A further account of the trials of the New-England witches with the observations of…A further account of the tryals of the New-England witches with the observations of…

In a word, there is no more Reality in what many Witches confess of strange things seen or done by them, whilst Satan had them in his full Power, than there is in Lucian's ridiculous Fable of his being Bewitched into an Ass, and what strange Feats he then played; so that what such persons relate concerning Persons and Things at Witch-meetings, ought not to be received with too much Credulity.

In a word, there is no more Reality in what many Witches confess of strange things seen or done by them, whilst Satan had them in his full Power, than there is in Lucian's ridiculous Fable of his being Bewitched into an Asse, and what strange Feats he then played; so that what such persons relate concerning Persons and Things at Witch-meetings, ought not to be received with too much Credulity.

I could mention dismal Instances of Innocent Blood which has been shed by means of the Lies of some Confessing Witches; there is a very sad Story mentioned in the Preface to the Relation of the Witchcrafts in Sweedland, how that in the Year 1676, at Stockholm, a young Woman accused her own Mother (who had indeed been a very bad Woman, but not guilty of Witchcraft,) and Swore that she had carried her to the Nocturnal Meetings of Witches, upon which the Mother was burnt to Death. Soon after the Daughter came crying and howling before the Judges in open Court, declaring, that to be revenged on her Mother for an Offence received, she had falsely accused her with a Crime which she was not guilty of; for which she also was justly Executed. A most wicked Man in France freely confessed himself to be a Magician, and accused many others, whose Lives were thereupon taken from them; and a whole Province had like to have been ruined thereby, but the Impostor was discovered: The Confessing pretended Wizard was burnt at Paris in the year 1668. I shall only take notice further of an awful Example mentioned by A. B. Spotswood in his History of Scotland, p. 449. His words are these, This Summer (viz. Anno 1597.) there was a great business for the Trial of Witches, amongst others, one Margaret Atkin being apprehended on suspicion, and threatened with Torture, did confess herself Guilty; being examined touching her Associates in that Trade, she named a few, and perceiving her Delations find Credit, made offer to detect all of that sort, and to purge the Country of them; so she might have her Life granted: For the reason of her Knowledge, she said, That they had a secret mark all of that sort in their Eyes, whereby she could surely tell, how soon she looked upon any, whether they were Witches or not; and in this she was so readily believed, that for the space of 3 or 4 Months she was carried from Town to Town to make Discoveries in that kind; many were brought in question by her Delations, especially at Glasgow, where divers Innocent Women, through the Credulity of the Minister Mr. John Cowper, were condemned and put to Death; in the end she was found to be a mere deceiver, and sent back to Fife, where she was first apprehended: