I likewise design in what I have written, to give my Testimony against these unjustifiable wa•s of discovering Witchcrafts, which some among us have practised. I hear that of late there was a Witch-cake made with the Urine of Bewitched Creatures as one ingredient by several persons in a place, which has suffered much by the […] ⟨image ?⟩of Hell upon it. This I take to be not only wicked Superstition, but great Folly. For tho the Devil does sometimes operate with the Experiments, yet not always, especially if a Magical Faith be wanting. I shall here take occasion to recite some passages in a Letter, which I Received from that Eminent Pious and Learned Man, (Mr. Samuel Cradock; during my Abode in London. The Letter bears date February 26. 1690. […] take it in his own words, which are these. We have at this present one in our […] Town, who has a Son who has strange Fits, and such as they impute to Witchcraft. He came to consult with me about it, but before he came, he had used a […] which I should never have directed him unto, viz. He took the Nails of his Sons hands and feet, and some of his Hair, and mixed them in Rye-paste with his water, and so set it all by the Fire till it was con•••ned, and his Son (as he says) was well after, and free from his Fits for a whole month, but then they came again, and He tried that means a second time, and then it would not do. He removed his Son into Cambridgeshire the next County, and then he was well, but as soon as he brought him home, he was afflicted as before. The Boy says, he saw a thing like a Mole following of him, which once spoke to him, and told him he came to do the office he was to do. I advised his Father to make use of the Medicine prescribed by our Saviour, viz. Fasting and Prayer. Here have been others in this Town, that though they were under Ill-handling as they call it: one Family had their Milk so affected that they could not possibly make any Cheese, but it hov'd & swelled and was good for nothing. They are now rid of that trouble, but how they got rid of it I do not know. Thus my Letter. By which it is evident that Towns in England as well as New-England are molested with Daemons, only I wish that the Supersti•• once practised in other places to get rid of such troublesome ⟨image ?⟩Guests had never been known, much le•• used amongst us or them.
I likewise design in what I have written, to give my Testimony against these unjustifiable wa•s of discovering Witchcrafts, which some among us have practised. I hear that of late there was a Witch-cake made with the Urine of Bewitched Creatures as one ingredient by several persons in a place, which has suffered much by the 〈…〉 ⟨image ?⟩of Hell upon it. This I take to be not only wicked Superstition, but great Folly. For tho the Devil does sometimes operate with the Experiments, yet not alwayes, especially if a Magical Faith be wanting. I shall here take occasion to recite some passages in a Letter, which I Received from that Eminent Pious and Learned Man, (Mr. Samuel Cradock; during my Abode in London. The Letter bears date February 26. 1690. 〈…〉 take it in his own words, which are these. We have at this present one in our 〈…〉 Town, who has a Son who has strange Fits, and such as they impute to Witchcraft. He came to consult with me about it, but before he came, he had used a 〈…〉 which I should never have directed him unto, viz. He took the Nails of his Sons hands and feet, and some of his Hair, and mixed them in Rye-paste with his water, and so set it all by the Fire till it was con•••ned, and his Son (as he says) was well after, and free from his Fits for a whole month, but then they came again, and He tried that means a second time, and then it would not do. He removed his Son into Cambridgeshire the next County, and then he was well, but as soon as he brought him home, he was afflicted as before. The Boy says, he saw a thing like a Mole following of him, which once spoke to him, and told him he came to do the office he was to do. I advised his Father to make use of the Medicine prescribed by our Saviour, viz. Fasting and Prayer. Here have been others in this Town, that though they were under Ill-handling as they call it: one Family had their Milk so affected that they could not possibly make any Cheese, but it hov'd & swelled and was good for nothing. They are now rid of that trouble, but how they got rid of it I do not know. Thus my Letter. By which it is evident that Towns in England as well as New-England are molested with Doemons, only I wish that the Supersti•• ons practised in other places to get rid of such troublesome ⟨image ?⟩Guests had never been known, much le•• used amongst us or them.
