Note 41 — THE Author's Defence.
Reading edition
The Writer of the above Letter (Judge Stoughton) was 61 Years old at the Time; and it may reasonably be supposed was in the full Enjoyment of his intellectual Faculties. And as he was one of the ablest Men of his Day, such an Indorsement of the Author's Work was no mean Fortification from behind which to defend even a very bad Cause. Stoughton lived several Years after he had ceased trying Witches,—dying in 1701, at the Age of 70. He was Son of Mr. Israel Stoughton of Dorchester, a Captain in the Pequot War, and Colonel afterwards in the Parliamentary Army in England.