[64] Concerning this curious Paper, Quincy, in Hist. Harvard College, remarks: "As the Belief in the Agency of the Invisible World began to lessen, and some of those, who were the chief Actors in the Tragedy, to feel the Weight of public Indignation pressing upon them, they being Members of the Corporation, brought this Body into the Field for the Purpose of giving Countenance to that Belief, and of sustaining this decaying Faith." This was "prepared by both the Mathers, and signed by the whole Board, and circulated throughout New England."—Vol. I, Page 62. The Signers will all be found duly noticed in Dr. Allen's Biographical Dictionary.
[65] It will be remembered that the President (Mather) had published a Volume of Remarkable Providences, which, doubtless, met with a ready Sale, and induced a Desire for another.
[66] To which of the Justices the Author refers is not certain, as Mr. Danforth and Mr. Saltonstall, two of them, were dead when he wrote. The Latter died in 1694, and the Former in 1699.
[67] "That furious Marshal" was George Herrick, who, in October, 1692, stated, that "for nine Months his whole Time had been consumed as Marshal and Deputy Sheriff, in Cases of Witchcraft."—Felt, Annals of Salem, ii, 480. The Death of George Herrick is noticed in the Herrick Genealogy, as having occurred in 1695, but nothing is said of any Casualty. Mr. Savage supposes Him to be the same who came over in 1685, in the Ship with John Dunton, who, John says saved his Life at Sea.—Life and Errors, 126-7.
[68] Richard Baxter. William Bates, D.D., preached an excellent Sermon on the Death of the great Divine, and gives an Account of his Books, but says nothing of that whose Title is given above; doubtless for the same Reason mentioned by our Author, namely: that it was written or assented to by him in his Dotage. Dr. Bates was a Friend and Acquaintance of Dr. Increase Mather. In his Sermon, above cited, he says: "I went to Mr. Baxter with a very worthy Friend, Mr. Mather, of New England, the Day before he died; and, speaking some comforting Words to him, he replied, 'I have Pain; there is no arguing against Sense; but I have Peace.' To Mr. Mather, he said, 'I bless God that you have accomplisht your Business, the Lord prolong your Life.'"—Page 129-30. See Page 11 of this Volume for the Author's sensible Remarks on Mr. Baxter's Book.
[69] The Days of certain Weeks set apart by the Roman Catholic Church for Fasting and Prayer, in the four Seasons of the Year. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent, the Feast of Whitsuntide, the 14th of September, and the 13th of December, are the Ember-days; and the Weeks in which they occur are Ember-weeks. "Ember-days were so called, from the Word Ember, i. e., Ashes; because in old Times the Fathers us'd to sprinkle themselves with Ashes; or from the Custom of eating nothing on those Days till Night, and then only a Cake, baked under the Embers, which was thence called Ember-bread."—Phillips and Kersey.
[71] The Ethnics or Ethnicks. The Gentiles of ancient Times were denominated Ethnics. All Unbelievers in the Religion of the Jews and Christians.
[72] A Sect of Philosophers who took their Name from a Person named Manichæus, or Manes. Manes flourished about A.D. 277, and his Doctrine or Philosophy spread chiefly in Arabia, Egypt and Africa. He taught that Light was the Origin of all Good, and that in Darkness originated all Evil. Maniche is not unlike God among the Indians.
[73] Had the Author lived to this Time he would have seen that his Hopes were much further from being realized than he could have anticipated. Many Years ago, a noted Indian Chief, on being importuned respecting Christianity, and urged to adopt it in his Tribe, replied that "It might do for White People, but it did not suit Indians."