University of Arizona

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Christian Lacy: Tale of the Salem Witchcraft

George Payne Rainsford James (1799-1860) was a British novelist and historical writer. He was British Consul for many years at various places in the United States and Europe. He held the honorary office of British Historiographer Royal during the last years of William IV’s reign. A note included in the material states that James was "led to an appointment about 1850 as consul to Massachusetts, where the present story must have been written."

The collection includes a bound holographic manuscript that is written in ink and contains James' edits and signature. This romance story is set in Salem, MA in 1691 and the main characters are devoted to each other in spite of witchcraft charges against Christian Lacy's mother.