ice being so far executed among us, I shall Rejoice
that God is Glorified; and pray, that no wrong steps of ours may ever
sully any of his Glorious Works. But we will begin with,

A MODERN INSTANCE OF WITCHES,

DISCOVERED AND CONDEMNED IN A TRYAL,

BEFORE THAT CELEBRATED JUDGE,

SIR MATTHEW HALE.

It may cast some Light upon the Dark things now in _America_, if we just
give a glance upon the _like things_ lately happening in _Europe_. We
may see the _Witchcrafts_ here most exactly resemble the _Witchcrafts_
there; and we may learn what sort of Devils do trouble the World.

The Venerable _Baxter_ very truly says, _Judge +Hale+ was a Person, than
whom, no Man was more Backward to Condemn a Witch, without full
Evidence._

Now, one of the latest Printed Accounts about a _Tryal of Witches_, is
of what was before him, and it ran on this wise. [Printed in the Year
1682.] And it is here the rather mentioned, because it was a Tryal, much
considered by the Judges of _New England_.

_I._ _Rose Cullender_ and _Amy Duny_, were severally Indicted, for
Bewitching _Elizabeth Durent_, _Ann Durent_, _Jane Bocking_, _Susan
Chandler_, _William Durent_, _Elizabeth_ and _Deborah Pacy_. And the
Evidence whereon they were Convicted, stood upon divers particular
Circumstances.

_II._ _Ann Durent_, _Susan Chandler_, and _Elizabeth Pacy_, when they
came into the Hall, to give Instructions for the drawing the Bills of
Indictments, they fell into strange and violent Fits, so that they were
unable to give in their Depositions, not only then, but also during the
whole Assizes. _William Durent_ being an Infant, his Mother Swore, That
_Amy Duny_ looking after her Child one Day in her absence, did at her
return confess, that she had _given suck to the Child_: (tho' she were
an Old Woman:) Whereat, when _Durent_ expressed her displeasure, _Duny_
went away with Discontents and Menaces.

The Night after, the Child fell into strange and sad Fits, wherein it
continued for Divers Weeks. One Doctor _Jacob_ advised her to hang up
the Childs Blanket, in the Chimney Corner all Day, and at Night, when
she went to put the Child into it, if she found any Thing in it then to
throw it without fear into the Fire. Accordingly, at Night, there fell a
great Toad out of the Blanket, which ran up and down the Hearth. A Boy
catch't it, and held it in the Fire with the Tongs: where it made an
horrible Noise, and Flash'd like to Gun-Powder, with a report li