66 On Popular illufiotis. 



the noifes fometimes ceafed for weeks together ,^ 

 but, confcious of the weaknefs of this apology, 

 he adds, that probably the devil did not think 

 it for his intereft, to give the wicked courtiers 

 any proof of his exiftence. 



When the confeflions of the perfons accufed 

 %Vere obtained by torture, it is evident that no 

 dependance could be placed on them; it is pain- 

 ful to read what Wierus and Hutchinfon have 

 collefted on this fubjeft. The credit of the 

 Suffolk trials, on which Baxter infills, is totally 

 deltroyed, by the evidence which Dr. Hutchinfon' 

 produces, of Hopkins the witch finder having 

 l\jbfifted by that praftice. But let us hear fome 

 of thefe confeflTing witches fpeak for themfelves. 

 Six of the women accufed in New England, 

 dltign the following reafons for having confefled; 

 that they were furprized and frightened out of 

 their judgment, by being fuddenly feized and 

 put in prifon ; that their relations perfuaded 

 tliem that confeffion was the only ftep by which' 

 their lives could be faved ; " And indeed that 

 " confeffion that it is faid wemade, was no other" 

 ^ than what was fuggefted to us by fome Gentle- 

 *' men, they telling us v,'e were witches, and 

 " they knew it, and wc knew it, and they knew 

 " that we knew it, which made us think that it 

 ** was fo, and' our underllanding, our reafon and 

 ** our faculties being almoft gone, we were not 

 " caoable of judging of our condition j and moft 



of 



