B P t b M T P w t t o w a a t w a W P J m e t a o s t r o t a M w o E P 117 Benj

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117
Benjami
n
Mount H
o
Burlington, Oct. 12
Place, near 300 Peo
tried on some Per
been charged with
Manner, and with c
Terror and Amaze
Province; and the
weighed in Scales
them; or that, if the
the said Accused
offered to undergo
would be tried wit
h
and advertised abo
u
and the Accused
together, a grand
C
which it was agree
appointed to searc
Women, to see if
Pins. After the Sc
Justice of the Plac
made from the Just
erected for that P
u
the rest of the Ladi
and after the Man
n
out of the House
supposed Wizard,
the Lord Mayor) t
h
read a Chapter out
other Scale, (whic
h
the great Surprize
and outweighed th
Manner, the other
were too heavy fo
over, the Accuser
Experiment, woul
d
Procession was ma
n Frankli
n
olly
2. Saturday last at
ople were gathere
d
rsons accused of
W
making their Nei
g
causing Hogs to s
p
ment of the King’
Accusers being v
against a Bible,
ey were bound an
d
desirous to make
the said Trials, if
h them. Accordin
g
ut the Country; Th
the same. The Pa
Consultation was
h
ed to use the Scale
ch the Men, and a
they had any Thi
n
crutiny was over,
ce was provided, a
tices House to the S
urpose opposite to
es might see the Tr
ner of Moorfields, a
a grave tall Ma
n
&c. (as solemnly a
he Wizard was fir
of the Books of
M
h being kept down
of the Spectators,
hat great good
B
s were served, a
n
or Moses and all t
h
rs and the rest o
d have the Trial
b
ade to the Millpon
A
n: A Witc
h
Mount-Holly, abo
u
d together to see a
n
Witchcraft. It see
m
ghbours Sheep dan
peak, and sing Psal
s good and peacea
ery positive that i
the Bible would
p
d put into the Rive
e their Innocence
2 of the most viole
gly the Time and
P
e Accusers were 1
arties being
met,
held, before they pr
es first; and a Co
m
a Committee of
W
ng of Weight abo
u
a huge great Bib
and a Lane throu
g
Scales, which were
the House, that th
rial, without comi
n
a large Ring was al
n carrying the Ho
as the Swor
d-beare
rst put in the Scale
Moses, and then the
before) was imme
Flesh and Bones
Book by abundanc
nd their Lumps of
he Prophets and
A
of the Mob, not
by Water; accordi
n
nd; where both Ac
American Literature
h Trial at
ut 8 Miles from t
h
n Experiment or tw
ms the Accused ha
nce in an uncommo
lms, &c. to the gre
able Subjects in t
h
f the Accused we
prove too heavy fo
r, they would swi
m
appear, voluntari
ent of their Accuse
Place was agreed o
Man and 1 Woma
and the People g
roceeded to Trial;
mmittee of Men we
Women to search t
h
ut them, particular
le belonging to t
h
gh the Populace wa
e fixed on a Gallo
w
e Justice’s Wife a
n
ng amongst the Mo
so made. Then ca
m
oly Writ before th
er of London befo
e, and over him wa
Bible was put in t
h
diately let go; but
came down plu
m
ce. After the sa
m
f Mortality several
Apostles. This bei
n
satisfied with t
h
ngly a most sole
m
ccused and Accuse
Ri
his
wo
ad
on
eat
his
re
for
m;
ly
ers
n,
n;
ot
in
re
he
rly
he
as
ws
nd
b;
me
he
re
as
he
to
mp,
me
ly
ng
his
mn
ers
being s
and Foo
Barge o
which
w
with so
swam
v
Back of
Person
Woma
n
Time;
w
she wo
u
out of
h
not so c
more th
Opinio
n
mere S
k
Lungs f
the Wo
support
naked.
io Salado College
tripp’d (saving onl
ot, and severally pl
or Flat, having for
was held by some i
me Difficulty bega
very light upon the
f the Man accused,
bound, without a
n
n Accuser, being to
when she swam aga
uld be duck’d agai
n
her. The accused
M
confident of his I
n
han I kno
w. The
n, that any Person s
kin and Bones)
w
fill’d with Water.
B
mens Shifts, and t
them; it is said t
h
ly to the Women
laced in the Water,
r Security only a
R
in the Flat. The Ac
gan to sink at last;
e Water. A Sailor
thinking to drive
h
ny Help, came up s
old that she did not
ain as light as befor
n a Hundred Times
Man, being surpris
nnocence as before
more thinking
P
so bound and plac’
d
would swim till the
But it being the ge
n
the Garters with
w
hey are to be trie
d
[1730]
their Shifts) were
, lengthways, fro
m
Rope about the Mi
cuser Man being th
but the rest every
in the Flat jump’d
him down to the Bo
some time before t
sink, would be duc
re. to make her so l
s, but she would du
sed at his own S
w
, but said, If I am
Part of the Specta
d in the Water (unl
eir Breath was go
neral Belief of the
P
which they were bo
d again the next wa
118
bound Hand
m the Side of a
iddle of each,
hin and spare,
y one of them
out upon the
ottom, but the
the other. The
ck’ d a second
light, and that
uck the Devil
wimming, was
a Witch, it is
ators were of
less they were
one, and their
Populace, that
ound help’d to
arm Weather,
1. What does Franklin do to establish the “authenticity” of his hoax? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer
What are the connotations of the word “experiment”?
What are the connotations of the word “experiment”?
. What is the effect of the narrator’s use of the word “experiment”?
5. How would you describe the persona of narrator or “reporter” of this story?
6. How does Franklin create this persona? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.
7. What is the narrator’s point of view? How does Franklin establish it? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer
8. What are the connotations of the word “plump”? How does Franklin use it in the story?
9. What does the term “Lumps of Mortality” refer to? How does Franklin use it?
0. What does Franklin mean when he says that the male accuser “with some Difficulty began to sink”? Why would he include
this detail?
How does Franklin focus our attention on the word “naked”? What function does it play in the story?
12. How does Franklin characterize the trials? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer
13. How does Franklin portray the people of Mount Holly? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer