[150] George Burroughs. Why the Author merely gave the Initials of the
Name of Mr. Burroughs is left to Conjecture. Perhaps he considered
him deeper in the Devil's Arts than the Rest of the accused, and
perhaps he (the Author) had been more uncharitable towards him than
towards others. See the Rev. Mr. Upham's highly interesting _Lectures
on Witchcraft_, 101, _et seq._ He was "the most prominent Victim of
the diabolical Fanaticism of 1692. He was Son of that 'Mrs. Rebecca
Burrows, who came from Virginia when her Son was quite young.' He
was admitted a Member of Mr. Eliot's Church, Roxbury, 12 Apl., 1674.
Probably his Father had died in Virginia, and we may hope, that
the Mother also had gone to another World before the sad Proof of
Perverseness of God's Ordinances in her chosen Refuge by the horrible
Proceedings against her only Child."--_Savage._ His Wife, as will
appear presently, was a Sister of "Mr. Ruck" of Salem. See Mr. Willis's
_Hist. Portland_.
[151] It is not difficult to understand how a Person, believing, as
all then believed, would be "cast into very great Confusion" at such
Questions.
[152] Deodat Lawson, who had preached at Salem Village; and on the
24th of March, 1692, he there preached a Sermon, entitled "_Christ's
Fidelity the only Shield against Satan's Malignity;_ being Lecture Day,
and a Time of Publick Examination, of some Suspected for Witchcraft."
The second Edition of this Sermon was reprinted in London is 1704,
in 12mo. Mr. Lawson was a sincere Believer in Witchcraft, and in his
dedicatory Remarks, hopes "that it may please the ALMIGHTY GOD, to
manifest his Power, in putting an End to your Sorrows of this Nature,
by bruising _Satan_ under your Feet shortly."--What is at present known
of him and his Family will be found in Savage, under the appropriate
Head. Respecting his Wife and Daughter, he says they had been dead
above three Years. _Appendix_ to the above _Sermon_, P. 99. He does
accuse Mr. Burroughs.
[153] It is refreshing, after reading this Case of Mr. Burroughs, as
related by our Author, and to which we are at a Loss to find Words
denunciatory enough to apply, to read the Conclusion to which my
learned and judicious Friend, Mr. Willis comes, after a full View of
all the Circumstances: "There has nothing survived Mr. Burroughs,
either in his Living or Dying, that casts any Reproach upon his
Character; and although he died the Victim of Fanaticism as wicked and
stupid as any which has ever been countenanced in civilized Society,
and which for a Time prejudiced his Memory, yet his Reputation stands
redeemed in a more enlightened Age from any Blemish."--_History of
Portland_, 246, Ed. 1865.
[154] In 1680 poor Bridget Bishop appears to have been simply
Bridget Oliver, and in that Year she was accused of being a Witch.
"Feb. 22, the Negro of John Ingersol testified, before the Court of
Commissioners, that he saw the Shape of said Bridget on a Beam of the
Barn, with an Egg in its Hand, and that while he looked for a Rake or
Pitchfork to strike it with, it vanished." She was ordered to give
Bonds or go to Prison. See Felt, _Annals of Salem_, 265. She was the
Wife of Edward Bishop, as will be seen further on. Her Husband was
probably the Son of the first Edward Bishop of Salem. The Paternity of
Bridget is uncertain. She may have been of the Family of Thomas Oliver,
whose coming to Salem is recorded in the _Founders of New England_.
[155] There was a Family of Hobbs at Topsfield. On May 13th, 1692,
William Hobbs of that Place was taken and sent to the Jail in Boston.
On the 23d of the same Month Deliverance and Abigail, probably of
the Family of William before named, were also sent to Boston and
imprisoned. See Felt's _Annals_, 304, also _Hist. Colls. Essex Inst._,
141.
[156] Mr. Felt does not seem to have met with this Person in the _Salem
Records_. He is mentioned in Savage's _Dictionary_, as marrying, at
Salem, 28 Dec. 1671, Abigail Lord. More will be found of him when we
come to the _More Wonders_. See also _Colls. Essex Inst._ ii, 140.
There are also numerous other References to Persons of the Name.
[157] Often spelt _Bligh_. A Brick-maker of Salem. His Wife was
Rebecca, Daughter, probably, of Deac. Charles Gott, by whom he had a
large Family. The Names of his Children are given by Savage.
[158] The Man who had the following extraordinary Experience was
unknown to both Felt and Savage, although he appears to have been an
old Inhabitant of Salem. His Name was probably _Cumin_, _Cuming_, or
_Cummings_, and may have been the Freeman of 1669.
[159] Supposed to be the Quaker, over a Transaction of which Mr. Savage
with great Eagerness "exults." That Transaction will be found detailed
in the _Hist. and Antiqs. of Boston_, 357. Were Quakers allowed to
testify in those Days? Mr. Lemuel Shattuck has given an Account of the
Family in the Appendix to his _Memorials_, 361, _et seq._
[160] Hence it seems Shattuck was living at Salem as early as 1663.
[161] This Name has probably undergone some orthographic Changes, as
_Lowder_, _Lodder_, &c. There was a Lodder's Lane in Salem, so called
because "the old Man, George _Lowder_ lived on the western Corner where
the West House is."--_Hist. Colls. Salem Inst._ vi, 109. John Louder
had a Wife "Eliz'a," and by her Sons, William, born 10 Feb. 1691;
Nicholas, 31st 6mo., 1693; a Daughter Elizabeth, born 1 Oct. 1695, and
a Son Jared, born 1 Nov. 1697.--_Ibid._ ii, 257.
[162] Doubtless the same William, Son of Thomas Stacy of Salem,
who married Priscilla Buckley, 28th 9 mo, 1677. He had a Daughter
Priscilla, the same whose Death is mentioned in the Text, without
Doubt. The Family Record is quite extensive, and may be seen in _Hist.
Colls. Salem Inst._, iii, 193. See also, Felt, _Annals of Salem_, Vol.
2, _Index_.
[163] That a Child's _Rag-baby_, or _Doll_, should be found in an
out-of-the-way Place, put there by little Girls in their Play, did
certainly "crown all" the Stupidity and Folly yet exhibited among
People of mature Years. It proves, as Mr. Chever says, in his Notes on
these Affairs, that "the Reason and Wisdom of the Magistrates had, for
the Time, departed."--_Hist. Colls. Salem Inst._, ii, 78.
[164] Susannah Martin belonged to Amesbury. She appears to have been
a Woman of superior Mind, judging by her sensible Replies to the
benighted Magistrate. She was a Widow, and one of those sent to Boston
and imprisoned on the 2d of May, and on the 19th of July was hanged.
She was probably the second Wife of George Martin of Salisbury, a
Daughter of Richard North.
[165] Probably Son of Theodore Atkinson well known among the early
prominent Men of New England; yet he finds no Place in Eliot's
_Biographical Dictionary_. John was a Hatter, and his Wife was Sarah
Myrick, whom he married in 1664. See Savage's _Dictionary_, i, 74.
[166] There was a Family of Peaches in the County of Essex. In 1668
there was John and John Jr., often mentioned in various Records.
[167] He was of Salisbury, 1665, had been of Newbury. His Wife was
Sarah, Daughter of John Eaton. He had several Children, whose Births
and Names will be found in Savage.
[168] There were several contemporaneous John _Kimbals_ about Essex or
Old Norfolk County, but I meet with nothing to fix upon any one of them
as this John _Kembal_. The Name is since _Kimball_.
[169] Probably Son of the Hon. William Brown of Salem, who married
Hannah, Daughter of George Curwen. We have no probable Cause of Mrs.
Brown's Languishment, every Ill being then attributed to the Devil or
his Witches. It seems she never recovered from her Malady, whatever
it was, but died on the 22d of Nov. of the same Year, (1692). He
died in 1716.--See Quincy, _Hist. Har. Col._, i, 418, and Savage's
_Dictionary_, i, 279.
[170] Wife, perhaps, of the John Atkinson mentioned previously.--See
Coffin's _Newbury_, 293.
[171] Perhaps the same as _Preson_, or _Presson_. He is the _Pressie_
of Savage, no doubt, who says his Wife was Mary Gage, whom he married
30th Nov., 1665. I do not find among the Gages of Rowley or elsewhere,
a Daughter married to a Pressie. John _Pressie_ was of Amesbury,
1677.--_N. E. H. G. Reg._, vi, 202.
[172] Savage calls him _Jarvis_ and has given him Wife, Hannah Fowler,
24th Dec., 1685; Son Jarvis, born 2d Oct., 1686; Daughters, Hannah,
born 3d March, 1689, Elizabeth, 3d Sept., 1692, and Son Oliver, born
17th June, 1698. This was a Salisbury Family. The _Joseph_ Ring,
mentioned in the next Section, was perhaps that Joseph born the 3d of
August, 1664 (at Salisbury), Son of Robert. Instead of this Robert
_Ring_ having come over in the Ship Bevis, in 1638, it does not appear
that any Person of the Name of Ring came at that Time in that Ship.
Mr. Savage "strangely" says Robert Ring came over in the Bevis of
Northampton, and stranger still there is no Robert _Ring_ on _his own_
List of Passengers. For Robert _Knight_ he copied (or some one for
him), Robert _Ringht!_ Being unwilling to admit a new Name into his
Dictionary, he has committed a more serious Blunder. Mr. Lawson says he
was present when Ring gave his Testimony, and fully corroborates our
Author's Statement.--_Lawson_, 113.
[173] She belonged to Topsfield. There was an Ephraim Howe in that
Town, possibly her Husband. Her Husband had a Brother, as will be seen,
named John, but his Residence is not given.
[174] This Name is erroneously printed _Stafford_ in the London
Edition. It was an Ipswich Family, of which many Items of its Members
will be found in Dr. Phelps's _Hist. of that Town_, and a few in
Savage's _Dict._
[175] This Individual can be identified and traced in the Abbot
_Genealogical Register_, and also in Savage's _Dictionary;_ but more
minute Information is given by his Kinsman, Abiel Abbot, A. M., in his
_History of Andover_, Chap. x.; a valuable little Work by the Way,
without either Heads of Chapters or Index.
[176] Probably of Topsfield.
[177] Of Ipswich, supposed to be Son of that Allen _Perley_, who in
1635, came to New England from Hertfordshire. See _Founders of New
England_, 16. John _Pearly_, mentioned in the next Section was no Doubt
of the same Family.
[178] To what Family this Francis Lane belonged I have not been able to
determine. Perhaps he belonged to the Hampton Family.
[179] She was of Andover, and the Copy of her Indictment is printed in
full, in the History of that Town. She was the Wife of Thomas Carrier
of Andover, who died in Colchester, Ct., aged 109 Years. See Farmer,
_Hist. Billerica_, 33. See also Calef, _More Wonders_, 136.
[180] See _Hist. Andover_, 30, 168. He was Son of the first George
Abbot of Andover, and died in 1703, leaving Descendants. His Wife
Sarah, mentioned onward, was Daughter of Ralph _Farnum_ or _Varnum_ of
Andover. Further of this in an ensuing Volume.
[181] Perhaps _Peter_, who lived in what is since Danvers.
[182] In the List of Passengers who came to New England in the Ship
Hopewell from London, September, 1635, are the Names of Roger,
Margaret, and Roger Toothaker, of Ages 23, 28 and 1 Years. Allen
Toothaker above named was probably of this Family. He seems to have
resided in Andover, or near his Tormenter.
[183] Perhaps of the _Rogerses_ of Billerica; but it is about as
uncertain to designate among the John Rogerses as among the John
Smiths. See Farmer's _Hist. Billerica_, 13, 32-3.
[184] Samuel Preston was of Andover, where he died in 1738, aged 85.
Hence he was born in 1653. See Abbot's _Hist. Andover_, for other
Details of the family. We cannot make much out of Mr. Savage's Article
in his _Dictionary_.
[185] She was doubtless of the Andover family of Chandler, but Data
does not appear by which she can be assigned to her Place in the
Pedigree of that Family.
[186] Perhaps of the Family of Ephraim Foster of Andover, and if so,
his Wife. These were the Ancestors of the distinguished Theodore, and
Dwight Foster. See _Hist. Andover_, 38. Ephraim Foster married Hannah,
Daughter of Robert Eames, 1678.
[187] There was a Family of Lacy at Andover at this Time. Lawrence Lacy
was born there, according to Abbot, in 1683.
[188] This Person was of Billerica. John _Sheldon_ was among the early
Settlers of that Town, but had gone from there or was dead before
1700.--Farmer's _Billerica_, 34.
[189] In the London Edition this Word was printed _Heb_, evidently a
typographical Error. Poor Martha Carrier was executed, in pursuance of
Evidence, than which nothing could be more childish and meaningless
ever heard of under "the Cope of Heaven." The poor old Mother to "be
Queen of Hell"! The Author shows his Depravity by extravagantly and
barbarously denouncing her as a "Rampant Hag."
[190] A learned Jesuit, and as superstitious as he was learned. The
Work out of which the Extract is made, is entitled the _Natural and
Moral History of the West Indies_. Then (1591) a _History of the West
Indies_ included America.
[191] According to Clavigero, the God the most celebrated in Mexico was
_Huitzilopochzli.--Hist. Mexico_, Cullen's Translation, i, 259. See
also the Plate, _ib._, 279.
[192] It is certainly singularly noteworthy that the Devil and his
Throng of Witches should adopt the Forms and Practices of the Churches
of the Author's own Order. One would naturally suppose that they would
have chosen those of the primitive Churches.
[193] It is as much easier, as it is safer to answer these Questions
now than in Dr. Mather's Time. Everybody is born in the same Ignorance
as in those Days, but fortunately we of this Day are surrounded by a
lighter Age, and hence grow up with more Knowledge. And yet _our_ Age
of Light is Light only by Comparison.
[194] Nicholas _Hemmingius_, I suppose, a native of the Island of
Laland, born in 1513. His Business was that of a Smith, but taking
to Learning, he studied with the celebrated Melancthon, and became a
Professor of Hebrew at Copenhagen. He died in the Year 1600.
[195] A Word not found in the Dictionaries. Perhaps it may be defined
by the Readers of the Works of the elder Pliny.
[196] This Story of the iron Spindle is briefly told by Lawson, who
probably took it from our Author. See Lawson's Work, P. 102-3 of the
London Edition. It is not in the original (Boston) Edition.
[197] There were Pitmans at Marblehead, and Salem at this Time.
Manchester was then included in Salem. There was a Thomas Pitman hung
there not long before the Witch Cases occurred.
[198] Perhaps Mr. John Higginson.
[199] There was a Family of _Whitfords_ in Salem at this Time.
[200] The shocking Barbarity employed in the Execution of this "poor
Man" can only find a Parallel in an Age as benighted as this of 1692. A
more diabolical Depravity could never exhibit itself in human Nature.
The next Story seems to be introduced to lessen the Odium which it is
probable the Author thought might attach itself to the Affair. It is
wonderful indeed, that a foul Murder should have been kept so still,
and then, at a late Day, to come out in a Dream.
[201] A Son of the first Governor of the Colony, John Endicott. He
resided a considerable Period in Boston. See _Historical and Gen.
Register_, i. 335, _et seq._ He died in the Spring of 1684.
[202] Anthony Horneck. The original Work was written in High Dutch. The
Author's Name does not appear. We have the Work appended to the fourth
Edition of Glanvil's _Sadducismus Triumphatus_, 1726. Dr. Mather has
given but a brief Abstract.
[203] It does not appear that a Thanksgiving was appointed, but
the King appointed Commissioners to examine into the Matter. Those
Commissioners proceeded to the Town, and at once entered upon an
Investigation; "to whom both the Minister and several of the People of
Fashion complained with Tears in their Eyes, of the miserable Condition
they were in."--_Ibidem_, 484.
[204] The Doctor omits some of the best Parts of these Stories. One
or two will more than suffice probably. "Those [Witches] of Elfdale
confessed, That the Devil used to play upon an Harp before them, and
afterwards to go with them that he liked best, into a Chamber, where
he committed venerous Acts with them; and this indeed all confessed;
That he had carnal Knowledge of them, and that the Devil had Sons and
Daughters by them, which he did marry together, and brought forth Toads
and Serpents."--_Page_ 491.
"They [the bewitched] said they had sometimes seen a very great Devil
like a Dragon, with Fire round about him, and bound with an iron Chain;
and the Devil that converses with them tells them, that if they confess
anything, he will let that great Devil loose upon them, whereby all
Sweedland shall come into great danger."--_Page_ 492.
[205] The following Paragraph is not in the first Edition.
[206] Entitled "A Further Account of the Tryals of the New England
Witches ... To which is added Cases of Conscience concerning
Witchcrafts and Evil Spirits personating Men. Written at the Request of
the Ministers of New England."
[207] It was long a Custom among some of the New England People to keep
Saturday Evening as though it were a Part of Sunday. Others did not
regard that Evening, but kept Sunday Evening. The former claimed that
Sunday began at Sunset.
[208] The Editor feeling quite confident, that the Reader, by this
Time, has got enough of the Devil, will forbear making any Remarks or
Comments. Why the Author should place his "Discovery" at the End of
his Book the Reader is as well qualified to judge as the Editor, and
he will only add, that it is a Pity that he (the Author) had not made
the Discovery sooner, if by that Discovery the poor Witches had been
let alone, and left out of the Question, as no real Use of them is
conceivable, when, in Reality the Devil could and actually did do all
the Mischief himself.
As has been before intimated, Dr. Mather was not alone in his
Estimation of the Importance of the Devil. Mr. Lawson, in his Sermon
at Salem Village, before referred to, among other Passages, said to
his Hearers (who were above a thousand): "It is Matter of TERROR,
_Amazement, and Astonishment, to all such wretched Souls_, (if there
be any here in the Congregation, and God grant that none of you may
ever be found as such) _as have given up their Names, and_ Souls _to
the Devil:_ Who by Covenant have bound themselves to be his Slaves and
Drudges, consenting to be Instruments, in whose Shapes, he may torment
and afflict their Fellow-creatures, to the amazing and astoning of the
Standers by."--_Page_ 64.
Similar Extracts might be made from many of the Writings of that Day,
but Time and Space are inadequate, and the Reader, who may now incline
to a better Acquaintance with the Devil, than these Pages afford him,
must be referred to Dr. Mather's Cotemporaries.
In closing these Notes it should be mentioned that the Text of this
Edition of the _Wonders of the Invisible World_ has been set up from
the latest London Edition of that Work, as mentioned in the Preface to
this Edition. When that Preface was written it was not contemplated
to use the Original Edition in reading the Proofs. But it was finally
decided to read by the Original. By this Course the Text has been to
some Extent improved. Yet no Difference of Importance was found. The
Departures of the London Publisher were only verbal--never altering the
Sense. At the Expense of a little tautological Verbiage the whole has
been made conformable to the original Edition--manifest typographical
Errors excepted.