Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England - Softcover

Mather, D.D., Cotton; Mather, D.D., Increase

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1517238463 ISBN 13: 9781517238469

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015

Synopsis

“A serious exhortation.” -Bulletin, Volume 3; Volume 11, Boston Public Library, 1892

“The execution of the washerwoman, Bridget Bishop, had greatly increased the excitement; and people in a more respectable position began to be accused. On the 19th of July five more persons were executed, and five more experienced the same fate on the 19th of August. Among the latter was Mr. George Borroughs, a minister of the gospel, whose principal crime appears to have been a disbelief in witchcraft itself. His fate excited considerable sympathy, which, however, was checked by Cotton Mather, who was present at the place of execution on horseback, and addressed the crowd, assuring them that Borroughs was an impostor. Many people, however, had now become alarmed at the proceedings of the prosecutors, and among those executed with Borroughs was a man named John Willard, who had been employed to arrest the persons charged by the accusers, and who had been accused himself, because, from conscientious motives, he refused to arrest any more. He attempted to save himself by flight; but he was pursued and overtaken. Eight more of the unfortunate victims of this delusion were hanged on the 22nd of September, making in all nineteen who had thus suffered, besides one who, in accordance with the old criminal law practice, had been pressed to death for refusing to plead. The excitement had indeed risen to such a pitch that two dogs accused of witchcraft were put to death.”

One of the most famous of early New England documents regarding witchcraft, this book,, composed by Cotton and Increase Mather, transport the reader through the historic events in Salem-Village and the various witch trials, transcribed through the lens of the puritans at that time. The book is divided into 6 sections; the first section contains the author’s defense, letters and encounters. The second section follows the discourse on the supernatural world. The section includes trials and narratives and several curiosities. Curiosities, as sampled in the book, appear to be statements of witchcraft and curious behavior. The third section provides accounts of temptations from the “Devil”. When reading these accounts one must keep in mind that they were written in 1862 and devils and spirits were commonly discussed and feared by most puritans. The remainder of the book discusses different accounts and trials of witchcraft.

A remarkable monument of the history of superstition, The Wonders of the Invisible World provides a window through the world of the early puritans and their mentality and rationale through the Salem Witch Trials and their responses to supernatural occurrences.

About this title

About the Author:

Cotton Mather (1663-1728), trained at Harvard and ordained in 1685, was a Puritan pastor and scholar in Boston.

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1517238463
• ISBN 13: 9781517238469
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 278