Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-09-13

several times to DO it, but could not, making
the same blunders as before, tho she could re-
peat the rest Of the prayer perfectly well. At
ter this, Jane Wcnham was asked whether she
had any hand in bewitching Anne Thorne? p
TO which at first she gave no positive answer
but upon Mr.. Struts telling her, that if she
was guilty of such II vile fact, it would be the
best thing she could do, both for the salvation
of her own soul and the good of others, to con-
Tess. Then she began to reent little, and de-
sired Mr., Strut to go with her into another
private room, and she would declare to him
wat she had to say: but he being desrous
that Mr.. Gardiner, the minister Of the parish
and her own kinsman, Archer, should hear all,
pressed that they might be present, which she
consented to and before Mr. Gardiner, ard her
cousin Archer, Mr.. Strut first asked her sim
cerely to tell him whether she was witch .
She said she was; then he asked her again,
whether she had not, hand in bewitchng
as deep in it as herself. Then he asked her
what induced her to do such q wicked act p
She reply'd the girl had once vexed her Then
it was thought fit to ask her, whether she did
not meet Anne Thono on Tuesday morning as
she came from Mrs. Adams and threaten her,
as she, the said Anne Thorne, told her mistress?
She answered she was not at home at that time
Mr.. Strut asked hr If 1t aoas not herself
tohether IL tcaS not her familiar IN her Shape?-
She confessed it was her familiar in her shape
Alter this confession in general, that she wasa
witch, and had bewitched Anne 'Hhorne in par
tcular, they asked her further how long she
had lived in this course Of wtchcraft? Sic
answered above sixteen years and that it was
before her first husband died, who came to q
very miserable end, and was supposed to have
been bowitchcd by her. Then they asked her
what it was that induced her to enter into this
familiarity with the devil? She said it was q
malicious and wicked mind for when any of
her neighoors vcxed her, she used horrid curses
and imprecations. on which the devil took ad-
vantage over her. After this they desired her
w liIIO4IL CuNuI WIZ NtIC uCl tVilltNtIdlGG' -
She named three women Of Walkerne. This
is an exact account Of her confession, as Mr..
Gardiner added it to his former information
upon oath and Mr.. Strut also affirmed to me
to be true, and gave it i'll evidence afterwards at
the assizcs, Of which more when we come to
the trial. Mr.. Archer her kjnSnt0n, ,raS 50 ful-
!y satisfied ,UHh this free and unconstrdined con-
feSsiop, that he declared he had not one acord
more TO sag IN her behay."
f If there Is one thing more than another that
inspires feeling of disgust in these trials, it is
the PROCLAMATION Of their high and holy Office by
p ministers of religion Nothing is too sacred to
escape pollution. The simple words first uttered
by divine lips on the shores Of the S.0 of Cali
= lee, and which for nearly nineteen centuries
4 have been lisped by millions of children each
- evening as they lie down to rest under the
shelter of His wing, and have arisen with their
s morning orisons as they wake from their inno
$ cent slumbers, which mnge alike with the
o pealine of the organ in the grandcst of our ca
4 thedral services, and with the sobs Of the peni
e tent on the bed of ponury, guilt and death :
V even these have not sanctity enough to guarC
If them from the proclamation of superstition, and
y the worse proclamation of cruelty.
t. 1t has been we'll observed by Sir George
% Mackenzie, that most of these poor creatures
l. are tortured by their keepers, who being per
l. suaded that they do God good service, think it
d their duty to yoX and torment poor prisoners
4. and know ca certiaama Scicntio, that most Q
III all that ever were taken were tormentcd aite
e. tlls manner, and this usage was the ground o
T. all their confession And really
r.? ministers are oltimes ndlscrect in their zeal tt
1t have poor creatures confess in tins. And
v recommend to judges that the wsest minister
e, should be sent to tacm, and those who are sen
re should be cautious in this.
+, Certainly neither the Rev. Mr., Strutt no
+. the Rev. Mr.. Gardiner were entitled TO ran
he amongst the g wisest ministers; +" but there
re 10 reason to suppose that they were more foo
of ish than their contemporaries, or even tina
tn greater wisdom prevails at the present day.
at is little more than two years since witness,
ng clergyman, at the bar of the House of Lord
IT, ayowed that he had drawn up confession
cd guilt in the form OF a prayer, and commando
ID, an accused person to go down ON her kne
st. and pay that prayer" and then appeared ,
lc~ witness to prove the confession so obtained.
I'D 1t is curious alsp to observe how true is Il