Robert Calef - The Witchcraft Delusion in New England - Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (Vol 3 of 3)

This Reference is to the first Edition of Lawson's Work, A Brief and True Narrative, &c. His Account is given in Note 9 "It was several Times observed, that when they were discoursed with about GOD or CHRIST, or the Things of Salvation , they were presently afflicted at a dreadful Rate, and hence were oftentimes Outragious , if they were permitted to be in the Congregation, in the Time of the Publick Worship." — Lawson, Second Edit. , 98. "On Lord's Day, the 20th of March were sundry of the afflicted Persons at Meeting, as Mrs. Pope [Wife of Mr. Joseph P.], Goodwife Bibber , Abigail Williams , Mary Walcut , Mary Lewes , and Docter Grigg's Maid. There was also at Meeting Goodwife C. [Cory] (who was afterward Examined on Suspicion of being a Witch :) They had several sore Fits, in the Time of Publick Worship, which did something interrupt me in my first Prayer; being so unusual. After Psalm was Sung, Abigail Williams said to me, Now stand up , and Name your Text ! And after it was read, she said, It is a long Text . In the beginning of Sermon, Mrs. Pope , a Woman afflicted, said to me, Now there is enough of that . And in the Afternoon, Abigail Williams , upon my referring to my Doctrine , said to me, I know no Doctrine you had, if you did name one, I have forgot it . In Sermon Time when Goodwife C. was present Ab. W. called out, Look where Goodwife C. sits on the Beam suck[l]ing her Yellow Bird betwixt her Fingers ! Anne Putman , another Girle afflicted, said there was a Yellow Bird sat on my Hat as it hung on the Pin in the Pulpit ! But those that were by restrained her from speaking loud about it." — Lawson, First Edition , Pages 3 and 4. This, as will have been noticed, is the Account of an Eye Witness. .

Lawson, First Edition , Page 4.

Lawson, Page 8. The Words " at a House in the Village ," are in the Original, which shows that the Witch-meeting was in that part of Salem since Danvers.

This Affair of the 1st of April, is an Abridgement of Lawson, Page 8, but nothing important to the present Purpose is omitted.

The following is the Relation by Lawson, given in his own Words, that the Reader may judge of his accuracy: "The 3d of April , the Lord's Day, being Sacrament Day, at the Village, Good. C. , upon Mr. Parris's naming his Text, John , 6, 70. One of them is a Devil , the said Good. C. went immediately out of the Meetinghouse, and flung the door after her violently, to the amazement of the Congregation: She was afterwards seen by some in their Fits, who said, O Goodw. C. I did not think to see you here ! (and being at their red bread and drink ) said to her, Is this a Time to receive the Sacrament. You ran away on the Lord's Day, and scorned to receive it in the Meetinghouse, and Is this a Time to receive it? I wonder at you ! This is the Summ of what I either saw myself, or did receive Information from Persons of undoubted Reputation and Credit." — Page 8.

"On the 11th of April, 1692, a Council was convened at Salem; at which there were present Dep. Gov. Thomas Danforth, James Russell, John Hathorne, Isaac Addington, Maj. Samuel Appleton, Capt. Samuel Sewall and Jonathan Corwin. To them Complaint was exhibited by Capt. Jonathan Wallcott and Lieut. Nathaniell Ingersall, both of Salem Village, on the behalf of several Neighbors, as well as on their own; against Sarah Cloyce, wife of Peter Cloyce of Salem Village, and Elizabeth Proctor, wife of John Proctor of Salem Farms [on the Road towards Boston] for high suspition of sundry Acts of Witchcraft, committed on the Bodies of Abigail Williams and John Indian, both of Mr. Samuel Parris his Famyly, Mary Walcot, Ann Putnam and Mercy Lewis, &c." When the Accused were brought before the Council, Mr. Parris "was desired and appointed to wright ye Examination," which he accepted, and the Record is still extant in his Hand-writing. Accordingly Elizabeth Proctor, and her Husband, John Proctor, and Sarah Cloyce were all committed to Prison, "per advise of ye Councill." — Witchcraft Records , i. 101-2.

The Testimony and Indictment against Philip English may be seen in the Hist. and Antiq's Boston , 497, printed from the Originals in the Author's Possession. With the same are the two Indictments (in the Hand-writing of Edward Rawson), charging him with bewitching Elizabeth Booth, of Salem, Single-woman, and Mary Wallcott. These Indictments are both dated May 31st, 1692. The Monsters who carried on the Charges, were much like a Pack of hungry Wolves. One would set up the Howl of Witch, and immediately others would follow. So in the Case of Philip English, a large number of Persons joined those Girls in their "Crying out on" him. This encouraged them to keep up their Deceptions. Mrs. English was accused before her Husband. One Mary Warren, Servant to Mr. Procter, outwent all others, except perhaps Elizabeth Booth, in the Invention of Stories. Rebutting Testimony was brought against her, but it had no Effect with the Court. Edward Bishop, aged 44; Sarah, 41, and Mary Estey, 56; all said that they heard Mary Warren say, when in Jail together in Salem, that the Magistrates might as well examine Keysar's Daughter that had been distracted many Years, and believe what she said, as well as what any of the Afflicted said. Mary English, aged 39, said, being at Salem about a Month before, she heard Mary Warren speak the same Words.

Dr. Mather affirms that "the Old Government was Reassumed , and the Old Charter too was Reassumed , as far as it was possible to be done; Every thing in the World was done, but only declaring that the Judgment passed in the King's Court of Chancery (however it might be thought a Grievance) did the Charter no Damage ; which if some were wiser then to say, who can help it? Well, did I oppose this Reassumption ! They that were acquainted with me, I am sure, did not think so; and they that sent their Tory Pamphlets about the Countrey against me, as an Impudent Youth [then aged 26] for my assisting the Reassumed Government , I am sure did not think so. Let the things Published for the supporting of the Reassumed Government; and particularly the very first Passage in the First Sermon , at the Anniversary Election , which the Deputies of the General-Court called me to Preach and Print , (which by the way, would they have done, if the Young Man had been such an one as this Man would render him?) be my Everlasting Apology; and let Calves never Bleat, nor Bulls (of Bashan ) Roar against me, on that Point any more." — Remarks upon a Scandalous Book , &c., Pages 46-7. The "Passage" he refers to in his Election Sermon is too long to be extracted here.

Our Author is not the only one who thought Dr. I. Mather had some selfish Ends to answer in his Management of Affairs in England. See Quincy, Hist. H. Col. , i, 60. But Quincy is entirely too one-sided, ardent and dogmatical to be implicitly relied upon.

That is the Disputes respecting the Form of Government.

It appears that some Irons had been prepared before the Arrival of Gov. Phips, though he may have ordered a further Supply, as Prisoners greatly increased about that Time. Mr. Felt, the Annalist of Salem, furnished Mr. J. W. Hanson with a Copy of an Account of the Prison-keeper (John Arnold), of Boston, for various Items used in the Prison. Said Account begins about the 7th of March, 1691-2. On "May 9th, To Chains for Sarah Good and Sarah Osborn, 14 s. May 23d, To Shackles for 10 Prisoners. May 29th, to 1 pr. Irons for Mary Cox," &c. See Hist. Danvers , 290. For other Items of this Sort, see Records of S. W. , ii, 212, et seq.