he opinion had long
prevailed that, by the aid of malignant spirits, certain persons
possessed supernatural powers, which were usually exercised in the
mischievous employment of tormenting others; and the criminal code of
both countries was disgraced with laws for the punishment of
witchcraft. With considerable intervals between them, some few
instances had occurred in New England of putting this sanguinary law
in force; but in the year 1692, this weakness was converted into
frenzy; and after exercising successfully its destructive rage on
those miserable objects whose wayward dispositions had excited the ill
opinion, or whose age and wretchedness ought to have secured them the
pity of their neighbours, its baneful activity was extended to persons
in every situation of life, and many of the most reputable members of
society became its victims.

The first scene of this distressing tragedy was laid in Salem. The
public mind had been prepared for its exhibition by some publications,
stating the evidence adduced in former trials for witchcraft both in
Old and New England, in which full proof was supposed to have been
given of the guilt of the accused. Soon after this, some young girls
in Boston had accustomed themselves to fall into fits, and had
affected to be struck dead on the production of certain popular books,
such as the _assembly's catechism_, and _Cotton's milk for babes_,
while they could read Oxford's jests, or popish and quaker books, with
many others, which were deemed profane, without being in any manner
affected by them. These pretences, instead of exposing the fraud to
instant detection, seem to have promoted the cheat; and they were
supposed to be possessed by demons who were utterly confounded at the
production of those holy books. "Sometimes," says Mr. Hutchinson,
"they were deaf, then dumb, then blind; and sometimes, all these
disorders together would come upon them. Their tongues would be drawn
down their throats, then pulled out upon their chins. Their jaws,
necks, shoulders, elbows, and all their joints would appear to be
dislocated, and they would make most piteous outcries of burnings, of
being cut with knives, beat, &c. and the marks of wounds were
afterwards to be seen." At length an old Irish woman, not of good
character, who had given one of those girls some harsh language, and
to whom all this diabolical mischief was attributed, was apprehended
by the magistracy; and neither confessing nor den