Memorable providences, relating to witchcrafts and possessions. A faithful account of many wonderful and surprising things, that have befallen several bewitched and possessed persons in New-England. Particularly, a narrative of the marvellous trouble and releef [sic] experienced by a pious family in Boston, very lately and sadly molested with evil spirits. : Whereunto is added, a discourse delivered unto a congregation in Boston, on the occasion of that illustrious providence. : As also a discourse delivered unto the same congregation; on the occasion of an horrible self-murder committed in that town. : With an appendix, in vindication of a chapter in a late book of remarkable providences, from the calumnies of a Quaker at Pen-silvania [sic]. / Written by Cotton Mather, Minister of the Gospel. ; And recommended by the Ministers of Boston and Charleston.

EXEMPLE. II.

AMong those Judgments of God, which are a great Deep, I suppose few are more unfa|thomable than this, That pious and holy men suffer sometimes by the Force of horrid Witchcrafts, and hellish Witches are permitted to break thorough the Hedge which our Heavenly Father has made about them that seek Him. I suppose the Instances of this direful thing are 〈◊〉〈◊〉; but that they are not Never we can produce very dismal Testimony. One, and that no less Recent than Awful, I shall now offer: and the Reader of it will thereby learn, I hope, to work out his own Salvation with Fear and Tremb|ling.

SECT. I. Mr. Philip Smith, aged about Fifty years, a Son of eminently vertuous Parents, a Deacon of the Church at Hadley, a Member of our General Court, an Associate in their County Court, a Select-man for the affairs of the Town, a Lieutenant in the Troop, and, which crowns all, a man for Devotion and Gravity, and all that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Honest, exceeding exemplary; Such a man. In the Winter of the Year, 1684. was mur|dered with an hideous Witchcraft arrow_forward , which filled all those parts with a just astonishment. This was the manner of the Murder.

SECT. II. He was concerned about Re|lieving

the Indigencies of a wretched woman in the Town; who being dissatisfied at some of his just cares about her, expressed her self unto him in such a manner, that he declared himself ap|prehensive of receiving mischief at her hands; he said, he doubted she would attempt his Hurt.

SECT. III. About the beginning of Ja|nuary he began to be very Valetudinarious, labour|ing under those that seemed Ischiadick pains. As his Illness increased on him, so his Goodness in|creased in him; the standers-by could in him see one ripening apace for another world; and one filled not only with Grace to an high de|gree, but also with Exceeding Joy. Such Weanedness from, and Weariness of the World, he shew'd that he knew not (he said) whether he might pray for his continuance here. Such As|surance had he of the Divine Love unto him, that in Raptures he would cry out, Lord, stay thy hand, it is enough, it is more than thy frail ser|vant can bear! But in the midst of these things, he uttered still an hard suspicion, That the ill Woman who had threatned him, had made im|pressions on him.

SECT. IV. While he remained yet of a sound mind he very sedately, but very solemnly charged his Brother to look well after him. Tho' he said he now understood himself, yet he knew not how he might be; but be sure (said he) to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 care of me for you shall see strange things,

There shal be a wonder in Hadley! I shall not be dead when it is thought I am! This Charge he pressed over and over; and afterwards became Delirious.

SECT. V. Being become Delirious, he had a Speech Incessant and Voluble beyond all imagina|tion, and this in divers Tones and sundry voices and (as was thought) in various languages.

SECT. VI. He cryed out not only of fore pain, but also of sharp Pins, pricking of him sometimes in his Toe, sometimes in his Arm, as if there had been hundreds of them. But the people upon search never found any more than One.

SECT. VII. In his Distresses he exclaimed very much upon the Woman afore-mentioned naming her, and some others, and saying, Do you not see them; There, There, There they stand.

SECT. VIII. There was a strong smell of something like Musk, which was divers times in the Room where he was, and in the other Rooms, and without the House; of which no cause could be rendred. The sick-man as well as others complained of it; and once particu|larly it so siez'd an Apple Roasting at the Fire that they were forced to throw it away.

SECT. IX. Some that were about him being almost at their wits end, by beholding the greatness and the strangeness of his Calamities did three or sometimes in one Night, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an

give Disturbance to the Woman that we have spoken of: all the while they were doing of it, the good man was at ease, and slept as a weary man; and these were all the times they percei|ved him to take any sleep at all.

SECT. X. A small Galley-Pot of Alkermes, that was near full, and carefully look't after, yet unto the surprize of the people, was quite emp|tied, so that the sick man could not have the Be|nefit of it.

SECT. XI. Several persons that sat by him, heard a Scratching, that seem'd to be on the Ticking near his feet, while his Feet lay wholly still; nay, were held in the hands of others, and his hands were far of another way.

SECT. XII. Sometimes Fire was seen on the Bed, or the Covering, and when the Behol|ders began to discourse of it, it would vanish a|way.

SECT. XIII. Diverse people felt some|thing often stir in the Bed, at some distance from his Body. To appearance, the thing that stirr'd was as big as a Cat: some try'd to lay hold on it with their hands, but under the Covering nothing could be found. A discreet and sober Woman, resting on the Beds Feet, felt as it were a Hand, the Thumb and the Finger of it, taking her by the side, and giving her a Pinch; but turning to see What it might be, nothing was to be seen.

SECT. XIV. The Doctor standing by the sick man, and seeing him ly still, he did himself try to lean on the Beds-head; but he found the Bed to shake so, that his head was often knock|ed against the Post, though he strove to hold it still; and others upon Tryal found the same. Also, the sick man lying too near the side of the Bed, a very strong and stout man, try'd to lift him a little further into the Bed; but with all his might he could not; tho' trying by 'nd by, he could lift a Bed-stead, with a Bed, and man ly|ing on it, all, without any strain to himself at all.

SECT. XV. Mr. Smith dyes. The Jury that viewed the ••orpse, found a Swelling on one Breast, which rendered it like a Womans. His Privities were wounded or burned. On his back, besides Bruises, there were several pricks, or holes, as if done with Awls or Pins

SECT. XVI. After the Opinion of all had pronounc'd him dead, his Countenance con|tinued as Lively as if he had been Alive; his Eyes closed as in a slumber; and his neither Jaw not falling down. Thus he remained from Sa|tureday morning about Sun-rise, till Sabbath Day in the After-noon. When those that took him out of the Bed sound him still Warm. though the the season was as Cold as had almost been known in an Age. On the Night after the Sabbath, his Countenance was yet as fresh as before; but on Monday Morning, they found the Face extremely

••umified and discoloured; 'twas black and blue, & fresh blood seem'd to run down his Cheek in the Hairs.

SECT. XVII. The night after he died, a very credible person, watching of the Corpse, perceived the Bed to move and Stir, more than once; but by no means could find out the cause of it.

SECT. XVIII. The second night, some that were preparing for the Funeral, do say, That they heard diverse Noises in the Rooms where the Corpse lay; as though there had been a great Removing and Clattering of Stools & chairs.

Upon the whole, it appeared unquestionable that arrow_back Witchcraft had brought a period unto the life of so good a man.