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

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.

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, publickly 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.

And it happening, that some of the Accused coming to confess themselves Guilty, their Shapes were no more seen by any of the Afflicted, though the Confession had been kept never so Secret, but instead thereof the Accused themselves became in all Vexations just like the Afflicted; this yet more confirmed many in the Opinion, that had been taken up.

And another thing that quickened them yet more to Act upon it, was, That the Afflicted were frequently entertained with Apparitions of Chosts at the same Time, that the Spectres of the supposed Witches troubled them: Which Christs always cast the Beholders into far more Consternation than any of the Spectres; and when they exhibited themselves, they cried out