of it, as a book that was
ungainsayable."

Speaking of Mather's book, Doctor Hutchinson proceeds: "The judgment I
made of it was, that the poor old woman, being an Irish Papist, and not
ready in the signification of English words, had entangled herself by a
superstitious belief, and doubtful answers about Saints and Charms; and
seeing what advantages Mr. Mather made of it, I was afraid I saw part of
the reasons that carried the cause against her. And first it is manifest
that Mr. Mather is magnified as having great power over evil spirits. A
young man in his family is represented so holy, that the place of his
devotions was a certain cure of the young virgin's fits. Then his
grandfather's and father's books have gained a testimony, that, upon
occasion, may be _improved_ one knows not how far. For amongst the many
experiments that were made, Mr. Mather would bring to this young maid,
the Bible, the _Assembly's Catechism_, his grandfather Cotton's _Milk
for Babes_, his father's _Remarkable Providences_, and a book to prove
that there were Witches; and when any of these were offered for her to
read in, she would be struck dead, and fall into convulsions. 'These
good books,' he says, 'were mortal to her'; and lest the world should be
so dull as not to take him right, he adds, 'I hope I have not spoiled
the credit of the books, by telling how much the Devil hated them.'"

This language, published by Doctor Hutchinson, in England, during the
life-time of the Mathers, shows how strong was the opinion, at that
time, that the writings of those two Divines were designed and used to
promote the prevalence of the Witchcraft superstition, and especially
that such was the effect, as well as the purpose, of Cotton Mather's
publication of the case of the Goodwin children, put into such
circulation, as it was, by him and Baxter, in both Old and New England.
In the same connection, Francis Hutchinson says: "Observe the time of
the publication of that book, and of Mr. Baxter's. Mr. Mather's came out
in 1690, and Mr. Baxter's the year after; and Mr. Mather's father's
_Remarkable Providences_ had been out before that; and, in the year
1692, the frights and fits of the afflicted, and the imprisonment and
execution of Witches in New England, made as sad a calamity as a plague
or a war. I know that Mr. Mather, in his late Folio, imputes it to the
Indian Pawaws sending their spirits amongst them; but I attribute it to
Mr. Baxter's book, and h