1682. I asked them what becomes of those among them who are evil, for these spirits are upright, as mentioned. They declare that they are not allowed to be bad, and if any think badly or behave badly, they are first reproved by some spirit who tells them that if they do such things again, they will die. And they are not permitted to repeat the evil, for then they die, and in fact, by fainting. In this way that people is kept from the contagion of evils.
One such spirit was with me, speaking to me just as he does to those of that place whom he scolds; and having spoken with me he also, as is their custom, brought on some pain to my abdomen. He then tells them what wrong they have thought or done, and punishes them with stomach pain, saying that if they repeat this, they will die. (This, with us, corresponds to the pangs of conscience, for with those who speak with spirits, these manifest themselves as outright pains.) And one of them said that they die by fainting, now adding that they become that kind of spirits, namely, the kind who torment, scold and warn people on earth. He was at the back of my head, speaking from there in a definitely wavy intonation. 1748, 25 March.
1682. (I inquired of them how it was as to those among them who were evil, for they, as it was said, are an upright class of spirits. They replied that it is not permitted to anyone to be bad; and that if anyone does think or speak badly, he is first rebuked by a certain spirit, who says to him that if he repeats the offence he will die, and he does die in a fainting fit if he is again guilty of that which is thus prohibited. In this manner the people are preserved from the contagion of evils. A certain spirit of this class was present, speaking with me as with those to whom he then administered rebuke, and addressed me in a similar manner, [and I observed that] he induced upon a part of the abdomen) (some degree of pain, as was usually the case with them, to each one of whom the rebuker is accustomed to relate whatever of evil he had thought or done, and to punish him with pain in the bowels, saying to him that if he does thus again he will die, (:which with us corresponds to remorse of conscience, for with those who speak with spirits there are manifest pains:) and one said that they die in a fainting or swooning fit [per deliquium], and that they became such spirits as torture, chide, and admonish men. He was at the back of my head, and thus spoke in a kind of undulatory way. - 1748, March 25.)
1682. Quaesivi eos, quid fit cum iis, qui apud eos mali sunt, nam spiritus sunt probi, ut dictum, ajunt quod non liceat improbum esse, et si quis male cogitat et male agit, increpatur primum a spiritu quodam, qui ei dicit, quod si iterum talia faceret, quod moriturus esset, nec permittitur ut iterum malum tale faciat, nam sic moritur, et quidem per deliquium, ita populus iste conservatur a contagiis malorum-quidam 1
talis spiritus apud me erat, mecum loquens, sicut cum iis, quos ibi loci 2
increpat, et sic loquutus est mecum, tum quoque inducebat parti abdominis aliquid doloris, secundum morem apud eos-et 3
dicit ei, quid mali cogitavit aut fecit, et punit dolore ventris, ac ei dicit, si iterum ita faciat, quod moriturus sit, (quod apud nos correspondet morsui conscientiae, nam apud eos qui cum spiritibus loquuntur, manifesti dolores sunt); et dicebat unus, quod per deliquium moriantur, et nunc quod fiant tales spiritus; nempe qui hominem cruciant, increpant, et admonent; erat ad occipitium meum, ibi loquutus, et quidem undulatorie. 1748, 25 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has malorum, quidam
2. nisi loco legendum
3. The Manuscript has eos, et