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

169

Wife, perhaps, of the John Atkinson mentioned previously. – See Coffin's Newbury, 293.

170

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.

171

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.

172

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.

173

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.

174

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.

175

Probably of Topsfield.

176

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.

177

To what Family this Francis Lane belonged I have not been able to determine. Perhaps he belonged to the Hampton Family.

178

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.

179

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.

180

Perhaps Peter, who lived in what is since Danvers.

181

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.

182

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.

183

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.

184

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.

185

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.

186

There was a Family of Lacy at Andover at this Time. Lawrence Lacy was born there, according to Abbot, in 1683.

187

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.

188

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."

189

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.

190

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.

191

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.

192

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.

193

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.

194

A Word not found in the Dictionaries. Perhaps it may be defined by the Readers of the Works of the elder Pliny.

195

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.

196

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.

197

Perhaps Mr. John Higginson.

198

There was a Family of Whitfords in Salem at this Time.

199

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.

200

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.

201

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.

202

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.

203

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.

204

The following Paragraph is not in the first Edition.

205

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."

206

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.

207

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.