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fore. It was all milk-white, save only a little gray on the wings. My son, being told of such a bird, did look to see if he could see it, and did see it, and threw stones at it, but could not hit it, although it were very near him. And when it rose up, it would fly to Mrs. Holman's house. So likewise when those that saw it first flung stones at it, it would always fly thither; and sometimes they said they saw it fly into the house. They had taken notice of it a week before we did; and when son and I went to mend up the fence that was before my daughter's house, the bird was skipping about the rails; My son said, here is the devilishest bird that ever I saw in my life; and I asked him why he did so; and he said, I never threw half so often at a bird in his life but he did hit it, but this I cannot hit; and he flung again at it, but could not hit it; and we both of us see it fly to Mrs. Holman's house. The same day my son and the other persons saw it again; and they hunted it about and flung stones at it; and it flying thither again, one of them called out, saying, the bird was gone home; and two of them resolved the next day to get their guns and see if they could shoot it. Mrs. Holman came out of her house, and looked on them, and in likelihood heard what they said, for they were near the house; but since that time the bird have not been seen. In this time, my daughter Starnes, going out of her house within evening, saw this bird under her house-sill. She thought at first it had been a cat; but she, going towards it, perceived it was a white bird, and it did fly along by the house-side, and so away to Mrs. Holman's. It was seen another evening, when it was too late for birds to be abroad, between my daughter's house and the rails.

66

My wife have been much troubled with her wheel, when she have set herself to spin, for the necessity of her family. Sometimes she could not make no work of it; she thought at first it might be out of kilter, and we both used what means we could with it; but it was never the better, but was fain to set it away, and go about some other work; and when she took it again, it would go very well, and thus it was very often; and sometimes, when she could make no work with it, she would set it away, and not so much as unband it, and take it again and not alter it at all, and it would go very well. One time amongst the rest, she set herself to work, and was much troubled that she could make no work of it, she began to fear that there might be something that might be the cause of it; she set her wheel away, and went out, and saw Mary Holman at the oak, turning round; and when

she saw my wife, she catched up a chip; and that caused her to fear that it might be by their means. Another time she was a spinning, and as it was wont so it did again, that she was so affected with it that she could have cried; and sitting still, with her wheel before her, saying thus to herself, 'Lord, thou hast commanded me to labor, but I am hindered; good Lord, if there be any hand of Satan in it, prevent it;' with some other words, and went to spinning again, and it went as well as ever.

“At another time, when my daughter was not very well, my wife went out and saw Mary Holman sitting on her knees at a hole of water; she took up water in a dish, and held it up a pretty height, and drained into another thing. My wife went presently to her daughter and found her crying so immoderately that the tears fell so fast from her eyes that my wife was fain to stand and wipe them off her face with her apron. And her mother asked her wherefore she cried; and she said she could not tell, but she said she could not forbear it. Concerning what our daughter have seen and felt in the time of her affliction, she can declare, if she be called to it."

Following this long and tedious statement (with much more to the same purpose), is a recapitulation of the same facts, with the names of the witnesses by whom they might be proved. Their deposition is authenticated by the Recorder of the Court: "4 (2) 1660. Jn°. Gibson, sen., Rebeccah Gibson, Jn°. Gipson, jun1., Rebecca Sternes, Martha Belsher, Bethia Michelson, Charles Sternes, Steven ffrances, sworn in Court to their respective evidences; as attests, TH. DANFORTH, R."

In defence of her character as an honest, Christian woman, Mrs. Holman submitted two certificates, which yet remain on file, signed by two of the deacons,1 and several members of the church: "We, whose names are underwritten, we do here testify that Winifret Holman, we having been acquainted with her this many years, she being near neighbor unto us, and many times have had occasion to have dealings with her, and we have not indeed in the least measure perceived, either by words or deeds, any thing whereby we could have any grounds or reason to suspect her for witchery or any thing thereunto tending. And this is evident unto us that she is diligent in her calling, and frequents public preaching, and gives diligent attention thereunto. John Palfery, Mathew Bridge, Richard Eccles, ffrancis Whitmor, John Greene, Nathaniell Green, William Diksone."

1 John Bridge and Gregory Stone.

"We, who have here subscribed our names, do testify that we have known this Winnefret Holman, widow, this many years, but never knew any thing in her life concerning witchery. But she hath always been a diligent hearer of and attender to the word of God. Mary Patten, Mary Hall, Jane Willows, Anna Bridge, Elizabeth Bridg, Elizabeth Green, Jeane Diksonne, Elizabeth Winship, Thomas Fox, Ellin Fox, William Towne, Martha Towne, Mary Eccles, Isobell Whittmor, John Bridge, Rebekka Wieth, Gregory Stone, Lidea Stone."

The result of the trial is entered on the County Court Records: "Winifred Holman, Plt. against John Gibson sen'. and his wife, in an action of defamation; the jury having heard their respective pleas and evidences presented in the case do bring in their verdict, finding for the defendants costs of court, fifteen shillings and ten pence. - Winifred Holman, Plt. against Rebecca the wife of Charles Sternes, Deft., in an action of defamation; the jury having heard their respective pleas and evidences presented in the case, and it appearing to the court that the defendant was by God's hand deprived of her natural reason when she expressed those words charged on her, do bring in their verdict for the defendant, costs of court, eight shillings and four pence." The decision in the other case I copy from the original verdict, preserved on file, as it is more full and circumstantial than the record: "Concerning the case between Marye Holman, plaintive and John Gibson, jun'. defendant, we find for the plaintive, that the said John Gibson shall make acknowledgement that he hath wronged and scandalously slandered Marye Holman, by speeches irregularly, rashly, and sudden spoken, for which he desire to be humbled and sorry for the same; and if he refuse to make this acknowledgement in the present court, that then we do enjoin John Gibson to pay to the plaintive the full sum of five pounds; and we also give the plaintive cost of court." To which the Recorder appended this memorandum: “John Gibson jun'. acknowledged in court that, whereas he is legally convicted of a slanderous speech concerning Mary Holman, he is heartily sorry for his evil thereby committed against God, and wrong done to the said Mary Holman and her friends, and doth crave forgiveness of the said Mary Holman of this trespass."

It does not appear that either of these persons was ever afterwards disturbed on suspicion of practising the diabolical arts of witchcraft. Mrs. Holman died Oct. 16, 1671, aged 74; her daughter Mary died, unmarried, in 1673, aged 43.

CHAPTER XIX.

EDUCATION.

IN 1643, there was published in London a Tract entitled "New England's First Fruits; in respect, first of the Conversion of some, Conviction of divers, Preparation of sundry, of the Indians. 2. Of the progresse of Learning, in the Colledge at Cambridge, in Massacusets Bay. With divers other speciall matters concerning that countrey." In regard to the "progresse of learning," the writer says, " After God had carried us safe to New England, and wee had builded our houses, provided necessaries for our livelihood, rear'd convenient places for Gods worship, and settled the Civile Government: One of the next things we longed for, and looked after, was to advance Learning and perpetuate it to posterity; dreading to leave an illiterate Ministery to the Churches, when our present Ministers shall lie in the dust. And as wee were thinking and consulting how to effect this great work; it pleased God to stir up the heart of one Mr. Harvard (a godly gentleman, and a lover of learning, there living amongst us) to give the one halfe of his estate (it being in all about 17007.) towards the erecting of a Colledge, and all his Library; after him another gave 3007. others after them cast in more, and the publique hand of the state added the rest; the Colledge was, by common consent, appointed to be at Cambridge (a place very pleasant and accommodate), and is called (according to the name of the first founder) Harvard Colledge." 1 "1 He adds, "And by the side of the Colledge a faire Grammar Schoole, for the training up of young Schollars, and fitting of them for Aca

1 New England's First Fruits, p. 12. A History of Cambridge may well be considered incomplete, if it do not contain a full account of Harvard College. But such an account must be omitted by me for two obvious reasons: (1.) The subject is too important to be thrust into a corner and treated as merely subsidiary to a general history of the city. (2.) Three his

tories of the College have already been published, and there is no apparent necessity to glean a field so recently and so thoroughly reaped. See History of Harvard University, by Benjamin Peirce, Librarian, etc., 1833; History of Harvard University, by Josiah Quincy, President, etc., 1840; and Sketch of the History of Harvard College, by Samuel A. Eliot, 1848.

demicall Learning, that still as they are judged ripe, they may be received into the Colledge of this Schoole; Master Corlet is the Mr. who has very well approved himselfe for his abilities, dexterity and painfulnesse in teaching and education of the youth under him."2 The precise date when the grammar school was established in Cambridge does not appear; but before 1643 Mr. Corlett had taught sufficiently long to have acquired a high reputation for skill and faithfulness. He continued in office nearly half a century, until his death, Feb. 25, 1686-7, at the age of 78 years. His services were commemorated by Cotton Mather, who knew him and his works:

""Tis Corlet's pains, and Cheever's, we must own,

That thou, New England, art not Scythia grown.'

...

Again, he calls " Mr. Elijah Corlet, that memorable old schoolmaster in Cambridge, from whose education our colledge and country have received so many of its worthy men, that he is himself worthy to have his name celebrated in ... our church history."4 In addition to his English scholars, he prepared several Indians for the College, though only one of the number graduated. By the records of the "Commissioners of the United Colonies," it appears that he was paid £6 9 4, in 1658, “for teaching the Indians at Cambridge and the charge of an Indian that died in his sickness and funeral;" also £22, in 1659, "for dieting John Stanton for some time not reckoned formerly, and for his extraordinary pains in teaching the Indian scholars and Mr. Mahews son about two years." Similar payments were made to him in 1660 and 1661. In their letter to the corporation in England, dated Sept. 7, 1659, the Commissioners say, "there are five Indian youthes att Cambridge in the lattin schoole, whose dilligence and profisiency in theire studdies doth much encurrage us to hope that God is fiting them and preparing them for good instruments in this great and desirable worke; wee have good testimony from those that are prudent and pious, that they are dilligent in theire studdies and civell in theire carriage; and from the Presedent of the Colledge; wee had this testimony in a letter directed to us the 23 of August 1659 in

1 Rather, "they may be received into the Colledge of this schoole, Master Corlet is the Mr. " In the " "Errata," without any more definite reference, is found this direction: "At Colledge, put a colon." There is no other place in the tract where the change is so much needed.

3 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., xvii. 132. 2 New England's First Fruits, p. 13. 4 Magnalia, Book iii., Part i. App. § 27.

5 Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, 1665, died 1666.