Wonders of the Invisible World, and A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New England Witches — 27. A Further Account of the Tryals

A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF

THE NEW-ENGLAND WITCHES, SENT IN A LETTER FROM

THENCE, TO A GENTLEMAN IN LONDON.

Here were in _Salem_, _June 10, 1692_, about 40 persons that were afflicted with horrible torments by _Evil Spirits_, and the afflicted have accused 60 or 70 as Witches, for that they have _Spectral appearances_ of them, tho the Persons are absent when they are tormented.

When these Witches were Tryed, several of them confessed a contract with the Devil, by signing his Book, and did express much sorrow for the same, declaring also thir _Confederate Witches_, and said the Tempters of them desired 'em to sign the _Devils Book_, who tormented them till they did it.

There were at the time of _Examination_, before many hundreds of Witnesses, strange Pranks play'd;

such as the taking Pins out of the Clothes of the afflicted, and thrusting them into their flesh, many of which were taken out again by the _Judges_ own hands.

Thorns also in like kind were thrust into their flesh; the accusers were sometimes _struck dumb, deaf, blind_, and sometimes lay as if they were dead for a while, and all foreseen and declared by the afflicted just before it 'twas done.

Of the afflicted there were two Girls, about _12 or 13 years of age_, who saw all that was done, and were therefore called the _Visionary Girls_; they would say, _Now he, or she, or they, are going to bite or pinch the Indian_;

and all there present in Court saw the visible marks on the _Indians_ arms; they would also cry out, _Now look, look, they are going to bind such an ones Legs_, and all present saw the same person spoken of, fall with her Legs twisted in an extraordinary manner; Now say they, we shall all fall, and immediately 7 or 8 of the afflicted fell down, with _terrible shrieks and Out-crys_; at the time when one of the Witches was _sentenc'd, and pinnion'd_ with a Cord, at the same time was the afflicted _Indian_ Servant going home, (being about 2 or 3 miles out of town,) and had both his Wrists at the same instant bound about with a like Cord, in the same manner as she was when she was sentenc'd, but with that violence, that the Cord entred into his flesh, not to be untied, nor hardly cut----Many _Murders_ are suppos'd to be in this way committed; for these Girls, and others of the afflicted, say, _they see Coffins, and bodies in Shrowds_, rising up, and looking on the accused, crying, _Vengeance, Vengeance on the Murderers_----Many other strange things were transacted before the Court in the time of their Examination; and especially one thing which I had like to have forgot, which is this, One of the accus'd, whilst the rest were under Examination, was drawn up by a Rope to the Roof of the house where he was, and would have been choak'd in all probability, had not the Rope been presently cut; the Rope hung at the Roof by some _invisible tye_, for there was no hole where it went up; but after it was cut the _remainder_ of it was found in the Chamber just above, lying by the very place where it hung down.

In _December 1692_, the Court sate again at _Salem_ in _New-England_, and cleared about 40 persons suspected for Witches, and Condemned three.

The Evidence against these three was the same as formerly, so the Warrant for their Execution was sent, and the _Graves digged_ for the said three, and for about five more that had been Condemned at _Salem_ formerly, but were Repreived by the Governour.

In the beginning of _February 1693_, the Court sate at _Charles-Town_ where the Judge exprest himself to this effect.

_That who it was that obstructed the Execution of Justice, or hindred those good proceedings they had made, he knew not, but thereby the Kingdom of Satan was advanc'd_, &c. _and the Lord have mercy on this Country:_ and so declined coming any more into Court.

In his absence _Mr.

D----_ sate as Chief Judge 3 several days, in which time 5 or 6 were clear'd by Proclamation, and almost as many by Trial; so that all are acquitted.

The most remarkable was an Old Woman named _Dayton_, of whom it was said, _If any in the World were a Witch, she was one, and had been so accounted 30 years.

_ I had the Curiosity to see her tried; she was a decrepid Woman of about 80 years of age, and did not use many words in her own defence.

She was accused by about 30 Witnesses; but the matter alledged against her was such as needed little apology, on her part not one passionate word, or immoral action, or evil, was then objected against her for 20 years past, only strange accidents falling out, after some Christian admonition given by her, as saying, _God would not prosper them, if they wrong'd the Widow.

_ Upon the whole, there was not proved against her any thing worthy of Reproof, or just admonition, much less so heinous a Charge.

So that by the _Goodness_ of God we are once more out of present danger of this _Hobgoblin Monster_; the standing Evidence used at _Salem_ were called, but did not appear.