350
��The First New EnHand Witch.
��leased, the lad declared that he "should not be put under again." Fertile in imagination, he soon de- vised a plan.
At that time a belief in witclieraft was universal, and afforded a solution of everything strange and unintelli- gible. The old shoemaker firmly be- lieved in the supernatural agency of witches, and his roguish grandson knew it. That he might not be obliged to return to the scripture readings, the boy practised imposi- tions on his grandfather, to which the old man became a very easy dupe.
No one suspected the boy's agency except Caleb Powell. That worthy knew the young man, and believed that there was nothing marvellous or superstitious about the "manifesta- tions." Desirous of being esteemed learned, he laid claim to a knowledge of astrology, and when the " witch- craft " was the town talk, he gave out that he could develop the whole mys- tery. The consequence was that he was suspected of dealing in the black art, and was accused, tried, and nar- rowly escaped with his life.
On the court records of Salem is entered, —
"Dec. 3, 1679. Caleb Powell being complained of for suspicion of working with ve devill to the molesting of William Morse and his family, was by warrant directed to the constable, and respited till Mon- day."
" Dec. 8, (Monday.) Caleb Pow- ell api)eared and it
was determined that ye sd. Morse should |)resent ye case at ye county court at Ipswich in March."
This order was obeyed, and the trial came on. The following is a specimen of the testimony there given :
" William Morse saith, together
��with his wife, that Thursday night being November 27, we heard a great noyes of knocking ye boards of ye house, wliereu|)on myselfe and wife looks out and see nol)ody, but we had stones and sticks thrown at us so that we were forced to retire.
" Ye same night, ye doore being lockt when we went to bed, we heerd a great hog grunt in ye house, and willing to go out. That we might not be disturbed in our sleep, I rose to let him out, and I found a hog and the door nnlockt.
" Ye night next I had a great awl that I kept in the window, the which awl I saw fall down ye chimney into ye ashes. I bid ye boy put ye same avvl in ye cupboard which I saw done, and ye door shut too. Then ye same awl came down ye chimney again in our sight, and I took it up myselfe.
"Ye next day, being Saturday, stones, sticks and pieces of bricks came down so that we could not quietly eat our breakfast. Sticks of fire came downe also at ye same time.
" Ye same day in ye afternoon, my thread four times taken away and come downe ye chimney againe ; my awl and a gimlet wanting came down ye chimney. Againe, my leather and my nailes, being in ye cover of a fer- kin taken away, and come downe ye chimney.
" The next, being Sunday, stones, sticks and brickbats came downe ye chimney. On Monday, Mr. Richardson [the minister], and my brother was there. They saw ye frame of my cow-house standing firm. I sent my boy to drive ye fowls from my hogs' trough. He went to ye cow-house, and ye frame fell on him, he ci'vinij with ve hurt. In ve after- noone 3'e potts hanging over ye fire did dash so vehemently, one against another, that we did sett down one that they might not dash to pieces. I saw ye andiron lea|) into ye pott and dance, and leap out, and again leap in, and leap on a table and there abide. And my wife saw ye andiron on ye table. Also, I saw ye pott
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