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

It was also found that the Flesh of the Afflicted was often Bitten, at such a rate, that not only the Print of Teeth would be left on their Flesh, but the very Slaver of Spittle too: And there would appear just such a set of Teeth, as was in the Accused, even such as might be clearly distinguished from other Peoples. And usually the Afflicted went through a terrible deal of seeming Difficulties from the tormenting Spectres, and must be long waited on, before they could get a Breathing Space from their Torments, to give in their Testimonies.

Now many good Men took up an Opinion, That the Providence of God would not permit an Innocent Person to come under such a Spectral Representation; and that a concurrence of so many Circumstances, would prove an Accused Person to be in a Confederacy with the Daemons thus afflicting of the Neighbours; they judged, that except these Things might amount unto a Conviction, it would scarce be possible ever to Convict a Witch; and they had some Philosophical Schemes of Witchcraft, and or the Method and Manner, wherein Magical Poisons operate, which further supported them in their Opinion.

Now many good Men took up an Opinion, That the Providence of God would not permit an Innocent Person to come under such a Spectral Representation; and that a concurrence of so many Circumstances, would prove an Accused Person to be in a Confederacy with the Daemons thus afflicting of the Neighbours; they judged, that except these Things might amount unto a Conviction, it would scarce be possible ever to Convict a Witch; and they had some Philosophical Schemes of Witcheraft, and or the Method and Manner, wherein Magical Poisons operate, which further supported them in their Opinion.

Sundry of the Accused Persons were brought unto their Trial, while this Opinion was yet prevailing in the Minds of the Judges, and the Juries, and perhaps the most of the People in the County, then mostly Suffering; and though against some of them that were Tried, there came in so much other Evidence of their Diabolical Compacts, that some of the most Judicious and yet vehement Opposers of the Notions then in Vogue, publicly declared, Had they themselves been on the Bench, they could not have Acquitted them; nevertheless, divers were Condemned, against whom the chief Evidence was founded in the Spectral Exhibitions.