Modest Inquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft, Chapter 1
CHAPTER I.
Sect. 1. THE Angels who kept not their Firſt Eſtate, by Sin againſt God, loſt their primitive purity, and glorious Excellency, as to their moral qualifications, and became unclean, wicked, envious, lyars, and full of all wicke… which as Spirits they are capable of … I do not find in Scripture that they loſt their natural abilities of underſtanding or power of Operation.
1. As for their Underſtanding, they are called Daimon (which we Tranſlate Devil) becauſe they are full of wiſdom, cunning, skill, ſubtilty and knowledge. He hath alſo the name of Serpent from his ſubtilty, 2 Cor. 11.3. And his knowledge in the Scriptures, and wittineſs to pervert them, appears by hi… quoting Scripture …o our Saviour when he tempted him Mat. 4.
And as there be many Devils, and theſe ac… ive, quick, ſwift and piercing Spirits, ſo the… going to and …o in the earth, and walking u… and down in it, have advantages to know a… the actions of the Children of men, both open and ſecret, their diſcourſes, conſultations and much of the inward affections of men thereby; though ſtill its Gods prerogative immediately to know the heart. Jer. 17.10.
2. As to their natural power as Spirits, it… very great, if not equal to that of the Holy Angels: For,
1. They are called Principalities and Powers Rom. 8.38. Eph. 6.12 Col. 2, 14, 15. compared with Heb. 2 14, 15. Now theſe are name given to the Holy Angels Eph. 1.21. and 3.10.
2. They are called, Rulers of the darkneſs of this world, the Prance of the …ower of the Air Eph. 6 12 and 2.2.
3. Such was their power that they contended with Michael and the Angels about the Body of Moſes. 2 Pet. 2.11. Jude 9. That is, as I conceive, about preventing the Burial of the Body of Moſes: For it's ſaid, Deut. 34.6. The Lord buried him, and no man knoweth of his Sepulcher to this day. That is, he did it by the Miniſtry of Angels (for the Lord gave the Law, Exod. 20.1. and that it was by the Miniſtry of Angels, ſee Gal. 3.19. ſo probably was the burial of Moſes's Body) and the Devils endeavour if poſſible, to diſcover Moſes's Body, or place of its burial, that they might draw Iſrael to commit Idolatry in worſhipping at his Tomb (as our Popiſh Fore-fathers did at Thomas Beckets in Kent) from the Veneration they had to him as their Law giver.
4. The Devils actings againſt Job, Chap. 1. and 2. and what he did to the Gadarens Swine, &c. Shew his great power. So that we may conclude, had the Devils liberty to reveal all that they know of the affairs of mankind, or to do all that is in their power to perform, they would bring dreadful confuſions and deſolations upon the World.
Sect. 2. The way God governs Devils is by Chains. 2 Pet. 2.4. Jude 6 ver. Rev. 20. 1, 2, 7, 8. whereby they are kept Priſoners. Men are governed by Laws, by convictions of Conſcience. Rom. 2.12, 13, 14, 15. By Scripture Rules, Humane Laws, and alſo by Gods Spirit. 1 John 2.20. But Devils have no ſuch Laws, or tenderneſs of Conſcience to bridle or reſtrain them. But the Lord hath his Chains, which are called Everlaſting, and are always laſting; ſo that they are never wholly without a Chain. This Chain is ſometimes greater and ſhorter, other times leſſer and longer, as the Lord pleaſeth, for his own Glory, Rev. 20.1, 2, 7, 8 For as the wrath of man praiſeth the Lord, and the remainder of wrath he doth reſtrain, Pſal. 76.10. So may we ſay of the Devils wrath.
Sect. 3. The Devil is full of malice againſt man, and frames his deſigns againſt him, chiefly to deſtroy his Soul, as, 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Cor. 11.3 and other Scriptures abundantly teſtify. Hence probably at ſometimes he doth not all the hurt to mans Body that he could, leſt thereby he ſhould awaken man to repentance and prayer; he ſeeks to keep men in a falſe peace. Luk. 11.21. Yet at other times he diſturbs and afflicts men in Body and Eſtate; as Scripture and experience ſhew. Among the Devices Satan uſeth to ruine man, one is to allure him into ſuch a familiarity with him, that by Sorceries, Inchantments, Divinations, and ſuch like, he may lead them Captive at his pleaſure. This ſnare of his we are warned againſt. Deut. 18.10, 11. and in other Scriptures. This Sin of men hearkening after Satan in theſe ways, is called Witchcraft; of which it is my purpoſe to treat: But firſt I ſhall ſpeak ſomething Hiſtorically what hath been done in New England, in proſecution of perſons ſuſpected of this Crime.
Sect. 4. Several perſons have been Charged with and ſuffered for the Crime of Witchcraft in the Governments of the Maſſachuſetts, New Haven, or Stratford and Connecticut, from the year 1646. to the year 1692.
Sect. 5. The firſt was a Woman of Charleſtown, Anno, 1647. or 48 She was ſuſpected partly becauſe that after ſome angry words paſſing between her & her Neighbours, ſome miſchief befel ſuch Neighbours in their Creatures, or the like: partly becauſe ſome things ſuppoſed to be bewitched, or have a Charm upon them, being burned, ſhe came to the fire and ſeemed concerned.
The day of her Execution, I went in company of ſome Neighbours, who took great pains to bring he… to confeſſion & repentance. But ſhe conſtantly profeſſed her ſelf innocent of that crime: Then one prayed her to conſider if God did not bring this puniſhment upon her for ſome other crime, and asked, if ſhe had not been guilty of Stealing many years ago; ſhe anſwered, ſhe had ſtolen ſomething, but it was long ſince, and ſhe had repented of it, and there was Grace enough in Chriſt to pardon that long agoe; but as for Witchcraft ſhe was wholly free from it, and ſo ſhe ſaid unto her Death.
Sect. 6. Another that ſuffered on that account ſome time after, was a Dorcheſter Woman. And upon the day of her Execution Mr. Thompſon Miniſter at Brantry, and J. P. her former Maſter took pains with her to bring her to repentance And ſhe utterly denyed her guilt of Witchcraft; yet juſtifyed God for bringing her to that puniſhment: for ſhe had when a ſingle woman play'd the harlot, and being with Child uſed means to deſtroy the fruit of her body to conceal her ſin & ſhame, and although ſhe did not effect it, yet ſhe was a Murderer in the ſight of God for her endeavours, and ſhewed great penitency for that ſin; but owned nothing of the crime laid to her charge.
Sect. 7. Another ſuffering in this kind was a Woman of Cambridge, againſt whom a principal evidence was a Watertown Nurſe, who teſtifyed, that the ſaid Kendal (ſo was the accuſed called) did bewitch to Death a Child of Goodman Genings of Watertown; for the ſaid Kendal did make much of the Child, and then the Child was well, but quickly changed its colour and dyed in a few hours after. The Court took this evidence among others, the ſaid Genings not knowing of it. But after Kendal was Executed (who alſo denyed her guilt to the Death,) Mr. Rich Brown knowing & hopeing better things of Kendal, asked ſaid Genings if they ſuſpected her to bewitch their Child, they anſwered No. But they judged the true cauſe of the Childs Death to be thus, viz. The Nurſe had the night before carryed out the Child and kept it abroad in the Cold a long time, when the red gum was come out upon it, & the Cold had ſtruck in the red gum, and this they judged the cauſe of the Childs death. And that ſaid Kendal did come in that day and make much of the Child, but they apprehended no wrong to come to the Child by her. After this the ſaid Nurſe was put into Priſon for Adultery, and there delivered of her baſe Child, and Mr. …rown went to her and told her, It was juſt with God to leave her to this wickedneſs as a puniſhment for her Murdering goody Kendal by her falſe witneſs bearing. But the Nurſe dyed in Priſon, and ſo the matter was not farther inquired into.
There was another Executed, of Boſton Anno 1656. for that crime. And two or three of Springfield, one of which confeſſed; and ſaid the occaſion of her familiarity with Satan was this: She had loſt a Child and was exceedingly diſcontented at it, and longed; Oh that ſhe might ſee her Child again! And at laſt the Devil in likeneſs of her Child came to her bed ſide and talked with her, and asked to come into the bed to ner, and ſhe received it into the bed to her that night and ſeveral nights after, and ſo entred into covenant with Satan and became a Witch. This was the only confeſſor in theſe times in this Government.
Sect. 8. Another at Hartford, viz. Mary Johnſon, mentioned in Remarkable Providences, p. 62, 63 Confeſſed her ſelf a Witch▪ Who upon diſcontent & ſ…uthfulneſs agreed with the Devil to do her work for her, and fetch up the Swine. And upon her immoderate laughter at the running of the Swine, as the Devil drove them, as ſhe her ſelf ſaid, was ſuſpected & upon examination confeſſed. I have alſo heard of a Girl at New Haven or Stratford, that confeſſed her guilt. But all others denyed it unto the death unleſs one Greenſmith, at Hartford.
Sect 9. But it is not my purpoſe to give a full relation of all that have ſuffered for that Sin, or of all the particulars charged upon them, which probably is now impoſſible, many witneſſing Viva voce, thoſe particulars which were not fully recorded. But that I chiefly intend is to ſhew the principles formerly acted upon in Convicting of that Crime; which were ſuch as theſe.
1. The firſt great principle laid down by a perſon Eminent for Wiſdom, Piety and Learning was; That the Devil could not aſſume the ſhape of an innocent perſon in doing miſchiefs unto mankind: for if the Lord ſhould ſuffer him in this he would ſubvert the courſe of humane Juſtice, by bringing men to ſuffer for what he did in their Shapes.
2. Witchcraft being an habitual Crime, one ſingle witneſs to one Act of Witchcraft, and another ſingle witneſs to another ſuch fact, made two witneſſes againſt the Crime and the party ſuſpected.
3. There was ſearching of the bodies of the ſuſpected for ſuch like tears, or ſpots (which writers ſpeak of) called the Devils marks; and if found, theſe were accounted a preſumption at leaſt of guilt in thoſe that had them.
4. I obſerved that people laid great weight upon this; when things ſuppoſed to be bewitched were burnt, and the ſuſpected perſon came to the fire in the time of it. Although that Eminent perſon above ſaid condemned this way of tryal, as going to the Devil to find the Devil.
5. If after anger between Neighbours miſchief followed, this oft bred ſuſpicion of Witchcraft in the matter. In fine, the preſumptions and convictions uſed in former times were for ſubſtance the ſame which we may read of in Keeble of the Common Law, and in Bernard, & other Authors of that ſubject.
Sect. 10. About 16 or 17. years ſince was accuſed a Woman of Newbury, and upon her tryal the Jury brought her in Guilty. Yet the Governour Simon Bradſtreet Eſq and ſome of the Magiſtrates repreived her, being unſatisfyed in the Verdict upon theſe grounds.
1. They were not ſatisfyed that a Specter doing miſchief in her likeneſs, ſhould be imputed to her perſon, as a ground of guilt.
2. They did not eſteem one ſingle witneſs to one fact, and another ſingle witneſs to another fact, for two witneſſes, againſt the perſon in a matter Capital. She being reprived, was carried to her own home, and her Husband, (who was eſteemed a Sincere and underſtanding Chriſtian by thoſe that knew him) deſired ſome Neighbour Miniſters, of whom I was one, to meet together and diſcourſe his Wife; the which we did: and her diſcourſe was very Chriſtian among us, and ſtill pleaded her innocence as to that which was laid to her charge. We did not eſteem it prudence for us to paſs any definitive Sentance upon one under her circumſtances, yet we inclined to the more charitable ſide.
In her laſt Sickneſs ſhe was in much darkneſs & trouble of Spirit, which occaſioned a Judicious friend to examine her ſtrictly, Whether ſhe had been guilty of Witchcraft, but ſhe ſaid No: But the ground of her trouble was ſome impatient & paſſionate Speeches and Actions of hers while in Priſon, upon the account of her ſuffering wrongfully; whereby ſhe had provoked the Lord, by putting ſome contempt upon his word. And in fine, ſhe ſought her pardon and comfort from God in Chriſt, and dyed ſo far as I underſtood, praying to and reſting upon God in Chriſt for Salvation.
Sect. 11. The next that Suffered was an Iriſh Woman of Boſton, ſuſpected to bewitch John Goodwins Children, who upon her Tryal did in Iriſh (as was teſtified by the Interpreters) confeſs her ſelf guilty, and was condemned out of her own mouth; (as Chriſt ſaith, Luk. 19.22. Out of thine own mouth will I Judge thee.) The Hiſtory of which is publiſhed by Mr. Cotton Mather, (and atteſted by the other Miniſters of Boſton & Charlſtown,) in his Book, Entituled, Memorable Providences, Printed Anno 1689. Thus far of the Hiſtory of Witches before the year, 1692.