Wonders of the Invisible World, and A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New England Witches — 15. A Narrative of an Apparition

A NARRATIVE OF AN APPARITION WHICH

A GENTLEMAN IN BOSTON, HAD OF HIS BROTHER,

JUST THEN MURTHERED IN LONDON.

It was on the Second of _May_ in the Year 1687, that a most ingenious, accomplished and well-disposed Gentleman, Mr. _Joseph Beacon_, by Name, about Five a Clock in the Morning, as he lay, whether Sleeping or Waking he could not say, (but judged the latter of them) had a View of his Brother then at _London_, altho he was now himself at Our _Boston_, distanced from him a thousand Leagues.

This his Brother appear'd unto him, in the Morning about Five a Clock at _Boston_, having on him a _Bengal_ Gown, which he usually wore, with a Napkin tyed about his Head;

his Countenance was very Pale, Gastly, Deadly, and he had a bloody Wound on one side of his Fore-head.

_Brother!

_ says the Affrighted _Joseph_.

_Brother!

_ Answered the Apparition.

Said _Joseph_, _What's the matter Brother?

How came you here!

_ The Apparition replied, _Brother, I have been most barbarously and injuriously Butchered, by a Debauched Drunken Fellow, to whom I never did any wrong in my Life.

_ Whereupon he gave a particular Description of the Murderer; adding, _Brother, This Fellow changing his Name, is attempting to come over unto +New-England+, in +Foy+, or +Wild+; I would pray you on the first Arrival of either of these, to get an Order from the Governor, to Seize the Person, whom I have now described; and then do you Indict him for the Murder of me your Brother: I'll stand by you and prove the Indictment.

_ And so he Vanished.

Mr. _Beacon_ was extreamly astonished at what he had seen and hear'd; and the People of the Family not only observed an extraordinary Alteration upon him, for the Week following, but have also given me under their Hands a full Testimony, that he then gave them an Account of this Apparition.

All this while, Mr. _Beacon_ had no advice of any thing amiss attending his Brother then in _England_; but about the latter end of _June_ following, he understood by the common ways of Communication, that the _April_ before, his Brother going in haste by Night to call a Coach for a Lady, met a Fellow then in Drink, with his _Doxy_ in his Hand: Some way or other the Fellow thought himself Affronted with the hasty passage of this _Beacon_, and immediately ran into the Fire-side of a Neighbouring Tavern, from whence he fetch'd out a Fire-fork, wherewith he grievously wounded _Beacon_ in the Skull; even in that very part where the Apparition show'd his Wound.

Of this Wound he Languished until he Dyed on the Second of _May_, about five of the Clock in the Morning at _London_.

The Murderer it seems was endeavouring to Escape, as the Apparition affirm'd, but the Friends of the Deceased _Beacon_, Seized him; and Prosecuting him at Law, he found the help of such Friends as brought him off without the loss of his Life; since which, there has no more been heard of the Business.

This History I received of Mr. _Joseph Beacon_ himself; who a little before his own Pious and hopeful Death, which follow'd not long after, gave me the Story written and signed with his own Hand, and attested with the Circumstances I have already mentioned.

* * * * * But I shall no longer detain my Reader, from his expected Entertainment, in a brief account of the Tryals which have passed upon some of the Malefactors lately Executed at _Salem_, for the _Witchcrafts_ whereof they stood Convicted.

For my own part, I was not present at any of them;

nor ever had I any Personal prejudice at the Persons thus brought upon the Stage; much less at the Surviving Relations of those Persons, with and for whom I would be as hearty a Mourner as any Man living in the World: _The Lord Comfort them!

_ But having received a Command so to do, I can do no other than shortly relate the chief _Matters of Fact_, which occurr'd in the Tryals of some that were Executed, in an Abridgment Collected out of the _Court-Papers_, on this occasion put into my hands.

You are to take the _Truth_, just as it was; and the Truth will hurt no good Man.

There might have been more of these, if my Book would not thereby have swollen too big; and if some other worthy hands did not perhaps intend something further in these _Collections_; for which cause I have only singled out Four or Five, which may serve to illustrate the way of Dealing, wherein _Witchcrafts_ use to be concerned; and I report matters not as an _Advocate_, but as an _Historian_.

They were some of the Gracious Words inserted in the Advice, which many of the Neighbouring Ministers, did this Summer humbly lay before our Honorable Judges, _We cannot but with all thankfulness, acknowledge the success which the Merciful God has given unto the Sedulous and Assiduous endeavours of Our Honourable Rulers, to detect the abominable Witchcrafts which have been committed in the Country; Humbly Praying, that the discovery of those mysterious and mischievous wickednesses, may be Perfected.

_ If in the midst of the many Dissatisfactions among us, the Publication of these Tryals, may promote such a Pious Thankfulness unto God, for Justice being so far executed among us, I shall Rejoice that God is Glorified; and pray, that no wrong steps of ours may ever sully any of his Glorious Works.

But we will begin with, A MODERN INSTANCE OF WITCHES,