The Witchcraft in New England. Calef Robert

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      FOOTNOTES:

      [76] This was printed at the Time (1692) in a Separate Tract.

      [77] Whoever has the Inclination to turn over the Pages of the Martyrology may perhaps find who this "Renowned Person" was.

[78] To this elaborate Definition of the Devil and his Attributes it will hardly be necessary to add or diminish. But taking what Tillotson says of God, not quite so much need be said of the Devil. The Archbishop says, in his happy Manner: "We attribute nothing to God that hath any repugnancy or contradiction in it." It naturally follows then, that all else comes from the Devil.

      The famous Isaac Ambros says, "The first Period wherein Satan first begins to Assault the Elect, it is from their quickening in the Womb."—War with Devils, P. 29, 2d Ed. 1738. "So may we say of every Child, as soon as it is quickened in the Womb, that the Great Red Dragon, the Devil, stands ready to devour it."—Ibid. Our Author was not alone in remarkable Ideas.

[79] It does not appear how the Devil-in-chief came by his Appointment; whether his Office was by Election, or in what Manner he attained his high Station. It is not very material however.

[80] A very different Decision will be found elsewhere in our Pages.

[81] "The Devil of Mascon" was one of the Productions following the "Glorious Restoration," as Carlyle ironically calls it. Full Title in Bohn's Lowndes, Art. Devil.

[82] AMEN will doubtless be the Response of every one; but do not flatter yourself, Reader, that you are thus soon delivered from the Devil.

[83] Perhaps it may not be irrational to conclude that the Abode of the Devil, in those supernal Parts is at least as far from the Earth as the fixed Stars; the nearest of these, our Author informs us, in his Christian Philosopher, Page 18, is 2,404,520,928,000 Miles from the Earth. Now, allowing Lucifer to be able to fly with the Velocity of Sound, he could not reach this Planet short of 50,000 Years! Hence he must have set out on his Journey thousands of Years before the World was created. But the Arabians believe that Mahomet performed that Journey several Times in the space of a few Years. That Mahomet should beat the Devil is not extraordinary.

[84] The Author doubtless viewed the Stories in the Arabian Nights as Realities and actual Occurrences.

[85] "Nay, though wee make Profession to seeke GOD alone in our Troubles; yet when it comes to the Pinch, doe wee not runne vnto the Deuill?"—Cooper, Mystery of Witchcraft, 18–19.

[86] If Spectacles were invented as far back as 1269, "a little while ago" would hardly have applied to the Fact; but the Author probably had Reference to Z. Jansen, a Maker of Spectacles, living in Middleburgh, in 1590. The Inventor was a Monk of Pisa, named Spina.

[87] A great Plague in London was not then (1692) a very remote Event. That which raged in 1665 carried off 68,000 People, according to the best Estimate which could be made at the Time.

[88] This fabulous Monster was considered a Reality among a large Portion of the human Family. A satisfactory Account of what a Dragon is or is not, may be seen in that useful little Work entitled The Home Cyclopedia, compiled by Messrs. George Ripley and Bayard Taylor.

[89] A very considerable Part of the learned John Scheffer's History of Lapland is taken up in Details of Witchcraft, as observed in that Country. He was a Native of Germany, born 1621, resided some Time in Sweden, died 1679. For later Transactions of the same Kind, and in the same Country, the Reader may consult Dr. Horneck's Account, before referred to, "Done from the High-Dutch."

[90] This will all be found verified (if the Reader can command sufficient Credulity) in a curious little Work entitled England's Warning Pieces, printed in 1642, and fully illustrated by Engravings. Among Prodigies related, the Writer says: "I remember our Brethren in New England, not long since, made use of another most prodigious and mishapen and monstrous Birth, brought foorth by a Gentlewoman of that New Plantation, who had beene a maine Fautrix, if not originall Broacher of very many most wicked, dangerous and damnable Opinions in their Church." Page 27. For further Particulars see Savage's Winthrop's Journal, i, 261–3.

[91] This has Reference to the then late Persecution of the Huguenots in France. They had been protected by the Edict of Henry the Fourth (Nantes, 1598), which was revoked in 1685 by Louis XIV; by which Revocation about 50,000 Protestants were forced to fly the Kingdom. Some fled to Germany, Holland, Switzerland, England, and some even took Refuge in New England, where their Posterity are yet well known, respected and honored.

[92] If, according to СКАЧАТЬ