The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-12-26

Several physicians were consulted; all
of whom, except one, declared them
selves unable to assign use for these
singular affections Of the children
This man, more ignorant or more SUI
perstitious than his companions, confess
ed his suspicion that the children were
bewitched. The declaration appears
to have been decisive. The connexions
of the children Immediately applied
themselves to fasting and prayer, and
summoned their friends to unite with
them in their devotions. On the 18th
of the following March, Mr.. Paris in
vited several of the neighbouring minis
tiers to unite with him in prayer at his
own house. 1t was observed that, dur
ing the religious exercises, the children
were generally decent and still and
that, after the service was ended, they
renewed their inexplicable conduct
A few days before this, an Indian man
and woman, servants in the house of
Mr.. Paris, formed a kind of magical
cake, which, like the mola among the
Romans, was esteemed sacred in Mex
leo, the native country of the woman,
and was supposed by these ignorant
creatures to possess an efficacy suffi-
cient TO detect the authors of the witch
craft. This cake was given to the
bouse-dog, as having the common ca
nine Prerogative of corresponding with
the invisible world. Soon after this
spell was finished, the children acquaint-
ed probably with its drift, and there
fore naturally considering this as the
proper time to make disclosures, began
to point out the authors of their msfor-
tunes The first person accused was the
Indian woman herself, who was accord
ingly committed to prison; and after
lying there some time, escaped without
any further punishment, except being
sold to ,defray the expense of her pros
ecution.
Two other women, of the names of
Good. and Osborn, one long sunk in
melancholy, the other bedrid, were
next accused by the children; and, after
being examined, were also committed
to prison. Within FIVE weeks, Mrs.
Corey, and Mrs. Nurse, women of I'M
blemished character, and professors of
religion, were added to the number of
the accused. Before the examination
of Mrs. Corey, Mr.. Noyes, Minister Of
Salem, highly esteemed for his learn
ing, piety, and benevolence, made a
prayer. She was then vehemently ac-
cused by Mrs. Putnam, the mother of one
of them, and by several other pesons,
who now declared themselves bewitch-
ed, of beating, pinching, strangling, and
in various other ways affecting them.
Mrs. Putnam, particularly, complain
ed of'excruciating distress and with
loud piercing shrieks excited in the
numerous spectators emotions of aston
ishment. pity, and Indignation, border
ing upon frenzy. Mrs. Corey was, of
course, pronounced guilty, and i'm
prisoned.
The examination of Mrs. Nurse was
introduced by a prayer from Mr.. Hale,
of Beverly. The accusation, the
answers, the proof, and the conse-
quenGe, were the same.
Soon after her commitment, a child
Of Sarah Good, the melancholy woman
mentioned above, aged between four
and ave years, was accused by the same
woman Of bewitching them, and accord
ingly was imprisoned.
IN the mean time, fasts were multi
piled. Several publick ones were kept
by the inhabitants of the village and
finally general fast was holden through
out the colony. BY these successive So
IDENTITIES the subject acquired a consider
alton literally sacred; and alarmed and
engrossed the minds of the whole commu-
nifty. Magistrates and clergymen gave to
ii the weight oftheir belief, and their rep
utation led their feIlow-citizens into lab
yrinth of errour andiniquity; and stained
the character of their country in the eye
OF all succeeding generations.
Had Mr.. Paris, instead of listening TO
the complaints Of the children i'm his fam
lily, and holding days of fasting and
prayer on SO preposterous an occasion.
corrected them. severely had the ply
stefan mentlone d above, instead of pro-
nounoing them bewitched, administered
to them strong dose of Ipecacuana
had the magistrates who received the ac-
cusatlons, and examined the accused.
dismissed both, and ordered the accus-
ers to prison; O., finally, had the Judges
OF the Superior Court directed the first