ster ＇skullmaster！＇ be provided for the towen as the law directs； not visious in conversation。〃 That was perhaps demanding too much； for it was not until 〃May ye7〃 of the following year that the selectmen were fortunate enough to put their finger on this rara avis in the person of Mr。 Tho。 Phippes； who agreed 〃to be scollmaster for the the towen this yr insewing for teaching the inhabitants children in such manner as other schollmasters yously doe throughout the countrie： for his soe doinge we the sellectt men in behalfe of ower towen doe ingage to pay him by way of rate twenty pounds and yt he shall and may reserve from every father or master that sends theyer children to school this yeare after ye rate of 16s。 for readers； writers and cypherers 20s。； Lattiners 24s。〃
Modern advocates of phonetic spelling need not plume themselves on their originality。 The town clerk who wrote that delicious 〃yously doe〃 settles the question。 It is to be hoped that Mr。 Tho。 Phippes was not only 〃not visious in conversation；〃 but was more conventional in his orthography。 He evidently gave satisfaction； and clearly exerted an influence on the town clerk； Mr。 Samuel Keais； who ever after shows a marked improvement in his own methods。 In 1704 the town empowered the selectmen 〃to call and settell a gramer scoll according to ye best of yower judgement and for ye advantag ＇Keais is obviously dead now＇ of ye youth of ower town to learn them to read from ye primer； to wright and sypher and to learne ym the tongues and good…manners。〃 On this occasion it was Mr。 William Allen； of Salisbury； who engaged 〃dilligently to attend ye school for ye present yeare； and tech all childern yt can read in thaire psallters and upward。〃 From such humble beginnings were evolved some of the best public high schools at present in New England。
Portsmouth did not escape the witchcraft delusion； though I believe that no hangings took place within the boundaries of the township。 Dwellers by the sea are generally superstitious； sailors always are。 There is something in the illimitable expanse of sky and water that dilates the imagination。 The folk who live along the coast live on the edge of a perpetual mystery； only a strip of yellow sand or gray rock separates them from the unknown； they hear strange voices in the winds at midnight； they are haunted by the spectres of the mirage。 Their minds quickly take the impress of uncanny things。 The witches therefore found a sympathetic atmosphere in Newscastle； at the mouth of the Piscataquathat slender paw of land which reaches out into the ocean and terminates in a spread of sharp； flat rocks； lie the claws of an amorous cat。 What happened to the good folk of that picturesque little fishing…hamlet is worth retelling in brief。 In order properly to retell it； a contemporary witness shall be called upon to testify in the case of the Stone…Throwing Devils of Newcastle。 It is the Rev。 Cotton Mather who addresses you 〃On June 11； 1682； showers of stones were thrown by an invisible hand upon the house of George Walton at Portsmouth ＇Newcastle was then a part of the town＇。 Whereupon the people going out found the gate wrung off the hinges； and stones flying and falling thick about them； and striking of them seemingly with a great force； but really affecting 'em no more than if a soft touch were given them。 The glass windows were broken by the stones that came not from without； but from within； and other instruments were in a like manner hurled about。 Nine of the stones they took up； whereof some were as hot as if they came out of the fire； and marking them they laid them on the table； but in a little while they found some of them again flying about。 The spit was carried up the chimney； and coming down with the point forward； stuck in the back log； from whence one of the company removing it； it was by an invisible hand thrown out at the window。 This disturbance continued from day to day； and sometimes a dismal hollow whistling would be heard； and sometimes the trotting and snorting of a horse； but nothing to be seen。 The man went up the Great Bay in a boat on to a farm which he had there； but the stones found him out； and carrying from the house to the boat a stirrup iron the iron came jingling after him through the woods as far as his house； and at last went away and was heard no more。 The anchor leaped overboard several times and stopt the boat。 A cheese was taken out of the press； and crumbled all over the floor； a piece of iron stuck into the wall； and a kettle hung thereon。 Several cocks of hay； mow'd near the house； were taken up and hung upon the trees； and others made into small whisps； and scattered about the house。 A man was much hurt by some of the stones。 He was a Quaker； and suspected that a woman； who charged him with injustice in detaining some land from here； did； by witchcraft； occasion these preternatural occurrences。 However； at last they came to an end。〃
Now I have done with thee； O credulous and sour Cotton Mather！ so get thee back again to thy tomb in the old burying…ground on Copp's Hill； where； unless thy nature is radically changed； thou makest it uncomfortable for those about thee。
Nearly a hundred years afterwards； Portsmouth had another witcha tangible witch in this instanceone Molly Bridget； who cast her malign spell on the eleemosynary pigs at the Almshouse； where she chanced to reside at the moment。 The pigs were manifestly bewitched； and Mr。 Clement March； the superintendent of the institution； saw only one remedy at hand； and that was to cut off and burn the tips of their tales。 But when the tips were cut off they disappeared； and it was in consequence quite impracticable to burn them。 Mr。 March； who was a gentleman of expedients； ordered that all the chips and underbrush in the yard should be made into heaps and consumed； hoping thus to catch and do away with the mysterious and provoking extremities。 The fires were no sooner lighted than Molly Bridget rushed from room to room in a state of frenzy。 With the dying flames her own vitality subsided； and she was dead before the ash…piles were cool。 I say it seriously when I say that these are facts of which there is authentic proof。
If the woman had recovered； she would have fared badly； even at that late period； had she been in Salem； but the death…penalty has never been hastily inflicted in Portsmouth。 The first execution that ever took place there was that of Sarah Simpson and Penelope Kenny； for the murder of an infant in 1739。 The sheriff was Thomas Packer； the same official who； twenty…nine years later； won unenviable notoriety at the hanging of Ruth Blay。 The circumstances are set forth by the late Albert Laighton in a spirited ballad； which is too long to quote in full。 The following stanzas； however； give the pith of the story
〃And a voice among them shouted； 〃Pause before the deed is done； We have asked reprieve and pardon For the poor misguided one。'
〃But these words of Sheriff Packer Rang above the swelling noise： 'Must I wait and lose my dinner？ Draw away the cart； my boys！'
〃Nearer came the sound and louder； Till a steed with panting breath； From its sides the white foam dripping； Halted at the scene of death；
〃And a messenger alighted； Crying to the crowd； 'Make way！ This I bear to Sheriff Packer； 'Tis a pardon for Ruth Blay！'〃
But of course he arrived too latethe Law led Mercy about twenty minutes。 The crowd dispersed； horror…stricken； but it assembled again that night before the sheriff's domicile and expressed its indignation in groans。 His effigy； hanged on a miniature gallows； was afterwards paraded through the streets。
〃Be the name of Thomas Packer A reproach forevermore！〃
Laighton's ballad reminds me of that Portsmouth has been prolific in poets； one of whom； at least； has left a mouthful of perennial rhyme for oratorsJonathan Sewell with his
〃No pent…up Utica contracts your powers； But the whole boundless continent is yours。〃
I have somewhere seen a volume with the alliterative title of 〃Poets of Portsmouth；〃 in which are embalmed no fewer than sixty immortals！
But to drop into prose again； and have done with this iliad of odds and ends。 Portsmouth has the honor； I believe； of establishing the first recorded pauper workhousethough not in connection with her poets； as might naturally be supposed。 The building was completed and tenanted in 1716。 Seven years later； an act was passed in England authorizing the establishment of parish workhouses there。 The first and only keeper of the Portsmouth almshouse up to 1750 was a womanRebecca Austin。
Speaking of first things； we are told by Mr。 Nathaniel Adams； in his 〃Annals of Portsmouth；〃 that on the 20th of April； 1761； Mr。 John Stavers began running a stage from that town to Boston。 The carriage was a two…horse curricle； wide enough to accommodate three passengers。 The fare was thirteen shillings and sixpence sterling per head。 The curricle was presently superseded by a series of fat yellow coaches； one of whichnearly a century later； and long after that pleasant mode of travel had fallen obsoletewas the cause of much mental tribulation （1。 Some