The most learned men in England and in other countries
believed fully in witchcraft. Sir Matthew Hale had given a legal
opinion on the subject; Lord Bacon believed in witchcraft; and there
are strong reasons for thinking that Shakspeare and other great men
of the time of Queen Elizabeth and still later believed in it fully.
Cotton Mather, Judge Sewall, Peter Sargent, Lieutenant-Governor
Stoughton, all belonging to Boston, were the leaders in the
proceedings against the witches of 1692.
-------------------------
HUNG IN CHAINS.
In the papers that we have examined we have not found any instances
recorded of the old English law of hanging the remains of executed
criminals in chains as having been carried into effect in our country.
But from some investigations of Mr. James E. Mauran, of Newport, R.I.,
we learn that on March 12, 1715, one Mecum of that town was executed
for murder and his body was hung in chains on Miantonomy Hill, where
the remains of an Indian were then hanging, who had been executed
Sept.
Pages:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30