Page:Groton In The Witchcraft Times.djvu/12

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A briefe account of a strange & unusuall Providence of God befallen to Elizabeth Knap of Groton, by me Samuel Willard.

This poore & miserable object, about a fortnight before shee was taken, wee observed to carry herselfe in a strange & unwonted manner, sometimes shee would give sudden shriekes, & if wee enquired a Reason, would alwayes put it off with some excuse, & then would burst forth into iḿoderate & extravagant laughter, in such wise, as some times shee fell onto y^e ground w^th it: I my selfe observed oftentimes a strange change in here countenance, but could not suspect y^e true reason, but coneived shee might bee ill, & y^rfore divers times enquired how shee did, & shee alwayes answered well; w^ch made mee wonder: but the tragedye began to unfold itselfe upon Munday, Octob. 30. 71, after this mañer (as I received by credible information1671
Oct. 30., being that day my selfe gon from home). In the evening, a little before shee went to bed, sitting by y^e fire, shee cryed out, oh my legs! & clapt her hand on y^m, immediately oh my breast! & removed her hands thither; & forthwith, oh I am strangled, & put her hands on her throat: those y^t observed her could not see what to make of it; whither shee was in earnest or dissembled, & in this mañer they left her (excepting y^e person y^t lay with her) complaining of her breath being stopt: The next day shee was in a strange frame, (as wasOct. 31.observed by divers) sometimes weeping, sometimes laughing, & many foolish & apish gestures. In y^e evening, going into y^e cellar, shee shrieked suddenly, & being enquired of y^e cause, shee answered, y^t shee saw 2 persons in y^e cellar; whereupon some went downe with her to search, but found none; shee also looking with y^m; at last shee turned her head, & looking one way stedfastly, used y^e exp^rssion, w^t cheere old man? which, they that were with her tooke for a fansye, & soe ceased; afterwards (y^e same evening,) y^e rest of the family being in bed, shee was (as one lying in y^e roome saw, & shee herselfe also afterwards related) suddenly throwne downe into y^e midst of y^e floore w^th violence, & taken with a violent fit, whereupon y^e whole family was raised, & with much adoe was shee kept out of y^e fire frõ destroying herselfe after w^ch time she was followed w^th fits from thence till y^e sabbath day; in which shee was violent in bodily motions, leapings, strainings & strange agitations, scarce to bee held in bounds by the strength of 3 or 4: violent alsoe in roarings & screamings,