The first instance, shall be that which concerns the unhappy man that was Murdered in Long-Island, of which a good hand in those parts, in a Letter bearing Date, Decemb. 12. 1681. writes as follows. There went down about a Month since three mad Quakers, called Thomas Case's Crew, one man named Denham, belonging to Newer-snicks, and two Women with him belonging to Oyster-Bay; these went down to South-hold, where they meet with Samuel Banks of Fairfield, the most Blasphemous Villain, that ever was known in there parts. These joining together with some other Inhabitants of Southhold, of the same spirit; there went into their company a young Merchant, named Thomas Harris, who was somewhat inclining to the Quakers before; (he belonged to Boston) they all got about him, and fell a Dancing and Singing, according to their Diabolical manner. After some time, the said Harris began to act like them, and to Dance, and sing, and to speak of extraordinary raptures ⟨p. 342⟩of joy; and to cry out upon all others as Devils, that were not of their Religion; which also they do frequently: when the said Harris manifested these signs of Conversion, as they accounted it; they solemnly accepted of him as one of their company; and Banks or Denham (for I have forgotten which of the two) gave him this promise, that […] forward his Tongue should be as the Pen of a ready Writer, to declare the praises of their Lord, After this, the young man who was sober and composed before, ran up and down, Singing Joy, and calling such Devils as should say any thing in way of opposition: and said his Father was a Devil that begat him. Quickly after he went from the Town of South-hold, to a Farm belonging to that Town, to the house of a Quaker of the same spirit, and went to bed before the rest of the Family, and when a young man of the same house went to go to bed to him, he told him that he must get up, and go to South-hold that night, where he had left Banks and the rest; the young man endeavoured to persuade him to lie still till day, but he would not, but gat up, and went away; after some time he was missed, and enquiry made for him, but he could not be heard of, only his Hat, and ⟨p. 343⟩Gloves, and Neck-cloth was found in the Road from the Farm to the Town. And two days after, Banks looking into a Bible, suddenly shut it again, crying out, his friend Harris was dead;
The first instance, shall be that which concerns the unhappy man that was Murdered in Long-Island, of which a good hand in those parts, in a Letter bearing Date, Decemb. 12. 1681. writes as follows. There went down about a Moneth since three mad Quakers, called Thomas Case's Crew, one man named Denham, belonging to Newer-snicks, and two Women with him belonging to Oyster-Bay; these went down to South-hold, where they meet with Samuel Banks of Fairfield, the most Blasphemous Villain, that ever was known in there parts. These joyning together with some other Inhabitants of Southhold, of the same spirit; there went into their company a young Merchant, named Thomas Harris, who was somewhat inclining to the Quakers before; (he belonged to Boston) they all got about him, and fell a Dancing and Singing, according to their Diabolical manner. After some time, the said Harris began to act like them, and to Dance, and sing, and to speak of extraordinary raptures ⟨p. 342⟩of joy; and to cry out upon all others as Devils, that were not of their Religion; which also they do frequently: when the said Harris manifested these signs of Conversion, as they accounted it; they solemnly accepted of him as one of their company; and Banks or Denham (for I have forgotten which of the two) gave him this promise, that 〈…〉 forward his Tongue should be as the Pen of a ready Writer, to declare the praises of their Lord, After this, the young man who was sober and composed before, ran up and down, Singing Joy, and calling such Devils as should say any thing in way of opposition: and said his Father was a Devil that begat him. Quickly after he went from the Town of South-hold, to a Farm belonging to that Town, to the house of a Quaker of the same spirit, and went to bed before the rest of the Family, and when a young man of the same house went to go to bed to him, he told him that he must get up, and go to South-hold that night, where he had left Banks and the rest; the young man endeavoured to perswade him to lie still till day, but he would not, but gat up, and went away; after some time he was missed, and enquiry made for him, but he could not be heard of, only his Hat, and ⟨p. 343⟩Gloves, and Neck-cloth was found in the Road from the Farm to the Town. And two dayes after, Banks looking into a Bible, suddenly shut it again, crying out, his friend Harris was dead;
