us there was crept up into the scuttle of the Quarter Deck to come unto us but presently came another wave and dashing the Pinnace all to pieces carried my Wife away in the Scuttle as she was with the greater part of the quarter Deck unto the Shoar where she was cast safely but her Legs were something bruised and much Timber of the Vessel being there also cast she was sometime before she could get away being washed by the Waves All the rest that were in the Barque were drowned in the merciless Seas We four by that wave were clean swept away from off the Rock also into the Sea the Lord in one instant of time disposing of fifteen Souls of us according to his good pleasure and will His pleasure and wonderful great mercy to me was thus Standing on the Rock as before you heard with my eldest Daughter my Cousin and his eldest Son looking upon and talking to them in the Barque whenas we were by that merciless wave washed off the Rock as before you heard God in his mercy caused me to fall by the stroke of the wave flat on my face for my face was toward the Sea insomuch that as I was sliding off the Rock into the Sea the Lord directed my toes into a joynt in the Rocks side as also the tops of some of my fingers with my right hand by means whereof the wave leaving me I remained so having in the Rock only my head above the water When on the left hand I espied a Board or Plank of the Pinnace And as I was reaching out my left hand to lay hold on it by another coming over the top of the Rock I was washed away from the Rock and by the violence of the waves was driven hither and thither in the Seas a great while and had many dashes against the Rocks At length past hopes of Life and wearied in body and spirits I even gave over to nature and being ready to receive in the waters of Death I lifted up both my heart and hands to the God of Heaven For note I had my senses remaining perfect with me all the time that I was under and in water who at that instant lifted my head above the top of the water that so I might breathe without any hindrance by the waters I stood bolt upright as if I had stood upon my feet but I felt no bottom nor had any footing for to stand upon but the waters While I was thus above the water I saw by me a piece of the Mast as I suppose about three foot long which I laboured to catch into my arms But suddenly I was overwhelmed with water and driven to and fro again and at last I felt the ground with my right foot When immediately whilest I was thus groveling on my face I presently recovering my feet was in the water up to my Breast and through Gods great mercy had my face unto the shoar and not to the Sea I made hast to get out but was thrown down on my hands with the waves and so with safety crept to the dry shoar Where blessing God I turned about to look for my Children and Friends but saw neither nor any part of the Pinnace where I left them as I supposed But I saw my Wife about a Butt length from me getting her self forth from amongst the Timber of the broken Barque but before I could get unto her she was gotten to the shoar I was in the water after I was washed from the Rock before I came to the shoar a quarter of an hour at least When we were come each to other we went and sat under the Bank But fear of the Seas roaring and our coldness would not suffer us there to remain But we went up into the Land and sat us down under a Cedar Tree which the wind had thrown down where we sat about an hour almost dead with cold But now the Storm was broken up and the wind was calm but the Sea remained rough and fearful to us My Legs were much bruised and so was my head other hurt had I none neither had I taken in much quantity of water but my heart would not let me sit still any longer but I vvould go to see if any more were gotten to the Land in safety especially hoping to have met with some of my own poor Children but I could find none neither dead nor yet living You condole with me my miseries who now began to consider of my losses Now came to my remembrance the time and manner how and when I last saw and left my Children and Friends One was severed from me sitting on the Rock at my feet the other three in the Pinnace my little Babe Ah poor Peter sitting in his Sister Ediths arms who to the uttermost of her power sheltred him from the waters my poor William standing close unto them all three of them loâ—king ruefully on me on the Rock their very Countenances calling unto me to help them whom I could not go unto neither could they come at me neither would the merciless waves afford me space or time to use any means at all either to help them or my self Oh I yet see their cheeks poor silent Lambs pleading pity and help at my hands Then on the other side to consider the loss of my dear Friends with the spoiling and loss of all our Goods and Provisions my self cast upon an unknown Land in a Wilderness I knew not where nor how to get thence Then it came to my mind how I had occasioned the Death of my Children who caused them to leave their native Land who might have left them there yea and might have sent some of them back again and cost me â—othing these and such like thoughts do press down my heavy heart very much But I must let this pass and will proceed on in the Relation of Gods goodness unto me in that desolate Island on which I was cast I and my Wife were almost naked both of us and wet and cold even unto death I found a Snapsack cast on the shoar in which I had a Steel and Flint and Powder-horn Going further I found a drowned Goat then I found a Hat and my Son William's Coat both which I put on My Wife found one of her Petticoats which she put on I found also two Cheeses and some Butter driven ashoar Thus the Lord sent us some clothes to put on and food to sustain our new lives which we had lately given unto us and means also to make 〈◊〉 for in an Horn I had some Gun-powder which to mine owâ— and since to other mens admiration was dry So taking a piece of my Wives Neckcloth which I dried in the Sun I struck fire and so dried and warmed our wet Bodies and then skinned the Goat and having found a small Brass-pot we boyled some of her Our Drink was brackish water Bread we had none There we remained until the Monday following When about
it a Remarkable Providence To say how 〈◊〉 was done is difficult yet something of 〈◊〉 manner of the Deliverance may be 〈◊〉 the abovesaid Nathaniel Bissel perceiving their danger and being active in swimming endeavoured what might be the preservation of himself and some others he strove to have swum to the upper Ice but the Stream being too hard he was forced downwards to the lower Ice where by reason of the slipperiness of the Ice and disadvantage of the Stream he found it difficult getting up at length by the good hand of providence being gotten upon the Ice he saw one of the Women swimming down under the Ice and perceiving an hole or open place some few Rods below there he waited and took her up as she swum along The other two Women were in the River till the two Men in the little Canoo came for their relief at length all of them got their heads above the Water and had a little time to pause though a long and difficult and dangerous way to any shore but by getting their little Canoo upon the Ice and carrying one at a time over hazardous Places they did though in a long while get all safe to the shore from whence they came Remarkable also was the Deliverance which Iohn and Thomas Bissel of Windsor aforesaid did at another time receive Iohn Bissel on a Morning about break of day taking Nails out of a great Barrel wherein was a considerable quantity of Gun-Powder and Bullets having a Candle in his hand the Powder took fire Thomas Bissel was then putting on his clothes standing by a Window which though well fastened was by the force of the Powder carried away at least four Rods the Partition-wall from another Room was broken in pieces The roof of the House opened and slipt of the Plates about five foot down also the great Girt of the House at one end broke out so far that it drew from the Summer to the end most of its Tenant the Woman of the House was lying sick and another Woman under it in bed yet did the divine Providence so order things as that no one received any hurt excepting Iohn Bissel who fell through two Floors into a Cellar his shoes being taken from his feet and found at twenty foot distance his hands and his face very much scorched without any other wound in his body It would fill a Volume to give an account of all the memorable Preservations in the time of the late War with the Indians Remarkable was that which hapned 〈◊〉 Iabez Musgrove of Newbery who being shâ— by an Indian the Bullet entred in at his Ear and went out at his Eye on the other side of his Head yet the Man was preserved from Death yea and is still in the Land of the living Likewise several of those that were taken Captive by the Indians are able to relate affecting Stories concerning the gracious Providence of God in carrying them through many Dangers and Deaths and at last setting their feet in a large place again A Worthy Person hath sent me the Account which one lately belonging to Deerfield his name is Quintin Stockwell hath drawn up respecting his own Captivity and Redemption with the more notable Occurrences of Divine Providence attending him in his distress which I shall therefore here insert in the Words by himself expressed He Relateth as followes In the year 1677. September 19. between Sun-set and dark the Indians came upon us I and another Man being together we ran away at the out-cry the Indians made shouting and shooting at some other of the English that were hard by We took a Swamp that was at hand for our refuge the Enemy espying us so near them ran after us and shot many Guns at us three Guns were discharged upon me the Enemy being within three Rod of me besides many other before that Being in this Swamp that was miry I slumpt in and fell down whereupon one of the Enemy stept to me with his Hatchet lift upto knock me on the head supposing that I had been wounded and so unfit for any other travel I as it hapned had a Pistol by me which though uncharged I presented to the Indian who presently stept back and told me if I would yield I should have no hurt he said which was not true that they had destroyed all Hatfield and that the Woods were full of Indians whereupon I yielded my self and so fell into the Enemies hands and by three of them was led away unto the place whence first I began to make my flight where two other Indians came running to us and the one lifting up the Butt end of his Gun to knock me on the head the other with his hand put by the blow and said I was 〈◊〉 Friend I was now by my own House which the Indians burnt the last year and I was about to build up again and there I 〈◊〉 some hopes to escape from them there 〈◊〉 an Horse just by which they bid me take â— did so but made no attempt to escape therâ— by because the Enemy was near and the Beast was slow and dull then was I in hopes they would send me to take my own Horses which they did but they were so frighted that I could not come near to them and so fell still into the Enemies hands who now took me and bound me and led me away and soon was I brought into the Company of Captives that were that day brought away from Hatfield which were about a mile off and here methoughts was matter of joy and sorrow both to see the Company some Company in this condition being some refreshing though little help any wayes then were we pinioned and led away in the night over the Mountains in dark and hideous wayes about four miles further before we took up our place for rest which was in a dismal place of Wood on the East side of that Mountain We were kept bound all that night The Indians kept waking and we had little mind to sleep in this nights travel the Indians dispersed and as they went made strange noises as of Wolves and Owles and other Wild Beasts to the end that they might not lose one another and if followed they might not be discovered by the English About the break of Day we Marched again and got over the great River at Pâ—comptuck River mouth and there rested about two hours There the Indians marked out upon Trays the number of their Captives and Slain as their manner is Here was I again in great danger A quarrel arose about me whose Captive I was for three took me I thought I must be killed to end the controversie so when they put it to me whose I was I said three Indians took me so they agreed to have all a share in me and I had now three Masters and he was my chief Master who laid hands on me first and thus was I fallen into the hands of the very worst of all the
Condliff was struck stone dead as he was leaning over a Table and joyning with the rest in Prayer He did not stir nor groan after he was smitten but continued standing as before bearing upon the Table There was no visible impression on his body or clothes only the sole of one of his Shoes was rent from the upper Leather There were about twelve persons in the Room none else received any harm only one Woman who is still living was struck upon the Head which occasioned some deafness ever since The Fire on the House was quenched by the seasonable help of Neighbours Iuly 15. 1665. There were terrible cracks of Thunder An House in Boston was struck by it and the Dishes therein melted as they stood on the Shelves but no other hurt done in the Town Only Captain Davenport a Worthy Man and one that had in the Pequot War ventured his life and did great service for the Countrey then residing in the Castle where he commanded having that day wrought himself weary and thinking to refresh himself with sleep was killed with Lightning as he lay upon his Bed asleep Several of the Souldiers in the Castle were struck at the same time but God spared their lives It has been an old Opinion mentioned by Plutarch sympos lib. 4. q. 2. that Men asleep are never smitten with Lightning to confirm which it has been alledged that one lying asleep the Lightning melted the Money in his Purse without doing him any further harm And that a Cradle wherein a Child lay sleeping was broken with the Lightning and the Child not hurt And that the Arrows of King Mithridates being near his Bed were burnt with Lightning and yet himself being asleep received no hurt but as much of all this may be affirmed of persons awake And this sad Example Triste jaces lucis evitandumque Bidental of Captain Davenport whom the Lightning found and left asleep does confute the vulgar error mentioned And no doubt but that many the like Instances to this have been known in the World the Records whereof we have not But I proceed Iune 23. 1666. In Marshfield another dismal Storm of Rain with Thunder and Lightning hapned There were then in the house of Iohn Philips he was Father of that Iohn Philips who was slain by Lightning in the year 1658. fourteen persons the Woman of the house calling earnestly to shut the Door that was no sooner done but an astonishing Thunder-clap fell upon the house rent the Chimney and split the Door All in the house were struck One of them who is still living saith that when he came to himself he saw the house full of Smoke and perceived a grievous smell of Brimstone and saw the fire ly scattered though whether that fire came from Heaven or was violently hurled out of the Hearth he can give no account At first he thought all the people present except himself had been killed But it pleased God to revive most of them Only three of them were mortally wounded with Heavens Arrows viz. the Wife of Iohn Philips and another of his Sons a young Man about twenty years old and William Shertly who had a Child in his Arms that received no hurt by the Lightning when himself was slain This Shertly was at that time a sojourner in Iohn Philips his house having been a little before burnt out of his own house The Wife of this Shertly was with Child and near her full time and struck down for dead at present but God recovered her so that she received no hurt neither by fright nor stroke Two little Children sitting upon the edge of a Table had their lives preserved though a Dog which lay behind them under the Table was killed In the same year in the latter end of May Samuel Ruggles of Rocksborough in New-England going with a loaden Cart was struck with Lightning He did not hear the Thunder-clap but was by the force of the Lightning e're he was aware carried over his Cattle about ten foot distance from them Attempting to rise up he found that he was not able to stand upon his right Leg for his right foot was become limber and would bend any way feeling as if it had no bone in it nevertheless he made a shift with the use of one leg to get to his Cattle being an Horse and two Oxen which were all killed by the Lightning He endeavoured to take off the Yoak from the neck of one of the Oxen but then he perceived that his thumb and two fingers in one hand were stupified that he could not stir them they looked like cold clay the blood clear gone out of that part of his hand But by rubbing his wounded leg and hand blood and life came into them again As he came home pulling off his Stocking he found that on the inside of his right Leg which smarted much the hair was quite burnt off and it looked red Just over his Ankle his Stocking was singed on the inside but not on the outside and there were near upon twenty marks about as big as pins heads which the Lightning had left thereon Likewise the Shoe on his left foot was by the Lightning struck off his foot and carried above two Rods from him On the upper leather at the heel of the Shoe there were five holes burnt through it bigger than those which are made with Duck Shot As for the Beasts that were slain the hair upon their skins was singed so that one might perceive that the Lightning had run winding and turning strangely upon their bodies leaving little marks no bigger then Corns of Gun-powder behind it There was in the Cart a Chest which the Lightning pierced through as also through a quire of Paper and twelve Napkins melting some pewter dishes that were under them At another time in Rocksborough a Thunder Storm hapning broke into the house of Thomas Bishop striking off some Clapboards splitting two Studs of the end Spar and running down by each side of the Window where stood a Bed with three Children in it Over the head of the Bed were three Guns and a Sword which were so melted with the Lightning that they began to run It made a hole through the floor and coming into a lower room it beat down the shutter of the Window and running on a shelf of Pewter it melted several Dishes there and descending lower it melted a Brass Morter and a Brass Kettle The Children in the Bed were wonderfully preserved for a Lath at the corner of it was burnt and Splinters flew about their Clothes and Faces and there was not an hands breadth between them and the fire yet received they no hurt On the 18 of May being the Lords day A. D. 1673. The People at Wenham their worthy Pastor Mr. Antipas Newman being lately dead prevailed with the Reverend Mr. Higginson of Salem to spend that Sabbath amongst them The afternoon Sermon being ended he with several of the Town went to Mr. Newman his
to bring to his Mouth c. They looked like Images made black with the Lightning As for Scripture Examples of Men slain by Lightning it is the judgement of the Judicious and Learned Zuinger that the Sodomites those 250 that being with Corab in his Conspiracy presumed to offer Incense Numb 16. 35. And Nadab and Abihu and thâ—â— two Semicenturions with their Souldiers who came to apprehend the Prophet Elijah were all killed by Lightning from Heaven CHAP. IV. Some Philosophical Meditations Concerning Antipathies and Sympathies Of the Loadstone Of the Nature and Wonderful Effects of Lightning That Thunder-Storms are often caused by Satan and sometimes by good Angels Thunder is the Voice of God and therefore to be dreaded All Places in the habitable World are subject to it more or less No Amulets can preserve men from being hurt thereby The miserable estate of Wicked Men upon this account and the happiness of the Righteous who may be â—â—â—ve all disquieting fears with respect unto such terrible Accidents HAving thus far Related many Remarkable Providences which have hapned in these goings down of the Sun and some of the particulars especially in the last Chapter being Tragical Stories The Reader must give me leave upon this occasion a little to divert and recreate my mind with some Philosophical Meditations and to conclude with a Theological Improvement thereof There are Wonders in the Works of Creation as well as Providence the reason whereof the most knowing amongst Mortals are not able to comprehend Dost thou know the ballancings of the Clouds the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge I have not yet seen any who give a satisfactory reason of those strange Fountains in New Spain which Ebb and Flow with the Sea though far from it and which fall in Rainy Weather and rise in dry or concerning that Pit near St. Bartholmew's into which if one cast a stone though never so small it makes a noise as great and terrible as a clap of Thunder It is no difficult thing to produce a World of Instances concerning which the usual Answer is an occult Quality is the cause of this strange operation which is only a Fig-leaâ— whereby our common Philosophers seek to hide their own ignorance Nor may we with Erastus deny that there are marvelous Sympathies and Antipathies in the natures of things We know that the Horse does abominate the Camel the mighty Elephant is afraid of a Mouse And they say that the Lion who scorneth to turn his back upon the stoutest Animal will tremble at the Crowing of a Cock Some Men also have strange Aâ—tipathies in their natures against that â—ort of Food which others love and live upon I have read of one that could not endure to eat either Bread or Flesh. Of another that fell into a Swoonding fit at the smell of a Rose Others would do the like at the smell of Vineger or at the sight of an Eel or a Frog There was a Man that if he did hear the sound of a Bell he would immediately die away Another if he did happen to hear any one sweeping a Room an inexpressible horror would sieze upon him Another if he heard one whetting a Knife his Gumms would fall a bleeding Another was not able to behold a Knife that had a sharp point without being in a strange agony Quercetus speaketh of one that died as he was sitting at the Table only because an Apple was brought into his sight There are some who if a Cat accidentally come into the Room though they neither see it nor are told of it will presently be in a Sweat and ready to die away There was lately one living in Stow-Market that when ever it Thundred would fall into a violent Vomiting and so continue until the Thunder-storm was over A Woman had such an Antipathy against Cheese that if she did but eat a piece of Bread cut with a Knife which a little before had cut Cheese it would cause a Deliquium yet the same Woman when she was with Child delighted in no meat so much as in Cheese There was laâ—ely I know not but that he may be living still a Man that if Pork oâ— any thing made of Swines flesh were brought into the room he would fall into a convulsive Sardonian Laughter nor can he for his heart leave as long as that object is before him so that if it should not be removed he would certainly laugh himself to death It is evident that the peculiar Antipathies of some persons are caused by the imaginations of their Parents There was one that would fall into a Syncope if either a calves-Calves-head or a Cabbage were brought near him There were nâ—â—vi materni upon the Hypocondria of this person on his right side there was the form of a Calves head on his left side a Cabbage imprinted there by the Imagination of his Longing Mother Most Wonderful is that which Libavius and others report concerning a Man that would be surprized with a Lipothymy at the sight of his own Son nay upon his approaching near unto him though he saw him not for which some assigned this reason that the Mother when she was with Child used to feed upon such Meats as were abominable to the Father concerning the rationality of this conjecture see Sr. Kenelm Digby's discoâ—â—â—e of Bodies P. 409 410. but others said that the Midwife who bâ—ought him into the World was a Witch Nor are the Sympathies in Nature less Wonderful than the Antipathies There is a mutual Friendship between the Olive tree and the Myrtle There is a certain Stone called Pantarbe which draws Gold unto it So does the Adamas hairs and twigs The Sympathy between the Load-stone and Iron which do mutually attract each other is admirable There is no Philosopher but speaketh of this Some have published whole Treatises both profitable and pleasant upon this Argument In special Gilbert Ward Cabeus Kepler and of late Kircherus I know many Fabulous things have been related concerning the Load-stone by inexperienced Philosophers and so believed by many others E. G. that Onions or Garlick or Ointments will cause it to lose its vertue Iohnston and from him Dr. Brown in his vulgar Errors hath truly asserted the contrary Every one knoweth that the head of a Needle touched therewith will continue pointing towards the North Pole so that the Magnet leaveth an impression of its own nature and vertue upon the Needle causing it to stand pointed as the Magnet it self doth The Loadstone it self is the hardest Iron and it is a thing known that such Mines are naturally so notwithstanding the Report of one who saith that lately in Devonshire Load-stones were found otherwise posited in thâ— Earth Just under the Line the Needle lieth Parallel with the Horizon but Sailing North or South it begins to incline and increase according as it approacheth to either Pole and would at last endeavour to erect it self whence some ascribe these strange effects to
Brick and a piece of a weather-board were thrown in at the Window The Man at his going to Bed put out his Lamp but in the Morning found that the Saveall of it was taken away and yet it was unaccountably brought into its former place On the same day the long Staff but now spoken of was hang'd up by a line and swung to and fro the Man's Wife laid it in the fire but she could not hold it there inasmuch as it would forcibly fly out yet after much ado with joynt strength they made it to burn A shingle flew from the Window though no body near it many sticks came in at the same place only one of these was so scragged that it could enter the hole but a little way whereupon the Man pusht it out a great Rail likewise was thrust in at the Window so as to break the Glass At another time an Iron Crook that was hanged on a Nail violently flew up and down also a Chair flew about and at last lighted on the Table where Victuals stood ready for them to eat and was likely to spoil all only by a nimble catching they saved some of their Meal with the loss of the rest and the overturning of their Table People were sometimes Barricado'd out of doors when as yet there was no body to do it and a Chest was removed from place to place no hand touching it Their Keys being tied together one was taken from the rest the remaining two would fly about making a loud noise by knocking against each other But the greatest part of this Devils feats were his mischievous ones wherein indeed he was sometimes Antick enough too and therein the chief sufferers were the Man and his Wife and his Grand-Son The Man especially had his share in these Diabolical Molestations For one vvhile they could not eat their Suppers quietly but had the Ashes on the Hearth before their eyes thrown into their Victuals yea and upon their heads and Clothes insomuch that they were forced up into their Chamber and yet they had no rest there for one of the Man's Shoes being left below 't was filled vvith Ashes and Coals and throvvn up after them Their Light was beaten out and they being laid in their Bed with their little Boy betvveen them a great stone from the Floor-of the Loft vveighing above three pounds vvas throvvn upon thâ— mans stomach and he turning it down upon the floor it was once more thrown upon him A Box and a Board were likewise thrown upon them all And a Bag of Hops was taken out of their Chest wherewith they were beaten till some of the Hops were scattered on the floor where the Bag was then laid and left In another Evening when they sat by the fire the Ashes were so whirled at them that they could neither eat their Meat nor endure the House A Peel struck the Man in the face An Apron hanging by the fire was flung upon it and singed before they could snatch it off The Man being at Prayer with his Family a Beesom gave him a blow on his head behind and fell down before his face On another day when they were Winnowing of Barley some hard dirt was thrown in hitting the Man on the Head and both the Man and his Wife on the back and when they had made themselves clean they essayed to fill their half Bushel but the foul Corn was in spite of them often cast in amongst the clean and the Man being divers times thus abused was forced to give over what he was about On Ianuary 23 in particular the Man had an iron Pin twice thrown at him and his Inkhorn was taken away from him while he was writing and when by all his seeking it he could not find it at last he saw it drop out of the Air down by the fire a piece of Leather was twice thrown at him and a shoe was laid upon his shoulder which he catching at was suddenly rapt from him An handful of Ashes was thrown at his face and upon his clothes and the shoe was then clapt upon his head and upon it he clapt his hand holding it so fast that somewhat unseen pulled him with it backward on the floor On the next day at night as they werâ— going to Bed a lost Ladder was thrown against the Door and their Light put out and when the Man was a bed he was beaten with an heavy pair of Leather Breeches and pull'd by the Hair of his Head and Beard Pinched and Scratched and his Bed-board was taken away from him yet more in the next night when the Man was likewise 〈◊〉 Bed his Bed-board did rise out of its place notwithstanding his putting forth all hiâ— strength to keep it in one of his 〈◊〉 brought out of the next room into his Bed and did prick him the clothes wherewith he hoped to save his head from blows weâ—â— violently pluckt from thence Within a nigâ—â—â— or two after the Man and his Wife received both of them a blow upon their heads but it was so dark that they could not see the stone which gave it the Man had his Cap pulled off from his head while he sat by the fire The night following they went to bed undressed because of their late disturbances and the Man Wife Boy presently felt themselves pricked and upon search found in the Bed a Bodkin a knitting Needle and two sticks picked at both ends He received also a great blow as on his Thigh so on his Face which fetched blood and while he was writing a Candlestick was twice thrown at him and a great piece of Bark fiercely smote him and a pail of Water turned up without hands On the 28 of the mentioned Moneth frozen clods of Cow-dung were divers times thrown at the man out of the house in which they were his Wife went to milk the Cow and received a blow on her head and sitting down at her Milking-work had Cow-dung divers times thrown into her Pail the Man tried to save the Milk by holding a Piggin side-wayes under the Cowes belly but the Dung would in for all and the Milk was only made fit for Hogs On that night ashes were thrown into the porridge which they had made ready for their Supper so as that they could not eat it Ashes were likewise often thrown into the Man's Eyes as he sat by the fire And an iron Hammer flying at him gave him a great blow on his back the Man's Wife going into the Cellar for Beer a great iron Peel flew and fell after her through the trap-door of the Cellar and going afterwards on the same Errand to the same place the door shut down upon her and the Table came and lay upon the door and the man was forced to remove it e're his Wife could be released from where she was on the following day while he was Writing a dish went out of its place leapt into the pale and cast Water upon the Man his
of people that came far and near to see and hear of the Business Hereupon I sent to some neighbouring Ministers to joyn with us in keeping a Fast on November 15. and four spent the time in Prayer and Preaching The Sermons were upon these Texts Iob 11. 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him if Iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacles For then shalt thou lift up thy Face without spot yea thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not be afraid c. Amos 3. 6. Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the People not be afraid shall there be evil in a City and the LORD hath not done it Luk. 13. 2 3. c. Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things I tell you nay But except ye Repent ye shall all likewise perish or those eighteen c. Isai. 33. 14 15 16. The Sinners in Sien are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of Oppression that shaketh his hand from holding Bribes that stoppeth his Ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evil He shall dwell on high His place of desire shall be the munitions of Rocks Bread shall be given him his Water shall be sure The distressed persons attended diligently and a great Congregation was assembled These providential dispensations were not ordinary yet there was a seeming blur cast though not on the whole yet upon some part of it for their Servant Girl was at last found throwing some things and she afterwards confessed that an old Woman came to her November 7. a little before these things come to pass and told her that her Master and Dame were bewitched and that they should hear a great fluttering about their house for the space of two dayes she said also that the old Woman told her that she must hurl things at her Master and Dame and withal bad her not to tell for if she did the Devil would have her and she confessed that she hurled the Fire-brand an Hammer and an iron Tack and said that she did it because the old Woman bad her and said to her that if she hurled things about the House it would be the better But besides the throwing of the things about there were other passages of providence very observable an remarkable One House was at several times strangely fired and notwithstanding the warning they had at last quite burned down and another house to whom they removed greatly molested and at length fired Besides the efficacy of Prayer is most observable for the encouragement of the Duty and God's Omniscient and Omnipotent providence wonderfully magnified thus to discover the Hypocrisie and Theft of the Man and yet withall graciously and mercifully delivering them For though they were not wholly delivered when the Fast was first appointed yet after the Fast they were fully freed and not at all any more troubled in that manner Thus far is Mr. Bennets Relation That the things which have been related in the Chapter immediately praeceding came not to pass without the operation of Daemons is so manifest as that I shall not spend many words concerning it Though whether the afflicted persons were only possessed or bewitched or both may be disputed As for the Maid at Groton she was then thought to be under bodily possession Her uttering many things some of which were Diabolical Railings without using the Organs of speech and being able sometimes to act above humane strength argued an extraordinary Satanical operation Concerning the Woman in Berwick Evil Spirits without being set on work by Instruments have sometimes caused the like Molestation but commonly such things are occasioned by Witchcraft Dr. Balthasar Han who was chief Physitian to the Prince Elector of Saxony relates concerning one of his Patients that in November 1634. She was to the amazement of all Spectators pricked and miserably beaten by an invisible hand so as that her body from head to foot was wounded as if she had been whipped with Thorns Sometimes a perfect sign of the Cross was imprinted on her skin Sometimes the usual configurations whereby Astronomers denote the Caelestial Bodies such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their Conjunctions and oppositions by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Characters used by Chymists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in which Sciences though that be not usual for those of her Sex she was versed These Characters would remain for several Weeks after the invisible hand had violently impressed them on her body also a Needle was thrust into her foot which caused it to bleed Once she took the Needle put it into the fire then an Old Woman to whom she had given some of her wearing Linnen appeared to her with a staff in her hand striking her with a cruel blow saying Give me my Needle At last the miserable Patient by constant attendance to prayer and other Religious Exercises was delivered from her affliction Many Instances of an alike nature to this are to be seen in the Writings of those that Treat upon Subjects of this kind Sometimes as Voetius and others observe bodily possessions by evil Spirits are an effect of Witch-craft Examples confirming this are mentioned by Hierom in the life of Hilarion Theodoret in his History of the Fathers and by Anastasius And there are more Instances in Sprenger and in Tyraeus de Daemoniacis It may be Ann Cole of Hartford might be subject to both of these miseries at the same time Though she be and then was esteemed a truly pious Christian such amazing Afflictions may befall the Righteous as well as the Wicked in this World The holy Body of Iob that so his patience might be tried was sorely handled by Satan We read in the Gospel of a Daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound for eighteen years Luk. 13. 16. Mary Magdalen and several others who had been molested and possessed by Evil Spirits yet belonged to God and are now in Heaven So might Ann Cole be a true Christian and yet be for a time under Satan's power as hath been related And that her Malady was not a meer natural Disease is past all doubt inasmuch as in those strange Paroxysmes wherewith she was at times surprized the tone of her Discourse would sometimes be after a Language unknown to her Lemnius indeed supposeth that Melancholly Humors may cause persons not only to divine but to speak with strange Tongues And Forestus Lib. 10. observat 19. does not contradict his Opinion But the unreasonableness of that Phansie has been sufficiently evinced by sundry Learned Men. Vide Iohnston Thaumatograph Sect. 10. Chap. 7. Art 1. La Torr Disp. 27. How shall that be in the Mouth which never
Lapis Atheromatis Stones have been taken out of the Jovnts of many Gouty persons some cold Imposthume arising in their joynts before Sennerâ—us Flatâ—rus Barthâ—linus Skenckius and other learned Men have observed that Humane Bodies are subject to pâ—trification in every part of them and many notable Instances to this purpose are mentioned in the Philosophical Transactions at London and by the Curiesi in forreign Countries I presume it will not be unacceptable unto such as have not those Books for me to relate some Examples out of them to our present purpose There was then a Man who being troubled with a Catarrh and obstruction of Urin when a Vein was opened there came four Stones out of it Again a person that was much afflicted with a Distillation of Rhume And another that was continually imployed in preparing Lime Small stones bred in their Lungs many of which as big as Peas were Coughed up A Stone as big as a Gooses Egg was found adhaering to the Liver of the Countess of Nadasti One that died by a violent pain in his head there was found a Stone therein between the Dura and the Pia Mater A Woman that died by Nephretick Pains the Physitian found her left Kidney to be filled with large Stones as for the right Kidney the substance of it was converted into a perfect Stone In the same year there was an Ox near Padua in Italy which could by no means be made fat but was observed to be strangely stupid and to hold down his head after an unusual manner they that killed him found that his Brains were petrified being as hard as Marble The like hapned to another Ox in Suecia Nor are Humane Bodies wholly free from the like Petrification for Anatomists of good credit affirm that they have known several dissected by them whose Brains were in part petrified Nay the heart it self is not exempted from this Misery There were three Stones found in the Heart of the Emperour Maximilian II. It is no less strange that Bones should be generated in the Lungs Heart and other Bowels Nothing in nature seems more mysterious than that which hapned to the Brother of the illustrious Caspar Horwath a Baron in the Kingdom of Hungaria who having been for some 〈◊〉 Consumptive after his Death the 〈◊〉 opened him and found in the midst of 〈◊〉 heart which was very much dried a Bone like an Almond perfectly expressing the genuine Effigies of the dead Gentleman representing his very Beard and all the featureâ— of his face so exactly as that it was not possible for any Artist to have drawn a Picâ—â—â—e more like the Person than Nature had performed in this Bone vide Germ. Ethem â—n 1671. Oâ—serv 40. P. 72. Moreover credible Hiâ—tories Report that in Africa the Boâ—â—â—s of Men and of other Animals have been turned into perfect Stones Nor is that much less prodigious which 〈◊〉 reports concerning a Tailors Wife her 〈◊〉 was Câ—luâ—ba Chatry who having 〈◊〉 with Child the usual time for Deliver being come was in great pain and other 〈…〉 of Birth appeared yet she was never Delivered but lived twenty eight yeaâ—s in much misâ—ry still retaining her Burden 〈…〉 Death the Physitians foun◠〈…〉 Child within her was turned into 〈…〉 Med. Lib. 4. Part 2. Câ—p. 8. 〈…〉 hath 〈…〉 this And within a 〈…〉 a thing as prodigious and astonâ—â—â—ng though without any Lapidification as any of the foâ—mer Relations For in the Year 1652. the Wife of Iohn â—â—get at Tâ—louse in France being with Child and come to her fâ—ll time was in travailing pains but no Child followed For the space of twenty years she perceived the Child to stir with many tâ—oublesome symptoms accompanying but for the six last years of her life she perceived it not to move falling sick she requested a Chirurgeon to open her after she was dead that being done a Child was found in her Body neither Putrifiâ—d nor yet petrified All the inward parts of the Child were discoloured with a blackishness except the heart which was red and without any issuing blood This Infant weighed eight pound Averdupoise The Mother died Iune 18. 1678. being about the sixty fourth year of her Age. I should hardly give credit to a Story so stupendous and incredible were it not mentioned in the Philosophical transactions No. 139. P. 979. as a thing most undoubtedly true But to conclude the Discourse we are upon I shall only add here that it is not so strange for Stones to breed in all parts of the Bodies of Men as for Plants and diverse sorts of Animals to be formed therein Yet many Authors have attested to this And a late Writer affirms that there was not long since a Woman who having drunk Stagnating Water out of a Pond where Frogs used to keep grew Cachectical and swelled so as that she was thought to be Hydropical One Evening walking near the Ponds where the Frogs croked she perceived Frogs to croke in her Belly Acquainting a Physitian he gave her a strong Cathartick whereupon she cast up two living Frogs pretty large green on their back and yellow under their bellies and voided three dead by siege with a great deal of greenish Serum after which she was well disposed Again in the Year 1680. A Man living near Lyons in France voided a Worm seven Ells long scaly like a Serpent and hairy See the Weekly Memorials for the Ingenious P. 67 82 100. CHAP. X. Of Remarkable Tempests in New-England A Remark upon the Hurricane Anno. 1635. A Remarkable accident by a sudden freezing of Rain in the Year 1659. A strange Whirl-wind in Cambridge 1680. Another in New-Haven Colony 1682. Another at Springfield Some parallel Instances Of Earthquakes in this Countrey Land wonderfully removed Parallel Stories Of Remarkable Floods this year not only in New-England but in other parts of the World An account of a prodigious Flood in France five years ago with conjectures concerning the natural reason of it OTher Remarkables besides those already mentioned have hapned in this Countrey many of which I cannot here insert as not having received a full and clear account concerning them Nevertheless such particulars as I have by good and credible hands been informed of I shall further add And let it be here Recorded that we have seen diverse Tempests in New-England which deserve to have a Remark set upon them in respect of some notable Circumstances wherewith they have been attended I have not heard of any Storm more dismal than the great Hurricane which was in August 1635. the fury whereof threw down either breaking them off by the bole or plucking them up by the roots thousands of great Trees in the Woods Of this some account is given by Mr. 〈◊〉 in the first Chapter of our present Collection And I must confess I have peculiar reason to commemorate that solemn providence inasmuch as my Father and Motheâ— and four of my Brethren were then in a Vessel upon the Coast of New-England being at