The Wonders of the Invisible World / Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches

by Cotton Mather; Increase Mather

X. There were discovered no less than threescore and ten Witches in One Village, three and twenty of which

freely confessing their Crimes, were condemned to dy. The rest, (One pretending she was with Child) were sent to Fahluna, where most of them were afterwards executed. Fifteen Children, which confessed themselves engaged in this Witchery, dyed as the rest. Six and Thirty of them between nine and sixteen years of Age, who had been less guilty, were forced to run the Gantlet, and be lashed on their hands once a Week, for a year together; twenty more who had less inclination to these Infernal enterprises, were lashed with Rods upon their Hands for three Sundays together, at the Church door; the number of the seduced Children, was about three hundred. This course, together with Prayers, in all the Churches thro' the Kingdom, issued in the deliverance of the Country.

XI. The most Accomplished Dr. Horneck inserts a most wise caution, in his preface to this Narrative, says he, there is no Public Calamity, but some ill people, will serve themselves of the sad providence, and make use of it for their own ends; as Thieves when an house or town is on fire, will steal what they can. And he mentions a Remarkable Story of a young Woman, at Stockholm, in the year 1676, Who accused her own Mother of being a Witch; and swore positively, that she had carried her away in the Night; the poor Woman was burnt upon it: professing her innocency to the last. But tho' she had been an Ill Woman, yet it afterwards prov'd that she was not such an one; for her Daughter came to the Judges, with hideous Lamentations, Confessing, That she had wronged her Mother, out of a wicked spite against her; whereupon the Judges gave order for her Execution too.

But, so much of these things; And, now, Lord, make these Labours of thy Servant, Profitable to thy People.

Matter Omitted in the Trials.

Nineteen Witches have been Executed at New-England, one of them was a Minister, and two Ministers more are Accus'd. There is a hundred Witches more in Prison, which broke Prison, and about two Hundred more are Accus'd, some Men of great Estates in Boston, have been accus'd for Witchcraft. Those Hundred now in Prison accus'd for Witches, were Committed by fifty of themselves being Witches, some of Boston, but most about Salem, and the Towns Adjacent. Mr. Increase Mather has Published a Book about Witchcraft, occasioned by the late Trials of Witches, which will be speedily printed in London by John Dunton.

THE DEVIL DISCOVERED.

2 Cor. II. 11. We are not Ignorant of His Devices.

Our Blessed Saviour has blessed us, with a counsil, as Wholsome and as Needful as any that can be given us, in Math. 26.41. Watch and Pray, that yee Enter not into Temptation. As there is a Tempting Flesh, and a Tempting World, which would seduce us from Our Obedience to the Laws of God, so there is a Busy Devil, who is by way of Eminency called, The Tempter; because by him, the Temptations of the Flesh and the World are managed.