are innocent, and upon that account be as ready to say and swear
that they did see them as the Devil is to present their shape to them.
Add but this also, that, when they are once under his power, he puts
them on headlong (they must needs go whom the Devil drives,
saith[ii.540] the proverb), and the reason is clear,—because they are
taken captive by him, to do his will. And we see, by woful and
undeniable experience, both in the afflicted persons and the
confessors, some of them, that he torments them at his pleasure, to
force them to accuse others. Some are apt to doubt they do but
counterfeit; but, poor souls! I am utterly of another mind, and I
lament them with all my heart; but, take which you please, the case is
the same as to the main issue. For, if they counterfeit, the wickedness
is the greater in them, and the less in the Devil: but if they be
compelled to it by the Devil, against their wills, then the sin is the
Devil's, and the sufferings theirs; but if their testimonies be allowed
of, to make persons guilty by, the lives of innocent persons are alike
in danger by them, which is the solemn consideration that do disquiet
the country.
Now, that the only wise God may so direct you in all, that he may have
glory, the country peace and safety, and your hands strengthened in
that great work, is the desire and constant prayer of your humble
servant, R.P., who shall no further trouble you at present.
_Position._—That to put a witch to death is the command of God, and
therefore the indispensable duty of man,—namely, the magistrate (Ex.
xxii. 18); which, granted, resolves two questions that I have heard
made by some:—
First, Whether there are any such creatures as witches in the world.
Secondly, If there be, whether they can be known to be such by men:
both which must be determined on the affirmative, or else that
commandment were in vain.
_Position Second._—That it must be witches that are put to death, and
not innocent persons: "Thou shalt not condemn the innocent nor the
righteous" (Ex. xxiii. 7).
_Query._—Which premised, it brings to this query,—namely, how a witch
may be known to be a witch.
_Answer._—First, By the mouth of two or three witnesses (Deut xix. 15;
Matt. xviii. 16; Deut. xvii. 6). Secondly, They may be known by their
own confession, being _compos mentis_, and not under horrid temptation
to self-murther (2 Sam. xvi.; Josh. vii. 16).
_Query Second._—What is it that those two or three witnesses must
swear? Must they swear that such a person is a witch? Will that do the
thing, as is vulgarly supposed?
_Answer._—I think that is too unsafe to go by, as well as hard to be
done by the advised: First, because it would expose the lives of all
alike to the pleasure or passion of those that are minded to take them
away; secondly, because that, in such a testimony, the witnesses are
not only informers in matter of fact, but sole judges of the
crime,—which is the proper work of the judges, and not of witnesses.
_Query Third._—What is it that the witnesses must testify in the case,
to prove one to be a witch?[ii.541]
_Answer._—They must witness the person did put forth some act which, if
true, was an act of witchcraft, or familiarity with the Devil, the
witness attest the fact to be upon his certain knowledge, and the
judges to judge that fact to be such a crime.
_Query Fourth._—What acts are they which must be proved to be committed
by a person, that shall be counted legal proof of witchcraft, or
familiarity with the Devil?
_Answer._—This I do profess to be so hard a question, for want of light
from the Word of God and laws of men, that I do not know what to say to
it; and therefore humbly conceive, that, in such a difficulty, it may
be more safe, for the present, to let a guilty person live till further
discovery, than to put an innocent person to death.
First, Because a guilty person may afterward be discovered, and so put
to death; but an innocent person to be put to death cannot be brought
again to life when once dead.
Secondly, Because secret things belong to God only, but revealed things
to us and to our children. And though it be so difficult sometimes, yet
witches there are, and may be known by some acts or other put forth by
them, that may render them such; for Scripture examples, I can remember
but few in the Old Testament, besides Balaam (Num. xxii. 6, xxxi. 16).
First, The sorcerers of Egypt could not tell the interpretation of
Pharaoh's dream, though he told them his dream (Gen. xli. 8): his
successors afterwards had sorcerers, that by enchantments did, first,
turn their rods into serpents (Exod. vii. 11, 12); second, turned water
into blood; thirdly, brought frogs upon the land of Egypt (Exod. viii.
7).
Thirdly, Nebuchadnezzar's magicians said that they would tell him the
interpretation, if he would tell them his dream (Dan. iv. 7); but the
king did not believe them (ver. 8, 9).
Fourthly, The Witch of Endor raised the Devil, in the likeness of
Samuel, to tell Saul his fortune; and Saul made use of him accordingly
(1 Sam. xxviii. 8, 11-15); and, as for New Testament, I see very little
of that nature. Our Lord Jesus Christ did cast out many devils, and so
did his disciples, both while he was upon earth and afterward, of which
some were dreadfully circumstanced (Mark ix. 18; Mark v. 2-5); but of
witches, we only read of four mentioned in the apostles' time: first,
Simon Magus (Acts viii. 9, 11); secondly, Elymas the sorcerer (Acts
xiii. 6, 8); thirdly, the seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, that were
vagabond Jews,—exorcists (Acts xix. 13-16); fourthly, the girl which,
by a spirit of divination, brought her master much gain (Acts xvi. 16),
whether it were by telling fortunes or finding out lost things, as our
cunning men do, is not said; but something it was that was done by that
spirit which was in her, which, being cast out, she could not do. Now,
whatever was done by any of these, by the help of the Devil, or by
virtue of familiarity with him, or that the Devil did do by their
consent or instigation, it is that which, the like being now proved to
be done by others, is legal conviction of witchcraft, or familiarity
with the Devil.[ii.542]
As I remember, Mr. Perkins apprehends witchcraft may be sometimes
committed by virtue of an implicit covenant with the Devil, though
there be not explicit covenant visibly between them; namely, by using
such words and gestures whereby they do intimate to the Devil what they
would have him do, and he doth it.
3. To tell events contingent, or to bring any thing to pass by
supernatural means, or by no means.
I have heard of some that make a circle, and mumble over some uncouth
words; and some that have been spiteful and suspicious persons, that
have sent for a handful of thatch from the house or barn of him that
they have owed a spite to, and the house have been burnt as they had
burnt the thatch that they fetched.
When Captain Smith was cast away in the ship built by Mr. Stevens at
Gloucester, many years ago, it was said that the woman that was accused
for doing it did put a dish in a pail of water, and sent her girl
several times to see the motion of the dish, till at last it was turned
over, and then the woman said, "Now Smith is gone," _or_ "is cast
away."