Pillars of salt. An history of some criminals executed in this land, for capital…

ON June 6. 1662. At New-haven, there was a most Unparalleled Wretch, One Potter, by Name, about Sixty years of Age, Executed for Damnable Bestialities; although this Wretch, had been for now Twenty years, a Member of the Church in that Place, and kept up among the Holy People of God there, a Reputation, for Serious Christianity. It seems that the Unclean Devil, which had the possession of this Monster, had carried all his Lusts with so much Fury into this One Channel of Wickedness, that there was no Notice taken of his being Wicked in any other. Hence 'twas, that he was Devout in Worship, Gifted in Prayer, Forward in Edifying Discourse among the Religious, and Zealous in Reproving the Sins of the other People; Every one counted him, A Saint: And he Enjoyed such a Peace in his own mind, that in several Fits of Sickness, wherein he ⟨p. 64⟩seemed Nigh unto Death, he seemed Willing to Die; Yea, Death (he said) Smiled on him. Nevertheless, this Diabolical Creature, had Lived in most infandous Buggeries for no less than Fifty years together; and now at the Gallows, there were killed before his Eyes, a Cow, Two Heifers, Three Sheep, and Two Sows, with all of which he had Committed his Brutalities His Wife had seen him Confounding himself with a Bitch, Ten years before; and he then Excused his Filthiness, as well as he could, unto her, but Conjured her to keep it Secret: but he afterwards Hanged that Bitch himself, and then Returned unto his former Villainies, until at last, his Son, saw him hideously conversing with a So• ▪ By these means, the burning Jealousy of the Lord Jesus Christ, at Length made the Churches to know, that He had all this while seen the Covered Filthiness of this Hellish Hypocrite, and Exposed him also to the Just Judgment of Death, from the Civil Court of Judicature. Very Remarkable had been the Warnings, which this Hell-Hound, had Received from Heaven, to Repent of his Impieties. Many years before this, he had a Daughter, who Dreamt a Dream, which caused her, in her Sleep, to cry out, most Bitterly; and her Father, then with much ado obtaining of her to tell her Dream, She told him, me Dreamt, that she was among a great