The writings of John Greenleaf Whittier, Volume 5.
John Greenleaf Whittier, Ed.

Mr. Weare, on the way, told me that there was a great talk of the bewitching of Goodman Morse's house at Newbury, and that the case of Caleb Powell was still before the Court, he being vehemently suspected of the mischief. I told him I thought the said Caleb was a vain, talking man, but nowise of a wizard. The thing most against him, Mr. Weare said, was this: that he did deny at the first that the house was troubled by evil spirits, and even went so far as to doubt that such things could be at all. ‘Yet many wiser men than Caleb Powell do deny the same,’ I said. ‘True,’ answered he; ‘but, as good Mr. Richardson, of Newbury, well saith, there have never lacked Sadducees, who believe not in angel or spirit.’ I told the story of the disturbance at Strawberry Bank the night before, and how so silly a thing as a rolling pumpkin did greatly terrify a whole household; and said I did not doubt this Newbury trouble was something very like it. Hereupon the good woman took the matter up, saying she had been over to Newbury, and had seen with her own eyes, and heard with her own ears; and that she could say of it as the Queen of Sheba did of Solomon's glory, ‘The half had not been told her.’ She then went on to tell me of many marvellous and truly unaccountable things, so that I must needs think there is an invisible hand at work there.

We reached Hampton about one hour before noon; and riding up the road towards the meeting.