Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-05-28

From Gs .Vcu lork Mirror
NEW ENGLAND WlTCHCRAFT.
nv yonS NAL.

CHAPTER Tng EIGHTH.


led back IN triumph he. prepared for the worse.
Rachel afraid only for Elizabeth, and Elizabeth /
more dead Than slye.
Ga tho Gfth day OF August l602--lcss than
one hundred and fifty years sgP--he was pu, upon
Trial, he, a minister Of the gkspel. in the very
heart Of New England. for wSichcraf IL hap |
pobcd in the midst Of terrible thunder storm, and I
lasted all day and part of The night Ills be- |
haviour was that Of good fhd blavcs man but |
lac shook. nevertheless, two three times after !
/ nighiiall when he saw beside eight contessing
witches, and five six poor disIcmpered cresiures,
Elizabeth Hubbard herself woman whose char
acer had been nj bis mercy for years. John Ruck.
his broihcr-in-law pious, weak man, two or
three old and very dear friends. and halt n score
| Of noiehbors arrayed against him. as if each were
encouraged by the others. What wOs he to be-
/ leye 7 what could he believe These people
| were not, like Elizabeth HObbird 10 his power
like the multitude, either hostile to afraid
! Of him. They were there 10 take away his life
under deep sense of duty. His manly heart
sweed when he this and shadow fell upon
the faces around him. IL was the shadow of death,
| ard he knew il.
The confessng witches testified" to borrow
the very language Of eyewitness TO the whole,
that the prisoner had been at witch meetings with
them and had seduced and compelled them into
I
fine clothes for doing it that he brought poppets
to them, and ,horns to stick into those poppe,s for
the affecting other people, and that he exhorted
Them to bewitch all Salem village but DO it grad
ually."
Among the bewitched. or afflicted persons one
declared, that in her agonies, little black man
came to her, saying his name was Burroughs, and
bidding her set her hand to book which lie show
&c her Dragging that he was a coniurer, and above
the ordinary rank of witches y and Others that
" in their tormenis the prisoner tempted them to
go to sacrament, to which they heard him sum
s monng other witches by the sound of a trumpet
who came from all quarters, heller SHELTER, to th
g renAsavoos,, another, recovering from trance
declared, f" that lie had carried her away into ih
top of very high mountain, where he showed he
= mighty and glorious kingdoms, and offered then
d all TO her if she would but write her name in hi
book" His sudden appearance at the trial OF ga
rah Good, his look Of premature old age after q
3, absence of only three years, about which ever
10 body spoke with surprise when no appeared i
n court his loud voice aud sxarhy complexion
h both unlike what they had heen, that few coul
@ remember him in the gay, highspirited youth, who
ie they had known but few years before and bee
10 50 well acquainted with when a preacher; his b
~ haviour 20 the boy, his reproduction Of the lo
or knife at such critical moment by the help Of th
III boy; his blght, fierce look at his undauntcd co
rage. and his remarkable words when they ash,
him by what authority he was abroad again. al
RS he answered, By the authority Of the Sro'
ar Mia! Who was the Strong Man BY the q
wv thory of one who has endowed me with gre
re powcrr Who was that Onc3
is The judges were no. long in doubt. FOR it belt
cd proved by great number of respectable and ,rui
his worthy witnesses, that the accused though sm
NV man, had hlied a gun Of seven feet barrel vi
for hand behind the lock nay, that with his fol
m finger in the barrel he did so, and that in the
. party and ct the same place, q stout, formidal
,nr savage did the same thing, II was acludgod by
- court, after consulting together awhile. that b.
roughs had been aided and assisted by the Bla
Man, who was near, in a bodily shape and ai
inc this it having been satisfactorily proved that
oli- rougbs ma6e nothing Of other feats requiring
me bodily strength, such one there had ever 81
val or heard og out of the holy Scriptures, it was
nd EMMY adudged by the same court, after furt
sb consultation, that George Burroughs had deS
be and, after this. 1t being proved By Mr.. Ruck,
,,b brother-in-aw Of Burroughs, =" that day, vi
ny Burroughs and his wife and Mr.. Ruck went
, of after strawberries together three miles into
ell. country, Burroughs on foot and thew on horscba
Rnrronahs eni aside into The bushes Wherein
they halted aud hallooed for him and he not m
,iur ing them any reply. they went homewHrd will
Inc quiekened pace. not expecting TO see him fo'
MICS considerable Tune, but when they were near nc
they saw him ahead of them, all at once. and al
as before with basket Of strawberries, ne
gathered, waiting FOR he vtie, whom he repro
ZION Tor what she had spoken her brother the
en- ahch, sben they msUolled at, lie said he ki
Hh- their very thoughts and Rack. saying that
en's more than the devil himself could know, he
Ut severed with a heat, Brother and wife, my
IN makes known your thoughts 10 me-" All this
o. Jog proved, the court, after third eonsul,ai
. 70 gave Judgment ~ the following words -"
1Li George Burroughs then stepped aside only 4
by the assistance Of the Black Man, he might
'PH on bis inyisibiliiy. and In that fascinating "
D. crafty his own jealous humor TO hear what
said Of him"
is OTHERS now testified that both bis wives
seen frequently complained Of their house being iroo
with wicked spirits; and others who bad sV
q the before The committing Judge to the same 81
lsied ro~ repeated. while It numbered and lightcne
nder their DpsaTbed aees and the big sweat stood
&c 10 the lofeh,sd Of Burroughs who appeared as #
the heart va broken. though s5oSi his mouth vi