men as
the two Mathers. To differ with them on a theological matter seemed to
him rather presumptuous. If they did not know what was sound in
theology, and right in practise; why was there any use in having
ministers at all, or who could be expected to be certain of anything?

Then if Sir William turned to the law, he was met by an almost unanimous
array of lawyers and judges who endorsed the witchcraft prosecution.
Chief-Justice Stoughton, honest and learned Judge Sewall--and nearly
all the rest of the judiciary--were sure of the truth in this matter.
Not one magistrate could be found in the whole province, to decide as a
sensible English judge is reported by tradition to have done, in the
case of an old woman who at last acknowledged in the feebleness of her
confused intellect that she was a witch, and in the habit of riding
about on a broomstick: "Well, as I know of no law that forbids old women
riding about on broomsticks, if they fancy that mode of conveyance, you
are discharged." But there was not one magistrate at that time, wise or
learned enough to make such a sensible decision in the whole of New
England.

Thus with the almost unanimous bar, and the great preponderance of the
clergy, advising him to pursue a certain course, Sir William undoubtedly
would have followed it, had he not been a man whose sympathies naturally
were with sea-captains, military officers, and other men-of-the-world;
and, moreover, if he had not a wife, herself the daughter of a
sea-captain, who was an utter disbeliever in her accused friends being
witches, and who had moreover a very strong will of her own.

Of course if the Governor should come to Lady Mary's opinion, the
prosecution might as well be abandoned--for, with a stroke of his pen,
he could remit the sentences of all the convicted persons. Left to
himself and Lady Mary, he doubtless would have done this; but he wished
to continue in his office, and to be a successful Governor; and he knew
that to array himself against the prosecution and punishment of the
alleged witches was to displease the great majority of the people of the
province; including, as I have shown, the most influential persons. In
fact, it was simply to retire from his government in disgrace.

All this the Reverend Cotton Mather represented to Sir William, with
much else of a less worldly, but no doubt still more effective
character, based upon various passages of the old Testament rather than
upon anything