that, by their opposition, they were liable also to sufftjr from- 

 his malignancy. They believed, also, that the Devil was about 

 to establish an agency, or kingdom in New England ; and had 

 actually commenced operations in Salem Village. This, Cot- 

 ton Mather, Parris, and others, were determined should not be 

 done, at least if they could help it. There was some very sin- 

 gular evidence given at the Courts on this point. Ann Foster, 

 of Andover, a confessing Witch, testified at her examination, 

 July 21, 1692, " that she was at a Witch meeting at the Vil- 

 lage, where there was a large number of Witches present, and 

 that the principal discourse at this gathering, was in regard to 

 the setting up of the Devil's kingdom at the Village, and mak- 

 ing it their rendezvous !" And another confessino; Witch tes- 

 tified, at a subsequent meeting, that they had, by an unanimous 

 vote, concluded to set up the Devil's kingdom at Salem Vil- 

 lage — it being thought, all things considered, the most suitable 

 place to begin the enterprise, and, by so doing, they were in 

 hopes it would spread over New England. This was solemnly 

 and religiously believed by many, and it required courage and 

 pluck to stand up and resist the designs of a powerful, malicious 

 being, capable, as they supposed, of tormenting them in various 

 ways, destroying their cattle, &c. 



Parris appears to have been very desirous of preventing his 

 daughter, Elizabeth, from pai-ticipating in the excitement at 

 the Village. She was sent by her father, at the commence- 

 ment of the Delusion, to reside at Salem with Capt. Stephen 

 Sewall. While there, the Captain and his wife were much 

 discouraged in effecting a cure, as she continued to have sore 

 fits. Elizabeth said that the great black man^ came to her, 

 and told her, if she would be ruled by him, she should have 

 whatsoever she desired, and go to a Golden City. She related 

 this to Mrs. Sewall, who immediately told the child it was the 

 Devil, and he was a liar , and bid her tell him so if he came to 

 her again ; which she did accordingly the next time the black 

 man came to her. The Devil, it would seem, unaccustomed, 

 in those days, to experience such resistance, and utterly aston- 

 ished at the cool impudence of Betsey Parris, never troubled 

 her afterwards ; and, — although this girl was one of the first 

 originators of the Witchcraft Delusion, in connection with her 

 cousin Abigail Williams, — she appears to have had. afterwards, 

 but little to do with Witchcraft. This arose in consequence of 

 following the sage advice of Mrs. Sewall, in getting rid of the 

 Devil ; or, what was more probable, in her father taking her 

 from the weekly circle of accusing and bewitching girls, and 

 placing her in a very respectable family in Salem. 



