THE WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD. BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF SEVERAL WITCHES LATELY EXECUTED IN NEW-ENGLAND. (1862)

BY COTTON MATHER, D.D. TO WHICH IS ADDED A FARTHER ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF THE NEW-ENGLAND WITCHES. BY INCREASE MATHER, D.D. PRESIDENT OF HARVARD COLLEGE. LONDON: JOHN RUSSELL SMITH, SOHO SQUARE. 1862.

I have heavily edited the originals of these and taken some parts out and put them separate. The writing style is extremely old, the spelling quite different, and parts are repetitious. The parts I have left I think still give a good idea of just how these guys thought. Unfortunately there are still some people even in today's world who would whole-heartedly agree with what these guys are saying. Any comments I make will be in italics.

Matter Omitted in the Trials.

Nineteen Witches have been Executed at New-England, one of them was a Minister, and two Ministers more are Accus'd. There is a hundred Witches more in Prison, which broke Prison, and about two Hundred more are Accus'd, some Men of great Estates in Boston, have been accus'd for Witchcraft. Those Hundred now in Prison accus'd for Witches, were Committed by fifty of themselves being Witches, some of Boston, but most about Salem, and the Towns Adjacent. Mr. Increase Mather has Published a Book about Witchcraft, occasioned by the late Trials of Witches, which will be speedily printed in London by John Dunton.


Back to start of Spirituality section

My Index Page