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ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

NOTE ON FRONTISPIECE This is a reprOd L: Clion from Roben Pilcairn 's Criminal Tria!s in Scotland, A.D. 1488 (0 [ 67.4, compi led f rom The Original Records and Manuscripts wi~h H i:Horic.li NOles and lJIuSlrat ions. Edinburgh 18n.

The Editorial Note rep rding this illustration reads : OJ The Editor has again rhe pleasure of acknowJedgiog the kindness of CHARUS KIRKPATRICK SHARPE, Esq uire, who has liberally presented a curious Engrav­in g, e>;ecliced by himself, very closely resembl ing the original Woodcuts in the curious T :-'l-CI, reprinted a t Part IT, rage 213. 'NEWES FROM SCOTLA:-':O, declaring the damnable life of Doclor Fiau, a notable Sorcerer,' &c."

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ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

A SCOTTI SH W lTCHCRAFT MISC.ELLANY

OF TALES, LEGENDS AND BALLADS;

TOG ETHER WITH A DESCRIPTION OF

THE WITCHES' RITES AND CEREM ONIES

THOMAS DAVIDSON

OLIVER AND BOYD EDINBURGH, T WEEDDALE COURT

LONDON, 98 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, W.C

1949

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FIRST PUOLtSHED 1949

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN flY

ROBERT CUNNINGHAM AND SONS LTD., ALVA

FOR OLIVER AND BOYD LTD " EDINIlURGH

TO MY WIFE

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· . . I'll try some witchcrJft art To break with ane, and win the other's hea rt. Here Mawsy lives, a witch (hat for sma' price Cao cast her cantraips, and gie me advice. She can o'ercas l (he night, and cloud the moon, And mak the deiJs obedient to her c rune; At midnight hours, o'er the kirk-yard she raves , And howks unchristen'd weans out of their gravesj Boils up their livers in a warlock's pow; Rins withershins about the hemlock low; And seven times does her prayers backwards pray Till Plotcock comes with lumps of Lapland clay Mixt with the venom of black ra ids and snakes Of this unsonsy pictures aft she makes. Of ony ane she hates-and gars expire With slaw and racking pains afore the fire Stuck fu' of prins, the devilish pictu res melt; The pain by fowk they represent is felt.

RAMSAY: The Gentle Shepherd.

PREFACE

THE plan of this book has been to select, and bring together for the first time, the most interesting and entertaining examples from the veritable host of narratives, legends and

ballads which have grow n up around the diablerie in Scotland. In certain respects these narratives may be said to reflect the age in which they were written. They bear witness in many wayS to the character of the society then prevailing. Some possess a special antiquarian value, others an historic value, in that they afford glimpses of the local customs and ways of thought of the people; but rheir most important feature is, perhaps, the illuminati ng light they throw on the overpowering and all-pervading influence of superstition. In those days when illiteracy was the rule rather than the exception, superstition was an all important part of rhe everyday life of the people, and attended every action from birth to death. And incredibly absurd as this belief may appear, nevertheless it grew up side by side with the most rigid belief in orthodox religion, like weeds and flowers in the same ill-kept garden, and each was held with a more OJ' less equal reverence and tenacity in the same s imple minds.

The narratives, being thu mb-nail sketches of the popular beliefs and superstitions concerning witchcraft, require, for their true appreciation, some explanation of the esoteric rires of the witch and warlock; and although superstitious beliefs defy exact definit ion, they can at least be described. For this reason the miscellany is preceded by a short essay on the belief in, and method of, Scottish witchcraft. This slender essay, I need hardly point out, has no pretensions to be regarded as an academic contribution to this inexhaustible subject. Its object is to put before the general reader, in popular form, a statement of the witchcraft beliefs as complete and accurate as possible, but at the same time, arranged in a form that may prove of some

vii

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Vill PREFACE

scientific value and stimulate the interest of a swdent to further study of the subject.

I have avoided, wherever possible, paraphrasing or modern­ising the quotations from the old legal records and writers, for the very good reason that in the transla tion from the archaic to modern style t here appears at once a certain baldness of expres· sian to which the original is a stranger. The for ce and bea uty of the old Scottish language becomes tame and insipid when rendered into modern English. .

T o avoid encumbering the tex t with too many figures, the index at the end of the book furnishes the dates of execution or trial of the witches mentioned, together with the necessary cross-references between the actual narratives and the intro­ductory notes.

CONTENTS CHAPTER

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

1. WITCH ORGANISATION

Witch Coven. Witch Coven Mee tings. Dances. Singing.

Rides. Gyre Carline. Initiation Ceremonies.

Feasls

II. WtTCH PERSECUTtON

Witchcraft Acts. Sentences. Indictmen t. Discovery of Witches. Swimming Test. Witch Mark Test. Witch Prickers. Touch Test. Confession. Torture

Ill. WITCH RIT ES

Sympathetic Rites. Transference Rites. In­canta tions. Invocations. Sympathetic Milk­ing. Widdershins. Animal Rites. Elf Arrows.

IV. THE EVIL EYE

TALES

1. The Witch of Yarrowford 2 . Agnes Sympson of Keitb 3· The Broo 0' the Breeks 4· The Witch of Pittenweem 5· The Devil of Glenluce 6. The Devil Wishes to be a Tradesman 7· Margare t Wilson of Gallashiells 8. The Bewitching of Sir George Maxwell 9· The Witch of Fife

10. The Tailor 's Apprentice II. Hob Grieve of Lauder 12 . Newes from Scotland 13· The Warlock 0' Aikwood

ix

PAG£

VJI

5

22

43

85 87 9 1

94 100

110

](3 "5 129 139 141

147 160

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x CONTENTS

TALES

'4 · Ma rie Lamont of Inne:rkip

'5· God's Providence concerning Bessie Graham

16. Christian Shaw of Bargarran

'7· The Deil of Ardross.n 18. Janet Fraser of Dumfries

'9· Touching Isabel Heriot 20. J<tmes Lee ane Suspeckil Wadock

21. The Devil's Inquest 22. T ouching one \Villiam Barton, a Warlock

23· The Laird of Lirtledean and the Witches

24· Bessie Dunlop of Ayrshire

25· Sandie Hunter or Hattaraik, a Warlock 26 . The P.wky Auld Kimmer

27· Fighting. Witch . 28. King Duff the 78th King of Scotland, Bewitched

29· The Witch of L.ggan 30. Witchcraft in Rerrick

REFERENCES

GLOSSARY

INOEX

.1111

PACE

166 169 '75 218 220 224 230 233 236 239 240 244 246 248 254 256 257

27'

277

281

»

INTRODUCTION

IN no co untry in Europe did the belief in witches and warlocks flourish more widely, more intensely, and more tenaciously than in Scotland. In contradistinction to the essentially

demoniac and almost scientific nature of the belief in Germany and France, in Scotland it was altogether more exuberant and imaginative. Here we had the" weird sisters" who roman­tically voyaged across seas in sieves, rode through the air on bean-straws, boars and bourtries, and were in direct contact and on equal terms of familiarity with the Queen of Fairy and the Devil himself. In fact the witch was everywhere and was a recognised and accepted member of the comm unity, to be met and spo\<en with every day. This acceptance of the Devil is well attested by the numerous names by which he is fam iliarly known: Auld Clootie, Auld Chiel, Auld Nick, Auld Harry, Auld Sandy, Plotcock and so on. We have in various parts of the country such places as the Devi!,s Dyke, The Devi!,s Bridge, Devil's Elbow and The Devil's Beef Tub; and the chimney of his house, Hill's Lum, is at Pennan; his staircase is near Glenluce.

The question naturally arises, why should the belief have continued so strong and unyielding? The answer is fairly clear. The character of the country and the nature of the people no doubt contributed something towards the continuance of the belief, but by far the greatest contributor was the three­fold attitude of the early Church, namely, the scriptural evidence and the recognition of its reality-universal belief in demons aDd spirits-and the identification of these demons with heathen deities. So we see the Church had no real justification therefore to condemn witchcraft on account of its material and super­stitious nature. Upon the introduction of Chris tianity, however, witchcraft assumed a new form, though retaining all its old attt ibutes, but, instead of ascribing the supernatura l powers of the witch to heathen gods, they were imputed to the great fallen

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2 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

spirits of the Scriptures. But what is important to remember is that the conversion to Christianity was a slow and long drawn-out process. By the middle of the seventeenth century the conversion was complete only in so far as it applied to the townspeople and upper classes . In the country, it made little impression on the minds of the peasantry, who continued to adhere to the old beliefs to which they were accustomed. They were hard-working but grossly ignorant, simple and super­s titious, and their conception of a witch was one who repre­sented the perpetual attraction of the secret and dangerous, of fairies and spirits, and of auguries, good and bad. She was the repository of all weird and wonderful tales, and she afforded the pleasures and excitement which coloured an otherwise drab and monotonous life. To have spoken doubtingly of witchcraft to a peasant would have caused him to produce his Bible-and who dare doubt the evidence of heaven! Consequently there was one main obstacle to this change; its acceptance involved such a radical alteration to the peasants' attitude to life that they found it incredible; they were too simple and superstitious to grasp quickly the significance of the change-that all their old accustomed rites and ceremonies wefe iniquitous, since they constituted an appeal to and worship of evil spirits.

Both the Roman and Reformed Churches were in more or less equal agreement regarding the reality and prevalence of the belief, differing only over points of detail and method. The Roman Church proclaimed, with all the emphasis of her authority, the devilish nature of this belief, and her persecution of the witch, encouraged and stimulated by every means at her command, was responsible for the greater proportion of the victims who perished in the fire and on the gallows. She made, too, the mistake of accommodation, that is, she tolerated and, in a great many cases, incorporated some of the witches' magical rites into her own ceremonies and formularies, hoping by this adoption to srrengthen her position in meeting charm with charm and spell with spell.

When Puritanism triumphed over Papacy, one: ecclesiastical tyranny was replaced by another infinitely more oppressive. Under the Reformed faith, the infallibility of the Church was replaced by the infallibility of the Bible, and the worship of the

INTRODUCTION 3

Bible as the indisputable word of God completely changed the outlook of an entire nation. In Scotland the character of theology was even more severe than in other Puritan countries because the Scottish Kirk was unquestionably the result of a democratic movement, and her ministers arrogated to tbemselves a kind of infallibility in all matters of a political nature, with the result tl1<1t Scotland became absol utely subservient to her clergy. The continued acceptance of superstition accommodated under a new name, as was the case in the Roman faith, was considered treason to God, and so the Kirk, taking the devil in its stride as a ready-made object lesson, proceeded to stamp him Out. Buckle illustrates how well she was equipped for this task:

According to the Presbyterian policy, which reached its height in the seventeenth century, the clergyman of the parish selected a certain number o! laymen on whom he could depend, and who, under the name of elders, were his cou ncillors, o r rather the ministers of his authority. They, when assembled together, formed what was caJled the Kirk Session and this little court, which enforced the decisions uttered in the pulpit, was so supported by the superstitious reverence of the people that it was far more powerful than any civil tribunal ... Against such weapons in such a sta re of ~ciet~, resistance was impossible. The clergy interf:red with every man s pnvate concerns, ordered how he should govern his fam ily, and often took UpOD themselves the personal control of his household. Their minnions, th~ elders, were everywhere, for each parish was divided into several quarters .. and to each quarter one of these officials was allotted in ord~r that he might take special notice of what was done in his district. ~e~ldes this, spies were appointed so that nothing could escape their super­VIStOn. Not only streets but even private houses were searched and ran­sacked to see jf anyone was absent from church while the minister was prea.chi~g. To him all must listen and aU must obey. Without the consent of IllS tnbunai no person might engage himself either as a domestic servant or as a field labourer.l

Under such conditions witchcraft became a sin of rebellion or disobedience, that is, a superstitious belief in non-existent gods, whereby a person endeavoured to obtain his ends through channels, other than the orthodo x channel, afforded by a God through whom alone those ends should be sought. In 1603, for example, we find [he College of Aberdeen in Solemn Synod Inst . ,

ructmg every minister to take two of the elders of his parish 10 make J .. subtle and privy inquisition .. , and to question all Ihe parishioners upon oath as to their knowledge of witches.

-

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4 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

Boxes were placed in the churches for the express purpose of receiving the accusations. When a . woman had fallen under suspicion, the minister from the pulpIt denounced her by name, exhorted his parishioners to give evidence agaInst her and prohibited anyone from sheltering her. It was indeed a fact, as Lecky points out, .. Scotch witchcr~ft was but the. result of Scotch Puritanism ".' The records show that the mInisters all seemed only too eager to carry out the dictates of the omnipotent Synod. One inst~nce from many will suffice. In Selklfkshlfe, a certain Janet White was summoned before the Presbytery In order to answer a paltry charge made against her of CUring a sick child. For the purpose of the cure she used a charm con­t~ining words from the Bible. The Presbytery, .. Considering that her conduct had given great offence to the country, ordered her to appea r next Lord's day at the Kirk of the Forest, and there to be rebuked and admonished in the presence of the congregation ".' Admission that the devil was the being to be fought with, then the most severe and relentless pUnishments were meted out. There could be no compromIse, no suggestion of compassion, nothing but a heartless and fanatically cruel persecution, totally unrestrained by the voice ~f r~as?n . ThiS, then, was the Kirk's attitude; hence the crueltIeS Infhcted by a people, stern, but not cruel by nature, upon those who fell under the blight of witchcraft.

CHAPTER I

WITCH ORGANISATION

WITCH COVEN. Now while everything suggests that the witch-cult with its esoteric rituals is simply a survival of a pre-Chnstlan rellglon-a lIngering belief and worship

of inferior gods-and not the worship of evil, there is ample evi­dence to show that it was the general but confused ad mission by the Kirk of the religious origin of witchcraft, and the consequent enthronement of the devil as the god of the underworld, and iden­tific~tion of witches as his servants, which probably gave the con­gregational frame of reference to later witch-cult in Scotland. This framework took the form of a coven or conventicle which consisted of thirteen members, twelve witches (male or female), and one officer. The officer or president was formally entitled the Devil, and the twelve witches attending him, as his elders. The rule which governed the numbers comprising this coven was said to have reference to the fated number formed by Christ and His chosen Twelve. The earliest account of a coven is to be found in the trial of Bessie Dunlop; when Thorn Reid was trying to induce her to join the society, "he t.ook her to the kill-end, quhair he forbaid her to speik or feir for onye thing sche hard or saw; and quhan thai had gane ane lytle pece fordwerd , sche saw twelf persounes, aucht wemene and four men. '" Thorn obviously was the officer or grand-master at this particular meeting, making a tot~1 of thirteen. Janet Howat of Forfar also, tells us .. Ther was thair present wi th the divell besyd herselfe, quhom he callit the prettie dauncer the said Issobell Syrie, Mairie Rynd, Hellen Alexander, Issobell Dor­ward, and utheres whoise names shoe did not know, to the number of 13 of all ".' Fin~lIy Isobel Gowdie of Auldearne in a most extravagant confession gives the most details concerning the covens: " Jean Mairten is Maiden of owr Coeven. Johne

5

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6 ROWAN TREE AND RED THRE AD

Younge is Officer to owr Coeven. Ther ar tltrettin persons in ilk Coeven.'" It is worthy of note that in Scotland, even to this day the number thirteen is proverbially called the Devi!,s dozen. The dates kept by the coven for their general meetings were Candlemas Day (February 2nd), May Eve (April 30th), Lammas (August 1st), and Hallowe'en (October 31st). The only instance on record where mention is made of all four dates is in the trial records of Isabel Smyth of Forfar. She acknowledged that, " by the meetings she met with him (i.e. the devil) every quarter at Candlemas, Rood Day, Lammas and Hallowmass ".'

The meetings were usually held at night and in secret. Sometimes in an open but secluded place, sometimes in a churchyard, occasionally in a house. Preference was always given to places which had an atmosphere or feeling of solemnity and awe attached to them, derived from tradition or otherwise. The arrangements must have depended to a large extent on the facilities and opportunities of the particular coven, the more covens that assembled together the more space and seclusion was necessary.

Witch Rides. The methods employed by the Scottish witches to get to their coven meetings are curious and varied. Tradition paints an interesting tlJough so mewhat bizarre picture of the witches' locomotion. This is particularly so in Nithsdale, where the aged matrons, " deep read in incantation could sit i' the coat tails 0' the moon" ~ or H harness the wind to their ragweed chariots"; could say to the west star" byde thou me! " or to the mOOn jj hynte me in thy arm, for I am coming". 9 Those carlins of garrulous age who had suffered martyrdom on the brow for the cause, rode on chosen broom sticks shod with murdered men's bones. These moved spontaneously to the will of the possessor; but the more gay and genteel kimmers loved a softer seat than the bark of a broom stick. A bridle shredded from the skin of an unbaptised infant, with bits forged in Satan's armoury, possessed irresistible power when shaken above the head of any human being.

So much for tradition. Let uS turn now to the less doubtful but equally bizarre evidence of the legal records and writers. First we find there that those witches who had not far to travel to the local meetings obviously walked, as for example in the

WITCH ORGANISATION 7

case of the Lang-Niddry witches who, " convenit thame selffis at Deane-fute of Lang-Niddry ... thaireftir thay past altogidder to the said Beigis hous in Lang-Nyddry (where they drank); and theireftir came with all thair speid to Seaton-thorne be-north the zet; quhair the Devill callit for the said Christaine Tad, and past to Robert Smartis house, and brocht hir out ... And they thaireftir past altogidder, with the Devil!, to the irne zet of Seatoun ... And theireftir come all bak agane to the Deane­fute, qubair first thai convenit."!O Helen Guthrie of Forfar said " that herselfe, Isabelle Shyrie, and Elspet Alexander, did meit together at ane aile house near to Barrie, a little befor sunsett, eftir they hade stayed in the said house about the spaice of ane houre drinking of tltrie pintis of ale togidder, they went foorth to the sandis, and ther thrie other women met them, and the divell was there present with them all ... and they pimed so late that night that she could get no lodging but was forced to lye at ane dyk syde all night."ll

Very often, however, the witches claimed, or were accused of possessing, the power of Aying through the air supported only on a stick, or of riding on animals or human beings. When human beings were thus "riddenll it was usually in some enchanted form such as a horse or boar; there are instances, however, where the person ridden underwent no transformation, as in the case of Agnes Spark, who said that she" hard people ther present did speake of Isabell Shirie, and say that shae was the divell's horse, and that the divell did allwayes ryde upon hir, and that shae was shoad Iyke ane mare, or ane horse."12 Agnes Sampson rode to the meetings at North Berwick Kirk on horseback, pillion, behind John Couper her son -in-Iaw l ' Isabell Gowdie's description is more interesting, she" haid a little horse, and wold say, ' Horse and Hattock, in the Divellis name!' And ve voId Aie away, quhair ve voId, be ewin as strawes wold Aie upon an hie-way. We will Aie lyk strawes quhan we pleas; wild-strawes and corne­Strawes wilbe horses to ws/ and ve put thairn betwixt our foot and say' Horse and Hattock, in the Diveljjs name! ' ... Quhan We wold ryde, we tak windle-strawes, of been-stakes (bean stalks) and put them betwixt our foot, and say thryse .

B

Horse and Hattock/ horse and gae, Horse and pellattis; ho! ha!

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and immediatlie we flie away whair ewir we wold ... all the Coevens did mie lyk ca nis, bot Barbara Ronald, in Bright­manney, and I, stiJl (always) read on an horse, quhich ve voId mak of a straw or beein-stalk."" Of the witches of Cornwath it was reported that " the sa id Mailie Paittersone read upone ane cat, Jonet Lockie read upone ane cock, and thy aunt Mar­garet Watson read upone ane bottell of strae and the said Jeane Lauchlane upone ane bourtrie".15 Montgomerie in his Fly /ing mentions fairies riding on plant stems, and in the same poem he goes on to say:

Thif venerable virgines whom the world ull witches, In the time of their triumph, tirr'd mee the taide : Some backward raid on brod sows, and some on black bitches; Some on sleid of a staig, Quer a starke monke straide. Fca the how to the hight, some hobles, some hatches: With their mouthes to the moone, murgeons they maid. Some be force in effect the four windes fetches; And nyne times withershins about the thorne raid ; Some glowring to the ground; some grievouslie gaipe ;

Be craft conjucrand fiends perforce. Foocth of a caime beside a croce Thir ladies lighted rca their horse And band them with (alpes . tO

In Nithsdale and Galloway, the home of the Hallowmass Rades there is still preserved the fragment of a witches' coven gathering hymn, which runs as follows:

When the gray Hewlet has three times heo'd, When the grinning cat has three times mewed, When the Tod has yowled three times i' the wode, At the red moon cowerjng ahint the clud;

When the stars hae cruppen deep j' the drift, Lest C<l.ntrips had pyked them out o' the lift, Up Horsies a', but male adowe. Ryde, cyde, for Locher-brigg knowe! l1

Before leaving the subject of witch rides we muSt not forget that notorious person, the G yre Carline or Nicniven, the Hecate or Mother witch of the Scottish peasantry, who was reputed to preside over the Galloway" Hallowmass Rades". She was a mysterious divinity about whom there are many notices in the traditionary and legendary lore, and is described as wearing a

WITCH ORGANISA TlON 9

long gray mantle and carrying a wand, which, like the miraculous rod of Moses, could convert water into rocks, and sea into solid land. Tradition speaks of Lochermoss, which extends from the Solway sea to Locher-brigg Hill, as having been once an arm of the sea and a good anchorage for shipping. A large swell of the tide during the procession of a Hallowmass Rade which swept away some steeds from her assembly, so provoked her, that, baring her withered arm, she stretched over the sea her rod of power and turned it into a quagmire ' S

Our earlier writers made frequent aJlusion to her in al1 her three characters, Gyre Carline, Nicniven and Hecate. Lyndsay for example, while amusing his royal pupil, James V, reminds him how in his youth he was beguiled with

. . . . mony plesand storye Of the Reid Elin, and the Cyer Carling,l!

And Montgomerie retells of her Hallowmass processions:

Nicneuen with her nymphes in number anew. With charmes from Caitness and Chanrie of Rosse, Whose cunning consists in casting of a clew.

And again refers to her:

Nicneven as nUfjsh to teach it garl take it T o saill sure in a seiffe, but compass or cart And milk o f an hairne tedder, though wiues should be wrackit And the kow giue a chapin was wont to giue a quart. 20

Superstitious women of Fife, we are told, always spun off all the flax On their rocks (distaffs) on the last night of the year, otherwise, they believed, the Gyre Carline (or as they pro­nounced it "gy-garlin " ) would carry it off before morning. In this same district she replaced the usual" bogie-man" for frightening children by the threat of being given to M'Niven if they were not good.

Coven M eetings. It is from the evidence of countless witch Trials held throughout the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, that we glean most of our information about the general method of the cove n meeting. These meetings were held ostensibly for business, although it would seem a considerable part of the time was taken up with pleasure-dancing, singing and feasting. Reports from members regarding their work since

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I I

ROWAN TREE AND RED THR EAD

the last meeting were laid before the coven gra nd master. "All our acts and deeds, betwixt great meetings , must be given account of and noted in his book at each grand meeting "21

declares Isobel Gowdie. Consultations were held with the coven master about the infliction of disease or, when advantageous, the curing of sickness; and instructions were issued by him regarding their future conduct. New members were enrolled or initiated and information was given about possible new members.

Initiation. Membership of the witch-cult involved certain initiation rites and ceremonies which had to be carried out by each new member a t the coven. Furthermore, it is worthy of note in this connexion, that in nearly all the witch confessions we are told the initiation ceremonies were conducted in church­yards or other consecrated ground . This in itself provides a firm peg upon which to hang the evidence for the anti-Christian nature of the later cult. These ceremonies were, firstly, renun­ciation of the old faith; secondly, baptism; and lastly, marking. Forbes discussing this point says: "An -express Covenant is entered into betwixt Witch and Devil appearing in some visible shape. Whereby the former renounceth God and his Baptism, engages to serve the D evil, and do all the mischief he can as Occasion offers, and leaves him his Soul and Body to his Dis­posal after Death. The Devil in his Part articles with such Proselytes concerning the Shape he is to appear to them ·in. The Services they are to expect from him, upon the Performance of Certain Charms and ceremonies Rites."" Many examples of this may be gathered from the annals of the Scottish law-courts. For example Janet Boyd, spouse to Robert Neill, burgers of Dumbarton, freely confessed that she had entered into a covenant with the devil , had received his mark, had renounced her bap­tism, and been much too intimate with the above grisly person­age." Before this, in 1658, five women belonging to Dunbar were burnt on the Cas tle Hill at Edinburgh together, all con­fessing that they had covenanted with Satan, renounced to him theif baptism, and taken from him new names, with suitable marks impressed on their Aesh. This was followed by the case of nine women from the parish of Tranent, all dying with si milar confessions on theif lips.~4

The renunciation of Jesus Christ by the convert invariably

WITCH ORGANISATION

followed the same pattern, and from the Scottish records we find it expressed as follows : by putting one hand to the crown of the head, and another to the sole of the foot, renouncing their baptism in that posture." This solemn vow of self-dedica tion was carried out by Annabil Stewart at the instigation of her mother, and a witch named Bessie Weir who was officer at many of their meetings; " she put her hand to the crown of her head and the other to the sole of her foo t, and did give herself up to the Devil."" Kattrein Scott too, " forsak her baptizme, which shee did, delyvering herself wholly to him, by putting her one hand on the crown of her head, and the o ther hand to the sole of her foot, and giving all betwixt these two into him.""

After the renunciation of the old faith, the converts were rebaptised and given new names Of, as they are sometimes re­ferred to, spirit-names. A point which should be made here is that the baptismal rite was never considered a very important part of the ceremony in Scotland and was often omitted alto­gether. There are, however, several instances to be found in the records. The first comes from Bute where Margaret McLevine is reported to have confessed, "He asked what was her name ". She answered him, " Margaret, the name that God gave me ", and he said to her, " I baptise thee Janet"; Isobel McNicoll of the same coven confessed that" he baptised her and gave her a new name and called her Caterine"; Janet McNicoll met" a gross copper-faced man, whom s he knew to be an evil spirit, and that he gave her a new name, saying .. I baptise thee Mary"; Janet Morisonn "trysted with the Devil, and he asked what was her name, and she answered, , Janet Morisonn, the name that God gave me: and he said, 'Believe not in Christ but believe in me. I baptise thee Mar­garet.' ".. The Auldearn coven were fortunate in having a coven master, with a more original flair and imagination, for there Margaret Wilson was re-named Pickle-nearest-the -Wind; Bessie Wilson was Throw-the-Cornyard; Bessie Hay was Able­and-Stout; and Jane Mairton was called Ouer-the-Dike-with-it."

At the North Berwick convention the witch name was con­sidered of the greatest importance: "Robert Griersonne being namit, they ran all hirdie-girdie and wer angrie; for it was promesit, that he sould be callit Rob the Comptroller, alias Rob

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12 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

the Rowar, for expressing of his name. Effie McCalzane, Robert Griersonne, and the said Barbara, harpit to be nameit thair ; quhilk offendit all the cumpany: And that they sould nocht haif bene nameit with thC1ir awin names; Robert Griersonn, to haif bene callit Rob-the- ro war; Effie to be callit Cane; and the said Barbara, to be callit Haip. "3.

A near approach to the ceremony of baptism is the blood rite at Auldearne, described by Isobel Gowdie and Janet Breadheid. The Devil marked Isabel on her shoulder, he " sulked owt my blood at that mark, and spowted it in his hand, and, sprinkling it on my head, said, ' I baptise thee, Janet, in my awin name '." The Devil marked Janet Breadheid in the same way on the shoulder, " and suked out my blood with his mouth, at that place; he spowted it in his hand, and sprinkled

. it on my head, He baptised me thairvith in his awin name, , Christian ' ," al

T here remains now the ]ast fite in the process of initiation into the cult. It may not be th e most importan t, but it is cer­tainly the most interesting. This was the imprinting of the satanic mark on the convert, thereby testifying their servitude to their new master, the devil, and as Vedder illustrates it:

And the more to prove her all egiance true, Like a vassa l gude an' leal,

She has branded her banes wi' S., than's mark And her flesh wi' his prlYy seal.3'/:

This rite may be said to be the culmination of th e unhallowed compact between the devil and his new follower as she was admitted as a full member into the inner coterie of the coven. Pitcairn reports : "The Devill dooth generallye marke them with a privie marke, by reason the Witches have confessed them ­selves, that the Deuill dooth lick them with his tung in some priuy parte of their bodie, before hee dooth recieue them to be his servants, which marke commonly is giue n them vnder the haire in some part of their bodye, wharby it may not easily be found out or seene, although they be searched; and generally so long as the marke is not seene to those which search them, so long the paction that hath the marke will neuer confesse anything. "33

WITCH ORGANISATION '3

The legal significance of the witch-mark occupied the attention of such leading and celebrated lawyers as Sir George Mackenzie, and his comments do at least show" certain spirit of rationalism: "The Devil 's mark useth to be a great article with us ; but it is not per se found relevant, except it is confessed by them that they got that mark with their own consent, quo casu, it is equivalent to a pactio n. The ma rk is given them, as is alledg'd, by a Nip in any part of the body, and it is blew. Delrio calls it stigma, or chara cter, and a!ledges tb.1t it is some~ times like the impression of a hare's foot, or the foot of a rat or spider. Some think that it is impossible there ca n be any mark which is inse nsible and wi!! not bleed, for all things tilat live mllst have blood ; and so this place behoved both to be dead and alive at once, and behoved to live without ailment, for blood is the ailment of the body. But it is very easy to conceive that the devil may make a place insensible at a time, or may apply things that may squeeze out the blood. ""

The branding operation seems to have been carried out in a very haphazard manner; no stereotyped method of imprinting the mark was followed, and the spot chosen was not confined to any one particular part of the body. "It is put in secret places," the Rev. John Bell informs us, " as among the hair of the head, or eye-brows, within the lips, under the arm-pits, and even in the most secret parts of the body."35 For instance, Margaret Aiken who was known as the" great witch of Bal­weary ", being tortured on suspicion, not only confessed her guilt, but, to save her own life, informed upon others, stating that they had a secret mark in their eyes, by which she could tell at a glance they were witches" Sinclair tells us of a witch, Bessie Graham, who was found to have the mark upon her ridge-back." A variation occurs in the case of Marjory Mutch, she was searched and the wi tch-ma rk was found under her left ear /18

A slightly different technique seems to have been adopted in the north and west of Scotland, where we find John Reid of Paisley received" a bite or Nipp on his Loyne, which he found painful for a Fortnight "." Little Thomas Lindsay of Renfrew was ni pped on the neck when he joined the coven!· and An nabil Stuart, a young girl of fourteen years of age, said at her trial,

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'4 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

" The Devil took her by the Hand and nipped her Arm."" A variation, probably an individual touch, occurs when Margaret McLevine was presented for her initiation; the devil " took her by the middle finger of the right hand which he had almost cut off her, and therewith left her. Her finger was so sorely pained for the space of a month thereafter that there was no pain com­parable to it, as also took her by the right leg which was sorely pained likewise as also by the Devil. "42 Small wonder indeed! Janet Howat a member of the Forfar coven was nipped on one of her shoulders which was extremely painful, but the pain was much eased after the devil stroked her shoulder with his hand." Finally a very similar operation was carried out on Marie Lamont who, at her trial, confessed the devil" nipit her upon the right syd, qlk was very painful for a tym, but yairefter, he straikit it with his hands and healed it; this she confesses to be his mark.""

To gain some idea of the nature of the marks we have the evidence of the Rev. Robert Kirk who says, "A spot that I have seen, as a small mole, Horny and brown coloured; throw which mark, when a large pin was thrust (both in buttock, nose and rooff of the mouth), till it bowed and became crooked, the witches, both men and women, nather felt a pain or did bleed, nor know the precise time when this was doing to them (their eyes only be covered)."" Another description, this time almost a direct contradiction, is given by the Rev. John Bell: "The witch mark is sometimes like a blew spot, or a little tate, or reid spots, like flea biting; sometimes also the flesh is sunk in, and hollow." He continues, " I myself have seen it in the body of a confessing witch, like a little powder-mark of a flea powder, somewhat hard, and wi thall insensible, so as it did not bleed when I pinched it. "OG In both descriptions we are told, the spot or area so marked becomes hard and devoid of feeling, and, when pricked or pierced, does not bleed. As we shall see later, this fact proved very useful indeed to would-be witch finders. The subsequent discolouration was of a blue or reddish hue. Again, immediately after the mark was imprinted, the devil drew his hand across the spot, that is, he stroked it; there appears to be no significance in this action except possibly to stem the blood. All this tends to suggest that the mark was tattooed on to the skin of the victim, Of, in some cases possibly

2

WITCH ORGANISATIO N

an incision was made, which, if large and deep enough, would leave a blue mark, hard and slightly insensible; and severe pain, of course, would be felt.

A rational but unconsciously whimsical account of these marks is given by Hutchinson, who declares, " I make no doubt but that some of them are scurvy-spots, or Mortified or withered parts, or hollow spaces between the Muscles: Others are Piles, or Verrucae Pensiles, Hanging Warts, which in old Age may grow large and fistulous: Others may be Moles or Scars, a mark in the Womb from the Mother's Imagination. Or they may be marks that are seen to be useful to God, and are thrown out by Nature for the Prevention of Murders of Children, and Changes of Heirs: for the distinguishing of dead Bodies, and for the Knowledge of Persons after long Absence; But to make use of any of them for Signs of Witchcraft is such a Perversion of Justice, that I know not what Name to call it by."" Apart from the sound sense in this statement, it contains also a whimsical and original conception of the reason for birth-marks.

And so, to round off the initiation ceremonies, the Devil or his Sllbstitute opened the coven meeting with some form of religious service, either in the form of a sacrament or simple sermon. Whatever the form of the service it was always a direct mockery .of the Christian ceremony. At the Berwick coven meeting, the Devil "started up himself in the pulpit, like ane meikle black man, and callit every man by name." The sermon he preached was in the main just sheer nonsense . He told them " not to fear though he was grim; for he had many servants who should never want and should ail nothing, and he should never let any tear fall from their eyes as long as they served him". His commandmen ts were, II Spare not to eat, drink and be blyth, taking rest and ease, for he should raise them up at the latter day gloriously.""

In the case of the Loudian witches, Law writes: "The devill had a great meeting of witches in Loudian, where, among others, was a warlock who formerly had been admitted to the ministrie in the presbyterian tymes, and when the bishops came In, conformed with them. But bei ng found flagitious and wicked, was deposed by them, and now he turnes a preacher under the devil! of hellish doctrine; for the devill at this tyme preaches to

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his witches really (if I may so term it) the doctrine of the infernal pitt, viz., blasphemies against God and his son Christ. Among other things, he told them that they were more happy in him than they could be in God; him they saw, but God they could not see; and in mockerie of Christ and his holy ordinance of the sacrament of his supper, he gives the sacrament to them, bidding them eat it and to drink it in remembrance of himself.""

Further details of this particular convention are supplied by Fountainhall who says that the Devil" adventured to give them the communion or holy sacrament, the bread was like wafers, the drink was sometimes blood, sometimes black moss ·water. He preached and most blasphemously mocked them if they offered to trust in God who left them miserable in the world and neither he nor his Son Jesus Christ ever appeared to them when they called on them, as he had who would not cheat them."so

The converts were then instructed how they were to contact the devil when they wished to consult him and obtain his advice on specific points. Alexander Hami lton met the devil in the form of a black man at Kingston Hills in Haddingtonshire. Being engaged to serve the fiend, he was instructed to raise him by beating the ground thrice with a fir-stick, and crying: .. Rise up, foul thief !" He consequently had had him up several times for consultations, sometimes in the shape of a dog~ a cat, sometimes in the s hape of a crow.Sl Rather more in teresting is the account, given by Agnes Sampson, of how she raised the devil when she was called in to cure the old Lady Elmestone of Edinburgh. She told the gentlewoman artending the old lady to be in the garden after supper between five and six o'clock and so " She passit to the garden to devise upon her Prayer, on what time she chargit the devil, calling him Elva, to come and speak to her; wha came in ower the dyke, in likeness of ane dog."" The devil, whom Andrew Man of Tarbrugh called Christsonday, was raised by the word B elledicite, and laid again by taking a dog under his armpit, casting the same in the devil's mouth and speaking the word Maikpeblis. 53

Dances. At the conclusion of what may be termed the business side of the meeting, the festivities of the evening began and usually ended in dancing. The ceremonial dances were the

2

W ITCH ORGAN [SAT tON 17

ring dance, and a complicated version of follow-my-Ieader dance, in which it was nor uncommon for the devil or coven master to lead. At the North Berwick meeting Geilie Duncan played on a trump (jew's harp) we are told, and John Fian (masked) led the dances." Some of these dances survive to the present day and one know n as La Volta is said to be the origin of our modern Waltz." The music was frequently supplied by the master who either sa t in the centre of the ring of dancers, or led the dances. Jonet Lucas was accused, "thou and they was under the conduct of thy master the Devil, dancing in ane ring, and he playing melodiously upon ane instrument." Isobel Cockie at the same gathering dissapproved of the Devi!,s playing: .. Thou wast the ring leader, next Thomas Leyis; and because the Devil played not as melodiously and well as thou crewit, thou took his instrument out of his mouth, then took him on the chaps therewith and played thyself there on to the whole company."" We are indebted to John Stuart of the Paisley coven for an interesting detail regarding the devil's singing: H his voice ' J, he says, ,. sounded hollow and goustie ",57 Sinclair, who declares the devil to be originally the author of severa l baudy songs, goes on to relate a tale about a piper to whom the devil, "at a ball of dancing taught him a baudy song to sing, and playas it were this night, and ere two days past all the Lads and Lasses of the town were lilting it throw the street. It were an abomination to rehearse it. "5a A coven of witches was dis­covered at Borrowstownes, and of Annaple Thomson the chief witch it is recorded, "ye and ilk ane of you was at ane metring with the devill and other witches at the Croce of Murestaine, upon the thretrin of October last, where you all danced, and the devill acted the Pyiper."" And again, Helen Guthrie of the Forfar coven, confessed" they daunced togither, and the ground under them was all fyre flauchter, and Andrew Watson hade his vsuale staff in his hand, altho he be a blind man yet he daunced alse nimblie as any of the companye, and made also great miriement by singing his old ballads, and Isobell Shyrrie did SIng her song called Tinkleturn Tankleturn"; and" that the divill kist everyone of the women. "60

At the North Berwick coven the witches sang the following SOng while they danced a reel:

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Cumm er gae ye afore, cummer gae yet Gin ye winna gae afore, cummer let me,

Ring-a-ring a-widdershins Linkin' Iythly widdershins

Cummers c",riine c rone and queyn Roun' gae we!

Cummer gae ye afore, cummer gae ye, Gin ye winna gae afore, cummer let me,

Ring-a-ring a-widdershins Loupin' , Iichtly, widdersh ins

Kilted coats and fieein hair Three times (hree .

Cummer gae ye afore, cummer gae ye, Gin ye wmna gae afore, cummer let me,

Ring-a-ring a-widdershins Whirlin', skirlin', widdershins

And deil tak the hinnermaist Whae'er s he be ~6)

The ring dances were usually round some object. Thomas Leyis and a company of witches danced round the market and Fish Cross. They were accused, " Ye all danced about both the said crosses, and {he meal market, a long space of time; in the which Devil's dance, thou the said Thomas was foremost and led the ring, and dang the said Kathre~ Mitchell, because she spoiled your dance, and ran not so fast about as the rest. Testi­fied by the said Kathrein Mitchell, who was present with thee at the time forsaid dancing with the Devil. "62 Margaret Og was accused of going to Craigleauch " on Hallow even last, and there, accompanied by thy own two daughters, and certain others, your devilish adherents and companions, ye danced all together, about a great stone, under the conduct of Satan, your master, a long space."63 Jonet Lucas was accused of II daunceng in ane ring "64 on the same occasion, and Beatrice Robbie .. indicted as a notorious wi tch, in coming, under the conduct of the Devil thy master, with certain others, thy devilish adher­ents, to Craig1eauche, and there dancing altoge ther about a great stone, a long space, and the Devil your master playing before you."" At Tranent eight women and a man named John Douglas confessed to " having many meetings with Sa tan, enlivened with music and dancing. Douglas was the pyper, and

£

WIT CH ORGANISATION ' 9

the tWO favourite airs of his majesty were' Kilt thy coat, Maggie, and come thy way with me ' and' Hulie the bed will fa' ."66

Agnes Spark at Forfar " did see about a dozen people dancing, and they had sweet music amongst them, and, as she thought, it was the music of a pipe. "G 7 Barton's wife was at a meeting in the Pentland Hills, where the Devil, " went before us in the likeness of a rough tanny Dog, playing on a pair of Pi pes. The Spring he played (says she) was:

The si lty bit chicken, gar cast her a pickle, And she will grow mickle,

And she will grow good.f.S

A curious example of the follow-m y-leader dance comes from Aberdeen where on Rood Day a mee ting of witches took place upon St. Katherine's Hill, " and there under the conduct of Satan, prese nt with YOll, playing before you, after his form, ye all danced a devilish dance, riding on trees, by a long space. "69

Isobel Gowdie has little to say on this point: " Jean Martin is maiden to the coven that I am of; and her nickname is Over the dyke with ii, because the Devil always takes the maiden in his hands next him, when we dance GiJlatrypes; and when we would loup from ... he and she wiJl say' Over the dyke with it.' " Gideon Penman, a renegade Scots minister at Crighton. was usually" in the rear in all their dances, and bea t up all those that were slow." 70

It appears the Scottish minstrels of every description were vulgarly supposed during the prevalence of the covenant to be under the peculiar care and protection of the Devil. The fol­lowing interesting legend was commonly voiced in Glasgow about one hundred and fifty years ago. "As a citizen was passing at midnight through the Cathedral yard or burial ground , he saw a neighbour of his own, lately buried, rise out of his grave and dance a jig with the devil, who played the air called 'Whistle o'er the lave o't' upon the bagpipe, which struck the whole city with so much horror, that the town­drummer was sent through the streets next morning, to forbid anyone to play, sing or whistle the nefarious tune in question." 7l

Feast. At the ordinary meetings of the coven the food eaten at the feast or banquet seems to have been of the usual kind,

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20 ROWAN TREE AND RED THRE AD

varying only according to the social rank of the persons con­cerned . At the main or quarterly gatherings the high feast consisted of special food. Here there is one chief distinction in the confessions- at some the food was said to be delectable, at others so indescribably awful that it would cause nausea in the hungriest and greediest stomach. Marie Lamont said that " the Devil came to Kattrein Scott 's house, in the midst of the night, he was in the likeness of a mickJe black man, and sung to them and they dancit; he gave them wyn to drink, and wheat bread to ea t, and they warr all very mirrie."" William Crow of Borrowstownes suppl ied seven gallons of ale which were drunk at a meeting in Bessie Vickers' house. Of the same company Margaret Hamilton who had been the devi!'s serva nt for eight or ni ne years, said the devil, had on several occasions, " dra nk severall choppens of ale" with her." At the M uryknowes meeting, Jonet Howat gives us the following account: "At this meiting there wer about twenty pe rso nes present with the divill, and they daunced togi ther and ea t togither, having bieff, bread, and ale, and shoe did eat and drink with them hir self, bot hir bellie was not filled , and shoe filled the drink to the rest of the company." At the same assembly Elspet Alexander stated " The divill and the witches did drinke together having flesh, bread and aile," and Elspet Bruce gave the devil a goose in her own house, and found great favour in the eyes of the master,74 but whether this was because of the goose or the fact that he considered her" ane prettie woman" we know not. The more well-to-do witches of the coven sa t at the top of the table or festive spread, next to the master and the maiden, In all other respects they were equal partners and participan ts in all their secret rites. Many who have attended these feasts have men­tioned among the victuals provided, ca ts, black kids, dunghill cocks, and other animals not usually looked upon as fit for human consumption.

Galloway's traditional assembly boasted a special cake which was baked for the Halloween Tryste:

She hynt them J' in her mow' an' chowed, She hynt them a' in her mow' an' chowed, She drabbled them owre wi' a black tade's blude, An' baked a bannock- an' ca'd it gudePS

WITCH ORG ANISA TI ON

The witches of Forfar did the obvious thing, they helped them­selves to what they wa nted; " they went to Mary Rynd's house and sat downe together at the table, the divell being present at the head of it; and some of them went to Johne Benny's house, he being a brewer, and brought ale from thence ... and others of them went to Alexander's Hieches and brought acqua vilie from thence, and thus made themselfes mirrie."" Isobel Gowdie in her usual extravagant way gives very interest ing details: "We would go to several houses in the night-time. We were at Ca ndlemas last in Grangehill where we got meat and drink enough . The Devil sat at the head of the tabl e, and all the coven about. That night he desired Alexander Elder in Earlsea t to say the grace before meat, which he did; and it is this:

We ear [his meat in [he Divellis name, Wich sorrow, and sych, and meikle shame; We sail destroy hows and hald: Both sheip and noat in till the fold . Li ttle good sa il come to the fore Of all the rest of the litde store.

And then we began to eat. And when we had ended eating, we looked steadfastly to the Devil, and bowing ourselves to him, we said to the D evil, ' We thank thee, our Lord, for this.' We killed an ox' in Burgie, abou t the dawing of the day, and we brcught the ox with us home to Auldearne, and did eat all amongst us in an house in AuJdearne, and feas ted on It.''?7 Alison Pearso n whose adventures among the fairies are very interesting s tated" that a man in green apperit to hi!, ane lus tie mane, with mony mene and wemen with hi m: and that scho sanit her and prayit, and past with thame fordir nor scho could tell; and saw with thame pypeing and mirrynes and gude scheir, and wes carei t to Lowtheane, and saw wyne punchownis with tassis with thame."" In the follo wing two examples the witches not only complained of, the food from the devil but also Com­plained about the quality of it. "Saltan gave you (Robert Wilson) both meat and drink sundry times, but it never did you any good"; while Janet Brugh confessed that she got "rough bread and sour drink from Saltan at the Beuts of Balruddrie."79

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CHAPTER II

WITCH PERSECUTION

THE prosecutions for witchcraft for m one of the most deplor­able episodes in human history. They show more clearly than anything else has ever done, what relentless cruelty

human nature is capable of under the influence of fanatical delu­sion . On thz flimsiest and harmless practices people were appre­hended by the many over-zealous witch hun te rs, who were not above basing their charges on caluminous suspicionsJ and their judgment upon the testimony of ignorant peasants. It was a fundamental axiom of wi tch codes, as explained by Bodin, and accepted by James V I and reformed witch hu nters in general, that no witch might be acquitted" unless her innoce nce shone as eleelf as the noontide sun". Every care was taken to render that impossible. The most infamous were accepted as witnesses, and their evidence, full of discrepancies and contradictions, far from invalidating their testimony, actually increased its weight. The most incontrovertible alibi was useless. Evidence in favour of the suspect was twisted and corrupted to sui t the line, " Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Indeed the persecutions became so long and bitter that witchcraft, like apostacy, became a crimen continuum; for it was held, once a witch, always a witch.

In Scotland witchcraft as a crime was first made legally punishable by an act passed in the reign of Mary. The Act, passed by the Scottish Parliament in June 1563, reads:

ACTA PARLIAM ENTORIUM 1'v1ARIAE. 1563, cap. IX

Item Forsamckill as the Quenis Majestie and thre Estares in this present Parliament being informi!: that the hauy and abominabill superstitioun vsi t be diuers of [he liegis of this Realme be vsing of Witchcmftis Sorsarie and Necro mancie and credence geuin thnirto in cymes byganc aganis the Law of God And for auoyding and away putting of all sic vane super­stitioun in tymes tocum. It is statute and ordanic be the Quenis Maiestie

22

WITC H PERSE CUTION

and thre Estatis foi rsaid is that na manner of persoun nor persounis of quhatsumeuer esta te degre or conditioun th.<ly be o~ tak vp?ne hand in any tymes heirefter to vse ony maner of Wltchcraftls SorsJne or N ecro­mancie no r gif t.hame se lfi s furth to have o ny s ic craft or knawlege thatrof thairthrow abus and the pepill. Nor that na persou n seik ony help response or consultatioun af ony sic vsaris or abusaris foirsaid is of Witchcraftis Sorsareis or N ecromancie vnder the pane of deid alsweill CO be execu te aganis the vsar abusa r as the seikar of the response or consu ltatioun. And this to be put to executioun be the Justice Schireffis Stewartis Bailles Lordis of Rega liteis and Rial1::eis thair Deputis and vthers Ordinar Jugeis competent within this Realme with all rigour hauing powar to execute the samin.80

We gather from this Act that the crime lay, not in witchcraft per se bu t in the impiety and blasphemy of beli eving in super­natural powers. That this is so, is borne out by the fact that in almost all the trials for witchcraft, punishments were for pro­fessing or using of sorcery and for abusing the people with witchcraft art i some indeed were convicted and executed for "being notour witches ". With regard to the number of victims who were executed for the crime of wi tchcraft is now impossible to say. A grea t number of depositions and confessions are preserved, b ut these represent much less than half the total number. Mackay gives a figure of 8,000" burnt to death between the years 1560-1660, but this figure, however, is too high. L egge gives a more rational figure of 3,400" executions between I 590 and 1680, Black in his Calendar of Witchcraft Trials in Scotland makes an estimate of approximately 4,500 during the same period.

An analysis of the witchcraft records shows that there were three periods of persecution which stand out; these are 1590-1597, 1640-1644, and 1660-1663. During these periods the Presbyterian Church was the legally re cognised form of church government, but the persecution continued under Episcopacy, but to a much less extent, as the records show. It is worthy of note that one direct consequence of the triumph of Puritanism, and a very significant one, was the fact that although the la w against witchcraft was made before the Reformation (in 1563), it was not until the reformi ng clergy assumed full control that the law was carried to its full severity in 1590.

In the latter part of the reign of Charles I the frenzy appears to have revived after a period of comparative quietude, chiefly

c

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24 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

through the activities of the General Assembly. Condemnating Acts were passed by that body in 1640, 1643, 1644, 1645, and 1649, and with every successive act, cases and convictions in­creased. During the period of Cromwell's occupation, persecu­tions almost ceased, as the Cromwellian Courts of Justice discountenanced accusations of witchcraft. Curiously enough the worst outbreak of all took place during the period of laxity that followed the Restoration of 1660, but this was attributed to the fact that a great number of witches had accumulated during the Cromwellian occupation. After the period 166,-,662 the frenzy seems to have exhausted itself by its own virulence, for only a few isolated outbreaks are recorded.

Execution. When a person was suspected of being a witch, or, what was mOre usual, became, by habit and repute, a witch, complaint was made to the Church. The kirk session and local presbytery immediately set up an investigation, and when the report was made, a precognition was taken before the Privy Council. Here the evidence of neighbours was taken down. The accused was then put into solitary confinement with the view of obtaining a confession, given voluntarily or extorted by means of torture. The confession provided the substance of the case for the prosecution. The Court compared the indict­ment (or dittay) with the confession, listened to any oral or written testimony the prosecution cared to adduce, and pro­nounced the verdict, which was invariably "Culpable and fylit ". The usual mode of execution was strangling and burning at the stake, and the sentence as pronounced by the Dempster was as follows:

The judge acceptis the determinatioun of the assyse and ordanis the panell to be fane be the lockman, hir hands bund, and be car rid to the head of the Jon, the place of executioun, and thair to be knet to ain staik, wiried to the dearh and brunt in asses, quhi lk ... dempster, gave for doome S3

Besides the ignominious fate of being convicted, condemned, strangled and burnt, to those proved guilty of the heinous and abhorrent practices of witchcraft, human inge nuity seems ro have run completely riot in devising a multiplicity of tortures against others who were suspected, and who persisted with astonishing fortitude in denying the imputations. A Commission

s

WITCH PERSE CUTION 25

was given by King James VI, with the advice of the Lords of his Secret Council, for the examination of suspected and con­victed witche~, " the person is wilfull or refusand to declair the veritie to putt to the tortour, or sic uthir punishment to use and C.1US be usit as may move thame to utter the truth u.s< Occa­sionally we find cases where the more humane procedure of initi:llly strangling was omitted altogether and the victims simply burnt alive. A singular circumstance in this connexion is the belief that a witch must be burnt and the ashes scattered. This was so ingrained in the minds of the people that when the severity of the laws began to relax, remonstrances were made by or to the authorities. In 1649 the Scotch General Assembly has on record: "Concerning the matter of the buriall of the Lady Pittadro who, being under a great scandall of witchcraft, and being incarcerat in the Tolbuith of this burgh during her tr:all before the Justice, died in prison. The Commission of the General Assembly, having considered the report of the Com­mittee Appointed for that purpose, Doe give their advyse to the Presby terie of Dumfermling to show their dislike of that fact of the burial! of the Lady Pittadro, in respect of the maner and place, and that the said Presbyterie may labour to make the persons who has buried her sensible of th eir offence in so doeing; and some of the persons who buried hir, being personallie present, are desired by the Commission to show themselvis to the Presbyterie sensible of their miscarriage therein." "

The scenes at these burnings were sometimes very terrible, and on one occasion at Brechin, the pitiful sights and horrors so moved the Earl of Mar, that he declared to the Privy Council that the women" albeit thay perseverit constant in their denyell to the end, yit thay wer brunt quick eftir sic ane crewell maner that some of thame deit in despair, renunceand and blasphe~e­and, and utheris, half brunt, brak out of the fyre and wes caSt in quick in it agane quhill tha y wer brunt to deid."'· Slightly different treatment was meted out to Jonet Horne who in 1727 was condemned and burnt in a pitch barrel. This was the last legal trial for witchcraft in Scotland."'

All interesting document has been preserved in the session records of Kirkcaldy for the year 1633 detailing the expenses incurred when William Coke and Alison Dick were condemned

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••

ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

to be strangled and burnt for the crime of witchcraft. The document shows the extraordinary and lamentable part played by the Church. 88

Imprimis. To Mr. James Miller when he went to Prestowne for a man to try them, 475.

I tem. To the man of Cuirass the executioner when he went away the first time, [25.

hem. For coals for the witches. 245. Item. In purchasing the commission i tem. For one to go to Finmouth for th e laird to sit upon

their assi.ze as judge item . For harden to be jumps to them Item. For making of them Summe for the Kirk's part Scots The T own's pact of Expences Debursed extraordinari ly upon William Coke and Alison Dick:

Imprimis. For ten loads of coal to burn them, 5 meeks Item. For a tar barrel, [45. Icem. For lowes hem. T o him that brought the executioner Item. T o the executioner for his pains Item. For his expences here lcem. For one to go to Finmouth for the laird

Summa Town pare SCOts Both Scots or Sterling

£2 7 0

o 12 0

4 0

9 3 0

o 6 0

3 ro a o 8 0

q 10 0

£3 6 8 o 14 0

060 2 18 0

8 14 0

o 16 4 060

17 0

34 JJ 0

:2 J7 7

It will not be out of place here to quote a typical example of a Scottish indictment, in this case against a certain Marion Richart. " The indictment shows up the absurd credulity of her judges and the complacency with which they solemnly listened to the utter nonsense contained in each point of her accusation.

r633, 29 May.-Inteat upon pannell Marion Richart, alias Layland, fo r the point is of witchcraft, sorce rie, and divination, and wheris under­wouin . In the first ye, the said Marion ar indy ted and accuised of contra­veining the tenOur of the Act of Parliament maid be ou r umquhi le dread soverane lad y Mary be the grace of God Quein of Scotland with the advyce of hir thrie Estaites in hi r nynth parliament that quher they being informit of the hevie and abominable superstition used be divers of the Jeidges of this realme be using of witchcraftis, sorceries, and necromancie, and credence givin thairto in tymes bygam:, againes the law of God, and for avoiding and away putting of all sic superstition in tyme cuming it was statute and ordanit be the Queincs Majestic and thrie Estai tes forsaid that na persone or persones of quhalsomewer eSlait , degrie or condi tion they

W ITCH PERSECUTION 27

be of, tak upon hand in any tymes the rafter to use any maner of witchcraftis, sorcerie or negromancie, or give themselvis furth to have any sic craft or knowledge thairof, thairthrow abusand the people, under the paine of de.lth. And trew it is that ye, the said Marion, h<lve contraveined the (enour of the said act be using <lnd practising of witchcraft is, sorceries and divinationes, and of giving yourself furrh to have sic craft and knowledge, and in keiping companie and socie ty with (he devil I, and chairthrow abusand the people of diverse and sundrie tymes and places in manner following, and therfoir and for airt and pClrt of the said abominable superstition used and practised by your aught and souid be adjudged to the death: And in speciall ye, the said Marion, are indy ted and accused for ain and part (abetting) of the sa id abom inable superstit ion for that sex or sevin yeires since James Fi5cher, your oy (grandchild), being keiping Manse Smythis swyne, went up into ane auld hous called the house of Hawing Gremay to saife himselfe from a cold showir chat was raining and quhen he cam in co the saide old hous he saw you and Kathere ine Mi ller si tting thair and the devi ll, in li k~ ness of a black Illao, sitting betwixt you, and the said Katherine clyed feardie "Tak him for he will celi upone us"; bot ye wold nOt suffer and said, " Let him alane for na body will beleive him." And upon the morning (herafter the said James, your oy, told Manse Smyth, his m.lster, that he had seine you and Katherine Miller and the devil! together in the old hous. And lykewayes that nigh t, whilk ye and (he said Katherine wer in the stockis befor your now cuming to the toun, the said Katherine said unto you, " Yea, pJaige of God upon thy oy, for if chow had done to him tha t quhilk I baid thee he had not bein troubling us now": quhilks poincis wi ll be sufficjent ly provin and therfor rank wich cannot now deny:

Secondly, ye, the said Marion, ane indyced and accuised fo r airt and pa:t of the said abominable superstition in that fyve or six yeires since Elspeth Sandesone contract it ane hevie disease in so much that sho wes quyr bereft of all hir sences for Olne long space, ye, coming to the SOlid Elspethis hous, made ane water quhilk ye c<tlt <tne remedie fo r forspeaking and woke wate r into ane round cope and went out into the byre and took sllmthing out of you r purse lyk unto great salt and did cast therin and did spit thrie seve ralt cymes in {he same and ye confest you rselfe when ye had so "'\lndie in bin (quhilk is ane nome rearme), that is to say, ye blew your breath chai rin ; and thair.lhe r ye sent it to the sa id Elspe th with the servand woman of the house and bad that the said Elspeth SQ uid be waschin tha rin , hand and feite, and scho sould be as heaH as ever sho was; as also ye said to the servant woman thac ye send with che water that if scho cold it agane seho should never thryve, and so soone after as scho revei lec it scho died, quhilk death was wrought be your deid, and quhilk also ye confest before the session <tt Sanday (Orkney) and therfor rank wich cannot now deny.

Thirdly, ye, the said Marion, ar indy ted and accuised for ai rt and part of the !\aid abominabte superstition in that ther was a poore wyfe with yow who wes travelling of cheiJd in you 1 hous and desyred a $Ope milk with you, quhi lk ye on nawayes wold give; the rfoir the said poor woman sent

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ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

to Robert Dreveris heus (quhilk wes in that same bigging) to get a sope milk quhilk the said Robertis wyfe sent unto hie; and immediate thaireflcr the said Robertis wyfe lost the profeit of hi! wholl milk. Quharfor she cam into yow and did lament for her profeit that she want it. Ye ansllcrit and said, .. Go thy way to the sea and tell nyne boares of the sea cum in, that is to say, nyne waves of the sea, and let the hindmost of the nyne ga back againe and the nixt thairaCter tak thrie loofullis of the water and put within thy s taupe and quhan thow comes home put it within thy kirne and thow will get thy profeit gane "; quhilk yc, rank wich, cannot also deny.

Foucthlie, ye ar indy ted and accuised for airt and part of the said abominable supers tirion in that Helein H amiltoun, spous to James Keith! and all hir houshold being straited with dreuth for th e space of twentie dayes or ane moneth that no drink could quench the same, and the said H eleine and hir husband aHedging you for the great drew thac they had upon ane Sunday ye om to the said Heleines hOlls and fetchit with you ane mutchkin of small aill in ane chopping caD and offerit to the said Heleine and hir familie to drink, bot the said H elein refuisit to drink it, bot ye urgit it more and more upon hir and saidc, " I have ane sonsay hand and my mother befoir my day", and made evede on of them ti drink thereof, and immediatlie before the nun S unday thair thrist was eisit and the heavy weicht that wes upon them the tyme of thair great thrist and dreuth Wls taken away, q unilk ye, ra nk wich, CannOt also deny.

Fyftly, ye, the s<lid Marion, are Lndyted and accuised for airt and part of the said abominable super~tition in that ye cam to Wi lliam Fothringhame his house benorth to get almis, and his wyfe OOt being at leasure to give yow alms ye went to the dure and sayde, 35 ye went, that schie should loss als meikle schortly; and aught dayes afeer that his best kow died. quilk wes done be your deid, quhilk ye, ra nk wich, cannot a lso deny.

Sactly, ye, the said Marion, ar indy ted and accuised fo r airt and part of the sa id <lbominable superstition in that ye cam to Stronsay (Orkney) to Ma rgare t Tho mesones hous, and the said Margrat had nyne ky quhi lk wes not ridin and ye sa id unto hir, " Give me almis and befoi r (his day aucht dayes ilk kow on your aught sa il be riddin "; quhilk almis ye res-wit from the said Margrat and befoir that day ought dol yes ilk kow that she had wes riddin qui lk fell out even according as ye spa ik, quhilk ye, rank wich, cannot also deny.

Sevinthlie, ye, the said Marion, ar indy ted and accuised for .li ft and part of the said abominable superstition in that ye did wasch the feit of James Davidsones kat into his bait water becaus he could get no fisch [hat yeir, saying that the said James in tyme cuming wold get more fisch in res pect of you r work in wasching of the cates leit in his bair wa ter ; and quhen ye had waschin the cat tha irin ye did tak the waler wherein the cat wes waschin and did cast it out after him quhen he did go to the sea, quhilk point, ye, rank wich, cannot also deny.

Eighthly! ye, the said Marion, ar indy ted and accuised for airc and part 'Jf the said abominable superstition in that about fyve or six yei res since ye cam to David Jokis hous who was going to the sea and wes making

WITCH PERSECUTION 29

moane that he had gottin no fisch that yeir; ye answerit and sayde that micht be easily mend it, and ca lled for the th ing that geid about the fyre , q uhilk wes the cate! and said thac ye wold wasch the cates heid and feit into the water quherin the bait wes to be leiped and said tha t ye wold tak that water .and cast it about him and upon him and into his sea caschie and inro his b~it coubie, and quhen he cam to the sea he SQuid ge t fisch enoch, quhilk ye, rank wich, cannot deny.

Auour, ye .ar indy ted rind accuised for airt and part of the said abom­inable superstition in thac ye Cam to Stronsay about twa or thrie yeaires since in sumer and asking almis fra Andro Couper, skipper of ane bark, he said to yow, " AWOl wich, carling, devill a farthing ye will fa It; quherupon ye departed wery offendit. And, incontinently! he going to sie, the bark being under saill, he rail mad :and wold have Juppon ovirburd and his sone, seing him, gat him in his airmes and held, quherupon the se iknes imediately left ili..m and his son ran mad, And Thomas Patersone, seing him t3k the Ol:1dnes and the father to tuene weill, ane dog being in the bark, to (oke the) dogg and bladded him upon the sone his shoulders ilnd therafter keist the said dog in (the sea), quharby these in the bark wer saifed, quhilk being done a ll the doggerS at the sey ... 13ndyeri s for feir gave yow abun­dantly, q uhilk all wes done be yowr witchcraft and ... quhilk ye cannot deny.

And generallie ye ar illdyted for airt and pain of using ilnd practising of witchcrafris, sorceries, divinatlones and charmis, as is particularlie above-written, and giving your selfe furth to have sic craft and knowledg, thairby abusing the people, and that by your cu rsingis <lnd imprecationes ye wrong "nd hurt man and beist, quhilk evil! ar brocht to pas be the power and working of the deviLl, your master, and therfoir aught and should underly the' law and be adjudged to the death lhairfoir and in exampil l of utheris to do the Iyk.

29 May, r630. The haill assyse, all in ane voice, be the mouth of the chancella r fyllis the pannell in the first, the second anent the watter and chairme, the th ird, the sext, the aught and nynt, and clengis hir of the fourt , fyft, and sevint poyntis, and referris senlence to the judge and dome to the dempstar.

Discovery of Witches. The normal procedure adopted in the case of a person suspected of being a witch was, firs tly, to search for the tell-tale witch-ma rk, and, secondly, to force a confession by mental and physical torture. But before going on to d iscuss the methods used for discovering the witch-marks and forci ng a confession, brief mention must be made of the practice of swimming a witch. This was a modified or possibly a degenera te form of the ancient water ordeal, which was very commonly used in England but seldom in Scotland. King James VI considered H fleeting on water "!)O a very good means

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of testing a witch, and the great witch of Balweary tells us that at a convention upon a hill in Atholl there were twenty-three hundred witches present, the devil amongst them. "She knew them all well enough, and what mark the devil had given severally to every ooe of them. There was many of them tried by swimming in the water, by binding of their two thumbs and their great toes together, for being thus casten in the water, they floated ay aboon."" The test was carried out in the following manner. The victim was stripped naked and bound with her right thumb to her right big· toe and her left thumb to her left big-toe, and was then cast into the pond or river. If she sank, she was innocent, but frequently drowned; if she swam or floated she was declared guilty without any further evidence being required, and so escaped drowning to be hanged or burnt. At a later date, this test was altered so that the right thumb was tied to the left big toe, and the left thumb to the right big toe, thereby making the sign of the Holy Cross.

Coming now to consider the witch-mark, we find both the clergy and laity were unanimous in their belief that such marks found on the body of a suspect, immediately, and without question, branded her as a witch. And so convinced were they of the infallibility of this test that a regular profession of witch finders was permitted to spring jnto existence. These meo, called witch-prickers, jobbers, or brodders were permitted to tour the small parishes regularly, searchi ng out and pricking suspected witches.

The method they used was perfectly simple. The victim was stripped to the waist-occasionally completely naked-her hair shaved off, and her body scrutinised from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head. Any spot, mark or blemish found on the skin was pricked with a long brass pin:

.. . they prick it her body fra.e head to heel To find the witch-mark ou t. ~~

These pins were pushed in:o the flesh, sometimes to the depth of three inches, and the test was considered positive if the victim felt no pain, could not indicate the exact position where the pin was inserted in her body even when allowed to remain there for some time, and no blood flowed from the wound. By

WI TCH PERSECUTION

special commandment, "Agnis Sampson had all her haire shaven off, in each parte of hir bodie, and her head thrawen with a rope according to the custome of that Countrye, beeing a paine most greeuous, which she continued almost an hower, during which time she would not confesse any thing vntill the Dieuls marke was found vpon her priuities, then she immediately confessed whatsoever was demaunded of her. "" We find" James Scobie, indueller in Mussilburgh, being sen t for, and brocht in before Janet Barker, as he that had knowledge in finding out, and trying the devillis mark, he fand out the said mark betwix her schoulderis, in the quhilk he did thrust ane lang preane, the quhilk preane abaid stiking thr ie quarteris of ane hour; and yet the said preane was nawayis felt sensible be the said Janet; and at the drawing thairof, schoe confessit that nocht onli schoe hir­self, but also vmquhile Janet Cranstoun had resavit the devillis mark, about the same pair quhair schoe was markit."94. Another of his victims was Margaret Olsone a suspected witch, who, " being tryed in the shoulders where there were several spots, some read, some blew ish, after a needle was driven in with great force almos( (0 the ege, s he fel( i( 110(. "95

John Kincaid of T ranent was probably the most outstanding and notorious wielder of the" preen" in Scotland. The magis­trate. and minister of Dalkeith found it necessary to use his great skill; they" caused John Kincaid the common pricker to prick Janet Paiston and found two marks upon her, which he call ed the Deivill his marks-which appeared indeid to be so, for schoe did nather find the prein when it was put into any of the said marks, nor did they blood when they were taken ou t again; and quhen schoe was asked quhair shoe thocht the preins were put in, shoe pointed at a point of hir body, distant from the place quhair the preins were put in, they being lang preins of thrie inches, or thairabout, in length ; quhilk John Kincaid declares upon oath, and verifies by his subscription to the same ... ·' Again following the implication of Kincaid, Janet Cock was found to have twO marks upon her which were "pricked without any sense or feilling, thereof, or any of the leist appear­ance of any blood; the preins being taken out, the holies remained vndosed, as if the samine had bein put into whytt peaper."" Kil1caid's career came (0 a sudden end, when, in April 1662,

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32 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

the Privy Council became sensible to the gross inhumanities he committed. He was apprehended and imprisoned; after a period of nine weeks in jail, during which time he repeatedly petitioned for his liberty, on the plea of ill health and old age, he was released on condition that he no longer practised. And so he faded into obscurity.

Towards the end of 1650 there were eleven witches including one Janet Couts" a confessing witch ", sent to the jail at Peebles. There was some difficulty attached to the case, for the burgh refused to maintain so many persons pending trial. It was therefore necessary to send them all back to Crawford Douglas under security, until One George Cathie" the pricker" being brought to Lanark, the women were brought forward again, and before witnesses and with their own consent, the said George did prick pins in everyone of them, and in divers of them without pain the pin was put in, as the witnesses can testify". The end of the story is interesting. All the women were detained in jail as the result of the pricker 's test, but as it was not possible for the parish out of which they came to furnish watchers day and night for them " the country did ordain that each parish should proportionally to their quantity, furnish twelve men every twenty-four hours; whereupon the presbytery did ordain that the minister of that parish out of which the watchers shall come for their turn, shall come along with them, to wait upon the suspected persons, and to take pains by prayer and exhorta ­tion, to bring them to a confession "98

Contemporary with Kincaid, was a free-lance pricker named John Dick, whose professional zeal far outweighed his qualifica­tions. At Tain he is reported to have seized on an old man of sixty years of age, whose only crime apparently, was his unfriendly relations with a particularly malicious old woman. Dick shaved his head to make sure there were no insensible marks there, and then proceeded to prick him from head to foot. Later tbe man was sent to the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, but there, the authorities, after examining his credentials, immediately set him free.9~

Further soutb we find a certain Mr. Paterson active in Inverness, stripping and searching with a degree of zest second only to his unscrupulousness. "There came to Inverness One

Mr. Paterson, who had run over the kingdom for triall off

WITCH PERSECUTION 33

witches, and was ordinarly called the Pri cker, becaus his way of triall was with a long bra sse pin. Stripping them naked, he alleadged that the spell spot was seen and discovered. After rubbing over the whole body with his palms he slipt in the pin, and it seemes, with shame and fear being dasht, they felt it not, but he left it in the flesh, deep to the head, and desired them to find and take it out. It is sure some witches were discovered but many honest men and women were blotted and broak by this trick." Paterson deserves mention if for no other reason than, "this villain gaind a great deale off many, haveing two servants; at last was discovered to be a woman disguished in man's cloathes."100

Vet another notorious Scottish free-lance pricker John Balfour in Corshous flourished in the Scottish midlands. He professed, "to discover persons guiltie of the cryme of witchcraft by remarking the devill 's marke upon some part of their persouns and bodeis and thrusting of preins in the same, and upon the presumption of this knowledge goes about the countrie abusing simple and ignorant people for his private gayn and com­moditie." It was later found that his knowledge" has onlie beene conjecrurale."tOl

The very nature of this test rendered it a means of revolting oppression. , It was a lucrative business too, and payment, in most cases, was assessed on the number of witches discovered and convicted. The inhabitants of Newcastle-upon- Tyne de­cided to engage a "Scotch expert" at 20S. payable for every witch discovered and condemned; " the magis trates sent their bellman through the town, ringing the bell, and crying, all people that would bring in any complaint against any woman for a witch, they should be sent for and tried by the person appointed. Thirty women were brought into the Town Hall and stript, and then openly had pins thrust into their bodies." Most of them were found guilty. This same witch-finder was later apprehended, and confessed he was responsible for the death of two hundred and twenty women for the gain of 20S.

apiece. 102 The" man of Cuirass " was paid 1 2 S. for finding one witch, so we are informed by the Kirkcaldy Session Records of 1633. Of course all this had the obvious and unfortunate result: it provided to the unscrupulous pricker a pretext and

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34 ROWAN TREE AND RED THR EAD

opportunity for unlimited extortion, for many of the imputed witches we re quite wi lling to pay bribes to escape the ignominious procedure of being publicly stripped and searched.

Summing up, then, we might say that some of the witches had marks which were inflicted by the devil (as personified by the coven grand master). Others had marks due to natural ca uses-illness, disease, warts and bi rth-marks. No discrimina­tion, however, was made between the two. It is true, the doctrine that the prese nce of marks alone did not constitute proof of guilt, existed nominall y-but nominally only. The legal authorities led the field in introducing reform, by completely ignoring the ecclesiastica l bias. The so-called infallibility of the witch-mark was questioned and doubted, but although they were not in a position, legally, to deny the existe nce of witches and witch-marks, they made it quite clear that all who exhibited insensible spots, scars, discoloured blemishes, were not witches. T he Rev. Bell in a very half-hearted fashion admits this is pos­sible. He says: "There have been many found in whom such characteristics have concurred, as by the observation of all ages and nations are symptoms of a witch; particularly the witch's marks, mala lama, inability to shed tears, etc., all of them providential discoveries of so dark a crime, and which. like avenues, bad u S to the secret of it. 'Tis true, one man through the concurrence of corrosive humours, may have an insensible mark, another may be enviously deformed, and a third, through sudden grief or mela ncholy, not able to weep. One or other of these may concur in the innocent, but more do attest that all of them have concurred in anyone person but a witch, and 'tis reasonable to think that these indicia taking place in witches through all places in the world, do proceed from a commo n cause, rather than a peculiar humour. 'Tis buc rational to think that the devil aping god, should imprint a sacrament of his cove nant; and it is thought by many, of greatest repu te in the learned world, that whatsoever way, whether by accident or otherwise, such insensible marks be in the bod)', yet no such marks as theirs, every circu mstance considered, is to be fo und with any other but themselves." !·'

The result of this disbelief or scepticism was to brand free­thinking lawyers like Sir George Mackenzie, as Atheist and

WITC H PERSECUTION 35

Sadducee. They refused to convict solely on the evide nce of alleged witch-marks, consequently the oppressive and revolting trade of witch-pricking was relatively short-lived . Lord Foun­tainhall, too, placed li tt le credence in the pricker's test. He saw <l II man's body searched and pricked in two sundry places, one at the ribs, and the other at his shoulder. He seemed to find no pain, but no blood followed .... The marks we re blewish, very small, and had no protuberancy above the skin." He adds : " I remained very dissatisfied with this way of trial, as most falla cious ; and the fellow could give me no account of the principles of his arr, but seemed to be a drunken foolish rogue."J04. One word mo re about witch-prickers from the pen of G eorge Mackenzie: " This mark is discovered among us by a pricker, whose trade it is, and who learns it as other trades; but this is a horrid cheat, for they alledge that if the place bleed not, or if the person be not sensible, he or she is infallibly a witch. But as D elrio confesses, it is very hard to know any such mark a nevo, clavo vel imperliqine naturali, and there are many pieces of dead flesh which are insensible eve n in living bodies."I" The action of the authorities in the foll owing cases is gra tifying, as it shows the spiri t of enlightenment and leniency replacing the usual superstition and narrow-minded bigotry. The first case concernS the minister at Rhynd and others who had to appear before the Council for unwarrantably apprehending and impriso ning several women" as suspect guiltie of witch­craft, and by pricki ng, wa tchin g, keiping them from skip and other tortur have extorted from the sa ids perso ns ane confession." They were also charged II wi thout any warrand or auc toririe, having apprehended, pricked, tortured and ab used Kathrin Bowar ... "106 In the second case Katherine Liddell of Keddie, a respectable widow of P restonpa ns, was seized by the baillie of that town on a suspicion of witchcraft. Aided by a drummer, two salt-makers, and others, he tormen ted her over a period of s ix weeks in order to extort a confession, II by pricking of pins in several parts of her body, to the grea t effusion of her blood, and whereby her skin is raised and her body highly swelled, and she is in danger of life. " It so happened, however, that Katherine Liddell had not only the force of mind to with­s tand all the tortures inflicted upon her, but she turned upon

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her persecutors. She presented a petition to the Council, charging the baillie and others concerned, with defamation, false imprisonment, open and manifest oppression and demanded that they should be exemplarily punished in their persons and goods. The Council declared Liddell entirely innocent of all charges, and condemned the baillie and his associates. They were still very much cus(Qm ~bound, however, for the reporr continues, in respect of " the common error and vulgar practice of others in the like station and capacity", they let him go free without any punishment. "David Cowan, pricker, the most active of the tormentors, was sentenced to be confined during pleasure in Tolbooth."lo7

That numetOUS persons were seatched for the devil's mark, jobbed, or btodded and actually felt no pain seems unquestion­able, if we are to believe the evidence of the countless witch-trial records. What then is the explanation? It is possible, I think, that under the influence of abnotmal excitement of the witch examinations, hysteria, coupled with pseudo-religious mania , or actual faith in the devil (or again, sheer vanity and self asser­tion, arising from a desire towards martyrdom) may have been produced, causing nervous insensibility. It must also be borne in mind that more often than not, the witches were of a highly neurotic and emotional nature, ignorant, and therefore easily influenced by the unknown. They were on trial, being publicly examined, and l anxious to acquire-for retain they could no(­a definite prestige in the face of the world, they deliberately flaunted this alleged power to the fullest extent. They probably worked themselves into a frenzy or ecst.asy, which, it is well known, can induce peculiar psychic conditions such as para­lysing the nervous faculties. In this neurotic st.1te the mind partially unbalanced, could give rise to anathesia, a recognised symptom of unbalanced and epidemic insanity.

As a suitable tailpiece to this section on methods of dis­covering a witch, two cases may be quoted. The interest is centred around the remarkable superstition of what was termed the touch test. This test was only occasionally resorted to, and then, only in cases of murder by witchcraft, The first case concerns Marionn Peebles of Hildiswick, who, having a deadly hatred in her heart against Edward Halcro in Overore, deter-

WITCH PERSECUTION 37

mined to destroy him. To carry out the dastardly deed, Marionn was transformed "in the lyknes of ane pellack-guhail, (the Devil changing her spirit, guhilk fled in the same guhail!.)" Halcro having put to sea with four companions) Marionn in her metamorphosed form apparently found it very easy to capsize the boat, thereby drowning the occupants, when their bodies had been recovered, Marionn and her husband" wir sent fOf, and brought to see Thame, and to lay their hands on Thame ... dayis after said death and away-casting, quhaire thair blind was evanished and desolved) from every natural cours or caus, shine, and run; the said umguhill Edward bled at the collir-bain or craig-bane, and the said ... in the hand and fingers, gushing owt bluid thairat, to the great admiration of the beholders."

The second case occurs in the trial of Christian Wilson, or, as she was renamed by the devil, Christian Lauthorne. Alex­ander Wilson, her brother, against whom she had the greatest enmity, was found brutally murdered. Christian, when she was informed of this foul deed, expressed neither grief nor surprise, nor would she even look at the body; naturally" the Minister and Bailliffes of the towne, taking a great suspitione of her, in respect of cairiage, commandit that shee showld be brought; bot when shoe come, shoe come trembling all the way to the howse, bot shoe refuised to come nigh the corps or to tuitch it, saying, that shoe' never tuitched a dead corpe in her Iyfe!' Bot being earnestly desyred by the Minister, Bailliffes, and hir brother's friends who was killed, that shoe wold 'bot tuitch the corpes softlie', shoe granted to doe it; but before shoe did it, the sone being shyning in at the house, shoe exprest her selfe thus, humbly desyring that 'as the Lord made the Sone to shyne and give light into that howse, that also he wold give light to discovering of that Murder " And with these words, shoe tuitching the wound of the dead man, verie softlie it being whyte and cleane without any spot of blod or the lyke ! Yilt immediatly whill her fingers was upon it, the blood rushed owt of it, to the great admiratioune of all the behoulders, who tooke it for discoverie of the Murder." 108

The reason for this belief see ms to lie mainly in the Scrip­tures. It is laid down there that the blood, with the spirits therein contained, is the seat and support of life. The many

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injunctions of Moses, to abstain from blood, to abstai n from the blood of lower animals in making use of their flesh for food, not unnaturally gave rise to the bel ief that the soul resided in the blood. It was but another step to conclude that the soul of a murdered person lingered about after death until appeased by the discovery of the deed, and then, by the polluted lauch of the murderer, the soul, becoming agitated manifests itself by appearing in the form it was supposed to subsist. In his Daemonologie the learned King James VI expresses his views on this superstition, and declares, " In a Secret Murther, if the dead carkasse be at any time thereafter handled by the Murtherer, it will gush out of blood; as if the blood were crying to Heaven for revenge of the Murtherer."

Confession. The next step in the procedure after the search for the witch-mark had been carried out was the extortion of a confession from the victim. T o do this her persecutors had a free hand in devising all forms of tortures, whipping and branding, starving and If waking to. Two witches, not named, were sent before the Court of Session at Edinburgh in r652, as confessi ng witches. The court, enquiring how they came to be proved witches, were told " that they were forced to it by the exceeding torture they were put to, which was by tying their thumbs behind them, and their han ging them up by them; two Highlanders whipped them, after which they set lighted candles to the soles of their feet, and between their toes, then burned them by putting lighted candles in their mouths, and then burning them in the head. There were six of them accused in all four whereof died of the torture ... " Another woman that was suspected to be a witch, " was twenty-eight days and nights with bread and water, being stripped stark naked, and laid upon a cold stone, with only haircloth over her; others had hairshirts dipped in vinegar put on them, to fetch off the skin " .'0'

Preventing the accused from sleeping, by torture, was probably the most usual method used in Scotland. Ramesey, an English traveller, described the depriva tion of sleep as, " the choicest mea ns they use in Scotland for discoverie of witches"."o In r643 the kirk session of Dunfermline ordained" the watchers to begin at sex houris at even and to byd and continue all the nyt and the day following till 6 at evin againe" .HI In Fife

WITCH PERSECUT ION 39

par ticularl y, witches were not allowed to sleep after capture and imprisonment, for " then their old master would have got power over them again" .112

During the" waking" ordeal it was customary to apply such other tortures as the tormentors thought fit or could devise. For example, at Inverness, one man and a group of four women accused of witchcr"ft by a certain Alexander Chisholm of Commer were kept under restraint in Chisholm's house . There they were tortured by " waking them, hangin g them up by the thumbs, burning the soles of their feet in the fire, • drawing some of them' at horses tails, and binding of them wi th wid dies (withes) about the neck and feet." Under thi s trea tment, one beca me distracted, another died, the next confessed, and it was upon this con fession the Chisholms obtained a commission for trying the accused .' 13 We unfortunately are not told how this regrettable business ended . In r644, one Margaret Thomson, wife of Alexander Gray, in Calder, complained before the Privy Council tribunal, against the Tutor of Calder and Minister of that Parish for " waking her the space of twenty days naked, and having nothing on her but a sack cloth ". She had been " laid in the stocks, and kept separate from all cOmpany and worldly comfort ".m The lords ordained her to be liberated upon security.

If the victim showed more than usual endurance in the face of this preliminary treatment and remained obdurate, then there wa s the" witch's bridle". This instrument looked like an iron collar with a hoop which passed over the head of the victi m and to this was attached a piece of iron having four prongs which were forcib ly inserted into the mouth, two of these being directed to the tongue and palate, the other two pointing outwards to each cheek . The whole contraption was secured by a padlock and was fa stened behind to the wall in such a manner that the victim was unable to lie down. In this position they were kept for as long as nine nights.'" It was a saying in Scotland that a witch could never confess while she could drink, so excessive thirst was often added to her torture.'" The physical and mental anguish of such tonures was usuall y sufficien t to break down the spiri t of most of the victims. But for those who still re­mained unconfessed, other methods could be and were used.

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The boots, the caspie-claws and pilnie-winks, applications for torturing the legs, arms and fingers, were applied with indis­criminate vigour. The first was a framework in which the leg was inserted and in which it was broken by wedges, driven In by a hammer; the second was also an iron-frame for the leg, which was from time to time heated over a braZIer; the thIrd was a kind of thumb-screws.

We have documentary evidence that Doctor Fian was sub­jected to the most inhuman tortures in order to fo~ce a confession from him. "His nails upon all his fingers were riven and pulled off with an instrument called in Scottish a Turkas, which in England wee call a payre of pincers, and under eurie nayle there was thrust in two needels over even up to the heads. At all which tormentes notwithstanding the Doctor never shronke anie whit, neither woulde he then confess it the sooner for all the tortures inflicted upon him." With all possible speed the torture was resumed-this time, the boots, " wherein hee con­tinued a long time, and did abide so many blowes in them, that his leages were crushte and beaten together as small as mIght bee, ;nd the bones and flesh so bruised, that the blood and marrowe spouted forth in great abundance, whereby they were made unseruiceable for ever."1l7 And still he remained uncon­fessed. Occasionally, but not often, we are glad to say, we find that even this did not satiate [he inhuman zeal of the torturers, and in the first deposition against Alison Balfour she was "torrufit, and severall tymes in the caspie-claws and si~drie tymes taken out of them deid, and out of all remembrance either of guid or evill; as lykewayes hir gUldman bell1g Il1 the stokes, his son torturit in the buits, and hir daughter put In the pIlnte­winks, wherwith scho and they were swa kepit and tormentit." ' l8

Margaret Barclay, one of the Irvine witches who, dUrIng her trial conducted herself like a passionate and ratlOnally-mll1ded wo~an innocently accused, was found to be in possession of a piece of rowan tree and red thread. This settled the matter as far as the judges were concerned, and the gentle torture I-a strange conj unction of words-recommended by the Lord Eglinton, the placing of her legs in the stocks, and loadll1g her bare shins with bars of iron, overcame her resolutton and she eventually confessed. ll ' One very lamentable and horrible case

s

WITCH PERSECUTION

is that of Janet Corset, one of the Pittenweem witches accused of assisting Beattie Long in casting a spell on a smith named Peter Morton. She died a horrible death inflicted at the hands of the rabble. She had managed to escape from prison, but was caught and brought back to Pittenweem, where the mob assailed her. They hauled her down to the beach, pelted her with rubbish, swung her on a rope between a ship and the shore, and finally a heavy door was thrown upon her over which stones were heaped, umil she was pressed to death.!" .

There are a great many inst,ll1ces in the Privy CounCIl records of witches being tried and found not guilty, but detained at the demand of the clergymen, in the hope that further and conclusive evidence might be forthcoming against them. Such was the case of Janet Cock of Dalkeith who, accused of pre­diction, bewitching, and occasionally curing sickness, was tried and acquitted: yet she was kept in durance at the request of the kirk session, as they were getting fresh grounds for accusatIOn against herYl Occasionally relenting measures were taken by the Council, though it is to be feared not always with the approval of the local powers. On the 30th January r662, they considered a petition from Marion Gri mlaw and Jean Howison, the survivors of ten women and a man who had been imprisoned at Mussel ­burgh on this charge. Some of the rest had died of cold and hunger. They themselves had lain in durance forty weeks and were now in a condition of extreme misery although nothing could be brought against them. The Council ordered all these women to be liberated. We hear, too, in r666 of a poor woman named Janet Howat who had been a prisoner in Forfar jail on suspicion of witchcraft for several years. 122

It must be evident-I scarcely think that any person can doubt it-that a great many imputed witches were quite innocent of the charge. But once accused, the continuance of an existence under a cloud of suspicion and persecution must have been beyond the powers of human endurance, and we cannot be surprised that an unfortunate, goaded to despair by the anti­cipatory fears of a hateful exposure, a harrowing and barbarous punishment, should in a fever of apprehension, suppress the feelings of a sane and rational human being, and brave the moral guilt of suicide rather than face the pubhc brand of 111 fa my.

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Unfortunately such an act although granting spiritual freedom, afforded no protection to their remains against the malice of their persecutors. All persons imputed to be witches who ended their own lives were" haded" to the place of execution and burned under the gallows. One example will suffice. Isobell Man tei th of Aberdeen apprehended as a witch, com­mitted suicide, and in the town's records we find the following: " Item, for the trailing of Mantei th throw the Streittis of the Town in ane Cart quha hangit herself in Prisonn and for Cart hyir and eirding of hir, x sh."'23

Finally, we now come to an interesting, though revolting rite which came to light from the trial of Helen Guthrie of Forfar and the Bargarran witches. This was the practice of some witches who, prior to their examination deliberately ate the flesh of very young infants in the full belief that this act would ensure their si lence when questioned, and even tortured . Helen Guthrie stated during her trial that she and others" dug up the body of an unbaptised infant and took several parts thereof, as the feet, hands, a part of the head, and a part of the buttock, and they made a pie thereof, that they might eat of it, that by this means they might never make confession (as they thought) of their witchcraft."'" In r695 one of the Bargarran witches informed the court, " that their Lord (as th ey called him) gave them a piece of an unchristened child's liver to eat; telling them, that though they were apprehended, they shou ld never confess, which would prevent an effectual Discovery." !"

C HAPTER III

WITCH RITES

Now the fundamental rule of all magical reasoning is that casual cannexion in thought is ~nalogous to causative c?n­nexion in fact. Like suggests ilke to the uncultured mmd

by mere association of ideas, so that like influencing like produces analogous effects in practice. For this reason then, we may say that again by association of ideas the part suggeSts the whole. An y object in a person's possession, for instance, was thought capable of being used against him by a w;tch. And as we shall see, it is precisely this belief which supplies the nucleus. for most of the spells, rituals, and mystic ceremonies of the wltch and the warlock.

Sympathetic Rites. Probably the simplest, ce rtai nly the most common evil-producing rite, was the manufacture of Images of the potenrial victim. The procedure was very simple, a wax or clay image was made of the victim and baptised in his or her name. Pins were then stuck into or through the appropnate parts of the image, or the image was allowed to melt before a fire. Whatever was done to the image was of course thought to be propagated or transferred to the victim and he suffered in consequence. Ramsay tells us:

...... pictures aft she makes Of ony ane she hates-and gars expire With slaw and racking pains afore the fi.re, Stuck Cu' of prins, the devilish pictures melt; The pain by folk they represent is felt . 1 2~

Buchana n' " the historian has recorded that King Duffus of Scotland (A.D. 96 r-5), suffering from a new and strange bodily disease, was thought to be the victim of witchcraft. Smelarr describes the event as follows: .. This suspicion arose, from an unusual Sweating he was under, his Body pining and withering away by little and little and his strength failing day by day.

43

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And since all his Physicians had done their utmost, and ye t no appea rance of recovery, it was supposed his case was extra­ordina ry, therefore all men being vehemently intent upon the Event, news came to Court that Night-meetings were kept at Farres, a Town in Murray, for taking away the life of the King."'" The Governor of Forres Castle arrested a young girl who had been heard to utter threats against the King, and she confessed that her mother, and a whole COven of witches were, slowly taking the life of the Duffus. Acting on this information a company of witches were surprised one night in the act of roas ting his image made of wax upon a wooden spit, reciting words of enchantment and basting the image with poiso nous liquor. These women, when apprehended, declared that as the wax melted the body of the King should decay, and the words of enchantment prevented him the refreshment of sleep. Middleton pictures it as:

His picture made in wax, and gently molten By a blue fire kind led with dead man's eyes

Will waste him by degrees. t :!9

The image was stamped to dust, the witches burned, and King Duffus recovered.

Another exa mple occurs in the indictment of Catherine Ross, Lady Fowlis. She was accused on a charge of witchcraft by means of which she hoped to bring about the death of Lady Balnagowan her sister-in -law, and Robert Munro her eldest step -son. For this purpose, " she made images of the intended victims. These were se t up at the north end of the apartment and Christian Ross Maicolmson, an assis tant hag, shot two elf arrows at the image of Lady Balnagowan and three arrows at the image of Robert Munro, by which shots they were broken, and Lady Fowlis commandit new figures (0 be modelled." 13.

The Paisley coven met together to make an image for the destruction of Sir George Maxwell. The evidence given shows " that the devil required everyone of their consents fo r the making of the Effigies of Clay, for the taking away the life of Sir George Maxwell. " Consent was apparentl y given, and " they wrought the clay, and that the black man did make the figure of the Head and Face, and two Arms on the said Effigies. The Devil set three Pins in the same, one in each side, and One

• WITCH RITES 45

in the Breast. " 131 An interesting detail is given here, Stuart we are told did hold the Candle to them all the time the Picture was making! This suggests a factual basis for the old saying, " To hold a candle (0 the Devil " .

Agnes Sampson affirmed that she, in company with nine other witches, " being convened in the night beSIde Prestonpans, the Devil their master being present, standi ng in the midst of them ; there a body of wax, shaped and made by the said Anny Sampson, wrapped within a linencloth, was first dehvered to the devil, which after he had pronounced hiS verde, delivered the sa id picture to Anny Sampson, and she to her the next morning, and so everyone round about, saying: This IS King James the Sixth, ordered to be consumed at the In s t~nce of a nobleman, Francis, Earl Bothwell." 132 Isobel Gowdle, ha v1l1g conceived a design of destroying all the laird of Park s male children, and assis ted by her fellow-witches, made a small effigy of a child in clay, and having learned the proper charm from their master fell down before him on the If knees, with their hair hanging' over their eyes, and looking steadily at him, said:

[n the devils name We pour thil" water amang the me",1 For lang dwining and ill heal We put it intill the fire Thar it may be burned baith stick and SCOul". It salt be brunt with our will As any stickle upon a kiln..

" Then in the devi!'s name" says Isbell, "we did put it in , in the midst of the fire. After it was red like a coa l, we took It OUt in the devil's name. Till it be broken, it will be the dea th of all the male children that the Laird of Park will ever get. It was roasted each other day at the fire ; some times ane part of tt, sometimes another part of it, would be we t with water, and che n roasten. The brain wouJd be burnt and roasten, even as it was by us." One child having died, the hags laid up the image till the next baby was born~ and, " within half a year after that bairn was born) we took it out again} and would dIP it now and then in water, and beek and roast it at the fire, each other day once, until that bairn died also."133 According to the

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evidence gi"en by John Stewart of Irvine, when the witches were making clay images, the Devil appeared among them in the likeness of a little black whelp. They cut a lock of Stewart's hair to mix in with the clay.'" The minister of Kjrkurd " found in a chest of Elspeth Graham's, a bunch of sheepski ns made up round in the form of a man's hand and covered with nurden c1oth ."135

Trallsference Riles. A typical example of a transference charm used for the purpose of inflicting a disease on a person is given by Agnes Sampson: " She tooke a blacke toade, and did hang it up by the heeles thrice daies, and collected and gathered the venom as it dropped and fell from it in an oister shell, and kept the venome close covered, until she should obtain anLe parte or piece of foule linnen cloth that had appertained to the King's majestic, as shirt, hankercher, napkin or any other thing, which she practiced to obtain by meanes of one John Ker who being attendant in his majesties chamber, desired him, for aide acquain tance between them, to helpe her to one, or a piece of such a cloth as in aforesaide."136 He refused. Sampson is reported to have said that if she had procured a piece, she would have bewitched him, causing him great pain and death. This is an example where a disease was to be inflicted.

Turning now to the trial of Thomas Grieve, who apparently carried on a medical practice by means of witchcraft, we find how simple it was to get rid of a disease. He ordered, "ane grit fyre to be put on, and to make ane hoile in the north side of the house, and ane quick hen to be put furth thairst at three several tymes, and tane in at the house dur widderschynnes, and taking the hen and putting it under the seik woman's okstir and thairaftir carrying it to a fyre quhair it was hadin down and brunt quick thairin ".l37 Here it was supposed the disease was transferred to the hen after COntact with the woman 's body. It was also reported that he cured people by washing their shirrs in south-running water or streams; and, like Andrew Man of Aberdeen, he could effect a cure by passing the patient through a hasp of ya rn three several times and then threw the hasp into the fire where it burned blue. The assize having considered the depositions of several ministers, and being so ripely advised, sentenced Thomas to be strangled and burnt.

• WITCH RITES 47

Somewhat similar to the above are the cures carried out by the followi ng two witches. Eupham McCalyean called in Agnes Sampson for relief of her pain during the birth of her two sons. Sampson's method of approach is interesting; she prescribed " ane bored stone to be laid under the bowster, put under your head, enchanted moulds and powder put in ane piece of paper, to be usit and rowit in your hair; and at the time of your drowis, your guidman's sark to be presently ta'en off him and laid wimplit rou"nd your bed feet."'" Apparently the birth pains of the fi rst chi ld were transferred to a dog which immediately fan off and was never again seen, and the second" throes " were transferred to a cat which foll owed the dog. Andrew Man, according to his own account, could" cure the falling sickness, the bairns Lod and aU other sorts of sickness that ever fell to man or beast, except the stand deid, by baptisi ng them, reabling them in the auld corunschbald, and striking of the gudies on the face, with ane fowl in thy hand, and by saying thir words, 'Gif thou will live, live; and gif thou will die, die!' with sundry other orisons, sic as of Sanct John and the three silly brethren, whilk thou can say when thou please, and by giving of black wool and salt as a remeid for all diseases and for causing a man prosper, and that his blude should never be drawn."'" One of his methods of curing by enchantment was to put the patient nine times through a hasp of unwatered yarn, and then a cat " as many times backwards through the same hasp, the effect of which was to transfer the sickness from the patient to the cat.

In the indictment of Marion Richart (see p. 29) we bave an instan ce of the direct transference of a sickness from one person to another, and the subsequent transference to an animal. .. Ye (Marion Richart) cam to Stronsay ... and asking almis fra Andro Couper, skipper of ane bark, he said to yow, 'awa wich, carling, devi ll a farthing ye will fa '; quberupon ye de­parted wery offendit. And incontinently, he going to sie, the bark being under saill, he ran mad and wold have luppon ovir­burd and his sone, seeing him, gat him in his airmes and held, quherupon the sickness imediatly left him and his son ran mad. And Thomas Patersone, seing him tak the madnes and the father to turne weill, ane dog being in the bark, to (oke the)

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dogg and bladded him upon the sone his shou ld ers and ther­after keist the said dog in (the sea), quharby these in the bark we r saifed ."

In the next example Sir George Manderston was the in­tended victim. John Neill, in T weedmouth, accused and found guilty of witchcra ft in 163 1, was alleged to have" made a man's wife wash her husband's shirt in south running wa ter and then put it on him ; whereupon he recovered". He professed skill in both laying on and taking off diseases . On one occasion he met the devil and other witches on Coldingham Law, and con­sulted with them how Sir George Manderston might be de ­stroyed. "To that end getting ane enchanted dead foal, and putting it in Sir George's stable, under his horse's manger, and putting a dead hand enchan ted by the devil in Sir George's garden in Berwick; by which enchantments Sir George COn­tracted a grevious disease, of which he could not be recovered till the said foal and hand were discovered and burnt.""·

A curious custom comes to light in the next charm cure. James Henrisone's wife waS accused of practising witchcraft by meiting the belt. She confessed she had done this, not for any evil purpose, but simply to heal the sick. The belt, she explained, had to be ei ther a woman's ga rter or a man's belt. She professed her ability to heal any sick person by this process if only she knew their names.'" Now the garter was believed to have magical properties, especially when belonging to a woman, The Mettye Belt was always a warlock's belt or a witch's garter, and it was the recognised magical means of ascertaining whether a sick person would recover or not; it was put round the patient's body and the augury ob tained from it. The charge against Janet Pearson was" she uses witchcraft in measuring of belts to preserve fo lks from the fairy.")"

Very different treatment is prescribed in the north of Scotland for the removal of a sick ness-in this case epi lepsy. It accords also wi th the unmistakably heathen character of most Celtic superstitions, constituting a downright sacrifice to some unnamed but acknowledged power. "On the spot where the epi leptic first falls, a black cock is buried alive along with a lock of the patient's hair and some pari ngs of his nails,"'" The sacrificial nature of the following charm is very thinly

WI TCH RITES 49

veiled indeed. John Brughe and Nea ne Nikclerith, two of Sata n's charmers, apparently combined their mystic powers to save a herd of cattle, some of which had fallen prey to an un­known illness. The cattle were driven past a tub of water con­tai ning two enchanted stones; and each was sprinkled with the water. One, however, being unable to walk II was by force drawn out of the byre dure: and the said Hohnne and Nikclerith smelling the nose thereof said it would not live, caused ane hole to be made in Maw Greane, the cow was put quick in the hole, and all the rest of the cat tle made thereafter, to go over that place, and in that devillische man ner by charming they were cured."'"

The mere mention of nails and hairs is sufficient to unleash on us a whole host of supers titions. The belief that these were a poten tial source of danger to a person was widespread. In the sou th of Scotland for instance, it was common practice that when a child's hair was to be cut, the door of the room was locked and all windows closed during the operation, the floor carefully swept and the sweepings burned, lest perchance any hairs remain and be found by a wi tch, who wou ld therefore be able to cast an evil spell or inflict a disease on the child . The same precautionary measures were adopted when nail s were pared, the parings were carefully coll ected and burned.

Incantations and Invocations. One very interesting phase of witch cures is that where the rite is accompanied by some form of incantation and invocation. In the legal records apparently no discrimination was made between the two. By incantation and invocation we mean the passionate utterance of certain solemnly conceived words arranged in a metrical form, by which means the witch could acquire or muster supernatural power and aid. There appears to be no doubt that this added mystery to the cure-rite was most infective. This, of course, is nOt

su rprising when we realise that the country people upon whom such charms had the greatest hold, had no conception, or at least nO rational conception, of the causes of disease and of medicine. Charms, rites and incantations which implied super­natural agency for the Cure of illness led to an eager and absurd credulity. The influence of such intelligible words uttered or chanted imparted an air of mystery to the proceedings and inspired a certain amount of belief in the efficacy of the cure,

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50 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

and also a whole-hearted awe and respect on the part of the patient towards the witch. A great many of the rhymed incanta­tions known in Scotland undoubtedly owe their origin to very early religious rites. In fact, they degenerated into what Dalyell terms" designed prayers ". This point is fairly illus­trated by the following examples . Bartie Paterson for instance used the following charm for curing cattle:

I charge thee for arfowschot, For doorschot, for wombschot, For li verschote, for lungschote, For herrschote- all the maist: In the name of the Father, the Sone, and Haly Ghaist. To wend out of Hesch and bane, In to sck aDd SUlne. In the name of the Father, the Sone, and Haly Gha ist.

Amen.H~

This is clearly a conjunction demanding the disease to transfer itself from an animate to an inanimate object in the name of the Trinity.

Agnes Sampson had two charms, learned from her father, which are quite openly admi tted to be degenerate forms of Christian prayers, since they were called white and black prayers. Presumably the white prayer was used during the daytime, and the black prayer used at night time, although there are two alternative possibilities. The first is, that one was used for curing-the white; and the other for causing death or the infuction of disease-the black. The second is, that the white prayer preceded the actual medicinal application which was carried out to the accompaniment of the black prayer. If the prayers were interrupted during the recita tion, the charm became abortive.

WHITE PRAYER

I trow in Almychte God that wrocht Baith heavin and erlh and all of nOChlj In to his deare SOD Chryste Jesus, In to that myghtie Lord I trOw I Wes gottin of the Holy Gaist, Borne of the Virgin Mariei Steppit to heavin thal all weil than, And s ittis att his Faderis rycht hand.

WITCH RITES

He baid us cum, and therlo dome, Bayrh quick and deid, as he thocht quhome I trow OIls in the Holy Gaist; In hOlly kirk, my hoip is maist, That holy schip quhair hallowari.s winnis, To ask forgevenes of my sinnis, And syne to ryis in flesh and bane The lyffe chal nevir mair hes gane, Trow sayis, Lord lovit moc ye be, That formd and maid m"n kynd o f me. Thou eoft me on the aly crOSe, And hent me body, sau ll, and voce, And ordanit me to heavenis blis; Quhairfoir, I thank ye, Lord of this; And all you r hallowaris lovjr bei T o pray to thame, co pray to me; And keip me fra that fellown fae; And frame the syn that sau ll wald slay, Thou, Lord for thy byuer passioun, To keip me from syn and waddie schame, And endless damnatioun. Grant me the ioy newir wilbe gane, Sweit Jesus Cristus. Amen.

BLACK PRA YER

All kindes of iUis that ewir may be. In Chrystis name r conjure ye, I coniu re ye baith mair and les Wieh all the vertewis of the mes: And ryehe sa be the nail1is sa, That naillil Jesus and na rna; And ryehe sa be the samin blude, That raikir owir the ruithfull rude; Furth of the Resch and of the bane, And in the urd and in the stane. r coniure ye in Cadis name. 14 ;

51

A case of more general interest is that of Alison Pearson a reputed witch of Byrehill,14' who gained considerable notoriety In her dealings with Patrick Adamson, Bishop of St. Andrew. The Bishop, who was suffering from a strange sickness from which the regular medicos could give him no relief, decided, much against the wishes of his clergymen, to try this witch's cure. Semple makes it the theme of a satirical pasquil:

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52 ROWAN TREE AND RED T llREAD

Th e witch and he con fessing bayrh Scho tl.like some part of white wyne draggis Wounded rayne and black hen eggis And m(lid his draggis that did him gude,lU

She gave directions to an assistant" to make ane saw and rub it on his cheeks, his craig, his breast, stomach and sides and siclike gave her directions to use the ewe-milk, or waidra ve, with the herbis, claret wine; and with some other she gave him ane sodden fowl; and that she made ane quart at once, whilk he drank at twa draughts, twa sundry diets." We rely agam on Semple for a catalogue of the charms and herbs she used;

He see ing weill he wald nm mend, For Pheranissa hes be send, With sorcerie and lncantationes, Rai sing [he devill with in voca riones Wi th herbis, s tanis, buikis and bellis. And south funning weihs: Palme croces, and kno tt is of strease, The pafing of a priesres auld lees: And in principio, sought out syne, That under ane alter of Slane had lyne, Saner Jhones nult, and the four levit claver, With taill and mayn of a baxter aver, Had careit hame hearher to the oyne, Cutted off in th e cruik of the moone. Halie water, and the lamber beidis, Hymworche, and fourtie uther weidis: Whairthrow the charming fuik sic force, They laid it on his fart whyte horse. As all men saw, he sone decessit, Their Saga slew ane saikJess beast.

With the utmost good faith he swallowed the prescription, and his sick ness, it was alleged, left him and was immediately transferred to his favourite white palfrey which died in con­sequence.

In Selkirk, Margaret Scot was accused of usi ng the following charm to stem the blood of her patients;

Our Lady went into the flood, And rand three Stlyes of Christes blood; Ane to dem Ane other to s tem: Dear Jesus in God's name l

WITCH RITES 53

During the recitation of this verse the pat.ient was glven a drink of "Waburne Leavis ".1<' Geordie Archibald appeared before the Selkirk Presbytery and confessed that his one charm for curing beasts was " only for speaking

Three bitten has three bitten The tongue, the ear, the he<l rt, all the maistj Three things must ye haill, Th e Father, the Son, and the Halie Ghost ... "150

It is interesting to note that this is the sa me charm with slight modifications used by Christain Gow of Orkney:

Three things hath the forspoken, Hea rt, tung, and eye, almost;

T hrie things sail the mend agane, Father, Sone, and Hal ie Ghost. !5 1

T wo or three words namely" ti lladam bels son" were all that was necessary for Isabel Norie of Stow to work the most won­drous cures. Apparently she" learni t it as a charm fra Andro Paterson in Fallahill ".152 Another ve ry curious charm used for the relief of the distempered or bewitched was as follows;

Our Lord to hunting red His Sool1 soot sled, Down he lighted, His sool not nigh ted ; Blod to blod, Shenew to shenew, To th e other sent in God's name, In the name of the Father, Son, and Ho ly Ghos t. m

This charm was also current in Fifeshire, for in the parish register of Markinch there is the following entry ; " Compared Janet Brown, and being posed if she used charms, she confessed that she did charm two several persons, viz., James Hullock and Janet Scott, but no more. " The words of the charm are these;

Our Lord for th-raide His fOJls foot slade, Our Lord down lighted, His f031's foot nighted, Saying: Flesh to flesh, blood to blood, and bane to bane, In our Lord his nameY~

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54 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

For charming the" heart fevers" Bessie Smith of Lesmahags appeared before the presbytery of Lanark . Her patients, kneeling under her directions asked their health, " for God's sa ke, for Sanet Spirit, for Sanet Aikit, for the nine maidens that died in boortree in the Ladywell Bank: This charm to be buik and beil to me, God grant that sae be." She also" appointed them the wayburn leaf, to be eaten nine mornings ."155 Apparently it was as simple to kill as to cure" and Isobel Gowdie, who always seemed to do everything in a big way, assembled her assistant hags at Elspet Nisbett's house in order to devise a procedure for the entire destruction of the Park family. The result of their deliberations was this, They took some dog's flesh and some sheep's flesh, they chopped it into very small pieces and seethed it for a whole forenoon in a pot. Then the devil pu t in a sheep's bag, which he stirred about for some time with his hands. "We were upon our knees, OU f hair about OU f

eyes, and our hands lifted up, and we looking steadfull y upon the devil, praying to him, repeating the following words:

We put this inull {his hame In our Lord the Devil's name .. The first hands that handle thee Burn'd and scalded may they be We will destroy houses and hald With the sheep and nold into the fauld And li rtle soll came to the fore Of all the rest of the li ttle store!

that it should kill and destroy the lairds of Park and Lochlog and their male children and posterity, and when we ca me to the Inshoch in the night-time and scattered it about the gate, and other places where the lairds and their SOns would most haunt, and then we, in the likeness of crows and rooks, stood about the gate and in the trees opposite. " Apparently if any of the above families touched or trampled on any of it they would be inflicted wi th boils and eventually die. "It would wrong none else but they" she affirmed. For prolonging the ill ness of one of his prosecuting ministers, a certain man Harry Forbes, Isobel Gowdie and her assista nts carried out the following interesting ritual. They made a broth composed of the entrails of toads, nail -parings, the liver of a hare, pickles of beir, bits of rags, and

p

WI TCH RITE S 55

this horrible concoction was put into a bag. At the dictation of the devil they pronounced over it this charm :

H e is lying in his bed, he is lying sick and sair Let him lie intill his bed two months aod three days mair.

H Then we fell down upon our knees, with OUf hair down Over

our shou lders and eyes, and our hands lifted up, and our eyes steadfas tly fi xed upon the devil, and said the foresaid words thrice over."J~6 The charm turned out to be ineffec ti ve.

An exa mination of these rhymed charms leads to the con­clusion that the number of strictly original rites involved is small, but local colouring, oral handling and borrowing from coven to coven, Influence o f the religious views at the various times, a nd possibly grea test of all, the human weakness of being accredited WIth on gmali ty, have so modified these charms that an appearance of originality has been imparted to them. The only originality, however, consists in the blending together of several different charms, lengthening and use of corrupted words and phrases. T he desi re to create an atmosphere of mysticism IS probably the reason und erlyi ng the use of repetition and mystIC words; and in the examples given and in those to follow we find words which, to say the least, are absurd. I am prett; certa1l1 tha.t these cryptiC utterances are entirely wi thout signi­ficance, bemg only one of the many pieces of nonse nse for which the need of a rhyme Or the still more elementary need for saying somethll1g rather than nothing, has bestrewn th ese charms. As Smclalr so n gh tly says, "T' is language cannot be interpreted." '"

In all cases cited we find that a disease or sickness could be infli cted on, or removed from, a person or beast, or the deat h of that person or beast could be contrived by the simple expedient of -"eatIng any object belonging to that person or beast. Clothes half and nail clippings, were all that was necessary for th~ WItch to do her evil work.

Coming now to investigdte in greater detai l the reasons underlying the belief, we can say it is without doubt the belief in fetishism- which may be defined as the attempt to con trol external phe nomena by wi tchcraft-which supplies the nucleus for most of the superstitions of an evi l nature. It is probably One of the lowest stages of conception, and although it represents

E

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56 ROW AN TREE AND RED THREAD

in its primary idea of a sympathy or identity existing between an original and its image or substitute, a certa in standard of intellectualism, it is highly absurd and anomalous; yet, as we have shown from actual examples, this feti shistic mode of thought has found abundant represen tation in many of the superstitious beliefs which have only recently died out. It gives rise to the hypothesis that although the hair, nails and c1othing­represe nting the substitute-may be to all appea rances severed from the object of the witch's wrath-the original-yet there is some physical link still existing between the two, just as if no sepa ration had taken place. Therefore any object in a person's possession was thought capable of bemg used agamst him. E. B. Tylor sums this up when he says, " Man having come to associate in thought those things which he found by experience to be connected in fact, proceeded erroneo usly to invent their action, and to include that association in thought must involve si milar connection in reality" , H S Thus we have the basis for most of the popular cha rms for sickness and dis­ease, whether used by the white witch to cure, or black witch to inflict.

It follows from this that in the charm used by Thomas Grieve, the disease was transferred to the hen after contact with the sick woman' s body and the disease wasted away from the woman as the hen was consumed in the fire. In the case of epilepsy, here the disease was taken to be in the hair and nail parings of the victim, and being buried with the lIve hen, would therefore be transferred to the hen, and as it expires, so also would the disease on the patient. Referring back to the case of Helen Guthrie (p. 42) who is alleged to have eaten parts of the body of an exhumed infant, here again it is a case of like affecting like. By eating the flesh of a child who had never spoken, this ensured that the witch would also be unable to speak. That this beJief was conSIdered quite ra tional some two hundred and fifty years ago, is quite eviden t from the fa ct that the principle was incorporated into surgery. As an instance, we may cite that weapons which inflicted wounds were. trea ted and dressed instead of the wounds themselves. POSSIbly SIr Walter SCOtt had this in mind when in the L ay of Ihe L ast Minstrel he tells of the treatment pursued by the Ladye of

WITCH RITES 57

Buccleugh towards the wounded moss- trooper William of Deloraine:

She drew (he splinter from the wound. No longer by his couch she stood, But she hath ra'en the broken lance,

And washed it from the clotted gore And sa lved the splinter o'er and o'e r.

William of Delo ra ine, in trance , Whene'er she turned it round and round, Twisted as jf she ga ll ed his wound.

Full long she coiled for she did rue M ishap to friend so stout and true!

Listening to the words of the Rev. John Bell of Gladsmuir in his denunciation of all such charms, spells and superstitjous rites, we hear the welcome voice of rationalism, which was slowly but surely making itself heard throughout the coun try, ridic uling the absurd beliefs and superstitions of the people. " Guard aga inst devi lish charms for men and beasts, which are the very rudiments of witchcraft, and introductory to a formal and more explicit covenant with the devi l. 0 I do not play upon the brin k of the pit, Jeast you tumble in. There are many sorce ries practised in Ollr day, against which I would on this occasion bear my testimony, and do therefore seriously ask you, what is it you mean by your observation of times and seasons as I ucky or unl ucky? What mean you by your spells, curses, words so often repeated, said fasting, or going backward? How mean you to have success by carrying abo ut with you certain he rbs, pla nts and branches of trees? Why is it, that, fearing certain events, you do use such superstitious means to prevent them, by Jaying bits of timber at doors, carrying a BibJe merely for a charm, without any further use of it ? What intend ye by opposing witchcraft to witchcraft, in such sort, when ye suppose one to be bewitched, ye endeavou r his relief by burnings, bottles, horse· shoes, and such like magical ceremonies? How think ye to have sec rets revealed unto you, and your doubts resolved, and your minds informed, by turning a sieve or a key ? Or to discover, by basons and glasses, how you shall be related before you die ? Or do you think to esca pe the guil t of sorcery, who let your Bible fall open, on purpose to determine what the state of your so ul is, by the first word ye ligh t upon? " I"

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Sympathetic Milking. Again applying this principle a little further, we see the reason for the accepted belief tha t some witches were able to obtain or abstract milk from their neigh­bours' cows. This was called sympathetic milking, a form of milking by remote con trol:

Kimmer can iTIilk a hale loan 0 ' kye Yet sit at the ingle fu ' snug an' fu' dry"'o

According to Kirk, some skilful women convey milk from their neighbours' cows into their own cheese hold through a h",r­tedder from a great distance by magic arr, or by drawmg a spickot fastened to a post which will bring nulk as far off as a bull will be heard to roar. ' " The cheese made of the remallltng milk of a cow thus s trained would swim in water like 'a cork. Isobel Gowdie confessed to stealing milk from a cow by magi c. " We plait the rope the wrong way in the Devi]'s name, and thereby take with us the cow's milk."'" When she WIshed to restore the milk again, she simply cut the tether. A Nnhsdale woman we are told possessed a sympatheti c milking peg by means of which she could abstract milk from any cow in the parish.1 63 Another account of a hai~ rope. is given, which,. in the hands of a skilful witch, would YIeld m!1k. It was essenual, however, that the rope was made of the hair from the tail of every cow within her reach, and twisted into a rope WIth a knot tied in it for each cow. The following verse was sung by way of incantation during this operation of .. milking the rope":

Mear's milk, and deer's milk And every beast that bears milk Between St. Johnston and Dundee Come :l ' to me, come a' to me,lla

It was also believed that some cows of uncommon sagacity knew when this process was going on, and would give warning by lowing; an acute woman could easily distinguish this low from any other, as it bore a peculiar expression of ~atn . Dunng the trial of Marie Lamont, "she confessed most lOgenuously that fyve years since Kattrein Scot in Mudiestream, learned her to take kye's milk, biding her gae owt In mlStle mormngs, and take with her a harrie-tedder, and draw it over the mouth of a mug, saying, ' In God's name, God send us milk, God send it, and

WITCH RITES 59

mi ckel of it '." By this means she and the said Katt rein SCOt ga t much of their neighbour' s milk, and made butter and cheese thereoL'" Elspeth McEwen of Kirkcudbright had a pin in her kipple foot (the end of the rafters in her house), by means of which she could draw milk from the cows of her neighbou rs.'''

Henderson relates a story of two carlines, long suspected of witchcraft, who were seen by a farmer one Beltane morning, brushing the May-dew off the pasture fi elds, with a long hair­tether. They fled at his approach, leaving behind them the instrument of their incantations, which he ga thered up, carried home, and placed above the cow-house door. The consequence of this action was that the next milking time, the dairy-maids could not find pails enough to hold the abnormal supply of milk which the cows yielded, till the farmer took down and burnt the hair-tether, after which things went in the normal way. There were a number of knots tied in the rope, every one of which exploded like a pistol-shot when it was burnt. lG7

Fortunately for the farmer and dairy-me n, as many antidotes or counter-spells were available as there were witch-spells. One of these antidotes was to lay a twig of rowan tree, bound round with scarlet thread across the threshold of the byre; on the cow's horns} or fix a spray of clover having four leaves on the cow-stall. To discover the witch, the farmer's " breeks " might be put upon the horns of the cow, one leg on each horn, when for certain, she being set loose, would run straight to the door of the guilty party. Another method, coming from Nithsdale, used to restore the milk to the udders of a bewitched cow, is as follows: A young virgin milks whatever milk the cow has left. This is usually of a bloody mixture and of very poisonous qua li ty. When all the milk has been strained from the cow it is poured while still warm into a brass pan and placed over a gentle fire. Precautions must be taken to see that every inlet to the house is closed. When the milk begins to warm, pins are dropped in and closely stirred with a wand of rowan tree. When boiling, rusty nails are thrown in and more fuel added. The witch responsible immediately feel s by sympatheti c power, the boiling · " brew" rankling through her bosom, which becoming so unbearable, she is forced to the house to seek relief. Her arrival is announced by an awful knocking at the window.

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The " sly guidwife instantly compounds with the mot her of cantrips for her hale loan of kye "; the pan is cooled, and the cows udders sweU with genuine milk.' "

Agnes Gourlay was examined by the Kirk Session of Humbie in 1649, concerning some practices of hers for the curing of kine. It was alleged that Anne Simpson, servant to Robert Hepburn of Keith, having found fault with the milk she drew from her master's cows, enlisted the aid of Agnes who told her of a way to remedy the evil, and soon after ca me and put it in practice. Throwing a small qLlantity of the milk into the grupe or sewer of the cow-house, she called out: " God betak us to! May be they are under the earth that have as much need of it, as they that are above the earth! " after which she put wheat and bread and salt into the cow's eJrs.169 Agnes eventually C01iJf ~sed that she had so done, and was ordained to make pu ic repentance in sack cloth.

Widders}zins. So far little notice has bee n taken of the term widdershins which, from the frequency of its usage suggests that it formed an integral part of witchcraft rituals. The word itself means to move in a direction contrary to the sun. That all rites and ceremonies were performed in a circle and widdershins is well illustrated by Smith, the author of Olrig Grange:

Hech! sirs, but we had great fu n Wi' the meikle black deil in the c hair, And the muckle Bible upside doan A' ganging withershins roun and roun, And backwards saying the prayer About (he warlock's grave, Wichershins ganging round; And kimmer and carline had for lic ht The fat o' a bairn they buried that nieht Unchristen'd beneath the moon.

Repeated mention is made of this mysti cal motion in nearly all the witchcraft trial records, particularly in connexion with curative and maledictory charms and counter cha rms. Starting at the far Orkneys, we find, Marion Cumlaquoy of Birsay giving us some interesting details of the pernicious effects of this mystical motion, when she was brought before the Orkney court. She /I cam down to Robert Carsta irs' hous be sunnrysing, with milk to his grandmother, shoe nevir using to cum thair befoir

....... WITCH RITES 61

nor eftir; and as shoe wen t furth, shoe turnit hirselff thrie several rymes round witherwys, about the fyre; and that year his bear is blew and rottin; and his aittis gives no meall, but sic as mak all that eit it is hairt seik; albeit, both war fresh and good, quham he put thame in the yaird ." Jonet Forsyth, on refusal of corn, "went to the barne, and faddomit ane of the bes t stakis in th e yarde about, contrair to the sunis cours ", which apparently injured the grain . Another record recounts the misdeeds of William Scottie of Orkney. On reac hing William Okilse tters he " yeid about his hous twys or thrys witherwardis ", and as a result William Okilsetter's wyf fell deadlie seik ".".

Coming further south to the Scottish midlands, we hear of a strange tale about a reputed witch called Elizabeth Bathgate who found herself in "hot water" at her trial when it was repor ted that while she was grinding malt in the mill at Eye­mouth, she was see n " rynnging widderschynes about ane wane eave"; she, howeve r, tried to make out that she was merely amusing herself, but the prosecutor took a s terner view, when it was furthe r attested by a witness that " shoe was da ncing about the wane eave, and it is the custome of witches to half their meettings and danceings within mylnes : Lykas the pannell was dancein g and going widderschynes about within the said mylne of Eyemouth, and quhen schoe saw the myller schoe swid still feering that she sould revei ll the same-i t being ane common posture and custome of witches to doe."l71

In the treatme nt of illness it was considered a necessary part of the charm cure. Thomas Grieve, as we have already pointed out, cured a very sick woman taking II ane quick hen to be ,put furth thairat at three severall tymes, and tane in a t the house dur widderschynes, and taking the hen and putting it under the seik woman's okster, and thairefter carrying it to the fyre quhai r it was hadin down and brunt quick thairin. " Another charm cure which is given to us by Alie Nisbet is really quite a natural and rationa l remedy in the cure of many complaints, except, of course, for the introduction of the mystic motion. She cured a sick woman by taking a pail of hot water, and bathing the patient's legs; then dipping her fingers into the water, she ran three times round the bed widdershins crying: " The bones to the £ire and the soul to the devil." In this way

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she transferred the disease to another woman who died within twenty-four hours. For this Nisbet was /I worried and burnt."l72 Isobel Young, too, used this magical rite to work her evil spells by " taking of hir courche, and passing about widderschynes, thryse thereftir." ' " Less harmful was the very puerile boast of Thomas Lindsay, a youth of twelve years of age, that for a half-penny he could make a horse stand sti ll in the plough, at the word of command, by turning himself round "widder­shins ".t74

Very interesting details of coven rites and procedure come to light when Agnes Sampson and her awful co~ny of witches and warlocks visi ted the North Berwick Kirk. In one part of her very interesting confession we note that before proceeding with the business of the coven meeting, .J the women made first their courtesy to their master and then the men; the men turning nine times widder-shins abom, and the women six times." She goes on to relate how, with John Fian leading, they all danced round in a circle and sang:

Ring-a-ring a widdershins, W hirlin' skirli n' widdershins , And dejl tak [he hinnermaisl,

W hae'er she be.

The south-west of Scotland has also her store of super­s titions regarding the practice, which Allan Ramsay has pre · served for us in verse, as well as some of the very gruesome and unhallowed rites of the witch:

At midnight hours, o'er the kirk ya rd she ra ves, And hawks unchristcn'd weans out of their g raves; Boils up their livers in a warlock's pow i Rins withershins about the hemlock low i And seven times does her praye rs backwards pray.liS

We also note that this custom corresponds to the ancient Celtic practice which was prevalent until quite recen tly, of making the deazil, that is, walking three times round a person according to""theCourse of the sun. In the Highlands this rite was particularly exemplified by the custom of carrying flaming torches during Halloween. These torches were co nsidered by the country people to be the only effective means of protecting

WITCH RITES

not only their farms and other possessions from the malicious influence of the witches and fairies, but also mothers and newly­born or unbapti sed infants. The farm lands and farm dwellings, where children had been born, were encircled by the torch bearers, who were very careful to carry the flame in their right hand. They ran round the premises from right to left, thus observing the Dear-fu;1 or the right-hand direction. The Tuath-iu;{ being the left-hand or wrong direction, would of course have rendered the precautions entirely abortive. In this way they protected their property, and prevented the fairy thieves from snatching away the unchristened infants from their mother's bed, and leaving in their place their own ugly and deformed children.

It rem ains now to analyse the reasons underlying this general superstition of circling or moving in a direction contrary to the COurse of the sun. We have abundant evidence in the traditions and practices at the present time of the worship of inanimate objects, or totemism, which is one of the earliest stages in religious development. Trees, s tones and water are all to this day worshipped by uncivilised people, and traces of similar object worship still survive in many of our present traditions. Of all the natural objects the sun, obviously enough, was the most outstanding. Its very magnificence, as it appeared large and luminous in the mysterious expanse of the heavens, made it an object to be feared and worshipped. It afforded benefits to mankind which no other object could; it became asso­ciated with the very source of li fe itself. Eventually this great orb and spirit of the sky became deified and worshipped as the Supreme God, the originator of all things, and a practice pre­va lent in Scotland until late in the eighteenth century-Forlorn Fires-which were lighted when any man thought himself the victim of witc hcraft, is but anot her form of sun-worship. We have but to glance over the witoh-trial records to see what an important part the sun played in the rites and pracrjces of the witch. Alison Pearson saw" the guid nychbours makone thair sawis with panis and fyres, and gadderit thair herb is befoir the sone rysing as sc ho did ".176 One of Catherine Oswa ld's cures for the trymbling.feveris (ague) involved" plucking up a nettle by the root, three successive mornings before sunrise" ,171

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Midsummer apparently was the favoured period of collection, and on such occasions, according to Scot, the following verse was repeated:

HJile be thou holie hearbe, Growing in the ground; All in the Mount Caluarie First wert thou found. Thou art good for manie a sore, And healest manie a wound; In the name of sweet Jesus I take thee from the groundYs

It naturally followed that all motion or direction became relative to the course of the sun, and to move in the opposite way indicated a contravention of the laws of this deified orb­something dark and evil. This act remained as simply" some­thing evil" until the introduction of Christianity, when the consequent substitution of Satan for evil relegated this act to something done with respect to the Devil. So what better and simpler act of rebellion was there almost ready-made for the witches than to perform their dances and rituals in a widdershin direction?

Animal Rites. One very interesting department of the superstition connected with witchcraft} and one which is con­tinually cropping up, is that concerning the use of animals in their rites. These animals are usually cats, dogs or crows and they are used as charms and mediums for inflicting and curing disease, for raising storms at sea, and causing human and all kinds of material destruction. Further than this, we very often find the witches and the devil himself were believed to transform themselves into these various animals. This fact the annals of the Scottish law-courts gravely record, and numerous other weird and wonderful tales of such a nature were accepted as evidence by contemporary ecclesiastical authorities. Where a witch is credited with the raising of storms at sea and destruction of sea craft we generally find her masquerading in the form of a cat or, alternatively, using a cat in her destructive ritual. An interesting and elaborate ritual was followed by the devil when he wished to shipwreck King James VI. and Queen Anne on their way home from Denmark. Following his in-

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WITCH RITES

structions, his diabolical following secured a cat, christened it, and cast it into the sea calling at the same time "Hola!" This he assured them would raise a storm. This plan was put into operation by John Fian the coven master, who, according to the testimony of Agnes Sampson, always sat at the coven meetings" ever nearest to the devil, at his left elbock ". Accor­dingly this John Fian was" lylit" in this connexion for the <I chaissing of ane catt in Tranent; in the quhilk chaise, he was careit haich aboue the ground, with gryt swyftnes, and as lychtlie as the catt hir selff, ower ane heicker dyke, nor he was able to lay his hand to the heid off: And being inquyrit, to quhat effect he chaissit the samin? Answerit, that in ane conversatioune haldin at Brumhoillis, Sathan commandit all that were present, to tak cattis; lyke as he, for obedience to Sathan, chaissit the said catt purpoiselie to be cassin in the sea, to raise windis for distructjoune of schippis and baitis." Agnes Sampson further confessed to King James that when he was in Denmark" shee being accompanied with the parties before specially named, tooke a cat and christened it, and afterwards bounde to each part of that cat the cheafest parte of a dead man and severall joyntes of his bodie; and that in the night following, the saide cat was convayed into the middest of the sea by all these witches, sayling in their riddles or cives, as is aforesaid, and so left the saide cat right before the towne of Leith in Scotland; this doone, there did arise such a tempest in the sea, as a greater hath not bene seene, which tempest was the cause of the perishing of a boat or vessell coming over from the towne of Brunt Island to the towne of Leith, wherein was sundrie jewelles and rich giftes, which should have bene presented to the new queene of Scotland at her majesties coming to Leith.

Againe it is confessed, that the said christened cat was the cause that the Kinges majesties shippe, at his coming forth of Denmarke, had a contrarie winde to the rest of his shippes then being in his companie, which thing was most strange and true, as the kinges majestie acknowledgeth; for when the rest of the shippes had a faire and good winde, then was the winde contrarie and altogether against his majestie. And further, the sayde witch declared that his majestie had never come safely from the sea, if his faith had not prevayJed above their intentions."

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Pitcairn quotes an interesting detail: " The Coven of Prestonpans wrote a letter to the Leith Coven ad vising them to mak the storm universall thro' the sea· And within aught dayes eftir rhe said Bill (letter) was delyverit, the said Agnes Sampsome, Janer Campbell, Johnne Fian, Gelie Duncan, and Meg Dyn baptisit ane catt in the wobstaris hOlls, in maner following: Fyrst, Twa of thame held ane finger, in the ane syd of the chimney criuk, and ane vther held ane vther fingar in the vther syd, the twa nebbis of the fingers meting togidder, than thay patt the catt thryis throw the linkis of the criuk, and passit itt thryis under the chimney. Thare·eftir, att Begie Toddis hous, thay knitt to the foure feit of the catt, foure jountis of men; quhilk being done, the sayd Janet fechit it to Leith; and abou t mydnycht, sche and the twa Linkhop, and twa wyfeis ca llit Stobbies, came to the pierhead, and saying thir words, 'See that thair be na desait amangis ws '; and they caist the caU in the sea , as far as thay mycht, quhilk swam owre and cam agone; and thay that were in the Panis, caist In ane vther cau in the see att xj houris. Eftir quhilk, be thair sorcerie and enchantment, the boit perischit betwix Leith and Kinghorne."IS'

Corning now to recorded instances where witches assumed the form of cats, a notable example is that of the witches of Aberdeen, who were accused of having assumed the likeness of cats that they might celebrate their orgies undisturbed around the Fish Cross. The dittay against Bessie Thorn who was a member of the same coven, states that" there, accom­panied with thy devilish companions and fa ction, transformed in other likeness, some in ha res, some in cats, and some in other similitudes, ye all danced about the Fish Cross."'" The charge against Isabel Grierson was that she went into the house of Adam Clark and his wife in Preston Pans, one night, in the likeness of his own cat, accompanied by a migh ty rabble of cats, which, by the noise they made, nearly fri ghtened to death Adam, his wife, and the maidservant. The cats were accompanied by the devil who, in the form of a black man, seized the poor maid, and dragged her up and down by the hair of her head.'" Isabel who was further accused of paying frequent visits to Mr. Brown of the same town in the shape of a cat, and rudely besprinkling Brown's wife and various parts of theif house, but once being

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called upon by name, vanished away. An interesting point arises from the testimony of Janet Irving. It was to the effect that the devil, whilst in the form of a woman, on hearing the name of Christ pronounced, made a second metamorphosis, and ran" out at the hole in the door lyk a black catt."18' We cannot guess why the feline form appears a surer refu ge to the devil than the one he had adopted. Another Isobel, the spouse of George Smith, a "portioner" in East Barnes, was tried for witchcraft, and among other articles in the indictment, she was accused of having I'resett Christian Grinton, a witch, in her house, whom the pannel's husband saw one night to come out at ane hole in the roof, in the likeness of a cat, and theirafter transform herself in her own likeness; whereupon the pannel told her husband, that it should not faire weill with him, which fell out accordingly; for the next day he fell down dead at the pleuch."'84 The City Records of Edinburgh contain an account of a gift of escheat, which was granted by the councilro the baron baillie of Canongate, of all heritable and movable goods belonging to the witches thereof. After this there follows a Report made by William Johnstone, baron baillie of Canongate, relating that "wmquhill Janet Allan, who is condemned and burnt for witchcraft, did delate Barbara Mylne, as one whom the said Janet did once sie come in at the Watter·gate in Lykness of a ca tt, and did change her garment under her awin s taire, and went into her house.""; Isabel Gowdie tells us that she and her coven met together at Lammas disguised in the form of cats, crows and hares, rambled through the country eating, drinking, and wasting their neighbou r's goods, and how amongst other exploits, they entered a dye-works in Auldearn, and played such pranks over the vat that ever after it would only dye black, " according to the colour of the Devil ". Isobel has handed down for our edification the magic formula by which she transformed herself into a hare, ca t or crow, and back again. The spells had to be thrice repeated, and that for assuming the shape of a hare is as follows;

I sail goe intill ane haire, With sorrow, and sych, and mejkle caire, And I sat! goe in the Divellis nam, Ay whiJl I com hom againe.

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She also recou nted the following escapade in the form of a hare: " I was one morning, about the break of day, going to Auldearn in the shape of ane hare, and Patrick Papley's servants, going to their labour, his hounds being with them, ran after me. I ran very long, but was forced, being wea ry, at last to take my own house. The door being left open, I ran in behind a chest, and the hounds followed in; but they went to the other side of the chest, and I was forced to run forth again, and wan into ane other house, and there took leisure to say:

Hare, hare, God send thee care! r am in a hare's likeness now, But [ salt be a woman even now ! Hare, hare, God send lhee ~re!

and so I returned to my own shape again." "The dogs ", she added, II will sometimes get bits of us, but will not get us killed; when we turn to our own shape, we will have the bits, and rives, and searts in our bodies."186 Marie Lamont also favoured the feline form: " Shee and Kattie Scot, and Margaret Holm, cam to Allan Orr's house in the likeness of kats, and followed his wif into the Chalmer, where they took a herring owt of a barrell, and having taken a byt off it, they left it behind them. The elk herring the said Allan his wif did ea t, and yairefter taking heavy disease, died."l87 According to tradition, that prince of necromancers, Michael Seou, was turned into a hare by the witch of Falsehope, and hunted by his own hounds, " till jaded and discomfited, he was fain to take refuge in his own jawhole " (sewer) .'"

The devil appeared to Margaret Barclay, one of the Irvine witches, in the form of a lady's lapdog,"·while Andrew Man of the Aberdeen coven, saw the devil, whom he called Christsonday, coming out of the snow in the likeness of a staig (young male horse)}9. Janet Horne (see p. 25) was also accused" of having rode upon her own daughter transformed into a pony and shod by the devil, which made the girl ever after lame both in hands and feet ".Ull

Though it is obvious that their transformation into cats, hares, crows, etc. , was not actual, yet the witches called them­selves by the names of the animals, and in their own estimation and that of their associate ritualists, the change took place.

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The belief in shape-changing involves the corollary that wounds inflicted on a person while masquerading in the form of an animal will remaln on the body after it has returned to human shape. This alleged phenomenon is known as repercussion. There are an almost endless number of traditional tales and legal accounts illustrating this particular form of zoanthropy in Scotland.

The first story that comes to mind is that dealing with the witches of Thurso. On the 24th March 1719 the Depury Sheriff of Caithness laid the fo llowing information before the King's Advocate, Robert Dundas of Arniston. In December 17 18, an honest merchant known as William Montgomerie, who lived in the burnside of Scrabster, handed a petition to the sheriff representing that his house" was severall times infested with cats to tha t degree, that he nor his family were in safety to reside there any longer". His maid reported that the cats spoke among themselves; his wife threatened to leave him and go to Thurso, and one of his servants fled in fear before his term of service had expired.

At last one night Montgomerie lost patience, and, arming himself with broad sword, dirk and axe, he killed twO of the cats and s truck off a leg from a third, wou nding several! others as they fled. Shortly afterwards a suspected witch, named Helen Andrew, died suddenly, whilst another, McHuis tan, threw herself off some rocks into the sea, where she was drowned. Then an old woman, Margaret Nin -Gilbert, who lived about a mile and a half from Montgomerie, was seen by some of her neighbours" to drop at her own door, one of her leggs from the middle ". Of course there was no hesitation identifying these three women with the slain and wounded cats. Margaret's black and putrified leg was taken to the Sheriff-Depute, and he immediately ordered her to be imprisoned. A few days later she was examined , and confessed that she had been bodily present in Montgomerie's house, and that he had " broke her legg either by the durk or ax, which legg since has fallen off ... ; and that she was in the likeness of a feltered cat ". Two or three weeks after this forced confession the poor old woman died in prison; probably as a result of the ga ngrene from which she seems to ha ve suffered, though popular gossip suggested that

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she had been murdered by some of her fell ow-prisoners whom she had named as her co nfederates .' ''

Another Scottish story is related by Captain Burt who, writing in 1730, tells us he had it from a clergyman., A certain laird, noticing that his wine was mysteriously dimInIShwg, suspected witchcraft to be the cause of his loss. Accordingly he went armed to his cellar one night, expecting to find the unhallowed gang at their orgies. But when he entered he was surrounded by cats, and laying about him with his broad sword soo n rid his premises of their presence. Exa mining the floor he saw by the blood drops on it that his attack had wounded one of the cats ere it had departed, and next day, when the house of an old woman, reputed locally to be a witch, was entered, she was found in bed with one of her legs off. 10'

A similar tale hails from the Borders. In 1752 a Captain Archibald Douglas, accompanied by a sergeant, was on recruiting service in Jedburgh. This sergeant was intensely dissatisfied with his billet, which he averred was haunted . He had also learned that his landlord was gifted with second sight, while the landlady was locally reputed to be a witch. Wearied by the man's incessant complaints, the captain resolved to spend the I11ght with him and see if there was any truth in the story. About midnight a huge black cat seemed to fly into the room through the window. The officer promptly fired at it with his pistol and shot off one of its ears. With a scream it va nished. Next morning, on visiting the kitchen, he found the landlady lying senseless in a pool of blood which flowed from the side of her head. Removing her mutch, he found that one of her ears had been shot Clway.194

Elf -Arrows. Lastly we come to consider what was probably the mos t important, certainly the most dreaded ready-made, charms of ali-elf-arrows. These were supposed efficacious by witches as charms to kill and maim, and, by white witches, as counter-charms for curing and protection against the spells of both black witches and malevolent fairies.

Now these elf-arrows, fairy-darts or elf-bolts are in reality Neolithic flints or celts commonly found in and around the tum;l; which mark the resting-place of our an6ent ancestors. And although archaeologists have shown that these flint heads

WI T CH RITES 7'

were used by the ancient inhabitants to barb their arrows, it is entertaining to listen to what the voice of tradition has to say about these weapons of " Satan's light infantry ".

Considerable mystery was attached to these by the illitera te and superstitious peasa ntry. The uniformity of the shape attracted attention, and according to one report, it was thought strange "that these elf-stones, whether little or mickel, has still the sa me figure, though certainly known to fall from the air. The commonality superstitiously imagine that the fairies hath made and gives them tha t shape, and that they doe hurt by them, which we call elf-shot.".l "

The one and only account that the writer could find of how an elf-arrow was obta ined is in the folklore records of Selkirk­shire. "One day very many years ago a farmer of the Ettrick Forest while ploughing in one of his fields heard a buzzing so und in the air, and looking up he saw a small stone falling in the direction of one of his horses. He drove quickly forward, and it fell harmlessly by the animal's side. He stopped and picked up the stone which was slightly translucent and yellow. It was shaped like a small spear head, and its angles were so sharp they cut into his hand as it lay there, even although its weight was onl y one ounce troy." j 00

As they were thought to be of supernatural origin and manu­factured by the fairies, and also, as we shall see later, by the devil and his proselyteS, it naturally followed that these un ­offending little arrow-heads became the obiect of suspicion and fear. T o these ignorant people, all bodily sickness and disease which defied any regular diagnosis, meant one thing only, and that was the evil and malicious elf-dart of the enemy­" the arrows that fl y in the dark "--of the witch or resentful fairy . When the farmer or dairyman found his herd s dwindling away and his cows producing inferior mil k, he immediately attributed this to the fact that his cows had been elf-shot.

As to their origin, there is s till extant the evidence of an eye-witness who saw them being made. This was Isabel Gowdie, who confessed, " As for Elf-arrows, the Divell sharpes them with his ain hand, and deliveris them to Elf-boys, wha whyttlis and dightis them with a sharp th ing Iyk a paking needle: bot whan I was in Elfland, I saw them whyttling and dighting

F

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them."l9' Again we have the testimony of that worthy" elf person ", the Rev. Robert Kirk, who, describing the fairy weapons, tells us, " Their Weapons are most what Solid earthly Bodies, nothing of Iron, but much of Stone, like to yellow soft Flint Spa, shaped like a barbed Arrow-head, but flung like a Dairt with grea t Force. These Armes (cut by Airt and T oals it seems beyond humane) have something of the Nature of Thunderbol t subtilty, and mortally wounding the vi tal Parts wi thout breaking the skin."" Selkirkshire's trad itional account of their origin is somewhat different and, if nothing else, at least romantic. There, popular belief mai ntained that the elves received these fairy-darts from the old fair ies who wore them as breast-pins at the fairy court. The old fairies received them from merma ids who, in thei r turn, obtained them by picking out the eyes of the human victims whom they had stolen or had en ticed in to their emerald caves. 199

The manner in which the witches used this artillery has also been described, "We sprang them from the naillis of our thoombs ", says Isobel Gowdie, and she and her friends shot at and slew several people, in particular William Brown in the Milntown of Mains. An arrow was also aimed at the Rev. Harrie Forbes, the minister prese nt at her examination. The elf-arrow fortunately feU short. It was further alleged by Isabel that when she discharged an elf-arrow at her objective, she chanted the following metrical charm:

I shoot you man in the devillis' name, He sa Il not win heall hame, And this sa l he alswa tOW,

Thair sa il no t be an bitt o f him on hew.

This appears rather an ineffective means of locomotion and it would be remarkable indeed that this diminutive weapon pro­pelled in this manner should be looked upon with such abject terror, were we not infor med by several witnesses that these elf-arrows were sometimes poisoned. T he slightest incision therefore would be sufficie nt to cause d ath.

An account from Nithsdale relates how the elves, showing a little more init iative than the witches, employed the bow and arrow as their mea ns of propulsion. On their shoulders hung quivers of adder slough, s tored with pernicious arrows, and a

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WITCH RITES 73

bow fashioned from the ribs of a man buried where three Lairds' lands meet. The arrows were formed of the bog-reed and tipped with elf-stones dipped in the dew of hemlock.'QO

These arrows were shot with such magical dexterity that the wounds inflicted were very difficult to find. Kirk tells us that the blow delivered by these weapons inflicted no wound, but the spot struck by them might be discovered with great difficulty for no external blemish was visible. This was accredited also in Ireland, where the people said of elf-shot cows, .. you ma y fe et a hole in the flesh, but not in the skin, where the cow has been struck. She gives no milk till relieved."'·1 The ge neral belief was that the arrow usuall y struck the most vi tal part of the body, but the sk in was never visibly broken, although it left a blue mark .

If the malicious witch and envious elfin-sprite had their poisoned arrows that fly by night, the white witch and the fanner, tOO, had their own special ways of curing and sometimes averting the elf-shot. During her trial, Bartie Paterson (see p. 50) confessed to the following charm, for curing elf-shot cattle:

I charge thee for arrOWsc.hO I, For doorscilo[, for womb~chot, For liverschote, for lungschote, For hertschote, aJl the mai,'jt-etc.

According to Scheffer, "skolt ", in Lapland folklore, means to be struck down as by a dart. The word" schot " as used here probably denotes the same interpretation. As regards the charm itself, it is dearly a conjunction, charging the disease to quit an animate to enter an inan imate object, in this case earth and stone. This charm represents very clearly the confusion which existed in the minds of the people between magic, medicine and religion.

Another transference relief cure similar to that quoted on p. 59, which was very common in Scotland, was called the .. ordeal of blood " . The modus operandi was as follows: Take some of the injured animal's blood, mix wi th it a quantity of pins, and boil it, taking ca re to s tir it as soon as it begins to boi l. The door mus t be carefull y locked, and everyone kept out of the secret, except the members of the famil y. Presently the witch who is responsible for the evil , will come to the house door,

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and ask to be let in. On no account must she be admitted, (or if she enters she will murder everyone concerned in the ordeal. Before opening the door, she must be made to promise to take off the disease, after which she may be admitted. This gave rise to the old phrase, "she who comes first to the door, has injured your cow. "202

Two very simple cures from the Shetland Islands consist of repeating a charm over the wounded animal, while a sewing needle wrapped in a leaf of the Psalter is fastened into some part of its hair ; the other is easy to ca rry out, the cow being made to drink the water in which an elf·stone has been washed. The most sensible cure, it seems to me, comes to us from Selkirk­shire : .. T ake a blue bonnet that has been worn by the head of th e family or that of a very old man, and with the bonnet rub the cow all over, and the wound will make its appearance, or the place will be seen where the wound has been, although whole.""3 If we strip this cure of all its superstitious trimmings we are left wi th a straightforward massage cure. Not a bad practice at any time.

Wi th a final word on elf·shot cures, we ca n do no be tter than listen once again to Kirk. .. The cure of such Hurts is, only for a Man to find out the Hole with his Finger; as if the spirits flowing a man's war me Hand were Antidate Sufficient against their poyson'd Dairts:' The insertion of the phrase, .. only for a man to find the hole ", is admirable in discretion.

It seems remarkable that all these ela borate cures and rites were so thoroughly believed to be efficacious in the relief of so many pu rely imaginative ills. But it becomes less remarkable when we take notice of what might be termed an official pre· scri ption for elf·disease, given in Payne's English Medicine in Anglo·Saxon Times: .. Go on a Thursday evening when the sun is set where thou knowest that Heleruum stands; then sing the Benedicite and Pater Noster and a litany, and stick thy knife into the wort; make it stick fast and go away; go again when day and night divide; at the same time go firs t to church and cross thyself to God. Then go in silence, and though anything of an awful nature or a man meet thee. say not any word ere thou come to the wort which thou didst mark the evening before. Then sing the Benedictine and the Pater Noster and a litany;

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delve up the wort, let the knife stick in it. Go again as quick as thou canst to church, and lay it under the altar with the knife. Let it lie till the sun be up, wash it afterwards, and make into a drink wi th bishopwort and lichen off a crucifix ; boil in milk thrice, thrice pour holy water upon it and sing the Pate r Noster, the Credo and the Gloria Excelsis, and sing upon it a litany, and mark a cross with a sword round it, on three s ides; and after that let the man drink the wort; soon it will be well with him."

Now if the so·called spiritually enlightened and cultured section of the community could give its blessing to this, can we really blame the poor ignorant peasant fo r his attempts to do the same thing, using less elaborate, but equally fu tile Cures and ri tuals?

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CHAPTER IV

THE EVIL EYE

THE superstitious belief in the evil eye or, as it was caJJed in , the south of Scotland, ill or uncannie eel was considered

as be ing al most on the top rung of the ladder of witcheries. It was confidently believed that this powe r was granted in most cases by the devil to the more-favoured of his followers; although it had to be admitted-but \'ery reluctantl y- tha t to some people it was an unfortunate natural end owment. In this case it was very often a curse to the unhappy possessor. We have notice of a man in Nithsdale who, possessing <en of unsonsie glance, and having no wish to avail himself of its potential power found life ve ry difficult. His eyes blasted the first born of his yearly fl ocks, and spoiled his dairy. He went so far indeed, to prevent trouble, that he never looked a man or woman full in the face.'2.o", Such cases, however, appear to be the exception rather than the rule.

The ill ee was dreaded by the peasantry because a mere glance was sufficient to cause grievous harm to man and beast. Generally, too, we find this particular field of witChery was left open to the old women. They made the most judicious use of this precious endowment, and when they fo und how much their un ca nnie een were dreaded and respected, they made the

·most of the si tuation. Does not

Kimmer gers maur, an' K immer gets meal, And camie lives Kimmer, right couthie an' hale; Kimmer gets bread, an' Kimmer gets cheese, An' K imme r's uncannie een keep her at ease" 20$

And from the sa me q uarter, Cromek bei ng our informant, we are told that, before markets were so full y attended, the Low­land wives would go at the sheep-shearing times into the Uplands taking pieces of cloth, sugar, and tea for barter in the wool

76

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THE EVIL EYE 77

traffic. The pawkie auld dame trusted to her far- known character gOlng always empty-ha nded, yet she returned with the heaviest and fairest fleeces .

In the Border counties, a person found to have been" over­looked" was said to have had " a blink 0' the ill ee ". A glance deprived cows of their milk or affected their milk to such an extent that it would not churn into butter. The dairymaid, as we can well imagine, had as many antidotes-equa ll y super­stitious of course-to apply in defence aga inst the evil cantrips of the witch and unsonsie old carline. Trai n illustrates her remedies:

Lese wi tches :ohould obtain th e power Of hawkie 's milk in evil hour, She winds a red thread rou nd her horn, And milks thro' rowantree night and morn, Agains[ [he blink of evi l eye She knows each antidote to ply.20B

T he use of rowan tree was advised by King James I in his magnum opus on witchcraft. He specifies "such kind of charmes, as commonlie dafte wives use for healing forspoken goodes, fo r preserving them from evi ll eyes, by knitting roun-trees or sundriest kind of herbes to the haire and tailes of the goodes."'·' Or from" Paties' Wedding ":

Rown-tree and red thread, Will put the witches to thair speed .20s

Wilkie'·' puts forward the following very good reason for their apprehension: T he wi tch, when touched with a piece of rowan tree by a christened person, will be the kain' victim carried off by the devil when he comes next to claim his tribute. This tribu te is alluded to in the ballad of the Young Tamlane:

Oh pleasant is the fa iryland And happy [here to dweJl, Bu t aye at every seven years end We pay a riend to hell.

" It is likewise a sort of charm", Sinclair declares, "which many Wi tches have prescribed, namely to cut the Rouan- Tree between the two Beltan days. If any Man or Woman, House,

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or Cow shall have a piece thereof upon them, no Devils or Fairy shall have power to meddle with them."210

As late as the eighteenth century this practice was carried out in the Borders. A certain Mr. Mabon, in the town of Selkirk, faithfully adhered to this old superstition. He always made sure that a new cow before entering his byre had one of her ears bored and decorated it with a rowan tree pin and red thread or ribbon. 211

One very good remedy for so bewitched milk was carried out by a Border farmer's wife. On the return of the milkmaids from the loaning with their milk pails upon their head, and when the foremost took down her vessel in order to pass under the door­way, the farmer's wife was ready to drop a horse-shoe heated red hot into the milk. It was necessary that the ceremony should be performed at the instant when the milkmaid was lowering the pail, and it was further required that no one should be aware of the good dame's intentions. The troop of milkmaids was often thrown into the utmost dismay by the sudden bubbling and hissing of the milk, by the heated shoe.212 In the parish of East­wood in Renfrewshire a farmer also lLsed this antidote and, furthermore, for his own protection, never failed to turn the embers in the grate as an antidote against skaith whenever a stranger entered his house, in case the stranger should be the possessor of an ill ee.2l3 Sinclair mentions the following charm which was used when the butter would not churn:

Come Butter come, Come Butter come,. Peter stands at the Gate \x"aiting for a Butter'd cake, Come Butter come.2H

Margaret McKirdy of Bute accused of charming, confessed that she used trus charm" for ane evill ey ". The charm reads as follows:

I will put an enchantment on the eye, From the bosom of Peter and Paul, The one best enchantment under [he sun, That will come from heaven to earth.

The session ordained, " Kerelamount and John Wallace to speir

=

THE EVIL EYE 79

at her more particularlie to see what farther they can learne of this or other poynts of witchcraft, and to report to the next session.' '215

Napier recounts that, when he was a child, he fell ill, and nothing the doctors prescribed appeared to do rum any good. The old skeely-wife of the village was called in, as it was sus­pected he had got a blink of the uncannie een. She performed the following charm cure: A sixpence was borrowed from a neighbour; a good fire was kept burning m the grate; the door was locked, and the patient placed upon a chair in front of the fire. The skeely-wife took a table-spoon and filled it with water. With the sixpence she then lifted as much salt as it would carry and both were put into the water in the spoon. The water was then stirred with the fore-finger until the salt was dissolved. Then the soles of the patient's feet and palms of his hands were bathed thrice with the solution, and after these bathings he was made to taste the solution three times. The operator then drew her wet fore-finger across his brow. The remaining contents of the spoon she then cast right over the fire into the hinder end of the fire, saying as she did so, " Guid preserve frae a' skaith ".216

These were the first words permitted to be spoken during the ceremony. He was then put to bed.

We notice in the above account that the operator drew her wet fore-finger across the brow of the patient. Now trus action is but a variation of what was probably considered the most efficacious remedy that could be applied against the evil eye. The Border name was scoring abDon the breath. The suspected possessor of the evil eye was scored on the forehead by dra wing a blunt instrument so as to draw blood. In cases where the scoring was to be carried out on a .. victim" it was sufficient as in the above example merely to draw the fore-finger across the forehead. But when the witch was scored, more drastic methods were resorted to, usually a short pin or rusty nail was used; nails from a horse's shoe were particularly effective. In this connexion we find the following record: Helen Irvine, spouse to George Grierson in the Parish of Bowden, appeared in the Kirk at Selkirk, and complained to the Presbytery there assembled that "Robert Speedin came to her house a month ago about seven in the morning, and reviled her by calling her a

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base blade and saying' what have we to do wi'th you? ' to which she only answerit, ' Robert! I never did you ha rm: after which he gripped her in a violent ma nner by the side of her head, and as she apprehended, scored he r above the eyes to the effusion of blood, with some instrument which he had in his hand; then went off to the smiddy where the blacksmith was at work and said to him and his son, that now he had succeeded in scoring Nell Irvine's brow."217

In 1704 Archibald Lawson of StOw quarrelled with Marion Wilson. When he went home he fou nd his child took .. a greeting" which continued for some days .I,d ni?;hts. Believing Manon to be the cause, he went ro her and bled her with his nails, and forthwith the crying st ppcd. She hOld lhe reputation of being a witch and it would seem ~he had been held down and bled with an awl on a previoLls occasion. ~JS Another instance of scoring above the brea th is recorded abo ut a farmer of Wigton­shIre as late as 1825. He had some c;mk which died and there was an old woman living about a ile from the farm who was considered no very canny. She was heard to say that there would be ., mair 0' them wad gang the s."ne w"y ". So one day soon after, as the old woman was passing the farmya rd, one of the farmer's sons took hold of her and got her head linder his arm, and cut her across the forehead. We are not told whether the antidote was effective or not.:n~

The belief was so wi desp"oJd and generally accepted that we find such legal authorities as Sir George M ackenzie writing about it. He says .. witches may kill by their looks, which looks being full of venemous spirits, may infect the person whom they look. I know there are those who think all kinds of fascination by the eyes, ei the r an effect o [ [.lncy in the person affected, or else think it is a mere illusion of the D ev il, who persuades witches that he can bestow upon them the power of killing by looks, or else the Devil really kills, and ascribes it falsely to their looks: whereas , olh' s · contend, that by the reCeived opll1lOn of all historians, me n have been found to be injured by the looks of witches : .l nd why mlly not witches poison this way, as well as the Basilick do 11?" H e goes on to say, .. and though witches confess that they did kil l b y their looks, their confession and belief may, if they be otherwise of a sound

TH E EVIL EYE

judgment, make a very considerable part of a crime, when it is joined with other probabilities, ye t per se it is hardly relevant.""· Glanvil appears to take the o ther view, for he says" I am apt to think there may be a power of real fascination in the witch's eyes and imagination, b y which, for the most part, she acts upon tender bodies. For the pestilenti.l l spirits, being darted by a spiteful and vigorous imagination from the eye, and meeting with those that are weak and passive in the bodies which they enter, will not fail to inflect them with a noxious quality."22l

That this belief in the malignant powers of the evil eye should be so universally believed in and accepted may seem remarkable to us now, but in that dark reign of superstition and ignorance, where cas unlties, misfortunes and griefs, due mostly to violation of natural laws, were attributed to the dreaded powers of evil spirits, demons and witches. it is not strange that specia l significance should have been given to the human eye. It is the only physical organ which can truly express the hidden passions, emotion and desires of our ,nature. At one insta nt it flashes fiery, full of scorn and rage; at another its glances, envenomed by hate, can sear the very soul ; and last of all it can melt in compassion and love, pity and sorrow. According to a fra gment of Wag-at -the· Wa' we know that

Whenever Il :e c'rn holes wi' low shan be fcu' T hen, llit:n is lile time ,:O rlle, thJ l ye may dread the pow­For Hell's e'en are fm: 1ike, ~"d fc.a rIu' to view; Theil' colOllr lllay chan Q;: ()H fr-.a: d.uk red and blue; They p ierce like an ell-prick, ilk ane th ;"l r they see, Then b ~Wdr.: of rheir shimrn~r, if ye' l'e seen ye will die, Your hean pulse will riot, your flesh wijJ grow cauld; And how happy's the wight, that draws breath till he's auld.m

As for the absurd remedies applied, we can only say that where all rational conception of the causes of disease and of medicine is completel y absent, and superstitiously attributed to demoniac sources, it fo llows that the use of magical or super­natural ceremonies and invocatio ns as a panacea for these ills, led to an eager credulity in their efficacy, no matter how absurd in themselves. For, after all, if the witch cou ld kill, she could also cure.

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5

TALES

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5

I

THE WITCH OF YARROWFORD

Reprinted from Thomas Wilkie M.S., Old Riles, Ceremonies, and Cl.LSlOmS 0/ the Inhabilants 0/ lhe Souchern Counties oj Scot/and.

THE blacksmith of Yarrowford had for apprentices two brothers both of whom were very stro ng and enjoyed good health for the first six months of their apprenticeship, but

on the beginning of the seventh month, the younger of the two began to look pale, lose his appetite daily, and would not account for this change by any sa tisfactory argument to his elder brother, who seemed anxious about his health. Day by day he was unable to attend his work, from weakness for which he said he could not inform his brother, or how it took place, till one evening he burst into tears, and said to his brother, he would soon die, as his mistress who was a witch came regularly every evening and touched him with a wand after which he became transformed into a horse, and upon which she rode to all the infernal meetings of her kind; when she drank, robbed cellars, till the morning, when she took the bridle off his head and then he resumed his wonted shape. This she did when the elder of the two was fast asleep. The elder brother advised his young brother, to sleep beyond him in the same bed, and he would ta ke his chance for a night among the witches and would endeavour to outwit the tormentor of young V ukan. He lay awake till the hour mentioned by his brother when she used to come and put the bridle over his head, and touch him with her wand; and presently in came her ladyship, rigged out in high style with a bridle in one hand Jnd a wand in the other. She threw the bridle over his head Jnd gave him a touch with her wand and instantly he sprang up in the shape of a fine hunting horse. She vaulted into the saddle and off she rode in the midst of a numerous assemblage of witches, to the cellar of a neighbouring gentleman where they

85

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plied the inspiring ju ice of the grape, till their own rorches burnt blue before them. Her horse all the time kept rubbing his head agai nst the stall till off came the bridle and he once more re­sumed the human form. He took the bridle and rema ined hidden beyond the stall till his mistress and her companions entered the stable and in an instan t he threw it over her head, and presently a fine grey mare started up in his hands upon which he mounted, and off he rode through thick and thin, till he observed one of her fore feet had lost a shoe: he took her into the first smith's shop he arrived at, and had it replaced, and a new one put on the other foot. After this he propelled her into a new ploughed field where he rode her all the morning among the deep furrows till he had nearly exhausted her, and at last took her home, and pulled off the bridle, so that she might have time to get into her bed before her husband arose to go to his work in the morning. When the I: lacksmi th turned out from his wife, she complained of bei ng very ill and desired him to se nd for a doctor, as she thought she was dying. The servant was immediately dispatched and soon returned with a doctor whom he met wi th by chance, who instant ly attended at the bedside of the sick wife. He desi red her to let him exa mine the sta te of her pulse, but the wife being ave rse to show her hands, her husband instantly and in a passion lifted the bed clothes, when he observed to his very great surprise and astonish­ment that she had shoes of a horse nailed to her hand s, and her sides all galled from the kicks which the apprentice had given her, as he galloped her in the newly ploughed field. The appren­ti ce told the whole story and the following day she was tried by the magistrates of Selkirk and condemned to be burnt on a srone in Bulsheugh, which was as promptly carried into effect, as her discove ry, trial and condemnation had been.

e

2

TOUCHING UPON THE WITCH-CRAFT OF AGNES SYMPSON OF KEITH

Reprinted from Sawn's in!Jisible World D isco vered. George Sinclair, Edin., r685_

THOUGH this be of tOO old a date, to comply with the title of our Stories, yet being a true copy of Record so Authen­tick, though not so fresh, it may haply not be anuss bneAy

to name some effects, kinds and circumstan ces of her Sorcery; as her skill in Diseases, that the sickness of William Black was an Elf-shot. Her taking the sick Parties pains and sicknesses upon her self for a time, and then translating them to a third Person. Her use of long Scriptural Prayers and Rhyms, con­taining the main points of Christianity, so that she may seem to have been not so much a white Witch, as an holy Woman. Her useing of such Nonsensical Rhy ms, for the instructing of ignorant people and teaching them to pray, as these twO prayers, the Black and White Pater Noster in Meeter, in set Forms to be used Morning and Evening and, at other times, when occasio n offered:

c

White Pater Noster, God was my Foster. He fostered me U nder the Book of Palm T ree. Saint Michael was my Dame, H e was born at Bethlehem. H e was made of flesh and blood, God send me my right food: My right food, and dyne two, That] may to yon Kirk go, To read upon yon sweet Book, Which the M igh lY God of Heaven shoop, Open, open, H eaven Yaics, Steik, sceik, H ells Yai ts . All Saints be the better, That hear the While Prayer, Pater Noster.

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88 ROWAN TREE A ·n RED T HREAD

The Black Pater Noster runs thus:

Four newks in th15 house for h31y Angels, A post in the midst, th.at's Christ Jesus, Lucas, Marcus, Matthew, JOJnnes, God be into This house, and all lbJt belongs us .

But when she sought for an answer from the Devil upon any occasion, he appeared to her in the shape of a Dog, but the way of dismissing, and Conjuring him to goe was thus, 1 charge thee to depart on the law thou lives on, as she did, when she dismist him, after her consulting him about the old Lady Edm iston's sickness. But the manner how she raised the Devil, was with these words! Elva come and speak to me i who came in the lickness of a Dog. Her sa iling with her Cummers, and fellow withes in a Boat to a ship, is very remarkable, where the Devil caused her and them to drink good Wine and bear without money, she neither seeing the Mariners/ nor the Mariners her. And after all, the Devil raised a wind, whereby the ship perished. Her Baptizing, and using o ther Ceremonies upon a Cat, with other Witches, to hinder Queen Ann, from coming into Scotland. Her raising of a Spirit to conjure a Picture of wax for destroying of Mr. lohn Moscrope.

But to be more particular, I shall give you her own con· fession to King James. Item fyled and convict of sameckle, that the Devil in mans lickness met her going out to the fields from her own house at Keith, betwixt five Jnd six at even, being alone and comma nded her to be at North·berwick Kirk the next night. T o whic h place she came on horse·back, conveyed by her Good·son, called Iohn Couper, and lighted at the Kirk.yeard, or a little before she came to lt, about eleven hours at even. They danced along the Kirk· yeard, Geilie Duncan playing on a Trump, and lohn Fein mussiled led the Ring. The said Agnes and her daugh ter followed next. Besides, there were Kate Gray, George Moilis his wife, Robert Gri erson, Katharin Duncan, Bessie Wright, Isabel Gilmore, Iohn Graymail, Duncan Buchanan, Thomas Barnhil an his wife, Gil bert Mackgill, lohn Mackgi ll , Katharine Mackgill with the rest of their Cummers above on hundred Persons , whereof there were six men, and all the rest women . The women made first their courtesy to their Mais ter, and then the men. The men turned nine times

AGNES S YMPSO N OF K E t T lI

Widder.shines about, and the Women six times. lohn Fein blew up the Kirk doors, and blew in the lights, which wer like Mickl black candles sticking roundabout the PulpIt.

The Devil started up himself in the Pulpit like a mickle black man, and calling the Row, every one answered Here, Mr. Robert Grierson being named, they all ran hirdie girdle, and were angry: for it was promised he should be called Robert the Comptroller, alias Rob the Rower, for expn m1l1g of hiS name.

The fi rst thina he demanded was, If they kept all promise, and had been good servants, and what they had done since the last time, they had conveened. At his command they opened up three Graves, twO wit hin, and one wi thout the Kirk, and cutted off from the dead Corps, the Joints of their Finf(crs, T oes, and Niese, and parted them amongst them, and the said Agnes Sympson got for her part, a Winding· sheet, and two JOllltS. The Devil commanded them to keep the Joynts upon them wlule they were dry, and then to make a powder of them, to do evil withall. Then he commanded them to keep hiS commande· ments which were to do all the evil and mischief they could. Befor~ they departed, and were dismist, they behoved to kiss his Arse, with reverence to the Reader. He had on him, an gown, and an Coat, which were both black. And they that were assembled, part stood, and part s~ tJ John Fein was ever nearest the Devil at his left Elbock, Graymail keeped the Door.

That which is observable in John Fein, is, that the Devil, appeared to him! not in black, but in white r~imentl but Pl'opos~d as Hellish a Covenant to him as those Fiends that appear In black. His Sk imming on the sea in a boat, is remarkable, with those of his complices, and his foretelling the leak in ·the Queen's Ship by the help of the Devil. His raising W inds with the rest, when the King sailed into Denmark, by casting a Cat 111tO the sea, which the Devil delivered to them, and taugilt them to cry Hola, when they firs t cast it in. His raising a 1vl is t, at the King's return fr; m Denmark, by getting Satan to cast a thing like a Footbal (it appearing to John like a Wisp) into. the sea,. which made a Reek to arise, whereby the Kings MajestIC might be cast upon the coast of England. His opening of locks by Sorcery as one by mere blowing into a Womans hand, wIll ie. he sate by the fire. H is embarquing in a boat with other W,tches, and

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all of them sailing over sea, and entering within a Ship, and dnnking Good WIne and Ale there, and sinking the Ship, when they had done, with the Persons in it. His kissing Satans Arse (w~th reverence), again at another Conventickle. His being swlftly carned above In the Air in chasing of a Cat to catch her, to cast Into the sea, thereby to raise winds, according to the prescnptIon of Satan. His pretending to tell any man how long he should lIve, If he told him but the day of his birth.

3

THE BROO 0' THE BREEKS Reprulted from The Philosophy oj Witchcraft.

J. Mitchell and J. Dickie, Paisley, 1839.

ABOUT two hundred years ago a new tenant moved into a farm called Perrystane, which lies a little to the west of the Stanley Green farm, in the Abbey parish of Paisley.

The former tenant was unco sweart'd to lea' the farm, an' as he was respeckit by his neebors, the incomer couldna expeck to be in a vera guid odour wi' tbe folk he was gann to live amang. Ony bodie that tak's a house o'er the head 0 ' anither, manna leuk for being weel spoken 0', an' sae, fan' the new tenant 0 '

Perrystane. On the day after his arrival his kye were put out to the £lel's on as guid a braird as was in a' the kintra side, but £lent a ane 0' them wad put down a mou' to taste it. Weel, a beggar bodie that had been in the habit 0' getting his bit mouthfu' 0' meat in that district, bethought himsel' that if he was to pay a visit to the new come farmer, he couldna' fail to gey a bellyfu' an' 'twere for naething else than gude luck, or to get his gude word at least; sae aff he strides for Perrystane. The gudeman happened to be out, but the gudewife gaed him a kindly welcome, an' tweel-a -wat he didna want for a dinner, forbye something to put into his wallet. In the course 0' cracking, the farmer's wife tauld the beggar about the kye, an' wonner' t what could be the matter wi' them.

" I think," quo' the auld man, "somebody 'ill hae witched them:'

" I was amaist thinking sae myse!'," replied the gudewife, "are they onie bodie in their parts that's suspeckit for ony thing 0' the kind? "

"Atweel are they," returned the gaberlunzie, " I ken a gae pickle 0' them myse!'."

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" Dear me, and d'ye no ken a ny bodie that can cast aff thei r cantrips? I'm sure I w<ldna grudge to reward them weB, giff they wad come an' tak them off 0' my puir dumb brates."

" I'm reckoned no that ill o't mysel f," replied the beggar, " I've kuir't mony a bodie's kye in my time, an' I dinna doubt but I might kuir yours as weel as ither folks."

" Wed gudema n, giff ye'lJ kuir mine I'se gie you that kibbock that ye're eatin' a bit 0' hame wi' yo u, as soon as ever the kye are made what they were afore they cam' here."

"Wee} I'se [cy't." quo' the beggar; "sae jus t let me tak' a smoke, an' be sure no to speak a word to me till I'm dune, an' I think I'll fin' out some scheme that 'll undo the witches ' black art."

So saying he seated himself by the fireside, and commenced smoking in righ t good earnest, the farmer's wi fe eyeing him all the while, with feelings in which hope and doubt were mixed in nearl y equal proportions.

The begga r's thoughts were of a different nature. Apparently absorbed in deep thought, his eyes were contin ual1y turning to the cheese, which he saw in perspective as his own, while his mind was employed in planning how he could best accomplish his pur­pose. At length he asked his entertainer the following question.

" Mistress, hae ye any 0' the daes in the house that either you or your gude man was married in ? "

T o this interrogmion she repl ied, after turning the affair in her mind for a few moments :

" No man, no a rag 0' them nor hasna been rrus mony a year; wad they ha'en any effect in taking aff witchcraft ? "

"A great deal, " was the reply, "giff folk kent hoo to apply them, but Stop, I've thought on anither plan, yell maybe hae so me 0' the daes that the gudeman was dressed in, when some 0' the weans were baptised. "

.. Let me see, Jet me see-yes man there are ! when that lassie that's iust gane to the door was kirsen't, her fa ther had on a pair 0 ' spik an' span new breeks, and the remains 0' them's in the house to this vera day . Brawly I hae min' 0' them, for they were 0' a forbye colour tha t I didna li ke, on' of course they were seldomer on on that account, for I likit far be tter to see him in ony ither pair that ever he had, than in them; sae I whiles keepit them out 0 ' sight, or there's nae doubt but they wad hae been in

THE BROO O' THE BREEKS 93

the midden lang syne. Weel, gude whiles comes frae a thing where ane wad least expeck it; I'll shune le t you see the breeks."

"Ye needna bring the breeks to me; sit your wa 's dune on your seat, an' I'll tell you what ye' re to do wi' them. Before ye gang to your bed the night, tak' you the breeks, an' cut them into sma' pieces, an' put them into the biggest pot ye has in the house, an' be sure that ye put in a gude big fire, an' let the POt be on' t the hail night, an' be sure to keep it as fu' 0' water as ye can. It'll boil o'er nae dOllbt an' fl uff awa' up the lu m in the shape 0' stea m, but ye mann rise noo and then, an' eek it up again, and in the morning, after the broo's weel eneuch cool't, gie ilka cow ye hae as muckle o't as it ca n drink, an' every twa hours after, through the hail course 0' the day, gie them aDither drink 0' the broo 0' the breeks, an' be sure that they taste nae ither thing, ti ll they are put out on the followi ng morning; an' I'll w.ger a brown Bowbee, that the deil a witchcraft 'ill be about them; an' I'll be here on the forenoon 0' the day that ye put them out, to see what effect the charm has had ."

Night cam. and the breeks were carefully cut up an ' boiled, buttons an' a',_ according to the auld ma n's direction, an' as carefully se rved up on the following day, not much to the satisfaction of the ca ttie, whose lowings indicated how much rather they would have been luxuriating on the grass they had set so little value on, on the preceding day. True to his appoint­ment, as might have been expected, the beggar made his appear­ance at the verra hour he had promjsed, an' was me t at the door by his credulous dupe, who accosted him in the following terms :

/I Come away, gudeman, I'm glad to see you; I followed your directions to a verra hair, an' I'm proud to tell you, that whenever the kye were turned out this morning, they fell to eating as greedily as if they had not seen mea t for a fortnight. T he kibbuck's yours, an' I'm proud that its in my power to gle you't, for weel -a -wat ye weeL deservet; an' I hope yell never ga ng by my door again, without giein' us a ca'. It 's a guide thi ng for honest folk that the res siena ane among us, or, guide faith, thae wanchansie cratu rs, that gie themselves o'er to the Dei!, for the vena purpose 0' working mischief on thei r neibours, w~d soo,n o'ergang us." So she led him into the house, and put llltO hIS h.1nds the cheese, which his auld-farrent knavery had made hIS alO .

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4 THE WITCH OF PITTENWEEM

A Traditionary Ballad by DAVID VEDDER.

THERE waned a wife in Pittenweem, And a greusome cummer was she;

Nae glimpse 0' grace was in her heart, Nor spark 0' humanitie.

Her tawny face was furrowed ower Like a beggar's haggart hose;

Nae tinkler's pike-staff had a cleck That could match this carline's nose.

Her een they goggled like a fiend 's, Her chin was clad wi ' hair,

And her crooked stumps pushed out her lips Like the tusks 0' a Lapland bear.

Her voice was like (he howlet's scream, Or like the carrion craw's;

An' the nails upon her finger-ends Were like a griffin's claws.

And ower her crooked shoulders hung A cloak that had ance been red;

But the curch was as black as Acheron That covered the beldame's head.

She dearly loved the camet's glare, But she hated the light 0' day;

And she banned the beams 0' the blessed sun As he rose ower the Isle 0' May.

She's hied her whar two highways cross Low in a dreary dell,

Far, far beyond the haby sound 0' the abbey's kirsened bell.

94

THE WITCH OF PITTENWEEM

And she's knelt upon a suicide's grave, And invokit Sathan's name;

And muttered many a horrid spell , Till the grisly monster came.

And there she renouncit her mither's creed, And eke her father's faith;

And there she made a solemn league And covenant wi' Death.

She's pierced a vein on her withered hide, And she pawned her sinful soul;

And wi th the blood whilk was nearest her heart She has signed the fearfu' scroll.

And when she delivered the fatal brief Weel written signed and sealed

A thousand phantoms mirk as night A horrid anthem pealed.

And the screechin' 0' the demons dark Seemed music till her ear

And aye she called the Evil One Her lord and master dear.

And she has abjured the blessed sign Which fiends and demons fear

And aye she called the Evil One Her lord and master dear.

And the more to prove her allegiance true Like a vassal gude and leal

She has branded her banes wi' Sathan's mark And her flesh wi' his privy seal.

He's gi'en her seven deadly imps As black as the midnight clud;

And he's bidden her suckle them at her teats, And nourish them wi' her blood.

He's gi'en her a spindle frae his belt, Whilk untO hers she hung;

The whorle O't was a sealy snake Lollin' out its forked tongue.

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He's gi'en her a staff intil her hand Cut frae the gallows wood

Weel virled about wi' murderers banes And varnished wi' felons blood.

But the foul fiend snorted like a wolf Wi' dreddour an' wi' fear;

Syne flew to hell wi' an eld ritch yell, For he scentit the morning air.

Neist night she proudly mounted her nag, Like the queen 0' hellish hags,

While a' her imps, fu' cozillie, Lay nestled in her rags.

Ower brake an' mould, ower heath an' wold, Fu ' swiftlie did she fly;

An' the little wee starns crap in wi' fear~

As she glowered up to the sky.

She's killed the heifer on the green, The lamb upon the lea;

An' the nether millstane rave in twa Wi' the glamour 0' her e'e.

And many a bl umin' bairnie pined Upon its mither's knee ;

An' glowered like an unearthly imp, An' wad neither live nor die.

An' mony a maiden far an' near, As sweet as the rose in J une,

Spewt iron skeurs, and L'Tooked preens, Ilk changin' 0' the moon.

The husbands sighed, the matrons cried, Wi' grief the country rang;

And they murmured <1 t the haly monks For tholin' the limmer sae lang.

The abbot assembled a' his monks Upon St. Clement's da y;

JI Mak' haste an' wash in Marie's well, And likewise fast an' pray;

THE WITCH OF PITTENWEEM

Anoint your heads wi' haly oil, In h;Ily robes be dight,

An' trust in gude St. Swithan's strength, And sweet St. Marie's might;

For a deed sail be dune, and that fu ' sune, That shall sere your souls wi' fright. "

The sheriff has sent his scouts abroad, And they sought baith east an' wast,

Till they cam' to a cave as mirk as the grave, Where they fand her sleeping fast.

They trailed her to the abbey yetis, And hemmed the hag about;

An' they prickit her body frae head to heel, To fi nd the witch·mark out.

The y bound the caitiff to a bolt, Low in the dungeon· keep,

An' thrice three nights, an' thrice three da ys, They kept her een frae sleep ;

An' they scorched her soles wi' burnin' gauds, But she wouldna or couldna weep.

They tied her arms behind her back, An' twisted them with a pin;

And they dragged her to Kinnoquhar loch, An' coupit the lim mer io-

An' the swans flew screamin' to the hills, Scared with the unhaly din.

When first she defiled the crystal flood, She gate a greusome scream,

But like a bladder fu' 0' air, She floated on the feam.

And when the abbot saw her swim Like cork abune the flood,

He breathed an Ane, crossed himsel', And kissed the holy rood ;

"Avoid thee, Sathan! " the abbot cried, "An' a' thy hellish brood."

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An' monk an' layie, priest an' friar, Shrunk frae the polluted flood­

HAvoid thee, Sathan! " was their cry, .. And all thy sinfu brood! ..

The abbot pronounced the fearfu' word Amidst his monks acclaims-

And the civil power has ta'en the witch, And doomed her to the flames.

They harled the caitiff to the shore, And smea red her ower wi' tar,

An' chained her to an iron bolt, An' eke an iron bar.

They biggit a pile around the hag, Twa Scots ells up an' higher;

An' the hangman cam' wi' a lowin' torch, An' lighted the horrid pyre.

But the gatherin' cluds burst out at last, An loud the thun'er roared;

The sun withdrew his beams 0' light­The rain in torrents poured .

It slockit at ance the witch's fire­A dreadfu' sight to see-

And the wind was lown, an' wadna stir The leaves 0' the aspen tree;

An' monk an' layman crossed themsel's, And prayed the Sanct Marie!

And there was a monk amang the rest, And ane cunning monk was he,

Renowned through a' the shire 0' Fife For lear an' sanctitie.

He lighted his taper at the lamp Before St. Marie's shrine;

An' reckless 0' the foul fiend' s powers­Without a cross or sign-

s

THE WITCH OF PITTENWEEM

He stappit up to the witch's pile An' applied the sacred light

An' the crackling flames blazed up to heaven Like whins on a summer night.

An' when the flames had reached her heart She gae an awfa yell

An' her sinfu' spirit winged its flight But where I darena tell.

And aye the spot remained a blot On nature's beauteous face

For grass never grew nor fell the dew Upon the accursed place.

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5

THE DEVIL OF GLENLUCE

ENLARGED WITH SEVERAL REMARKABLE ADDITIONS

FROM AN EYE AND EAR WITNESS, A PERSON OF

UNDOUBTED HONESTY.

Reprinted from Salan's Invisible World Discovered. George Sincbir, Edin., 1685.

THIS is that famous and notable Story of the Devil of Glenluce, which I published in my Hydrostaticks, anno 1672, and which smce hath been transcribed word by

word by a Learned Pen, and Publis~1ed in the late Book Intitutled Saducismus Triumphatus, whom nothing but the truth thereof, and usefulness for refuting Atheism could have perswaded to transcribe. The Subject matter then of this Story, is a true and short account, of the Troubles, wherewith the Family of one Gilbert Campbell, by profession a Weaver in the old Parish of Glenluce in Galloway, was exercised. I have adventured to publish it De Novo in this Book, first because it was but hudled up among purposes of another nature. But now I have reduced it, to it's own proper Place. Next, because this Story is more full, being enlarged with new Additions, which were not in the former, and ends not so abruptly, as the other did.

It happened (says my Informer, Gilbert Campbels Son who was then a student of Philosophy in the Colledge of Glasgow), that after one Alexander Agnew, a bold and sturdy Beggar, who afterwards was hanged at Dumfries for Blasphemy had threat­ened hurt to the Familie, because he had not gotten such an Almes, as he required, the said Gilbert Campbel was often time hindered in the exe rcise of his calling and yet could not know by what means this was done. This Agnew, among many blasphemous expressions had this one, when he was interrogate by the Judges, whether or not, he thought there was a God, he answered, he knew no God, but Salt, Meal, and Water. When

lOO

THE DEVI L OF GLENLVCE WI

the Stirs began first, there waS a Whistling heard both within and without the House. And Jennet Campbell going one day to the Well, to bring home some Water, was conveyed, with a shril whistling about her ears, which made her say, I would fain hear thee speake, as well as Whistle. Hereupon it said, after a threatening manner, I'Ie cast thee Iennet into the Well. The voice was most exactlie like the Damsels voice, and did resemble it 0 the life. The Gentle-woman that heard this and was a witness, thought the voice was very near to her own ears, and said the Whis tling was such , as Children use to make, with their smal slender Glass Whistles.

About the middle of November, the Foul Fiend came on with new and extraordinary Assaults, by throwing of Stones in at the Doors, and Windows, and down the Chimney-head, which were of great quantity, and thrown with fotce, yet by Gods PrOVidence, there was not one Person in the Family that was hurt. This did necessitate Gilbert Campbel, to reveale that to the Minister of the Parish, and to some other Neighbours and Friends, which hitherto he had suffered secretly. Notwith­standing of this, his trouble was enlarged; for not long after, he found often-times his Warp and Threeds cut, as with a pair of Slzzers, and not only so, but their Apparel were cut after the ~ame manner, even while they were weaving them, their Coats, Bonnets, Hose, Shoes, but could not discern how, or by what mean. Only it pleased GOD to preserve their persons, that the l~ast harm was not done. Yct, in rhe night time, they had not liberty to sleep, something coming and pulling their bedclothes, and Linnings off them, and leaving their Bodies naked. Next. their Ches ts and Trunks were opened, and all things in them strawed here and there . Likewise the parts of their Working-Instruments which had escaped were carried away, and hid in holes and bores of the house, where hardly they could be found again. Nay, what ever piece of Cloath, or Household-stuff was in any part of the house, it was carried away} and so cut and abused} that the Goodman was necessitate in all haste and speed} to remove and transport the rest to a Neighbours house, and he himself compeUed to quite the Exercise of his Cailing, whereby he only mJintained his Family. Yet he resolved to remain in his house for a season; during which time, some persons about} not very

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Judicious, counselled him to send his Children out of the Family, here and there, to try whom the trouble did most foJlow, assuring him, that this trouble was not against the whole Family, but against some one person or other in it, whom he too willingly obeyed. Yet, for the space of four or five dayes, there were no remarkable assaults, as before. The Minister hearing thereof, shewed him the evil of such a course, and assured him, that if he repented not, and called back his Children he might not expect, that his trouble would end in a right way. The Children that were rugh by being brought home, no trouble followed, tiJl one of his Sons called Thomas that was farest off came home. Then did the Devil begin a fresh for upon the Lords day following in the afternoon, the House was set on Fire, but by the help of some Neighbours going home from Sermon; the Flre was put out, and the house saved, not much loss being done. And Munday after being spent in Private prayer, and fasting, the house was again set on Fire upon the Tuesday about mne a clock In the morning, yet by the speedy help of Neighbours It was saved, lltlle skatth being done.

. The Weaver being thus vexed, and wearied both day and nlgbt, went to the Minister of the Parish, an Honest and Godly­man desiring him, to let his Son Thomas abide with him for a time, who condescended, but withal assured him that he would find himself deceived, and so it came to pass, for notwithstanding that the Lad was wIthout the Family, yet were they that remained In tt, sore troubled both in the day time, and night season, so that they were forced to wake till Mid-night, and sometimes all the night over, during which time, the persons within the Family suffered many losses, as the cutting of their Cloaths, the throwing of Piets, the pulling down of Turf and Feal from the Roof, and WaJls of the house, and the stealling of their Cloatbs, and the Pricking of their Flesh, and Skin with Pins.

Some Ministers about having convened at the place, for a solemn Humiliation, perswaded Gilbert Campbel to call back his son Thomas, Notwithstanding of whatsoever hazard might follow. The Boy returning home, affirmed that he heard a voice speak to him, fo rbidding him to enter within the House, or in any other place where his Fathers calling was exercised. Yet he entered, but was sore abused, till he was forced to return to the Ministers house again.

THE DEVIL OF GLENLUCE 103

Upon Munday the 12 of February, the rest of the Family began to hear a voice speak to them, but could not well know from whence it came. Yet from Evening till Mid-night too much vain discourse was kept up with Satan, and many idle and impertinent questions proposed, wIthout that due fear of God, that should have been upon their Spirits under so rare and extraordinary a Trial. They came that length in familiar dis­course, with the Foul- Thief, that they were no more afrayed to keep up the Clash with him, than to speak to one another. In this they pleased him weJl, for he desired no better, than to have Sacrifices offered to him. The Minister hearing of this, went to the house upon the Tuesday, being accompanied with some Gentlemen, one James Bailie of Carphin, Alexander Bailie of Dunraged, Mr. Robert Hay, and a Gentlewoman called Mistris Douglas, whom the Ministers Wife did accompanie. At their .first in-coming the Devil says, Quum Literarum, is good Lanne. These are the first words, of the Latine Rudiments which Schollars are taught, when they go to the Grammar School. He crys again a Dog. The Minister thinking that he had spoken it to him, said, he took it not ill to be reviled by Satan, since his Master had troden that path before him. Answered Satan, it was not you, Sir, I spoke it to, I meant by the Dog there, for there was a Dog standing behind backs. This passing, they all went to Prayer, which being ended, they heard a voice speaking out of the ground, from under a Bed, In the proper Countrey Dialect, which he did counterfeit exactly, saymg, Would you know the Witches of Glenluce? I will tell you them; and so related four Or five Persons names that went under a bad report. The Weaver informed the Company, that one of them was dead long ago. The Devil answered, and sa id, It is true, she is dead long ago, but her Spirit is living with us 111 the World. The Minister replied saying (though it was not convenient to speak to such an excommunicat and intercom­muned person) the Lord rebuke thee, Satan, and put thee to silence; we are not to receive Information from thee, whatsoever fame any person goes under ; Thou are seeking but to seduce this Family, for Satans kingdom is not divided against it self. After which all went to Prayer again, which being ended (for during the time of Prayer no noise or trouble was made, except

H

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once, that a loud fearful youel was heard at a distance) The Devil with many threatnings boasted and terrified the Lad Tom, who had come back that day with the Minister, that if he did not depart out of the house, he would set all on fire. The Miruster answered, and said, the Lord will preserve the house, and the Lad too, seeing he is one of the Fatruly, and hath GODS Warrant to tarry in it. The Fiend answered, he shall not get liberty to tarry; he was once put out already, and shal not abide here, though I should pursue him to the end of the world. The Minister replyed, the Lord will stop thy malice against him. And then they all went to prayer again, which being ended, the Devil said, give me a Spade and a Shovel, and depart from the house for ,even days, and I will make a Grave and ly down in it, and shall trouble you no more. The good man answered, not so much as a Straw shal be given rhee, through Gods assistance, even though that would do it. The Minister also added God shall remove thee in due time. The Spirit answered, I will not remove for you, I have my Commission from Christ to tarry and vex this Family. The Minister answered a Permission rhou hast indeed, but God will stop it in due time. The Devil replied, I have Sir, a Commission, which perhaps will last longer than your own. The Minister died in the year 1655 in December. The Devil had told them, that he had given his com­mission to Tom to keep. The Company enquired at the Lad, who said, there was something put into his pocket, but it did not tarry.

After this, the Minister and the Gentlemen arose, and went to the place, whence the voice seemed to come, to try if they could see, or find anything. After diligent search, nothing being found, the Gentlemen began to say, We think this voice speaks out of children, for some of them were in their beds. The Foul Spirit answered, you lie, God shall judge you for your lying, and I and my father will come and fetch you to Hell with Warlock Thieves: and so the Devil discharged the Gentlemen to speak any thing, saying, Let him speak that hath a Com­mission (meaning the Miruster) for he is the servant of God. The Gentlemen returning back with the Minister, sat down near the place, whence the voice seemed to come, and he opening h.is mouth, spake to them, after this manner, The Lord will rebuke this Spirit in his own time, and cast it out. The

THE DEVIL OF GLENLUCE 105

Devil answering said, It is written in the 9th of Mark, the Disciples could not cast him out. The Minister replyed, What the Disciples could not do, yet the Lord having hightned the Parents Faith, for his own glory did cast him out, and so shall he thee. The Devil replyed, It is written in the 4th of Luke, and he departed and left him for a season. The Minister said, The Lord in the dayes of his Humiliation, not only got the victory over Satan, in that assault in the wilderness, but when he came again, his success was no better, for it is written, John 14. Behold, the Prince of this World cometh, and hath nothing in me, and being now in glory, he will fulfil his promise, and God sha1 bruise Satan under your feet shortly, Rom. 16. The Devil answered, It is written, Matth. 25, There were ten Virgins, five wise, and five foolish; and the Bridegroom came, the foolish Virgins had no oyl in their lamps, and went unto the wise to seek Oyl, and the wise said, go and buy for your selves; and while they went, the Bridegroom came, and entered in, and the door was shut, and the foolish Virgins were sent to Hells fire. The Minister answered, The Lord knows the sincerity of his servants, and though there be sin and folly in us here, yet there is a fountain opened to the house of David for sin for uncleanness, when he hath washen LL', and pardoned our sins, for his Names sake, he will cast tbe unclean Spirit out of the land. Tbe Devil answered, and said, Sir you should have cited for that place of Scripture, tbe 13 chap. of Zecb. and so he began at the first verse and repeated several verses, and concluded with these words, In that day I will cause the Propbet, and tbe unclean Spirit, pass out of the land, but afterwards it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and tbe Sbeep sbal be sGlttered. Tbe Minister answered, and said, well are we that our blessed Shepberd was strutten, and tbereby, bath bruised tby head, and albeit in the bour of bis sufferings, his Disciples forsook bim Matth. 26. Vet now baving ascended 011 high be sits in glory, and is preserving, gathering in, and turning his band upon his little ones, and will save bis poor ones in tbis Family from thy malice. Tbe Minister returning back a little, and standing upon the Floor, the Devil said, I knew not tbese Scrip­tures, till my Father taught me tbem. Tben tbe Minister con­jured him to tell wbence he was. The Foul-Fiend replyed, that

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he was an evil Spirit, come from the bottomless Pit of Hell, to vex this house, and that Satan was his Father, and presently there appeared a naked hand, and an arm from the Elbow down, beating upon the Floor till the house did shake again, and also he uttered a most fearful and loud cry saying, COme up, Father, come up, I will send my Father among you, See, there he is behind your backs. The Minister said I saw indeed an hand and an arm, when the stroak was given, and heard. The DevJ said to him, Say you that ? It was not my hand it was my Fathers: my hand is more black in the loof. 0 said Gilbert Campel, that I might see thee, as well as I hear thee! Would you see me, says the Foul-Thief; Put Out the Candle, and I shal come butt the house among you like fire balls. I shall let you see me indeed. Alexander Bailie of Dunrage t says to the Minister, let us go ben, and see if there be any hand to be seen. The Devil answered, No, let him come ben alone ; he is a good honest man, his single word may be believed. About this time the Devil abused Mr. Robert Hay a very honest Gentleman very ill with his Tongue, calling him Witch and Warlock. A little after the Devil cryes (It seems Ou t of purpose and in a purpose) a WJtch, a Witch, Ther's a Witch si tting upon the Ruist, take her away : he meant a Hen sitting upon the balk of the House.

These things being past, all went to Prayer during which time he was sile.nt. Prayer being ended, the Devil answered and said, If the Goodmans Sons prayers at the Colledge of Glasgow, did not prevail with God: my father and I had wrought a mischief here ere now. To which Alexander Bailie of Dunraged rephed, well, well, I see you confess there is a God, and that prayer prevails with him, and therefore we must pray to God and commit the eVent to him. To whom the Devil replied, yea, Sir, you speak of prayer with your broad lipped Hat (for the Gen­tleman had lately gotten a Hat in the fashion with broad lipps) I'Ie bring a pair of Shears from my Father, which shal clip the lipps of It a little. Whereupon he presently imagined, that he heard and felt a pair of Shears, going round about his Hat, which caused him lift it, to see if the Foul- Thief had meddled with it.

During this time, several things but of less momen t passed, as that he would have Tom a Merchant, Rob a Smith, John a Minister, and Hue a LaWler, all which in some measure came

THE DEVIL OF GLENLUCE 107

to pass. As to Jennet the Goodmans Daugh ter he cryes to her, Jen net Campbel, Jennet Campbel, wilt thou cast me thy Belt. Quoth she, what a widdy would thou do with my Belt? I would fain (says he) fasten my loose bones closs together with it. A younger Daughter sitting busking her Puppies, as young Girls use to do, being threatned by the Fiend, that he would ding out her harns, that is brain her, answered without being concerned, no if God be to the fore, and so fell to her work again. The Good Wife of the house having brought out some bread was breaking it, to give every one of the Company a Piece. Cryes he, Grissel Wyllie, Grissel Wyllie; give me a piece of that hard bread (for SO they call their Oat Cakes) I have gotten nothing this day, but a bit from Marrit, that is as they speak in that Countrey Margaret. The Minister said, beware of that, for it is a sacrificing to the Devil. The Girle was called for, and asked if she gave him any hard bread, nO says she, but when I was eating my due piece this morning, something came and clicked it out of my hand.

The Evening being now far spent, it was thought fit, that everyone should withdraw to his own home. Then did the Devil cry Out fearfully, let not the Minister goe home, I shall burn the house if he go, and many other ways did he threaten. After the Minister had gone foorth: Gilbert Campbel was very instant with him to tarry, whereupon he returned, all the rest going home. When he came into the house, the Devil gave a great guff of laughter: you have nOw Sir done my bidding. Not thine, answered the other, but in obedience to God, have I returned to bear this man companie whom thou doest afflict. Then did the Minis ter call upon God, and when prayer was ended, he dis­charged the Weaver, and all the Persons of the Familie, to speak a word to the Devil, and when it spake, that they should only kneel down, and speak to God. The Devil then roared mightily, and cryed out, What? Will ye not speake to me, I shall strike the bairns, and do all manner of mischief. But after that time no answer was made to it, and so for a long time no speech was heard. Several times hath he beat the Children in their Beds, and the claps of his loof upon their Buttocks would have been heard but without any trouble to them. While the Minister and Gentle-men were sta nding at the Door rea die to go home, the Ministers Wife, and the Good-Wife were within. Then

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ro8 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

cryed Satan, Grisse1 put out the Candle. Sayes she to the Ministers Wife, shall I do it? No says the other, for then you shal obey the Devil. Upon this he cryes again with a louder shout, Put out the Candle. The Candle still burns. The third time he cried Put out the Candle, and no obedience being given to him, he did so often reiterate these words, and magnify his voice, that it was astonishment to hear him! which made them stop their ears they thinking the sound was just at their ears. At last the Candle was put out. Now says he I'le trouble you no more this Night. I must insert here, what I heard from one of the Ministers of that Presbytrie, who with the rest were ap­pointed to meet at the Weavers house, for prayer, and other exercises of that kind. When the day came, five only met. But before they went in, they stood a while in the Croft, which layes round about the house, consulting what to do. They resolved upon two things, first there should be no words of Conjuration used, as commanding him in the Name of God to tell whence he was, or to depart from the Familie, for which they thought they had no call from God. Secondly that when the Devil spake, none should answer him, but hoJd on in their worshipping of God, and the duties they were called to. When all of them had prayed by turns, and three of them had spoken a word or two from the Scripture, they prayed again, and then ended, without any disturbance. When that Brother who informed me had gone out, one Hue Nisbit, one of the company, came running after him, desiring him to come back, for he had begun to whistle. No, sa yes the other, I tarried as long as God called me, but go in again I will not.

After this, the said Gilbert suffered much loss, and had many sad nights, not two nights in one week free, and thus it continued till April; from April till July, he had some Respite and ease, but after, he was molested with new assaults; and even their Victuals were so abused, that the Family was in hazard of starving, and that which they eat gave them not their ordinary satisfaction, they were wont to find.

In this sore and sad affliction Gilbert Campbel resolved to make his Addresses to the Synod of Presbyters, for Advice and Counsel what to do; which was appointed to conveen in October 1655, namely, whether to forsake the house or not? The Synod

THE DEVIL OF GLENLUCE '09

by their Committy appointed to meet at Glenluce in February 1656, thought fit that a solemn Humiliation should be kept through all the Bounds of the Synod; and among other causes, to request GOD in behalf of that afflicted Family; which being done carefully, the event was, that his troubles grew less till April, and from April to August, he was altogether free . . About which time the Devil began with new assaults, and taklllg the ready Meat that was in the house, did sometimes hide it in holes by the door-posts; and at other times did hide it under the Beds, and sometimes among the Bed-doaths, and under the Linnings, and at last, did carry it quite away, till nothing was left there, save Bread and Water. This minds me of a small passage, as a proof of what is said. The Good-wife one Morning making Pottage for the Childrens Break-fast, had the Tree-plate wherein the meal lay, snatched from her qUldJy. Well says she, let me have the plate again. Whereupon it came flying at her, without any skaith done. 'Tis like, if sh~ had sought the meale too, she might have got it; such IS IllS C1V11lty when he is entreated. A small homage will please him ere he want all. After this he exercised his malice and cruelty against all persons in the Family, in wearying them in the Night-time, by stirring and moving thorow the house, so that they had no rest for Noise, which continued all the Moneth of August after this manner. After which time the Devil grew yet worse, by roaring, and terrifying them by casting of Stones, by striking them with staves on their Beds in the Night time. And upon the 18 of September about Midnight he cryed out with a loud voice, I shall burn the house. And about 3 or 4 Nights after, he set one of the Beds on fire, which was soon put out, without any prejudice, except the Bed itself.

Thus I have written a short and true account of all the Material Passages which occurred. To write every particular, especially of lesser Moment, would fill a large Volum. The Goodman lived several years after this, in the same house: and it seems, that by some conjuration or other, the Devil suffered himself to be put away, and gave the Weaver a peaceable habitation. This Weaver has been a very Odd man, that endured so long these marvellous disturbances.

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6

THE DEVIL WISHES TO BE A TRADESMAN

Reprinted from Thomas Wilkie M.S., Old Rites, Ceremonies, and Customs of the Inhabitants 0/ the Soulhern Counlies 0/ Scotland.

TRADITION informs us that the D evil was very anxious to become a tradesman, but that he was always unfortunate in his attempts to learn, as he generally happened to be

se t to do something difficult in the occ upation, which eit her gave him pain o r puzzled him.

In his attempts to become a weaver, he pricked his finger with the hanks of the Temples and he disowned the occupation. Note.-In his weaving dress he was once sent out by his master to see whether the moon was at its full or not, which is described in an old song:

The wellver deil gaed Out at night, To see the new moon,

W i' 0)' the heddles On his back; And the sowin-bag aboon.

He began mowing and left off because his partner would not play whecy whety. He fixed his finger to the cloth which he was sewing, with the needle and thread, and spoiled the arm of a coa t which he was making for a gentleman, in cutt ing the curve of the elbow; so that his master in a passion run the bodkin into the rascal's hip and knocked him over the board with the goose, which disgusted him with the occupa tion of a taylor.

He next commenced the occupation or trad ition of black­smi th with a garrulous old fellow who se t him to shoe a horse, bu t the rascal prickt and he drove the nai l into his fin ge r. After this he endeavoured to make a shoe for a horse, but the chaper struck the mouth of the tongs with which he held the iron and

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THE DEVIL WISHES T O BE A TRADESMAN III

so pinched his fingers, that they never could, though they tried every method, make him remain in the smithy.

After this he went to a ferrier who ordered him to burn a horse fo r the disease called school, but he heated the iron too ho t, and o nly renewed the mark of the animal's mouth, without eradicating the disease, which so enraged his master that he swore he would rump him and pare hi s nails if he did not immedia tely leave his service, therefore he was ob li ged to leave the old ferrier and take up the budget and the apron and com­mence the itinerant occupation of a tinker. H ere again he made his rivets so fas t, that he split all the caldrons-tore the frail bellows, and put too much druget into the seam of the servant maids, that his master was glad to get quit of him without any breakage.

His D evilship after leaving the roving life of tinker, betook himself to that of a carpenter, but from the severe wounds he inAicted upon himsel f in his attempts to hew wood; the bruised fingers he gave himsel f with the plane; the troubles he had from the upperside of the logs of wood, which he and his fellow apprentices were sawing, and particularly from the toothache with its severest pangs, which was occasioned by the noise pro­duced by the fil e when his master sharpened his saws, induced him to leave this trade much against his inclination, he being particularly delighted with the smell of new cut wood, and the charming mornin g and evening walks he had with his fellow apprentices to and from work.

His next choice was that of shoema ker and cobbler, with which he became much enamoured , till his master gave him a severe yerkin' with the foot-stamp for taking a wrong measure of a lady's foo t, and not being ab le to give an account of the n~mber of rubsticks necessary to finish a pair of shoes, after he had been at the business three months; induced him to make a rive in the upper lea ther of his indenture, and take his last leave of making and mending shoes.

H e next became musi cian and poet and strolled thro' the country, singi ng the songs of his own composi tion, which were much esteemed by that class of men called freethinkers and debauchees, and in the evenings frequenting al l the low ale­houses and ginshops; where he "screwed his pipes and gart

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them skirl, till roof and rafters a' did dirl." Add to this, he became a soldier and a leader of a band of infernal rascals, whose mutinous and rebellious behaviour caused him and them to be confined in the bottomless pit, where he may play" Up and waur them a', Willie ", till his cheeks burst, ere he, with all his knowledge of the blacksmith 's trade, can add another link to his chain; as it was said by hi s master Vulcan that" deil haet he could do but blow the bellows and piss among the coals, in the coal hole", all the time he remained his apprentice.

7

ANENT MARGARET WILSON OF GALLASHIELLS

Reprinted from SatQn's Invisible World Discovered. George Sinclair, Edin. r685.

THIS is a true Nar rative of what happened to her one Night, while some persons were attending her. For what Past other nights I cannOt relate, since I want Information.

They say, that the Gentleman her Uncle, in the Parish of Galla­shi ells, came one Sunday after Sermon to the Minister there, Master Wilkie, and told him, that the Devil was at his House, for, said he, there is an odd knocking about the bed where my Niece lyes. Whereupon the Minister went along with him and found it so. She rising from her bed sat down to Supper, and from below, there was such a knocking up, as bred fear to all that were present. This knocking was just under her Chair, where it was not possible for any Mortal to knock up. Supper being ended, they went all to Prayer, and she rising from her place, went and kneeled down in another place, and there also a knocking was heard below her, even during the time of Prayer. When she was put tn bed, many Persons attending, she fell into a deep sleep. Then her body was so lifted up, that many strong men were not able to keep it down. Sometimes her body would have made such a motion in the Bed, as if something had been gripping her by the feet, and pulling her up and down. In the mean while, they heard a loud noise scra tching upon the Feather Bed, as with long Nails. And likewise the Minister affi rms, that he heard a loud risping at her heart, such as risping-Irons make upon Wood or T imber. When she awaked, she told him of many things, the Devil had been speaking to her, nffering her Gifts and Presents. She was hardly perswaded to pray; nay could not, when even the words were put into her mouth.

" 3

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The Minister desired her to enter in to a Personal Covenant with God, which he drew up, but finding one composed already to his hand, in that little Trea tise, called the Christians Great Interest, he made her subscrive it. When she had done this the D evil perswaded her with many Arguments to break it. This was the M ethod, the Devil observed ordinarly every Night, during her long trouble.

That same Night about twelve a Clock, the Minister took her U ncle o ut to his own Garden, ro take a turn or two, and began to bear in upon him, the sense of this sore affliction which was upon the Family, and exhorted him to reflect upon his wayes, and consider, if he had done any thing that had provoked the Lord against him, and particularly he charged him with one thing, whereof there was a loud report. He solemnly protested, and that with dre"dful imprecations, he was innocent of that particular, which was said of him, and absolutely denyed it. She confest, that she had seen the devil in a mans likeness, but especially Once going to Church, when he forbad her to go and hea r Sermon. After much trouble of this kind and much noise and talking, the young Woman, being , .

but twelve or thirteen years of age, came to Edinburgh, and tarried with a friend there, and from thence she went to Leith, where ~he served a Mistriss. At last she went to Easter-Didiston (it seems) and married there a Husband with whom she lived some years at the Magdalen-Pans, where she died. I do not hear that ever she was molested after. If all the particulars of this business were trudy coll ected, they would amount, to a far longer Relation, than I have set down.

8

THE BEWITCHING OF SIR GEORGE MAXWELL OF POLLOK

Reprinted from The Witches of Renfrew. Paisley I80g.

MR. GEORGE MAXWELL of Pollok, obtained the honour of knighthood from King Charles II. He was a gentleman of singular accomplishments, and justly esteemed a

person eminent for piety, learning, and other good qualifications. Sir George deceased anna. 1677. To whom succeeded John, his son and heir; which John was raised to the dignity of baronet by King Charles lId's letters patent, bearing date, at Whitehall, the 12th of April, 1682. He was, by King Wdllam, nommated one of his Privy Council for Scotland, upon the first constitution thereof; and afterwards, in the year 1696, was appointed one of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury of the Exchequer; and, in 1699, constituted one of the Senators of the College of Justice, and Lord Justice Clerk.

Letter which Sir John Maxwell of Pollok sent to George Sinclair, Professor of Philosophy in the College of Glasgow, along with the account of the bewitching of his father.

Pollok, 24th June, 1684. Sir,-I send you herewith the true account my father caused

me write from his own mouth, which is the surest relations I ca n give either of his own trouble or what concerns Janet Douglas fir st discoverer of these pictures. There fell out some less material circumsta nces in the family during her abode there, whereby it fully appea red that she knew what was done in distant places, and understood languages. For instance, when a chapter in the Greek New T estament was read, she made us

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understand by signs what the purposes were (for at that time she was dumb, whether really or counterfeitly, it is hard to determine) and did exactly give an account to myself what we did at two miles distant from the place where she was, without any information given to her which I knew of. I rest your affectionate friend, JOHN MAXWELL.

(Taken from Sir George Maxwell 's account of his being bewitched.)

Upon the 14th of October, 1676, my father was surprised at Glasgow, in the night-time, with a hot and fiery distemper; and, coming home the next day, he was fixed to his bed. The physician, fearing a pleuresy and a fever, opened a vein, and, the application of medicaments being made, the fiery heat was abated, he remaining for seven weeks together under a great pain, chiefly in his right side, though not fixed to his bed. There had come to Pollok-town a young dumb girl, but from whence was not known, who had remained there for four weeks before, but seldom frequenting Sir George Maxwell's house, till at length she came to some more familiarity and converse with his two daughters. And, having observed Sir George sick and weak in his body, she signified unto them That there was a woman, whose son had broke his fruit-yard, that did prick him in the sides.

And seeing this women one day in the hall of Pollok amongst a great many other company, she assured his daughter that this was the woman; and the day following, she told the gentleman That this woman (whose name was Janet Mathie, relict of John Stewart, under-miller in Shaw-mill) had formed a wax picture with pins in the side, which was to be found in her house, in a hole behind the fire, offering to bring it unto them providing she were accompanied with men to protect her from violence. At first they hardly understood her, till she went to one of the gentlewoman's closets, and bringing thence a little bees-wax, she plyed it before the fire, shewing the dimensions and quantity of the picture. The gentlewomen regarded not the information, because they thought it fabulous; yet his two servants, Laurence Pollok and Andrew Martin, knowing how much the girl loved their master, and knowing that his life was in hazard if this picture were not found, resolved at all adventures to try whether the information were true or false; and therefore going along with

THE BEWITCHING OF SIR GEORGE MAXWELL II7

her to the said Janet Mathie's house, one of them planted himself on one side of the fire, and the other on the other side, while, in the meantime, the little girl coming quickly by Laurence Pollok, putting her hand in the hole behind the fire, and then slips into Andrew Martin beneath his cloak, the waxen effigy, which had two pins in it, one in each side, but that in the right side so long as to pierce through to the other; that in the left was not so long, nor so deeply thrust in. This picture being brought to Pollok, Sir George's son, without acquainting his father, apprehended Janet Mathie, procuring the next day the Lord Ross's order for conveying her to prison. She being inter­rogated touching the pictures, after several subterfuges, alleged " it was the deed of the dumb girl."

It was also enquired whether Sir George or his Lady had given her at any time provocation to this malice. But it was weB known they had been courteous to her ; and, upon her complaints, had rebuked SOme for spreading bad reports upon her name, as not appearing sufficiently well founded to a conviction. Only upon the 14th of October, above specified, before Sir George went to Glasgow, he had called before him a servant in Pollok­town that had broken his orchard in harvest last, who confessed the fact, and that Hugh Stewart, son of Janet Methie's, was his complice. But a bye-stander declared that he was not now in Pollok land, but in the Darnly. To whom Sir George replied, " I hope my fingers may reach him in Darnly." This was all which could be thought a provocation to Mathie, no harm being done in the meantime to her son, whom Sir George to this hour doth not so much as know by the face, but hath suffered him all the time of his sickness to live in his mother's house, even since her imprisonment. In the me<lntime Mathie, remaining ob­stinate, was searched for insensible marks before the Sheriff­Depute of Renfrew, and many famous witnesses, at Paisley, and there were very many found upon her.

After the finding of the picture of wax foresaid, there was some abatement of Sir George's sickness, but not to any observ­able degree, so low was he brought. But upon the 4th of January following, his sickness recurred with that violence that for four or five days his friends and relations had no gre<lt confidence of his life. But they were more amazed on the 7th of January,

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being the Sabbath Day, when they had an express from the dumb girl, who was at Pollok-town, but could not get over the water [0 the house, the river being so swelled at that time, signifying that John Stewart, Ma thie's eldest son, had four days since formed an effigy of clay, for taking away Sir George's life. And when she was called for, she declared it was in his house, beneath the bolster, among the bed-straw.

The next day following, James Dunlop, of House hill , and Ludowick Stewart, of Achinhood, with some of Sir George's servants went to Stewart's house, taking the little girl with them, resolving to make a very exact trial, that it might not be said that the dumb girl had brought anything hither. Wherefore they caused John Stewart himself to light a cand le and hold it, while Ludowick Stewart and another, did, in his sight, lift the clay effigy from among the bed-straw, beneath the bolster (the little girl all the while standing at a dis tance from the place), but the picture having been made only three or four days before, and not sufficie.ntly hard, did brea k into two pieces. In it were three pins, one in each side, and one in the breas t. Stewart had nothing to say for himself, but that he knew not who had put that thing there. He was instantly apprehended, and so was a little sister of his, lately entered into the fourteenth year of her age, named Annabil Stewart, who was sa id to have whispered before somewhat of the waxen effigy. This poor crea ture proved thereafter, through God's favour, a key to the detection of making both the pictures.

At first she was very obstinate, but the next day she con­fessed " That being present in her brother 's house the 4th of January, while the clay picture was formed, the black gen tleman being present (which was the name she gave the devil) together with Bessie Weir, Margerey Craig, Margaret Jackson, and her brother John." But when confronted with her brother, she did not with confidence adhere to her confession. Upon the finding of this picture, Sir George did very observably recover in his health, and all the pain which was in his side, did, by degrees, wear away.

John Stewart remained, notwithstandi ng his sister's con­fe ssion, above measure obstinate} until he was sea rched the next day for insensible marks, whereof he had grea t plenty; at the finding whereof, he was so confounded, that immediately he con-

TH E 8EWnCHING OF SIR GEORGE MAXWE LL 119

fessed his paction with the devil, and almost all the other heads expressed in his judicial confession after written; and declared, " That his accomplices who formed the effigy with him were the same his sister had named. " She also came to a free and full confession of her paction with the devil , and her accession to her forming both of the waxen pictures in her mother's house, and of the clay one in her brother's house.

Upon information of the premises, the Earl of Dundonald and the Lord Ross, granted a warrant for appre hendi ng Bessie Weir, Margaret Jackson, and Margery Craig, who had been fellow-s isters in the aforesa id sorcery.

Marga ret Jackson, a woman aged about fourscore of years, after a day or two, confessed paction with the devil, and her accession to the making of both the pictures, and condescended upon the accomplices above-named. Many insensible marks were found on her body.

Upon the 17th of January last, a third portrait of clay was found under Janet Mathie's bolster, in the prison house of Paisley, which the dumb girl had given information of. But it seemed to be the picture of some woman, and probably of some of the family of Pollok. For Annabil Stewart did free ly declare, " That their malice was against the whole family of Pollok." For turning to young Pollok and his Lady, she said, "And against you also." This portrait was found before four famous witnesses .

The lords of his Majes ty's privy council, being informed of these pictures and effigies, the depositions of three confessing witches being sent, did grant a commission for their trial, and also for the trial of the other three that were obs tinate. And in regard of the singularity of the case, they ordered the process to be very solemn, commissioning for the trial some judicious gentlemen in the country, viz. Sir Patrick Gaus(on of Gauston, James Brisbane of Bishopton, Sir John Shaw younger of Greenock, and John Anderson younger of Dovehill. To whom they added Mr. John Preston, advocate (a gentleman well seen In criminals, and who exercised the office of justice-depute for several years), a sine qua non in the commission. And that the whole process might be the more exact, they appointed George Lord Ross assessor, with power to vote and decid e. And,

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further, ordered Mr. Robert Martin, Clerk of the Justice Court, to be clerk to the process, which was to be recorded in the public books of adjournal.

What follows of Sir George Maxwell 's affair is mostly taken out of an Authentic Copy of the Trial of the Witches, held at Paisley, Feb. '5, 1677, touching the Bewitching of Sir George Maxwell, and part is taken out of Sir George's Account.

The Commissioners of Justiciary held their first Court at Paisley, the 27th of January, 1677; before whom Annabil Stewart, of the age of fourteen years or thereby, when brought in the presence of the Justices for the crime of witchcraft, declared that in harvest last the Devil, in the shape of a black man, ca me to her mother 's house, and required the declarant to give herself up to him; and that the Devil promised her she should not want anything that was good. Declares that she,

. being enticed by her mother, Janet Mathie, and Bessie Weir, who was officer to their several meetings, she put her hand to the crown of her head and the other to the sole of her foot, and did give herself up to the Devil. Declares that her mother promised her a new coat for doing it. Declares that her spirit's name was Enippa'; and that the Devil took her by the hand, and nipped her arm.-which continued to be sore for half-an -hour. Declares that the Devil, in the shape of a black man, lay with her in the bed under the clothes, and that she found him cold. Declares, thereafter, he placed her nearest himself. And declares that she was present in her mother's house when the effigy of wax was made, and that it was made to represent Sir George Maxwell. Declares that the black man, Janet Mathie, the declarant's mother (whose spirit's name was Landlady), Bessie Weir (whose spirit's name is Sopha), Margery Craige (whose spirit's name is Rigerum), and Margaret Jackson (whose spirit's name! is Locas), were all present at the making of the said effigy; and that they bound it on a spit, and turned it

.. Sir George Maxwe!rs Accoun! says: " Thai (he new name (he Devil gave her was Anippy." ,

t Sir Geo rge Maxwell's Account s~ys Ja~e{ Mathie. her mOl her, whose name was) from the Devil, Lands lady ; BeSSIe WeIr, whose name was Sopha; Margery Craig, whose name was Rigeru; Margaret Jackson, whose name was Locas.

THE BEWITCHING OF SIR GEORGE MAXWELL 121

before the fire; and that it was turned by Bessie Weir, saying, as they turned it,-Sir George Maxwell! Sir George Maxwell! and that this was expressed by all of them, and by the declarant. Declares that the picture was made in October last. And further declares that, upon the third day of January instant, Bessie Weir ca me to her mother's house, and advised her to come to her brother, John Stuart's, upon the night following; and that, accordingly, she came to the place, where she found Bessie Weir, Margery Craige, Margaret Jackson, and her brother, John Stuart, and a man with black clothes, a blue band, and white handcuffs, with hoggers, and that his feet were cloven. And the declarant sat down by the fireside with them, when they made a picture of clay, in which they placed pins in the breast and sides. And declares that they placed one in every side, and one in the breast. Declared that the black man did put the pins in the picture of wax, but is not sure who put in the pins in the picture of clay. Declares that the effigies produced are the effigies she saw made. Declares that the black man's name is Ejoal. This declaration was emitted before James Dunlop of HousehiJl, William Gremlaye, etc., January 27, 1677. Ita est Robertus Park, notarius publicus, &c. *

The second confession is of John Stuart, who, being inter­rogated anent the crime of witchcraft, declared that upon Wednesday, the third day of January instant, Bessie Weir in Pollok town came to the declarant late at night, who, being without doors near to his own house, the said Bessie Weir did intimate to him that there was a meeting to be at his house the next day; and that the Devil, under the shape of a black man, Margaret Jackson, Margery Craige, and the said Bessie Weir, were to be present. And that Bessie Weir required the declarant to be there, which he promised; and that the next night, after the declarant had gone to bed, the black man came in and called the declarant quietly by his name; upon which he rOSe from his bed, and put on his clothes, and lighted a candle. Declares, that Margaret Jackson, Bessie Weir, and Margery Craige did enter in at a window in the gavel of the declarant's house, and

'* Sir George Maxwell's Account saY$ !.his declaraTion was made before famou~ witnesses, subscribed by tbe two nOTaries public for her,-Robert Park, younger, Patrick Carswell in Paisley,-and subscribed by tbe Cornmi.s~ioners.

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that the first thing that the black man required was that the declarant should renounce his b~ptism, and deliver himself wholly to him; which the declarant did, by putting one hand on the crown of his head, and the other on the sole of his foot. And that he was tempted to it by the Devil's promising that he should not want any pleasure, and that he should get his heart filled on all that shall do him wrong. Declares that he g~ve him the name of Jonas for his spirit's n~me.· Declares, that thereafter the Devil required all their consents for the making of the effigies of clay for the taking away the life of Sir George Maxwell of Pollok, to revenge the taking the declarant's mother, Janet Mathie. Declares, that everyone of the persons above·named gave their consent to the making of the said effigies, and that they wrought the clay; and that the black man did make the figure of the head, and face, and twO arms to the said effigies. Declares, that the Devil set three pins in the same-one in each side and one in the bre~st-and that the declarant did hold the candle to them all the time the picture was making; and that he observed one of the black man's feet to be cloven; and that his apparel was black; and that he had a bluish band and handcuffs: and that he had hoggers on his legs without shoes : and that the black man's voice was hough and goustie. And farther declares, that after they had begun the forming of the effigies, his sister Annabil Stuart, ~ child of thirteen or fourteen years of age, came knocking at the door, and being Jet in by the declarant, she stayed with them a considerable time; but that she went away before the rest, he having opened the door to her. That the rest went out at the window at which they entered. Declares, that the effigies were placed by Bessie Weir in his bed·straw. He further declares, he himself had envy against Sir George Maxwell for apprehending Janet Mathie, his mother; and that Bessie Weir had great malice against this Sir George Maxwell; and that her quarrel was, as the declarant conceived, because the said Sir George had not entered her husband to his harvest service: and also declares, that the said effigies were made upon the fourth day of January instant; and that the Devil's name was Ejoal. Declares, that his spirit's name was Jonas; and

• Sir George Maxwell's Account says, " Tha( the new name given to him by the Devil was Jonas."

THE BEWITCHING OF S IR GEORGE MAXWELL 123

Bessie Weir's spirit's name, who was officer, was Sopha; and that Margaret Jackson's spirit's name, was Locas; and that Annabil Stuart, the decl",ant's sister' s, was Enippa; but does not remember what Margery Crai ge's spirit's name was. Declares, that he cannot write. This confession was emitted in the presence of the witnesses to the other confession, and on the same day. Ita est, Robertus Park, notarius publicus, &c.·

The confession of Margaret Jackson, relict of Thomas Stuart, in Shaws, who, being examined by the Justices anent her being guilty of witchcraft, declares that she was present at the making of the first effigies and picture that were made in Janet Mathie's house, in October; and that the Devil in the shape of a black man, Janet Mathie, Bessie Weir, Margery Craige, and Annabil Stewart, were present at the making of the said effigies, and that they were made to represent Sir George Maxwell of Pollok, for taking away his life. Declares, that forty years ago, or thereabout, she was at Pollokshaw·croft, with some few sticks on her back, and that the black man came to her, and that she did give up herself unto the black man, from the top of her head to the sole of her foot; and that this was after the declarant's renouncing of her baptism; and that the spirit's name which he designed her, was Locas. And that about the third or fourth of January instant, or thereby, in the night time, when she awaked, she found a man to be in the bed with her, whom she supposed to be her husband, though her husband had been dead twenty years, or thereby, and that the man immediately disappeared; and declares, that this man who disappeared was the Devil. Declares, that upon Thursday, the fourth of January instant, she was present in the house of John Stuart at night, when the effigy of clay was made, and that she saw the black man there, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing with John Stuart; and that the black man's clothes were black, and that he had white hand·cuffs ; and that Bessie Weir, in Pollocktoun, and Annabil Stuart, in Shaws, and Margery Craige, were at the aforesaid time and place of making the said effigy of clay; and declares, that she gave her consent to the making of the same; and declares that the Devil 's name, who compeared in the black man's shape,

• Sir George Maxwell's Account says-" This confession had the same sOlemnilies which the former had."

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was Ejoal. Sic subscribitur, ita est, Robertus Park, notarius publicus, &c .•

One remarkable passage which is taken from Sir George McuweU's account, runs thus:

The Justice upon the 27th of Jan uary, commanded the jailor to fix Jnnet Mathie's feet in the stocks, that she might not do violence to her own life. The man declared, " Tha t the next morning he had found her bolster, which the night before was laid at least six yards distant from the stocks, now placed be­neath her : the stocks being so heavy, that twO of the strongest men in the country could hardly have carried them six yards: he wondering, did ask her how she had win to the bolster "; she answered, " That she had crept alongst the floor of the room, drawing the stocks to the same place." And before the court, she said, " She had gotten one foot free out of the hole, and wi th the other had drawn the stocks," a thing altogether im­possible-the stocks being so weighty; nor was she able to take her foo t out of the hole.

Upon the 15th of February, 1677, the Justices being con­vened again in court at Paisley, John Stewart, and Annab!l S tewar t, with Margaret Jackson, did ad here to their former judicial confession; but Janet Mathie, Bessie Weir, and Margery Craige, did obstinately deny.

Now follow the depositions of certain persons, agreeing with the confessions of the above-said witches.

Andrew Martin, servitor to the lord of Pollok, of the age of thirty years, or thereby, depones that he was prese nt in the house of Jane t Mathie, pane!, when the picture of wax produced was found in a little hole in the wall, at the back of the fire. Depones, that Sir George's sickness did fall upon him about the 18th of October, or thereby. Depones, that the picture of wax was found on the -th of December, and that Sir George's sickness did abate and relent about the time the picture of wax was foun d and discovered in Janet Mathie's house. Depones, that the pins were placed in the right and left sides ; and that Sir George Maxwell of Pollok's pains, as he understood by Slf

* Sir George Maxwell's A CCOUt'. 1 says,-" This confession had the: same: solemtli ties which the two form er ha.d ."

THE BEWrTCHING O F SIR GE O RGE MA XWELL "5

George's complaining of these pains, lay most in his right and left sides. And depones, that Sir George's pains did abate and relent after the finding of the said picture of wax, and taking out of the pins, as is said. And depones, that the panel, Janet Mathie, has been by fame and bruit reputed a witch these several years by-past. And this is the truth, as he shall answer to God. Sic subscrib., Andr. Martin.

Laurence Pollock, secretary to the lord of Pollok, sworn and purged of partial counsel, de pones, that on the -th day of December, he was in the panel, Janet Mathie's house, when the picture was found; and that he did not see it before it was brought to the panel's door. Depones, that Si r George Maxwell of Pollok's sickness did seize upon him about the fourteenth of October, or thereby, and he did conti nue in his sickness or distemper for six weeks or thereby. Depones, that Sir George's sickness did aba te and relent after the find ing of the said picture of wax, and ta king out of the pins that were in the effigies. Depones, that by open bruit and common fame, Janet Mathie, and Bessie Weir, and Margery Craige, are branded to be witches. Depones, that the truth is this, as he shall answer to God . Sic subscrib., Laurence Pollock.

Ludowick Stuart of Auchinhood, being sworn and purged of pa rtial counsel, de pones, that Sir George's sickness fell upon him the fourteen th or fifteenth of October, or thereby. Depones that he was not present at the finding of the picture of wax; but that he had seen Sir George Maxwell of Pollok after it was found, and, having seen him in his sickness oftentimes before, he did perceive that Sir George had sensibly recovered after the time that the sa id picture was said to be found, which was upon the I Ith or 12th of December. Depones, that Janet Mathie and M argery Craige, two of the panels, are, by report of the country, said to be witches. Depones, that he, having come to Pollok, he did see Sir George Maxwell whose pains did recur, and that his pains and torments were grea tly increased in respect of what they were before the finding of the picture of wax. D epones, that upon the 8th of January, when they left the said Sir George Mnxwell of Pollok, the deponent, James Dunlop, of Househill , Allan Douglace, and several others, did go to the house of John Stuart, warlock, in Poll ok-shaw, and there he

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found a picture of clay in the s>id John Stuart's bed-straw. Depones, that there were three pins in the said picture of clay, and that there was one in each side, and one in the breast. And de pones, that being returned to S ir George 's ho use, Sir George told the deponent that he found great ease of his pains, and that it was before the deponent, Househill , and the rest did reveal to him that they had found the said picture of clay; and further depones, that this is truth, as he shall answer to God. Sic subscrib., Ludowlck S tuart.

What follows, is taken from Sir George's account. The justices having examined all witnesses in matters of

fact, touching the effigies, Sir George's sickness, and the recovery of his health, upon the finding of the same, considering also the bad fame of those who were obstinate, and having confronted them with the confessing witches, who in their faces avowed their accession, in manner expressed in the con­fessions above written. Considering, lastly, all other circum­stances of their case, committed them to the trial of a judicious inquest, who, being found guilty, were condemned to the fire to be burned, and their effigies with them. Only Annabil, in regard of her nonage, and the evidences she seemed to give of her penitency, was reprieved by order of the council, but to remain in prison. In the meantime, both she and her brother John did seriously exhort their mother to confession; and with tears, did Annabil put her in mind of the many meetings she had with the devil in her Own house; and that a summer's day would not be sufficient to relate what she had seen pass between the devil and her; but nothing could prevail with her obdured and hardened heart.

Some account of Janet Douglas, the girl referred to in the account of the bewitching of Sir George Maxwell, of Pollok.

Sir John Maxwell, at the end of the account which he sent to Mr. George Sinclair, Professor of Philosophy, in the College of Glasgow, says, It is to be noted, the dumb girl, whose name was Janet Douglas, doth now speak, not very distinctl y, ye t so as she may be understood; and is a person that most wonderfully discovers things past, and doth also understand the Latin tongue, which she never learned.

THE BEWITCHING OF SIR GEORGE MAXWELL 127

The following is the extract of a letter which was sent to Mr. George Sinclair, Professor of Philosophy in the College of Glasgow.

When I was at Glasgow, in s ummer 1677, I was desirous to see the dumb gi rl (Janet Douglas). At my first incoming she declined to entertain discourse, bur my friendly expressions, and giving her some money, I gained her. I first enquired anent her parentage. .. I do not remember", says she, .. of my parents, but only that I was called by the name of Janet Douglas by all people who knew me. I was kept when I was very young, by a poor woman who proved cruel to me, by beating and abusing me: whereupon I deserted the woman's house, and went a-begging." I enqui red next how she became dumb. She told me by reason of a sore swelling she took in her throat and tongue; but afterwards by the application of Album Graecum, .. which I thought", said she, .. was revealed to me, I recovered my speech." I asked her, how she came to the knowledge of witches and their practices. She answered, that she had it only by a vision, and knew all things as well as if she had been personally present with them; but had no revelation or information from the voice of any spirit; nor had she any communication with the devil. or any spirit of that kind; .. only", says she, .. the devil was represented to me, when he was in company with any of the witches, in that same shape and habit he was seen by them." She told me, she was altogether ignorant of the principles of religion, but had Some smattering knowledge of the Lord's prayer, when she had heard the witches repeat, it seems, by her vision, in presence of the Devil; and at his desire, which she observed, they added to the word art, the letter w, which made it run, .. Our Father which wart in heaven"; and made the third petition thus, "As on earth so it may in heaven"; by which means the Devil made the application of the prayer to himself. I remember, that there was a woma.n in the town, who had the curiosity to give her a visit, who asked her, How she came to the knowledge of s~ many things? But the young wench shifted her, by asking the woman's name; says the other, /lAre there any other in G lasgow of that name?" .. No", says the woman. "Then ", said the girl, /I You are a witch." Says the other,

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128 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

" Then you are a Devil." The girl answers, " The devil doth not reveal witches; but I know you to be one, and I know your practices too." Hereupon the woman ran away in grea t con­fusion, being indeed a person suspected of witchcra ft, and had been sometimes imprisoned on that account. Another woman, whose name was Campbel, had the curiosity likewise to come and see her, and began to ask some questions at her. The wench, shifting to give her an answer, says, " I pray you tell me where you were yesternight, and what you were doing? And withal" says she, If let me see your arm"; she refusing, the landlord laid hold upon the woman, with some others in the house, and forced her to make bare her arm, where Janet Douglas shewed them an invisible mark, which she had gotten from the devil. The poor woman much asha med, ran home. A little time after, she came out and told her neighbours that what Janet Douglas said of her was true; and earnestly intreated them that they would shew so much to the magistrates, that she might be apprehended, "otherwise the devil ", says she, "will make me kill myself." But the neighbours judging her to be und er a fit of distraction, carried her home to her house; but early next morning the woman was found drowned in the Clyde. The girl likewise told me at Glasgow, being then under no restraint, that it was revealed to her she would be carried before the great council at Edinburgh, imprisoned there, and scourged through the town. All which came to pass, for about a year after, she was apprehended and imprisoned in the tolbooth of the Ca nongate, and was brought before the council, but nothing being found against her, she was dismissed; but thereafter, for several crimes committed within the town of Edinburgh, she was taken again, and imprisoned, scourged, and sent away to some foreign plantation; since which time I have not heard of her. There are several other remarkable passages concerning her, which I cannot inform you of, which others perhaps may do; therefore I shall abruptly break off, and say no more, but that I am your affectionate friend . Mr. Sinclair says, "This information I have from a discreet understanding gentleman, who was one of my scholars at Glasgow several years ago."

9

THE WITCH OF FIFE By JAMES Hoec " Q UHARE haif ye been, ye ill womyne,

These three lang nightis fra harne, Quhat garris the sweit drap fra yer brow,

Like c10tis of the saut sea faem?

It fearis me muckil ye haif seen Quhat guid man never knew;

It fearis me muckil ye haif been Quhare the gray cock never crew.

But the spells may crack, and the brydel breek, The sherpe ye werde will be;

Ye had better sleippe in yer ain bed at harne, Wi' yer deire Lttil bairnis and me."

" Sit doune, sit doune, my leil auld man, Sit doune, and listen to me;

I'll gar the hayre stand on yer crown, And the cauld sweit blind yer e'e.

But tell nae word is, my guid auld man, Tell never word again;

Or deire shall be yer courtisye, And driche and sair yer pain.

The first leet night, quhan the new moon set, Quhan all was douffe and mirk,

We saddled ouir naigis wi' the moon-fern leif, And rode fra Kilmerrin kirk.

Some horses ware of the brume-cow [carnit, And some of the greine bay tree;

But mine was made of ane humloke schaw, And a stout stallion was he.

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We raide the tod doune o n the hill, The martin on the law ;

And we hunryd the hoolet o ut of bre the, And foreit him doune to fa'."

" Quhat guid was that, ye ill womyne? Quhat guid was that to thee?

Ye wold better haif been in yer bed a t harne, Wi' yer deire littil bairnis and me."

II And aye we raide, and sa merrily we raide, Throw the merkist gloffis of the night;

And we swam the floode, and we darnit the woode, Till we ca m' to the Lommond height.

And quhan we cam' to the Lommond height, S. Iythl)'e we Iyehted doune;

And we drank fra the hornis that never grew, The beer that was never browin.

Then up there raise ane wee wee man, Fra nethe the moss·gray stane;

His face was wan like the eollifloure, For he nouthir had b lude nor bane.

He set ane reid·pipe til his muthe, And he playit se bonnilye,

Till the gray curlew and the black· cock flew, To listen his melodye.

It rang se sweit through the grein Lommond, That the nyeht winde lown er blew;

And it soupit alang the Loch Leven, And wakinit the white sea-mew.

The corby crow cam' gledgin' near, The evn ged veerying bye;

And the troutis laup o ut of the Leven Loch, Charmit with the melodye.

And aye we dancit on the grein Lommond, Till the dawn on the ocean grew :

N e wonder I was a weary wycht, Quha n I cam' hame to you."

THE WITCH OF FI FE

.. Quhat guid, quhat guid, my weird weird wyfe, Quhat guid was that to thee ?

Ye wold better haif bein in yer bed a t harne, Wi' yer deire littil bairn is and me."

.. The second nycht quhan the new moon set, O 'er the roaryng sea we fle w;

The cockle-shell our trusty bark, Our sailis of the grein sea-rue.

I I I

And the bauld windis blew and the fire -aauchtis flew. And the sea co n to the skie;

And the thunner it growlit, and the sea -dogs howlit, As we gaed scouryng bye.

And aye we mountit the sea-grein hillis, Quhill we brushit through the dudis of the hevin;

Than sousi t downright like the stern-shot light Fra the liftis blue casemen t driven.

But our taickil stood, and our bark was good, And se pang was our pearily prowe;

Quhan we culdn a speil the brow of the wavis, We needilit them throu' belowe.

As fast as the hail , as fast as the gale, As fast as the mydn yeht Ie rne,

We borit the breiste of the burstyng swale Or fluffit i' the flotyng faem.

And quhan to the Norraway shore we wan, We muntyd our s teedis of the wynde;

And we splas hit the flo ode, and we darnit the woode And we left the shouir behynde.

Fleit is the roe on the grein L ommond, And swift is the couryng grew,

The rein-deir dun can eithly run , Quhan the houndis and the hornis pursue .

But nowther the roe, nor the rein -deir dun, The hinde nor the couryng grew,

Cul de fl y owr montaine, muir, and dale, As our braw steedis they fl ew .

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The dales war deep, and the Doffrinis steep, And we raise to the sky is ee-bree;

Quhite, quhite was our rode, that was never trode, Owr the snawis of eternity !

And quhan we cam' to the Lapland lone, The fairies war all in ar ray;

For all the genii of the north War keipyng their holiday.

The warlock men and the weird wemyng, And the boys of the wood and the steip,

And the phantom hunteris all war there, And the mermaid is of the deip.

And they washit us all wi th the witch-water, Distill it i ra the muirland dew,

Quhill our beauty blumit like the Lapland rese, That wylde in the foreste grew."

" Ye lee, ye lee, ye ill womyne, Si loud as I heir ye lee!

For the warst-fourd wyfe on the shoris of Fyfe Is cumlye comparit wi' thee."

"Then the mermaidis sa ng and the woodlandis rang, Se sweitly swellit the quire;

On every cliff a herpe they hang, On every tree a lyre.

And aye the sang, and the woodland is rang, And we drank, and we drank se deip ;

Then soft in the armis of the warlock men, We laid us doun to skip."

" Away, away, ye ill womyne, An ill deide met ye dee !

Quhan ye ha'e pruvit se false to yer God, Ye can never pruve true to me."

" And there we learnit rra the fairy foke, And fca our master true,

The word is that can beire us throu' the air, And lokkis and barris undo.

THE WITCH OF FIFE

Last nycht we met a( Maisry's cot; Richt weil the word is we knew;

And we set a foot on the black cruik-shell, And out at the lum we flew.

And we flew owr hill , and we flew owr dale, And we flew owr firth and sea,

Until we cam' to merry Carlisle, Quhare we lightit on the lea.

We gaed to the vault beyound the towir, Quhare we enterit free as ayr; .

And we drank, and we drank of the bishop is wine Quhill we colde drynk ne mair."

" Gin that be true, my guid auld wyfe, Whilk thou hast tauld to me,

Betide my death, betide my Iyfe, I'll beire thee companye.

Neist tyme ye gaung to merrie Carlisle, T o drynk of the blude-reid wyne,

Beshrew my heart, I'll fly with thee, If the deil should fly behynde."

"Ah! little do ye ken, my silly auld man, The daingeris we maun dree;

Last nychte we drank of the bishopis wine, Quhill near near ta'en war we.

Afore we wan to the Sandy Ford , The gor-cockis nichering flew;

The lofty crest of Ettrick Pen Was wavit about with blue,

And, flich tering throu' the ayr, we found The chill chil! mornyng dew.

As we flew ower the hillis of Braid, The sun raise fair and deir ;

There gurly James, and his baronis braw, War out to hunt the deir.

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134 ROWAN TREE AN D RED THRE AD

Their bowis they drew, their arrowis flew And piercit the ayr with speide,

Quhill purpil fell the mornyng dew Wi ' witch blude rank and reide.

Li ttil do ye ken, my silly a uld man, The daingeris we maun dree;

Ne wonder I am a weary wycht Quhan I come hame to thee."

" But tell me the word, my guid auld wyfe, Come tell it speedilye;

For I lang to drynk of the guid reide wyne, And to wyng the ayr with thee.

Ver hellish horse I wilna ryde, Nor sail the seas in the wynde;

But I can flee as weil as thee And I'll drynk quhill ye be blymed."

" 0 fly! 0 fly! my led auld man, That word I darena tell ;

It wold turn this world all upside down, And make it worse than hell.

For all the lasses in the land, Weld munt the wy nd e and fly;

And the men wold doff their doublets syde, And after them wold ply."

But the auld guidman wa s ane cunnyng auld man, And ane cunnyng auld man was he ;

And he watchit, and he watchit for many a nycht, The witches' flychte to see.

An e nycht he darnit in Maisry's cot, The fearless haggs cam' in;

And he heard the word of awsome weird, And he saw their deidis of synn.

Then ane by ane they said that word, As fast to the fi re they drew;

Then set a foot on the black cruik·shell, An d out at the lum they flew.

THE WITCH OF FIFE

The auld guidman cam' fra his hole With feire and muckil dreide,

But yet he culdna think to rue, For the wyne cam' in his head.

He set his foot in the black cruik-shell, With ane fixit and ane wawlying e'e;

And he said the word that I darena say, And out at the lum flew he.

The witches skailit the moon-beam pale, Deep groanit the trembling wy nde;

But they never wist ti ll our auld guidman Was hoveryng them behynde.

They fl ew to the vaults of merry Carlisle, Quhare they enterit free as ayr;

135

And they drank and they drank of the bishopsis wyne Quhill they culde drynk ne mair.

The auld guidman he grew se crouse, He dauncit on the mouldy ground,

And he sa ng the bonniest sa ngs of Fyfe, And he tuzzlit the kerlyngs round.

And aye he piercit the tither butt, And he suckit, and he suckit sae lang,

Quhill his een they closi t, and his voice grew low, And his tongue wold hardly gang.

T he kerlyngs drank of the bis hopis wyne, Quhill they scentit the morning ... 'ynde;

Then clove again the yielding ayr, And left the auld man behynde"

And aye he sleipit on the damp damp floor, He sleipir and he snorit amain ;

He never dreamit he was far fea harne, Or that the auld wyvis war gane.

And aye he sleipit on the damp damp Roar, Quhill past the mid-day highte,

Quhan wakenit by fi ve rough Englishmen That trailit him to the lychte.

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" Now quha ere ye, ye silly auld man, That sleipis se sound and se weil?

Or how gat ye into the bishopis vault Throu' lokkis and barris of steel? "

The auld guidman he tryit to speak, But ane word he culdna fynde;

He tryit to think, but his head whirlit round, And ane thing he culdna mynd e:

" I cam' fra Fyfe," the auld man cryit, " And I cam' on the mydni cht wynde."

They nickit the auld man and they prickit the auld man, And they yerkit his limbis with twine,

Quhill the reid e blude ran in his hose and shoon, But some cryit it was wyne.

They lickit the auld man and they prickit the auld man, And they tyit him till ane stone;

And they set ane bele-lire him about, To burn him skin and bone.

" 0 wae to me! " said the puir auld man, " That ever I saw the day!

And wae be to all the ill wemyng That lead puir men ast ray !

Let nevir ane a uld man after this To lawless greide inclyne;

Let nevir ane auld man after this Rin post to the deil for wyne."

The reike flew up in the au ld manis face, And choukit him bitterlye;

And the lowe cam up with ane angry blese, And it syngit his auld breek-knee_

He lukit to the land fra whence he cam', For lukis he culde get ne mae;

And he thochte of his deire little bairnis at hame And 0 the au ld man was wae !

THE WITCH OF FIFE

But they turnit their fa cis to the sun, With gloffe and wonderous glair,

For they saw ane thing beth lairge and dun, Comin' swaipin down the ayr.

T hat burd it cam' fra the landis 0 ' Fyfe, And it cam' rycht tymeouslye,

For quha was it but the auld manis wi fe, Just comit his dethe to see?

Scho put ane reide cap on his heide, And the auld guidman lookit fain,

Then whisperit ane word intil his lug, And tovit to the ayr again.

The auld guidman he ga 'e ane bob, l' the mids 0 ' the burnyng lowe;

An d the sheklis that bend him to the ring, They fell fra his armis like towe_

He drew his brea th , and he sa id the word, And he said it with muckil glee,

Then set his lit on the burnyng pile, And away to the ayr flew he.

Till since he c1eirit the swirlyng reike, He lukit beth ferit and sad;

But whan he wan to the lych t blue ayr, He lauchit as he'd been mad.

His armis war spred, and his heid was hiche, And his feite s tack out behynde;

And the laibies of the auld manis cote Wa r waufling in the wynde.

And aye he neicherit, and aye he flew, For he thochte the play se raire;

It was like the voice of the gainder blue, Quhan he flees throu' the ayr.

He I ukit back to the Carl isle men As he borit the norian sky;

He noddit his heide, and ga'e ane gi rn, But he nevir said guid-bye_

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They vanisht far i' the liftis blue wale, Ne mair the English saw,

But the auld manis lauche cam' on the gale, With a lang and a loud gaffa.

May evir like man in the land of Fyfe Read what the drinkeris dree;

And nevir curse his puir auld wife, Rychte wicked altho' scho be.

10

THE TAILOR'S APPRENTICE

Reprinted from Thomas Wilkie MS., Old Rites, Ceremonies, and Customs oj the ]nhabilanlS oj the Southern Counties of Scotland.

IN the country districts of the Scottish Borders the tailors of the villages used to hire themselves out to the surrounding farms where they laboured through the day returning to

their own village workshops at night, where they worked for the villagers at what was called" by hours ". In this tale the scene is laid on a farm on the lands of Delorain which are joined to those of Buccleuch in Ettrick Forest. The farmer's wife of Deloraine engaged one day the village tailor with his workmen and apprentices, begging them to come in good time in the morning. They did so, and joined in with the family at breakfast of porridge and milk. During the meal one of the apprentices noticed that the milk jug was almost empty, immediately the farmer's wife slipped out by the back door with a basin in her hand to get a fresh supply. Now the lad's curiosity was aroused because he had heard there was no more milk in the house; so he crept quietly after her, hid himself behind the door and saw her turn a pin in the kitchen wall and instantly a stream of pure milk flowed into the basin. She twisted the pin and the milk ceased to flow. Returning, she presented the tailors with the basin of milk with which they washed down the remainder of their porridge.

About noon, while the tailors were busily engaged with the farmer's wardrobe, one of them complained of thirst, and wished for a basin of milk as good as they had at breakfast time to drink.

" Is that a'?" said the apprentice; " Ye'se ge t that." The farmer's wife was out of the way, so the lad left his work, found his way to the spot on the wall which he had marked in the morning, twisted the pin and quickly filled a basin. But, alas!

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I~ ROWA N TREE AND RED THREAD

he could not stop the stream of milk. Twist the pin as he would, the milk still continued to flow. He called the other lads, and implored them to help him; but they could only bring such pails and buckets as they found in the kitchen, and these were soon filled. While the confusion was at its height, the farmer's wife appea red among them, looking as black as thunder; and cried out in a fiendish voice, flA ye loons, ye hae drawn a' the milk frae every coo between the head 0' Yarrow an' the foot o't. This day ne'er a coo will gie her maister a drop 0' milk, though he war gawing to sterve."

The tailors slunk away abas hed, and from that day forward the wives of Deloraine have fed their tailors on nothing but " Champit 'taties and Kale ".

II

A REMARKABLE STORY

OF DISCOVERED WITCH-CRAFT AT LAUDER,

ANNO 1649, AND OF THE WYLS WHICH

THE DEVIL USED IN DECEIVING POOR CREATURES.

Reprinted from Satan's Invisible World Discovered. George Sinclair, Edin., 1685.

IN the beginning of the year 1649, a common report passing up and down in all Mens and Womens mouths, of an eminent Warlock whose name was Robert Grieve, alias Hob Grieve,

traffecking in these parts of the Country, and deceiving many simple People, he was at last discovered, apprehended, and imprisoned, at the Town of Lauder, and after long shiftings, and denyal, wherein he had learned of his Hellish -master, to be most subtile ; by the great Goodne ss of God, he was at length brought to a serious acknowledgement of his Guilt, and Con­fession of his being the Devils Officer in that Country for warning all Satans Vassals to come to the Meetings, where, and whensoever the Devil required, for the space of eighteen years and more. He acknowledged also, that his Wife (who twenty years, or thereabout before, was burnt at Lauder) was the occasion of his coming into that snare: for they being poor, and having little or nothing to live upon, he began to grudge under that Condition, and to complain of his Lot ; which his wife per­ceiving, desired him not to be troubled, but shewed him, that if he would follow her counsel, she should acquaint him with a Gentleman, who would teach him a way how to become rich. To which motion he hearkned, and at her desire went down with her to a haugh on Gallow-wa ter, near to the Stow, where she trysted the Gentleman: and when they had come to that place, and tarried a considerable space, see ing no body, he began

'4 1

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to wearie, and tell her, that he would be gone; but she pressing him to stay, and assuring him that the Gentleman would not fail her: At length there came a great Mastiff bigger than any Butchers Dog, and very black running upon him, which put him into such a Confusion, and Astonishment of Spirit, as that he knew not where he was: But his wife laboured to comfort him, under that consternation, assuring rum, that the Gentleman would come presently and perform what he had promised to him.

And accordingly in a short space the Devil appeared in the shape of a Black·man, and fitting his discourse to the mans tentation, made many promises to him, that if he would become his servant, he would teach him wayes, how to "be rich, and how to be much made of in all the COLIn trey. Unto which demand of the Devil, he acknowledged, that he consented to, no t so much for any hopes of future riches, as for fear least he should inston(ly be devoured by him (for he suspected in the very mean time, that it was the Devil) and then he gave him that charge, to be his Officer to warn all to the meetings (as was sa id before), in which charge he continued for the space of eighteen years and more, untill he was apprehended . He was most ingenuous in his Confession, an great Evidence whereof was this, That there was neither Man nor Woman delated by him, but were all Confessors, when apprehended; and confronted with him, and dyed confessing. One instance is remarkable, and worthy of observation, whi ch is this. After he had delated many, and as many of those were apprehended, as the Prison could con­veniently contain and the Keepers attend, he gave up another Woman in the town of Lauder, whose name the Magistrates resolved to conceal for a time, till the Prison should be emptied of some of those, who were already apprehended, and had con­fessed; and accordingly Secrecy was engaged un to. But the Devil, came that same night unto her, and told her, that Hob Grieve had fyled her for a Witch, but assured her, that if she would rise up and go and challenge him for it, and never come away, till he and she were confronted, that then he would deny it. Whereupon she arose and carne to the Prison Window, and railled upon Hob Grieve, calling him Warlock and slave to the Devil, and all evils which her mouth could utter: and when desired to go home by the Centries, and also by the Magistrate, she sat

HOB GR IE VE OF LAUDER 143

down upon the T olbuith -Stair, and said she should never go to her house, till she and that slave to the Devil were confronted, whereupon the Baillie came to the Preacher desiring him to

come and speak to her, to desire her to go home to her house, for there were none accusing her, who accordingly came, and entreated her to go home: but she obstinately refusing to go, till she should be con fronted with that Rascal, who had delated her an honest Woman, for a Witch. The Baillie was constrained to her desire. Whereupon many being present as witnesses, she was conveyed up to the Prison to th e Room where Hob Grieve was. And so soon, as she came in his sight, she fell down upon her bare knees, and began to scold the man, and to accuse him of a lie, in speaking of her name. Says she, thou common Thief, how dar thou for thy soul say, that ever before this time, thou saw me or I saw thee, or ever was in thy company, either alone, or with others. All which language he heard very patiently till he was desired by the Baillie to speak. Whereupon he asked her, how she came to know, that he had delated her for a Witch. For says he, surely none but the Devil, thy old Master, and mine has told thee so much . She reply ed, The Devil and thou perish together, for he is not my Master, though he be thine. I defy the Devil, and all his works. Whereupon he sayes to her, What needs all this din, Does thou not know, that these many years, I have come to thy house, and warned thee to Meetings, and thou and I have gone alongs together. And thereafter he con­descended to her upon several places, and Actions done in these places by her, and others, to all which I am (said he) a witness. By this she was so confounded, that immediately in presence of the Baillie, the Preacher, the School-Master, and many witnesses, she cryed out, Oh now, sayes she, I perceive that the Devil is a Iyar, and a murderer from the beginning: for this night he ca me to me, and bade me come and abuse thee, and never come away, till I was confronted with thee, and he assured me that thou would deny all, and say, thou fal se tongue thou lyed . And having said this, she with many tears confessed, that it was all truth which he had said, and prayed the Minister, that he would entreat God for her poor Soul, that she might be delivered out of the hands of the Devil. Under this confession she continued even unto the day of her death.

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'44 ROWAN TREE AND RED THR EAD

Another evidence of ingenuity in him was this, that after five or six men and women, whom he had delated, were also convinced, and had confessed their Witch-craft, he earnestly desired that he and they might be taken to the Church, on the Lords-day, to hea r the Word of God ; whic h being granted, and they conveyed with a Guard to the Church, all of them sat down together before the Pulpit. The Preacher lectured on these words, Mark 9 .22. And oft times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the wa ter to destroy him, &c. The Father of the Lunatick-child complained to Christ of the Devils cruelty towards his son. And the Preacher briefly noted, that Observa ­tion from the words, That what ever the Devil did to such as he had gotten any powe r over, his aim and end was always to destroy the poor Creature both Soul and Body. This truth being seriously applyed, and spoken home by the Preacher to the said Hob Grieve, and the rest of the confessing Witches, and War­locks, they were all immediately so confounded, that all of them cryed out with a dreadful and lamentable noise, Alace! tha t is a most sure truth; Oh, what will become of us poor Wretches? Oh, pra y for us. But Hob Grieve especially bare witness to that sad truth, by a general Declaration, in the face of the Congrega­tion, that he had Experience of the truth thereof. For, said he, there is no trusting to his promises; for in Musselburgh water, when I had a heavy Criel upon my back, he thought to have drowned me there; and since r came into prison} he did cast me into the fire, to destroy me, as is well known to the present Preacher, and lYbgistrates of the place, and many others; And concluded wi th an Exhortation to all, to bewa re of the Devil' , For whatever he says or dot h, his purpose is to destroy you, and that you will find to be the end of his work, as we know to our dolefull experience this day. Another evidence of the Devils art in studying the destru ction of the poor Creature, was manifest in that same place, and year 1649. A ce rtain woman in the town of Lauder was fyled (not by Hob Grieve, but by some other) and for a long time denyed. The Magistrates of the place for this cause, we re loath to meddle with her, but adjudged to death all the rest, who had confessed; and ordained them to be burnt upon the Munday after: She hearing of this, and that she alone was to remain in prison, without hopes of escape, was prompted

HOB GRIEVE OF LAUDER '45

by the Devil to make up a confession in her own bosom, as she supposed might take away her life, and thereupon sent for the Minister, and made that confession of Witch-craft which she herself had patch t up before Wi tnesses; and in the close she earnestly intreated the Magistrates, and the Minis ters, that she might be burnt with the rest upon Munday next. Her confession was, That she had covenanted with the Devil, and had become his servant, about twenty years before, when she was but a you ng Lass, and that he kissed her, and gave her a name, but since, he had never owned her, and that she knew no more of the works of the Devil, as she should answer to God, but what she said was true. But intelligent persons began to be jealous of the truth of that confession, and bega n to suspect, that Out of the pride of her heart, in a desperate way, she had made up that confession to destroy her life, because she still pressed to be cut off with the rest upon Munday. Therefore much pains was taken on her by Ministers, and others, on Saturday, S unda y, and Munday morning, that she might resile from that confession, which was suspected to be but a Tentation of the Devil, to des troy both her soul and body, yea it was charged home upon her by ,he Ministers, that there was just ground of Jealousie, that her confess ion was not sincere, and she charged before the Lord to declare the truth, and not to take her blood upon her own head. Yet s tifl y she ad hered to what she had said and cryed always to be pu t away with the rest. Whereupon on Munday morning being called before the Judges, and confessing before them, what she formerly said, she was found guilry, and con­demned to die with the rest that Same day. But being carried forth to the place of Execution, she remained silent, during the first, second and third Prayer, and then perceiving that there remained no more, but to rise, and go to the Stake, she lift up her body, and with a loud voice cryed Out. Now all you that see me this day, know that I am now to die as a Witch by my own confession, and I free all men, especially the Ministers and Magistrates of the guilt of my blood. I take it wholly upon my self: my blood be upon my own head. And as I must make answer to the God of Heaven presently, I declare I am as free of Witchcraft, as any child: but being delated by a malicious Woman, and put in Prison, under that name of a Witch, dis-

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owned by my husband and friends, and seeing no ground of ho~e of my coming out of Prison, nor ever coming in credit agam, through the temptation of the Devil I made up that :onfesslOnJ O~l purpose to destroy my own life, being weary of It and chOOSing rather to die than live, and so died. Which lamentable story, as it did then astonish all the Spectators, none of which could restrain themselves from tears, so it may be to all a demonstratIOn of Satans subtility, whose design is still to destroy all, partly by tempting many to presumption, and some others to despalf. These things to be of truth, are Attested by an Eye and Ear wItness who is yet alive, a fa ithful Minister of the Gospel.

12

NEWES FROM SCOTLAND Reprint of a Black Letter Tract, Newes from ScotLand, Declaring the damnable life of Doctor Fian a notabte Sorcerer, who was burned at Edinburgh, in Januarie laft,159r.

DECLARING the damnable life of Doctor Fian, a notable Sorcerer, who was burned at Edinburgh, in Januarie laft 159!; which Doctor was Regifter to the Devill, that fundrie

times preached at North Barricke Kirke to a number of notorious Witches; with the true Examinations of the faid Doctor and Witches, as they uttered them in the prefence of the Scottifh King; Difcovering how they pretended to bewitch and drowne his Maieftie in the fea , comming from Denmarke; with fuch other wonderfull matters as the like hath not bin heard at ame time.

Published according to the Scorrish Copie

PRINTED FOR WILLIAM WRIGHT

To THE READER

The manifold untruths which are fpred abroad, concerning the deteftable actions and apprehenfion of thofe witches, whereof this hiftorie following trudy en treatet h, hath caufed me to publifh the fame in prim; and the rather, for that fundrie written coppies are lately difperfed thereof, containing that the faid Witches were firft difcovered by meanes of a poore pedler travelling to the towne of Trenent; and that by a wonderful! manner hee was in a moment convayed at midnight from Scot­land to Burdeux in France, (being places of no fmall diftance), into a merchantes fellar there; and after beeing fent from Burdeux into Scotland by certaine Scottifh merchants to the Kings Maieftie, that he difcovered those Witches, and was the

'47

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caufe of their apprehenfion; with a number of matters miracu­lous and incredible: all which in truth are moft falfe. Never­thelefs, to fatiftie a number of honeft mindes, who are defirous to be informed of the veri tie and truth of their confeffions, which for certaintie is more ftraunger than the common reporte runneth, and yet with more truth, I have undertaken to publifh this fhort Trea tife, which declareth the true difcourfe of all that happened, and as well what was pretended by thofe wicked and deteftable Witches againft the Kinge 's Majeftie, as alfo by what means they wrought the fame.

All which examinations (gentle Reader) have here truly publifhed, as they were taken and uttered in the prefence of the Kings Majeftie, praying thee to accept of it for veritie; the fame being fo true as cannot be reproved .

A TRUE DISCOURSE

OF THE APPREHENSION OF SUNDRl E WlTCHES LATELY TAKEN

IN SCOTLAND; WHEREOF SOME ARE EXECUTED, AND SOME

ARE YET IMPRISO NED. W1TH A PARTICULAR RECITALL OF

THEIR EXAMINATIONS, TAKEN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING'S MAJESTIE.

God, by his omnipotent power, hath at all times, and daily dooth take fuch care, and is fo vigilant for the weale and pre­ferva tion of his owne, that thereby he difappointeth the wicked practices and evill intentes of all fuch as by any mea nes whatIo­ever feeke indirectly to confpire any thing contrary to his holy will: Yea, and by the fame power he hath lately overthrowne and hindered the intentions and wicked dealings of a great number of ungodly creatures} no better than Devils; who} fuffering themfelves to be allured and enticed by the Devil whom they ferved, and unto whom they were privately fworne, entered into the deteftable art of Witchcraft, which they ftudied and practifed fo long time, that in the ende they had feduced by their forcerie a number of others to be as bad as themfelves, dwelling in the bounds of Lowthinn, which is a principall fhire or part of Scotland, where the Kinge 's Majeftie ufeth to make his chiefeft refidence or abode: and to the en de that that their deteftable wickedneffe, which they privily had had pretended

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againft the Kinge's Majeftie, the commonweale of that countrie, with the nobilitie and f ubjects of the fame, fhould COme to hght, God of his unfpeakable goodnes did reveale and laie it open in verie ftrange forte, thereby to make known to the world that their actions were contrarie to the lawe of G od, and the naturall affection which we ought generally to beare one to an other: The ma nner of the revealing whereof was as followeth.

Within the towne of T renent, in the kingdome of Scotland, there dwelleth one David Seaton, who, being deputie bailiffe in the faid towne, had a maid called Geillis Duncane, who ufed fecretlie to abfent and lie forth of hir maifters houfe every other night: This Geillis Duncane tooke in hand to helpe all f uch as were troubled or grieved with anie kinde of ficlmes or intirmitie, and in fhort fpace did perfourme many matters moft miraculous; which things, for afmuche as fhe began to do them upon a fodaine, having never done the like before, made her maifter and others to be in grea t admiration, and wondered thereat: by meanes whereof, the faid Davide Sea ton had his maide in great fufpiti on that fhee did not thofe thmgs by naturall and lawfull waies, but rather fuppofed it to bee done by fome extraordinarie and unlawfull meanes. Where· upon her maifter began to grow verie inquifitive, and examined hir which way and by what meanes fhee was able to performe matters of fo great importance; whereat fhee gave hIm no aunfwere : neverthelefs, her maifter, to the intent that hee mIght the better trie and finde out the truth of the fame, did with the help of others torment her with the torture of the pilliwinkes upon her fingers, which is a grievous torture.; a~d bindi~g or wrinching her head with a cord or roape, whIch IS a molt cruell torment alfo; yet would fhe not confefs anie thing; whereupon, they fufpecting that fhe had beene marked by the Devdl (as commonly witches are), made diligent fearch about her, and found the enemies marke to be in her fore crag, or fore part of her throate; which being found, fhee confeffed that al her doings wa~ done by the wicked allurements and entifements of the DeVIl, and that fhe did them by witchcraft. After this her confefflOn, fhe was committed to prifon, where fhee continued a feafon, where immediately fhee accufed thefe perfons following to bee notor­ious witches, and caufed them forthwith to be apprehended,

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one after another, viz. Agnes Sampfon, the eldeft witche of them all, dwelling in Haddington; Agnes Tompfon of Edenbrough; Doctor Fia n alias John Cuningham, mafter of the fehoole at Saltpans in Lowthian, of wbofe life and ftrange acts you fhal heare more largely in the end of this difcourfe. Thefe were by the faide Geillis Duncane accufed, as alfo George Motts wife, dwelling in Lowthian; Robert Grierfon, fki pper; and Jannet Blandilands; with the potters wife of Seaton; the fmith at the Brigge H all is, with innumerable others in thofe parts, and dwelling in thofe bounds aforefaid; of whom fa me are alreadie executed, the re ft remaine in prifon to rece ive the doome of judgement at the Kinges Majefties will and pleafure.

The faide Geillis Duncane aHa ca ufed Ewphame Mec.lrean to bee apprehended, who confpired and performed the death of her godfather, and who ufed her art upon a gentlema n, being one of the lordes and Juftices of the Seffion, for bearing good will to her daughter. Shee aHa caufed to be apprehended one Barbara Naper, for bewitching to death Archibalde lait Earle of Angus, who languifhed to death by witchcraft, and ye t the fame was not fufpected; but that hee died of fo ftraun ge a difea fe as the Phifition knewe note how to cure or remedie the fame. But of all other the fa id witches, thefe two laft before recited, were reputed for as civill honeft women as anie that dwelled within the ci ttie of Edenbrough, before they were appre· hended. Many other befides were taken dwelling in Leith, who are detayned in prifon untill his Majefties further will and pleaf ure be knowne; of whofe wicked doo ings you fhall par· ticularly heare, which was as followeth.

This aforefaide Agnis Sampfon, which was the elder witche, was taken and brought to Haliring Haufe before the Kinges Majeftie, and fundry other of the nobilitie of Scotland, where fhe was ftraytly examined; but all the perfwafions which the Kinges Majeftie ufed to hir, with the reft of his Councell, might not provoke or induce her to confeffe any thing, but ftoode ftifRey in the denia ll of all that wa s layde to her charge; where upon they caufed her to bee conveyed away unto prifon, there to receive fuch torture as hath beene la tely provided for wi tches in that country : And for as much as by due exa mination of witchcraft and witches in Scotland, it hath lately beene found e

NEW ES FROM SCOTLAND

that the Divell dooth general ly marke them wi th a privie marke, by reafon the witches have confeffed themfelves, that the Divell doth li cke them with his tong in fame privie part of their bodie, before hee dooth recyve them to bee his fervauntes which marke commonlie is given them under the haire in fom e part of thei r bodie, whereby it may not eafily bee founde out or feene, although they be fearched; and generally fa long as the marke is not feene to thofe which fearch them, fa long the parties that hath the marke will never confeffe anie thing. T herefore, by fpeeiall commandment, this Agnis Sampfon had all her haire fhaven off, in each parte of her bodie, and her head th row ne with a rope, according to the cuftome of that countrie, being a payne mort grevous, which [hee continued almoft an hower, during which time fhe would not confeffe anie thing, untill the Divels marke was found e upon her privities ; then fbee immedi· ately confeffed whatfoever was demanded of her, and juftifying thofe perions aforefaide to be notorious witches. Item, The faid Agnis Tompfon (Sampfon) waS after brought againe before the Kinges Majeftie and bis COllneell , and beeing examined of the meetings and deteCtable dealings of thofe wi tches, fhe eonfefred, that upon the night of A1lhollow Even laft, fhee was accom· partied, as well with the perfons aforefaide, as aHa with a great many other witches, to the number of two hundreth, and that all they together went to Sea, each one in a riddle or cive, and went into the fame very [ubftantly, with flaggons of wine, making merrie and drinking by the way in the fame riddles or eives, to the Kirke of North Barrick in Lowthian; and that after they had landed, tooke handes on the lande, and cbunced this reill or fhort daunce, finging all with one voice,

Cammer goe ye before, com mer goe ye, Gif ye will not goe before, commer let me.

At which time fhee confeffed, that this Geillis Duncane did goe before tbem, playing this reill or daunce, upon a fmall trumpe, called a Jewes trump, untill they entred into the Kirk of North Barrick.

T hde confeffions made the King in a wonder full admiration, and fen t for the faide G eillis Dunca ne, who upon the like trump did play the faide daunce before the Kinges Majeftie, who in

L

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'5' ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

relpect of the ftrangenes of thefe matters, tooke great delight to be prefent at their examinations.

Item, the faid Agnis Tompfon (Sampfon) confeffed, that the Divell, being then at North Barrick Kirke attending their comming, in the habit or likeneffe of a man, and feeing that they tarried over long, hee at their comming enjoyed them all to a pennance, which was, that they fhould kifie his buttocks, in fign of duety to him; which being put over the pulpit bare, everyone did as he had enjoy ned them: And having made his ungodly exhortations, wherein he did greatly inveigh againft the King of Scotland, he received their oathes for their good and true fervice towards him, and departed; which done, they returned to fea, and fo home again. At which time, the witches demanded of the Divell, " why he did beare fuch hatred to the Kinge?" Who aunfwered, " By reafon the King is the greateft enemie hee hath in the world." All which their co nfeffions and depofitions are ftill extant upon record. Item, The faide Agnis Sampfon confeffed before the Kinges Majeftie fundrie thinges, which were fo miraculous and ftrange, as that his Majeftie faide .. they were all extreame Iyars "; whereat fhee aunfwered, .. fhe would not wifh his Majeftie to fuppofe her wordes to bee falfe, but rather to beleve them, in that fhee would difcover fuch matter unto him as his Majeftie fhould not any way doubt of." And thereupon taking his Majeftie a little afide, fhee declared unto him the verie wordes which paffed betweene the Kinges Majeftie and his Queene at Upflo in Norway, the firft night of mariage, with the anf were each to other wherat the Kinges Majeftie wondered greatly, and fwore " by the living God, that he believed all the divels in hell could not have difcovered the fame," acknowledging her words to be moft true; and therefore gave the more credit to the reft that is before declared.

Touching this Agnis Tompfon (Sampfon), fhe is the onlie woman who, by the Divels perfwafion, fhould have intended and put in execution the Kinges Majefties death, in this manner. She confeffed that fhee tooke a blacke toade, and did hang the fame up by the heeles three daies, and collected and gathered the venOm as it dropped and fell from it in ane oifter fhell, and kept the fame venome c10fe covered, untill fhe fhould obtaine anie part or peece of foule linnen cloth that had appertained to the

NEWES FROM SCOTLAND '53

Kinges Majeftie, as fhirt, handkercher, napkin or any other rhing, which fhee practifed to abtaine by meanes of one John Kers, who being attendan in his Majefties chamber, defired him for oide acquaintaunce becweene them, [0 helpe her to one, or a peece of fuch a cloth as is aforefaide; which thing the faide John Kers denyed to helpe her to, faying hee could not helpe her unto it. And the faide Agnis Tompfon (Sampfon) by her depofitions fince her. apprehenfion, faith, that if fhee had obtayned anyone peece of linnen cloth which the King had wOrne and fowled , fhe had bewitched him to death, and put him to fuch extra­ordinarie paines, as if he had been lying upon fharp thorns and endis of needles. Moreover fhe confeffed, that at the time when his Majeftie was in Denmarke, fhee being accompanied by the parties before fpecialli e named, took a cat and chriftened it, and afterward bounde to each part of that cat, the cheeleft parte of a dead man, and feverall joyntis of his bodie: And that in the night following, the faide cat was convayed into the middeft of the fea by all thefe witches, fayling in their riddles or cives, as is aforefaid, and fo left the faide cat right before the towne of Lei th in Scotland. This doone, there did arife fuch a tempeft in the fea, as a greater hath not bene fee ne ; which tempeft was the caufe of the perifhing of a boat or veffell comming over from the towne of Brunt-I1ande to the towne of Leith, wherein was fundrie jewelles and rich giftes, which fhould have beene pre­fented to the now Queene of Scotland, at her Majefties coming to Leith. Againe, it is confeffed, that the faide chriftened cat was the caufe that the Kinges Majefties fhippe, at his comming forth of Denmarke, had a contrarie winde to the reft of his fhippes then being in his companie; which thing was moft ftrange and true, as the Kinges Majeftie acknowledgeth, for when the reft of the fhippes had a faire and good winde, then was the winde contrarie and altogether againfr his Ma;eftie; and furth er, the fayde witche declared, that his Majeftie had never come fafely from the fea, if his faith had not prevayled above their intentions.

Moreover, the faide witches being dema unded, how the Divel would ufe them when he wa s in their company, they confeffed, than when the Devill did recyeve them for his fervauntes, and that they had vowed thernfelves unto him, then hee waul de

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carnally ufe them, albeit to their little p leafure, in refpect to his col de nature; and would do the like at fundry other times.

As touching the aforefaide Doctor Fian alias John Cuning­ham, the examination of his actes fince his <lpprehenfion, declareth the grea t fubteltie of the Divell, and therefore maketh thinges to appeare the more miraculous ; for being apprehended by the accufation of the faide Geillis Duncane aforefaide, who confeffed he was their Regefter, and that there was not one man fuffered to come to the Divels readinges but onlie hee: the fa id Doctor was taken and imprifoned, <lnd ufed with the accuftomed paine provided for thofe offences, inflicted upon the reft, as in afore­faide. Firft, by thrawing of his head with a rope, wherat he would confeffe nothing. Secondly, Hee was perfwaded by faire meanes to confeffe his follies, but that would prevaile as little. Laftly, Hee was put to the moft fevere and cruell paine in the worlde, called the bootes; who, after he had received three ftrokes, being inquired if hee would confeffe his damnable actes and wicked life, his toong would no t ferve him to fpeake; in refpec t whereof, the reft of the witches willed to fearche his toong, under which was founde two pinnes, thruft up into the heade; whereupon the witches djd fay, Now is the charme fti nted; and fhewed, that thofe charmed pinnes were the caufe he could not confeffe any thing : Then was he immediately releafed of the bootes, brought before the King, his confeffion was taken, and his own hand willingly fe t thereunto, which contained as followeth: First, that at the generall meetinges of thofe witches, he was always prefent; that he was clarke to all thofe that were in fubjection to the Divels fervice, bearing the name of witches ; that alway hee did take their oa thes for their true fervice to the Divell; and that he wrote for them fuch matters as the Divell ftill plea fed to commaund him. Item, Hee conferfed, that by h,s witchcraft hee did bewitch a gentleman dwelling neare to the Saltpans, where the faid Doctor kept fchoole, onely for beeing enamoured of a gentlewoman who me hee loved himfelfe ; by meanes of whi ch his forcery, witchcraft and divelifh practifes, hee caufed the faide ge ntle man, that once in XXIIII howers hee fell into a lunacie and madnes, and fa continued one whole hower toget her: And for the veritie of the fa me. hee ca ufed the gentleman to bee brought before the Kinges

NEWES FROM SCOTLAND I55

Majdtie, which was uppon the XX IIII day of Decem ber laft, and beeing in his Majefties chamber, fuddenly hee gave a great fcritch, and fell into madneffe , fometime bending himfelf, and fometime capring fa directly up, that his heade did touch the feeling of the chamber, to the great admiration of his Majeftie and others then prefent; fo tha t all the gentlemen in the chamber were not able to hold e him, untill they called in more helpe, who together bound him hand and foot ; and fuffering the faide gentleman to li e ftill untill his furie were paft, he within an hower came againe to himfelfe; when, being demaunded by the Kinges Majeftie, "what he faivor d id all that while ", anfwered, that " he had been in a founde fleepe." Item, the faid Doctor did alfo confeffe, that hee had ufed meanes fundr y times to obtaine his purpofe and wicked intent of the fame gentlewoman; and fee ing himfelfe difappointed of his intention, he determined, by all wayes hee might, to obtaine the fame; trufting by con­juring, witchcraft and forcerie, to ob taine it, in this manner. I t happened this gentlewoman, being unmarried, had a brother, who went to fchoole with the faide Doctor ; <l nd call ing the faide fcholler to him, demaunded " if he did lie with his fifter," who anfwered" he did": By meanes whereof, hee thought to ob taine his purpofe; and therefore fecretly promifed, to teach him without ftripes, fo he waul de obtaine for hi m three hairs of his fifters privities, at fuch time as hee fhould fpi e beft occafion for it; which the youth promifed faithfully to performe, and vowed fpeedily to put it in practife, taking a peece of conjured paper of his maifter, to lap them in, when hee had gotten them ; and thereupon the boy practifed nightly to obtaine his maifters purpofe, dpecially when his [jfter was afleep. But God, who knowet h the fecrets of all harts, and revealeth all wicked and ungodly practifes, would not fuffer the intents of this divelifh Doctor to come to that purpofe which he fuppofed it woulde; and therefore, to declare that hee was heavily offended with his wicked intent, did fa work by the gentlewomans owne meanes, that in the ende the fame was discovered and brought to light; for fh ee being one night a fleepe, and her brother in bed with her, fodainly cried ourt to her mother, declaring that her brother woulde no t fuffer her to fleepe; whereupon her mot her having a quicke capacitie, did ve hemently fuf pect D oc tor Fians intentions,

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by reafon fhe was a witch of her felf ; and therefore, prefently arofe and was very inquisitive of the boy to underftand his intent; and the better to know the fame, did beate him with fundrie ftripes, wharby hee difcovered the truth unto her. The Mother, therefore, beeing well practifed in witchcraft, did thinke it moft convenient to meete, with the D octor in his owne afte; and thereupon took the paper from the boy, wherein hee fhould have put the fame haires, and went to a young heyfer which never had borne calfe, nor gone unto the bull, and with a paire of fheeres clipped off three haires from the udder of the cow, and wrapt them in the fame paper, which fhee again delivered to the boy; then willing him to give the fame to his faide maifter, which hee immediately did. The fchoole maifter, fo foone as he had received them, thinking them indeede to be the maids haires, went ftraight and wrought his arte upon them: But the Doctor had no fooner doone his intent to them, but prefently the hayfer cow, whofe haires they were indeede, came unto the door of the church wherein the fchoole maifter was, into the which the hayfer went, and made towards the fchoote maifter, leaping and dauncing upon him, and following him forth of the church, and to what place foever he went; to the great admiration of all the townes men of Saltpans, and many other who did beholde the fame. The report whereof made all men imagine he did worke it by the Devill, without whome it coulde neV<f have beene fo fufficiently effected; and thereupon, the name of the faide Doctor Fian (who was but a young man) began to growe common among the people of Scotland, that hee was fecretly nominated for a notable conjurer.

All which, although in the beginning he denied, and woulde not confeffe, yet having felt the paine of the bootes (and the charme ftinted as aforefayd), he confeffed all the aforefaid to be moft true, without producing any witneffes to juftifie the fame; and thereupon, before the Kings Majefty, hee fubfcribed the fayd confeffions with his owne hande; which for truth remaineth upon record in Scotland.

After that the depofitions and examinations of the faid Doctor Fian alias Cuningham was taken, as alreadie is declared, with his own hand willingly fet thereunto, hee was by the maifter of the prifon committed to ward, and appointed to a

NEWES FROM SCOTLAND 157

chamber by himfelfe; where, forefaking his wicked wayes, acknowledging his moft ungodly Iyfe, fhewing that he had too much folowed the allurements and enticements of Sathan, and fondly practiCed his conclufions, by conjuring, witchcraft, in­chantment, forcerie, and fuch like, hee renounced the Devill and aU his wicked workes, vowed to leade the lyfe of a Chriftian, and feemed newly converted towards God.

The morrow after, upon conference had with him, he granted that the Devill had appeared unto him in the night before, ap­pareled al! in blacke, with a white wande in his hande; and that the Devil! demaunded of him, "If hee woulde con tinue his faithfull fervice, according to his firft oath and promife made to that effect": Whome (as hee then faide) he utterly renounced to his face, and [aid unto him in this manner, IlAvoid! Satan, avoid I for I have liftned too much unto thee, and by the fame thou haft undone me; in refpect whereof I utterly forfake thee." T o whome the Devill anfwered, that " once ere thou die thou fhalt bee mine": And with that (as he fayd), the Divel! brake the white wand, and immediately varufhed foorth of his fight.

Thus, all the daie, this Doctor Fian continued verie folitaire, and seemed to have a care of his owne foule, and would call uppon God, fhewing himfelfe penitent for his wi cked life; nevertheleffe, the fame night, hee found fuch meanes that he ftole the key of the prifon doore and chamber in which he was, which in the night hee opened and fled awaie to the Saltpans, where hee was alwayes refident, and firft apprehended. Of whofe fodaine departure, when the Kings Majeftie had intelli­gence, hee prefently commanded diligent inquirie to bee made for his apprehenfion; and for the better effecting thereof, hee fent publike proclamations into all partes of his lande to the fame effect. By meanes of whofe hot and harde purfuite he was agayne taken, and brought to prifon; and then, being ca lled before the Kings Highnes, hee was re-examined, as well touching his departure, as at[o touching all that had before happened. But tlus Doctor, notwithftanding that his owne confeffion appear­eth, remaining in recorde under his owne hande writting, and the fame thereunto fixed in the prefence of the Kings Majeftie and fundrie of his Councell, yet did hee utterly denie the fame.

Whereupon the Kings Majeftie, perceiving his ftubborne

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willfulneffe, conceived and imagined, that in the time of his abfence, hee had entered into newe conference and league with th e Devill his maifter; and that hee had beene again ne wly marked, for th e which he was narrowly fearched; but it could not in anie waie be founde; yet for more cryall of him, to make him co nfeffe, hee was commaunded to have a moft ftraunge torment, which was done in this manner following. His nailes upon all his fingers were riven and pulled off with an inftrument called in Scottifh a Turkas, which in England wee call a payre of pincers, and under everie nayle there was thruft in two needels over even up to the heads. At all which tormentes notwithftanding, the Doctor never fhronke anie whit; neither would e he then eonfeHe it the fooner, for all the tortures inflicted upon him. Then was hee, with all convenien t fpeede, by com­mandement, co nvaied againe to the tormen t of the bootes, wherein hee continued a long time, and did abide fo many blowes in them, that his legges were crufht and beaten together as fmall as might bee; and the bones and fiefh fa brufed .. that the bloud and marrow fpouted forth in great abundance; whereby they were made unferviceable for ever. And notwi thftanding all thefe grievous paines and cruel to rments, hee woulde not confeffe anie things: fo deepl y had the Devill entered into his heart, that hee utterly denied all that which he before avouched; and would faie nothing thereunto, but this, that what hee had done and hyde before, was onely done and fayde, for fear of paynes which he had endured.

Upon great confideration, therefore, taken by the Kings Majdtie and his Councell, as well for the due execution of juftice uppon fueh deteftable malefactors, as alfo for example fake, to remayne a terrour to all others heerafter, that fhall attempt to deale in the lyke wicked and ungodlye actions, as witchcraft , forcerie, conjuration and fuch lyke; the faide Doctor Fian was foon after arraigned, co ndemned and adjudged by the law to die, and then to be burned according to the lawe of that lande provided in that behalfe. Whereupon hee was put into a ca rte, and beeing firft ftrangled, hee was immediately put into a great fire, being readie provided for that purpofe, and there burned in the CaftIe Hill of Edenbrough, on a Saterdaie, in the ende of Januarie laft paft, 159!.

NEWES FROM SCOTLAND 159

The reft of the witches which are not yet executed , remayne ill prifon till farther triall and knowledge of his Majeft ie pleasure.

This ftrange difcourfe before recited may perhaps give fome occa fion of doubt to fuch as fhall happen to reade the fame, and thereby conjecture that th e Kings Majdtie would not hazarde him felfe in the prefence of fuch notorious witches, leaft therby might have infued great danger to his perfon, and the gene rall ftate of the land; whieh thing in truth might weI have bene feared. But to anfwer generally to fuch , let this fuffice; that firft, it is well knowen that the King is the child and fervant of God, and they but the fervants to the Devil; hee is the Lords annointed, and they but veffeles of Gods wrath; hee is a true Chriftian, and trufteth in God; they worfe than infidels, for they onely trurt in the Devill, who daily ferves them, till he have brought them to utter deftruction. But hereby it feemeth {hat his Highne rfe carried a rnagnanimious and undaunted mind, not feared wi th their inchantmentcs, but refalure in this, that [0 long as God is with him, hee feareth no t who is againft him; and truelie, the whole feope of this Trea tife dooth fa plainlie laie open the wonderfull Providence of the Almightie, that if he had not bene defended by his omnipotencie and power, his Highnes had never returned alive in his voiage from Denmarke; fo that there is no doubt, but God would as well defend him on the Jand as on the fea, where they pretended their damnabJe practife.

FINIS.

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I3 THE WARLOCK 0' AIKWOOD

B y JAMES HOGG

Kgloa ming, as the sinking sun Gaed owre the wastlin' braes,

And shed on Aikwood's haun ted towers His bright but fading rays;

Auld Michael sat his leafu' lane Down by the strea mlet's side,

Benea th a spreading hazel bush, And watc hed the passing tide.

Wi' minnons wee, that loup 'd for joy, The water seemed a fry,

And cross the stream, frae stane to stane, The trout gaed glancin' by.

The sportive mankin frae his form Cam' dancing o'er the lea,

And cocked his lugs, and wagged his fud , Sure's Michael caugh t his e'e .

The pai tricks whirring nea rer flew, But, hark! What is't I hear?

The horse's tramp and trumpet 's note To Aikwood drawing near.

Auld Michael raised his s tately form, And slowly hamewa rd hied,

Right wee I he ken' d what knight and horse And trumpet did betide.

" Our gracious king, to whom the Lord Grant aye a happy lot,

T his packet to his kinsman sends­The lea l Sir Michael Scott.

160

THE WARLOCK 0' AIKWOOD

And ye maun hie as fast as horse Wi ll bear you owre the lea,

To Frenchman's lands, and to the king This packet ye maun gi'e.

An answer frae the Frenchman ye Maun seek for clean aff hand,

Then hie thee to our sov'reign Lord­Such is the king's command."

So spak' the knight, and Michael bow'd " The king's hests I'll obey,

The fleetes t steed I shall prepare, And start ere break 0' day."

Auld Michael to his closet gaed, But lang he baid na there,

He donn'd a deuch baith auld and queer, And hunting cap 0' hair.

Frae a phial sma', a drap he pour'd, That sune rose till a flame,

A gruesome low, whar elfins wee Jigg'd roun ' wi' might and main.

The low he toss'd up in the air, T he sky grew black as coal,

Some words he spak' that nae man ken'd, And thunders 'gan to roll.

The lightnings flash'd, the loud winds blew Till Aikwood trembling stood,

And tall trees bent their stately forms Like eels in playfu' mood.

Midst war 0' winds and thunder's crash, The braves t weel might fear;

The warlock wav'd his little wa nd, And through the stor m did peer.

His co unt'nance glow'd for see he comes Borne on the blast along,

A tall black steed, with eyes of flame, And thews and sinews strong!

,6,

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" Now woe betide thee," Michael said, If once thou slack'st thy speed,

And bear'st me not by morrow's dawn To France wi thout remede."

By this the storm had gone to rest, The moon shone clear and bright,

And sma' white clouds were saili ng roun', Ting'd by the pale orb's ligh t.

The warlock and his stede flew on, Nought stay'd their headlong way,

The highest peak, the lowest glen, Were spang'd as 'twere but play.

They bounded on, and night owls screeched, As pass'd this fremlit pair,

And in their beds the sleepers gran'd And row'd as in nightmare,

On, on they sped like winter blast, And long ere first cock ·crow,

The sea was crass'd, and Paris tow'rs Were seen far below.

The palace porters trembling scan'd The great black horse with fear;

The courtiers eke confounded look'd But 'gan to mock and jeer

At Michael 's dress; bu; soon with voice That made their dull ears ring,

He names his errand, and demands An audience of the king.

" What! ye refuse, ye cringing pack, A messenger so mean?

Then stamp, my steed, and let them feel We're better than we seem! "

The black horse stamp'd; and lo! the bells Through all the town did sound,

The steeple towers shook to their base As heard up from the ground.

THE WARLOCK O' AIKWOOD

" What! do ye still my suit refuse? Then stamp, my steed, once more ! "

The courtie rs shook for very fear, And cross'd themselves right sore.

Clash went the hoof, and sounds of woe Were heard on ev'ry side,

And thunders roll'd, the lightnings giard, And through the air did ride

Unearthly forms, with hoop and ho ! That spewed forth smoke and fire,

" A1ack·a·day! " quoth the courtiers all, ff That e'er we rais'd his ire."

The muckle bell in Notre Dame Play'd jow, and burst in twain,

And lofty tow' rs and pinnacles Came tumbling down amain.

The bell·man on a gargoyle's back Was shot out Owre the Seine,

His boy upon a wooden saint Went splash into the stream.

The palace shook like saughan bush When wav'd by wastlin winds,

Or like the corn ears in the sheaf, That harvest reapers binds.

The king frae regal seat was toss'd, And piteously did roar,

For a vulgar part 0' his bodie Came thud upon the floor.

" A1ack·a ·day! " his kingship moan'd, " Wha wrought a' this deray

Maun e'en be mair than mortal man­o dules' me on the day

.. He e'en cam' to our palace yett! " But Michael nOw nae longer

Wad wait. "Ye pottroon knaves, tak' tent! The third stamp shall be stranger."

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" Stop r StOp!" they cried, " thy mighty pow'r, Nae mair we can withs tand,

A third stamp of thy fell black horse Wad ruin a' our land."

An answer in hot haste was giv'n, And e'er you could say, whew r

The warlock had bestrode his steed, And through the air they flew.

And as they pass'd o'er Dover straits The horse to speak began,

A pawky beast, and, as he pleas'd, Was horse, or deil, or man.

jj Come reJl to "me, 0 master mine! What do the auld wives say

In Scotland when the sun gaes down, Eve to their beds they go<? "

But Michael was ow're slee e'en for The cunning 0' the de'il-

" What 's that to thee, Diabolus? Mount, or my wa nd thou'lt feel.

" But if indeed thou fain wadst ken What's by the auld wives said,

Then darn thyse!' at e'enin 's fa' Close by some cottage bed.

" And when the sun has left the lift, And stars begin to peer

Out through the blue, and sounds 0' tail Nae mair fa' on the ear,

" Then wilt thou see auld Scotia 's dames Kneel down to ane above,

And name \vith reverence the name Of Him that's truth and love.

" A name, Diabolus! more dread To thee and all thy fry

Than is thy hideous native form T o unta ught mortal eye."

THE WARLOCK 0' AIKWOOD

By this time they had England cross'd, And eke the Cheviots high;

The Pentlands had been left behind And Holyrood was nigh.

Here Michael parting frae his steed Straight to the palace went,

In haste before his sov'reign lord Himself there to present.

" What ho ! Sir Michael, art thou here? Hast dar'd to disobey

My orders, that ambassador To France thou'dst haste away?"

" Wilt please my sov'reign to receive This packet from my hand?

With right good will I have obey'd My monarch's just command."

The king transfix'd in' wonder stood, And scarce believ'd his e'en,

And all aghast the courtiers cow'r'd, As spell-bound they had been.

Lang ere their se nses had return'd Sir Michael aff had gane,

And sped him back to Aikwood gray In haste his leafu ' lane !

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14

MARIE LAMONT OF INNERKIP Reprin ted from A Historical Account oj the Belief in Witchcraft in Scocland. C. K. Sharpe, Edin., 1884

THE CONFESSIO N OF MARIE LAMONT, A YOUNG WOMAN

OF THE ADGE OF EIGHTEEN YEARES, DWELLING IN THE

PARISH OF INNERKIP, WHO WTLLlNGLlE OFFERED HERSELF

TO TRYELL ON THE 4TH OF MARCH, 1662.

]. She cam and offered herself willingly to the tr yell , saying, that God moved her heart to confess, because she had lived long in the devil's service. 2. She confessed most ingenuously, that fyve years since, Karhrein Scot, in l\1udiestean, within (he parochin of Innerkip, learned her to take kyes milk, bidding her gae owl in misrie mornings, and take with her a han'ie tedder, and draw it over the mouth of a mug, saying,

H In God's name, God send u S milk, God send it, and meikle of it."

By this meanes shee and the said Kathrein gat much of their neighbour's milk, and made butter and cheise thereof. 3. She confessed that two yea res and ane half since, the de viII came to the said Kathrein Scott's house, in the midst of the night, wher wer present with them, Margaret M'Kenzie in Greinok, Janet Scot in Gorrok, herself, and several others; the devill was in the likeness of a meikle black man, and sung to them, and they dancir; he gave them wyn to drink, and wheat bread to ea t, and they warr all very mirrie. She confesses, at that meiting the said Kettie Scott made her first acquaintance with the devill, and caused her to drink to him, and shake hands with him. 4. She confesses, that at that tyme the de vi II bad her betak herself to his service, and it sould be weel with her, and bad her forsak her baptizme, which shee did, delyvering herself wholly

166

MARtE LAMONT OF tNNERKtP

to him, by putting her one hand on the crown of her head, and the other hand to the sole of her fott, and giving all betWIxt these two into him. 5. She confessed, that at that tyme he gave her name, and called her Clowls, and bad her call him Serpent, when she desi red to speak with him. 6. Shee con­fessed that at th" sam tym the devill nipit her upon the fight syd, dlk was very painful for a tym, but yairefter he strai kit it with his hand, and healed it; this she confesses to be hIS mark. The seventh article regards her criminal intercourse with Sathan as to gallantry, which she first confessed, and then denied. 8. She confesses that she was at a meitting in the Bndyhnne, with Jean King, Kettie Scot, Margrat M'Kenzie, and several others, where the devill was with them in the likeness of a brown dog. The end of their meitting was to raise stormie weather to hinder bo~ts from the killing fishing; and she confessed that shee, Kettie Scot, and Margrat Holm, came to Al lan Orr's house in the likeness of kats, and followed his wif into the chamber, where they took a herring owt of a barrell , and having taken a byt off it, they left it behind them; the qlk herring the said Allan his wif did eat, and yairefter taking heavy disease, died. The q uarrel was, because the said Allan had put Margrat Holm out of the houss wher shee was dwelling, whereupon shee thrwened in wrath, that he and his wif sould not be long together. This agrees with the tenth article of Kettie Scott'S co?fesslon. 10. Shee confessed, that shee, Kettie Scot, Margrat M KenZIe, and severall others, went out to the sea betwixt and the land of Arran to doe skaith to boats and ships that sould cam alongs. They' caused the storme to increase greatly, and meiting with Colin Campbell's ship, did rive the saIlies from her .. Shee confesses, that in that voyadge shee was so oversett with III weather that shee took the fever soon yairefter, and did bleed much. This agrees with the twelfth artickle of Kettie Scot's confession. I r . Shee confessed, that when shee had been at a meitting sine Zowle last , with other witches, in the night, the devill convoyed her home in the dawing; and when she was com near the hous wherein shee was a servant, her master saw a waff of him as he went away from hir. 12. She confessed, that shee knew some witches carried meikle ill will at Blackhall, younger, and Mr John Hamilton, and they would fain give them

M

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,!ill ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

ane ill cast if they could; therefor, about five weeks sine, Jean King, Kettie Scot, Janet Holm, herself, and severall others, met together in the night, at the back gate of Ardgowand, where the devil! was with them in the likeness of a black man, with cloven featt, and directed some of them to fetch wyt sand from the shore, and cast it about the gates of Ardgowand, and about the minister's house; but shee sa yes, when they war about that business, the devil turned them in likeness of kats, by shaking his hands above their heads. She confesses alsoe, that in that business some were cheifs and ringleaders, others was bot followers. This agrees with the eleventh article of Kettie Scot's confession. '3. She confessed alsoe, that shee was with Katie Scot, Margrat M'Kenzie, and others, at a meitting at Kempoch, where they intendit to cast the langston into the sea, thereby to destroy boats and shipes, wher they danced, and the devil kissed them when they went away . These anickles were con­fessed by the said Marie Lamont, at Innerkip before us, under­subscribers Archibald Stewart, fiare of Blackhall; J. Hamilton, Minister at Innerkip, etc.

15

SOME OBSERVABLE PASSAGES OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE TO A GODLY MINISTER,

IN GIVING HIM FULL CLEARNESS CONCERNING

BESSIE GRAHAM , SUSPECT OF WITCH-CRAFT.

Reprinted from Satan's Invisible World Discovered. George Sinclair, Edin. , 1685.

SHE was apprehended about the end of August 1649, upon so me threatning words, she had spoken in her drunkenness to John Rankins Wife in Kilwinning. Whereupon the 'poor

Woman ten dayes after took Sickness, and shortly died. She was imprisoned in the Steeple, for the space of thirteen weeks, all which time I (the Minister) repared to her, but found her still mare and more obdured. In all her discourses she was so subtile, that not only I could get nO advantage by her words, but sometimes she made me think, that she was an innocent Woman; so that I was much grieved for her hard usage, if it could have been helped, and had my own secret Wishes, she had never been medled with. Yea, if she could have made an escape, I being innocent of it, I could have been glade: for I feared much, that all we could get proven on her, would not have been a sufficien t ground, for the Civil Magistrate, to give a warrant, for putting her to an Assize. Or if they had given a warrant I feared the Assize would not condemn her unless I had advised them thereto, wherein I was not clear, so that she should have been set at Libertie, and I blamed for it, by reason of my not advising the Assize to condemn her. At this nick of tim e one Alexander Bogs skilled in searching the Mark, came, being often sent for, and finds the Mark upon her ridge-back, wherein he thrust a great Brass Pin, of which she was not sensible: neither did any blood follow, when the Pin was drawn

,69

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'70 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

Out. I lookt upon this but as a small evidence, in respect of what I found afterwards: yet this some-wha t inclined the Judpcs to send the Process to Edinburgh, though there were small hopes of obtaining a Commission for putting her to an Assize. My fears deceived me, for I was informed that a Commission was gra nted, though with difficulty. But here my strait was aug­mented, for the chiefest man in the parish refuseth to meet professing he thought all that was proven on her, were but Clatters. And I was informed, that others of the Judges did say little less . However, I, my self could oot but think her guilty: Yet if the Assize had put her to it, I was not so clear to advise them, by Reason, that the things were proven but by one Witness . This put me to manie thoughts and Prayers, wherein I did engadge myself to God, that if he should find out a way for giving me, and the Assize full clearness, either by her own Confession or o therwise, I should remarke it as a singu lar Favour, and special Mercy. This Resolution I did often reiterate, Lord make me mindful of it. After a short time Providence brought to light the unexpected Presumption of her gui ltiness, which did convince me more, than any of the rest. Upon Wednesday 28 of November in the eveni ng I went to exhort her to a confession, with Alexander Sympson the Kirk-Officer, and my own servant with me: After labouring with her in vain, we leave her. But when I came to the stair-head, I resolved to halt a 1it~e to hear what she would say. Within a very short space, she begins to discourse, as if it had bee n to somebody with her. Her voice was so low, that I could not understand what she said, except one sentence, whereby I per­ceived, she was speaking of somewhat I had been challenging her of, and she had denyed . After she hod s poken this, after a little while I hear another voice, speaking and whispering; as it were conferring with her, which presently I apprehended to be the Foul-Fiends voice: but being uncertain, if those who were with me had heard it, so as they could give testimony concerning it, and not daring to ask them, least she hearing OUf whispering should have spoken no more, I resolved to stand a little longer, she having kept silent a time, upon occasion, as I thought of some little din amongst us, at our hearing of an uncouth voice. She bega n to speak again, and before she had we I" ended, the

CONCERNING BESS IE GRAHAM '71

other voice speaketh as it were a long se ntence, which though I understood nor what it was, yet was so low and ghoustie, that I was certainly perswaded that it was another voice than hers . Besides, her Accent and manner of speaking was as if she had been speaki ng to some other, and that other voice to my best remembrance, did begin before she had closed, so that twO voices were to be heard at o nce.

By this time fear took hold on A1exonder Sympson, being hindmost in the Stair, and thereby he cries out. I did exhort him with a loud voice not to fear ; and so we came all of uS down the stair, blessing God that had given me such a cle"rness in the business. They both who were with me declared, They had heard the uncouth low voice, both the times. Within a quarter of an hour I go up again, with two or three able men with me, a nd brought her down to the School, having placed six men to watch, where she remains at the time of my Writing hereof, November 30, obstinate and obdured , and I fear she shall be so to her death.

Some Special Pro vidences 1 observed in all these.

1. That however we knew nothing at our first apprehending of her, but only that she was of a bad report, and had some boasting words to John Rankings wife, after which she dyed shortl y, yet partly more and more light brake up until so many Presumptions were proven on her, as the Civil Ma gistrate did judge it equitable to put her to an Assize. 2. That Alexander Bogs came and found the Mark upon her, at that very nick of time, when there was an inclination to let her go free: which though it did not say much, yet it was a mean to keep her still in Prison. 3. That a Commission was granted upon more slender gro unds, than any which had been granted before: and that the Lord keeped up the greatest evidence of her gu ilt, untiJi the Commission was obtained, and the day for the Assize appointed. 4. That the Commission being granted, I wos in a great Strait, what to do, no less being presented to me than her Blood-guiltiness, if I sho uld advise to conde mn her, and the sparing of an enemy to God, if I should not advise. This made the mercy, in giving me so full clearing the more acceptable. 5. That GOD did make all other means misgive which I did use,

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untill he should clear me by these, wherein more of himself was SOon. 6. That before he gave me clearing, I was made to engadge my seif, to a special Observa tion of his most remarkable Providences towards me. 7. That I had often tho ughts to use these meaDs of trying her, by going to watch in the night, if I cou ld hear the Devil and her conferring together, but was always hind ered until this time, having no such resolution, when I was coming out from her, but only a present purpose to s tand but a little, not thinking to hear any thing of this kind, and if she had not presently begun to speak, I would have gone away. 8. That I myself was present at the hearing of their conference. If it had been any other, I would neither have been so fully satisfied myself, nor yet others who should hear of it. g. That not only I, but two with me did hear also, which will make a legal proof. 10. That I was born up with courage all the time acting Faith in GOD, that the Foul Spirit should not have power to do us harm, though he was so near unto us . 11. That I heard as much as did give full clearing, tha t it was anot her voice, tho ugh I could not ge t a ny of the words und erstood . The Lord thinking it sufficie nt to loose me out of my s tra it, though he would not sa tisfy my Curiositie. 12. Though I could not get the words understood, yet there was as much evidence as made it clearly appear, it was another voice than hers.

At fi rst, that we heard twice. And (2) that truee of us did so think. (3) That I was in courage, and so my judgement not jumbled by any fearful apprehensions. (4) That the Accent and way of her discourse, and in what we did understand of it, was no t after the manner, how one regrates a thing to himself, but of one conferring with another. (5) That the other Voice was to my certain hearing of a different accen t from hers, so hollow and ghoustie, tha t it was as easie to me to put a differe nce between them in the mean time, as between the Voice of a Man and the Voice of a Child. (6) That to my bes t Remembrance the Uncouth Voice began before she ended, so that two Voices were to be heard at Once. Lastly, Alexander Sympson, understood their language, and afterward did depone the words judicially.

It is good (I) For folk to hold on in doing of dutie, though they foresee insuperable difficulties before they come to the end of it. Let a man go on till he come to the difficulty, and ere

CONCERNING BESSIE GRAHAM 173

he come that far on, GOD will remove it. (2) Its good in asking Mercies to engadge the heart to some duties of thankfulness, upon the granting of them. (3) H ow zealous is the Devil to get Souls damned. That though he be of an excellent substance, of great natural Parts, long Experience, and deep unders tanding, yet he will so far inslave himself to poor Miscreant Bodies, as to be ready at their call , to discourse and keep Company wi th them, that at the last he may get them. (4) How serviceable and trus tie so ever the Devil seems to be unto Witches, yet he cares not to insnare them at the last : for he could not but know, that' we were waiting on to hear him and her: so that on purpose he hath entered in discourse with her, that she might be taken in the Grin.

I co me to some other remarkable passages concerning Elizabeth Graham before her death, giving evidence that she was most guilty of Witch craft, though she died obstinate, and would not confess. Upon Saturday night, November ' 3, she seemed to incline to a Confession, and promised to W illiam Wat to tell me to morrow after sermon all that was in her heart . At which time, I had none with me, but William Wa c. W hen I spake to her, S he regrated her mispe nt time, but especiall y her mali.:e towards myself; which s he affirmed the Devil tempted her to. All which time she spake with a very low voice, that although I desired her to speak out, we could scarcely hear her. Whereupon, I enquired the Reason, why she was not able to speak louder? S he replyed, that when she set her self to speak any thing that was for her Souls good, she dought nOt get spo ken. These were her words. But if she would scold and flyte, as she used to do, the D evil would give her strength enough to spea k as loud as ever she did. W ithin a little I posed her , if she was guilty of Witch·Craft ? S he stareth with her eyes by me, firs t to the one side, and then to the o ther: at which time, I think certai nly she saw the Devil. For immediately after, she began to rail upon me, although she had confessed her malice at me, was partly the cause of her greatest grief. and still as she went on in railling, her voice became stronger and s tronger, till at last, she spake as loud as ever she did.

Upon Munday before noon, she was most bitter in her L anguage. I posed her, what grounds of confidence she had, if

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it would be well with her Soul? She answered, she hod no grounds yet; for she had lived a wicked woman, and hod not yet repented; but she hoped, she would get H eaven, and get repentance, ond a change wrought in her: and though she was to live but a short while, she was sure of it, and that I would soon see it. I thought in the mean time she had spoken that in her rage. But after, I perceived the Devil and she had an further design in it, as appears by what follows. That sa me day afternoon they came, and told me, that she had fallen to pray, and had many gracious words, expressing her own vileness, and the sense she had of GODS Mercy, and with tears, in which strain she continued till after supper. I came then to see her, ot which time she was continuing still as before in aggreging her sin, and guile, and s hewing her hopes of Salva tion, and her desire to die, and all alongs she had such pithy expressions, and Scripture so often, and plentifu lly cited, that I was put to wonder; considering that I had ever found her altogether ignoront of the grounds of Religio n, both before ond after she was put into Prison.

After I had wondered at it a while, without s peaking to her, considering what she had foretold so confidently before noon, I concluded in my own mind, that it was a draught between the Devil and her, to fenzie Repentance in such an odd woy, that we might be deceived; being made to think, that s he was not a Witch, else she would confess it, seeing GOD had given her Repentance.

Wherupon I seriously considering the matter, I posed her of guilt iness, she confessed all the particulars of the Processe, which did not certainly conclude her to be a Witch, but for the rest of the particulars, she denyed, as also the Crime of Witch­craft it self. However, she said, she knew she would die, and desired not to live; and she thought we would be free before God of her blood, because, that however she was free, yet there were so many things deponed against her, that though it was hard for us to think otherwise of her than we did, yet she knew weil enough her own innocency.

Thus I have wri tten all these particulars, as I found them in the Authentick Record written by the Ministers own hand. She was soon after executed, and died without any acknowledge­ment of Witchcraft.

r6

CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN

From Narralil;e oj lhe Sufjerirrfs and Relief of a Young Girl in (he Wesl (Christian Shaw, lhe laird oj Bargarran's Daughter), with Trial of Ihe se l;en Witches condemned lO be execute at Paisley. Edin., 16g8.

IT was about the end of August, 1696, when the first rise and occasion was given (so far as can be known) to these strange things that befel the child, who is the subject of

this narrative, and the manner was rhus: Christian Shaw, daugh ter to a gentleman of good account,

called John Shaw, laird of Borgarran, in the parish of Erskine, withi n the shire of Renfrew, a smart lively girl, and of good inclinations, about eleven years of age, perceivi ng one of rhe maids of the house, named Katherine Campbe ll, to steal and drink some milk, she told her mother of it; whereupon the maid Campbell (being a young woman of a proud and revengeful temper, ane much addicted ro cursing and swea ring upon any like occasion, and otherwise given to purloining) did, in a most hideous rage, thrice imprecote the curse of God upon the child; and at the same time did thrice utter these horrid words, " The devil harle (that is, drag) your soul through hell." This passed upon Monday, August 17th, in presence of several witnesses, who afterwards made evidence of it.

Upon the Friday following, being August 21st, about sun­rising, one Agnes Naesmith, an old widow woman, ignorant, and of a malicious disposit ion, addicted to threatnings, (w hich sometimes were observed to be followed with fatal events), who lived in the neighbourhood, ca me to Bargarran 's house; where, finding the child Christian in the court with her younger sister, she asked how the lady and young child did, and how old the young sucking chi ld was; to which Christian replied, what do I know? Then Agnes asked, how herself did, and how old

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she was; to which she answered, that she was well, and in the eleventh year of her age.

On the Saturday rught thereafter, being Aug. 22, the child went to bed in good health; but so soon as she fell asleep, began to struggle and cry Help, help! and then suddenly got up, and did fly over the top of a resting bed, where she was lying (her father, mother, and others being in the room, and to thejr great astonishment and admiration) with such violence, that probably her brains had been dashed out, if a woman, providentiall y standing by, and supported by a door at her back, had not broke the force of the child 's motion; who, being laid in another bed, remained stiff and insensible as if she had been dead for the space of half an hour; but for forty-eight hours therea fter could not sleep, crying out of violent pains through her whole body, and no SOOner began to sleep or turn drowsy but seemed grea tly affrighted, crying still, Help, help.

After this the pain fixed in her left side, and her body was often so bent and rigid, as she stood like a bow on her feet and neck at once, and continued without power of speech, except in some short intervals, for eight days; during which time she had scarce half an hour's intermission together, the fits taking her suddenly, and both coming on and going off by a swerff or short deliquium, but appeared perfectly well and sensible in rhe intervals.

But about the middle of September, her fits returned in a manner differing from the form er, wherein she seemed to fight and struggle with something that was invisible to spectators, and her action appeared as if she had been defending herself from some who were assaulting or attempting to hurt her, and this with such force that four strong men were scarcelv able to hold her; and when any of the people touched any pa;t of her body she did cry and screech with such vehemence, as if they had been killing her, but could not speak.

Before this time, as she was seized with ·the trouble, her parents had called for physicians from Paisley, viz.: John White, apotheca ry, a near relation, and afterwards Dr. Johnstone, who took blood, and applied several things, both at first, and after­wards, without any discernable effect upon the patient, either to the better or worse; and she all rhe while of these latter fits

CHRISTIAN SHA W OF BARGARRAN '77

being affli cted with extraordinar y risings and failings of her belly, like the motion of a pair of bellows, and such strange movings of her body, as made the whole bed she lay On shake, to the great consternation of spectators.

Some days thereafter was an alteration in her fits, so far, that she got speaking during the time of them; and while she was in the fits, fell a crying that Katherine Campbell and Agnes Naesmith were cutting her side and other parts of her body; which parts were in that time violently tormented. And when the fit was over she still averred that she had seen the same persons doing the same things which she complained of while under the fit, (it being remarkable that in the interva ls she was still as well and se nsible as ever) and would not believe but that others present saw them as well as she ! In this condition she continued with some, but not very considerable variation, either as to the fits or intervals, for the space of a month.

After which time she was conveyed to Glasgow, where Dr. Brisbane, a physician deservedly famed for skill and experience, did by Mr. Henry Marshall, apothecary, apply medicine to her; after which, having staid in Glasgow about ten days, and being brought home to the country, she had near a fortnight's inter­mission. But then her fits returned, with this differen ce, that she knew when they were coming, by a pain in her left side, which she felt before they came; and in these fits her throat was prodigiously drawn down toward her breast, and her tongue back into her throat; her whole body becoming stiff and ex­tended, as a dead corpse, wi thout sense or mot.ion; and some­times her tongue was drawn out of her mouth over her chin to a wonderful length, her teeth setting together so fast upon it, that those present were forced to thrust something betwixt her teeth, for saving her tongue; and it was oft observed that her tongue was thus tortured when she essayed to pray. And in this condition she was for some time, with sensible jntervals wherein she had perfect health, and could give a fu ll account of what she was heard to utter while in the fit.

For several days these fits continuing with some variation, her parents resolved to return her to Glasgow, that she might there have the more conveniency of being under the doctor's oversight and care, for further discerning the nature of her

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trouble, and making use of the most probable natural remedies. But bei ng on her way to her grandmother's house at Northbar, she did thrust or spit out of her mouth pa rcels of hair, some curled, some plaited, some knotted, of different colours, and in large quantities; and thus she contin ued to do in several swoo ning fits every quarter of an hour, ·both in her passage to Glasgow, which was by boat on Thursda y, Nov. 12th, and when she was in Glasgow; for the space of three days ensuing she put frequently hair out of her mouth, and in as great quan tities as the first day, her former swerffing or swooning fits recurring as often through­out the days as before; and thereafter from Monday to Thursday followin g she put out of her mouth coal cinders about the bigness of ches tnuts, some whereof were so hot that they could scarcely be handled, one of whi ch , Dr. Brisbane bei ng by her when she took it ou t of her mouth, felt to be hotter than the heat of anyone's body could make it. Then for the space of two days in these swooning fits. as former1y, there was put, Or taken out o f her mouth, s traw in grea t quantities, though but one straw at once folded up together, which, when put out, returned to Its length, was found to be both long and broad, and it was remarkable that in one of them there was a little small pin found. Thereafter were put out of her mouth, bones of various sorts and sizes, as bones of fowls, and small bones of the heads of kine and then some small sticks of candle fir , (a sort of fir in th~ country, that burns like candle), one of which was about three or four inches long; which, when any upon sight o f either bones or s ticks took hold of to pull out, they found them ei ther held by her teeth set together upon them, or forcibly drawn back into her throa t ; particularly Archibald Bannatyne of Kel lie, younger, observing a bone in her mouth like a duck shan k or leg bone, and essaying to pull it out, he declared he found something drawing it back into her throat, so that it took a deal of force to get it pulled out. I t is to be noticed, that she never knew how these things were brought into her mouth, and when they were gOt out of it} she immediately recovered of her fit for that time.

After this, she put out of her mouth some quantity of un­clean hay intermixed with dung, as if i t had been taken out of a du nghill, which was so stinking that the damsel could not

CHR I S TI AN SHAW OF BARGA RR AN '79

endure the nauseating taste and vile relish those thll1gs prod uced in her mouth, which did necessitate her s till (0 rinse her mouth with water, after the putting of that sort of matter out of it. Then for more than a day's space, she put out of her mouth a number of wild fowls fea thers; after that a gravel-s tone, wh ich, in the judgment of beholders, had been passed by some persons in a gravel fit , with some small white stones, and a whole nut gall , (wherewi th they used to dye and to make ink). together with lumps of candle grease and egg shells ; during whic h time she continued as formerly in her recurring swooning fits, with some interva ls wherein she was in perfect health: of all which there were many famous wi messes, who, in (hat c ity (besides those who were conti nually with her) came frequently to visit

her. It is to be noticed, that the damsel at the time of the putting

out of her mouth the sticks above-mentioned , being in bed about eigh t o'clock at night, told she was to be greviously tor­mented with sore fits at night, which accordingly fell out. For a little thereafter, she fell into a long swoon, wherein she had no use of any sense, ei ther of hearing, seeing, or feeling; so as though ofti mes the beholders called to her wi th a loud voice, moving, also, and tossing her body, all was to no purpose; and when the L aird of Kellie, younger, above-named, to try the truth, gave her a very sore pinch in the arm, she had no sense of it in the time. Afte r recovering from the swoon, but yet con ­tin ui ng in the fit , she fell a reasoning with Katheri ne Campbell after this manner: "Thou sittest there with a stick in thy hand to put in my mouth, but through God's strength thou shal t not O'et leave: thou art permitted to torment me, but I trust In God ~hou s halt never get mv life, though it is my life thou designes t. " (And at th at time calling for a Bible and candle), said, " Come near me Katie, and I'll let thee see where a godly man was given up to Sa tan to be tormented, but God kept his li fe in his own hand· and so I trust in God thou shalt never get my Itfe, and all th~t thou shalt be permitted to do unto me, I hope through God 's mercy shall turn to my adva ntage. This man was robbed of all , and tormen ted in body, and had nothIng left 111m but an ill wife, Come near me, Katie, and I'll read it to thee." And reading that passage of Job, when she came to the place where

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his wife said to him, " Curse God and die! " the damsel con ­sidering these words a :ittle, said- " O! what a wife has this been, that bids her gocdman curse God and die! She who should have been a comfort to him in his trouble, turned a cross to him!" Then, after reading of the chapter to the end, she looks towards the foot of the bed and said, " Now, Katie, what thinkest thou of that ? Thou sees t for all the power the Devil got over Job, he gained no ground on him; and I hope he shall gain as little on me. Thy master the Devil deceives thee ; he is a bad master whom thou servest, and thou shalt find it to thy smart, except thou repent before thou die. There is no repent­ance to be had after death. I'll let thee see, Katie, there is no repentance in hell." And turning Over the book, citing Luke, Chap. xvi., near the latter end thereof, and reading the sa me over, said, " Katie, thou seest there is no repentance in heH, for this rich man besought Abraham to testify to his five brethren, that they come not to the place of torment, where he was, but repent and turn to the Lord, for there· is no winning out, if once they come there; now! Katie, thou heard this, what thinkest thou of it? I'll let thee hear another place which should pierce thy very heart, and turning over the Book, said she would read about Adam and Eve. Thall knowest, Kati e, the serpent the' Devtl, thy master, thought to have ruined mankind at the beginning, his malice was so great at that blessed state wherein they were then, seei ng himself cast down from all hopes of mercy, used all means possible for him to subvert their happiness, by suggesting to them fair promises, aad a prospect of advantage to them before their eyes, in causing them eat that forbidden fruit, whereby they and their posterity fell from that estate wherein they were, and were made subject to God's curse for ever. But God did not suffer them to be at this stance, but of his infinite mercy shewed them a better way, whereby they ~lght have hfe eternal by revealing to them that blessed promise,

The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent.' Now, Katie, what thinkest tholl of that promise? But have mind of this, thou 'lt get no advantage by it ; ' tis not made to thee, who hast renounced God's service, and taken On with the Devil; Thou art his slave; thou deniedst this, but I know thou art a hypocrite; for I remember, when thou wast in my mother's

CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN

house, thou bought a Catechism upon a pretence to learn to read, to cloak thy si n. Wil t thou hear me ? Knowest thou the reward of the hypocrite? I'll let thee hea r it; remember Mr. William Gillies was lecturing the other day upon the xxiii of Matthew, where many a woe is pronounced aga inst the hypo­crite, eight dreadful woes here, Katie, and some of them belong to thee; but I'll tell thee more. Knowest thou the reward of the hypocrite? they shall be cast into the lake that burns for ever, that's their portion. Dost thou hear this now ? Thou turnest thy back to me, when I am telling the truth; if I were reading a story-book, or telling a tale to thee, thou wouldst hear that. Remember it will be thy portion, too, if thou do not repent, and confess, Jnd seek mercy." Again, turning over the book, she read about Pilate, saying, " Pilate he made a shew of cleansing himself of Christ's blood; he washed his hands and declared himself innocent; but for all his washing he had a foul heart ; he would not lose his office for the saving of Christ's life. He knew well enough that Christ was an innocent person; but he preferred his honour before Christ: therefore to please the Jews, and to quench the struggling in his conscience, he washed his hands, and then delivered Christ to be crucified by them." Thus she continued for more than two hours' space, reasoning at this rate, and exhorting her to repent, quoting many places of Scripture through the Revelation and Evangelists. And when any offered to pull her Bible from her, she uttered horrid screeches and outcries, saying-" She would never part with her Bible as long as she lived, she would keep it in spite of all the devils."

Before we pass from this, it will be needflll to give the reader advertisement of some things. !. That while she called for her Bible and a candle, she neither heard nor saw any of those persons who were then actually and discernably present in the room with her, and that Katherine Campbell, to whom she directed her speech, was not discernably present to any other body but herself. And the pinch she got in her insensible fit, she found and complained of the pain of it in that part afterward, but knew not how she came by it, nor blamed any of her tormentors for it. 2. That these words set down as spoken by her were the very same both for words and order as nearly

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as they could be gathered and remembered by the hearers without any addition of their own. 3. That although she was a girl of a pregnant spirit above her age, and had much of the Scriptures, and wit hal had a pretty good understa nding, above what might be expected of one of her years, of the fundamental principles of religion taught in the Catechisms; yet we doubt not in so s trong a combat, the Lord did, by His good spirit, graciously afford her a more than ordinary measure of assistance, both now and at other times in the like debates.

Sometime after the putting out of her mouth the trash above-mentioned, she fell into extremely violent fits, wirh lament­able crying, four persons being hardly able to withhold her from climbing up the walls of the chamber, or from otherways doing herself hurr, meantime having no power of speech while in the fit, but her back and the rest of her body grievously pained, in which condition she continued four or fi ve da ys, wi th the usual sensible intervals, in which she declared that four men, Alexander and James Andersons, and other two, of whom she gave par­ticular and exact marks, but knew nor their names, were tor­mentin g her. It was observed that many of these she named were known to be persons of ill fame, as these two persons last named were. It is also remarkable that for some time she knew not the name of the said Alexander Henderson, till one day he came a-begging to the door of the house, where the damsel was, whom she seeing, immediately cried our, II that was he whom she had see n among the crew."

After this she fell into other fits, wherein she saw the fore ­named persons with some others, and heard and saw several things that passed amongst them. Particularly .. she sometimes told when she was to take the fits how often she would take them, (which fell out accordingly), with some discourse that were among them relating to herself and others.

About the eighth of December, being brought home again from Glasgow, and having had six Or seven days respite from her fits, she afterwards fell into frightful and terrifying fit s; the occasion whereof she declared to be, her seeing the devil in prodigious and horrid shapes, threa tening to devour her, and then she would fall dead and stiff with all the parts of her body distended and stretched out as a corpse, without sense or motion,

I

CHRISTI AN SHAW OF BARGARRAN

which fits as they came suddenly on without her knowledge, so she did as suddenly recover and grew perfectly well; and they usually came on when she essayed to prav. In which time also other fits took her more sensibly, she knowing when they were acoming, how long they would continue, and when they would return; in which fits her eyes strangely altered, and turned in her head to the admiration of spectators, with a continual painful working about her heart; sometimes her joints were complicate and drawn together, and her forehead drawn forcibly about toward her shoulders; which fits she took by first falling into a swoon, and after her violent fits, instantly recovered after the same manner. During this time, the fits altered again as to their times of coming and continuance; in which she sometimes endeavoured to bite her own fingers, or anything else that came in her way; also when she saw the persons before-mentioned, one or two of them about her, pointing them out to the persons present with her, though by them unseen, and some times declaring that she had hold of them by their clothes, particularly, December 17. She being in a sore fit, she cried out of several persons that were tormenting her; and being in the bed, grasped with her h"nds towards the foot of it, and cried out that she had got a grip of the sleeves of one J.P.'s jerkin (or jacket) which was as she said, duddie (that is ragged or "'ttered) at the elbows; and at that very instant, the damsel's mother and aunt heard the sound of the rending or tearing of a cloth, but saw or felt nothing, only found in e"ch of the damse l's hands-which were fast closed when they got them opened, a bit of red cloth, looking as torn off a garment ; of which kind of cloth there had been none in the room at that time, nor in the whole house, nor ne"r it that any knew of. Another particular she told was, that there was such an one among the crew going to prick her tongue, which thereupon was instantly pulled back into her throat, she lying dumb for a considerable space. Sometimes upon her recovery from her fits, she told that she heard several things spoken and communed among her affiictors, but durst not make them known; because they threatened to torment her after this, or the other manner, if she should make them known; and accordingly, when, by he r mother or o thers, she was prevailed with to begin to tell them, instantly the torment fell out as was

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threatened. She told further, that her tormentors appeared to

her usually with lights and strange sorts of candles, which were frightful for her to look to them.

Thus she continued till the first of January, 1697, not only in the fits fore-mentioned with some alterations, but fell like­wise by swooning into light fits, wherein she continued about twO or three hours together, sometimes more, sometimes less, with very short intervals, in which fits she did not much com­plain of pain; but. had a great palpitation in her breast, and sometimes in other parts of her body, strange and unaccountable motions, which continued In a greater or lesser degre,e during the whole time of the fit, wherein she was somewhat "ght, and not so solid in her mind as at other times, though in the intervals of these, as of all other fits, she was sufficiently composed; which fits as all the rest, came suddenly on, and went as suddenly off by a swoon or swerf.

Before we proceed further in the relation, let it be noticed, first, that the foresaid Agnes Naesmith, being brought by the parents a second time to see the damsel, did (though not deslfed) pray for her, viz., " That the Lord of heaven and ea~~h mIght send the damsel her health, and tryout the venty : After which the damsel declared that though the said Agnes had formerly been very troublesome to her, yet, from that time forth, she did no more appear to her as her tormentor, but, on the contrary, as she apprehended, defending her from the fury of the rest. Second, it is further here to be noticed, that the fore­named Katherine Campbell could by no means be prevailed with to pray for the damsel, but upon the contrary, when desired by some, cursed them, and all the family of Bargarran, and In

particular the damsel and all that belonged to her, w,thal adding this grievious imprecation, " The devil let her never grow better, nor any concerned in her, be in a better condition than she was in for what they had done to her." Which words she spoke b:fore several famous witnesses. 3. That Bargarran having prevailed with the sheriff depute of the shire, to impri son the said Katherine Campbell, she from the t,me of her Impflson­ment, never appeared to the damsel; (though formerly she had ordina rily appeared as one of her most violent tormentors) except once or twice, at which times, it was found upon after

CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN [85

enquiry, that she was not in the Tolbooth, but either In the jailor's house, or had liberty granted her to go out to church. 4. That at the time when the damsel did put out of her mouth the hair and other trash, as above related, Katherine Campbell being taken into custody, there was found in her pocket a ball of hair of several colours, which was afterwards thrown into the fire, after which time the damsel put no more hair out of her mouth. And it is to be further noticed, that she said she heard among the crew, when tormenting her, that Katherine Campbell made that ball of hair found in her pocket, of the hair of the damsel's head which had been cut when her trouble began, and which did agree in colour, &'c., when co mpared.

Upon the first day of January, about ten o'clock at night, she fell by swooning into fits differing from the former, in that, after the swooning fit was over, she lay quiet, as if she had been dead, making no motion at all with her body in the bed; yet, at the same time, those present heard her mournful talking, but with a low and hardly audible voice, and repeating several stories in metre, which they thought to be expressions of the rise and progress of her own tcouble; and thus, sh~ continued, (still, withal, naming some of the for mentioned persons) till her parents and others offered to rouse her, by touching and moving her body: whereupon, instantly, she uttered horrid screeches, and cried as if she had been pierced through with swords, and assaulted for her life; after which she fell a singing, leaping, and dancing for a long time, laughing with a loud voice, in an unusual manner, tearing down the hangi ngs of the bed, and pullIng off her head-clothes and neck-clothes; in which ex travagancies she was acted with such a force and strengrh, that her father and minister, though joining rheir whole strength together, could not get her dancing and leaping hindered. But after prayer, the minister finding her composed, inquired if she remembered what she had done in time of the fit; to which she replied, " That she distinctly remembered her rnisca rriages, and, in special, her singing and dancing, saying, withal, that the witches in­closing her in a ring (or circle), and dancing and singing about her, was the occasion of her dancing, which she then gladly performed with the rest. For some days after she had fits after this manner, with some variation; in one of which fits, as she

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was tearing of[ her head-dress clothes, her parents resolving to see what would be the event, did make no hinderance to her ; whereupon she striped herself of all her clothes that were upon her, not leaving so much as her smock upon her body, if that had been permitted.

After this, towa rd or about the lIth Jan., she fell into fits different from the former, in which she was suddenly carried away from her parents and others that were about her, with a sudden flight, and in the first of these (to their great amazement) through the chamber and hall, down a long winding stair toward the tower -ga te, with such a swift and unaccountable motion, that it was not in the power of any to prevent her-her feet not touching the ground, so far as any of the beholders could discern, being heard in her motion to laugh in an unusual manner; but, by divine providence, the gate being shut, her motion was stopped till such time as some of the family could overtake her who, endeavouring to carry her back, found her instantly fall as one dead, and become stiff; in which posture, being brought back to the chamber, she lay for a considerable space. And being recovered, she did declare that there were about the number of nine or ten persons who had carried her away in a shue (as she termed it, that is, as one swinging upon a rope) wherein she then took pleasure, her feet not at all touching the ground, to her apprehension.

The night following, she was suddenly carried away, as before, from her parents and others who were about her, through the chamber and hall, and sixteen large steps of a winding stair, up toward the top of the house! where she met with apparitions of strange and unaccountable thingsi but was carried down again, as she thought, in a shue or swing, asserting, after her recovery, that she met upon the stair the number of six women and four men, and by them was carried toward the gate again, where accordingly she was found, and was carried up as formerly, all the parts of her body distended and stiff as one dead; in which posture she lay for some time, and when recovering, declared, that both now and formerly, she had endeavoured to open the gate, and that those she saw about her were helping her, with a design to get her to the court, to drown her in the well, which she said she heard them saying among themselves they intended

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to do, and that then the world would believe she had destroyed herself. It is observable that (these kind of fits continuing with her for some few days) in one of them she was stopped at the gate, and found in the fore-mentioned posture, which was neither locked nor barred; yet could they not get it opened, though both she and her tormentors endeavoured it.

Before we proceed in the relation, it is not to be omitted that as soon as the damsel's affliction was observed to be extra­ordinary and preternatural, there were (besides times formerly set apart in a more private way) at the desire of the parents and minister, and by the presbytery's special order, a minister or two appointed to meet every week, at the house of Bargarran, to join with the family, the minister of the parish, and other good christians of the neighbourhood, in fasting and praying, which usually fell to be on the Tuesday. And upon Jan. 12th, it being the turn of Mr. Patrick Simpson, a neighbour minister, to be there, when he came to the house he found both the minister of the parish, and the brother who was to join with him had been necessarily withdrawn; yet resolved to carryon the work with assistance of three elders, some other good people being present. When he first saw the damsel after he came to the house, he found her under some lesser fits which ca me and went off quickly, and when pra yer bega n she was quiet and sober during the same, but in time of singing the xciii, Psalm, she fell into a sore fit, of greater continuance, first laughing, then making some sound like singing, after that pulling her head clothes down over her face, and las tly, turning so outrageous in her motions that her father could scarce get her holden with his whole strength, but behoved to lie over upon the bed with her in his arms until [he fit abated. After her recovery from which, she was quiet and composed all the time of prayer; and while the minister lectured on Mark ix. , from 14 to 30 V., was very attentive, carefully looking in her Bible the Scriptures quoted, so all along both in time of praye r and singing, until the whole religious exercise was ended, and SOme refreshment after the same taken, at the end of which she told the company, she had something to tell, which she had heard so me among her tormentors saying, which she durs t not reveal ; but the minister and her mother urging her to be free and not to obey

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the Devil, she said she would tell it her mother in her ear. Then coming from the other side of the table, and placing herself betwixt her mother and aunt, she began to whisper in her mother's ear; but before she got a sentence fully pronounced, she fell into a violent fit, so as her mother and those next her could scarcely hold her till the violence thereof began to abate, and then her mother told that she was speaking of a meeting and a feast they had spoke of in the orchard of Bargarran, but was able to say no more, and after recovery, her mother desiring her to tell the rest of it, and she beginning to whisper in her ear, as before, could not get one word uttered till she was seized again of a fit as violent as the former. Whereupon the minister perceiving her torment, desired them to forbear any further t roubling of her. Notice, that accordingly there was a feast and meeting in that orchard about that time of the crew, acknow­ledged and declared afterwards by three of them, that confessed themselves to have been there, viz. :-Elizabeth Anderson, James and Thomas Lindsays, they not knowing what either the damsel had spoken, or one of them what another had confessed relating thereunto.

About or within a li ttle after this time, she was again sudde nly carried from them in the former manner down a stair, which goes off from a corner of the chamber to a cellar just below it, where her brother and sister were providentially gone down a little before, to bring some drink from the cellar, and already near the stair foot, with a lighted candle, which she soon put out ; but they cryi ng and holding her by the head-clothes, quickly discovered to the rest where she was. Upon which Mr. Alexander King, minister at Bonhill, (being then in the chamber) made has te down stairs where he found her, but her brother and siste r had lost hold of her, she having loosed her head­clothes and let them go; yet Mr. King having caught hold of her, kept her in his arms till a lighted candle was brought; and endeavouring to bring her up stairs, did declare that he found something forcibly drawing her downwards, but he still keeping his hold, she fell stiff, as one dead upon the sta ir, and was in this posture carried up and laid in bed, where she lay a consider­able space. And when recovered of the fit, she declared that the occasion of her going down stairs with such force, was, that the

CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN

crew had suggested to her while she was in the ligh t fits, that the devil was in the meal chest in the cellar, and that if she would go down and put out the candle, she might force him out of it. Notice here, first, that when some fits of this lUnd were ready to seize her, she sometimes gave advertisement thereof to those present with her, giving signs of her earnest desire of their help ro prevent her motion, which usually proved to be of good effect, wherein the divine mercy toward her is much to be observed. 2 . It is also to be noticed, that about the time when she was in these flying fits, she used to utter horrid shrieks and outcries, not like those of rational creatures; in which time there were heard for three nights together when the damsel was asleep in bed, shrieks and outcries of the same lUnd in the court, when none of the family was without doors, to the great affrightment of those who heard them, being that they exactly resembled the cries of, and shrieks the damsel used to utter in the fits; who afterwards in one of her intervals hearing some of the family talking of these cries and shrieks, and aHedging they had been uttered by some wild beast or other, said to them they were mistaken, for it was Margaret. And two others of the name of Margaret, called by the crew their Maggies, had uttered these shrieks, the devil having promised to them at that time to carry her out of the house to them, that they might drown her in the well, where there were eighteen more waiting for her.

After this she fell into fretting and angry fits (as she termed them) in which her humour was cross to all that those about her could sayar do, nothi ng proving to her satisfaction, but everything displeasing, (her former fits withal now and then seizing her), but when restored to a right composure of mind, she declared that her tormentors about her, did still sugges t to her and advise her, to go to such and such remote places of the house alone, and bring with her a snood (whic h is a head-lace, such as women tie up their hair w.ith) or a cravat or some such thing, promising her rough almonds or some kinds of sweetmeats which they named to her, and for that end, to bring her apron with her to hold them in, and accordingly when seized again with fits of this nature, did resolutely endeavour to repair to these places, having a snood or cravat and her apron with her, and would suffer none to be in her company, which put her

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parents and others to a necessity of detaining her by force, and she being thus prevented uttered hideous screeches and outcries, of which in this SOrt of fits she was seldom free.

Thursday, January 14th, at night, a you ng lass or girl ap­peared to her with a scabbed face amongst the rest of her tormentors, telling her she was to come to the house to-morrow about ten o'clock, and forbidding her to revea l it.

The next day being January 15th, in the afternoon, the damsel earnestiy enquired at her mother and the rest of the family what beggars had come to the gate that day, and of what coun tenance and visage they were? but the family not knowing her design in such a question, gave no heed unto it; yet, she still insisting, and being in company with her mother and another gentlewoman, about four o'clock at night, said to them, she thought she might tell them somewhat (the time being now past) she was forbidden to reveal it; but beginning to tell, she presently fell a crying, that she was tormented and pricked through her whole body, yet recovering from the fit, went on and told it. The thing she had to reveal was, that a scabbed faced lass appeared to her yesternight, and was to be at the gate this day at ten o'clock. Whereupon the serva nts being enquired at, what sort of beggars had been there that day, did declare among others, there had been a beggar wife at the door, and a young woman or lass with her who had sca bs on her face, and received their alms.

Jan. 16th and 17th.-When recovered of her swooning fits, she put out of her mouth a great number of pins, which she declared J--- P--- had forced into her mouth, and a gen tlewoman who had been one of her most violent tormentors.

Jan. 21.-Her fits altered again, after this manner: she would fall in them with hea vy sighs and groa ns, and hideous outcries, telling those about her that cats, ravens, owls, and horses were destroying and pressing her down in the bed; and, at the same time! her mother and another gentlewoman being in the room with her, did declare that immediately after they had taken the girl out of her bed in this condition, they did see something moving under the bed-clothes as big as a cat.

The same morning, in the interval of her fits, she said she heard her tormentors whispering among themselves, and suggest

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to one . another (namely J P the Andersons and other) that the Devil had promised and engaged to them to carry her over the hall window to the end they might drown her in the well which was in the court, and then they said the world would believe she had destroyed herself; and the same day, and seve ral days thereafter, when seized with her grievous fits, did attempt with such force to get herself over that window, that spectators could sca rce, with their whole strength, prevent her.

About this time, nothing in the world would so disco mpose her as religious exercises. If there were any discourses of God or Christ, Or any of the things which are not seen and are eternal, she would be cast into grievous agonies ; and when she essayed in her light fits, to read any portion of the scriptures, repeat any of th e Psalms, or answer any questions of our catechisms (which she could do exactly at other times) she was suddenly struck dumb, and lay as one stiff dead, her mouth opened to such a wideness that her jaw appeared to be out of joint, and anon would clap together again with incredible force. The same happened to her shoulder blade, her elbow, and hand wrists. She would at other times lie in a benumbed condition, and be drawn together as if she had been tied neck and heels with ropes; ye t on a sudden would with such force and violence be pulled up and tear all about her, that it was as much as One or two could do, to hold her fas t in their arms; but when minis ters and other good christians (seeing her in such intolerable an­gu:shes) made serious application by prayer to God, on her behalf, she got respite from her grievous fits of this kind, and was ordinarily free of them during the ti me of prayer, though seized of them before; and albeit, usually, when ministers began to pray, she made great disturbance by idle loud talkin g, whist­lin g, singing and roaring, to drown the voice of the person praylllg.

Particularly, Jan . 22.-She was more turbulent than at other times she used to be, and continued some space after the minister began to pray, singing and making hideous noise, fetching furious blows with her fist, and ki cks with her feet at the minister, uttering reproachful talk of him, and calling him dog, &c. Yet, she being composed, and her fits being over before prayer was ended, and the minister, when he had done,

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finding her sober and in a right composure of mind, enquired why she made such disturbance? To which she replied, she was forced to do it by the hellish crew about her; and that she thought they were none of her own words that she uttered.

Jan. 24th.-She said some things relating both to herself and others had been suggested to her by her troublers; but that they had threatened to torment her, if she should offer to make them known. And accordingly in essaying to express her mind, she was cast into two grievous fits, in which she cried out of violent pains; all the parts of her body becoming rigid and extended like a corpse, her head was twisted round, and, if any offered by force to obstruct such dangerous motion she seemed to be upon, she would roar exceedingly. Sometimes her neck bone seemed to be dissolved, and yet on a sudden became so stiff that there was no moving of it; and when these grievous agonies were over, she again essayed to express her mind by write, but to no purpose, for ins tantly she was cast into other two very grievous fits, wherein she was struck dumb, deaL and blind, and her tongue drawn a prodigious length over her chin. And when the fits were over, declared, the Andersons, J--­P the gentlewoman, and I D with the rest of the hellish crew, some of whom she could not name, had been tormenting her in the fits, and that there had been fifteen of them about the house all the last night, but were now all gone save one, who was to stay about the house tLlI her fits were over. And, accordingly, her brother and sister did declare they saw that morning a woman in the garden, with a red coat about her head, sitting at the root of an apple tree; but Bargarran, with most of the servants} being abroad, the matter was not further searched.

The sa me day, about six at night, she was seized with variety of grievous fits again, in which sometimes she lay wholly sense­less and breathless with her belly swelled like a drum, as like a woman with child,- her eyes were pulled into her head so far that spectators thought she should never have used them more. Sometimes, when she was tying her own neck-clothes, her enchanted hand would tie them so strait about her neck that she had strangled herself if spectators had not given some relief unto her. Sometimes she was in hazard of burning herself

CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN 193

in the fire, offering, with violence, to throw herself into the same. Divers times she did strike furious blows at her nea r relations in her fits. She would maintain discourse with her tormentors, and, asking questions concerning herself and others, received answer from them, which, indeed, none but herself perceived, reasoning with one of them after this manner:

" 0, what ailed thee to be a witch? Thou sayest it is but three nights since thou wast a witch. 0, if thou would est repent, it may be God might give thee repentance. If thou wouldest seek it and confess. If thou would desire me I would do what I could, for the Devil is an ill master to serve. He is a liar from the beginning. He promises what he cannot perform." Then, calling for her Bible, she said: " I will let thee see where he promised to our first parents that they should not die"; and reading the passage, said: "Now, thou seest he is a liar, for, by breaking the commandment, they were made liable to death here and death everlasting. 0, that is an uncouth word. Long eterni ty never to ha ve an end-never, never to have an end; had not God, of his infinite mercy, ordained some to eternal life through Jesus Christ? The Devil makes thee believe thou wilt get great riches by serving him; but come nea r." And having uttered this word, she lost power of her speech, her tongue being drawn back into her throat; yet, beckoning with her hand to the spectre to come near her, and rurning over the book, kept her eye upon that passage of Holy Scripture-Job xxvii, 18-and pointing with her finger at the place, and shaking her head, turned over the book again, and, recovering her speech, said, " I'll let thee see where God bids us seek, and we shall find." And reading over the place, said, " It is God that gives us every good gift. We have nothing of our own. I submit to His will, though I never be better, for God can make all my trouble turn to my advantage, according to His Word-Romans viii, 28 "-which place she then read, and thus continued reasoning for the space of an hour.

Sometimes she cried out of violent pain, by reason of furious blows and strokes she had received from the hands of her tor­mentors, the noi se of which strokes bystanders distinctly heard, though they perceived not the hands that gave them.

One night, the girl, sit ting with her parents and others,

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cried out something was wounding her thigh, upon which, instantly, her mother, putting her hand in the damsel's pocket, found her folding knife opened, which had been folded when put in her pocket; but her uncle, not trusting the thing, did again put up the knife, and leaving it folded in her pocket, on a sudden she cried out, as before, the knife was cutting her thigh, being unfolded by means of J.P. and others, as she said; upon which, her uncle, searching her pocket again, found the knife opened as formerly. This happened twice or thrice, to the admiration of the beholders, though they took special notice that she nor any other visible hand opened it.

Jan. 25th.-She was again seized with her swooning stiff fus, with this remarkable variatjon-her rhroat was sometimes most prodigiously extended, and sometimes as strangely contracted, so that she appeared in palpable danger of being choked, and through the violence of pain in her throat, and difficulty of breathing, struggled with feet and hands, as if some had been actually strangling her, and could speak or cry none, with which kind of fits she was frequently seized for several days, and in the intervals did declare that the fore·mentioned persons and others (whom she could not get them named) were strangling her; and that the occasion of her not having power to speak or cry in the fit was a ball in her throat, which also was visible to specatators, for they did clearly discern a bunch in her throat while in the fit as big as a pullet's egg, which had almost choked her.

Sometimes she was kept from eating her meat, having her teeth set when she carried any food to her mouth. Divers times, also, she was kept from drinking when at meat; for no sooner could she taste the drink but she was in hazard of being choked thereby, and herself sometimes would have held the cup so hard betwixt her teeth that it was not in the power of those with her to unloose it. And when any thing had fallen out amiss in the place where she waS,-as the falling and breaking of a cup, any­body's receiving harm, and such like,-she would fall a-laughing and rejoice extremely, which kind of jollity was far from the girl's temper when at herself.

Feb. Ist.-She essaying to tell some things she had been for­bidden by her tormentors to make known, was handled with

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intolerable torments. At the beginning of her fits, usually she would be kept oddly looking, sometimes towards the chimney, sometimes towards other particular places in the room, but could not always tell what she saw; yet, for ordLnary, she would name such and such persons, who, she said, were then come to cast her into fits. And when any desired her to cry to the Lord Jesus for help, her teeth were instantly set close, her eyes twisted almost round in her head, and she was thrown upon the floor with tbe stiffness and posture of one that had been some days laid for dead; and on a sudden recovered again, and would weep bitterly to remember what had befallen her. The same day, when her fits were over, she said she now perceived it was by the means of a charm that such restraints were laid upon her; that she could not tell what the witches had forbidden her to make known; but the charm might be found out (as she said) by searching for it beneath the bed where she lay; and she having quickly done this herself, found (to the apprehension of spectators) beneath the foresaid bed, an entire egg-shell open in the end, which being instantly thrown into the fire, did melt away after the manner of wax, without any noise as egg-shells use to make when burning in the fire. After this, the girl said she would not now be handled so severely, upon essaying to make known what the witches had forbidden her to tell, only her tongue would be drawn back into her throat, which accordingly happened. She did likewise inform her friends of many things she had not liberty to do, before the charm was found out particularly, that her tormentors had fre ­quently solicited her to become a witch herself, and promised her great riches and perfect health also, to induce her thereunto. Which temptation, she, through the mercy of God, still resisted, reasoning with them after this manner: II The Devil promises what he cannot perform; and granting he co uld fulfil his promises yet I am sure from the Scriptures, hell and the wrath of God will be the final reward of all such as yield to this wickedness." To which she received this reply, (which, indeed, none but herself perceived) that hell and the wrath of God so much talked of, was not so formidable as was represented. She also said, the witches had importunately urged her to give them her consent, to take away the life of her young sister, who was at that time upon her mother's breast; which temptation also, she was enabled

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through the grace of God to resist. She told her parents likewise, there had been a charm laid upon the top of the house, where her young sister was (the child having been se nt out a nursing, by reason of the continued affliction of the family) and that the charm had been placed upon the top of the house by pinched Maggy, who thereby did design the taking away of her sister 's life; and that this was the cause why she had so often, for some weeks before, desired her mother to bring home her sister, con­sta ntly affirming, that the child would dai ly decay as long as she staid there. Whereupon her parents observing the daily deca y of the infant, even to skin and bone, brought her home, where she recovered. The girl being asked how she came to the know­ledge of these th ings? replied, something spea king distinctly as it were above her head, had suggested these, and other things of that nature to her.

Feb. 2nd.-The girl being in the chamber with her mother and o thers, was on a sudden struck with great fear and conster­nation, and fell a-trembling upon the sight of John Lindsay, in Barloch, talking with her father in the hall. She said to her mother the foresaid Lindsay had been always one of her most violent torme ntors, and that she had been threatened with ex­treme tortures, if she should offer to name him ; whereupon she was desired to go towards the place where he was, and touch some part of his body in a way unknown to him, which having done with some aversion, was ins tantly seized with ex treme tortures in all the pa rts of her body. After which L indsay was put to it, and interrogated thereupon; bu t he givi ng no satisfying answer, was desired to take the damsel by the hand, which he being unwill ingly induced to do, she was immediately upon the touch cast into tolerable anguishes, her eyes bei ng almost rwisted round in her head, and all the parts of her body beco ming rigid and stiff, fell down in the posture of one that had bee n laid for some days dead, and afte rwards got up in a sudden, and reari ng her clothes, threw herself with violence upon him and when her fi t was over, spectators did also take the damsel by the hand, ye t no such effect foll owed.

About six at night there came an old Highland fellow to Barga rran, who, call ing himself a weary travell er, said, he be ­hoved to lodge there that night; but the servants refusing him

C HRI S TI AN SH AW OF BARGA RR AN '97

lodgi ng, gave him some thing by way of alms. At this time the damsel being in the chamber with her mother and another gentle­woman, said to th e best of her apprehension; there was one of the wicked crew in or about the house at that ti me: whereupon her mother made haste with her daugh ter down stairs towards the kitchen. And finding there unexpectedly the Highland fellow whom the girl then accused as one of her tormentors, she desired the Highland fell ow to take her daugh ter by the hand, which he bein g urged to do, the gi rl immediately upon his touch was grievously tormented in all the parts of her body. And th is falling out 10 dlvme provldence, Bargarran caused secure him.

The next morning, the minister having come to Bargarran to visit the damsel, and the matter being imparted to him, called for the Highland fell ow, and having questioned him to and again about this matter, without any satisfying answer, brought the child out of the chamber, covering her face, and al most her whole body, with his cloak, and giving signs to the Highland fellow to touch her in this posture, as he had ordered him before, without the damsel's knowledge, which he having done wi th grea t aver­sio n, the girl not knowing of his touch, was insta ntly cast into intolerable agonies as formerly; yet othe rs afterwards touching her, no such event followed. And when her fits were ove r, she besought the High land fellow, to allow her the liberty for to discover and tell persons that haunted and molested her, whom he had forbidden her to make known. Upon which the old fellow looking at her with an angry countenance, her mouth was in­stan tly stopped, and her teeth set ; and being desi red by those present to speak her mind freel y, whether he would or not, at length replied, she feared to do it. And when, through the importunity of John Maxwell of Dargavel, and Porterfield of Fulwood, and some other gentlemen there prese nt, she essayed to declare her mind, she was seized wi th her fits again.

Before this time the lamentable case of the afflicted damsel and family had been represen ted to His Majesty's most hon­ourable privy council, who, upon serious application made to them, worthily and piously granted a commission to a noble lord and SOme worthy gentlemen to make inquiry into the sa me. By VIrtue of this commission some suspected persons were seized; particularly, Feb. 4, Alexa nder Anderson, an ignorant, irreli-

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gious fellow, who had been always of evil fame, and accused by the afflicted damsel, by a special order from the commissioners for inquiry, was apprehended and committed to prison, as was also Elizabeth Anderson, his daughter, upon Aagran t presump­tions of witchcraft; for the other year, Jean Fulton, her grand­mother, an old scandalous woman, being cited before the kirk -session, and accused for hideous cursing, and imprecating mischief upon several persons, which had been followed with fatal events, the forementioned Elizabe th Anderson, her grand­child , who lived in the house with her, did declare before the session she had frequently seen the devil in company with her grandmother, in the likeness of a small black man, who usually did vanish on a sudden within the walls of the house when anybody came to the door. Upon this presumption was the said Elizabeth Anderson seized with her fath er, and committed to custody; but at first most obstinately denied accession any manner of way to the sin of witchcraft, until afterwards, when seriously importuned and dealt wi th in the prison by two gentle­men, did, before she came to Bargarran's house, confess her guilt without Bargarran's knowledge at that time. And that she had been at several meetings with the devil and witc hes, and, amongst others, she did declare her own father, and the fore­mentioned Highland fellow to have been active instruments of the girl's trouble; and gave, before she was confronted with him, exact marks of this Highland body, and though she declared she knew not his name, yet, when confronted with him, did accuse him, and affirm he was the person she spoke of.

February 5th.-A quorum of the commissioners being me t at Bargarran, and the persons then delated by Elizabeth Anderson to have been at meetings wi th the devil, and active instruments of the damsel's trouble, viz ., Alexander Anderson, her father , Agnes Naesmith, Margaret Fultoun, James Lindsay alias Curat, John Lindsay alias Bishop, Katherine Campbell were all of them (excepting John Lindsay alias Bishop, who was not then appre­hended), co nfronted with Katherine Shaw before the Lord Blantyre, and the rest of the commissio ners at BJ.rgarran, and several other gentlemen of note, and minis ters then present, and accused by her as her tormentors. And they having all severa lly touched her in presence of the commissioners, she was at each

CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARG A RRAN ' 99

of their touches seized with grievous fits, and cas t into intolerable anguishes, others then present also touching her in the same way but no such effect followed. And it is remarkable, when Kath­erine Campbell touched the girl , she was immediately upon he~ touch seized with more grievous fits, and cast into more intoler­able torments than what followed upon the tou ch of the other accused persons, whereat Campbell herself being damped and confounded, though she had formerly declined to bless her, uttered these words: "The Lord God of heaven and earth bless thee, and save thee both sou l and body." After which the damsel, when the fits were over, in which she had been a most pitiful spectacle, did declare she was now loosed, and that she might freely touch any of the accused persons, or they her after this, without trouble, which accorci ngly upon trial fell so out; and being inquired how she came to the knowledge of that, answered as formerly in the like C',5e,- That something speaking distinctly as it were above her head, suggested this to her; and likewise usually gave her the knowledge of the names of her tormentors, and places in which they lived.

Februar y 6.-The gi rl being seized wi th sore fits, so mething wns seen in her mouth, to the judgment of spectators like pieces of orange pills invisibly conveyed into her mouth, which she seemed in her agonies to be chewing, and having got down her throat, as those present appre hended, she did fall down dead and sti ff, as if she had been choked, struggling with her feet and hands, as if at the last gasp, her throat swelling in a prodigious manner, to the affrightment of spectators; and when recovered, but yet in the ligh t fit, she would say-O it was a very sweet orange pill which r got from the gentlewoman, and did con­stantly affirm the same, declaring also that there had been others there present with the gentlewoman, particularly Margaret L or pinched Maggy, whose surname she had neither power nor liberty to express, neither durst she offer to do it, lest she should be tormented as was threatened, and always fell out when she essayed to do it either by speaking or writing, which had appeared the day before in the presence of the commissioners.

About this time Thomas Lindsay, a young boy, not yet twelve years of age, was seized, upon flagran t presum ptions of witch­craft. He had said before severa l credi ble persons the devil was

a

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his father, and, if he pleased, he could fly in the likeness of a crow upon the mast of a ship. He sometimes caused a plough to stand, and the horse break the yoke upon the pronouncing of some words, and turn ing himself about wider-shins, that is, turning himself round from the right hand to the left, contrary to the natural course of the sun. This he would do upon the desire of any body who gave him a halfpenny. Upon these and the like flagrant presumptions he was apprehended, who, at fir st, though he con tinued most obstinate in denial, yet afterwards confessed to the minister in his own house, before famous wit­nesses, compact with the devil, and that he had received the insensible mark from the devi l, which is visible upon his body; as also that he had been at several meetings with the devil and witches, where he said were present his brother James, with others, and part icularly those who had been delated by Anderson. This he confessed, with some other wickedness of this kind, before he was committed to cus tod y in Bargarran house.

After this Bargarran made diligent search for James Lindsay, elder brother to Thomas, having been all along accused by the afflicted damsel as one of her troublers, whom she called the gley'd or squint-eyed elf (as he was indeed) for that was the name the crew about her gave him, who, when he was brought upon the place, though he did at first most obstinately deny his guilt, yet at length, through the endeavours of Mr. Patrick Simpson, a neighbour minister, ingeniously confessed the guilt he was charged wi th, and in his confession did agree in every material circumstance with the other two, though he knew not what they had confessed, he having not seen them before his confession, nOf had he any occaslon of information in co nference with others thereanent, being immediately brought to the place from the tolbooth of Glasgow, where he had been some weeks before that time in prison as a vagabond beggar, upon a design to have sent him to foreign plantations.

A more particular account of what they freely confessed and acknowledged before the com missioners, for inquiry, we have for rhe sa tisfaction of the reader subjoined to the narrative, with an abstract of the report made by the commissioners to the lords of his Majesty's most honourable privy council , concern ing the whole affa ir.

CHRIS TIAN SH AW O F BAR GARRA N 201

February r r.-T here was by the presbytery's appointmen t a public fast kept upon the damsel's accoun t in the church of Erskine, in which Mr. Turner, minister of the place, began the work with prayer, expounding Rev. xii ., from verse 7 to verse 13. Mr. James Hutchison, minister at Kilella n, took the next turn of prayer, and did preach upon I Pet. v. 8 ; and Mr. Simpson concluded the work, preaching upon Matthew xvii. 20. 2I, where the girl was present all day; but before she came to church that mornin g, she told that, while she was in one of her fits the night before, she heard the Devil speaking of that public fast, and what ministers were to be there, and that old man Mr. James Hutchison should stumble, and his peruke fall off as he went up to the pulpit, and all the people should laugh at him, and he should break his neck in going home. And when she came out of the church after the fore-noon's work, she said the Devil was a liar ; for no such thing fell out as he had threatened. She was all day very quiet in church, although, being in some of her light fits, some spectres appeared in time of the public work, which she told of there after.

About six at night there were present in the chamber with the damsel Mr. Simpson with his wife, Lady Northbar, and others, discoursing and conferring about her case; and while they were conferring together she told them she would glad ly make some things known if she durst for her torme ntors; and after­wards essaying to do it, was instantly seized wi th a violent fit, in which she leapt straight up, and appeared as if she had bee n choked, so it was as much as one or two could do to hold her fast in their arms; and when the fit was over, Mr. Simpson going about family worship, did expound Psalm ex., and speaking of the limited power of the adversaries of ou r Lord Jesus Christ, from the latter part of verse r. , she was on a sudden seized with anot her grievous fit , in which she put out of her mouth some blood, which raised grounds of fea r and jealously in the minds of spectators, that something in her mouth hurting her had been the occasion of it; yet they could not get her mouth opened, though they used means to open the sa me, her teeth being close set. And in the interval of the fit, she being asked if she found anything in her mouth that had been the occasion of her putting Out of blood; she replied she found nothing, nor knew the cause

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thereof, but opening her mouth, those presen t fo und one of her double teeth newly drawn ou t, but knew not what became of the toarh ; for though search was made for the same, it could not be found. After which the minister proceeded upon the sa me sub­jec t, but was again interrupted by her renewed fits, yet closed the exercise with prayer, after which, without more trouble, she was taken to her bed .

February 12.-Margaret Lang and her daughter, Martha Semple, being delated by the three confessanrs, and accused by the girl to have been active instruments in her trouble, ca me of their own accord to Bargarran's house, and, before they came up stairs, the girl said she was now bound up, and could not accuse Margaret Lang to her face; and accordingly the girl' s mother havi ng desired some of those who were sitting by her to feel some parts of her body, and they having done it, fo und her body so stiff and inflexib le, [hat there was no moving of it, and im­mediately again, found some pa rrs of her body so contracted and drawn hard together, as if by cords. After this, Margaret Lang and her daughter, having gone to the chamber to the gi rl , did in presence of the ministers and others, desire the damsel to come to her, for she would do her no harm ; and layi ng her arms about her, spake very fairly to her, and questioned her if ever she had seen her or her d~ughter amongst her tormentors, to which the girl did positively repl y, she had frequently seen her daughter; but declined through fea r to accuse herself, saying faintly, No. Afte r which Margaret and her da ughter returning into the hall, and the minister enquiring at her why she said No, seeing she had accused her before. s he answered, take me con trary, upon which she was seized with a grievous fit; yet after her recovery, being urged again by those present, to tell her mi nd freely, whether or not Marga ret Lang was one of her tormentors, the child thereupon essaying to say Yes, and havi ng half p ronounced the word, was cast lnto inexpressibl~ ang uishes; and again, in the interval of the fit, she essayed to express the same thing, and saying the word, T int (that is lost) was on a sudden struck with ano ther fit; and when the fit was over, and the child returned to the chamber, Margaret Lang, who was sitting near the hall door, spoke these words after her, " The Lord bless thee, and ding (that is beat or dtive) the devil out of thee." A little after

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which words, Margaret going down stairs, the damsel ca me to the hall, and said, her bonds were now loosed, and that now she could accuse Margaret Lang to her fa ce, and declared the occasion of her bei ng so res trained and bound up while Margaret was present, was her letting fall a parcel of hair a t the hall door as she came in; being a charm made by her for that end, which also had been the occasion of her uttering the word tint, in the former fit; and accordingly a parcel of hair had been fou nd at the hall door, after Margaret L ang had gone straight from the hall to the chamber, which immediately was cast into the fire and but ned. And it is rematkable that it could be attested, that there was no hair, or any other thing else in that place before Margaret Lang came in ; and the girl being inquired what way she knew Margaret Lang had laid the forementioned charm upon her, replied, something speaking dis tinctly to he r as it were above her head had suggested that to her.

About eight at night she was severely handled in her fits, much after the former manner, and while she was in her swoon ­ing fits, there was seen in her mouth a pin, wherewith she see med almost choked, but by divine providence it was with great difficulty got our. After this she was so mewhat composed, and did not much complai n of pain; but was distinctl y heard to entertain discourse with some invisible creature abou t her) and the repli es given by her, and heard by those who took care of her, gave them ground to concl ude she was tempted to set her hand to a paper then presented to her, with promises that upon her yielding thereunto, she should never be troubled any more; as also that she should ge t sweetmea ts, a drink of sack, a bonny handsome coat with silver lace. She was also distinctly hea rd say, resisting the tempter, "Thou art a filth y sow, should I obey thee; this was not the end of my creation, but to glorify God and enjoy Him for eve r ; and thou promiseth what thou ca nnot perform. Art thou angry at me for saying thou sow? What co uld I call thee, bu t thou filthy sow? Art thou not the filth y devil; for as brave as thou art with thy silve r and gold lace, wouldst thou have me renounce my baptism? Dost thou promise to give me brave men in marriage, and fine clothes, and perfect heal th, if I should consent there unto? Dost thou say my bap­ism will do me no good, because thou alleges! he was not a

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sufficient minister that baptized me? Thou art a liar; I will be content to die, before I renounce my baptism-O through the grace of God I will never do it." And thus she continued reasoning, being both blind and deaf, fo r the space of two hours; and when she came to herself, did declare it was the Devil who first presented himself, temptin g her in the shape of a sow, to renoun ce her baptism, as is hinted ; and that he did chide her when she called him thou sow, and immedia tely appea red to her again in the sha pe of a brave gentleman, as having gold and silve r lace on his clothes, still urging her to renoun ce her baptism, which temptation she, through the special assistance of the grace of God, effectually resisted. S he also said, that it had bee n suggested to her by the spirit, speaking to her, as it were above her head, after the combat with the tempter was over, that One of her tormentors would be at the house the mOrrow.

February 13.- She was seized with a Sore fit about twelve o'clock of the day, in which she continued for more than two hours space, both deaf and blind. Those in the room with her, crying to her with a loud voice, and pinching her hands and other parts of her body; but all to no purpose. And in this posture was hurried to and fro with violence through the room ; and when anybody by force offered to hinder the dangerous and violent motion she seemed to be upon, she would roar exceeding­ly; sometimes she desired her fa ther and mother and others to come and take her home (supposing herself not to be in her father' s house). When the girl was in this deplorable condition Margaret Roger, who lived in the neighbourhood, came to the house of Bargarran, enquiring for the lady; and having come up stairs, the parents of the damsel remembering what the girl had sa id the night before, that one of her tormentors was to come that day to the house, brought Margare t Roger to the chamber where the girl was, and so soon as she eJltered the door, the damsel, though she could discern none of those who were present with her, nor answer them when they cried to her; yet presently saw her, and ran towards her crying, " Maggy, Maggy, where has t thou been ? Wilt thou take me with thee, for my father and mother have le ft me." 'W'here upon spectators being astonished, caused Margaret speak to the child, which she having done, the girl distinctly heard and answered her every word. After this,

CHRIS T IAN S H AW OF BARGA RRAN 205

the three confessants were also brought up to the chamber where the damsel was, and so soon as they entered the door, she ran also to them laughing as if she had been overjoyed, answering them when they spoke to her ; and Margaret Roger there present, being confronted wi th th e confessa nts, they did decla re that she had been at meetin gs with the Devi l and witches in Bargarran orchard, consulting and contriving Christian Shaw's ruin.

The Lord 's day following. being February 14, aft er some short intervals she was again seized with her fits, in which she said, " Margaret Lang and her daughter Marth a Semple, were tormenting her and cutting her throa t ", which words, through violence of pain, and difficulty of brea thing, she uttered with a low and hardly audible voice; and upon the naming of Marga ret Lang and her da ughter she was tossed and dreadfully tormented in all the pa rts of her body, being made sometimes to stand upon her head and feet at once, sometimes her belly swelling like a drum and fall ing again in a sudden, and someti mes her head and other pa rts of her body were li ke to be shaken in pieces, so that spectators feared she would never speak more. And when the fit was over she declared Margaret Lang said to her, when in the fit , "That she would give her a tos ty " (whi ch imports hot and severe handling), for naming her.

At this time she was seldom free of her light fits, whi ch for most pa rt were all the respite and ease she had from the un­expressible agonies she endured in her more grievous fits, unless when asleep; and while she was in these fi ts nobody could persuade her to pray; ye t when in a right composure of mind and perfectly at herself, she would weep bitterly to remember this, expressing her fears lest that might be any evidence God would forsa ke her.

February l B.-About two in the afternoon she being in the light fit , said, .. the D evil now appeared to her in the shape of a man " ; where upon, being s truck with grea t fea r and conster­nation, was desired to pray with an audible voice, .. The Lord rebuke thee, Satan," which she essaying to do, instantly lost power of speech, her teeth being se t, and her tongue drawn back into her throa t; and she essaying again, was immediately seized with another grievo us fit , in which her eyes bei ng twisted almost

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206 ROWAN TR E E AN D RED THRE AD

round in her head , she fell down as one dead, struggling with her feet and hands) and again getting up o n a sudde n, was hurried with violence to and fro through the room dea f and blind; yet was spea king with some invis ible creatures about her, saying, " wi th the Lord's strength thOll shalt neither put straw nor stick into my mouth." After this she cried in a pitiful manner " the bumbee has stinged me ", then presently sitting down and loosing her stockings, put her hand to that part which had been nipped or pinched, whereupon spectators did visibly discern the lively marks of nails of fingers deeply imprinted on that same part of her leg. And when she came to herself, she did declare" that something speaking to her, as it were above her head," told her it was M.M. in a neighbouri ng parish (naming the place) " that ha,l appeared to he:', and pi nched her leg in the likeness of a bum;'ee." She likewise did declare that the fore-mentioned M.M. " instantly after this had been sug­gested to her, appea red to her in her own shape, and likeness as she used to be at other limes." Shortly after this, being still seized wi th her light fi t, she whispered in her mother's ea r, " the Devil was now appeari ng to her again' in the shape of a gentleman" ; and bei ng instan tly seized with her fi ts, in which she was both blind and deaf, was distinctly heard arguing after this manner: " Thou thinkest to tempt me to be a wi tch; but through God's strength thou shalt never be the better. I charge th ee, in the name of God, to be gone, and thy papers too. In the Lord 's strengrh I will not fea r thee. I will stand here and see if thou can come one s tep ce.1 rer me ; I think thou fca rest me more than I fear thee." Then turning herself again} she was hurried to and fro with viole nce through the room, as formerly, saying, ,I S he was birre n or pinched very sore in the hand with reeth, and nipped with fi ngers about twen ty-four times "; which constrained her to horrid screeches and outcries at every time she received them, shewing and poin ting wi th her fingers to these parts of her arm and leg which had been pi nched and bitten, bu t neither saw nor heard any about her. And accordingly specrators did visibly discern the evident marks of teeth and nails of fingers upon her arms and legs. In this posture th e girl continued from two till fi ve in the afternoon, and when her misery was over, she said, " M. M. told her in the fit, that

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C HRI S TI AN SHAW OF BARG ARRAN 2 0 7

Margaret Lang, then in custody, had ordered her to handle her after that manner; and that Margaret Lang had a commanding power over her. "

Friday and Saturda y thereafter, bei ng February 19th and 20th, she was frequently seized wi th the forementioned fits, and being violently bit ten, pinched, and ni pped in he r hands, neck, and other parts of her body, so that the clear m"rks of the nails of fingers and steads of teeth, both upper and lower, with the spittle and slaver of a mouth thereupon , was eviden tly seen by spectators. About this time, when seized with her blind and deaf fits, a crooked fellow appeared to her, having his feet deformed, his two heels wrying inward toward one another, and the foreparts of his feet outward from one another, so that rhe broadside of his fee t moved fore most ; and upon the appearing of this fell ow her feet were put in the very same posture, du ring the time he tormented her. It is to be noticed that there is a fellow in one of the neighbouri ng parishes, whose fe et are exactly in that manner deformed, who has bee n a lo ng time of ill fam e, and given up by the confessants to have been at meetings with the Devil and the rest of the crew in Bargarran orchard .

Saturday, being Feb. 20th, the whole family being gone to bed , they had left a great quanti ty of peats or turf, beside the hall chimney, which the nex t morning they saw them burnt to ashes, though there had been no fire in the chimney nor near them, so that the plaister and stones of the wall, where the peats or turf lay, were in a great part turned to rubbish through the violence of the fi re, but no other damage followed, the hall Roor being laid with stones, and the pea ts lying within the bosom of a large chimney brace.

Feb. 27th.- T he chamber fire having been covered with ashes in the chimney, when the family went to bed, the next morning, though a good quantity of ashes had been left, yet they found all clean swept away, and no appearance of ashes nor fire there at all; albeit none in the family that night nor next morning had been there after the fire was gathered, before this was observed .

In fits of this kind she continued for several days thereafter, naming the fore mentioned crooked fellow, J. R. and M. A. living in the nei ghbouring parishes, which two women were

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delated by the three confessants to be amongst her tormentors; and particularly upon the Lord's day, being Feb. 2Ist, and the Monday following, the said J. R. appearing to her, grievously vexed her, withal telling her she was commissioned so to do, the gentlewoman, M. M., having a pain in her head at the time, and so not able to come forth, concerning which, it is worthy of remark, that the damsel declared M. M. to have appeared to her about twO days thereafter, with her head bound up with a napkin, or handkerchief, in which like habit or posture she did not formerly appear.

Upon Thursday thereafter, being Feb. 25th, she continued in the forme r fits, weeping bitterly and complaining of pain in both her sides: she also told in the interval of her fits that she was that night to be in very grievous and sore fits, her tormentors being resolved to choke her by putting pins in her mouth, which (though she emptied herself of all that were in her clothes) ye t accordingly came to pass; in which she was both blind and deaf, leaping up and down in an extraordi nary manner, pulling down whatever came to her hand; and thus continued for some days, putting out of her mouth a great quantity of small broken pins, which she declared J. R. had forced in the same.

Upon the Lord's day, being the last of Feb., about fi ve 0' clock in the afternoon, she fell into grievous fits, accompanied with hideous or loud laughing, leaping and running with violence to and fro, and thereafter wept sore, crying out of pain, that a little Highlandman (whom she knew to be such by his habit and speech) was now brea king her leg; which (because of pa in) she scarce could get told in the fit, and putting her hand to the part of her leg affected, spectators untying her stocking, distinctl y observed a sore bruise in her shin bone, which, when touched, did so pain her, that she unered horrid screeches and cries; and when recovered, did declare that the iiuie Highland fellow had give n her that bruise. After this, she put out of her mouth a crooked pin, by which she told the foresaid Highland fellow having forced it into her mouth, designed to choke her.

The first eight days of March she continued in her former fits with little variation, putting out of her mouth a great nu mber of small pins, often fainting and falling as dead upon the ground on a sudden, again struggling with feet and hands, by all which,

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CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN 209

her natural spi rits were much weakened and exhaus ted j some ­times also she essayed to go into the fir e. About this time, when ministers and other Christians met in the fami ly for prayer, she used at the beginning of the work to make great disturbance, particularly March 2d, which day, being set apart for fasting and prayer in the family, prayer begun, she was for some time very composed, until of a sudden, a strong blast of wind forced open the windows of the room, upon which she was instantly seized with a violent fit, the minister in the very same time supplicating God that she might be delivered from Satan's bonds; in which fit she being both blind and deaf as to all, except her rormentors, was hurried with violence to and fro in the room, sometimes falling down as one dead, sometimes s ingi.ng and making a hideous loud noise; sometimes naming M. M. and others, who, she said, were there present, afflicting and torment· ing her withal, naming the particular places of the room where she saw them standing and sitting. After all which, when recovered out of the fit , she told that a gentlewoman and a little Highland fellow came in with the blast of wind which forced open the windows. This falling out upon the Tuesday, she continued in the light fit without any intermission till the Sab· bath thereafter, not being seized with any of her sore fits ; and having gone to church the Lord's day following, was perfectly well for the most part of the day; yet affirmed she saw Janet Waugh and others, in one of the windows of the church, though invisible to all others.

Tuesday, being March 9th, her mother and Margaret Campbell, her cousin, took the damsel to walk wi th them in the orchard; and returning back to the house , her mother entering the tower gate first, the damsel being at her back and Margaret C1mpbell tarrying a little ' whi le at the gate, her mother going into the kitchen supposed they had been with her, whereas the damsel was of a sudden ca rried away in a fl ight up stairs with so swift and unaccountable a motion that her absence was not in the least suspected. Her mother turning and missing her, cried, whither is Chris tian and Margaret Campbell? and instantly running up stairs to look for the damsel heard a noise, and, following the same, found the damsel leaping and dancing upon one of the stairs, being seized with fits, out of which, when she

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had recovered, she told that J. P. had carried her away from her mother's back as she entered the kitchen door (her not touching the ground to her apprehension ), and that with a design to s trangle her in an high wardrobe with ropes, On which the linen used to dry, but that the said J.P. could carry her no further than the place where she was found, and did therefore leave her in such a violent fit.

Upon the Lord's day thereafter, being March I4th, her fits again altered, in that her mouth and nose were prodigiously distorted and turning about while in the fit, her face being thereby s trangely and horribly deformed. T he sa me day she being in church in the forenoon, her glove falling from her, the Sa me was again put into her hand by some invisible agent, to the amazeme nt of beholders. To which we add here, as that which is worthy of remark, that all this while an invisible being haunted her on all occasions, suggesting many things to her both concerning herself and others, but yet never heard by any but herself.

The sa me day betwixt sermons, she told that she was to be violen tly tormented in the afternoon, which accordingly came to pass; and when in her fits she named one J.K .} a woman living in the neighbouring bounds, of whom she sa id, that she had seen her in the church, as also that she was master of these kind of fits she was afflicted with; withal asserting that if the said J.K. were not sent for, she would grow worse and worse, which her parents finding to be true, sent in the evening for the said J.K., threatening her, if the damsel was any further troubled with her, that she would be apprehend ed as others had been; after which, the damsel being in the meantime in a very sore fit , the fore mentioned J.K. prayed (though not desired) that God might send the damsel her heal th, whereupon the damsel was no more troubled with these kind of fi ts, but did instantly recove r, by falling into a swoon as she used to do before recovery out of any of her fits .

Tuesday, being March I6th, she was again seized with her other kind of fits, all the pa rts of her body being stiff and rigid; and so metimes in them was heard conversing with the gentle­woman (as she called her), vindicating herself of what the gen tlewoman alleged against her, viz., that she had accused

CHRIS TIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN 2 11

some innocent persons as her tormentors. T o which the damsel distinctly replied that she was a liar, saying, it was you yourself and none other ever mentioned any such thing.

T hus she continued until the Friday therea fter, being never free of the light fits, now and then also falling into swoons, and appeared to be almost choked by the means of some charms and enchantments invisibly c~nveyed into her mouth; which, to the apprehension of spectators, were as if it had been pieces of chestnuts, orange pills, whites of eggs, or such like, all which were distinctly obse rved, when occasionally in the fit she opened her mouth ; and when spectators essayed to get them out, she kep t her mouth and teeth so close, that no strength could open the same. When recovered out of the fit , she told L.M. , a woman livi ng in the neighbouring bounds, had p ut them in her mouth.

Upon F riday, being March I9th, she was violently tormented with sore fits , in which her neck was distorted and bended back like .a bow towards her heels, struggling with feet and hands, sometimes stiff, blind, and deaf, putting Out of her mouth a grea t number of small pins, which she said the fo rementioned L.M. had put into her mou th. And about six o'clock that Sa me night, being violently tormented, fell a·crying, that if the gentlewoman was no t apprehended that night, it would be in vain to apprehend her to-morrow: fOf, said she, I have much to suffer at her hands be twixt twelve and one o'clock in the morn in g. After this the damsel lifting up her eyelids with her hands, and looking upwards, said , what art thou that tells me th at the sheriff and my father are comi ng here this night ? After which the sheriff, her fa ther, and James Guthrie, macer to the justiciary court, instantly came up stairs, to the amaze ment of those who remembered what the damsel just now had said. The damsel continuing all this while blind and deaf; yet was heard (the foresa id persons being present) distinctly to discourse with some invisible being nea r to her, saying, is the sheriff come-is he near me ? and stretching out her hand to feel if any were about her, the sheriff put his hand in hers, notwiths tanding of which, she said to the invisible being discoursing wi th her, " 1 ca nnot feel the sheriff ; how can he be present here? or how ca n 1 have him by the hand as thou sayest, seeing 1 feel it not ? Thou sayest he hath brown coloured clothes, red pl ush breeches with black

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stripes, flowered muslin cravat, and an embroidered sword-belt. Thou sayest there is an old grey haired man with him, having a ring upon his hand; but I can neither see nor feel any of them. What, are they come to apprehend the gentlewoman? Is that their errand indeed?" And the girl being enquired how she came to the knowledge of these strange things, replied as formerly in the like case, something speaking distinctly as above her head suggested them to her. It is very observable here, that the foresaid persons had that Same afternoon got an order from the commissioners of iusticiary to apprehend the same gentlewoman, and were so far 011 their way to put it in execution against the next morning; but being witnesses to the damsel's trouble, and hearing what she had told, viz., that a delay in that matter would prove to her exceeding dangerous, they went straight on in their journey that same night to the gentlewoman's habitation, and put their warrant to execution.

As the damsel still continued to be violently tormented, sometimes lying with her neck and other parts of he .. body upon the ground, as if they had been disjointed; sometimes, also, essaying to throw herself into the fire. About ten o'clock the same night, she continuing in the fit, her father (who had not gone with the sheriff) beginning to read a part of the Word of God, she repeated the words after him, though blind and deaf in the meantime, which made spectators apprehend that the damsel had the sense of hearing in these sort of firs, at least when the Word of God was read; to find out the truth of which, her father did cease from reading, which, though he did, yet the damsel continued to repeat the following verses of the chapter, while none in the room were reading, and she herself had no book; withal being heard say to some invisible being about her,­"Wilt thou teach me a part of the Old Testa men t as well as the New? "

The damsel still continuing in the forementioned fits, said unto the persons present, tbat " now it was twelve of the clock; oh! it is now past twelve," sometimes lying as one dead, through the violence of pain and decay of her natural spirits, sometimes again recovering, essayed to express somewhat, but could not; withal putting out of her mouth a great quantity of crooked pins, and the parts of her body being prodigiously distorted, she com-

CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN 213

plained of great pain. Thus she continued until half-an-hour after twelve o'clock at night; when on a sudden she recovered, to the admiration of beholders, telling them she might now go to bed, being told by some invisible informer that the sheriff and the other gentleman, to wit, the macer, had now entered the gentlewoman's house, and accordingly going to bed, was no further troubled that night. It is worthy of remark here, that the sheriff and macer, at thei r return, did declare that it was just about that time they entered the gentlewoman's house, which the damsel condescended upon.

Saturday, being March 20th, about ten o'clock in the fore­noon, she was of a sudden seized with fits, falling down as One dead, her eyes quite closed, sometimes again opening and turning in her head, she saw nor heard none about her, but was hurried with violence to and fro through the room, crying with a loud voice when any by force would hinder her motion. She being in this posture, and deprived thus of her senses, James Lindsay, one of the three confessants, was brought into the room, who no SOoner had entered the doof, but was perceived by her, and she, smiling, ran towards him, saying,-" Jamie, where hast thou been this long time-how is it with thee?" and answered him distinctly to every word he spake, though at the same time she neither heard nor saw any other in the room, nor could converse with them, albeit, tried by several experi­ments for that purpose, particularly a tobacco box being held before her eyes by a person present in the room, she did not see it; but as soon as it was put in the hand of James Lindsay, she inquired at him where he had got that box? She, continuing in this posture, the sheriff and her father being present, thought it fit to confront M.M., who was now come, thereby to try if the damsel would hear or see her , as she had done James Lindsay, which accordingly they did. And as soon as M.M. entered the door; the damsel (though still in the fit) presently smiled and said-" I see the gentlewoman now," though for­merly she had never seen her personally, but only her spectre in the fits. She likewise heard her, when she spoke to her, answering distinctly some questions proposed by M.M., such as, when it was she had seen her tormenting her ? to which she answered, she had seen her the other night in her fits, and

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further challenged her, why she had restrained her from making known the Highland wife's name, as also saying unto her, " Thou pretends thou knowest not what I say-thou knowest well enough." U pan all which, the gentlewoman on a sudden (without being desired) prayed that the Lord might send the damsel her health, saying, "Lord help thee, poor daft child, and rebuke the Devil." Which words were no sooner uttered than the damsel fell down as dead, and being in this posture carried to another room, instantly recovered of the blind, deaf, and also of the light fit, becoming perfectly well, and continued so for some time; and being thus recovered, and M.M. removed into another room, the damsel was enquired at, whom she had seen in the last fit? to which she replied, she had seen the gentle­woman, though in the meantime she was ignorant of the gentlewoman's ever being personally present in the room with her.

The same day the commissioners of justiciary having come to Bargarran, M.M. and the damsel were again confronted, upon which the damsel (being in the light fit), upon the first look of the forementioned M.M. was suddenly seized with sore fits, out of which, when she recovered, she accused her as being one of her most violent tormentors, particularly mentioning such and such times, in which she had in an extraordinary manner afflicted her, as also what words she spoke in her hearing while in the fit; and which is yet more remarkable, did question the gentlewoman if she did not sometime in December last, when she was tormenting her, remember how she went away from her in great haste, saying she could stay no longer, being obliged to attend a child's burial at home. In confirmation of which, we are very credibly informed, that W.R., a near neighbour of her' s, had a child buried tn,1l s,,", lIe day, and that the gentlewoman came not in due time to :l ttend the corpse to the burial place but the corpse being near to the churchyard ere she reached the house from whence they came, she returned again to her own lodging, and so did not accompany the burial at all.

The Lord's day following, being March 21St, she fell into swooni ng fits, complaining of no pain, except near to her heart) falling down as dead, not only when the fits seized her, but also when she recovered, sometimes singing after an unusual manner,

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CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN 2 15

withal informing spectators that J .G. constrained her to that kind of music, her Own lips not at all moving in the meantime, which beholders saw to be true, only her tongue, for preventing of which she frequently put her hand into her mouth. And at this time, when either she herself, or those about her, offered to read any part of the Scripture, she was violently tormented, declaring if she did but so much as hear the word of God read that day, she would certainly be extremely tortured; in co nfir­mation of which, when some essayed to read Heb. xi. 2, 4, 6, Isa. xl, Psal. iii. she uttered horrid screeches and outcries, complaining that she was pinched, in evidence of which, the prints or marks of the nails of fingers were distinctly seen on her arms; and being thus pinched or bitten for several times with great violence and pain) the skin itself was seen to be torn from off those parts of her arms and fingers, where the prints of the teeth and nails were observed; so that, from the deepness of the wounds, the foresaid parts affected fell a-bleeding, which blood was both seen and handled by spectators. Moreover, the damsel, while in this sad and lamentable condition, seemed to be extremely affected and oppressed with sore sickness, as one in a fever, crying some times to remove these dead children out of her sight; which she frequently repeated from six to nine in the morning, and she still continuing the rest of the day, it was observed that some charms and enchantments were put in her mouth as formerly, of which the damsel being very sensible, fell down on a s udden on the ground, putting her hand to some spittle which she had put out of her mouth, and lifted some trash which she again cast down to the ground, it making some noise, but yet nei ther seen in her spittle nor elsewhere by spectators, though while in her mouth, they observed something like orange pills, whites of eggs, and pieces of chestnuts.

Monday, being March 22d, the forementioned L.M. or J.G. came to Bargarran's house, and being confronted with the damsel, questioned her if ever she had seen her in any of her fits, withal alieging that she, viz., L.M. or J.G. , could be none of her tormentors, because the damsel was not now seized with a fit, though looking upon her as she used to be. when she looked upon any of her other tormentors when confronted with them; Upon which, the damsel being for some time silent, L.M. or

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J.G. did again propose the same question to her, to which the damsel distinctly replied, .. Yes";· upon which L.M. replied, .. perhaps you have seen the Devil in my shape."

As to the conference, there are several things exceeding remarkable; as first, that the damsel, upon her answering yes, was immediately seized with a fit; secondly, that however, after Katherine Campbell had touched the damsel in presence of the Commissioners, upon the 5th of Feb. last, she had ever since that time freedom to touch any of her tormentors without being seized with her fits, as has been hinted; yet true it is, that in the room of that charm a new olle took place! Vi~" when any time she looked upon her tormentors in the fa ce, at the very first look she was seized with her fits; which charm she declared was laid by means of the fore mentioned L.M. or J.G., and also taken off again by her that very morning before she came to visit the damsel; and this, she said, was suggested to her by some invisible being, speaking distinctly as it were above her head, and that therefore the damsel now had freedom to look L.M. in the face without being seized with fits, which for a con­siderable time before she could not do when confronted with any of her tormentors ; thirdly, it is ye t more observable that in the same morning, before ever L.M. came to visit the damsel, it was told by the damsel to several persons in the family that L.M. had taken off that charm of her being seized with fits when looking any of her tormentors in the fa ce; but, withal, that she had laid on another in its room, viz., that as soon as the damsel should by words confer with any of her tormentors, so soon should she be seized with a fit, which accordingly was verified when she spoke to L.M. or J.G.

Tuesday, being March 23d, the damsel being asleep in the bed with her mother, about three o'clock in the morning, was on a sudden awakened (having for some time struggled in her sleep) in great fear and consternation, and being seized with her blind and deaf fits, took fast hold of her mother, declaring to her father and her, that the Devil was standing near to the bed assaulting her, upon which she cried suddenly: .. God Almighty keep me from thy meetings. I will die rather than go to them. I will never, through the grace of God, renounce my baptism; for I will certainly go to hell if I do it. Thou says I will go to

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CHRISTIAN SHAW OF BARGARRAN 217

hell, however, because I am a great sinner; but I believe what the word of God saith,-though I have many sins, yet the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin; and I will not add that great wickedness to my other si ns, which thou art temp ting me to do. It is no wonder thou lie to me, seeing thou wast bold to lie in God's face. I know thou art a liar from the beginning ; and the red coat thou promises me, I know thou canst not perform it. And although I should never recover, I am resolved never to renounce my baptism. It is God that hath kept me all this time from being a witch, and I trust he will yet by his grace keep me, not because of any thing in me, but of his own mercy; and that he who hath kept me hitherto from being devoured by thee I hope will yet keep me," This conference continued near the space of an hour, her father, mother and others being ear witnesses to the same. And after recovery the damsel declared that it was the Devil, who (in the shape of a naked man with a shirt, having much hair upon his hands, and his face like swine's bristles), had appeared to her tempting her as aforesaid.

Until Sabbath following she continued in the light fit, but withal every morning and evening was still seized with her sore fits, continuing still to name M.M. (who was at this time set at liberty), the fore mentioned L.M., E.T., an Highland wife, and others as being her tormentors. It is more than remarkable here, that M.M. being set at liberty upon bail, the very day after she went home, she appeared again to the damsel tor­menting her in her fits, and continued so to do several days thereafter, particularly upon the Saturday, being March 27, after she was set at liberty; the which day, the damsel was heard name her in the fits, and say to her: "Wilt thou say, God help me, poor mad or foolish child, as thou said the other day before the judges: art thou wishing the devil to take me; where is the habit thou was clothed in the other day? "

On Sabbath morning, being March 28th, the damsel through God's great mercy towards her, was perfectly recovered, bo th of all her sore and light fits; becoming as well, sensible, and composed as ever.

£ND OF THE NARRAT IVE OF' CHRISTIAN SHAW.

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I7

THE DElL OF ARDROSSAN

Reprinted from The Philosophy of Witchcraft. J. Mitche ll and J. Dickie, Paisley, l839-

~ day a merchant of Dumb art on sailed in his ship from that tow n. After they had sailed severa l days, they got a grea t storm and were 'lhipwrecked on the coas t of a desert

island. All the crew were drowned except himself. He, wander· ing about, found a cave on the shore, and he took his abode in it. A mermaid found him there. She had a fondness towards the stranger. And they afterwards lived together in that cave . The mermaid every day went to her own element, or the sea, and brought provisions. And after a whole year 's residence, and his mermaid spouse being from home, he saw a ship, and he hailed her. The ship's crew sent a boat ashore, and they entered into conversation with this forlorn merc hant, who related the tale of his captivity, and his livin g in a cave wi th a mermaid; and how that she brocht rowth of food, and gowd, and silla r, and gows (jewels), and wine to him, so much as he kenna what to do wi' them. They, being outward bound , reo quested him to ga r the beloved mermaid ga ther all the s tores she possibly could, and they hecht to cum again after a year and a day, and tak' him wi' the valuable spuilyie, or boothie. They cam at the time appointed, and the mermaid being out, they made quick dispatch to get all the stores on board before she cam, which done, they sailed away, and when she cam home s he found the cave desolated and herrid. She pursued and over · took the s hip. She demanded her husband and stores. The Skipper cast off a bundle (to the mermaid) of books, and hecht her to get her husband after she counted them. Which she did and requested her love, and the ski pper gave her another bund le, again and again, till they reached Gourock and Lawrence Bay.

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THE DElL OF ARDROSSAN 2 10

The Dumbarton trafficker being on dry land refused to go with the mermaid again. But this mermaid told him that he must meet her at the cave where they spent sae monie happie days, a year and a day hence, and she committed her bairn (or mongrel half fish and man) which she bore to the merchant, to its father, telling him to nurse it and give it much lairt as he had plenty of sillar, belangan to her: and she gave him a book whilk he wisna to let the miraculous bairn see, till it was able to read it perquier and squarolie; and the bairn after the direc­tions he sa il find in that buke, after he saud be able to read it, could do what he liked, such as to order the foul Thief do onie thing when he pleased. The mermaid 's bairn took up his abode in the auld castle of Ardrossan . H e went und er the name of Michael Scott.

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IS

JONET FRASER OF DUMFRIES

Reprinted from A Hislorical Account of lhe Belief in Witchcraft in Scotland. C. K. Sharpe, Edin" 1884.

IN the year 1684, a Dumfries-shire woman, of the Presbyterian church, pretended to some wonderful visions, s till extant in a MS., entitled, "Admiranda et Notanda. Ane Account of

strange and remarkable Revelations which Were revealed to a Christian Friend in the Shire of Drumfrice, in the place after­mentioned, both anent the particular Ecstacies of her Spirit, but more anent the Case of the Church seve rall wayes." Before we shall begin to write of the sa me, we shall sett down some things of the person's extasie, both as to the manner and COn­

tinuance of her extasies: /I The person is a young woman, unmarried, of the age of

about twenty years, whose name is Jonet Fraser, or, as we in the south use to pronounce it, Frissel, who then Lived, and yet lives, with her father, Thomas Frissel, a weaver to his trade, a man of unblamed conversation in the sheriffdome of Drum frice, in the countrey thereof called Nithisdale, and parochin of Closeburn, six miles, or thereby, from the town of Drumfriece.

" She is, and hath been for a long time, a person, in the judgment of all that know her, a serious Christian; and was for a good time before this befell her, more then ordina ry exercised in private condition with God, as the relation after·specified gives the reader a little tou ch.

H She can read print, but cannot write herself; but whatever she saw in vision, was att times able to give ane exact account of it, after all was over; and accordingly did give the relation following to some creditable ge ntlemen, and some country people, her acquaintance :

220

JONET FRASER OF DUMFRIES 22I

" The time of my exercise was eight years, and all this time waS troubled with the appearance of a thing like a bee, and other times like a black man, and that also at severall times, and in severall places.

" Then at the end of the eight year, I being at prayer, the black man did appear as at other times, he being upon the one side of me, and there appea ring upon the other side a bonny hand and a rod in it, and the rod was budding; and I said, ' Is that thy hand and thy rod, 0 Lord ?' And I was content to embrace the one, and flee the other. Then, upon that night eight nights, I coming home near hand unto my dwelling, I grew very drowsie, and fella asleep, and there was a voice said to me, ·Awake, why sleepest thou?' And there was lightning round about me; and I looking up to the top of a bush that was at my hand, there was the shape of a dove that went alongst with me in company to the house.

" Then, about three quarters of a yea r thereafter, the rod appeared again to be a double rod, or a rod that was springing and forthcoming; and after that time I was never troubled with the black man any more."

He r first revelation was on the 4th of June, 1684, but it is very difficult to make out what her visio ns portended. "On the 5th day of November, 1684, I being at prayer, there appeared untO me, in a bodily shape, three persons (as to my sight all in white ) and they goe round about me the way the sun goeth; their coming was stilJ after one manner, when I was at my duty, only I discerned he that spoke first at one time, spoke first at all times, and so continued to speak by course, with Scripture notes, naming books, chapter, and verse, someti mes all the verse, sometimes a part." She was greatly concerned about the suffering remnant, and had many mysterious responses as to that.

" Besides what the reader has had formerly, he has likewise this foll owing account of a passage that befell this holy woman, the 1St May, 1687, which was Sunday. This Jonet Frazer, and a young lass, a sister daughter of hers, about '7 or 18 yea rs of age, having gone out into the fie lds, and both of them lying down on the grass near the water of Nith, which is but a bow· draught from her father's house, and both of them reading upon their Bibles, and lying about the distance of four yards the one

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from the other, this Janet Fraser is taken with a grea t drouth, and goes to the water of Nith to take a drink, leaving her Bible open at the place where she was reading, which was the 34th chap. of Esaia h, from verse 5 to I I, inclusive, which begins, , For my swoold, shall be bathed in heaven, behold it shall come down on the people of Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgement I I &c. And when she had returned im­mediately as shoon as she could take a drink of water, she sees her Bible is coloured with bloud, as she thought, though after­wa rds, upon inspection and tryall , it was not bloud, but red as bloud, and such as no person by the colour could discern from bloud; upon which she asks the other lass, • If any thing had beell near her Bible?' And she answered, ' Nothing that she saw.' She asks, 'How could it then be that her Bible was covered over with bloud ? ' Which both of them going near, found to be the very same place where Janet was reading, viz. from verse 5 to II , and some farther of the 34th chap., so as the print was not at all legible. The other lass would have her wipe off the bloud, but she co uld not, but carried it as it was to her father, and a brother of hers, a god ly young man, who is dead since, and some others, and did show it to them, who were curious to taste it, and it had a welsh taste, as if it had been some metear; the hens and birds would not pick it up.

.. The very next Lord's day, 8th May, this Janet being in her father's barn about ane hour, alone, some little time before sunset, she came to the door of the barn to read, and while she was reading, about the 49th verse of Jeremiah, the like bloud did cover all that place which she was reading, viz. from the 46th verse to the 54th, as I remember, so thick as it marred all the print, and made it unintelligible, nor did she ever perceive it fall down upon the book, or observe it till it did cover and spread over all that place; and it is to be remarked, she was standing within the door, the thatch of the barn being over her head and over the book tha t she was reading on, and tha t the bloud covered the print in the very time wherein she was reading, it spread over that part of it .

.. The very next Sabbath thereafter, 15th of May, while she is again in that same ba rn, read ing the 14th chapter of Revela­tions, the like bloud fell on the book, and covered all the chapter

JO NET FRASER OF DUMFRrES

from the 9th verse to the end of the chapter, in the very act of the reading it, and which, she said, that she perceived it not, but about half ane inches distance from the book before it fell down upon it.

.. The relater heirof is Maister Henry Maxwell, of Dal­swinton, who dwells within two mi les of the place where she dwells ; saw the Bible, and the bloud upon all the three places of that Bible, which is still extant.

.. It is not bloud, for it is as tough as glew, and will not be scrapt off b y a knife as bloud will; but it is so like bloud as none can discern any difference by the colour."

After this course of visions and bloody showers, Mrs. Frazer, it would appear, fell under the suspicion of dealing .with evil in place of good spirits. For in the yea r 1691, she was called before the presbytery, and confessed, .. That she pretended to

prophecying and seeing of visions, and that she had sinned greatly in being deluded by Satan, causing her prophecie and see things future." Her book was appointed to be examined by two of the presbytery; and on her second appea rance she acknow­ledged that she was possessed by some evi l spirit, and humbly besought the prayers of the ministers, and of all others; upon which the further examination of herself and the witnesses was delayed, and we hear no more of her .

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TOUCHING ISABEL HERIOT

Reprinted from Sawn's Invisible World Discovered. George Sinclair, Edin. , 1685 .

THIS Woman was born at Peaston in the Parish of Ormiston, and was for several years a very useful Servant to the Minister there, for all manner of Out-House-Work_ She

was of a low stature, small and slender of Body, of a Black Complexion. Her head stood somewhat awry upon her neck. She was of a droll ing and jeariog humour, and would have spoken to Persons of Honor with great confidence.

After several years service, the Minister bega n to dislike her, especially upon the account of her not profiting in the knowledge of GOD, she having so much opportuni ty and occasion to know and learn. Therefore she was put away, and went to other service, for a long time. After which, she returned to Ormiston town, and was sometimes haunting the Ministers house, but without his knowledge. She took sickness about the begi nning of Winter 1680, and about the time of her death, her face beca me extreamly black. Within thtee of four nights after she was buri ed, one Isabel Murray Relick of William Craig the Kirk-Officer, saw her Apparition abo ut twelve a clock at night, in her Whi te Robes upon her, such as she was put into her Coffin with, walking from the Chappel towards the Ministers Louping-on-Stone, where (according to her custome when she was alive) she halted a little while with her Elbow lea ning upon it. After this, she observed her to walk in at the Ministers back- yait , toward the Stable. We have onely the bare testimony of this one Woman for it. Within some few nights after, there was a throwing of stones over the M inisters house, and some thrown at the Hall-door and Windows. The s tones were found in the Closs the next mormng. When they lighted, they fel)

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T OUC HING [ SAB EL H ERIO T 2 25

softl y for the most part . T he Minister coming in one night, (against whom the Devils malice chiefly was) at the back-door, and shutting it after him} had a great s tone cas t after him, which hit the door very smartly, and left a mark and impression behind it. This she did, (or rather the Devil) in imitation of a prank she had plaid, while she was alive . For the Minister having ca used the other Servants thrust her out at the sa me door, she threw a great stone at it with Violence, out of wrath and anger. The foresa id Isabel Murray coming out of the Ministers house one night, or going into it, was hit very sharply with a stone upon her back. The Servant-man that keeped the Horses, after he had been at his Devotion, and was going into his bed in the Stable, was by somewhat gripped by the heel, to his great amazement. He giving a great and loud cry, the Mistris of the Family and others came into the S table, and fo und the Lad under a great afri ghtment. This night several clods and stones were thrown, but no person touched. One thing remarkable was, that an old Horse -comb which had been a wanting for several yea rs, was thrown at the Lads Bed stead with great violence ; yet wronged no Body. T he Horses would have been found the next Morning standing and lying disord erly, and sometimes all in a great sweat.

While this Servant-man had been dressi ng the Garden he ha th fo und several Stones thrown at him, bu t was never touched save by one, which hit him very favourably. The house wa~ sometimes troubled within with some small Noise and Din.

One time there was a burning Coal thrown und er one of the Beds. One of the Family upon a night, had his Ni ght-Cap taken off his Head in the Bed, and found the nex t morning full of Sinders and Ashes, lying under the Chim ney. If the Devil could have done more, surely he would have done it. T his is the most part of the trouble, which the Family met with, which continued for eight or nine Weeks, not every night, but now and then. During which time frequent and fervent Prayers were sent up to God, by those of the Family, and others out of it, which wanted not success. There was much talking of this Ghost, and things spoken rashly, and so me out of malice did invent lies and untruths. One jearingly said, now let the Ministe r, and his brethren with all their Prayers, drive away

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the Devil. 'Tis very remarkab le, that after that ti me there was no more trouble found about the Family.

For what foll ows, we have only the simple word of the foresaid Isabel Murray, who coming home from the Church between Sermons to the Town of Ormistoun, to vis it her house, and Kail yeard, for fea r vagrant Cows had come over the Dyke; and going down her yeard, she saw in the Ministers yeard, being next adjacent, the Apparition of Isa bel Heriot, in that same very habit she was laid into her Coffin with. Never was one Egg liker to another than this Aparition was like to her, as to her Face, her Stature, her Motion, her Tongue, and Behaviour. As like was the Devil to her, as Apollo was to old Butes, whom Virgil excellently descri ves in the g. Book of his lEneiods, bringing him down from Heave n, to wait upon Ascanius.

Ascaniumque petit, forma tum vertitur oris Anliquum in Buten. - - - Ibar Apollo Om.niJ long~vo simi lis, vocemque coloremque Et crines albos, & s~va sonantibus arma.

Apollo went, and from the Heaven descends, And in old Butes forme, to Ascan ius be nds. In all poin ts like the old man still he went, Whom then to wait on's Son JEneas sent. Such his White-hair, Complexion, and his Voice, And dreadful Arms, ratling with mighcy noise.

Her fa ce (said the woman) was black like the mouten soot, (one of her own expressions) the very colour which her face had when she died. She saw her walking under the Fruit-trees, and over the Beds, where the Seeds had been sowen, bowing her body downward, as if she had been seeking somewhat off the ground, and saying to her self, "A stane, a stane ", for so she pronounced the words. For she had gathered a considerable number of sma ll stones in her lap, which the woman saw her throw down at a Bush- root, near to the foot of the yeard. Some may apprehend that these were the stones, which she frequently cast in the night time. This woma n seeing her, says with very great confidence, "Wow! Whats thou doing here, Isabel Heriot ? I charge thee by the Law thou lives on, to tell me." She replyes, or rather the Foul-Fiend in her

• TOUC HING ISABEL HER IOT 227

likeness, II I am even come agai n, because I wronged my Master, while I was his serva nt. For it was I that stealled his Shekel" (This was a Jewish Shekel of Gold, which wi th some other things, had been stoUen from him several years before) which I hid under the Hearth-s tone in the Kitching and then when I flited took it into the Canongate, and did offer to seU it to a French Woman who lodged where I served, who askt where I got it. I told her, I found it between Leith and Edinburgh. "One night, " says she, " I was riding home late from the Town, and near the head of Fauside Brae, the Horse stumbled, and I said, 'the Devil raise thee', whereupon the Foul Thief appeared presently to me and threatned me, If I would not grant to des troy my Master the Minister, he would throw me into a deep hole there, which (I suppose) is yet remaining, or if I could not get power over my Master, I should strive to destroy the School-Master." It was very rema rkable, tha t one of the Ministers servant-women, had given to the School-Masters servant-woman some Linnings to make clean among which there was a Cross-Cloa th of strong Linning, which could never be found, though dil igent sea rch was made for it, till one morning the Master awakening, found it bound round about his Night Cap, which bred admiration both to himself and his Wife. No more skaith was the Devil or the Witches able to do him. What way this was done, or for what end, it can not be well known, but it is somewhat probable, that they designed to strangle and destroy him in the night time, which is their usual time in working and doing of mischief. This happened about the time (I suppose) that the Devil had charged Isa bel Heriot to destroy this honest man. Yet within two days a young Child of his, of a yea r old feU sick, which was quickly puUed away by Death, none knowing the cause or Nature of the Disease.

But I proceed. She confest likewise, how the D evil l11et with her, a second time at Elfiston mill, within a quarter of a mile of Ormiston, and told what the Devil did to her.

And (says she) " I was coming home One night from Hading­ton Mercat with Horse-Corn, and met with the Devil at Knok­hiUs, who bad me destroy Thomas And erson, who was riding with me. And because I refu sed, he threw the horse corn off

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the horse." This Thomas Anderson was a Christian man. It is well remembred yet, that she went the next morning timously, and brought home her Oats, which had layen there all night. And moreover says she, II I cheated my Master when I went to the Mercat to buy Oats, for I made him believe, I gave more money for the Boll, than I did. And do not you remember, Isabel Murray, that one night, you coming out of the Ministers house, got a sore knock upon the back with a stone? It was I, but it was not for your own sake, but for your Good-mans sake Willy Craig, who threw me one day into the Jaw-hole, and abused me." She told this Woman likewise, that she would fain have spoken a word with her Master. After this conference, the Woman began to be feared; and came running home in haste.

During all this time, there was no person in the Family, that met with any hurt, or skaith, or saw anything, such was the Lords kindness to them all. One Isabel Elliot a Witch, confest to the Minis ter, that many nights his house and yeard would have been beset with Witches. The sa me woman askt the Devil one time, why they could not get amends of him? He told her, he was locked up.

This Woman Isabel Heriot, was never reputed a Witch, nor delated by anie, for Witch-craft. Some jearingly would have called her so. She was indeed ignorant of Religion, notwith­standing of the excellent opportunities she had for gaining of knowledge. Next her riding and travelling from far places in the countrey, in the night, as well as in the day time and coming home late without fear, and her stunkard and ill Nature bred suspicion. If she had confest a Compact with the Devil, before her death, it might have been a good ground. But this trouble happening to the Family immediately after her death, and her Apparition being seen, gave all occasion to say she was a Witch. But these things, do not infallibly conclude. But what could her Apparition be? It behoved, either to be her reall Body informed and acted by the Devil (for her soul could not be brought back) or only the Devil taking upon him her shape and form, acting and imitating her to the life, which is more probable.

I have adventured to publish this without his knowledge, presuming so much upon his Goodness, and love of Truth, and

TOUCHING ISABEL HERfOT 229

useful instruction of the World, though I should displease his own humour, whilst haply I may, upon his better consideration, gratify some more noble principle in him. For I know nothing in the thing, that can turn to his dishonour, For the best of Men, and Families have suffered from the Devil in extraordinary wayes, and it has been their Glory, that by their Faith and Courage, and confidence in the Arm of God they have overcome him. If I have erred in some circumstances, or in any other thing, I am to be excused, since I was not an eye witness. And what I have written, anent the Apparition, was most part from the womans own mouth.

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20

JAMES LEE, ANE SUSPECKIT WARLOCK Reprintrd from The Philosophy 0/ Witchcraft.

J. Milchell and J. Dickie, Paisley, 1839·

MR. JAMES LEE while travelling between Ayr and Newton Stewart, fell in with a drover who had bee n at Ayr on the preceding day with his ca ttle. As their journey lay

in the same direction, they entered into con versa tio n, and when the day was wearing to a close, they came to a place where the road branc hed into two, the one running more inland, willie the other kept nearly in a line with the coast. M r. L ee asked the d rover which of the roads he intended to take, " The shore road is not only the best, but it is by far the nearest. I never travel that gai t when the day is so far gone as it is now."

" What are your reasons for so doing?" inquired the as tonished Mr. Lee.

" Ye see," said the drover, II there's an auld woman lives in ' the neighbourhood 0' that road, an' it's s trongly suspected that she's a witch, and the maist 0' folk here awa' wad rather tak' the roun' about way than put themsels in her power, especially if irs near gloamin! "

"Hoo t awa' wi' your nonse nse," replied the farmer, II I never sa w a witch in my life, an' if I see ane the nig ht it's mair than I'm expecken: come awa ' wi' me, an ' if we fa ' in wi' the auld wife, I'll tak' a' the skaith that'll befa' us on the road on my ai n head, be't either frae witch or dei!. I thought a' thae beleifs had been confined to auld women and weans, an' had little expectation to hear a man o' your appearance gie'ing credit to sic out 0' the way kin' 0' stories . If the folk 0' thi kintra side bel ieve as you say they do, it gies me but a poor opin ion 0' their intelligence, an' I beg it 0' you, if ever you should come to our sid e 0' the kintra, never to speak a word 0 ' witches, or ye'U be the laughing stock 0' baith young and auld."

230

• JAMES L E E, ANE S USP ECK IT WA RL OCK 23 1

" But ", said the drover, " listen to a story that happened no lang sinsyne on the verra road that ye wad fain hae me to ga ng. No far frae the road side stan's a mill, the Owner 0' which had some hoo or ither offended this wi tch bodie-they're gayan easy offendit ye ken?"

" I ken naeth ing about the matter ", replied the imper­turbable doubter.

" Wee! , wee ~, ye' ll sure hear how it happened," resumed the drover. " The witch bodie gaed awa muttering some thing to herse!' which naebody could understan '; but mark the upshot, in a week or twa, the biggest spa te that ever was see n in thir parrs ca m dune, an' completely flooded the mill , an' destroy it a' the meal the millar had been makin ' for a week afore. Noo jf that wasna Witchcraft, what was' t ? "

" I think it was a spate ", replied Mr. Lee, " but we're losing time, an' as we hae a gude wheen miles to travel before we reach our res ting place, we' ll JUSt tak ' the shorrest cut -" So saying, he proceeded onwards taking the shore road. The drover, ashamed of his fears, screwed up his courage to the highest pitch, and followed his companion with as good a grace as a thief might be expected to exhibit when journeying on a road where he expected every minute to meet a sheriff offi cer. Every turning of the road was to him a source of new uneasin ess, and as the evening thickened around him, every object in the dista nce assumed to his alarmed imagination, the undefined lineamen ts of the being he so much dreaded. His fellow­traveller saw at a glance what was passing in his mind, and to divert himself, at his expense, related with provoking minute­ness, all the witch stories his memory could su pply him with, in a manner which made the drover almost as suspicious of the company he was in, as of the old woman that droon', the milL

At length, after travell ing some miles under the shades of night, much to the drover 's satisfaction they reached the house where they were to take up their lodgings. As Mr. Lee intended to set off early in the morning, he ordered supper to be speedily prepared, and in the interi m partook heartily with his compa nion of a bowl of whisky punch. The presence, and conversa tion of the landlord, soon restored the drover to his usual talkativeness, and when his companion retired to hi s bed, the two remained

Q

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232 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

seated at the kitchen fireside, enjoying themselves over an additional gill of whisky which the drover had ordered. A thin wooden partition separated the place where our friend lay and the kitchen, so that it was in his power to hear if he had been so inclined, whatever conversa tion was going forward. At length a q uestion from the landlord arres ted his attention; he asked the drover if he had any previous acquaintance with the person who was travelling along with him.

" No ", was the reply, " and yet he did little less than force me to travel the shore road with him, and at this time 0' night too."

" But did ye no tell him about the witch that's suspectit to waylay folk wha travels that road under clud 0' night? "

" I did ", replied the drover, "but I maist suspeck he's no muckle better himsel; lord, man, the stories he tauld, an' the way he tauld them, an' the queer view he has 0' things, perfitly dumfounder't me; I can assure you that I never was $ae anxious to see your house in my life as I was the nigh!." "That's odd," quo' the landlord, " d'ye think I'll be safe wi' him in the morning ye ken the reck'ning's no pay't." "I think there's nae fears 0'

him paying the reck'ning ", returned the drover, "but then if he is what I maist suspeck he is, he may pay you in' what may luke like guide eneuch sillar, bu t whilk will turn in your pouch to neither less nor mair than sklate stones; we a' ken the deevil's siller 's like himse!', no verra chancie to keep."

The conversation much to the amusement of Mr. Lee was carried on in the same spirit for some time longer, and when he arose in the morning, he observed that the bndlord's attention was directed more than he thought necessary to his person, and when he paid his score, the landlord subjected his money to a more than usual scrutiny.

21

THE DEVIL'S INQUEST

By WILLIAM DUNBAR

THIs nicht in my sleep I was aghast, Me thocht the Devil was tempting fast,

The people, with aiths of crueltie; Saying, as through the mercat be past,

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

Me thocht, as he went through the way, Ane priest sweir't braid, be God, verey,

While at the altar received he. Thou art my clerk, the Devil 'gan say

Renunce thy God, and cum to me .

Thou swore and courteour, meikle of pride, Be Christis woundis bluidy and wide,

And he His harms was rent on tree. Than spak the Devil, hard him beside,

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

Ane merchant, his geir as he did sell, Renuncit his pairt of heaven for hell.

The Devil said, Welcome mot thou be, Thou sall be merchant for my sell,

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

Ane goldsmith said, The gold is sa fine, That all the workmanship I tine;

The fiend recei ve me gif I lie. Think on, quoth the Devil, that thou art mine,

Renunce thy God, and cum to me. 233

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234 ROW AN T REE AND RED THREAD

Ane Tailyour said, In all th is toun, Be there ane better well made gou n,

I give me to the fiend all free. Gramercy, tail your, and Mahoun,

Ren unce rhy God, and cum to me.

Ane Souter sa id, in guid effeck, Nor I be hangit be the neck,

Gif better buits of leather may be. Fy, quoth rhe fiend, thou sairis of blek

Gae cleanse thee cleanl and cu m to me.

Ane baxter said, I forsa ke God, And all His works even and odd,

Gif fair er bread there needs to be. The Devil leucil, and on him couth nod­

Ren unce thy God, and cum to me.

Ane ftesher swore be the sacrament, And be Christ's bluid maist innocent,

Never fatter flesh saw ma n with e'e. The Devil said, Hald on thy intent,

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

The maltman says, I God forsa ke, And mot the devil of hell me take,

Gif ony better malt may be, And of this kill I have inlaik:

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

Ane brows tar swore the malr was ill, Baith red and reekit on the kill,

That it will be nae ale for me; Ane bolt will not six gallons full:

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

Be God's bluid, quoth th e tavernnier, There is s ic wine in my celleir,

Has never come in this countrie. T ut, quoth the Devil, thou sells oure dear:

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

THE DEVlL 'S lN QU EST

The smith swore be rood and raip, In rill a gallows mot I gaip,

Gif I ten days wa n pennies rhree, For with that craft I cannot thraip:

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

Ane minsrrel said, The fiend me ryfe, Gif I do ochr but drink and swyfe;

The Devil said, Than I counsel thee, Exerse that crafr in all thy life:

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

Ane dysour said, with words of strife, The devil mot stick him with a knife

But he cast up fair syisis three; The Devil said, Endit is thy life:

Renunce thy God, and cum ro me.

Ane thief said, God that ever I chaip, Nor ane stark widdy gar me gaip,

But I in hell for geir wald be. The Devil said, Welcome in a raip:

Renunce thy God, and cum ro me.

The fishwives fiett l and swore with granes, And to the Fiend, saul, Resh, and banes,

They gave them, with ane shout on hie. The Devil said, Welcome all at anis:

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

The rest of craftis grea t aiths swair, T heir wark and craft had nae compair,

Ilk ane into their qualitie. The Devil said than withouten mair:

Renunce thy God, and cum to me.

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22

TOUCHING ONE WILLIAM BARTON, A WARLOCK

Reprinted from Satan's In visible World Discovered. George Sinclair, Edin., 1685.

~OUT thirty years ago, more or less, there was one William Barton apprehended for Witch-craft. His confession was first, that if he had twenty Sons, he would advise them to

shun the lust of uncleanness. For said he, I never saw a bea utiful Woman, Maid, nor Wife, but I did covet them, which was the only cause that brought me to be the Devils Vassal. One day says he, going from my own house in Kirkliston, to the Queens Ferry, I overtook in Dalmeny Muire, a young Gentlewoman, as to appearance beautifull and comely. I drew near to her, but she shunned my company, and when I insisted, she became angry and very nyce . Said I, since we are both goi ng one way, be pleased to accept of a convoy. At last, after much entreaty she grew better natured, and at length we came to that Familiarity that she suffered me to embrace her, and to do that which Christian ea rs ought not to hear of. At this time I parted with her very joyful. The next night, she appeared to him in that same very place, and after that which should not be named, he became sensible, that it was the Devil. Here he renounced his Baptism, and gave up himself to her service, and she called him her beloved, and gave him this new name of Iohn Baptist, and received the Mark. S he likewise bestowed fi fteen pounds scots upon him in the name of Tocher-good and so parted.

After he had gone a little way off, she calls him bac k and gave him a Merk-piece in good and sufficient money which She bad him spend at the Ferry, and desired him to keep enti re and whole the '5. pound, which he declared was real and true Money. He confest that they never met toge ther, but they

236

WILLIAM BAR T O N , A WARLOC K 237

plaid their Pranks. After this Confession he begged Liberty to sleep a little, which the Judges granted to him. Afte r he had sleept a short time, he awakened with a great Laughter. The Judges inquired the reason. He replyed, being seriously urged, that the Devi l had come to him, and reb uked him with anger, and threatned him most furiously, that he had confessed , and bad him deny all, for he should be his Warrand.

After this, he turned obd ured, and would never to his dying hour acknowledge any thing, for the Devil had perswaded him, even from his first ingaging, that no man should ta ke his life, Which promise he fi rmly believed, to the very last . When they told him in the prison-house, that the Fire was built, and the Stake set up, and the executioner coming to bring him forth: he answered he cared not for all that, for said he I shal not die this day. But the Executioner got presently orders to lead him forth, and he steping in at the Prison door in an instant shot to dead, as they say, and never stired again. In this strait, they appointed the Executioners Wife to stra ngle him, which she did willingly, a reward being promised to her. When the Warlock heard thi s, that a Woman was to put him to death, 0 , crys he, how hath the Devil deceived me ? Let none ever trust to his Promises. All this was done at Kirkliston before famous witnesses. The Executioners name was Andrew Martain and his wifes name Margaret Hamilton, who when her Husband died dapt her hands, and cryed often, Dool for this parting, my dear burd Andrew Martin. This Bartons Wife had been like ­wise taken with him, Who Declared, that She never kne w him to have been a Warlock before; And he likewise declared, That he never knew her to have been a Witch before. S he confest that malice against one of her Neighbours, moved her to ingage in the Devils service. She renounced her Baptism and did postrat her Body to the Foul -Spi rit, and received his Mark, and got a new name from him, and was called Margaratus. She was asked, if ever she had any pleasure in his company; never much says she. But one Night going to a dancing upon Pen tland­hills, he went before uS in the likeness of a rough tanny-Dog, playing on a pair of Pipes. The Spring he played (says she) was, The silly bit Chi ken, gar cast it a pickle and it will grow meikle. And coming down the hill when we had done which was the

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238 ROWAN TREE AND RED THR EAD

best sport, he C<lrried the candle in his bottom under his tail which played ey wig wag, wig wag. She was burnt with her husband.

T here is one thing remarkable in this Story, that he bestowed so much money upon the Warlock, which proved good and sufficient Coin? 'Tis seldome he is so liberal. But surely he would be more liberal if the Lord would suffer him to steal, or make use of Treasures lying hid in the G round, or in the Bottom of the Sea. If this liberty were granted, he might deceive the most part of men and women in the world, with his gifts.

23

THE LAIRD OF LITTLEDEAN AND THE WITCHES

Reprinted from Thomas Wilkie M.S., Old Riles, Ceremonies, and Customs 0/ the InhQbitants 0/ the Southern Counties 0/ Scoaand.

TRA DITION says that this Laird Harry Gilles of Littledean was extremely fond of hunting. One day as his dogs were pursuing a hare they suddenly stopped and gave up the

pursuit. He being angry with his hounds, swore that the animal they had been in chase of must be one of the witches of Maxton. He had no sooner spoken, than the hares arose all around him so numerous, that they were springing over the saddle before him. His anger was so violent when he saw his hounds would not give them chase, that he jumped off his horse and killed them where they stood, all but one black one, who at that moment pursued a very large hare. He mounted his horse, and pursued the black greyhound, who had turned the hare and was coming directly towards him. It made a spring to clear his horse's neck, but the laird dexterously laid hold of one 01 her fore-legs, drew out his knife and cut it off; and very soon after the hares which were running so plentiful instantly disappeared. Next morning he hea rd that a woman of Maxton had lost her arm by an accident, which the informer cOllld not account properly for. When the laird went to her house, he pulled out the hare's foo t, which had by this time changed into a woman's arm. He applied it, and found that she had been one of the hares, as it answered to the stump perfectly. She confessed the crime and was taken and drowned in the wiel, by the young men of the vi llage that same day.

239

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24

BESSIE DUNLOP OF AYRSHIRE Reprinted from Criminal Trials in Scotland.

R. Pitcairn, Edin., 1833.

BESSIE DUNLOP was a witch living in Ayrshire in 1576. Her offence appears to have been that of givi ng information as from a supernatural source regarding articles s tol~n or,lost

and the cure of diseases. She herse lf possessed no qualificatIOns in the art or science to do so, but obtained her information t

when she required it, from a certain Thomas Reid who had been killed at the batrle of Pinkie (1547) some twenty-nme years before. ..

Bessie being asked what kind of man tlus T om ReId was, replied II He was ane honest, wee1, elderly man, gray bea~d1t, and had ane gray coat with Lombard sleeves of the auld fashIon; ane pair of gray breeks and white shanks, gartemt aboon the knee; ane black bonnet on his head, close behind and plain before; with silken laces drawn through the lips thereof; and ane white wand in his hand."

On being asked how in what manner of place the said Tom Reid came to her, she replied:

"As she was ganging betwixt her own house and the yard of Monkcasrle, driving her kine to the pastures, and makmg heavy sair dule with herself, greeting very fast for her cow that was dead her husband and child that were lying sick in the land-ill, and ~he new risen out of grissan (child-bed), the said Tom met her by the way, halsit (took her round the neck, saluting her), and said ' Gude day, Bessie'; and she said, ' God speed you, gudeman.' 'Sancta Maria', said he, ' Bessie, why makes thou sae grea t dule and sair greeting for ony worldly thing?' She answerit, 'Alas, have I not cause to mClke great dule.? for QUr

gear is thraikit (dwindled away), and my husband IS on the point of deid, and ane baby of my awn WIll not lIve, and myself

240

BESS IE DUNLOP OF AYRSHIRE 241

at ane weak point; have I not gude cause, then, to have ane sair heart?' But Tom said' Bessie, thou hast crabbit (irritated) God, and askit something you should not have done; and therefore I counsel thee to mend to him, for I tell thee thy bairn shall die, and the sick cow, ere you come hame: thy twa sheep shall die too: but thy husband shaU mend, and be as haill and feir as ever he was'. And then was I something blyther, frae he tauld me that my gudeman wald mend. Then Tom Reid went away from me in through the yard of Monkcasrle ; and I thought he gaed in at ane narrower hole of the dyke nor ony eardly man could have gone thIough; and sae I was something bleyit (frightened). The second time she met Reid' he appeared to her as ga nging betwixt her own house and the Thorn of Dawmstarnik, where he tarreil ane gude while with her, and spei rit (inquired) at her, ' Gif she wald not trow in him ?' She said 'she wald trow in onybody did her gude.' And Tom promised her baith gear, horses, and kye, and other graith, gif she wald deny her christendom and the faith she took at the font-stane. Whereunto she answerit: 'That gif she should be riven at horse -tai ls, she should never do that', but promisit to be leal and true to him in onything she could do."

Tbe th.ird time they met" he appearit in her awn house to her, about the 12 hour of the day, where there was sitting three tailors and her own gudeman, Andrew Jak. He took her apron and led her to the door with him, and she followit, and goed up with him to the kiln-end, where he forbade her to spea k or fear onything she heard or saw. When they had gane ane little piece forward, she saw twelve persons, aucht women and four men; the men were clad in gentlemen's claithing, and the women had all plaids round about them, and were very seemly­like to see."

Bessie being asked if she knew any of the company, answered, .. Nane, except Tom". When asked what they said to her, answered "They bade her sit down, and said, l welcome, Bessie; wilt thou go with us?' But she answerit not, because Tom had forbidden her. She further declared that she knew not what purpose they had amongst them; only she saw their lips move, and within a short-space, they partit all away; and ane hideous ugly sough of wind followit them."

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Being demanded, gif speerit at Tom what persons they were, answerit: "That they were the gude wights (fairies) that winnit in the court of Elfame, wha came there to desire her to go with them." And further, " Tom desirit her to do the same"; wha answerit "she saw nae profit to gang thae kind of gaits, unless she kend wherefore. " Tom said" See thou not me, baith meat·worth, claith-wonh, and gude enuch like in person? and (he) should make her far better nor ever she was." She answerit " that she dwelt with her own husband and bairns, and could not leave them." And sae Tom began to be very crabb it with her, and said, " Gif Sae she thought, she wald get little gude of h ' " 1m.

Although they disagreed on the principal object of Reid's visit he still gave her his counsel and assistance whenever she desired, and if anyone came to her about the ailments of human beings or of cattle, or the recovery of things lost or stolen she was, by the aid and advice of Thomas Reid always able to answer the querists, She was taught by Thome to apply and concoct ointments and medicinal herbs. Thorne gave her out of his ain hand, ane thing like the root of ane beet, and bade her either seethe or make ane saw of it, or else dry it, and make powder of it, and give it to sick persons, and they should mend. .. She mendit John Jacks bairn, and Wilson's of the Townhead, and hir gudeman's sister's cow ... The Lady Johnson, elder. sent to her ane servant to help ane young gentlewoman, her daughter, now married on the young Laird of Stanley, and I thereupon askit counsel of Tom. He said to me, II that her sickness was one cauld blude that gaed about her heart, and causit her to dwalm (faint)." And Tom bade her take ane part of ginger, clews, anniseeds, liquorice, and some stark (strong) ale, and seethe them together, and shore it, and put it in aoe vessel! and take ane little quantity of it in ane mutchkin can, and so me white suckar casten among it, take and drink there of ilk day, in the morning, gane ane while after, before meat; and she would be hail!. When she was asked what she was given by way of a fee, she replied" ane peck of meal and some cheese." Asked if she could foretell the future, she answered " that she could do naithing of herself, but as Tom tauld her"; many folks in the country came to her to get wit of gear stolen frae

• BESSIE DUNLOP OF AYRSHIRE '43

them. The Lady Thirdpart in the barony of Renfrew sent to ner and speerit at her, wha was it that had stolen fra her twa horns of gold, and ane crown of the sun, out of her purse. And after she had spoken with Tom, within twenty days, she sent her word wha had them; and she got them again. Bessie when asked how she knew her visitor was Thome Reid who died at Pinkie, answered: "That she never knew him when he was in life, but that she should not doubt that it was he bade her gang to Tom Reid his son, now officer in his place to the Laird of Blair." She went on to say that he used to come chiefly to her at noon. She had seen him walking along with the people in the Kirkyard of Dairy; also once in the High St. of Edinburgh, on a market day, where he laughed to her. Having once ridden to Leith with her husband to bring home meal" ganging afield to tether her horse at Restalrig Loch, there came ane company of flders bye, that made sic din as heaven and eard had gane together; and incontinent they rade into the loch, with many hideous rumble. Tom tauld her it was the gude wights that were riding in middle-eard."

The sad words on the margin of the record, "Convict and burnt", sufficiently express the tragic conclusion of a curious tale.

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25

ANENT HATTARAIK, AN OLD WARLOCK Reprinted from Satan's In visible World DiscOIJered.

George Sinclair, Edin., 1685.

T HIS mans name was Sandie Hunter, who ca lled himself Sandie Hamilton, and it seems was ca lled Hattaraik by the Devil, and so by others, as a Nick·name. He was first

a Nea t·herd in East·Lothian to a Gentle·man there. He was much given to Charming and cureing of Men and Beasts by Words and Spels. His Charms sometimes succeeded, sometimes not. On a day herding his kine upon a Hill side in the Summer time, the Devil came to him in form of a Mediciner and said Sandie, you have too long followed my trade, and never acknow· ledged me for your Master. You must now, take on wi th me, and be my servant and I will make you more per fec t in your Calling. Whereupon the man gave up himself to the D evil, and received his Mark, with this new name. After this, he grew very famous throw the Cou ntrey, for his Charming and cureing of diseases in Men and Beasts, and turned a vagrant fe llow, like a Jocki e, gai ning, Meal, Flesh and Money by his Charms, such was the ignorance of many at that time . Whatever House he came to, none durst refuse Hattaraik an alms, rather for his iIl, than his good. One day he came to the Yait of Samuelstoun, when some Friends afte r Dinner were going to Horse. A young Gentlema n brother to the Lady seing him, switcht him about the ears, saying, You Warlok·Ca irle, what have you to do here? Whereupon the Fellow goes away grumbl ing, and was overheard say, you shall dear buy this ere it be long. This was Damnum Minatum. The young Gen tle· man conveyed his Friends a far way off and come home that way again, where he supt. After supper taking his horse, and erosing Time·Water to go home; he rides throw a shadowy piece of a Haugh, com·

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SANDIE H UN TER OR HATTARAIK 245

monly called the Allers, and the evening being some·what dark, he met with some Persons there that begat a d readful consterna · tion in him, which for the most part, he would never reveaL This was mal um secutum. When he came home, the Servants ob­served terror and fear in his Countenance. The next day he became distracted and was bound for several days. His Sister the Lady Samuelstown hearing of it, was heard say, surely that knave Hattaraik, is the cause of his Trouble. Call for him in all haste. When he had come to her, Sandie, says she, what is this you have done to my Brother WiJliam ? I told him, says he, I should make him repent his stricking of me at the yait lately. She giving the Rogue fair words, and promising him his Pock full of Meal, with Beaf, and Cheese, perswaded the Fellow to cure him again. He und ertook the business, but I must first (says he) have One of his Sarks, which was soon gotten. What Pranks he plaid with it cannot be known. But within a short while the Gentleman recovered his Hea lth. When Hattaraik came to receive his wadges, he told the Lady, your Brother William shal quickly go off the Countrey but shall never return. She knowing the Fellows Prophesies to hold true, caused her Brother make a Disposition to her of all his Patrimony, to the defrauding of his younger brother George. After that this Warlock had abused the Coun trey for a long time, he was at last apprehended at Dunbar, and brought into Edinburgh and burnt upon the Castle· hil l.

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THE PAWKY AULD KIMMER A Traditional Ballad.

THERE'S a pawky auld Kimmer wons low i' the glen; Nane kens how auld Kimmer maun fecht and maun fen; Kimmer gets maut, and Kimmer gets meat

And can tie lives Kimmer, right couthie an' halei Kimmer gets bread, an' Kimmer gets cheese, An' Kimmer's uncannie een keep her at ease. " I rede ye speak lowne, lest Kimmer should hear ye ; Come sain yeJ come cross ye, an' Gude be near ye! "

Kimmer can milk a hale loan of kye, Yet sit at the ingle fu' snug an' fu' dry; Kimmer a brown cowte 0' poor Laurie made, Whan she posted to Locherbrigg last Hallowmass rade . Kimmer can sit i' the coat tai ls 0' the moon, And tipple gude wine at Brabant brewin' . " I red e ye speak lowne , lest Kimmer should hear ye; Come sain ye, come cross ye, an' Gude be near ye! "

Kimmer can sit an' say- " E'en be 't sae ! " An ' red jowes the Nith atween banking an ' brae; Kimmer can cast owre it her cantraips an' spells, An' feerie can cross it in twa braid cockle shells. The Laird spake to Kimmer for his barren lad ie, An ' soon gaed my ladie coats kilted fu' hie. " I rede ye speak lowne, lest Kimmer should hear ye; Come sain ye, come cross ye, an' Gude be near ye t "

Kimmer was nae bidden whan the cannie wives gade, But for Kimmer they ran, an' for Kimmer they fade:

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THE PAWK Y AULD KIMMER

Kimmer an' I are right couthie an' kin Or the Laird's ae daughter wad ne'er hae been mine: I creshed wee! Kimmer's loaf wi' howdyi ng fee, Or a cradle had ne'er a been totched for me! " I rede ye spea k lowne, lest Kimmer should hear ye; Come sam ye, come cross ye, an' Gud e be near ye! "

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27

FIGHTING A WITCH Reprinted from Scollish Witchcraft Lore.

A. Polson, Invemess, 1932.

THE belief that when two children are christened at the same service, the first baptised has always the better luck, and that if a girl be baptised before a boy and out of the

same font, the gi rl when she grows up will have taken not only the boy's luck, but also, to her annoyance, a considerable part of his whiskers as well, and that the lad will have a correspond­ingly poorer masculine appeara nce, was the cause of a feud between two fishermen's famili es, regarding which the following story is told by their descendants to this day.

Just one hundred and one years ago, John Mackenzie, his wife Janet, wi th their infant daughter; Donald Munro, his wife Christy, and their first born son, stood before the minister of Nigg, in Ross-shire, to have their chi ld ren christened. After the usual questions by the officiating clergyman had been asked and answered, John Mackenzie bega n to move forward with his daughter, when Christy Munro boldly stepped forward , tugged John's coat and sa id quite audibly, "Come back, you sneak, how dare you ? " and looking towards her husb;md, said .. " G o forward, Donald." John heeded not, and so little Maggie Mackenzie was baptised first. When they got outside, Christ)' le t her temper loose and addressed him: " How could you dare to steal my bairn's luck yon way? Your bairn will have my ladd ie's whiskers, and nobody will think the better of her for that, and I'll warrant I'll find some way to le t my laddie have his."

Janet was of a quiet disposition, but her mother's nature was roused, and she replied, " My lassie is all righ t, and you cannot hurt her, for the Bible says, 'The curse ca useless shall not come ' ." This was the beginning of a feud between the families,

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FI G HTIN G A WITCH "49

and few people would have liked to have been in Janet MackenZIe's place, as Donald Munro's wife, though only about thirty yea rs of age, was already reputed " uncanny".

W hen, after that, Christy could say a word to wound Janet, she rarely mtssed her chance, and about two years afte~ their first qua rrel, and shortly after John was drowned in the Firth Christy said to the widow, " I knew fine your man would no; live long with you. I made him walk over the gunwale a nd he drowned himself."

This was a terrible blow to poor Janet, and after she had cried in her loneliness for a week she resolved to go to those who were in the boat with her husband and find out the truth from them. She told them what Christy had said, and they a t once assured her of the falseness of the story, and explained how the accident had happened . With a thankful hea rt she could only say, " I knew fine that John would not ha ve co mmitted either of the unpardonable sins of taking his own life 01' of taking a false oa th."

She was somewhat comforted, but each of the men felt how inhuman Christy must be, and therefore feared and hated her and would have nothing to do with the making up of a crew 0; the purchase of a boat in which she had any interest.

Years passed, and Widow Mackenzie's daughter Maggie and Malcolm, Christy'S son, grew up and were on the most fri endly terms, notwIths tanding the more than coldness which existed between the mothers. One day Malcolm, when a lad of sixteen, came home in a state of great excitement, and sa id, II M other, it has been cast up to me that you ca used my father's death, and I want to know this very day."

Christy rose from her spinning-wheel in wrath and said " M y lad, I did not cause your father's dea th . One day I hadn'; his dinner ready whe n he came in, and he went to the inn, and on coming home he fel! over the bank into the sea, and there the poor man perished. Now, who told you that story? Was it Maggie Mackenzie, tha t li mmer of a lassie you go with so often?" II No, it wasna/' answe red Malcol m, "and Maggie would be very sorry to say an ill word about my father or to vex anyone." "Oh, my boy, you just mind Maggie and her mother, they are deceitful limmers."

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ROWA N TRE E AND RED THREAD

" They are no such thing, and you needna tell me that," answered Malcolm.

Christy had more cunning than to pursue the sub jec t further just then, but it was quite evident to her that between her son and Maggie of all persons in the world there existed a strong frie ndship. She watched them more closely than ever, and soon ca me to the conclusion th at they were swee thearts. She tried to poison her boy's mind with all man ner of evi l thoughts of M aggie and her mother, but an evening's walk and talk with Maggie proved an excellen t antidote to such poison.

For more than three years there were bickerings between mother and son regarding Maggie, until one day when his mother was in a very bitter mood he told her he could stand it no longer, and he told her that he now had the third share of a boat and some money in the bank, and he was going to ask Maggie's mother to let him stay with her after he married Maggie. On hearing this poor Christy lost her temper and rated her son: " You go to Janet Mackenzie's house, the sneak. She tried to steal your luck when YOll were baptised, and hard work I had to get it back for you, and now that you have gotten it you ' re going to give it and yourself to her. No fea r, you'll not marry Maggie Mackenzie, if the deil ca n prevent it." Malcolm ke pt quiet, and soon went out to tell Maggie how he fared . She, afraid of his mother, wished him to wait for a year or two in the hope that by that time the marriage would be less distasteful to his mother. H No, no," said Malcolm, "she only gets worse," and by the time he left her it was agreed that the" contra ct " should be in a fortnight.

For this function Malcolm merely said to three of his chums, " I wish you would come to Janet Mackenzie's house on Friday night." "Why?" they of course asked . "You'll see that when you come." Maggie invited her friends in the same way, and all went pretending wonder as to why they were invi ted. All felt glad that Christy Munro, with all her witchcraft had not been able to keep the couple asunder .

After supper there were cries for the schoolmaster, who was a necessary guest. That young man soon got seated at a table, and in his best co pperplate style wrote:

1 F IG HTIN G A WITCH

" Nigg, 8th D ecember, 1820. There is a promise of marriage between Malcolm Munro,

residing at Balnabruoch, Nigg, and Margaret Mackenzie, residing at Castlecraig, in this parish. Signed' this eighth day of D ecember, 1820, in the presence of witnesses."

There was then a pledging of health, and dancing began, but was s topped by a cry of " Mercy on me! " from Maggie. On looking round they saw that the kettle which was boi ling over the fire placed in the middle of the floor began to circle upwards towards the hole by which the smoke usually found exit. A pair of old grimy hands were pulling and jerking the suspending cham, and down the boiling water came, and some of it fell on Malcolm's hands and some on the back of Ma ggie's head. The guests, in the hope of catching the mischief-maker, made for the door, but they found it locked, and ere it could be opened the kettle fell on the floor broken, and when at las t they go t out there was nobody to be seen. The guests were awed, and none of them, as was usual in such cases, offered to accompany Malcolm to the session-clerk with the" lines " , with the result that neither bride nor bridegroom-elect felt mu ch inclination to proceed further. All felt that Christy Munro was having her own way, but none of them durst say so until Malcolm said to his chum, John Campbell , " Do you think I ca n put up at your house for a few weeks?" John was a bit afraid, and answe red, " What would your mother think if we kept you ? "

" Oh, pity me for saying it, but she has not bee n a mother to me for two or three years."

John cou ld do no other than agree. In a few weeks Maggie was seen to mope and appear ill,

and now and then would say to her mother, " Mother, I know some evi l is being done to me by Christy:"

After consultation, four young men agreed that the proper th ing to do was to take Maggie over to Cromarty for a month or two " for a change" J they said, but the true reason was the belief that a witch's power cannot cross sa lt water. The young men kept their going a secret lest Christy should find means to circumvent them. One morning soon after they set out on the short journey across the Firth, and just as they were nearing Cromarty Harbo ur, Campbell shouted mockingly, "Oh, look

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25 2 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

at Christy on the shore. She is toO late this time." They all loo ked back, and for a moment forgot the breeze, and the boa t gave a lurch and both Campbell and Maggie were knocked overboard by the swing of the sail. Quick as ever he was seen to act, Rob Ross threw them a rope, Campbell caught it, and both he and Maggie were soon hauled aboard. His first words after getting in were, I' Now, lads, here in this boat w.e ~ake a vow to clear Christy Munro out of the parish of Nlgg If she does not give up her wicked ways." SampbeU's earnestness overcame their fears, and they promised to aid him m what they considered a losing fight. There was little need to ask that inviolable secrecy be maintained, as all felt that they muSt be quiet if they were to avert Christy's vengeance. Maggie remained with relatives at Cromarty, and dal ly regamed health

and spirits. Early one morning, about two months after the boat adven-

ture, Campbell set to work, and drove twO or three sheep and a calf belonging to Christy to an exceedingly dangerous spoton a shelving rock near Castlecraig, and then sauntering, as If by accident, past Christy's house, remarked to her that he thought he saw her calf in an unsafe place up on the rocks. Her thanks to him for the information were, "And why the deil didn't you

turn it back? " Campbell sent a chum after her to watch the result. Christy

got on to the shelving rock and called, " Pet, pet, come here." The calf came, and as Christy got a rope round Its neck, It began to gambol, missed its footing, and over the rock it went, pullmg Christy after it. In mortal terror the young man fled, and told that he saw Christy and her calf fall over the rocks. Neighbours ran to the place, but in going they met Christy, who, in severe tones, told them that the calf had fallen into the sea, and that she fell above it and escaped unhurt, but that the calf was dead. " G et a boat," she said, "and go round and fetch it home; Its flesh is good enough." .

Campbell was determined that he would not deSIst though his fi rst attem pt has so miraculously failed. He had heard that a gun loaded with a crooked sixpence was the only shot that would be of any avail against witches like Christy. He got these ready and watched his chance. If she were badly hurt, he

FIGHTING A WITCH 253

would say that it was at a hare he fired, if there ever arose the necessity of his saying even so much. He had not long to wait, for early one morning he saw her passing in front of his house, and fired so as to hit the lower part of her body. Christy gave a scream, and ran away as fast as she could in the direction of her own house, but had not gone far when she felt compelled to lie down. The shot and the scream brought out some neigh­bours, among whom was Widow Mackenzie, in whose house was Malcolm, who had just returned from Cromarty, where he had been, to tell her mother how Maggie was getting on. He found his mother moaning, with blood streaming from her leg. " Och! Och! Och!" was all she could at first say to him. Then she said: "All my power is gone, Malcolm. Oh, my son, you must forgive me, and I'll never sayan evil word of Maggie Mackenzie, nor wish her evil, nor do an evil turn to her."

" Oh, mother, I forgive you," was Malcolm's answer, as he saw how much his mother was suffering.

"And you must marry Maggie, and I'll give you all I have, and I'll wish you well. Her friends are too strong for me."

Christy was carried home, and soon recovered, and was present at the wedding in the following June, and there has been less fear of witches in the parish of Nigg ever sin ce.

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KING DUFF THE 78TH KING OF SCOTLAND, BEWITCHED

Reprinred from Satan's In visible World Discovered. George Sinclair, Edin ., 1685_

TH OUGH this be well known to all who read our Scots Histories, yet it wi ll not be amiss to insert it here, as in its own place, for their sake especially who have not heard

of it. While the King was about the se tling of the Countrey, and pu nishing the Troublers of the Peace, he began to be sore afflicted in his Body with a new and unheard of Disease, no Causes of his Sickness appea ring in the least. At length, after that several Remedies and Cures were made use of to no purpose, a Report is spread, the Authors thereof being uncertain, that the King was brought to that sickness and Trouble by Witches. This suspicion arose, from an unusual Sweating he was under, his Body pining and withering away by little and little and his strength failling day by day. And since all his Physicians had done their utmost, and yet no appearance of recovery, it was supposed his case was extraordinary, therefore all men being vehemently intent upon the Event, news came to Court that Night-meeti ngs were kept at Forres a Town in M urray, for taking away the life of the King. This was presently received and believed for truth, because no other thin g did occurr for the present more probable. Whereupon Trusty and Faithful men are presently sent away to one Donald Governour of the Cas tle there, in whom the King had the greatest T rust and Confidence. This man ha vi ng gotten some knowledge of the business from a certain young Wench, whose Mother was und er a bad report of being skilful in this Black-Art, fou nd out and discovered the whole matter. The young Harlot is taken, because she had spoken some words rashly anen t the Kings

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KING DUFF THE 78TH KING OF SCO TLAND 255

sickness, and that wi thin a few dayes his life would be at an end . Some of the Guard being sent, found the Lasses Mother, with some Haggs, such as her sel f, roasting before a small moderate fire, the Kings Picture made of Wax. The design of this horrid Act, was that as the Wax by little and little did melt away, so the Kings Body by a continual sweating, might at last totally decay. The Waxen- Image bei ng found and broken, and those old Haggs being punished by deat h, the King did in that sa me moment recover. Compare this with the first Rela tion,' and you will find them jump and agree exactly.

.,. Relation No. I in Sinclair's Salan's IfiLiisible World Discovered is " The Bewitching of Sir George Maxwell."

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THE WITCH OF LAGGAN Reprinted from" Scollish Witchcraft Lore.

A. Polson, Inverness, 1932.

THE story of the witch of Laggan is often told in Badenoch. A hunter who persecuted the whol e tribe of them once took shelter from a storm in a mountain bothy. A cat

entered, and the hunter had much ado to pacify hi s dogs. When the cat saw this, it said: H I am a witch and have taken on this shape, but if you will shelter me I'll give up all my wicked ways." He took pity on her, invited her to sit down, but she would not unless he first tied up his hounds, and she handed him a hair rope with which to do it. He went with the hounds to a corner, but tied the rope round a beam.

The seeming cat then sat by the fire, but SOOI1 changed her shape to " The good wife of Laggan ", told him that because he was a persecutor of her kind, his hour was now come, and then flew at his throat. The hounds jumped to his help, and she cried " Tighten, tighten." The beam cracked and she at once knew she had been deceived. She tried to escape, but the dogs clung to her as long as they were able. She escaped at last, and when the hunter got home his wife told him that she had been visiting the" good wife of Laggan." He went to see her, but when he uncovered her wounds she shrieked and expired.

That night two travellers met a blood-stained woman running in the direction of the churchyard with two black dogs chasing her. They next met a black man on a black horse, who asked them if they had met a woman wi th two black dogs chasing her. When they said they had, he asked whether she could be in the holy ground of the churchyard ere the dogs ca ught her. They thought she might, but a little later thev met the horse man returning with the woman lying on the hors~'s back in front of him with the dog's teeth fixed in her body. That was the end of the great witch of Laggan.

30

WITCHCRAFT IN RERRICK

Reprinted from A True Relation 0/ an Apparition, Expressions and AClings of a Spirit which infested the House of Andrew Mackie in the Ring-Croil of Slacking, in the Parish of Rerrick, in the Stewarlry of Kirkcudbrighl, in Scotland. By Mr. Andrew Telfair, M inister of that Paroch, and attested by many other persons who were also eye and ear witnesses. Edin., 1696.

Eph. 6) I I. Put On the whole Annour of God) that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. Verse 1 2. For we wrestle not aga inst flesh and blood, but against Principalities, and Power, &c. James 4, 7. Resist (he Devil and he wiJl flee from you.

To THE READER

I ASSURE you It is contrare to my Genius, (all Circumstances

being considered) to appear in Print to the View of the World, yet these Moti ves have prevailed with me, to publish the fol­

lowing Relation (beside the satisfying of some reverend Brelh ren in the Ministry, and several worthy Christians). As r. The Conviction and Confutation of that prevailing Spirit of Atheism, and Infidelity in our time, denying both in Opinion and Practice the Existence of Spirits, either of God or Devils ; and conse­quentl), a Heaven and H ell: And imputing the Voices, Appari­tions and Actings of Good, Or Evil Spirits, to the Me1ancholick Disturbance or Distemper of the Brains and Fancies of those, who pretend to hear, see, or feel them. 2. To give occasion, to all who read this, To bless the Lord, who hath sent a stronger (even Christ Jesus) than the strong Man, to bind him, and spoil him of his Goods, and to destroy the Works of the D evil, and even by these things whereby Satan thinks to propagate his Kingdom of Darkness, to discover, weaken and bring it down. 3. To induce all Persons, particularly Masters of Families, to private and Family-Prayer; lest the neglect of it provoke the

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Lord, nor onl y to pour out his Wrath upon them otherwise: But to let Satan loose to haunt their Persons and Families with oudible Voices, Apparitions, and hurt to rheir persons and Goods. 4. That Ministers and Congrega tions, where the Gospel is in any measure in purity and power, may be upon their guard, to wrestle accordi ng ro the Word of God, against rhese Principalities and Powers, and Spiritual Wickednesses, who still see k to marr rhe Success and Fruit of rhe Gospel, so metimes by force, and some times by fraud, sometimes secre tly, and somerimes openly (Tunc tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet.) And for these Ends leorn to know his Wiles, and put on the whole Armour of God, that they may be able to debate with him. And 5. That all who are by the good ness of God free from these audible Voices, Appari tions or Hurts from Satan, may lear n to ascribe Praise and Glory ro God, who leads them not inro Temptation, but delivers them from Evil: And rhat this true and attested Account of Sa tan's Methods in this Place, may carry the foresaid Ends, is the earneS! Prayer of An weak Labourer in the Work of the Gospel in that Place, and your Servant for Christ 's sake.

ALEXANDER TELFAIR.

Edinburgh, Decer. 21, 1695.

Whereas many are desirous to know the Truth of the Matter, as to the Evil Spirit and its Actings, that troubleth the Family of Andrew Mackie in Ring-Croft of Stocking, &c., and are Iyable to be mis-informed, as I do find by the reports that come to my own Ears of that matter. Therefore that satisfa ction may be given, and such mistakes may be cured or prevented: I the Minister of the said Paroch (who was prese nt several times, and was Witness to many of its Actings, and have heard an Account of the whole of its Methods and Actings from the persons present, towards whom, and before whom it did Act) have given the ensuing, and short Account of the whole Matter: which I can attest to be the very Truth as to that Affair and before I come to the Relation it self, I premise these things with respect to what might have been the occasion and rise of that Spirits appearin g and acring .

WIT CHCRAFT IN RERRICK 259

1. The said Andrew Mackie being a Meason to his Employ­ment, 'tis given out, that when he took the Meoson-word, he devoured his first Child to the Devil: Bur I am certainl y in­formed, he never rook the same, and knows not whor rhat Word is. He ;s outwordly Moral , rhere is nothing known to his Life and Conversa tion, bur honest, civil, and harmless, beyond many of his Neighbours, doth delight in the Compa ny of the best; and when he was under the Trouble of rhat evil Spirit, did pray to the grea t sa tisfaction of many. As for his Wife and Children, none have impured any thing to them as the rise of it, nor is rhere any ground, for ought I know, for any to do so.

2. W hereas its given out rhat a Woman sub mala lama, did leave some Cloa ths in that house, in the Custody of the said Andrew Mackie, and died before they were given up to her; and he or his Wife should have keeped some of them back from her friends: I did seriously pose both him and his Wife upon rhe Matter, they declared they knew not what things were left, being bound up in a Sack, but did deliver entirely to her Friends all they received from the Woman, which I am apt to believe.

3. Whereas one Macknaught, who sometimes before possessed that House, did not thri ve in his own Persoll, or Goods: It seems he had sent his Son to a Witch-wife, who li ved then at the Routing-bridge, in the Paroch of Iron-gray, to enquire what might be the cause of the decay of his Person and Goods : the Youth meeting with some Forreign Souldiers, went abroad ro Flanders, and did not return with an Answer. Some years after there was one John Redick in this Paroch, who ha vi ng had occasion to go abroad , met with the sa id young Macknaught in Flanders, and they knowing other, Macknaught enquired after his Father and other Friends; and findi ng the said John Redick wos to go home, desired him to go to his Father, or who ever dwelt in the Ring-croft , and desire them to raise the door­threshold, and search, till they found a T ooth, and burn it, for none who dwelt in that house would thrive till that was done. The said John Redick coming home, and find ing the old man Macknaught dead, and his Wife out of that place, did never mention the matter, nor further mind it, ti ll this troub le was in Andrew Mackie's Family; then he spoke of it, and told the

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matter to my self. Betwixt Macnight's death, and Andrew Mackie's Possession of this House, there was one Thomas T elfai r, who possest it some years; what way he heard the Report of what the Witch-wife had said to Macknight's Son, I cannot tell; but he sea rched the door-threshold, and found something like a Tooth, did compare it with the tooth of Man, Horse, Nolt and Sheep (as he said to me) but could not say which it did resemble, only it did resemble a Tooth; he did cast it in the fire, where it burnt like a Candle, or so much Tallow; yet he never knew any trouble about that house by night or by day, before or after, during his Possession. These things premised, being suspected to have been the occasion of the Trouble; and there being no more known as to them, than what is now declared, I do think the matter still unknown, what may have given an arise thereto. But leavi ng this I subjoin the matter as follows.

In the Moneth of February, the said Andrew Mackie had some young Beasts, which in the night time were still loosed, and their Bindings broken: he taking it to be the unrulyness of the Beasts, did make stronger and stronger Bindings of Withes and other things, but still all were broken: at last he suspected it to be some other thing, whereupon he removed them out of that place, and the first ni gh t thereafter, one of them was bound with a Hair-tedder to the balk of the house, so straight rhat the feet of the beast only touched the ground, but could not move no way else, yet it sus tained no hurt. An other night, when the Family were all sleeping, there was the full of an back-creel of Peets, set together in midst of the house floor, and fire put in them, the smoak wakened the Family, otherwise the house had been burnt; yet nothing all the whil e was ei ther seen or heard.

Upon the 7th . of March there were stones thrown in rhe House, in all the places of it, but it could not be discovered from whence they came, what, or who threw them: After this manner it continued till the Sabbath, now and then throwing both in the night and day, but was busiest throwing in the night time .

Upon Saturnday, the Family being all without, the Children coming in, saw something which they thought to be a body

WITCHCRAFT IN RERRICK

sitting by the fi reside with a Blanket (or Cloath) about it, whereat they were affraid : The youngest, being a boy about 9 or 10

yea rs of age, did chide the rest, saying, why are you fear 'd? Let lIS faine (or bless) ourselves, and then there is no ground to fear't: he perceived the blanket to be his, and faining (or blessing) himself, ran and pulled the blanket from it, saying, be what it will, it hath nothing to do with my blanket; and then they found it to be a four footed Stool set upon the end, and the blanket cast ove r it.

Upon the Sabbath, being the IItb. of March, the Crook and Potcl ips were taken away, and were a wanting four days, and were found at last on a loaft, where they had been sought several times before. This is attes ted by Charles Macklelane of Colline, and John Cairns in Hard-hills. It was observed that the Stones which hit any person, had not half thei r natural weight, and the throwing was more frequent on the Sabbath, than at othe r times: and especially in time of Prayer, above all othe r times, it was busiest, then throwing most at the person prayi ng. The said Andrew Mackie told the matter to me upon Sabba th after Sermon; upon the Tuesda y therea fter I went to the house, did stay a considerable time with them, and pra yed twice, and there was no trouble: Then I came out with a resolution to leave the house, and as I was standing, speaking to so me men at the barn end, I saw two little stones drop down on the Croft at a little distance from me; and then immediately some came crying out of the house, that it was become as ill as ever within: whereupon I wenc into the house again, and I was at prayer, it threw several stones at me, but they did no hurt being very small; and after there was no mare trouble, till the 18 day of March: and then it began as before, and threw more frequently, greater stones, whose strokes were sorer where they hit: and thus it continued to the 21. Then I went to the house and stayed a great part of the night, but was greatly troubled; stones, and several o ther things were thrown at me; I was struck several times on the sides, and shoulders, very sharply with a grea t staff, so that those who were present heard the noise of the strokes : that night it threw off the bed-side, and rapped upon the Chists and Boards, as One calling for aCCess: This is attested by Charles Macklelane of Colline, William Mackminn,

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262 ROWAN TR E E AND RED THREAD

and John T ait in T orr. That ni ght, as I was once at Prayer, leamng on a bed-side, I felt something pressing up my arme, I castmg my eyes thither, perceived a little white Hand and Arm from the elbow down, but presently it evanished. It is to be observed, that notwithstanding of all that was fel t and heard, from the first to the last of this matter, there was never any thing seen, except that hand I saw, and a friend of the said Andrew . M<1ckie's said he saw as it were a young Mao, red faced, With yellow hair, looking in at the Window; and other twO or three Persons, with the said Andrew his Children, saw at several times, as it were a young Boy about the age of '4 years With gray Cloaths, and a bonne t on his head, bu t presen tly disappeared as also what the three Children saw sitting by the fire-s ide.

Upon the 22 the Trouble still increased, both against the Family, and against the Neighbours who came to visite them by throwing stones, and bea ting them with staves; so that som~ were forced to leave the house before their inclination: This is attested by Charles Macklelane of Colline, and Andrew Tait in Torr. Some it would have met as they ca me to the house, and stoned With stones about the yards, and in like manner s toned as they went from the house; of whom Thomas Telfair in Stock­ing was one. It made a li ttle Wound or. the said Andrew Mackie's brow, did thrust several times at his shoulder, he not regarding, at last it gripped him so by the hair, that he thought something Irke natls of fingers scratched his skin. It dragged severals up and down the house by the Cloaths: This is attested by Andrew Tait. It gripped one John Keige Miller in Achin­carrn so, by the side, that he intreated his Neighbours to help, and cryed, It would rive the side from him. That night it lifted the Cloaths off the Children, as they were sleeping in bed, and beat them on the hipps, as if it had been with ones hand, so that all who were in the house heard it. The door-barr, and other things, would go thorrow the house as if a person had been carryi ng them in their hand, yet nothing see n doing it; This is attested by John Telfair in Achinleck, and others. It rattled on the Chests and Bed sides with a staff, and made a great 1l00se; and thus it continued by throwing stones, stricking wjth staves, and rattling in the house, till the 2d. of April, at night

WITCHCRAFT IN RERRfCK 263

it cryed, Wisht, Wisht, at every Sentence in the dose of Praver' and it Whistled so dis tinctly, that the Dog barked, and ra~ t~ the door, as if one had been calling to hound him.

. Aprile 3. It whistled several times, and cryed wisht, wisht, this is attested by Andrew Tait. Upon the 4th. of Aprile, Charles Mackelane of Collin Land-lord, with the said Andrew Mackie, went to a certain Number of Ministers met at Buttle an? ,gave them an Account of the matter; where upon thes~ Ministers made publick Prayers for the Fa mily, and two of their Number, viz. Mr. Andrew Aevart Minister of Kells, and Mr. John Murdo Minister of Corsmichael came to the House and spent that Night in fas ting and praying: But it was very cruel against them, especially by throwing grea t Stones some of them about half an stone weight: It wounded Mr. Andrew Aewart twice in the Head, to the effusion of his Blood, it pulled off his Wigg in time of Prayer, and when he was holding out his Napkin betwixt his hands, it cast a Stone in the Napkin, and therewith threw it from him: It gave Mr. John Murdo several sore strokes ; Ye t the Wo unds and Bruises received did soon cure : There were none in the House that Night escaped from some of its fury and cruelty: That Night it threw a firie peet amongs the People; But did no hurt, it only disturbed them in time of prayer: And also in the dawning, as they rose from Prayer, the Stones poured down on all who were in the House to their hurt, this is attested by Mr. Andrew Aevart Mr. John Murdo, Charles Macklelane, and John Taic.

Upon the 5th of Aprile: I t se t some Thatch s traw in fir e which was in the Barne-yeard : At night the House being very throng WIth NeIghbours, the Stones were still thrown down among them ; as the said Andrew Mackie his wife went to bring in some peets, for the fire when she ca me to the door, she found a broad Stone to shake under her foot, which she ne \'er knew to be loose before : She resolved wit h her self to see what was beneath it in the morning there after.

Upon the 6th of Aprile, when the House was quiet, she went to the s tone, and there found Seven small bones, with Blood, and some Fles h, all closed in a piece of Old suddled Pape r, the Blood was fr esh and bright : The sight whereof troubled her, and being a£fraid, laid all down again; And ran to Colline his

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House, being an quarter of an Mile distant: But in that time, it was worse than ever it was before; by throwing Stones, and fire­Balls, in and about the House, but the fire as it lighted did Evanish: In that time it threw an Hot ·stone into the bed betwixt the Children, which burnt through the bed doaths; And after it was taken out by the Mans Eldes t Son, and had lyen on th e floor more nor an Hour, and an half ; the said Charles Macklelane of Colline could not hold it in his hand for heat: this is attested by Charles Macklelane. It thrust an Staff thorrow the Wall of the house above the Children in the bed, shook it over them, and Groaned. When Colline ca me to the house, he went to Prayer before he Offered to lift the Bones; all the while he was at Prayer jt was most cruel; But as SOOn as he took up the Bones the trouble ceased, (t his is attes ted by Charles Macklelane) he sent them presently to me; upon sight whereof I went immediately to the house: while I was at Prayer, it threw great Stones which Hitt me; But they did not hurt: Then there was no more trouble that Night.

The 7th Aprile, being th e Sabbath it began again and threw Stones, and wounded William Macminn a Blacksmith on the Head, it cast a Ploughsock at him, and also an Trough-stone upwards of three stone Weight, which did fall upon his Back, yet he was not hurt theteby. Attested by William Macminn, it set the house twice in fire, yet there was no hurt done in respect some neighboures were in the house, who helped to quench it, at Night in the twi -light as John Mackie the said Andrew Mackie his Eldes t Son was coming home, near to the house, there was an Extraordinary light fe ll about him, and we nt before him to the house, with a swift Motion. That night it containued after its won ted manner.

Aprile 8th.-In the morning as And rew Mackie wen t, down the Closs he found a Letter both writen and Sealed with blood; it was directed on the back thus. 3 years tho shall have to repent a net it welL And within was written: Wo be to the Cotlland Repent and tak warning for the door of hauen ar all Redy bart against the I am sent for a warning to the to fl ee to god yet troublt shall t this man be for twenty days and 3 rpent repnent opent Scotland or els tow shal L In the middle of the day, the Persons alive who lived in that house since it was Built,

WITCHCRAFT IN RERR]CK

being about 28 Years: were conveined by appointment of the CIVil Magistrate, before Colline my self and others and did all [ouch the Bones, in respect there was some suspicion of secre t Murder commi tted in the place: But nothing was found to discover the sa me.

Upon the 9th. of Aprile, the Letter and Bones were sent to the Ministers who were all Occasiona lly met at Kirkcudbru gh they appointed five of their number viz. Mr. John Murdo, Mr: James Monteith, Me John Mackmillan, Mr. Samuel Spalding, and Me WIlham Falconer with me to go to the House, and spend so much time in Fasting and Praying as we were able.

Upon the 10· of Aprile We went to the house and no sooner did I begin to open my Mouth; but it threw st;nes at me and all within the House, but still worst at hi m who was at Duty: It came often With such force upon the house that it made all the house Shake, it bra ke an hole thorrow the Timber and Thatch of the House, and poured in great Stones, one whereof more thaD an Quarter weight fell upon Mr. James Mon tei th hiS back, yet he was not hurt, it threw an other with great force at hlln when he was praying bigger than a Mans fist which hitt him on the Breast yet he was neither hurt nor moved thereby; It was thought fit that one of our number, with an other person, should go by turnes; and stand under the hole in the outside ' so there was no more trouble from that place: But the Barn~ being ioyned to the end of the House, it brake down the Barne Door and Mid -wa ll and threw stones up the House; But did no great hurt; it Gripped, and Handled the Legs of some, as with a Mans hand; it Hoised up the feet of others while sta nding on the ground, thus it did to William Lennox of Mill-house, my Self and others, in this manner it contil1ued till Ten a Clock at night; But after that there was no more trouble while we were about the house this is Attested by Mrs. James Monteith, John Murdo, Samuel Spalding, Mr. Fa lconer, William Lennox and John Tait, The II. 12. ' 3' It was worse than ever it was before; for not any who came into the House did escape heavy strocks ; T~ere was one, ~ndrew Tait in T orc, as he was coming to stay with the Fa mIlle all night, by the way his Dog Catched a Thulmard, when he ca me in he cast it by in the house, thereafter there were other three young Men who came in also: And when

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they were all at Prayer the Evil Spirit beat them with the dead Thulmard, and threw it before them; The three who knew it not to be in the house were greatly affri ghted, especially one Samuel Thomson a Chap-man, who m it also gripped by the Side and Back, and thrust as if it had been an hand beneath his Cloaths, and into his Pockets, he was so affrighted that he took Sickness immediately, this is Attested by Andrew TaiL

The 14th. being the Sabbath, it set some straw in fire that was in the Barn-yeard, and threw s tones while Ten a Clock at night, it threw an Dike-spade at the said Andrew Mackie with the Mouth toward him; But he received no hurt, while an Meal-sive was tossed up and down the house the said Andrew Mackie takes hold of it, and as it were with difficulty gets the grip keeped; At last all within the Rim is torn out, thereafter it threw an handful, of the Sive Rolled together at Thomas Robertson in Airds, who was Witness to this, yet in all their Actings their was never any thing see n but what 1 mentioned before.

Upon the 15th Aprile William Anderson a Drover and James Paterson his Son in Law, came to the house with Colline in the Evening, Colline going Home a while wit hin night, the said Andrew Mackie sen t his Sones to convoy him: As they returned, they were Cruelly stoned, and the stones Rolled amongst their Legs like to break them: Shortly after they came in, it wounded William Anderson On the Head to the great Effusion of his Blood, in time of Prayer it Whisled, Groaned, and Cryed Whisht, Whisht, this is Attested by John Cairnes.

The 16.-1t continued Whisting, Groaning, Whisling, and throwing stones in time of Prayer, it cryed bo, bo, and Kick, Cuck, and shake men back and forward, and Hoised them up as if it would lift them off their knees, this is Attested by Andrew TaiL

The whole Family went from the house, and left five Honest neighbours 10 wait on the same all night but there was no hurt done to them nor the Family where they were, nor to those neighbours who stayed in the said Andrew Mackie his house, on ly the Cattle were cast over o ther to the hazard of killing them as they were bound to the Stakes; and some of them were loosed, this is Attested by John Cairnes .

WITCHCRAFT IN RERRICK

Upon the 18.- They returned to their House again, and there was' no hurt done to them nor their Cattle that night except in a little House where there were some Sheep, it coupled them together in paires by the Neck, with Straw Ropes, made of an Bottle of Straw, which it took off an Loft in the Stable, and carryed to the Sheep-house, which is three or four pair of Butts distant, and it made rna Ropes than it needed for binding rhe Sheep whic h it left beside rhe straw in the Sheep-house, this is Attested by Andrew Tait.

Upon the 19.-1t fired the straw in the Barn, but Andrew Mackie put it out (being there Threshing) without doing any hurt: it shut Staves thorrow the Wall at him but did no hurt.

The 20.-1t continued throwing stones, Whisling and Whisting with all its former words, when it hit any Person, and said, take you that till you get more, that person was sure immediately of an other, but when it said take you that, the person got no more for a while, this is Attested by John Tait_

The 2r. 22 . 23.-1t containued casting Stones, beating with Staves and throwing Pee t-mud in the faces of all in the House, especially in time of Prayer with all its former Tricks.

The 24·-Being a day of Humiliation appointed to be kept in the Parish for that cause; all that day from Morning to Night, it containued in a most fearfull manner without intermission, throwing Stones with such cruelty and force that all in the House feared lest they sho uld be killed.

The 25th.-1t threw stones all night, but did no great hurt. The 26th.-lt threw stones in the evening, and knocked on a

Chist several times, as one to have access; and began to speak, and call those who were sitting in the house Witches, and Rukes, and said it would take them to Hell. The People then in the house said among themselves, if it had any to speak to it, now it would speak. In the mean time Andrew Mackie was sleeping, they wakened him, and then he hearing it say, Thou shalt be troubled till Tuesday, asked, Who gave the a Commission? To whom it answered, God gave me a Commission; and I am sent to warn the Land to repent; for a Judgment is to come if the Land do not quickly repent, and commanded him to reveal it upon his perrill; and if the Land did not repent, it said it would go to its Fathe r, and get a Commission to return wi th an hundred

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268 ROWAN TREE AND RED THREAD

worse than it self, and would trouble every particular Family in the Land: Andrew Mackie said to those who were wi th him if I should tell this, I would not be believed. Then it said' Fetch betters, fetch the Minister of the Paroch, and two hones; men upon Tuesdays night, and I shall declare before them what I have to say. Then it said, Praise me, and I will whistle to you, Worship me, and I will trouble you no more. Then Andrew M<lckie s<lid, The Lord, who delivered the three Children out of the fiery Furnace, deliver me, and mine this night, from the Tempt<ltions of Satan: Then it replyed, Vou might as well have said, Shadrah, Mesh<lh, and Abednego. In the mean time while Andrew Mackie was speaking, tbere was one James Telfair in Buttle, who was <ldding <I word, to whom it s<lid, Vou are basely bred, meddling in other mens Discourse, wherein you are not concerned. It likewise sa id, Remove your Goods, for I will burn the house. He answered, the Lord stop Satan's Fury, and hinder him of his Designs. Then it said, I will do it, or you shall guide well: All this is attested by John Tait in Torr, and several others who can not subscribe.

Upon the 27 it set the house seven times in fire. The 28, being the Sabbath, from Sun rising to Sun setting, it still set the house in fire, as it was quenched in one part, inst<lntly it was fired in an other: and in the evening, when it could not get its Designs fulfilled in burning the house it pulled down the end of the house, all the stonework thereof, so that they could not abide in it any longer, but went and kindled their fire in the stable.

Upon the Sabbath night, it pulled one of the Children ou t of bed, gripping him as he thought, by the craig and shoulders, and took up the block of a tree, as great as a plough-head, and held it above the Children, saying, if I had a Commission I would brain them: thus it expressed it self, in the hearing of all who were in the house: attested by William Mackm;nn , and John Corsby.

The 29. being Munday, it continued Setti ng fire in the house, the sa id Andrew Mackie finding the House so frequentl y set in fire, and being weary quenching it, he went and put out all the Fire that was about the House, and poured water upon the H earth: yet after, it Fired the House several times, when there

WIT CHCRAF T IN RERRICK

was no Fire within an quarter of an Mile of the house : this is Attested by Charles Maclelane and John Cairnes. In the midest of the day, as Andrew M<lckie was threshing in the Barne, it whIspered in the wall and then cryed Andrew, Andrew, but he gave no Answer to it : Then with an Auster, Angry Voice as It we re, It sa Id Speak: Vet he gave no Answer: Then it said, be not troubled, you shall have no more trouble, except some castIng of Stones upon the Tuesday to Fulfill the promise and said take away your Straw, I went to the house about EJe~en a Clock it Fired the house once after I went there, I stayed all NIght till betWIxt Three and Four in the Twesdays morning dureing which time there was no trouble about the Hous: except two little stones droped down at the Fire side as w~ were sitting down at our first entry: a little after I went away, It beg<ln to ·throw stones <IS formerly, this is Attested by Ch<lrles Mackleland and John Tait.

Upon Tuesdays night, being the 30 of April, Charles M<lcklelane of Colline, with sever<l l Neighbours, were in the b<lrne, <IS he was <It prayer he observed a Black thing in the corner of the barne, and it did increase, as if it would fill the whole house, he could not discern it to have any Form: but as If It had been a black Cloud, it was affrighting to them all; and then It threw Bear-chaff, and other mud upon their faces and after did grip severals who were in the house in the middle of the Body, by the Arms <lnd other parts of their Bodies so strait that some s<lid, for five days there<lfter they thought they fel; these gflpps; after an hour or two of the night was thus past, there was no more Trouble. This is Attested by Charles Macklelane, Thomas Mackminn, Andrew Paline, John Cairns, and John T<lit.

Upon Wednesdays night, being the I of May, it fired a little Sheep-house the Sheep were got out s<lfe, but the Sheep-house was wholly burnt. Since there hath not been any trouble about the House by night nor by day. Now all things afores<lid being of undoubted Vent}', Therefore I conclude with that of the Apostle, I Pet. 5. 8. 9. Be sober, be vigilant, bec<luse your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the Faith :

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Tills Relation is attested, as to what they particu larly saw, heard, and felt, by, Mr. Andrew Ewart Minister at Kells ; Mr. James Monteith Minister at Borg; Mr. John Murdo Mi nister at Corsmichael ; Mr. Samuel Spalding Minister at Parta n ; Mr. William Falconer Minister at Keltoun; Charles Macklelane of Coll ine; William Lennox of Mill­house; Andrew T ait in T orr; John Tait in Torr; John Cairns in Hardhill s; William Mackminn; John Corsby; Thomas Mackminn ; Andrew Paline, &:c.

REFERENCES

I . H. T. Sl1ck!e, Hi~tory oj Civili­zation in England, Vol. 3, pp. 204-5 (1925)·

:;:. G. Dalye ll, Darker Supers titions 0/ Seolland, p. 623 (1834).

3. W. E . H. Lecky, T he Rise and Influence 0/ Rotionalism in Eu rope, Vol. I , p. 144 (1866).

4. J. Sharpe, Selkirk, its Church, its School and its Presbytery, p. 107·

5. R. pjrc<li rn, Criminal T rials in Scotland, Vol. I , pt. 2 , p. 52 (1833)·

6. G . R. Ki nloch, Reliquiae A nli­quae Scolicae, p . t 14 (1848).

7. Pilcairn, op. cit., Vol. 3, pp. 603-7'

8. Kinloch, op. cit., p . 123· 9. R. H . Cromek, Remains of Niths­

dale and Galloway Song, p. 223 (1880).

10. Pitcairn, op. cit. , Vol. 2 , pp. 502-3.

II. Kinloch, op. e iL, pr,>. II3, 145· 12 . Id ., pp. 122- 3· 13 ., Pitcairn, op. cit., Vol. I, pt. 2,

P· 239· '4. Id., Vol. 3, pp. 604, 8, 13· 15. Register 0/ the Privy Council,

1644, 2 Se ries, Vol. 8, pp. 146-154.

16. A. Mom gomerie, The FIYling against Poiwarl, Watson Col­lection of Scots Poems, pt. 3 (179°)·

17. Cromek, op. cic., pp. 222-3· 18. Id ., p. 234. 19. D. L yndsay, Poetica l \V'orks,

Vol. 1.

271

20. Montgomerie, op. cit. 21. Pitcairn, op. CiL, Vol. 3, p. 613. 22. W. Forbes, Institules of the Law

0/ Seolland ( ' 722-30). 23. R egister of the Privy Council,

1008, 2 Series, Vol. 2 , pp. 476-7.

24. R. Chambers, Domeslic Annals of Scotland, Vol. 2, p. 244 (1861).

25. G. M ackenzie, Laws and Cus­lomes of Scotland in M allers Criminal, p. 47 (1 6gg).

26. Dalyell, op. ci l. , pp. 343-6. 27. C. K . S harpe, Historical Account

0/ W itchcraft in Scolland, p. 132 (1884).

28. H ighland Papers, VoL 3, "Witch­craft in Bute ", pp. 6, 12, t 3, 32 (1920).

29· Pitcairn, op. ciL, Vol. 3, p. 606. 30. Id., Vol. I, pt. 2, pp. 239, 246. 31. Id., Vo l. 3, pp. 603, 607 · 32. D avid Vedder, The Witch 0/

Piclenweem. 33. Newes from Scotland, see Pit­

ca irn, op. cit. , Vol. I, pp. 21 6-7.

34. Mackenzie, op. ci t., p. 48. 35. Rev. John Sell MS., see Sharpe,

op. cit., p. 209. 36. Spotr iswoodc, H istory of the

Church oj Scotland, Vol. 3, pp. 66-7 (185 1).

37. G. Sinclair, Salan's invisible World Discovered, p. 11 0 (1875) .

38. Spalding Club M iscellany, Vol. I, pp. 131-3.

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-

272 REFERENCES

39· Narrative oj the Sufferings of a Young Girl, pp. 44 (1698).

40. Id ., pp. 41, 45. 41. Dalye ll, op. Ci l ., pp. 343-6. 42. Highland Papers, Vol. 3, p. 6. 43. Kinloch, op. cit. , pp. 124-6. 44. C. K. Sharpe, op. cit., p. 132 .

45. Quoted by C. K. Sharpe, op. cit., p. 132.

46. Bell, The Trial oj Witchcrajt, see Sharpe, cp. CiL, p. 209.

47. F. Hutchinson, Historical Essay Concerning Witchcraft, p. 176 (1718).

48. Pilcairn, cp. cit.} Vol. I, pt. 2, pp. 210-1 I.

49. R. LJw, Memorialls (ed. Sharpe) p. 145 (,8,8).

50. Lord Fountainhall, Decisions, Vol. I, p. 14 (1759.)

5I. Spotliswoode Miscellany, Vol. 2,

p. 162 (1844-5)' 52. Chambe rs, cp. cit., Vol. I , p.

2 13. 53· Spalding Club Miscellany, Vol. I,

pp. 134-7 (1841.) 54. Pitcairn, cp. cit., Vol. I, pr. 2,

pp. 239, 246. 55. Reginald Scot, Disco[)erie oj

Witchcraft, Bk. 3, p. 42 (1584)·

56. Spalding Club Miscellany, Vol. r, pp. '47-9, 156.

57. J. Glanvil, Saducismus Trium­pha/Us, pI. 2, p. 465 (1689).

58. Sinclair, cp. cit., p_ 219. 59. S COlS Magazine, Vol. 34, pp.

718-20. 60. Kinloch, op. cic, p. [20. 61. Chambers' journal (April 1939) . 62. Spalding Club Miscellany, Vol. 1,

pp. 97-8. 63. Id., Vol. I, p. 144· 64· Id., Vol. I, p. 149. 65. Id., Vol. r, p. '53. 66. Spotliswoode Miscellany, op. cit.,

Vol. 2 , p. 68.

67· KinlOCh, op. cit., p. 129. 68. Sinclair, op. CiL, p. r63. 69. Spa lding Club Miscellany, op.

cic, Vol. I, pp. 165, 167. 70. Pitcairn, op. ciL, Vol. 3, p. 606. 7 r. C. 1<. Sharpe, op. cir., pp. 136-7. 72. Id., p. 131. 73. SCOlS Magazine, p. 200 (1814). 74· Kinloch, op. cir., pp. 124-6. 75. Cromek, op. c it. , p. 227. 76. Kinloch , op. ciL, p. 121. 77· Pitcairn, op. eiL, Vol. 3, pp.

6,2-6' 3. 78. Id., Vol. r, pt. 2, p. 163. 79· Bu rns Begg, Proceedings of the

Sociecy of Antiquaries of Scolland, New Series, Vol. la, pp. 227, 238.

80 . Acts of Parliament of Scolland, Vol. 2, p. 539 (ratified and confirmed in Feb. Ifi49; Acrs, Vol. 6, pt. 2, p. 152).

81. C. Mack.1Y, Memoirs of Extra­ordinary Popular Delusions, Vol. 2, p. 135 (1869).

82. F. L egge, Scollish Review, Vol. 18, p. 274 (1891).

83. Register of the PrilJY Council of Scotland, p. 360 (1624).

84. Id., p. 680 (1591). 85. Scottish H istorical Sociely, Vol.

25, p. 348. 86. Pitc.:1irn, op. cit ., Vol. 3, p. 597· 87· Burr, LeClers from the North of

Scorland, Vol. I , pp. 242-3 (1876).

88. Old Statistical Accounts of Scot ­land, Vol. 18, pp. 653, 662.

89. C. L. Ewen, Witch Hunting and Witch T,,'als, pp. 286-90 (1 929) .

go. King James I, Daemonologie, Bk. 2 (1597).

91. Chambers, op. cit., Vol. J, p. 291

92. David Vedder, The Witch of Pillenweem.

REFERENCES 273

93. Newes fro m Scotland, see Pit­cairn, op. cit., Vol. r, p. 2 17·

94. Records of the justiciary, 25 Dec. 1643. " Trial of Ja net Barker."

95. C. K. Sharpe, op. cit., p. 193 · 96. Pitcairn, op. cit., Vol. 3, p. 602. 97. Spolliswoode Miscellany, Vol. 2,

p. 7I. 98. C hambers, op. cie., Vol. 2, p . 194· 99. Id ., Vol. 2, p. 278.

rOO. J. Fraser, Chronicles oj the Frasers, p. 446-7 (I 90s).

101. Chambers, op. cll., Vol. 2, p. 61. roz . Ra lp h Gardiner. England's

Grievance DiscolJered in Re­lalion to the Coal Trade, p. 107 (1655) .

103. Rev. John Belt, A Discourse of Witchcraft, op. cit., p . .208.

104. Fountainhall Decisions, Vol. I,

p. '5' 105. Mackenzie, op. cit., p. '7. 106. Black, A Calendar of Cases of

Witchcrafl in Scolland, p. 74 (1938).

107. Chambers, op. ci t., Vol. 2, p. 397 108. Pitcairn, op. cit., Vol. 3, pp.

194-5· log. Spoltiswoode Miscellany, op. ciL,

Vol. 2, p. 91. 110. Ramesay, Elminth%gia, p. 74

(1668). I I I. Rogers, Scotland, Social and

Domestic, p, 257· 11 2 . Small, R oman Antiquities in Fife,

p. 163 (1823)· 113. Chambers, op. ci t., Vol. 2, P.294· "4. Id ., Vol. 2, p. 154· 115 . D 2. lyell, op. cit., p. 645. II6. Burt, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 244· II7. Pitcairn, op. cit ., Vol. I , pp.

2 2 1-.223·

118. Id ., Vol. I, pp. 375-7· IJ9. Blackwood's Edinburgh Maga­

zine, Vol. I, p. 498. 120. Sinclair, op. CiL, Add. ReI. 2,

pp. 257-60.

121. Chambers, op.ci t., Vol. 2, P·279· 122. Id ., Vol. ~, p. 295. 123. Spalding Club Miscellany, op.

cit., Vol. I , p. 52. 124. Kinloch, op. cit ., p. 121. 125. Sadducismus DebellC/ cus, p. 39

(1697)· 126. Allan Ramsay, The Gentle Shep­

herd. 1.27. G. Buchanan, History oj Scot-

land, Vol. I, p. 245 (1722). 128. Sinclair, op. cir., p. 101. 129. Middleton's WilCh. 130. Pitcairn, op. cit., Vol. I, p . 199· 131. GJanviJ, op. cit., pt. 2, p. 465-132. James Melville, Memoirs, p. 395,

Ballantyne Club (1827). 133. Pi(cairn, op. ciL, Vol. 3, p. 012. 134. Trial, Confession, and Execution

oj Isabel Inch, p. 6 (1855)· 135. Gunn, The Book oj Stobo Church

PP·50 -1. 136. Newes from Scotland, op. cit.,

Vol. I, p. 218. 137 . Pitcairn, op. cit., Vol. 3, pp.

555-8. 138. Id., Vol. I, p. 252. ] 39. Chambers, op. cit., Vol. r,

pp. 28,-2. 140. Id. , Vol. 2, p. 34. 141. T. Wilson, T he SLOW of Wedale,

~p. 151-2 (1924)· 142. Sur:lees Society, Vol. 21 , p. 99

(1845)· 143. Henderson, op. cit., p. ]47· 144. Mitchell and Dickie, The Philo­

sophy oj Witchcrajt, p. 373. 145. Pitcairn, Opt cit., Vol. 2 , pp.

535-6· 146. Id., Vol. I , p. 234. 147. Id., Vol. I, pp. 16'-5· 148. R. Semple, The Legend oj the

Bishop Of Sl. Androis Lyfe, Daiyell, S"JIlish Poems, Vol. 2, p. 318.

149· J. Sharpe, op. ciL, p. 41. '50. Id., p. 106.

Page 145: Rowan Tree and Red Thread (Compressed)

'74 REFERENCES

151. D alye ll, op. cit., p. 2j.

152. Wilson, op. cie., pp. 137-8. 153. St. Cuthbert 's Kirk Session

Register, 9 Nov. 1643' Il Trial of Margaret Fjschar."

154. Mailland Club Miscellany, Vol. I, p. 439.

155. Register 0/ the Presbytery oj Lanark, pt. I (1623-1709).

156. Pitcairn, op. CiL, Vol. 3. pp. 612-61 3_

t 57. Sinclair, op. cit., ReI. 25, p. 216. 158. E. B. T ylor, Primilive Culture,

Vol. I, p. 14. 159. Rev. John Bell, op. cit., pp. 216-

2 17. 160. Cromek, op. cit., p. 53. 161. Kirk, op. cit., p. 71. 162. Pitcairn, op. cit., VoL 3. p. 605. r 63. Cromek, op. cit. , p. 233. 164. Henderson, op. ciL , pp. 199-200 165· C. K. Sharpe, op. cie., p. I3I. 166. Agnew, Hereditary Sheriffs of

Galloway, Vol. 3, pp. 193-4. 167. Henderson, op. cit., p. 199. 168. Cromek, op. cit., pp. 233-4. 169. Maitland Club Miscellany, Vol.

I, p. 439. 170. DalyeJJ, op. cit., pp. 8, H>g, 125,

390, 459· 17I. Records jusliciary, 4 June 1634,

"T rial of ElizabethBarhgate." 172. C. K. Sharpe, op. ci t. , pp.

106-7' I73. Id., p. 98. I74. Narra tive, op. cit., pp. 41,45. 175. Allan Ramsay, The Gentle Shep-

herd. 176. Records justiciary, 28 May 1588,

.. Trial of Alison Pearson." 177. Id., I I Nov. 1629, .. T rial of

Catherine Oswald". 178. R. Scot, Discouerie of Wi~ch­

craft, bk. 13, Ch. 14, P.245. 179. Newes from Sco tland, op. cit.,

Vo!. I, p. 21B.

IBo. Pitcairn, op. cit., Vol. I .. pt. 2, P·237·

181. Spalding Club Miscellany, op. cit., Vol. I, pp. 166-7.

182. Pitcairn, op. cir. , Vol. 2, pp. 52 3-6.

183. Dalyell, op. cir., pp. 243, 554-5. 184. C. K. Sharpe, op. cit. , pp. 97-8. 185· Id., pp. 127-8. 186. Pitcairn , op. cit., Vol. 3. p. 607. 187. C. K. Sharpe, op. cit., pp. 132-3. 188. Henderson, op. cit., p. 201. IB9. Chambers, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 489 190. Spalding Club Miscellany, op.

cit., Vo l. I, pp. 117-25. 191. C. K. Sharpe, op. ciL, pp. 199-

200. ' 92. Id., pp. 186-8. 193 . Burt, op. ciL, Vol. 2, p. 18. 194. M. Summers, The Geography of

Witchcraft , p. 250 (I927)· ]95. J. Fraser, Answeare to Mr.

Witherow's Queries (1702), MS. Adv. Lib.

196. T. Wilkje, see Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalisis Clllh, Vol. 23, pt. I, p. 82 (1916) .

197· Pitcairn, op . cit., Vol. 3, p. 607. 19B. Ki rk, op. cit., pp. 76-7' 199. Wilkie, op. cit., p. 82. 200. Cromek, op . cit., p. 237. 201. Dobbs, Slatistical Account of

Ireland, Vol. 3, p. 27. 202 . Wilkie, op. cit., p. 83. 203· ld., p. 82 . 204. Cromek, op. cit., p. 231. 205· Id., p. 53. 206. J. Tr<1 in, The Mountain Muse

(18 14). 207. King James I, op. ci t., bk. I ,

ch. 4, pp. 11-12. 208. Allan Ramsay, The Gelltle Shep-

herd. 209. Wilkie, op. clL, p. 96. 210. Sinclair, op. cit ., p. 127. 2 1 I. Cra ig-Brown, TheHi~lory of S el­

kirkshire, Vol. ], p. 2 1:2 (18B6).

REFERENCES '75

21:< . Mitchell and Dickie, op. cir., p. 301.

213. Id., p . 299· 214. Sinclair, op. cit., p. 1:<7· 215. Heweson, Isle of Bwe in the

Olden Time, Vol. 2, p. 267_ 216. J. Napie r, Folklore.

217. ]. Sharpe, op. ci r., p. 109. 218. WiJson, op. cit., p. 180. 219. Mitchell and Dickie, op. cir.,

p. 276. 220. Mackenzie, op. cit., p. 30. 2ZI . Gbnvil, op. cit., p. 360. 222. Wilkie, op. ciL, p. 61.

Page 146: Rowan Tree and Red Thread (Compressed)

GLOSSARY

Air, oal alsweill . as well as an is, once ass, ash attour, over and above awin, own

Bait. boat baxter, baker bear, barley boil, bell biggit, built blad, slap blade, deceitful fello w bleeze, blaze blume, bloom boit, boal boortree, bourtrie, elder tree bored-stone, a slone having a

natural hole formed by the action 0/ water.

bottell, bundle 0/ hay bowster, bolster brewstar, brewer brod, sharp pointed instrument brume, broom buit, boot bund, bound

Cant rip, evil spell / carlin, old woman champ, mash chapin, liquid measure equal to

one quart. chap, blow, strike chaper, blacksmith's boyar

striker clenge, to prove innocent c1euc h, claw clud, cloud coffel buy eou rche, bonnet COWIe, colt crack, gossip creesh, grease

crouse, bold cruik, the crook on which the

, kail pot' hangs over the fire

Dang, strike darn, to hide one's self dawing" day-break dempster, doomsler, one who

pronounces judgment desait. dissention dicht, wipe, clean dittay, legal accusation, indict-

ment dredouf, dread dree, suffer, endure dre ich. tedious drou th , thirst d row, sickness dule, sorrow dUfe, door dwalm, faint dwyne, pine, waste away

Eird, bury e it, eat erd, earth esc.heat, forfeiture eWin, every exerce, exercise

Faddom, measure fa e, foe fand, found farrant, cunning fearn, foam fecht, coil

277

feerie, clever feir, fear feo, fend nent, fient haet, not a whit fit, fool Raucher, flaming flesher, bUlCher fiichtef, zig-zag flight Ruff, wafl, puff

Page 147: Rowan Tree and Red Thread (Compressed)

GLOSSARY ./

flyt, scold forbye, besides fordif, forth fOrSf)C ;1k, bewitch frJme, size fremmit, eerie, strange fud, tail fyle, accuse

Gaip, gape gauds, rods gr id, went geir, goods, commodities gbmour, evil foscination gled, to fly gJoffe, fright goodes, livestock gor-cock, moor cock gramercie, learning, particularly

of an occult character

Had, hold hJiC have hair-tedder, hair rope hairne, made of hair hald, abiding place h,llse, closp round neck harle, drag hawkie, while-faced cow herlt, held hecht, promise heid t, high herry, plunder hirdie-girdie, confusion hoil!, hole howdying-fee, fee paid to mid-

wife howk, dig up how, hollow, dell humlock-schaw, hemlock shaw hynt, 11ft up

Inlaik, deficiency in tra, en[TY against irne, iron

Jawhole, sink, snver jackie, strolling minstrel jaw, loll violently

Kain, payment in kind for rent keist, cast

kerlyng, old woman kill, kiln kimmer, a young girl, young

gossip kintrJ, country kim, churn kirsen, lO christen kuir, cure

Labey, coal lail lamber-be~d, amber bead leafu-lane, all alone lee, lie leil, leal Jiew, alive limmer, a low mean wench loan, milking place lockman, public executioner 1001, hand loup, jump low, hal red lowe, flame lawn, low, gentle

Mahoun, satan mJk: make maun, must meit, meet mes, mass mot, may muckle, large munt, mount murgeon, mocking face mussil, mask mutchkin, one pint

Neb, extremity neth, benealh nieher, snicker nolt nout, black callie nouthir, neither nurish, nurse

Pang, to cram p,"':nnel, accused person piekL':3-of-beir, grains of barley pock, bag pow, skull pl\)ftit, quality pj"l:;:, poke

Quhill, until quick, alive T

GLOSSARY

Raik, spread raipe, rope rede, to counsel row, roll, wind routh, plenty rude, cross ruis[, cross beam ryfe, rive

Saikless, guillless sain, bless sairis of blek, smells of blacking sam in, together saugh tree, willow saw, salve sche, she seiffe, riddle seikar, seeker skeely, skiljul slee. sly slake, quench

sonsy, engaging soup, sweep spang, span spell, climb staig, stallion stap, stuff steid, steed steik, shut stick and stour, all together stickle, stubble stokes, stocks straik, stroke succar, sugar swa, so sweir, Ullwilling sweit, sweat swyfe, sing or play

sych, sigh, lamentation syd, side

Tassie, drinking cup tavemnier, inn-keeper thole, endure thraip, thrive thraw, twist by means of a rope throe, labour pain throw, twist tine, lose [irr, strip, to lear off totch, to rock cradle wilh the joot towe, rope Irow, believe trump, jew's harp

Umquhile, deceased (in witch trials generally understood as executed)

Verde, verdict

Wan, arrived wanehansie, unlucky wane-eave, wagon shed wersh, bitler taste widderschynne, witherwy,

withershin widdie, rope made from withes wimple, fold up wirrie, strangle wobstar, weaver won, dwell wyeht, soul wyf, wife

Yeid, went yerk, jerk

'79

Page 148: Rowan Tree and Red Thread (Compressed)

INDEX Aberdeen, 3,19, 42, 46, 66 Adamson, Patrick, Bishop of St.

Andrew, 51 Aiken, Margaret} the witch of Ba1-

weary, 13 Alexander, Elspet (1662), 7, 20 Alexander, Helen (1661), 5 Allan, Janet (1661), 67 Anderson, Eli.zabeth (1662), 198 Andrew, Helen (1718-19), 6g Animals raising storms, 64-66, 88-

go, 153 Apparition of Isabel Heriot, 224,

226, 228 Archibald, George (1616), 53 Ardrossan, 219 Auldearn, 5, 12, 21, 68 Ayr, 230 Ayrshire, 240

Badenoch, 256 Balfour, Alison (1594L 40 Balfour, John, witch pricker, 33 Balweary, 13,30 Baptism, 10, 120, 122, 123, 166,

236, 237 Barclay, Margaret (16r8), 40, 68 Barker, Janet (1643), 31 Bargarran, 42, 175-217 Barton, William (c. 1655), 236-238 Bathgate, Eliz.abeth (1634), 61 Bell, Rev. John, 13, 14,34, 57 Berwick, 15 Birsay, 60 Black, G. F., 23 Blandilands, Janet (1590), 150 Bodin, Jean, De La Demonomanie

des Sorciers, 22 Bogs, Alexander, witch pricker} 16g)

I71 Borrowstowness, 17 Bothwell, Francis, Earl of, 45 Bourtrie, 8, 54 Bowden, 79 Bower, Katherine (1662), 35

Boyd, Janet (1628), 10 Breadheid, Janet (1662), 12 Brechin, 25 Brown, Janet (1643), 53 Bruce, Elspet (1662), 20 Brugh, Janet (1662), 21 Brughe, John (1643),49 Buchanan, G., 43 Buckle, H. T., 3 Burntisland, 65, 153 Bute, I I, 78 Byrehill, 51

Calder, 39 Campbell, Gilbert, 100, log

Janet (1612), 66 Katherine (16g7), 175, 177, 179-

181, 184, 185) Ig8} Ig9, 216 Cannibalism, 42 Carlisle, 137 Castlecraig, 251 Cathie, George, witch pricker, 32 Charles I, King, 23 Charms:

Metrical, 45, 50-55, 58, 64, 67, 68, 72, 73, 78, 87, 88

Sympathetic, 44, 45, 58-60, 155, 166

Transference, 27-29, 46-49, 54, 56, 61, 73, 74, 79, 87, 93, 152, 167

Verbal, 4, 47, 54 Miscellaneous, 47, 48) 63, 74,

77-78, 8g, 242, 252 Cock, Janet (1661),31,41 Cockle, Isobel (15g6), I7 Coke, William (1633), 25 Cornwath,8 Corset, Janet (1704), 41 Couts, Janet (1650), 32 Coven:

Dances, 16-20, 88, 151 Dates, 6 Drinking, 7, 20, 21 Feasts, 19-21

Page 149: Rowan Tree and Red Thread (Compressed)

:z82 INDEX

Grace, 21 Initiation, 10 lVlaiden, 5, 19 Meeting~, 6, 7, 9, 10, 88 Music, 17, 19, 151 Numbers 5,6, 241 Officer, 5 6, 120, 123, 141, 142 Songs, 8, 18, 19

Cowan, David, witch pricker; 36 Craig, Margery (1677), 118-121

123- 1 25 Cranstoun, Janet (1643), 31 Cra'Nford Douglas. 32 Crighroll, 19 Cromarty, 251-253 Cromek, R. H., 76 Cromwell, Oliver, 24 Culross 33 CumJequoy.l lVIarioD (1643), 60

Daemonologie, 38 Dalkeith, 31, 41 D airy, 243 Dalye ll, G., 50 Delrio, M. A., 35 Devil:

Appearance of, 15, 16. 19,20,27, 44, 46, 66-68, 88, Bg, 114, 120- 123, 142, 152, 157, 166, 16?, 168, 182, 198, 204, 205, 206, 217, 228, 236, 237, 244-

as Blacksmith, 110 Carpenter, III Cobbler, J J J

Farmer, J I J

Musician, III Piper, 17 Soldier, I 12 Tailor, 11 0 Tinker, 11 0 Weaver, 11 0

at Coldingham Law, 48 Ormiston, 227

Baptising witches, 10-12 Cast ing stones, 101, 225 Commandments of, r5 Conversation with, 103-108 D ancing of, 18, 19 Disturbances by, 101, J02-107,

109, 113 Making images, 44, 45 Marking witches, 10, 12-14

Names of, J, 16, 10I, 104-107, 122, 124, qo, 172

Raising of, 16 Sacrament, 16 Sermon of, 15, 16

Devil's dozen, 6 Horse, 7 Voice, 17, 122, 170-172

Dick, Alison (1633), 25 John, witch pricker, 32

Dickie, J., 218, 230 Dorward, Issobell (1661), 5 Douglas, John (1660), 18 Duffus, King, 43, 254, 255 DumbartoD, 10, 218, 219 Dumfries, 100, 220 Dunbar, 10425,

William, 233 DllDcan, Geillis (1590), 17, 66, 88,

149, 150, 151, 154 DunfermJine, 25, 38 Dunlop, Bessie (1576), 5, 240-243 Dyn, or Dwne, Meg (1594), 66

Earlseat, 21 Eastwood, 78 Edinburgh, 10, 16, 32, 38, 114, 128.

147, ISO, 158, 170, 227, 243. 245 Edinburgh City Records, 67 Elder, Alexander (1662), 21 Elf-arrows, 44, 70-74 Elf disease, 74, 75 Elf shot cattle, 71, 87

cures, 73, 74 Elliott, Isabel (1678), 228 Erskine, 201 Ettrick Forest, 71,139 Evil eye, 76-81, 246 Evil spirit, disturbances of, 260-268 Eyemouth, 61

Fairy appearance, 21 Court, 242 Procession, 8, 132, 243 Thieves, 63

Fallahill, 53 False hope, 68 Fian, John (1590), 17, 40, 62, 65,

66,88, Sg, 147, 150, 154, 156, 157, 158

Fife, 9, 38, 53 Witch of, 129-138

INDEX

Forbes, W., 10 Forfar, 5-7, 14, 17, 19, 21,41,42 Forlorn fire, 63 Forres, 44, 254 Fountainhall, Lord, 16, 35 Fraset, Jonet, visions of, 220-223 Fulton, Jean (1697), 198 Fultoun, Margaret (16g7), 198

Galashiels, 1 I 3 Galloway, 8, 20 .. 100 Garter, magical, 48 General Assembly, 24, 25 Gladsmuir, 57 Glanvil, J., 81 Glasgow, 19, 127, 128, ]77, 178,

182! 200 G lasgow, College of, 126, 127

Glenluce, I, 100 Gourlay, Agnes (1649), 60 Gourock. 166, 218 Gow, C hriSlian (1624), 53 Gowdie, Isabel (I662), 5, 7, 10, 12,

19, 21,45, 54, 58, 67, 7 1, 72 Graham, Bessie (1649), 13, 16g-174

Elspet (1650),46 Grangehill, 21 Gray, Kale (1590), 88 Greenock, 166 Grierson, Isabel (1607), 66

Robe rt (1590), I I , Sg, 150 Grieve. Roberc (1649), 141

. Thomas (1623), 46, 56, 61 Grimlaw, Marion (166 1) . 4J Grinton, Ch rist ian (r629). 67 Guid neighbou rs (f01irie s), 63 Guthrie, Helen (166J), 7, 17, 42,56 Gyre Carline, 8, 9

Haddington, 150, 227 Haddingtonshire, 16 Hair tedder, 9, 58, 59, 166, 260 Halloween, 18, 62, 151 Hallowmass Rades, 8, 9, 246

Tryste, 20 Hamilton, Alexander (1629), 16

Margaret (1679), 20 Hay, Bessie (1662), 'I

Hecate, 8, 9 Henderson, W., 59 Heriot, Isabel, 224-229 Hildiswick, 36

Hogg, James, ] 29, 160 Holm, Janet (1662), 168 Horne, Janet (1727), 25, 68 Howat, Janet (1666), 5, 14, 20,41 Howison, Jean (1661), 4r Humbie,60 Hunter, Sandie (1629), 244-245 Hutchinson, Francis, 15

Images; Clay, 43-46, 118, 121-123 Wax, 43-45, 88, 116-121, 124,

r25, 255 Miscellaneous, 46

Innerkip, 166 Inverness, 32, 39 Irvine. 40, 46

Helen (1747),79,80 Irving, Janet (1616), 67

Jackson, Margaret (1677), 1 ]8- 1:1. 1 James VI, King, 22, 25, 29, 38, 45,

64, 77, 88, 147-159 Jedburgh, 70

Keith, 60 Kilellan, 201 Kilwinning, 109 Kincaid, John, wi tch pricker, 3' King, Jean (1662), 1&], 168 Kinghorn , 66 Ki rk, Rev. Rober r, 14, 58, 72-74 Kirkcaldy, 25, 33 Kirkcudbrighl , 59, 257 Kirkliston, 236, 237 . Kirkurd, 46

Laggan, 256 Lamont, Marie (1662), 14, 20, 58,

68, 166-168 Lmark, 32, 54 Lang, Margaret (16g7) , 202, 203,

205, 207 Lauchlane, Jeane (1664), 8 Lauder, 141, 142, 144 Law, Robert, 15 Lawson, Archibald (1704), 80 Lay oj the Last Minstrel, 57 Lecky, W. E. H., 4 Leith, 65, 66,114,150,153,227,243 Legge, F., 23 Levitation, n6, 186, 188, 209

Page 150: Rowan Tree and Red Thread (Compressed)

,84 INDEX

L eyis, Thomas (1596), 17, 18 Liddell, Katherine (1678), 35, 36 Lindsay, Thomas (1664), 13,62,199 L itt ledean, 239 Lockie, janet (1 644), 8 Longnidd rY, 7 Lothian, IS, 2 I , 148-I 51 Lucas, janet (1597), 17, 18 L yndsay, D ., 9

McCalyean, Eupham (1590), 47, [50 McEwen, Elspet ([6g8), 59 Mackay, G. , 23 Mackenzie, Sir George, 13, 34, 35,

80 McKenzie, Margaret (I662L 166-

[68 Mackie, Andrew, 257-264, 266-26g McKirdy, Margaret (1649), 78 McLevine, Margaret (1662), I I, 14 McNicoll, Isobel (1662), I I

Janet (1662), II Mairten, Jean (1662), 5, I I, 19 Man, Andrew (1662), 16,46,47,68 Manderston, Sir George, 48 Manteith, Isobelle (1597), 42 Markinch, 53 Mathie, Janet (I678L II6, 117, 119,

120, 12:2-125

Maxton, 239 Maxwell, Sir George, 44, 115- 128 Mettye belt, 48 Mitchell, j., 2[8, 230 MitcheJl, Katherin (c. 1641), 18 Montgomerie, A' I 8, 9 Morisonn, Janet (1662), II Mountain muse, 77 Musselburgh, 31, 41 Mutch, Marjory (1597), 13 Mylne, Barbara (r66IL 67

Naesmith, Agnes (1697), 175, 184, [gS

Naper, Barbara (1590), 150 Napier, J., 79 Neill, john ([63[), 48 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 33 NeWlon Stewart, 230 Nikclerith , Neane (1643L 49 Nicniven, 8,9 Nigg, 248, 251-253 N in-Gi lbert, Margaret (1719), 69

Nisbet, Abe (1632), 61, 62 Norie, Isabel (1629), 53 North Berwick, I I, 17, 152

Kirk, 7, 62, 88, 147, 15 1, 152 NithsdaJe, 6, 8, 58, 59, 72, 76, 220

Oakwood, 160, 165 Og, Margare[ (1597), 18 Olsone, Margaret (1719), 31 Ordeal of blood, 73 Orkney, 27, 28, 53, 60, 61 Ormiston, 224 Oswald, Catherine (1629), 63 Overore, 36

Paisley, 13, 17,44,9 1,117, 124,175 Pais ton, Janet (1661), 31 Paittersone, Mailie (1644), 8 Park, laird, of, 45 Paterson, Bartie (1607), 50, 73

Mr., witch pricker, 32, 33 Payne, English Medicine in Anglo­

Saxon Times, 74 Pearson, Alison (1588), 21, 51, 63

janet ([570), 48 Peebles, 32

Marion (1644), 36 Penman, Gideon (1678), 19 Pitcairn, Robert, 12, 66, 240 Pittadro, Lady, 25 Pittenweem, 41, 94-99 Polson, Alexander, Scollish WilCh-

craft Lore, 248-253, 256 Pollock, 115- 118 Preston pans, 35,45, 66 Presbyterian Church, 3, 23 Privy Council, 24, 25, 32,41 Puritanism, 2, 3, 4, 23

Ramsey, Allan, 43, 62 Red Thread, 40, 59, 77, 78 Reformation, 23 Reid, john ([6g7), [3 Renfrew, 243 Renfrewshire, 78 Renunciation, II Rerrick, Wi tchcraft in, 257-270 Richart, Marion (J633), 26,47 Rhynd,35 Robbie, Beatrice (1597), 18 Roman Catholic Church, 2 Ronald, Barbara (1662), 8

INDEX

Ross, Catherine (1 590), 44 Rowantree, 40, 59, 77, 78 Rynd, Mairie (1661), 5, 21

Saducismw Triumphatus, 100 Salt pans, 150, 156, 157 Sampson, Agnes (1590), 7, 16, 31,

45-47, 50, 62, 65, 66, 87-90, 150- 153

Sanday, 27 Scobie, James, witch pricker, 3 I Scoring a Witch, 79, 80 Scot, Janet (1662), 166

Margaret (lfxnL 52 Reginald , Discouerie of Witch­

craft, 64 Scotch General Assembly, 25 Scott, Kattrein (1662), I I, 20, 58,

59, 68, [66-[68 Michael,68, 160-165, 219 Sir Walter, 56

Scottie, William (1643),61 Scottish indictment, 26-29 Seaton, 7, 150 Semple, R., 51, 52 Selkirk, 52, 53, 74, 78, 79, 86 Selkirkshire, 4, 71, 72 Sharpe, C. K., ,66, 220 Shaw, Christian, of Bargarran, 175-

2[7 Shetlands, 74 Showers, bloody, 222, 223 Shyrie, Iso bell ([662), 5, 7, [7 Sinclair, George, 13, 17, 43, 55,

77, 78, 87, 11 3, 126-128, 141, 100, 16g, 224, 236, 244, 254

Smith, Bessie ([623), 54 Smyth, Isobel ([ 662), 6 Spark , Agnes ([662), 7, [9 Spirit names, I I, 12, 16, 19,37,68,

89, 120-1 23, 167, 236, 237, 244

Spi ri t torm entings, 176-179, 182-186, 188-197, 199, 201-208, 210-21 6, 260-268

St. Andrew, 51 Statute against witchcrafr, 22 Stewart, Annabil (1678), II, 13, 118-

120, 122-124, 126 Jo hn (1678), 17, 46, 118, 121 ,

123- 126 Stow, 53, So, 14I.:

St ronsay, 29, 47 Swimming a witch, 29, 30, 97

Tain, 32 T arbough, 16 Thomson, Agnes (I590), 150

Annaple ( [679), '7 Margaret ([644), 39

Thorn, Bessie ([596)' 66 Thurso, 6g Tod, Christiane (1594), 7 Tolbooth, 36, [85 Touch T est, 36, n [98, [99,265 Train, J ., 77 T ranent, 10, 18,31, 65, 147, 149 T weedmouth, 48 T ylor, E. B., 56

Vedder, John, 12,94 Vicker.i, Bessie (1579), 20

Waking ordea l, 35, 38, 39 Water ordeal, 29 Watson, Andrew (1661), 17

Margaret (1661), 8 Weir, Bess ie (1677), II, 118-125 White, Janet (1721),4 Widdershins, 8, 18, 46, 60-62, 64,

89, 200 Wigtonshire, 80 Wilkie, Thomas, 77, 85, 110, 139,

239 Wilson, Bessie" (1662), I I

Christian (1661), 37 Margaret (1662), II

Margaret of Galashiels, 113-114 Robert (1662), 21

Witch: Burning, 25, 26, 62, 67, 86, 98,

136, 158, 243, 245 Execution, 24, 174; last in Scot­

land, 25 Imprisonment, 32, 35, 39, 41,

119, 16g Marks, 10, 12-]5,95,97, 118-120,

12B, 149, 151, 158, 167, 169, J71, 200, 236, 237, 244-

Persecution, 2, 22-24 Prickers, 30-33, 36, 169, I7[ Pricking, 30-33, 35, 136 Rides, 6-8, 19,85, 129, 133, 135,

[5[

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I ND E X

Shape changing, 37, 64, 66-70 ,

86, 167, 168, 200, 239, 256 Torture, 24, 25, 35, 38-41, 124,

149, 151, 154, 158 Victims, number oC 23

Witch, mllst be burnt, 25

Yarrow, 140 Yarrowford, the witch of, 85-

86 Young, Isobel (1629),62 Younge, Johne (1623), 6 You ng Tamlane, 77


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