A50177:162
The wonders of the invisible world observations as well historical as theological upon the…
The wonders of the invisible world observations as well historical as theological upon the nature, the number and the operations of the devils : accompanied with I. Some accounts of the grievous [sic] molestations by daemons and witchcrafts ... and the trials of some eminent malefactors ... II. Some councils directing a due improvement of the terrible things lately done by the unusual and amazing range of evil spirits ... III. Some conjectures upon the great events likely to befall the world in general and New England in particular ... IV. A short narrative of a late outrage committed by a knot of witches in Swedeland ... V. The devil discovered, in a brief discourse upon those temptations which are the more ordinary devices of the wicked one / by Cotton Mather.The wonders of the invisible world observations as well historical as theological upon the nature, the number and the operations of the devils : accompany'd with I. Some accounts of the greievous [sic] molestations by daemons and witchcrafts ... and the trials of some eminent malefactors ... II. Some councils directing a due improvement of the terrible things lately done by the unusual and amazing range of evil spirits ... III. Some conjectures upon the great events likely to befall the world in general and New England in particular ... IV. A short narrative of a late outrage committed by a knot of witches in Swedeland ... V. The devil discovered, in a brief discourse upon those temptations which are the more ordinary devices of the wicked one / by Cotton Mather.
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1693
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
III. It has been a frequent thing for the Bewitched people, to be entertained with Apparitions of Ghosts of murdered people, at the same time, that the Spectres of the witches trouble them. These Ghosts do always affright the Beholders, more than all the other spectral Representations; and when they exhibit themselves, they cry out, of being Murdered by the witchcrafts or other violences of the persons who are then in spectre present. It is further considerable, that once or twice, these Apparitions have been seen by others at the very same time that they have shown them selves to the Bewitched; & seldom have there been these Apparitions but when something unusual & suspected had attended the Death of the party thus Appearing. Some that have bin accused by these Apparitions, accosting of the Bewitched People, who had never heard a word of any such persons, ever being in the world, have upon a fair examination freely, and fully, confessed the murders of those very persons, altho' these also did not know how the Apparitions had complained of them. Accordingly several of the Bewitched, ⟨p. 98⟩had given in their Testimony, that they had been troubled with the Apparitions of two women, who said, that they were G. Bs. two wives; and that he had been the Death of them; and that the Magistrates must be told of it, before whom if B. upon his trial denied it, they did not know but that they should appear again in the Court. Now, G. B. had been infamous for the Barbarous usage of his two successive wives, all the Country over. Moreover; It was testified, the spectre of G. B. threatening of the sufferers told them, he had killed (besides others) Mrs Lawson and her Daughter Ann. And it was noted, That these were the virtuous wife and Daughter, of one at whom this G. B. might have a prejudice for his being serviceable at Salem-village, from whence himself had in Ill Terms removed some years before: & that when they died, which was long since, there were some odd circumstances about them, which made some of the Attendants there suspect something of witchcraft, tho' none Imagined from what Quarter it should come.
III. It has been a frequent thing for the Bewitched people, to be entertained with Apparitions of Ghosts of murdered people, at the same time, that the Spectres of the witches trouble them. These Ghosts do always affright the Beholders, more than all the other spectral Representations; and when they exhibit themselves, they cry out, of being Murdered by the witchcrafts or other violences of the persons who are then in spectre present. It is further considerable, that once or twice, these Apparitions have been seen by others at the very same time that they have shown them selves to the Bewitched; & seldom have there been these Apparitions but when somthing unusual & suspected had attended the Death of the party thus Appearing. Some that have bin accused by these Apparitions, accosting of the Bewitched People, who had never heard a word of any such persons, ever being in the world, have upon a fair examination freely, and fully, confessed the murders of those very persons, altho' these also did not know how the Apparitions had complained of them. Accordingly several of the Bewitched,