Pietas in patriam the life of His Excellency Sir William Phips, Knt. late Captain…

It is very certain, there were hardly any People in the World grown more fond of Sorceries, than that unhappy People: The Talmuds tell us of the little Parchments with Words upon them, which were their common Amulets, and of the Charms which they muttered over Wounds, and of the various Enchantments which they used against all sorts of Disasters whatsoever. It is affirmed in the Talmuds, that no less than Twenty four Scholars in one School, were killed by Witchcraft; and that no less than fourscore Persons were Hanged for Witchcraft by one Judge in one Day. The Gloss adds upon it, That the Women of Israel had generally fallen to the Practice of Witchcrafts; and therefore it was required. That there should be still chosen into the Council, One skilful in the Arts of Sorcerers, and able thereby to discover who might be guilty of those Black Arts among such as were accused before them.

It is very certain, there were hardly any People in the World grown more fond of Sorceries, than that unhappy People: The Talmuds tell us of the little Parchments with Words upon them, which were their common Amulets, and of the Charms which they mutter'd over Wounds, and of the various Enchantments which they used against all sorts of Disasters whatsoever. It is affirmed in the Talmuds, that no less than Twenty four Scholars in one School, were killed by Witchcraft; and that no less than fourscore Persons were Hanged for Witchcraft by one Judge in one Day. The Gloss adds upon it, That the Women of Israel had generally fallen to the Practice of Witchcrafts; and therefore it was required. That there should be still chosen into the Council, One skilful in the Arts of Sorcerers, and able thereby to discover who might be guilty of those Black Arts among such as were accused before them.

Now the Arrival of Sir William Phips to the Government of New-England, was at a Time, when a Governor would have had Occasion for all the Skill in Sorcery, that was ever necessary to a Jewish Councillor; A Time when Scores of poor people had newly fallen under, a prodigious Possession of Devils, which it was then generally thought had been by Witchcrafts introduced. ⟨p. 68⟩