The Portland daily press., 1896-12-03
LORE OF THE WITCHES.
On the Shelves of the Library of Maine
Clergymen.


A writer in the Ruckland Courier
Gazette. in the course of an interesting
article on the library of rare books, the
property of the Methodist clergy man.
says:
The Rev. Carl E. Peterson, pastor of
the Methodist church Of North Walder-
boro is the fortunate possessor of fine
library, containing more than 1900 vol
umes. Apart from his working library.
he is the owner of a number of scarce,
curious, and out Of the way books which
are well worth looking at as some OF
them are almost unique. Especially
noteworthy is a collection of books on
"The Black Art" containing over 200
volumes relating 20 magic, witchcraft,
sorcery, neoromanoy, demonology and
dsvil-lore and more uncanny array of
volumes was never seen in one place.
This is Mr.. Peterson IS hobby as far as
collecting goes, and for years his spare
time has been spent i'll the study of this
lore of the dark ages.
The most part of these volumes are
extremely rare and full of ourio US in
formation relating to his Satanic maJes-
ty.
The frst volume to ment tion is large
folio and the comprehensive title which
is almost as long as the list of contents
reads as follows:
"The Displaying of Supposed Witch
craft, wherein is affirmed that there are
many sorts Of Deceivers and Imposters,
and Divers persons under passive De-
lusion of Melancholy aud Fancy, but
that there is d oorporeal league made
betwix5 the Devil and the Witch, or
that witches are turned into cats.
dogs, raise tempests or the like
is utterly denied and disproyed. VIII ere
In is also handled The Existence Of
Angels and Spirits, the truth Of Appari-
tinns, the nature of Astral and Syderal
Spirits the Farce of Charms and Phil
tiers; with other abstruse matters. BY
John Webster Practitioner in Physick.
False etenim opiniones Hominum
prao0cupantes, non solum surdos, sed
oacos faciunt, it unit videre nequeant,
qua aliis psrspioua apparent. Galen.
lib. 8 de comp med. London. Printed
by J. NJ. and are to be sold by book
sellers In London, 1871.
This curious and learned volume ad-
duces many notable examples and was
written In opposition to the treatises of
Glanvill and Henry More the platonist
which work l will mention here.
"Saddusismus Trjumphatus, or full
and plain evidence, concerning witches
and Apparitions in two parts. The
first treating of their Possibility the Soc
ond of their real existence. By Joseph
har Iai in n fo
Charles IL ana +. X. S.
Both of these volumes are In fine state
OF preservation and perfect in every de-
t$; they are extremely rare and very
seldom copies are seen for sale in the
booksellers catalogues.
''Ihe Devils Pulpit" in volumes
IL no., is another curious publication
which WAS edited in weekly parts and
later issued in book form. Rev. Robert
Taylor, an aposuate Church of England
Clergyman, delivered these lectures in
Carlisle House, England. The sale of
these lectures WAS immediately prohib-
tied by the government anil nsarly the
whole of this vile and blasphemous pub.
lication destroyed. The author was
heavily fined and imprisoned for two
years, and bound to enter into large
recognizances not again to offend. I'm.
doubtedly 1T is one of the most extEaor-
dinary books ever written. TIE author
iiUb COb Win CdAlluk ~ u0 3JcFIh
Pulpit" styles himself tThis Highness's
Chaplain and after the title "Ihe
Devils Pulpit" puts the following quo
teton from Allan Cunningham, "And a
Bonnie Pulpit it is.' The volumes are
excessively rare and bring high price
i'll the book market.
San Historical Essay concerning
witlchcraft with observations upon
Matter of Fact; By Frances Hutchinson,
London, I720.''
q Ibis work contains much interesting
matter and develops many celebrated
impostures. 1t is especially valuable for
it's curious chronological tables of the
number sof poor wretches burned as
witches from 14S5-1692. It is curious,
but degrading to humanity to read those
accounts where men and women were
cruelty burned or hanged on the most
ridiculous accusations of which | will
mention a few:
l645-'Ohe hanged at Cam bridge. She
kept tame Frog, and it was sworn to
be her imp"
. 1646-"One hanged at Gloucester con-
voted for having sucked a Sow in the
form of little black creature" "a
Flea.)
Here is bill sent in to the town for
"expenses disbursed extraordinarily upon
William Cooke and Alison Dick,'' as
follows:
E. 8. d.
For ten loads of coals to burn