laphamsquarterly: “For my own part, if the Holy God should permit such a terrible calamity to befall myself as that a specter in my shape should so molest my neighborhood as that they can have no quiet, although there should be no other evidence against me, I should very patiently submit unto a judgment of transportation, i.e., exile, and all reasonable men would count our judges to act as they are, like the fathers of the public, in such a judgment. What if such a thing should be ordered for those whose guilt is more dubious and uncertain, whose presence yet perpetuates the miseries of our sufferers? They would cleanse the land of witchcrafts and yet also prevent the shedding of innocent blood, whereof some are so apprehensive of hazard. If our judges want any good bottom to act thus upon, you know that besides the usual power of governors to relax many judgments of death, our general court can soon provide a law.” On September 6, 1628, Puritans settle what will become Salem, MA. Some seventy years later, Cotton Mather serves as town NIMBYist when it comes to witchcraft.

laphamsquarterly:

“For my own part, if the Holy God should permit such a terrible calamity to befall myself as that a specter in my shape should so molest my neighborhood as that they can have no quiet, although there should be no other evidence against me, I should very patiently submit unto a judgment of transportation, i.e., exile, and all reasonable men would count our judges to act as they are, like the fathers of the public, in such a judgment. What if such a thing should be ordered for those whose guilt is more dubious and uncertain, whose presence yet perpetuates the miseries of our sufferers? They would cleanse the land of witchcrafts and yet also prevent the shedding of innocent blood, whereof some are so apprehensive of hazard. If our judges want any good bottom to act thus upon, you know that besides the usual power of governors to relax many judgments of death, our general court can soon provide a law.”

On September 6, 1628, Puritans settle what will become Salem, MA. Some seventy years later, Cotton Mather serves as town NIMBYist when it comes to witchcraft.

Source: laphamsquarterly
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