Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-07-21

CneSt. IIeu PITCHING ia NY Sue WIilCu
caused me to start up: which Abraham Finch
seeing, asked what wassthe matter. told
him was prickcd in We side. Then the sayd
Katharine beholdng her hand overye bed,
sayde, .Gooddy Miller give NEE The thing
that you pricht Mr.. SeIeck wlthall: then She
ting her hand, Abraham Finch xecht hold Of
her hand, and wee found pin in it,, also,
when she put out her hand thare was nothing
that wee could see. Then after short space
she came to her self, and asked her why
she prickt me; she answered that she did not
and that it was Gooddy Miller.
Stamford, August 81. 1899.
"The other is ready 10 give oath TO the
above testimony
Sworn in Court, Sept lee.
"JOHN ALLYN, Sec'y."
Edward Jesop, aged about 20 years,
test6eth, that being al Thomas Dishurrow's
hou at Compoh, sometime in ye beginning
of last winter, in the evening, he asked me 10
tarrv and sup with him; and there saw
pigg roasting, that looked very well, but
when it came to we table, (wheIe we had
very good lite, it seemed to me to have no
skin upon it, and locke strangely, but when
we sd DisburIow began to cut it, Je skin Ito
my apprehension came again upon it, and it
seemed to be as ii was when it was upon ye
spit, at which strange alteration Of We pig
was much concerned. However, fearing to
displease his wife by refusing to, eat, did
eat some of We pig; and the anne time Isaac
Sherwood being there. and Disburrow S wife
and he discourcing concerning certain
place of Scripture, and being of ye sane
mind that Sherwood was concerning We place
of Scripture land Sherwood telling her where
ye place Of Scripture was, she brought A bi
Bile, Chat was of very large print, TO me to
read Je particular Scripture but though
had good light, and looked directly upon
ye book, could not see one letter; but look
ing upon it again when in her hand, after
she had turned over few leaves, could see
to read it Above A yard off. Ye same night
going home and coming to Compob Creek,
it seemed to be high watel; whereupcn |
went to cannooe, that was about ten rods
of (which lay upon such bank as ordinari-
ly could have showed it intoye creek with
ease ) and though lifted with all my might,
aud lifted one end very h gh fron the ground
could by no means push it into ye creek;
and then the water seemed to be so loe vt
might ride over, whereupon went again to
ye water side. but then it appeared as at
FIRST, very high; and then going TO ye can
nooe again and indlng that could not get it
into ye creek, thought to ride round where
| had often been, and knew We way as we'll
as before my own dore, and had my old cart
horse; yet could not keep him in ye road
do what could but he often turned aside
into ye bushes, and then went backm ards,
so that though kept upon my hors; and did
my best endeavor to get home, was the
6 eatest part of We night wandering. before
got home, altho' it was not much more than
two miles Fayrefeld, September 10. l692.
"Sworn in Court, Sept. IS, l69s.
"Attest, JOHN ALLYN, Sec'y"
The testimony was generally of similar
character to the foregoing, with the excep-
ton Of several afidayits which went to show
how strangely the swine, calves and cattle,
were affected by the malicious enchant-
nients of these sorceresses. For the good
people fully believed that,
Harm'd by their skill, the wasting cattle
&C And droop and languish through their evil
eye.
These affidayits, and q number relating
TO the cruelties p1ac,ised by them upon chill
dreE, we did not think ii worth the while 10
copy. Put the testimony thus far, was
deemed sufficient to make out tie case SO as
10 warrant conviction. According ly resort
was had to a more sure and certain test Of the
guilt of the prisoners. This test was the
wis and infallibie device prescribed by such
cases in ancient usage, of throwing the per-
sons suspected OF witchoraft into the river,
when, ii they sunk and drowned, their in
nocence was fully established. But if on
the contrary, they lloated when bound hand
and foot, the proof OF guilt was irreragible
and conclusive. These children Of Satan
were therefore doomed to III" watery trial.
We know II has bepn strenuously denied