[150] George Burroughs. Why the Author merely gave the Initials of the Name of Mr. Burroughs is left to Conjecture. Perhaps he considered him deeper in the Devil's Arts than the Rest of the accused, and perhaps he (the Author) had been more uncharitable towards him than towards others. See the Rev. Mr. Upham's highly interesting Lectures on Witchcraft, 101, et seq. He was "the most prominent Victim of the diabolical Fanaticism of 1692. He was Son of that 'Mrs. Rebecca Burrows, who came from Virginia when her Son was quite young.' He was admitted a Member of Mr. Eliot's Church, Roxbury, 12 Apl., 1674. Probably his Father had died in Virginia, and we may hope, that the Mother also had gone to another World before the sad Proof of Perverseness of God's Ordinances in her chosen Refuge by the horrible Proceedings against her only Child."—Savage. His Wife, as will appear presently, was a Sister of "Mr. Ruck" of Salem. See Mr. Willis's Hist. Portland.
[151] It is not difficult to understand how a Person, believing, as all then believed, would be "cast into very great Confusion" at such Questions.
[152] Deodat Lawson, who had preached at Salem Village; and on the 24th of March, 1692, he there preached a Sermon, entitled "Christ's Fidelity the only Shield against Satan's Malignity; being Lecture Day, and a Time of Publick Examination, of some Suspected for Witchcraft." The second Edition of this Sermon was reprinted in London is 1704, in 12mo. Mr. Lawson was a sincere Believer in Witchcraft, and in his dedicatory Remarks, hopes "that it may please the ALMIGHTY GOD, to manifest his Power, in putting an End to your Sorrows of this Nature, by bruising Satan under your Feet shortly."—What is at present known of him and his Family will be found in Savage, under the appropriate Head. Respecting his Wife and Daughter, he says they had been dead above three Years. Appendix to the above Sermon, P. 99. He does accuse Mr. Burroughs.
[153] It is refreshing, after reading this Case of Mr. Burroughs, as related by our Author, and to which we are at a Loss to find Words denunciatory enough to apply, to read the Conclusion to which my learned and judicious Friend, Mr. Willis comes, after a full View of all the Circumstances: "There has nothing survived Mr. Burroughs, either in his Living or Dying, that casts any Reproach upon his Character; and although he died the Victim of Fanaticism as wicked and stupid as any which has ever been countenanced in civilized Society, and which for a Time prejudiced his Memory, yet his Reputation stands redeemed in a more enlightened Age from any Blemish."—History of Portland, 246, Ed. 1865.
[154] In 1680 poor Bridget Bishop appears to have been simply Bridget Oliver, and in that Year she was accused of being a Witch. "Feb. 22, the Negro of John Ingersol testified, before the Court of Commissioners, that he saw the Shape of said Bridget on a Beam of the Barn, with an Egg in its Hand, and that while he looked for a Rake or Pitchfork to strike it with, it vanished." She was ordered to give Bonds or go to Prison. See Felt, Annals of Salem, 265. She was the Wife of Edward Bishop, as will be seen further on. Her Husband was probably the Son of the first Edward Bishop of Salem. The Paternity of Bridget is uncertain. She may have been of the Family of Thomas Oliver, whose coming to Salem is recorded in the Founders of New England.
[155] There was a Family of Hobbs at Topsfield. On May 13th, 1692, William Hobbs of that Place was taken and sent to the Jail in Boston. On the 23d of the same Month Deliverance and Abigail, probably of the Family of William before named, were also sent to Boston and imprisoned. See Felt's Annals, 304, also Hist. Colls. Essex Inst., 141.
[156] Mr. Felt does not seem to have met with this Person in the Salem Records. He is mentioned in Savage's Dictionary, as marrying, at Salem, 28 Dec. 1671, Abigail Lord. More will be found of him when we come to the More Wonders. See also Colls. Essex Inst. ii, 140. There are also numerous other References to Persons of the Name.
[157] Often spelt Bligh. A Brick-maker of Salem. His Wife was Rebecca, Daughter, probably, of Deac. Charles Gott, by whom he had a large Family. The Names of his Children are given by Savage.
[158] The Man who had the following extraordinary Experience was unknown to both Felt and Savage, although he appears to have been an old Inhabitant of Salem. His Name was probably Cumin, Cuming, or Cummings, and may have been the Freeman of 1669.
[159] Supposed to be the Quaker, over a Transaction of which Mr. Savage with great Eagerness "exults." That Transaction will be found detailed in the Hist. and Antiqs. of Boston, 357. Were Quakers allowed to testify in those Days? Mr. Lemuel Shattuck has given an Account of the Family in the Appendix to his Memorials, 361, et seq.