Spirit of Beelzebub, lend me thine Art." &c.
[138] A vast Number of Books had been published previous to our Author's Time upon Magic, and Astrology. A principal Writer on these Subjects was Dr. John Dee. His Diary was published by the Camden Society in 1842. See also William Lilley's Hist. of his Life and Times.
[139] This most uncharitable Assertion is a complete Contradiction of what has before been asserted. He had already made poor New England bad enough, but this seems to place her in a perfectly hopeless Condition. Not many Pages back the Author cautioned the World lest it should not do Justice to New England, by believing her worse than Old England. A disordered Brain will always drive a Pen at random.
[140] An Idea reminding one of the Case of the Jew in the Merchant of Venice. Unfortunately for the poor accused Wretches, there was no Daniel to sit in Judgment, and to see that no Blood was taken with the Pound of Flesh.
[141] This certainly does not exhibit the Author as a "principal Ringleader" in those Persecutions. A Remark similar has been made to a previous Passage in the Text, of a like Purport. And frequent parallel Passages may be found.
[142] This is the French Form of what we now write Clucking. The Verb to cluck is well known, and in frequent Use where Hens are raised, but to employ it as the Doctor does cannot but excite Ridicule.
[143] Allowing this to be a just Conclusion it is remarkable that the Devil did not set his Witches at Work in the Beginning in the Colony of Plymouth; there were repeated Complaints to the Commissioners of the United Colonies, that various Towns in that Colony had neglected Ministers and Churches altogether; while from the County of Essex we hear of no such Complaints.
[144] Additional Particulars respecting this Woman may be seen in Dr. I. Mather's Prevalency of Prayer, published in Connection with his Relation. See Early Hist. New England, 275.
[145] Many, no Doubt, will think it strange that the Author did not count himself in. Had he done so he assuredly would have lost no Credit with his Readers now, nor probably by those in future.
[146] This Mr. Beacon does not appear to have belonged to Boston. He was probably a casual Resident at that Time.