Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/67

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No. 16]
Salem Witches
39

Woman of your Profession, to afflict a poor Creature so? What hurt did I ever do you in my Life? You have but two Years to live, and then the Devil will torment your Soul for this : Your Name is blotted out of God's Book, and it shall never be put into God's Book again. Be gone for shame, are you not afraid of what is coming upon you? I know, I know, what will make you afraid, the Wrath of an angry God : I am sure that will make you afraid. Be gone, do not torment me ; I know what you would have, (we judged she meant her Soul:) but it is out of your reach, it is clothed with the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness. This Sufferer I was well acquainted with, and knew her to be a very sober and pious Woman, so far as I could judge ; and it appears that she had not in that Fit, voluntary Converse with the Devil ; for then she might have been helped to a better Guess about that Woman above-said, as to her living but two Years, for she lived not many Months after that time. . . .

16. Some of them were asked how it came to pass that they were not affrighted when they saw the Black-man, they said they were at first, but not so much afterwards.

17. Some of them affirmed, they saw the Black-man sit on the Gallows, and that he whispered in the Ears of some of the Condemned Persons when they were just ready to be turn'd off; even while they were making their last Speech. . . .

19. Some of them, have sundry times seen a White-man appearing amongst the Spectres, and as soon as he appeared, the Black-Witches vanished . They said : This White-man had often foretold them, what respite they should have from their Fits ; as sometimes a day or two, or more, which fell out accordingly. One of the Afflicted said she saw him in her Fit, and was with him in a Glorious Place, which had no Candle nor Sun, yet was full of Light and Brightness ; where there was a multitude in white Glittering Robes, and they sang the Song in Rev. 5. 9. Psal. 110. Psal. 149. she was loth to leave that Place, and said how long shall I stay here, let me be along with you? She was grieved, she could stay no longer in that Place and Company.

20. A young Woman that was afflicted at a fearful rate, had a Spectre appeared to her, with a white Sheet wrapped about it, not visible to the Standers by, until this Sufferer (violently striving in her Fit) snatch'd at, took hold, and tore off a Corner of that Sheet ; her Father being by her, endeavoured to lay hold upon it with her, that she might retain what she had gotten ; but at the passing away of the Spectre, he had such a vio-