The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol 1 of 3)

38

Thus speaking of New England was strictly correct then, though it reminds us of what our English Brethren used to say at a much later Period in Reference to Boston, – speaking of it as "the Colony of Boston," "the Colony of New England," &c.

39

This has Reference to what is intimated in that Part of the present Volume, entitled – "The Devil Discovered."

40

The Writer of the above Letter (Judge Stoughton) was 61 Years old at the Time; and it may reasonably be supposed was in the full Enjoyment of his intellectual Faculties. And as he was one of the ablest Men of his Day, such an Indorsement of the Author's Work was no mean Fortification from behind which to defend even a very bad Cause. Stoughton lived several Years after he had ceased trying Witches, – dying in 1701, at the Age of 70. He was Son of Mr. Israel Stoughton of Dorchester, a Captain in the Pequot War, and Colonel afterwards in the Parliamentary Army in England.

41

No Paging thus far in the Original.

42

John Wilson, the first Minister of Boston. He died August 7th 1667, aged 78. See the Biographical Dictionaries, Eliot and Allen.

43

Probably the same whose Name appears in sundry Publications as Symmonds. Walker, Sufferings of the Clergy, ii, 361, calls him Simmons, and speaks very dubiously of him, as though he was a great Sufferer both for, and for not being a Puritan. See also Ibid, Part i, 67, 68. Neale, Hist. Puritans, ii, 19-20. Brooks's Lives, iii, 110-11. Old Thomas Fuller was well acquainted with Mr. Symonds, and gives an Anecdote or two about him in his Worthies, and tells us he died about 1649, in London. He died in 1649, in London.

44

As to the Loyalty professed, that required pretty strong Assurances on the Part of the prominent Men of New England, to gain it Credence among the Officials in Old England; for not long before an Agent of Massachusetts had asserted that "the Acts of that Colony were not subject to any reëxamination in England;" and a Writer of 1688 that "till the Reign of his present Majesty, James II, New England would never submit to any Governor sent from England, but lived like a Free State."

45

The Work here referred to was published in 1689. Its Title abridged was —Memorable Providences relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions, with some Sermons annexed. Its being republished and commended by Baxter, only shows that that great Man was as much benighted as the Rest of the World, so far as the Matter in Hand is concerned.

46

This Amalgamation of Creeds was often attempted by the more catholic Portion of the Community, and as often defeated by the more dogmatical Part, from the first Settlement of the Country to this Day. When there is but one Interest to serve, and when that one Interest is agreed upon, then will a millenial Amalgamation of Creeds take place.

47

In the first Settlement of the Country, when all, or nearly all were within the Pale of the Church, or directly under the Eye of the Minister or a Magistrate, there was little Need of Courts, Constables and Lawyers; but in a growing Community those Days must necessarily be of limited Duration; and as there never was a Community of any considerable Numbers, in Times past, wherein there were no Monsters or Goblins, such a Community is hardly to be expected to be found in Time to come.

48

It is human Nature for People to resent being taunted with Faults, whether they be real or imaginary. While a few will reform the many will cling to Error with more Tenacity. Thus the enormous Crime of Slavery – few Men were so depraved by Nature as to maintain that it was right, in reasoning with themselves; while, when it was harshly denounced as a vile Felony, Anger took the Place of Reason in the Slaveholder, and here Argument only served to rivet firmer the Fetters intended to be removed. So it was with other less heinous Offences.

49

This and similar Expressions were in frequent Use by nearly all the early Writers on American Affairs. "In this Howling Wilderness," "in these goings down of the Sun," &c., &c.

50

This "famous Person" was Mr. Giles Firmin. See N. E. Hist. and Gen. Reg. iv, 11; also Felt, Eccl. Hist. N. Eng., ii, 48. Nathaniel Ward has a very similar Passage: "I thank God that I have lived in a Colony of many thousand English almost these twelve Years, am held a very sociable Man, yet I may considerately say, I never heard but one Oath sworne, nor never saw one Man drunk, nor never heard of three Women Adulteresses in all this time, that I can call to mind." —Simple Cobber, 67, Pulsifer's Edition, 1843. The Reader will find much that is highly interesting respecting the Worthies mentioned in this Note in Mr. J. Ward Dean's Life of Nathaniel Ward, now ready for Publication.

51

Ideas similar to these are often met with in the Magnalia and other Writings of the Author. But he was by no means singular in his Notions regarding the Devil. Most of the Divines of Dr. Mather's Day inculcated the same Sentiments, to say nothing of those of a later Day.

52

This frank Acknowledgment that Witchcraft was "snarl'd" and "unintelligible," would seem to have been a sufficient Reason for letting it alone. But Reason and Superstition cannot exist together.

53

It is not very clear to what particular Case the Author refers. See Hist. and Antiqs. Boston, 283, 309. "More than forty Years ago" is too indefinite for present historical Purposes.

54

It has long been perfectly clear that the Devil did get in his Juggles, and that he did succeed, almost beyond Belief, in confounding the Understanding of the whole Community, and particularly that of our Author. Respecting Witchcraft in Sweden, &c., consult Dr. Anthony Horneck's Relation of the Swedish Witches.

55

It is not strange that English Writers talk about the "Colony of Boston," when our own best informed Natives speak in this careless Manner about the "Province of New-England."

56

The serious Consideration of this Postulate was the primary Cause of the Reaction which followed the Prosecution. See Dr. I. Mather's Cases of Conscience. MS. in the Editor's Possession.

57

The Incomprehensibleness of the Creator is nowhere more strikingly expressed than in the following old Lines:

What mortal Man can with a Span mete out Eternity?Or fathom it by Depth of Wit or Strength of Memory?The lofty Sky is not so high, Hell's Depth to this is small;The World so wide is but a Stride, compared therewithal.It is a main great Ocean, withouten Bank or Bound:A deep Abyss, wherein there is no Bottom to be found. Day of Doom, Edit. 1715, P. 51.

58

In the Notes of Butler and Dr. Nash to Hudibras the Reader will find some Amusement respecting the Witches of Lapland. Although the Laplanders are described as a miserable Race, they could not have been much behind the English in Matters of Superstition at this Period. Dr. Heylyn says the Laplanders, "at their first going out of their Doores in a Morning vse to giue worship and diuine honour all the Day following, to that liuing Creature what ere it be, which they see at their first going out." Mikrokosmos, 328, Edit. 1624, 4to.

59

It does not appear to have occurred to the Doctor that a good Spirit might have been the Author of such darting Operations.

60

It would have been gratifying to at least some of the Author's Readers if he had informed them how, where and when he became possessed of the Art of Sorcery, and as he acknowledges having the Art, how he escaped Prosecution. This is parum claris lucem dare indeed.

61

This Hopefulness occasionally breaks out. It ill agrees with the doleful Tone often expressed, in various Parts of the Doctor's Writings – that "New England is on the broad Road to Perdition."

62

This has Reference to the Favor expected at the Hands of William and Mary. The new Charter granted by them was received in Boston on the 14th of May, 1692. Sir Wm. Phipps came over at the same Time and assumed the Office of Governor.

63

William Stoughton, afterwards Governor.

64

These were to be 28 in Number. As the early Histories do not name them I copy them here from the Charter as printed in 1726: "Simon Broadstreet, John Richards, Nathanael Saltonstall, Wait Winthrop, John Philips, James Russell, Samuel Sewall, Samuel Appleton, Bartholomew Gedney, John Hathorn, Elisha Hutchinson, Robert Pike, Jonathan Corwin, John Jolliffe, Adam Winthrop, Richard Middlecot, John Foster, Peter Sergeant, Joseph Lynd, Samuel Heyman, Stephen Mason, Thomas Hinkley, William Bradford, John Walley, Barnabas Lothrop, Job Alcot, Samuel Daniel, and Silvanus Davis, Esquires." Isaac Addington was appointed Secretary. Nearly all noticed in Allen's Amer. Biog. Dict.

65

The horrible Picture drawn in this long Paragraph has Reference especially to the still deep Current among the few who did not believe in Witchcraft, or at least who did not believe in extreme Measures against those accused of it.

66

Strange Source, indeed, whence to hear a Plea for Charity!

67

Did this Fact suggest the Idea of the Happy Family to the Keepers of modern Menageries? The Freshet is not mentioned by the Chroniclers.

68

There was a Proposition, it is said, to send to England to engage one Matthew Hopkins, a professed Witch-finder, then in high repute in that Country. See History and Antiquities of Boston, 309.

69

It is at every Step surprising to observe how the Writer assumes to be the Judge, in this at the same Time "dark and incomprehensible Business," as it is frequently acknowledged by him to be.

70

The same "Master William Perkins," I suppose, who wrote the three stout Folios of Puritan Theology, published in 1606, besides many smaller Works. The earliest Notice I find of him is by another equally famous and voluminous Puritan, the Rev. Samuel Clark, in his Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, published in 1650. Mr. Clark informs us that William Perkins was born at Marston in Warwickshire, in 1558, was educated at "Christ's College in Cambridg," and that in the 24th of Elizabeth, he was chosen a Fellow of that College, and that "hee was very wilde in his Youth." From his Professorship, "hee was chosen to Saint Andrews Parish in Cambridg, where he preached all his Life after. His Sermons were not so plain, but the piously learned did admire them; nor so learned, but the plain did understand them: Hee brought the Schools into the Pulpit, and unshelling their Controversies out of their hard School-tearms, made thereof plain and wholsom Meat for his People: He was an excellent Chirurgion at the jointing of a broken Soul, and at stating of a doubtful Conscience. In his Sermons hee used to pronounce the Word Damn with such an Emphasis, as left a dolefull Echo in his Auditor's Ears a good while after: and when hee was Catechist in Christ's College, in expounding the Commandments, hee applied them so Home to the Conscience as was able to make his Hearers Harts fall down, and their Hairs almost to stand upright."

On Reference to the Works of famous Thomas Fuller, it will be found, that in his Life of Perkins he has substantially the same Account. From that Author Mr. Clark doubtless borrowed the Expressions used by him, as Fuller's Work was published several Years before, and they seem peculiar to that highly talented Writer. Clark is followed because he was of the same religious Denomination as Mr. Perkins. Mr. Clark continues: "In his Life hee was so pious and spotless, that Malice was afraid to bite at his Credit, into which shee knew that her Teeth could not enter: Hee had a rare Felicitie in reading of Books, and as it were but turning them over would give an exact account of all that was considerable therein: hee perused Books so speedily that one would think that hee read nothing, and yet so accurately that one would think he read all: Besides his frequent Preaching, hee wrote manie excellent Books, both Treatises, and Commentaries, which for their Worth were manie of them translated into Latine, and sent beyond Sea, where to this Daie they are highly prized, and much set by, yea some of them are translated into French, High-Dutch, and Low-Dutch: and his reformed Catholick was translated into Spanish; yet no Spaniard ever since durst take up the Gantlet of Defiance cast down by this Champion."

But there is one Fact mentioned by Fuller which Mr. Clark omits: "There goeth," he says, "an uncontrolled Tradition, that Perkins, when a young Scholar, was a great Studier of Magic, occasioned perchance by his Skill in the Mathematics. For, ignorant People count all Circles above their own Sphere to be Conjring; and presently cry out, 'those Things are done by Black Art' for which their dim Eyes can see no Colour in Reason. And in such Case, when they cannot fly up to Heaven to make it a Miracle, they fetch it from Hell to make it Magic, though it may lawfully be done by natural Causes."

Mr. Perkins died "in the fourtieth Year of his Age, Anno 1602, being born the first, and dying the last Year of [the Reign of] Elizabeth: He was of a ruddie Complexion, fat and corpulent: Lame of his right Hand, yet this Ehud with a left-handed Pen did stab the Romish Caus – as one faith: [Hugh Holland]

'Though Nature thee of thy right Hand bereft.

'Right well thou writest with thy Hand that's left.'

"Hee was buried with great Solemnity at the sole Charges of Christs College, the Universitie, and Town striving which should express more Sorrow thereat: Doctor Montague, afterwards Bishop of Winchester preached his Funeral Sermon." —Marrow of Ecclesiastical Historie, 414-417, and Fuller's Holy and Profane State, 80-84.

The well known Rev. Mr. Job Orton speaks of the Folios of Perkins with Delight, and adds: "What led me more particularly to read him was, that his Elder Brother was one of my Ancestors, from whom I am in a direct Line, by my Mother's Side descended." – Orton, in Brook's Lives, ii, 135. In his Will, dated 16 Oct., 1602, he mentions, among others, Nathaniel Cradock, his Brother-in-law, Wife Timothye, Father and Mother Thomas and Anna Perkins, Son-in-law, John Hinde, and Brethren and Sisters, but not by Name. —Ibid.

I have been more particular in this Notice of Perkins for two Reasons; first, because of his Puritanism he was selected as a prime Authority in Matters of Witchcraft by our Author; and second, because he seems to have been a Man possessing that Precocity of Mind, and in other respects was similarly gifted. To those desirous of learning more of that noted Puritan Leader will find Gratification in the excellent and elaborate Life of him in Brook's Lives of the Puritans.

71

On perusing these Articles for the Detection of Witches, one cannot escape the Conviction that on their being sifted by the ordinary Rules of Common-sense, they actually amount to nothing at all. Thus in Article VI it is laid down, that "Witchcraft is an Art, that may be learned, and conveyed from Man to Man." This Postulate follows of course, previously assuming that the Occult Sciences originate in Mathematics; and further, that Mathematical Calculations are inseparable from the Laws that govern the whole System of the Universe, and hence emanate from, or are a Part of the Creator himself. Whence then, with this inevitable Conclusion, does the "Art" originate? Nothing can be clearer, therefore, than this, – if those learned Plodders of Master Perkins's Time had followed out the most simple Rules of Logic, they would have had neither Witch nor Devil wherewith to addle their own Brains, or to confound those of the unlearned Multitude. This Question being disposed of, all others having Dependence on it, or traceable to it, effectually dispose of the whole Question of Witchcraft.

72

John Gaule has not, so far as ascertained, been stumbled on by any Makers of Biographical Dictionaries, and Bibliographers are almost equally silent. How many Works he was Author of is not known. The Title of one is Distractions, or Holy Madness, 12mo, 1629. He wrote other theological Works, but their Titles have not come to the Annotator's Knowledge.

73

As there is more than one Batcomb in England "Judicious Bernard's" being of that Place is not much of a Guide to any looking after his Biography. Fortunately, or unfortunately for him, his Portrait was engraved, and that caused him to be noticed by Granger. His Name was Richard, and he was Pastor of "Batcombe" in Somersetshire. The Work extracted from by our Author was published in 1627. He was Author of a Concordance to the Bible, though it was not so entitled; also of a Work called the Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, in 1641, in which Year he died. His Portrait by Hollar first appeared in this Work. —Biog. Hist. England, ii, 369. He was perhaps the Author of The Isle of Man; or the Legal Proceedings in Man-Shire against Sinne, 12mo, 1635.

74

Here the paging begins anew, in the Edition followed.

75

This was printed at the Time (1692) in a Separate Tract.

76

Whoever has the Inclination to turn over the Pages of the Martyrology may perhaps find who this "Renowned Person" was.

77

To this elaborate Definition of the Devil and his Attributes it will hardly be necessary to add or diminish. But taking what Tillotson says of God, not quite so much need be said of the Devil. The Archbishop says, in his happy Manner: "We attribute nothing to God that hath any repugnancy or contradiction in it." It naturally follows then, that all else comes from the Devil.

The famous Isaac Ambros says, "The first Period wherein Satan first begins to Assault the Elect, it is from their quickening in the Womb." —War with Devils, P. 29, 2d Ed. 1738. "So may we say of every Child, as soon as it is quickened in the Womb, that the Great Red Dragon, the Devil, stands ready to devour it." —Ibid. Our Author was not alone in remarkable Ideas.

78

It does not appear how the Devil-in-chief came by his Appointment; whether his Office was by Election, or in what Manner he attained his high Station. It is not very material however.

79

A very different Decision will be found elsewhere in our Pages.

80

"The Devil of Mascon" was one of the Productions following the "Glorious Restoration," as Carlyle ironically calls it. Full Title in Bohn's Lowndes, Art. Devil.

81

AMEN will doubtless be the Response of every one; but do not flatter yourself, Reader, that you are thus soon delivered from the Devil.

82

Perhaps it may not be irrational to conclude that the Abode of the Devil, in those supernal Parts is at least as far from the Earth as the fixed Stars; the nearest of these, our Author informs us, in his Christian Philosopher, Page 18, is 2,404,520,928,000 Miles from the Earth. Now, allowing Lucifer to be able to fly with the Velocity of Sound, he could not reach this Planet short of 50,000 Years! Hence he must have set out on his Journey thousands of Years before the World was created. But the Arabians believe that Mahomet performed that Journey several Times in the space of a few Years. That Mahomet should beat the Devil is not extraordinary.

83

The Author doubtless viewed the Stories in the Arabian Nights as Realities and actual Occurrences.

84

"Nay, though wee make Profession to seeke GOD alone in our Troubles; yet when it comes to the Pinch, doe wee not runne vnto the Deuill?" – Cooper, Mystery of Witchcraft, 18-19.

85

If Spectacles were invented as far back as 1269, "a little while ago" would hardly have applied to the Fact; but the Author probably had Reference to Z. Jansen, a Maker of Spectacles, living in Middleburgh, in 1590. The Inventor was a Monk of Pisa, named Spina.

86

A great Plague in London was not then (1692) a very remote Event. That which raged in 1665 carried off 68,000 People, according to the best Estimate which could be made at the Time.

87

This fabulous Monster was considered a Reality among a large Portion of the human Family. A satisfactory Account of what a Dragon is or is not, may be seen in that useful little Work entitled The Home Cyclopedia, compiled by Messrs. George Ripley and Bayard Taylor.

88

A very considerable Part of the learned John Scheffer's History of Lapland is taken up in Details of Witchcraft, as observed in that Country. He was a Native of Germany, born 1621, resided some Time in Sweden, died 1679. For later Transactions of the same Kind, and in the same Country, the Reader may consult Dr. Horneck's Account, before referred to, "Done from the High-Dutch."

89

This will all be found verified (if the Reader can command sufficient Credulity) in a curious little Work entitled England's Warning Pieces, printed in 1642, and fully illustrated by Engravings. Among Prodigies related, the Writer says: "I remember our Brethren in New England, not long since, made use of another most prodigious and mishapen and monstrous Birth, brought foorth by a Gentlewoman of that New Plantation, who had beene a maine Fautrix, if not originall Broacher of very many most wicked, dangerous and damnable Opinions in their Church." Page 27. For further Particulars see Savage's Winthrop's Journal, i, 261-3.

90

This has Reference to the then late Persecution of the Huguenots in France. They had been protected by the Edict of Henry the Fourth (Nantes, 1598), which was revoked in 1685 by Louis XIV; by which Revocation about 50,000 Protestants were forced to fly the Kingdom. Some fled to Germany, Holland, Switzerland, England, and some even took Refuge in New England, where their Posterity are yet well known, respected and honored.

91

If, according to our Author, there is anything good or bad, that the Devil does not do, and is not the Author of, one might not unreasonably inquire what it is? Certainly in his Charges against the Devil every Accusation imaginable is exhausted, not one left even to father upon a Witch. Erratic Brains thus overdo themselves.

92

Rome was built on seven Hills. It is to that he alludes.

93

Ray refers to the Subject of the Earth having been once nearer the Sun than at present. See Physico-Theological Discourses, P. 381; also Dr. John Woodward's Natural History of the Earth, 245, Edition 1695, 8vo. Other Authors might be referred to.

94

So far as the Annotator's Reading goes he has not found the Devil charged with making Earthquakes previous to our Author's Time. He certainly was in Advance of all Philosophers, ancient and modern, as respects that Discovery.

95

Claudius Nero Tiberius died A. D. 37, aged 78.

96

On the 7th of June, 1692, Jamaica was partly destroyd. Some 1500 People perished. Why Jamaica or its Capitol is compared to the ancient Tyros or Tyrus it is not easy to understand, as it might be difficult to find two Places differing wider in most Respects. See Ray's Discourses, 258, where may be seen a particular Account of this Earthquake.