I was gone into the house to which she belonged, she being abroad, and pretty well, when she was told I was there, she said, “I am loath to go in; for I know he will fall into some good discourse, and then I am sure I shall go into a fit.”  Accordingly, when she came in, I advised her to improve all the respite she had to make her peace with God, and sue out her pardon through Jesus Christ, and beg supplies of faith and every grace to deliver her from the powers of darkness; and, before I had uttered all this, she fell into a fearful fit of diabolical torture.

16.  Some of them were asked how it came to pass that they were not affrighted when they saw the black-man:  they said they were at first, but not so much afterwards.

17.  Some of them affirmed they saw the black-man sit on the gallows, and that he whispered in the ears of some of the condemned persons when they were just ready to be turned off, even while they were making their last speech.

18.  They declared several things to be done by witchcraft, which happened before some of them were born,—­as strange deaths of persons, casting away of ships, &c.; and they said the spectres told them of it.

19.  Some of them have sundry times seen a white-man appearing amongst the spectres, and, as soon as he appeared, the black-witches vanished:  they said this white-man had often foretold them what respite they should have from their fits, as sometimes a day or two or more, which fell out accordingly.  One of the afflicted said she saw him, in her fit, and was with him in a glorious place which had no candle nor sun, yet was full of light and brightness, where there was a multitude in white, glittering robes, and they sang the song in Rev. 5, 9; Psal. 110, 149.  She was loath to leave that place, and said, “How long shall I stay here?  Let me be along with you.” She was grieved she could stay no longer in that place and company.

20.  A young woman that was afflicted at a fearful rate had a spectre appeared to her with a white sheet wrapped about it, not visible to the standers-by until this sufferer (violently striving in her fit) snatched at, took hold, and tore off a corner of that sheet.  Her father, being by her, endeavored to lay hold upon it with her, that she might retain what she had gotten; but, at the passing-away of the spectre, he had such a violent twitch of his hand as if it would have been torn off:  immediately thereupon appeared in the sufferer’s hand the corner of a sheet,—­a real cloth, visible to the spectators, which (as it is said) remains still to be seen.

REMARKABLE THINGS RELATING TO THE ACCUSED.

1.  A woman, being brought upon public examination, desired to go to prayer.  The magistrates told her they came not there to hear her pray, but to examine her in what was alleged against her relating to suspicions of witchcraft.

2.  It was observed, both in times of examination and trial, that the accused seemed little affected with what the sufferers underwent, or what was charged against them as being the instruments of Satan therein, so that the spectators were grieved at their unconcernedness.