Rhode Island American And Providence Gazette

REMINISCENCES OF THE OLDEN TIME
Ordeal of Witchcraft.—The following paragraph, copied verbatim from a chapter on witchcraft, in an old black letter book of chronicles, shows with what little ceremony people were formerly put to the ordeal, either of fire or water—N. Y. States.

"But the most confirmed wizzard of those tymmes, was onne Davide Johstone, who livved nyghe toe the cittie of York, and was tryed by the ordeall of water, the yeare beforre the bloddie King Richard, he that had beene duke of Gloster, was defeated in the battel of Bosworth. The goode peeple of that vicinnage had been greatly tormented by the spelles and charmes and darke declings of the said wizzarde, who lived whollie bye himmeselfe in a lonelie parte thereoffe, for the better workynge of his wickked deeds of witchecran; and on a certayne day, the magistrates of those partes, in companie with the prebende of York and oth-er reverende dignitaries, proceeded to the abode of aulde Johnstone, and carried him to the pepitentiary celles of the chapter of St. Bennet. to bee shorilie tryed for his crymes. He was keppt about a weeke in the celles, durringe the whiche tyme he was piouslie exhorted by the ecclesiasticall-ee dignitaries toe confesse his saide crymes and make his peace with the churche; but he wickkedlie refused to doe so, and he was thereforre tryed by the waterrie ordeall. When he was put intoe the water, which was a large ponde or laake neare toe the cittie, he floated and saylled on the surface, likke toe a toaste in a tankarde, without sinking under; the whiche, astonishede the peeple and the dignitaries, beecause being a devvellish wizzarde, he ought to ha sunk downe toe the bottom. But the dignitaries soope founde that he keppt himmeselfe on the toppe bye his skille in swymmingg, as welle as bye withcrafte;—wherreupon the reverende prebende of York approched nyghe toe him and pressed himme under the water, so as that he myghte not es-cappe the puuishments due toe his dcedes, by his cunninge sorcerie and magic. Whene the peeple sawe himme sinke downe, after the pre-bende had comine nyghe to him, and pressed his hands on him, they cryed out "A wizzard—a wizzard, carrie him to the stake and burne him for his crymes."—Whereuppon he was taken toe a fier neare bye, and burned under the superintendance and di-rectionne of the reverende prebende. This happened about a yeare before tho bloodde King Richard of Gloster was defeated and kill-ed; and the goode pceple neare toe York werre never afterwardes afflicted bye his spelles and witchcraft."