History of England, from the Accession of James II - (Volume 5, Chapter 23)-Thomas Babington Macaulay

Here are first hand accounts, published in 1692, of the infamous "Salem Witch Trials". In addition to Mather's interpretation of the Book of Revelations (which he calls "God's last letter to the people of earth"), included are explanations of what motivates Devils, their military organization, how witches may be identified, captured, tried, and executed, and expostulating on the Devil's many devious methods for tricking otherwise intelligent people into questioning the Bible and undermining Christian authority in the new world. The sub-title of the book reads: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF SEVERAL WITCHES LATELY EXECUTED IN NEW-ENGLAND. BY COTTON MATHER, D.D., TO WHICH IS ADDED A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF THE NEW-ENGLAND WITCHES. BY (his father), INCREASE MATHER, D.D.PRESIDENT OF HARVARD COLLEGE. A publisher's introduction for this 1892 edition calls these articles "remarkable monuments of the history of superstition". - Summary by Michele Fry