Description

By: Francis Hutchins

Date: 1718 (dated) London

Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 inches (23 x 19 cm)

A very fine 1st edition example of Hutchins’s book on Witchcraft, which details anumber of cases of alleged witchcraft and the many trials that endued, including that of Salem (Chapter 5) where Hutchins condemns the conclusions Cotton Mather whose influence led to the hanging of Martha Corey, Margaret Scott, Mary Easty (sister of Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Cloyce), Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, and Mary Parker.

The full title of this book reads as follows

An Historical Essay Concerning Witchcraft. With Observations upon matters of Fact; tending to clear the Texts of the Sacred Scriptures, and confute the vulgar Errors about that point. And Also Two Sermons; One in Proof of the Christian Religion; the other concerning the Good and Evil Angels.

On the inside,opposite the cover page we find a manuscript annotation by James Harrison, dated 1766 who documents his opinions of the book.

Condition: This rare book is in very fine condition with its covers entirely bound to the original spine. All pages are clean and crisp with little to no foxing save for the first several pages along the outside margins.

Inventory #12638

1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 – 3622