6 0 11 2 m m

RA C T 5

RA RE AND C UR I O US T

ON

W I T C H C RAF T
A ND T H E

M m a II EZE P 3
WI T H AN

O r ig ina l E ss a y on Wtchcra .

QEIJ iu urg b

P RI N T E D F O R D . W E B ST E R, 3 5, W E S T C O LLE GE S T R E E T .

1 8 20 .
 E DI N BU RGH

P rin ted b y T hom as Web ste r

.
 P a ge

A n O rigi nal E ssay on Witchcraft , 5

13
-
i
15

A, True Di scourse o f the Dam n able Life o f

Doctor Fi an a n d S u n dry ot her W i tches
, ,

-
17
A nother A ccount o f the Fore going T ra n sa c
tio ns from SirJames Me lvill s Memoirs,
,

35
Advert isement, t
l
E xtracts from King J ames s D a e m o n o lo gie co n

cerning Sorcery and Witchcraft ,

Noti c e to the Re a de r , 68
A nswer of a Letter from a Gentlem a n in Fife ,

, t o a N obleman co n tain
, n a n Ac o un t of
c
the Barbarous and Illega l Treatment of the
Witches in Pittenweem , 69
Another Letter conc erning the Witches o f Pit
t e nwe e m , - 73
A Just R eproof to the False Reports contained
in the two Foregoing Letters , 79

2 0 9 4 3 62
iv P age

A C o py of the Indictment and Precept fo r

Summoning the Jury and Witnesses with ,

the Warrant for the E xecution of the ,

Witches at B o rro w st o u n e ss ,

Trial of Isobel E lliot and others , 1 04

Confession o f Helen Taylor , 1 07

Deposition of Manie Haliburton , 1 09

Declaration of John Kincaid the Pricker , 111 ,

Trial of Willi am Coke and A lli son Dick 113 ,

A mount of the Kirk s Share o f E xpense fo r

B urning the said Wil liam Coke and All i

son Dick ,
1 23
Town s part on the above occasion

1 24
,

A c c o u n t o f the E xpense of Burning Margaret

Denham , 1 25
Minutes and Proceedings of the Kirk Session -

o f Torryburn and the Confession o f L illia s

,

A die , 1 29

Frazer on the Second Sight , 1 47

i

T h e P u b li sh e r to the R eader 1 50
Short Adverti sement to the R eader 1 57 ,

A Brief Discourse concerning th e Second Sight ,

c o m m o n l v so called , 1 59
 '

AN

O R I GI N A L E SS A Y

0N

W I T C H C R AF T .

I F we wish t o form a j ust e sti m ate of the hu m an

c h aracte r i n i t s pr ogress t h rough the vari o u s s tages

o f ci viliza t ion fro m ignorance and barba rism to

, ,
.

science and re nement we must search into t h e

,

nat u ra l c auses th at actuate the human mind The .

li fe o f man is prolonged t o a remoter peri od b u t ,

su bj ec t e d to more ca s ua li ti e s and greater vi c i ssi

,

tu des of fortun e than m ost ot her ani m als From

, .

these causes arises hi s anxious solicitude about fu .

t u rit y a n d an eager desire t o know his destiny ;

,

and thus man becomes the most superstitious o f a ll

other creatures In every nation there have been
.

multitudes o f orac les augurs soothsayers diviners

, , , ,

fortune telle rs wi tc hes sorc erers &c whose b u si

-
, , , .

n ess h a s been to commun i cate int elligence respect

i ng fu turi t y t o the rest of mankind

, If we attend
.

to history w e sh all nd t hi s theory sufcien tly co n

,
.

rmed b y e xperien ce The most superstitio u s par t

.

o f th e s e ci es a re soldi e rs a n d sail o rs, wh o are more

p
 6 AN OR I G INAL E SSAY
exposed to accidents than any other class History .

is full of the superstitious observances of the R0

man armies ; their regard to omens the entrails o f
v ictims the ight of bird s &c and there are thou
, .

sands o f brave sailors of the present day who would ,

not sail in the nest ship of the B ritish navy with ,

o u t a horse shoe were nailed on the main mast

- -
.

Th i s passion of diving into futurity naturally pro ,

du c e d a number o f dea l e r s i n de s ti ny s da r k cou n

w h o soon found i t turn out a very lucrative

cil,

profession From knowing the secrets it was na

.
,

t u ra lly inferred that they were th e favourites of

,

those powers wh o are supposed to have the future

happi ness of mankind at their disposal Th i s we .

appreh end is the real source of that power which

the priesthood hath ever exercised over the human
mind Pleasure and pain are t he two great princi
.

ples o f h uman action which has given rise to the ,

good a n d ev il principle common to all nati ons .

Those w h o held communicati on and commerce

with the evil principle are witches w iz z a rds sor
, , ,

c ere rs &c ,
Al though we have various laws and
.

inj unctions agai nst witchcraft in scripture yet we ,

are still as much in the dark as ever as no de n i ,

tion is given of it n o r is the particular acti ons which

,

constitute witchcraft enumerated so as we can say ,

wherein it consi sts The sto ry of the witch of

.

E ndor is a case that throws more l ight on the sub

,

j cet than a n y other B ut she appears t o have act

.

ed more in the character o f one of our second sight

e d seers th a n one of our modern witches A o
,
.

c ordi n g t o o u r no t ions and ideas o f witc h cr a ft (as laid

 "
6N wrrc nc m
'
r 7
'
.

poor ignorant old woman who th rough mi sery o n , ,

malice gives herse lf to the devil soul a nd b ody

, , ,

and renounces her ba ptism ; for wh ich considera

'
.

tions Satan e nga ge s t o assi st her with h is po w er to

work a number of petty misch i efs on suc h as she
has a spite at ; and sometimes he advance s a l ittle of
the n eedd which unfortunately fo r the poo r o ld
,

h a g tu rns out to be naething but 5l

s ta n s
c
, ,

and this most unaccountable contract is generally

sealed by ca /r na l cop u la l im z A nd yet afte r b e ,

lieving th is we call ourselves r a t i o n a l c r ea t u res

, ,

and other ani m als we term b r u tes Ma ny pe o ple

have wondered how so exalted a pers on age as the
,

dev i l f orrn e rly w a s i n days o f yo r e hou ld latterly ,

s

have taken up with such lo w com pany as o u r m o

dern witches He who tem pted the very fathers of
.

the church in so many various ways w ho kept the

whole priesthood of the Cathol ic church cons t antly
on the a le rt with holy Water exorcisms 81 0 only , , .

to keep him in c h eck who often attacked Lu t h e r

and our other re formers in very u n ge n t le m a n y dis
,

guises ; and had even the audacity to insult our c o

v e n a n t e d saints by b ellowing like a bull grunting
, ,

like a pig or groaning like a dying man These

, .

were pranks somet h ing worthier of a dev i l than the

t ricks played o ff by the witches O u r Ki ng James .

gives the rea s on beca use the consu m ation of the

,

world and our de liverance drawin g n ee re makes

, ,

Satan so ra ge the more in h i s instruments knowing ,

hi s kin gdo m t o be so n e e re a n end

James was a .

little ou t in his recko nin g here, the co ns um ation

8 A N O RI GI NA L a ssa y

of the wo rld no t havi ng ta ke n pla c e as get a n d t he ,

d e vil s kingdom turning out to be ra t her b etter e s

.

ta b li s h e d t han his o w n So far was it fro m b e ing

.

near an end that it wa s om t h e in c rea se ca l med

, ,

c hiey by t h e absurd a n d stupid la w s t ha t Wer e e u

a cted agai nst i t b v hi m se lf a nd su cce sso r s T he .

devil s kin gdom is not to b e destr oy ed b y a c ts

of a r liament and burni n g o f witch es ; these e x peg

p
die n t s have be en trie d in va in a ll o ver E u ro pe a n d
America without e ffect ; b u t no w, wh en eve ry per,
,

s o n can b e wi t c l] w i th im ri n i t no t a wit ch is t o be
p y ,

fou nd ; and the dev il t h o u gh left a t l a rge h a s re

, ,

treate d to the Highlands a nd islands where he i s ,

seh l u m se e n e en b y t ho se who have t h e second

,
v

sight l h e t u e en gi n fo r b a t teri ng t h e s tron g

.

r es

ho ld s a t S atan a n d dr i i ng h i m and h is jumps into

,
v

u t ter da r knes s a re science a nd phi losophy the se

,

a re the we po ns t h a t h a ve com pel le d h i m to re t r o

a
,

gade m o vem nts a fter lavi shin g river s o f holy wa

e
,

t er in va in T h us t h e te rric cl a ws of t h e devil
.
,

when seen b y t h e di ate tn pe red eyes of ignorant bi .

o t r , a ppear to us t rul y h orr ib l e but when vie wed

g y ,

through s pecta cle s loo k a s har mless ,

as t h e lambskin gloves o f a ne l a dy .

Th ese s t orie s howeve r con ve y a strong liken ess

, ,

o f t h e t i mes in wh i ch th e
y w ene a c te d h e ar
r s a y ,

i t ds a lm o st im possi ble t o b elie ve, w

'

h a t hu ma n b e
i ngs c ould gi ve cr edi t to su ch gross a b sur dities as
w e ha ve l aid b e o re the p ub li c in t hi s little work ,

w e re the e vidence not indub i t ab le F a r les s tha t .

,

j udges l awyers a n d divi nes s ho u ld unit e in m ur

, , ,

wrr c n c a s rr 9
'

t urs, fo r such ma d chi m eras when

'
,
it is hard to
j
sa y whether t h e po o r v ic ti m o r t h
n '

,
'
e ,

were under the greater delusion These wonder .

'

ful tales o f the doingso f the dev i l with the witches

'

are taken from their o wn confessi ons and from their ,

dela ti ng o f one another as it is called

To u s it
, .

does not appear improbable but that to o many of ,

the poor deluded wre tches actually i m agined the m

selves t o be witches Nor wil l this appe a r so very
.

surprizing if we consider the circumstan c es of the

,

case A t that period any person who doubted of

.
,

witchcra ft w a s looked upon as an a t h ie st a n d

, ,

worse th an mad the whole country from one e n d ,

to the other w a s continually rin gi ng wi th ta l es o f

,

witches devils and fai ri es w i th suc h other trash

, , , .

I s it not then most likely that people should dream ,

about them ? and is there any thing unnatural in

Supposing that they sho u ld mistake these dr eams
,

fo r real ities ? as is evidently proved in several cases ,

and then confess not the actions they really did

, ,

but the e ffects of their own disordered imagination .

Moreover when conned for this imaginary crime

, ,

they were tortured in all manner of ways deprived ,

o f sleep ung into water and b r odi t as they called

, , ,

it being striped naked and searched for the devi l s

,

mark in the most indecent manner These c o n

, .

fessi ons after they were made were nothing more

, ,

than the wild ravings o f a distempered imagination;

and such a tissue of inconsist encies as no person o f ,

the present day would listen to An old woman in .

the Isle of T e ree (as related by Mr Frazer page ,

took in her head that she wa s in heaven no

 10 A N, Q RI G1 M E SSAY
l ess, and h a d eat a nd dra nk th ere ; a n d so pmly

a d t h e poo r cre ature ignb ib ed t h e n o tio n, that

h .
V

A curiou s accoun t of a preten ded m ee ti ng wi th t he;

de vi l i s gi ven by a gent le man of Norma ndy in t he
, ,

Memoirs of Literat ure for November 1 7 1 1 .

5 The prete ded meeting a bout wh i ch th se wb

n , o g
b el i eve t h e y ha ve bee n at it rela te so m a ny extra
r
,

v aga nt is on ly in th eir imagina tion I o wn , .

no w and th en r u b their ski n with some narcotic

grease o r o intments which cast t he m into a so un d
, ,

sl e ep a nd ll thei r imagi nation wi th a th o usa n d

,

they see ever y thing th at was tol d th e m concerni ng

the devil s meet ing by their fa thers wh o were al so

, ,

she ph erds or , if yo u will ha ve th e to

t he m so Wh er e upo nj wi ll infor m you o f wha;
.

I h ave been told b y a cou ntry friepd o f wh

g
en ded t o h ave a mind t o go t o the dev i l s m eet

p ret .

i ng with his o w n shepherd w h o had t h e repu tatio n,

o f being a great sorcerer Hav ing freq u e ntly u rg

.

e d tha t shepherd to carry h i m thither at la st he ,

obt a ined h i s desire H e w en t to h im in the ni ghtj

.

at the appointe d time The shepherd im m ediately

.

gave h im something to grease h im self withal He .

t ook t h e grea se as if h e h a d a mind jo rgb h is ski n .

with it ; b u t he desired th a t t he shepher ds sop ,

wh o w a s to g9 t o the d e vil s meeti ng b is fa

the y sh ould ano int hi msel f rst Which Wing

don e that gen tlem a n t ol d t hg sh ep herd, tha t
, .

sho uld b e gl a d t o kqgw wh a t w ould o f the ,

 on WI T GHC RKI T

.
1 11

"

ke a,
'

fa st a sleep, a n8 1wh n h e tho ugh h e h a d a wa

no t st irr ed f ro m tha t p l ace h e a ve a n accou nt of l

g
o A
,

ever t h i ng h e t h Ongh t h e h a d s ee n at the dev il s "

y
meeting; a s d e ven na me ds e v e ra vii e rse h s w he m he
'

p re t end ed to ha v e s eeh there M y m e nd w a .

e d t hen th a t what i s c oni m o n l Sa id of the de vil s

, y
mee t i ng Wa s a mere fa ncy I ha V e toldi you this
'

story that y o u m a y i m part it t o yo u r br ethren

, ,

>
twifo b ei n '
re os ses t with po u lar e rrors a bout
p
g p p
I

wit c h craft do fre q u entl y ha ng a n d b u rn poor

,

W c h es t se Cri m e does only consist in the

,

weak i of t h e ir imagina ti on
' !
.

A th o u sand m ore in stanc e s m ig ht be -prod u ced

WSh W t h a a re d evi l h ath n o m eeti ngs a ny w here

,
1
,

h ist o ry o f s uperstit ion is ho wever of great u se ;

T he
w e t h ere see its d ange ro u s i nu e n de u pon the

t

pea ce and happiness of societyits degradi ng e f

fw t s u pon the character and m anners of n ations ,

in m orality literat u re ju rispr u dence and science

, , ,
.

T heology see m s to have been partic u larly infected

with this pes ti fero u s contagion T he clergy were .

generall y in the front rank of w itch h u n t ers and -

,

thro u gh their in u ence the m ost of them were pu t ,

to death I n places where the m inister was in

.

am ed with a ho ly z e a l against the devil and h is

e m msa n es s u ch as P ittenwee m and T orry b u rn
, ,

the parish becam e a perfect hot bed for the rearing -

of witches and so plentifu l a crop did it produ ce ,

that it appeared nothi ng else co uld thrive B u t in .

pl a ces where the m inister had so m e portion o f h u .

12 A N O R GI NAL
I E SS AY , 8w .

m anity, and a little com m on sense the devil very ,

rarely set foot on hi s territo ries a nd witchcra ft w a s

,

not to be fou nd S ince t h e repe al of th e stat u tes

.

against Wi t c h m a several prosec u tions have be e n

instit u ted against witches w h o were convicted and

,

p u nished ; b u t it was bewitching sil ly ignorant peo

ple o u t of their m oney goods and com m on sen se
, , ,

by pretending a knowledge of fu t u ritya power of

relieving m aladies in m a n o r beast o r proc u ring -

the affection of so m e favo u rite swain to a love sick -

m aiden T he d u pes of these i m pos tors do not a l to

.

gether escape as they are m ade the lau ghing stock

,

of their neighbo u rs ; and by t he se m ean s even this

trade is n o w nearly annihil ated H appily for o u r .

tim es the refu lgent brightness of phil o sophy a nd

,

science hath di spelled these da rk clo u ds of benight

,

ed su perstition and left u s in possession only o f

,

o u r nat u ral po wers a nd fac u l ties which a r e q u ite

,

E D I TO R
.
 rms from wt ta nh t
D
E C LAR N G T H E I
D A M NA B LE L IF E O F
D O C T O R FI A N ,

N O T A B LE S O RCE RE R '
,

WH O WAS

B u rned a t E denb ro ug i n J a n ua rie la s t, 1 591 .

WHI C H DO C T O R WA S RE GI S T E R T O T H E B E V ILL T H A T
E U ND R I E T I ME S P RE AC H E D A T NO R / 1 1 1 BA R B I C K E
'

K I RK E T O A N U M B E R O F N O T O RI O U S W I T C H E S .

WI T H T H E
T RU E E X A MI NA T I O N S O F TH E S A ID D OC T O R

A ND WI T C H E S , AS TH E Y U T I E RE D T H E

M
I N T H E P RE SE N C E O F T H E SC O T T I SH K I NG .

DISC O V E R NG I
H OW TH E Y P RE T E NDE D T O BE W IT C H A ND D RO W N E
H IS MA J E ST I E I N T H E SE A C OMMI N G F RO MD E N
MARK E ; W I T H S U C H O TH E R WO N D E R F U L L
MA TT E R S A S T H E LIKE H TH N A OT B E IN
B EA R D AT AN I E TI ME .

P ub lis h ed a c co rdi n g to th e S co tti sh C op ie .

P R NI TE D F OR W ILLI AM W RI GH T .

E D I NB U R GH
a r - r s t x r z n FO B D . m s sr s s , 3 5, W E ST co m ma s $7 3 5 2 1 .

1 8 20 .
 T O T H E RE AD E R .

T HE m anifold ntru ths which are spred a bro a d

u

co ncerning the detestable actions and apprehensi o n

of those witches whereof this hi sto ri c followin g tr u e
ly entrea teth hath ca us ed m e to p u blis h the sam e
,

i n print and the rather for that s un dri e written

,

c oppies are la tel y dispersed thereof co ntaining that

,

the said witches were rst di scovered by m eanes of

a poore pedlar travell ing to the to wne of T re n e n t ;
and tha t by a wo n de rfu ll m ann a hee was in a mo
m ent convey ed at m idnight from S cotland to B ur

de ux in F rance (being places of no sm all distan ce) ,

in to a m erchant s sell a r there and after bei ng sent

from B u rde u x into Scotland by certaine S cottish

m erchants to the K ing s Maj estic that he discover

ed those witches and was the cau se of their app l e

,

h e n sio n with a n u m ber of m atte rs m irac ulo u s and

.

incre dible all w h ich in tr u th are m ost false Never

.

t h e l e ss to sa t i s e a n u m ber of honest m iu des who

, ,

are des iro u s to be inform ed o f the v e rit ie and tru th

x vi TO m s a m ass .

of their co nfessions which for c e rta in t ie is m ore

,

s tranger than t h e co m m on reporte r u nneth and et

y ,

wi th m ore tr u th .I have u ndertaken to p u blish

t his short T reati se which dec lareth the tr u e di s

c o ur se of all that happen e d and as well w hat w a s

,

pretended by those wicked a n d detestable witch e s

again st the K ing s Maje sti c ; a s also by what m eans

they wrou ght the sam e .

A ll w hich ex am inati ons (gentle reader) I hav e

here tru ly p u bl ish ed as th ey were taken and u tter
e d in the presence of the K i n g s Maj estic prayin g

,

thee to accept of it for v e ri tie the s am e be ing so

,

tr u e as can not b e r ep roved .

 T RU E D I SC O U RSE

OF TH E

A rr s nn s mN o r su n n m n wi r c u s s LA T E LY T A K E N
I N sc o r LA N n ; wn n a n o r so u s A BE E XE C U TE D

w
,

A ND so m e: A RE YE T t u r m s o n n n . rr u A P AB

T i o u LA a R E C I T A LL or ra ms EX AMI N A T I O NS ,

T AK E N IN r u n P RE SE NC E or THE xm c s u s e

m '
s r ua .

G o n, by his O mnipotent po wer hath at a ll

, tim es ,

and daily doo t h take su ch care and is so vigil ant

,

for the weale and preservation of his o wn e tha t ,

thereby he disa ppo in t e t h the wi cked practices and

evil intents of a ll s u ch as b y an y m ean s whatsoever
sech e indi rectly to conspire an y thing contrary to
his holy will Ye a and by the sam e po w er he hath
,

lately o v e rt h ro wn e and hindered the intentions and

wicked dealings of a great n u m ber of u ngodly crea
t u re s no better than devils ; who su ffering the m
,

sel ves to be a ll u red and enticed by the Devil who m

they served a n d u nto whom they were pri vately
,

s wo rn e en te red into the detestable art of witchcr a ft

, ,

which t hey stu di ed a n d practi se d so lo ng ti m e, th a t

18
'
NE WS FR O M S C O T LA N D .

i n the ende they had sed u ced by thei r so rc e rie a

n um ber of others to be as b a d as them selves d well ,

ing in the bou nds of w t h e n which is a pri nci ,

p all shire or part of S cotland ,

where the X inges
Majestic u seth to m ak e his c h e ife st residence or
a bode ; and to t h e ende that their detestable wick

e dn e sse w h ich the y r iv e l had pretended a ai nst

p y g
the Xinges M ajestic the c o m m o n we a l e of that
,

c o u ntrie w ith the n o b ilit i e and s u b ects of the

, j
s am e sho u ld co m e to light
, Go d of his u nspeak
.

a ble goodne ss di d r e v e a lc and laie it open in veri c

stran ge sorte, thereby to m ake known to the world

that their a ctions w ere contrarie to th e la wc of Go d
a n d the n a t u r a ll a ffection w hich we o u ght generall y

to beare o n e to anoth er T h e m anner of the re

.

v ealing whereof was as followeth .

V i th in the to w ne of T re n e n t in the kin gdo m e

,

of S cotland there dwelleth o ne D avid S eaton who

, ,

being dc pu t ie b a iliffe in t h e said towne had a m ai d ,

c alled Ge i ll ie s D u n c a n e who u sed se c re t lie to a h

,

s ent and lie for t h of her m aisters ho u se every other

n ight . T his Ge illi e s D u n c a n e t o o kc in hand to

h elpe all s u ch as were tro u bled or gri eved wi t h
anie kinde of sickness or i n rm iti e a n d in short ,

space did perfu m e m an y m atters m ost m irac ul o u s

which things fo ra s m u ch e as she began to do them

,

u pon a sodaine having never done the like before

, ,

m ade her m aister and others to be in great ad m i

ration and wondered thereat : by m eanes whereof
,

t h e saide D avid S eaton had his m aide in great s u s

i t i o n that shee did n o t those things by n a t u ra ll

p
and l awful] w a ie s b u t rather s u pposed it to be do ne
,

by som e c x t ra o rdin a rie and u nla wfull m ea nc s .

 NE WS F RO M S C O T LA N D . 19

Wher eu pon her m aister b egan to grow veric in

qu is it i ve ,and e x am ined her which wa

y and by w h a t

m e anes sh e e was able to perform e m atters of sh

great i m po rta nce ; w hereat sh e e gave h i m no a u n .

sw e re : nevertheless her m aister to the i ntent that

,

hee m ight the bet t er trie and n dc o u t the tr u th

of the sam e did with the help of others torm ent
,

h e r with the tort u re o f the pilli win kes u po n her n '

.

e rs w hich is a grive o u s tort u re and binding or

g , ,

wri n c h in g her head with a cord or ro a pe which is ,

a m ost cru el torm ent also y et wou ld shee not con

,

fess anic thing ; where u pon they s u spe cting that

shee had beene m arked by t h e devill (as com m only
witches are ) m ade diligent search abo u t her and
, ,

fo u nd t h e enem ies m ark to be in her fore crag o r ,

fore part o f her t h ro a t e ; which bei ng fou nd shee ,

confessed that all her doi ngs was done by the wick
e d all u rem ents and e n t i se m e n t s of the dev il and ,

that shee did them by witchcraft .

After this her con fession shee was com m itted to

,

prison where shee contin u ed a season w here im

, ,

m ediately shee acc u sed these persons following to

bee not o riou s witches and ca u sed them forth with
,

to be apprehended o n e after another v i z A gnes

, , .

S am pso n th e eldest wi t ch e of them all d w elling in

, ,

H addin gto n Agnes T om pson of E de n b ro u gh

D octor F ian alias J ohn C u ningh a m m aster of the
, ,

s ch oo le at S altpans in L o wt hia n of who se life and ,

strange acts yo u shall heare m ore largely in the

end of this disco u rse .

T hese were by th e saide Geillic s D u nca n e a c ~

c u se d, a s al so Geo r e M tts wi fe dw l l i i n LO W

g o , e n g
20 ne ws FR O M SCOT LAND .

thian ; Robert Grierso n skipper ; a n d J a nnc t

,

Bla n dil a nds ; with the potter s Wi fe of S eaton ; th e

sm ith at the B rigge H allies with in nu m erable
,

others in those parts and dwelling in those bo u nds

,

aforesa i d of whom som e are a l rea dic ex ec u ted the

, ,

rest rc m a i n e in prison to receive the do o m e of judge .

m e nt at the Xinges Maj e sties will and pl easu re .

T he saide Ge ill ies D u n ca n e al so ca u sed E wph a

me M eca lre a n to bee apprehended w h o conspired,

and perform ed the death of her god father and who ,

u sed her art u pon a gentlem an being one of t h e

,

L ordes and J u stices of th e S ession for bearin g ,

good wil l to her da u ghter S hee also ca u sed to b e

- .

apprehended one Barbara Naper for bewitching to ,

death Ar c hb a lde lait E arle of An gu s who l a n ,

u i sh e d to death b y w itchcraft and y et the s am e

g ,

was not su spected ; b u t that he died of so stra nge a

di sease as the ph isit io n k u ewe not h o w to c u re or
rem edie the sam e B u t of all other the said witches
.
,

these two last before r ecited were rep u ted for as

,

civil honest w om en as anic that dwelled within the

c it ti e of E de n b ro u h before t h e y w ere apprehend
g ,

ed Many other besides were taken d w elling in

.

L ieth who are de ta yn e d in prison u ntil his Ma

,

e s ti cs fu rther w ill and pleas u re b e k n o wn e ; o f

j
whose wicked do o ings y o u shall partic ul a r ly heare ,

w hich w a s as followeth .

T his a fo re sa ide A gnes S am pson which was the ,

elder w i tc h c was taken and bro u ght to H a liri u d

,

H o u se before the Ringes Maj estic and su n dr ie ,

other of the n o b ili t ie of S cotland where sh e e w a s ,

s tra tl
y y exam in ed b u t a ll t h e pe rs ua sio us which
h
 ne ws ra o u ma n n er) . 21

the Xinge s Majestic u sed to her, with the rest o f

his c o u n c e l l m ight not provoke or ind u ce her t o
,

con fess any thing b u t s to o de sw ey in the de nia ll

,

o f all that w a s l a yde to her charge ; where u pon

t h e y cau sed her to be convey ed away u nto prison,
there to receive s u ch tort u re as hath been lately
provided for wi t ches in that co u ntri e ; and for a s
m u c h c a s by du e exam ination of witchcraft and
witches in S cotland it hath l ately beene fo u n dc
,

that the dc vi il do o th generally m ark e them wi th a

riv i e m arke by reason the witches have confe ssed
p ,

them selves that the dc v ill doth li cke t hem with his
,

tong in som e priv ie pa rt of their b odie before h e ,

doo t h receive them to bee h is servants w hich m arke ,

c o m m o n l ie is gi ven them u nder the ha ire in so m e

part of th e ir bodie w hereby it m a y not easi ly b e

,

fou nd o u t or sc e n e al thou gh they b ee searched ;

,

and generally so lon g as the m ar ke is not sc en e t o

those which sea rch them so long the parties which ,

have the m arke will ne ver c onfess anic thing .

T here fore by Special co m m and m ent this A gnes

'

Sam pson h a d all her haire shaven o ff 11 eac h part ,

of her bodie and her head t h ra wa n c wi th a rope

,

a cc ording to th e c u st o m e of that co u ntrie being a ,

pay ne m ost gri e ve o u s which they contin u ed a l m ost

,

an b o w e r du ring w hich tim e shee wou ld not con fess

,

an ic thing until] the div e l s m a r kc wa s fo u n dc u po n

her privities then shee im m edi ately confessed what

, .

so ever w a s dcm a u n de d of her and ju st iyin g those ,

persons a fo re sa i de to b e notorio u s witches .

I tem the said A gnes Sam

, pson was after bro u ght
a a ine be fore the Ki n e s Ma estic a nd his co u n c e ll
g g j ,
2% n e ws m o m s c o r LA ND .

a nd be ing exam ined o f the m eeting a n d de t estable

dealings of tho se witches shee confessed that u pon
, ,

t h e night of All h allow E ve n l a st shee wa s a e c om ,

a nie d as well w ith the persons a fo re sa ide as also

p ,

with a great m any other witches to the n u m ber o f ,

two h u ndreth and that a ll they t ogether went to

,

se a , ea ch o n e in a riddle or cive and went i n to t h e,

e very s ubstantially with a ggo n s of wine

, ,

m aking m e t ri c and drinking by the wa y in the sam e

r iddle s or cives to the K irke of North Barrick i n
,

Lo wt h i a n and that after they h a d landed t o o kc

, ,

hands on the lande and da u n ced th is reill o r sh o rt

de nu ce sin ging all with one voice
, ,

C o m me r g o e y e b ef o r e co m m er g oe y e,
,

s y e b g b r e co m m er le t me

e w ill no t g o ,
.

A t which tim e shee confessed that this Ge illies ,

D un ca n e did go e before them playing this reil l

or da u n ce u ppo n a sm all t ru m pe call ed a J ewes
, ,

t ru m pe u ntill t h e y c u tt ed in t o the K irke of North

,

T hese confessions m ade t h e K inge in a wonder .

fu ll ad m iration and sent fo r t h e saide Ge illie D u n

,

cane w h o u pon the like t ru m pe did play the saide

,

da u n ce before the K in ge s Majestic who in re spec t

~

of the st rangeness of these m atters tooke great de ,

light to be present at their ex a m inations .

I tem the said Agnes S a m pson con fes sed that t h e

, ,

dc v il l being then at North Ba rri c ke K i rke attend

,

ing their com ing in the habit or likeness of a m a n ,

,

and seein g that th ey tarried over long h ec at their ,

co m ing enjoined them a ll t o a pe n n a n ce which wa s, ,

th a t they shou ld kiss his b u t to c ke s, in sign o f du ty

 Ne w s mu m sc o r t A ND .
23

to h i m which being pu t over the p u lpit bare every ,

o ne did as he had enj oined them and having m ade

his u ngodly ex hortations wherein he did greatl y ,

inveigh against the Ki nge of S cotland he rec e ived ,

their oathes for their good and tru e service towards

hi m and departed ; which done they ret u rned to
, ,

sea ,
and so hom e again .

A t which tim e the witches dc m a u n ded of th e

dc vi ll wh y he did hea r e s u ch hatred to t h e K inge
Wh o answered by reaso n the K inge is the greatest
,

c ne m ic h ec b a t h in the world A ll which their .

co nfessions and depo si tions a re still ex tant u pon re .

co rd .

I tem the saide A gnes S am pson confessed before

,

the Xinges Majesti c s u n dri c thi ngs w hi ch w ere so ,

m irac ulo u s and strange as that his Maj estic sa i de ,

t h e y were a l l e x tre m e liars ; whereat shee answer

ed ,
shee wo u ld not wish his Majestic to s u ppose
her words to be false b u t rather to believe them , ,

in that shee wo u ld discover s u ch m atters u n t o h i m

his Majestic sho u ld not anic w a y do u bt o f .

A n d there u pon taki ng his Maj estic a little aside ,

sh e e declared u nto h im the veric w ordes which pass

ed between the K in ge s Majestic and his Q u eene at
U pslo in Norway the r st night of m arriage with ,

the a n s we re ech to other ; whereat the Xin ges Ma .

J a m es, wh o b oa s ted t h he w
ac as b o rn i n th e t
pu re s c urch h
on emt h,
a nd w h ose c o ur ti ers c a ll e d hi m th e h
C il de of God,

wa s no do u b t h igh ly gthi de cla ra ti on f t h e de vi l s

ra t i a i at s o

h tred b e ca u se h w h i g tes t cn em i
a , e as s a rt hre aT hi s c on e .

wa s suc h a pi e o f a tter
y a s sui ted t h e m e ri dia n o f t h e m o
ce

na r h s i nte ll e ts

c ED c . .
2 4s x n ws m om S C OT LAN D .

est i e
j w o n d ere d grea tly a,n d s wore by th e l i v i ng

Go d, th a t he believ e d a ll the dev i lls in h ell could

no t ha ve di sco vere d t h e

wo r ds t o b e m o st
cre dit t o the rest th a t is be fore decl a red .

T o u ching thi s Agn e s S a m pson , sh ee i s th e o ni ie

wo m a n Wh o b y the de vil l s pe rs wa sio n sho u ld ha ve

in t end ed a nd pu t i n exe c u tion th e K i nge s Ma j e sties

I

dea th in this m a nner .

S he e confesse d th a t shee to o ke a b la cke t o a de

a n d did ha ng th e sa m e u
p by the h ee le s three da ie s ,

a nd coll e cte d a n d a th ered the v e no m e it droppe d

g
a n d fel l from it in a n e o i st e r shell a n d kept the
,

sa m e v en o m e close covered u ntill shee sho u ld e b

,

t a i ne a ni e pa rt or pee ce o f fou le linnen c loth th a t

h a d a ppe rta ined to t h e Xi nges M j
a e s t ie a s shirt, ,

ha ndkerch er, na pkin o r a ni e oth er thing which shee

, ,

ra cti se d t o o b ta i n e b m ea n e s o f o n e J oh n K ers
p y ,

who b e i n g a tten d a nt i n h is M j
a esti e s ch a m ber de ,

sire d h im fo r o ld a cq u a inta nce betw e en the m to ,

h e lp her t o one o r a pe ece o f s u ch a clot h a s is

a fo re sa ide , w hi ch th ing th e sa ide J oh n K e rs de n yed

t o h elpe h er t o sa y i ng h e co u l de n o t h e lpe h e r u n
,

t o it .

A n d the sa i d e Agnes S a m p so n b y h er depo si tion s

sin ce h er a ppre hension sa ith , th a t if sh ee h a d o b
,
.

t a yn e d a nie o n e pee ce o f linnen cloth w hich t h e

K inge h a d v orne a nd fo wlede sh ee h a d bewitched
,

h im t o de a th a n d pu t h im t o su ch e xt ra o rdi na rie
,

p a i ne s , a s if h e h a d bee n ly in g u po n sh a rp thorn e s

a n d en d es o f n eedl es

Moreo ver sh ee co nfe ssed, tha t a t the time wh en hi s

.
 N E WS F R O M S O TL A N
C D. 25

Mj t i
a es e in D e n m a r ke shee being a ccom pa nied
wa s ,

by the pa rties be fore s pe c ia llie n a m ed tooke a c a t ,

a n d christe n ed it a n d a ft e r wa rde bo u nde to e a ch

,

pa rt o f th a t ca t the c h ee fe st pa rt o f a d ea d m a n
, ,

a n d sever a l j n t s o f his bodie ; a n d th a t in the

o
y
night followi n g the sa ide ca t wa s o o n v a yed into
,

the m iddest o f the se a by a l l the wi t ches sa yling ,

in their riddl es or cives a s is a foresa id a n d so le ft

, ,

the sa ide c a t right be fore the towne o f Lieth i n

Scotl a n d This doone there did a rise s u c h a t e m
.
,

pe st in the s e a a s a grea te r h a th not beene seene ;

,

w hi c h te m pest w a s the c a u se o f the perishing o f a

boa t o r vessel co m ing over from the town e o f Br u n t
I sl a n de to the tow n e o f Lieth wherei n w a s s u n dri e ,

j ewelles a n d ric h gifte s whi c h sho u ld h a ve been

,

prese n ted to the n o w Q u ee n e o f S c otl a n d a t her

M a j esties c om in g to Lieth .

A ga in e it is c on fessed th a t the s a id c hristened

,

c a t w a s the c a u se th a t the K i n ge s M a j esties s h i e

pp
a t h is c o m i n g forth o f D e n m a rke h a d a contr a rie

wi n de to the rest o f his s h ippe s then bei n g in his

co m pa nie which thing wa s m ost stra n ge a n d tr u e
,

a s the K i n es M a j esti c a c kn o wl e e t h fo r when the

g g ,

rest o f the sh ippe s h a d a fa ire a n d good wi nde then ,

w a s the winde contra rie a n d a l together a g a inst his

M a j esti c ; a n d fu rther the se yde w it c h e decl a red
, ,

th a t his Ma je s t ie h a d n ever com e sa fely from the

se a,
if his fa ith h a d not pre v a y le d a bo ve their in .

*
tentions .

It d bt
no ou
qi d t h p t ti f w it h t di ver
re u re e e ne ra on o a c o sco

th e t g th f J
s re n o am f ith whi h p v i l d g i t th i i

es s a , c re a e a a ns e r n

ca nta t i o ns, a nd sa v d h im fr m p i h i g t
e o Th wh
er s n a s ea . o se o

C
 2
6 N E WS F R O M S C O TL A N D .

Moreover t h e sa ide wit c hes bei n g de m a u nde d

,

h o w the divell wou ld u se them when he wa s in their

co m p a nie they con fessed ,th a t when the divel did ,

r e c y e v e the m e fo r his serventes a n d th a t they h a d ,

v owed them selves u nto h im then he wo u lde ca r ,

n a lly u se th em a lbeit to their little plea s u re in re

, ,

a n d wo u ld do e the like
9*
spect to his o olde n a t u re ,

a t s u n dri e other ti m es .

i As tou c hing the a fo re sa ide Doctor Fia n a li a s ,

John C u nningh a m the ex a m i n a tion o f his a ctes ,

sinc e his a pprehension decl a reth the gre a t su b t e l ,

tie o f th e divell a n d therefore m a keth t h in ge s to ,

a
pp e a re the m ore m ira c u lo u s ; fo r bei n g a
ppre

hen ded by t h e a c cu sa tion o f th e s a ide Ge il lie s

D u n c a n e a fo re sa ide who c on fessed he w a s their ,

register a n d th a t there w a s n o t one m a n s u ffered

,

to com e to the di v e l s re a dinge s b u t o nl ie hee the

s a ide Doctor wa s ta ken a n d im prisone d a n d u sed ,

w ith the a cc u stom ed p a ine provide d fo r those o f

fen c es in icted u pon the rest a s is a fo res a ide

, .

F i rs t b y thra wing o f his hea d with a rope

, ,

herea t he wo u ld con fess nothi ng .

co n d t d th
uc e i ti f t h wit h d bt k w w ll
e e xa m n a on o e c e s, n o ou ne e

e n ou gh h w t
t t thi l i ttl pi
o f d l i t tt ry f m
o e x ra c s e e ce o e ca e a e ro

th b g e g ti fyi g t t h p l t f th i m t r E
a s , so ra n o e a a e o e r as e . D .

I th d f t h k i k i f T ry b i F if
n e rec o r s o e r -se ss o n o or urn , n e

shi l t 1 70 i t h f i f Lilli E ddi

re , s o a e as 3 , s e con e ss o n o on e as e, a

su pp d wit h wh im m di t ly ft h h d b i iti t d
o se c , o e a e a er s e a ee n n a e

i th i f
n l m y t i w t k b hi d t k i t (b i g
e n ern a s e r es , as a en e n a s oo , e n

h v t ti m ) d
ar es d b y h d v il
e ,
Shan l i k ew i mca rre sse t e e . e se co

pl i th t h i m b
a ns a w ld d ti f t y T h
s e ra c e s er e co an u nsa s a c or . e

g i d li y f h t i
ro ss n e ca c ly t b q ll d by th ir
o su c s o r e s a re o n o e e ua e e

ab di ty Wh t pi t d i t p
su r . tt a d r f th
a c u re oe s re se n o rea e s o e

p t d y f t h m e f th t g wh
re se n a , o h t pi
e ld a nn rs o a a e, e n su c o cs cou

b g v ly di
e ra ed b y th e K i g i
e ill l
scuss n n counc
 N E WS F R O M S C O TL A N D . 27

S eco ndly, hee wa s pers ua ded by fa ire m ea nes to

confesse his follies b u t th a t wou ld preva il a s little
,
.

La s tly hee wa s pu t to the m ost severe a n d cr u ell

,

pa ine in the w o rlde ca lled the bootes who a ft er he

, , ,

h a d received three st rokes being in qu ired if hee

,

wo u ld confess his d a m n a ble a ctes a n d wi c ked life ,

his toong wou ld not serve h im to spea ke in res pect ,

whereof the rest o f the witches willed to se a rc h e his

toong u nder whic h wa s fou n d two pinnes th u rst u p
,

into the hea de ; where u pon the witches di d sa y ,

n o w is t h e ch a rm stinted a n d shewed,
th a t those ,

ch a rm ed pinnes were the ca u se he co u ld not con fesse

an thing : then wa s he i m m edi a tely rele a sed o f the
y
bootes bro u ght before the K in g his c on fession wa s
, ,

ta ken a n d his own h a n d wil lingly set there u nto

, ,

which conta ined a s followeth

F i r s t th a t a t the genera ll m ee t inge s o f those
,

witc hes he wa s a lwa ys present th a t he wa s c l a rke

, ,

to a ll those th a t were i n s u bj ec tion to the div e l s

service be a ri n g the n a m e o f wit c hes th a t a l wa ys

, ,

hee did ta ke their o a thes fo r their t ru e servi c e to

the divel a n d th a t he wrote fo r them s u ch m a tters
,

a s the divel still plea sed to c o m m a n d h i m .

I te m hee con fessed th a t b y his witchcr a ft hee did

,

bewitch a gentlem a n dwelling mea re to the S a ltpa ns ,

where the sa i d Doc t or kept sc hoole only fo r being ,

en a m o u red o f a gen tlewo m a n w h o m e he loved h im

sel f ; by m e a n es o f whi c h his sorcery witchcra ft , ,

a n d di ve li sh pra ctices hee ca u sed the sa id gentle

,

m a n th a t once i n x x iiii bowers he fell into a l u n a cy

a n d m a dness a n d so contin u ed one whole hower

,

together ; a n d fo r the v e rit ie o f the sa m e he ca u sed ,

2
28 NE WS F R O M S C OT L A ND .

th e entle m a n to be bro u ght be fore the Ki n e s M

g g a

e s t ie whi c h w a s u pon the x x i iii da o f Dec e m ber

j , y
l a st a n d being i n his lVI a je st ie s c h a m b r su dde n ly
,
e
,

hee ga ve a grea t scritc h a n d fell i n to m a dness,

,

so m eti m e bendi n g hi m sel f a n d so m eti m e c a peri n g

,

so directly u th a t his he a de did to u c h the seeli n

p , g
o f the ch a m ber to the grea t a d m ir a tion o f his M
, a

e s t ie a n d others then present ; so th a t a ll the gen

j
t l e m e n in the ch a m ber were not a ble to hold h im ,

u ntill they c a lled i n m ore helpe who together bo u nd ,

h i m h a n d a n d foot a n d s u fferi n g the s a i d gentle

m a n to lie sti ll u ntil his fu ri e were p a st hee within ,

a n b o w e r ca m e a a i n e to h im se lfe w he n bei n
g g ,

de m a u n de d by th e K i nge s M j
a e s t i e wh a t he sa w or

di d a ll th a t while a n swered th a t he h a d been in a

, , .

so u n de sl e e pe .

I te m , the s a i de Doct o r did a l so con fesse th a t h e e ,

h a d u sed m ea nes su n dri e ti m es to o b t a in e his p u r

po se a n d wicked intent o f the sa m e gen tlewom a n ,

a n d seeing h im se l fe disa ppointed o f his intention ,

hee deter m ined by a ll wa ye s hee m ight to o b t a in e

the sa m e tr u sting by c onj u ring wi t c h ra ft a n d sor
, , ,

e e ri e to o b t a in e it in this m a n n er
,
.

I t h a ppened this gen tlewom a n being u nm a rried ,

h a d a brothe r w h o went to sc hoole with the s a ide

Doctor a n d ca lli n g the sa ide scholler to h i m de
, ,

m a u nded i f hee did lie with his sister who a n swer ,

ed he did by m e a nes whereof he thou ght to obta i n

,

his p u rpose a n d therefore secretly pro m ised to

,

tea c h h im with o u t stripes so he wo u l de o b t a i n e fo r

,

h im three h a irs o f his sister s pri vi te e s a t s u ch ti m e

a s hee shou ld spie best occa sion fo r it ; w h ich t h e

 NE WS F R O M S C O TL A N D . 29

yo u th prom i sed fa ith fu lly t o pe rfor m e a n d vowed ,

spee dily t o u t it in pra ctice ta king a piec e o f con

p
.
,

j u red p a per o f his m a ister to la p them in when hee

h a d gotten them a n d there u pon the b o pr a ctised
y
ni ghtly to o b t a i n e his m a ister s p u rpose especi a lly

when his Sister wa s a sleep .

B u t God who knoweth the sec ret o f a ll h a rts

, ,

a n d revea leth a ll wicked a n d u ngodly pr a ctices ,

wou ld n o t su ffer the i n tents o f this di ve li sh Doctor

to com e t o th a t p u rpo se which hee s u ppo sed it
w o u lde a n d therefore to de c la ire th a t hee w a s
,

hea vily offended with his wicked intent did so work ,

by the gentlewom a n s own m ea nes th a t in the ende ,

the sa m e w a s discovered a n d bro u ght to light ;

fo r shee being o n e n ight a sleep a n d her brother i n ,

bed with her so da i n ly cried o u t to her m other de

, ,

c l a ri n th a t her brother w o u l de n o t s u ffer her to

g
sl ee e where u pon her m other h a vi ng a u ieke ca
p , q
a c it i e di d vehe ently s u spect D oc tor I i a n a i n

p ,
m r

tention by rea so n shee wa s a wi tch o f herse l f a n d

, ,

therefore presently a rose a n d wa s very in qu isitive

,

o f the boy to u n dersta nd his intent a n d the better ,

to kn ow the sa m e did bea t h im with s u n dri e stripe s

, ,

whereby hee discovered the tr u th u nto her .

The m other therefore being well pr a ctised in

, ,

witc hcra ft did t h in ke it m ost con ven ient to m e e t e

,

with the Doctor in his o wn e a rte a nd there u pon ,

took the p a pe r from the boy w herein hee wou ld

h a ve pu t the s a m e h a ires a n d went to a yong ,

h e yfe r which n ever h a d born e ca l f nor go n e u nto ,

the bu ll a n d with a pa ire o f sh ee re s clipped o ff

,

thre e h a ir e s fro m the u dder o f the c o w a n d wra pt ,

3
 R O M S C OT LAN D

30 NE WS F .

them in the sa m e pa per wh ich shee a ga in deliver ,

ed t o the b o y then willi n g h i m t o give the sa m e to

,

hi s sa ide m a is t er which h e e i m m edi a tely did

, .

The schoole m a ister smso o n e a s he did recieve ,

them thinking the m i n dee ddto be the m a ids h a ires

, ,

went stra ight a n d wro u ght his a rte u pon them :

B u t the Doc tor h a d n o soo n er done his i n ten t t o
them b u t presently the h a yfe r cow whos e h a ires
, ,

they were i n dee de ca m e u n to the door o f th e

,

ch u rch wherein th e schoole m a ister wa s into the ,

which the h a yfe r went a n d m a de towa rds the ,

schoole m a ister lea pi n g a n d d a n cing u pon h i m

, ,

a n d foll owing h i m forth o f the c h u r c h a n d to wha t ,

pla ce soever he we n t to the grea t a d m ira tion o f a l l

,

the townsm en o f S a ltpa ns a n d m a ny others w h o ,

did behold the sa m e .

T h e report whereof m a d e a ll m e n i m a gine th a t

hee did w o rke it by the divel withou t wh o m e it ,

c o n l de nev er h a ve been so s u f c iently effec ted ; a n d

there u po n the n a m e o f the sa i de Doctor Fi a n (who

w a s b u t a yo u ng m a n ) bega n to grow co m m on ,

a m ong the people o f Scotl a nd th a t he wa s secretly ,

nom i n a ted fo r a nota ble conj u r e r .

All whic h a ltho u gh in the b egi n ning he den ied

, ,

a n d w o u l de not c on fesse yet h a ving felt the p a i n e ,

o f the bo otes a n d the ch a r m e stinted a s a fore

(,

sa ide) hee confessed a l l t h e a fo re sa i de t o be m ost

We h a ve no d b t th t t h b t w
ou a e oo es ere a m os t e i ca ci ou s

en gi n e t o pr oc u r e a fe icon; d th ss o n an e D oc to rld m tw ou os

l ik e ly ha v e c o nfess ed th t he h d th m
a a e oo n in h is po cket by t h e

Sa m e m ea ns . ED .
 NE W S F R O M SC OT L AN D 31

m i c, witho u t pr od u cing a ny witnesse s t o ju sti e

the sa m e ; a nd there u pon b e fore the K ings M a j es .

tie hee su bscrib e d the s a yd con fessione with his

o wn e h a nde which fo r tr u th re m a inet h u pon re
,

After th a t the deposition s a n d exa m i n a tion s o f

the sa yd Doctor Fia n a lia s C u n ingh a m wa s ta ken
, , ,

a s a l re ddie is decla red with his own h a nd willi n gly

,

set thereu n to h e e w a s by the m a ister o f the prison

,

com m i t ed to wa rd a n d a ppointed to a ch a m be r by
,

h im se lfe where fo re sa ki n g hi s wicked w a ye s

, ,

knowledging his m ost u ngo dl y life she wing th a t ,

hee h a d too m u c h followed the a ll u rem ents a n d e u

t ic e m e n t s o f S a th a n a n d fondly pr a ctised his c o n
,

el u sion s by c onj u rin g witch c ra ft i n c h a n t m e n t

, , ,

so rc e ri e a n d s u c h like he reno u nced the divel a n d

, ,

a l l hi s wicked wo rke s vowed to lea d the l yfe o f a

,

C h risti a n a n d see m ed newly converted towa rds

,

God .

The m orrow a fter u pon conference h a d with

,

h i m hee gra n ted tha t the divel h a d a ppea red u nto

,

h i m in the n ight be fore a ppa reled a ll in bl ac ke , ,

with a white w a nde in h is h a nde a n d th a t the di

vel dem a nded o f h im if hee w o u lde conti n u e his
fa i t h q service a ccording t o his rst oa th a n d pro
,

m ise m a de t o th a t effect Wh o m e (a s hee then

.

sa ide) hee u tterly renou nced t o his fa c e a n d s a id

, ,

u nto h i m in this m a n n er a v o ide S a ta n a v o ide fo r

, , , ,

I h a ve listened t o o m u ch u nto thee a n d by the sa m e ,

tho u h a st u ndone m e in respect whereof I u tterly

,

forsa ke thee To wh o m e the divel a nswer e d th a t ,

on ce ere th o u di e th o u s ha lt b e e m in e ; a nd with
32 N E WS F RO M S C OT LAND .

tha t (a s h ee sa yd ) the divel bra ke t h e white wa nde

, ,

a n d i m m e di a tely v a n ished forth o f his sight .

Th u s a ll th e da is t hi s Doctor Fia n con ti n u e d

v e ri e solita rie a n d see m ed to h a ve a c a re o f his
,

o w n e so u le a n d wou ld ca ll u pon Go d
,
shewing,

h i m se lfe penitent fo r his wicked lyfe nevertheless ,

the sa m e night hee fou n d s u ch m ea nes th a t he stole

the key o f the prison doore a n d ch a m ber in which
b e wa s whi c h in the night he opened a n d e d
,

a wa i e t o the S a ltpa ns where he w a s al wa ye s resi

,

den t a n d rst a pprehended O f whose sod a in e

,
.

depa rtu re when the K ings Ma je st ie h a d in t e lli

gence hee prese n tly ca u sed dillige n t i n q u irie t o
,

be m a de fo r his a pprehen sion a n d fo r the better

effecting thereo f hee se n t p u blic procl a m a tions into
,

a l l pa rts o f his l a n d to the sa m e e ffec t By m ea nes

.

o f wh o se hot a n d h a rde p u rs u i t e he wa s a g a in

ta ken a n d brou ght to prison a n d then being ca ll

ed before the K ings H ighness he wa s reex a m ined ,

a s well to u c hing his dep a rt u re a s a lso to u ching a ll ,

th a t h a d before h a ppened .

B u t this Do c t or notwithsta nding th a t his ow h e

,

con fession a ppea reth rem a ini ng in recorde u n der

his o wn e h a n de w ri t t in g a n d the sa m e there u nto
,

fi xed i n the pre se n ce o f the K i n gs M aje stie a n d

su n dri c o f his cou n c il ] yet did he u tte rly denie t h e

,

sa m e .

There u pon the K ings Ma je sti e pe rci e v ing his

s t u b b o rn e wi ll fu l ln e ss co n c i e v e d a n d i m a gined t h a t
,

in the ti m e o f his a bsence hee h a d entered i n to

newe con ference a n d lea g u e wit h the di vel! h is
m a i ste r ; a n d th a t h ee h a d bee n e a a i n n e we ly
g
 NE WS F R OM S C O TL A ND .
83

ma rk ed, fo r the which he n a rrowly se a rched

wa s ,

b u t it c o n lde not in a nie w a ie be fo u n de ; yet fo r

m ore try a l o f h i m to m a ke h i m con fess e he wa s ,

c o m m a nded to ha ve a m ost stra n ge tor m ent which ,

w a s do n e i n this m a n n er followi n g .

H is n a il s u po n a ll his fi n gers were riven a n d

p u lled o ff with a n i n str u m en t ca lled i n Sc o t t ic h a
T u rka s whi c h in E ngl a nd we ca ll a p a yre o f pin
,

c ers a n d u nder e v e ri e n a l e there w a s thr u st i n

, y
thro needels over even u p to the hea ds At a ll .

which tor m ents not withsta nding the Doctor never

sh ro nke a nie whit heither wo u ld he then con fesse
,

it the soon er fo r a ll the tort u res i n icted U pon h im .

T hen w a s hee with a l l c on venien t spe e de by ,

com m a nd m ent co n v a ie d a ga i n e to the tor ment o f

,

the bootes wherei n h ee c o n ti n u ed a lon g ti m e

, ,

a n d did a bide so m a ny blows i n the m th a t his

,

were c ru sh t a n d be a ten together a s s m a ll a s

m ight bee a n d the bones a n d esh so br u i s ed th a t
, ,

the blood a n d m a rro w spo u ted forth in grea t a .

b u n da n c e whereby they were m a de u n servicea ble

,

fo r ever . A n d n otwi ths ta n di n g a ll these grievo u s

p a i n es a n d cr u el tor m e n ts hee wo u l de n o t c on fesse
a nie thing so deepl y h a d the di vel entered into his
,

h a rt th a t hee u tterly de n ied th a t which he be fore

,

a vo u c hed , a n d wou ld s a i e nothing there u nto b u t

this th a t wh a t hee h a d don e a n d sa yde before

, ,

w a s o n ly do n e a n d sa de fo r fe a r o f pa ynes which
y
he h a d en d u red .

U pon grea t c o n sider a tion therefore t a ken by

, ,

the K ings Ma je s t ie a n d his c o u n c e ll a s well fo r,

the du e exec u tion o f j u sti c e u pon s u ch d e testa bl e

34 N E WS FR O M S C O T LAND .

m a lefa ctors, a s also fo r exa m ples sa ke t o re m a yne,

a t e rro u r t o a ll others herea fter th a t sh a l l a tte m pt

t o dea le i n the lyke wi c ked a n d u n go dlye a ctions ,

a s witchcra ft so r c e r ie c u nj
, ,
u ra t io n a n d s u ch lyke
, ,

the sa ide Doctor Fi a n w a s soon a fter a rr a ign ed ,

conde m ned a n d a dj u dged by the la w t o die a n d

, ,

then to be bu rned a ccording to the l a we o f th a t

l a nde provided in th a t b e h a l fe Where u pon h e
.

w a s pu t i n to a c a rte a n d bei n g rst s t ra n gu le d hee

, ,

w a s i m m edi a tely pu t into a gre a t fi re bei n g re a di e

,

p ro vided fo r th a t p u rpose a n d there b u rned in the

,

C a stile H ill o f E de n b ro u gh on a Sa te rda ie in the

,

ende o f J a n u a rie l a st p a st 1 59 1 ,
.

The rest o f th e witch es which a re not yet exe

c u t ed re m a n e in prison till fa rther t ri a ll a n d
, y
knowledge o f hi s M a j esties plea su re .

T h is stra n ge discou rse be fore recited m a y per ,

h a ps give som e bc ca si o n o f do u bt to s u ch a s sh a ll
h a ppe n to rea de the s a m e a n d thereby co nj ectu re
,

th a t the Ki n gs Ma je st ie wo u ld h a z za rde h i m se l fe
in the presence o f s u c h notoriou s witches lea st ,

thereby m ight h a ve ens u ed grea t d a nger t o his

person a n d the genera l sta te o f the l a nd which ,

thing in tru th m ight w e l h a ve beene fe a red B u t

,
.

to a nswer genera l ly t o s u ch let this s u i c e ; th a t

rst it is well known th a t the K ing is t h e child a n d
se rv a nt o f God a n d they b u t the serva nts t o t h e
,

devil he is the Lord s a nointed a n d they b u t

v e sse l e s o f God s wr a th ; hee is a

tru e Christia n ,

a n d tr u s t eth i n Go d ; they worse th a n i n de ls fo r ,

th ey o nly tr u st in the d ivel who d a ily serve th em ,

,
 N E WS F RO M S C O T L A N D . 35

t il l hee h a ve brou ght the m to u tter destr u ction .

B u t hereby it see m eth th a t his H ighness ca rried

a m a gn a ni m ou s a n d u nd a u n ted m i nd not fea red
,

with their i n c h a n t m e n t s b u t resol u te in this th a t

, ,

so long a s Go d is with h i m h ee fea ret h n o t w h o is

a g a i n st h i m ; a n d t r u li e
, the whole scope O f t hi s
Trea tise do o t h so pla in lie l a ie ope n the w o nde rfu ll
Providen ce o f the Al m igh t ie th a t if hee h a d n o t
,

been defended by his om nipo tence a n d power his ,

Hi ghness h a d never ret u rned a live in his v o ia ge

from D e n m a r ke so there is no do u bt b u t Go d
,

w o u lde a s well de fend h im on the l a nd a s on the

se a where they pretended their d a m n a ble pr a ctice

, .

FI NI S .
 ANO T H E R
AC C O U NT
OF T H E

F O R E GO I NG T R A NSA C T I O NS,

E x tr a c ted f ro m SI R J A ME S ME LV i L s
Mm e oi r s ,

p a ge 8 88 , oct a vo edition .

A BOU T this ti m e m a ny witc hes were t a ken in

Lothia n who deposed c onc erni n g so m e design o f
,

th e E a rl o f Bo t h w e ll s a ga i n st his Ma je st y s person

.

Which co m ing to the sa id E a rl s ea rs he entered

in wa rd withi n the C a stle o f E di n b u rgh desiri n g ,

to b e tried a lledging th a t the devil w h o w a s a

, ,

lia r from the begin ni n g ou ght not to be credited

, ,

nor yet the witc hes his sworn serv a nts E spe c i
,
.

a l ly a ren owned m idwi fe ca lled A m Si m so n a f rm

y
ed th a t she in com pa ny with nine other Witc hes
, , ,

bei n g c on vened i n the night beside Prestonpa n s ,

the devil their m a ster be in g present st a ndin g in ,

th e m idst o f them a body o f w a x sh a pen a n d

, ,

m a de by the sa id A m y Si m son wr a pped within a ,

lin nen c lq th w a s rst delivered to the devil ; w h o

, ,

a fter he h a d pronou nced his verdi c t delivered the

,

sa id pictu re to A m y Si m so n a n d she to her next

,

n e igh bo u r a n d so every o ne ro u n d a bo u t, sa y ing

, ,
 n xr n a c r s F RO MM E LV I L S
st a t i on s. 37

T h is is K in g J a m es V I or der ed to b e con su med a t .

t h e i ns ta n c e (f a n oble m a n F ra n c is E a rl Bothwel l ,
.

Afte r wa rd a ga in a t the ir m eetin g by n igh t in the

kirk o f North Berwic k wh ere the devil cla d in a , ,

bla c k gown with a bl a c k h a t u pon h is he a d prea ch

, ,

ed u n to a grea t nu m ber o f the m o u t o f t h e p ul pit ,

h a vi n g light ca ndl es ro u nd a bou t h i m .

T h e effec t o f his l a ngu a ge w a s to know wh a t

h u rt they h a d don e h o wm a n y the y h a d ga ined t o
their opi n i on S i nce the l a st m eetin g ; wh a t s u c c ess
the m elti ng o f the pict u re h a d a n d s u ch ot her v a in ,

thin gs And beca u se a n old sill y poor plou gh m a n

.
,

ca lled Gra y Me i lt ch a nc ed to sa y tha t nothing a il

, ,

ed the K i n g yet God be th a n ked the devil ga ve

, ,

h im a grea t blow Th u s divers a m on g them e n

.

t re d i n rea soni n g m a rvelli n g th a t a l l thei r devilry

,

c o u ld do no ha r m to the K ing a s it h a d done to ,

divers others The devil a nswered il es t nu h om

.
,

m e de D e u cert a inly he is a m a n o f Go d a n d does

, ,

n o wron g witti n gly b u t he is i n cli n ed t o a l l God ,

l in e s s j u stice a n d ver t u e there fore God ha th pre

, , ,

s erved h i m i n the m idst o f m a n y d a ngers No w .

,

a fter th a t the devil h a d ende d hi s a d m onitions he ,

c a m e down o u t o f the p u lpit a n d c a u sed a ll the ,

co m pa n y co m e kiss his a rse ; whi c h they sa i d w a s

cold like ice his body ha rd like i ron a s they
, ,

V

I t wa s ce rt a in ly very ki
d vi l t h t v h f n di n the e us o o uc or

J m
a bi g
es s

m f G d
e n d wh dida w g wi t
an o o , an o ne o no ro n

ti gly b t w i l i d t l l G dl i
n , u J
as ti
nc dV i t
ne o a o n e ss , us ce , a n r u e.

T hi i m t
s s a ll t h t osB t p t ity
e xc e eni li d c a ra c e r . u os er a re nc ne

t b
o f E l B t h w ll
e o pi i h t the d vil i li
ar o e

d s O n on, t a e s a a r, a n

ou ght t t b dit d E
no o e c re e . o .

D
38 E X T R ACTS F RO M ME LV I L s M E M O I R S
.

thought wh o handl ed h im his face was terrible : ,

his nose like the beak of an eagle great burning ,

eyes h i s hands and his legs were hoary with claws

, ,

upon h i s hands and feet like the gri f n h e s poke -

wi th a low voice .

The trick s and tragedies he played then amon g

so m any men and women in this country wi ll hard ,

ly get credit by posterity the history whereof ,

w ith their whole depositions was written by Mr ,

James Carmichael minister of Haddington , A .

mong other things some of them did shew that , ,

there was a westland man called Richard Graham , ,

w h o had a familiar spirit the wh ich R ichard they ,

said could bo th do and tell many things chiey ,

against the E arl of Bothwell Whereupon the said .

R ichard Graham was apprehended and brought to

E dinburgh ; and being exam ined before his Ma ,

jesty I bein g present he granted that he had a fa

, ,

miliar spirit which shewed him su n drie things but ,

he denied that he was a witch or had any fre q u e n ,

t a t io n with them But when it was answered .

again how that Amy Simso n had declared that

, ,

he caused the E arl of Bothwell address him to her ,

b e granted that to be true and that the E arl of ,

Bothwell had knowledge of him by E ffe Machal

loun and Barbary Napier E dinburgh women , .

Whereupon he was sent for by the E arl Bothwell ,

w h o required his help to cau se the Kings M a j esty

his master to like well of him And to that effect .

9*
T h is p ro b a b l yi s th e au th or of th e f
o re o in g
g T ru e Dis
c o u rse .

En .
 E X T R ACTS F R O M ME LV I L s M E M O I R S

. 89

he gave the said E arl some drug or herb willing ,

him at some convenient time to touch therewith h is

Maj esty s face Which being done by the said

.

E arl in e ec t u a lly he dealt again with the said

'

Ri ch ard to get his Majesty wreck ed as Richar d ,

alledged ; who said he could not do such thing s

,

himself but that a notable m id wife who was a

, ,

witch called Amy Simson could bring any such

, ,

p u rpose to pass Thus

. far the said R ichard Gra

h a m a f rm e d divers times before the counci l ;

nevertheless he was burnt with the said Simson
, ,

and many other witches This Richard alledged

.
,

that it was certain what is reported of the fairies ,

and that spirits may take a form a nd be seen , .

though n o t felt .
 A D V E R T I SE ME NT .

F ROM the fo regoing T ru e D is co u rse it will

,

be seen what an active part James took in th e e x a s

mination of Doctor Fian and the other witche s .

From this sou rce b e m os t probably col lec ted tho se

ma t eri a l s which he has wrought up into a Da em on
a l o ie a work wh i ch no doubt con trib ute d to o h
g ,

tain for h i m from the E nglish bishops the appe la ,

tion o f the B r i tis h S o lo m o n In this work h e
.

appears to be m ore intimately acquainted with the

internal polity of the D e vi l s kingdom than he was

w ith his o wn The kingdom of S a th a n was then

.

in its zenith of power ; but like other states and

,

kin gdoms it has sunk into great weakness and de

,

b i lit y
. The h o m d die l who could then m a ke
,

the greatest personages shake in their shoes cannot ,

now frighten a child and the r o a r m g Zio n who !

,

used to be goin g about seeking w hom he might de

vour must surely be a be tter hou sekeeper than
,

formerly as he is nev er seen abroad even by an

, ,

old woman .
 ADV E RTIS E M E N T .

From the w e have m a de copious

extracts that o u r readers may have an idea o f the

,

days o f la ng syn e when there was plenty o f dia ls

,

,

country Those therefore wh o are a nxiou s to

.
, ,

know how affai rs are managed in the of

da r kn ess and can rely on the word of a king for
,

the truth of it will be here amply gratied

, .

SO , courteous reader , I bid thee fa rewell ,

The E m ro s '
.
 E X T RAC TS

K I NG J A ME S S
D AE MONOLO GI E ,

C O N CE R N TN G

T HE persons that give themselves to witchcra ft ,

are O f two sorts rich and of better a ccompt poore

, ,

and of baser degree The se two degre e s a n s we re

.

to the pa ssions in them which the divell uses as

,

meanes to entice them to his service ; for such of

them as are in great miserie and po v e r tie he all ures ,

to follow him by prom ising unto them great riches

,

and worldly c o m m o dit ie S uch as though rich yet

.
,

burne in a des perate desire of revenge he allures ,

them by pro mises t o get their turne satised to

their hearts contentment It is to be noted now
.
,

that that olde and c ra ft ie cnemic of ours a s sa ile s

none though touched with any of these two e x t re
,

m i t ie s except he rst n de an entresse ready for

,

him either by the great ignorance O f the person he

,

deales with jo yn e d with an c v ill l ife or else by

, ,

their c a re le ssn e sse and contempt of God A nd .

 e xa m s m om DA E MONQ LOGI E . t3

n di ng t h e m in a n u t te r de spa ire , h e p r ep a re s th e
wa y by them w a ft e ly in their h u m our, and
l ling the m furt h e r and furthe r wi t h despa ir e -
,

wh ile hee nde the time proper to di sco ve r him self

un to th e m At whic h ti me e it her upon their w a l k
.
,

ing solitari e i n the e l de s o r else lyin g , in

their bed but a lwa ies wit ho u t t h e compa ny of any
,

othe r he e eit h e r by a vo y oe o r in like n es se o f a

, , ,

man , inquires of the m what t roub les t hem a n d ,

su dda in e a n d o ert a m e wa
'

p m m is e t h them a
y of

remedi e upo n c onditi o n o n the ot he r pa rt th a t

, , ,

they fo llo w his advise and do e suc h th in gs as he

,

w i ll require of them Their miudes being pre

.

pared beforehand they easily agree unto that de

,

mand of h i s and syne sets another t ryist wh e re

,

they may m ee t e a ga in e At which time before .

,

hee pro c ee de any fu rther with them h e e rst per ,

.

swa de s them to addi ct themselves to his service ,

wh ich be in g easily obt ained h e then dis covers w hat ,

he i s unto th e m ma ke s them to renounce the ir

,

God and ba pti sme directl y and gives the m h is

.
,

m a rke upon some secret place of the ir bodi e which ,

re m a i n e s soa r e unhealed while his next m ee ti ng

with th e m and therea fter ever ins ensi bl e howso

, ,

ever it be nipped o r pric k ed by any as i s daily ,

m o v e d to give them a o o fe t here b y that

p , pr ,

th at doi ng he oo u hd hurt a nd h ea l e t hem so a ll ,

their ill and well doing thereafter must depe nd

u pon hi m ; and besides that t h e int o lera b le do
, ,

lo u r that t lm y e e le in tha t plan e whe re h e ha t h

ma rked the m ser ves t o wake n them a n d n o t to le t
, ,

t h em r es t , whil e t h eir n ext meet ing a ga i n ; fe a ri ng

e
454 E X RA
T CT S F ROM D A E MONO LOGI E .

les t o th e rwa ies they might either forget him be ing '
,

as new pre n t i se s a n d n o t well enough founded yet

,

in th a t e n dly follie or else remembering of that

horrible promise they made him at their last meet
ing they mi gh t s ku nn e r a t the same and pr esse
, ,

t o call it bac ke At their third m ee ti n ge hee

.
,

m akes a shew t o be c a re q t o performe his pro

mises either by teaching them wa ie s how to get
,

them selves revenged if they be o f that sort or else

, ,

by teachin g them lesson s h o w by most vile and

u n l a wfu ll meanes they m a y o b ta i n e gaine and

worldly co m m o di t ie if they be of the other sort

, .

T he W tch es
i a c ti ns o di v ide d i n to t wo p a r ts T h e

a c t io n s
p p ro er to th e i r o wn
p er s on s M M
of th ei r C o n ven t io n s a n d a do r i n
g f
o t h ei r M a s te r .

T H E I R actions m a y be divided into t wo pa rts ;

t h e action s of their o w n e persons and the actions ,

proceeding from them towards any other and th is

div i si on be ing well understood will easily resolve ,

w hat is possible t o them to do e For although .

a ll that they confes se is no li e upon their part ,

.

yet do u b t le sly in my opin ion a part of it is n o t

, ,

i n de e de according a s they tak e it t o be for the ,

divell illudes the senses o f these sc h o ll e rs of hi s in

man y th ings .

To the effect that they may performe such ser

v ices o f their fa l se master as he employs them in ,

the devil] as God s ape counterfeits in hi s servants

,

,

th is servi ce and form e o f a do ration that God pre .

 nxrm MONO LO GI E 45
'

rs r a ou DA E .

scribed and m a de his servants to prac t ise ; fo r as

the servants of Go d p u b like ly u se to c o n vee ne for
serving of h im so makes b e the m in great n umbers
,

to c o n v e e n e (t hough p u b l i ke ly they dare not ) for ,

h is serv ice As none c o n v e e n e s to the adoration

.

and worshi pping of God except they be marked ,

wi th hi s sc a le t h e sacrament of ba pt isme ; so n one

,

serves Satan and c o n v ee n e s to the a do rin g o f him

, ,

that a re not mar ked wi th that marke where of I a l

re a di e spake As the mi nis t er s e n t b y Go d teach
.

et h
p la in e l
y a t the time o f their publike c o n ve n

t io n s
, h ow to m ve hi m in spi ri t a nd t re wt h so ,

tha t unc lean spi ri t in his o wne person tea che th his
, ,

d i sciples a t t h e ti me of their o o n v e en in g h o w to ,

w o rke a ll ki nd of mi sc h ie fe and c raves c o u m pt o f

,

all their hor ri b l e and dete stable pm ce e din gs pass ed

for ad van c emen t o f his service : Yea that hee may ,

t he more vilely coun terfeit and sc o rn e God he o ft ,

times makes his slaves to c o n ve en e in

laces which are de s t in ate a n d orda i n ed fo r t h e
p
co n v e en i ng of the serv a nts of God (I mea ne by ,

ch urche s ) B ut this fa rre wh ich I have yet said

.
,

I not one ly ta k e it to be trew i n their opinion s but ,

even so to be indeed ; fo r the fo rme that h e use d

in cou n terfe iti ng God a m on gst the Gentile s makes ,

me so to thi nk ; a s GOd spa k e b y h is o ra c le s spake ,

be not so by hi s ? As Go d h a d a s we ll b lo o die sa c
.

ri ce s , as o t h er s Without blood had not h e the ,

like ? As Go d ha d c h u rc h e s sa n ctified to his ser

vice with al tars prie sts sacrices ce rem o nie s and
, , , , ,

prayers h a d he no t the li ke po llu t ed t o his service P

,

As G od gave responses by Uri m and T h u mm i m,

46 '
n x r na c r s F ROM DA E MO N O LO GI E .

gave he n o t his responses by the i nt ra lle s O f beasts ,

by the singing of fo wles and by their acti ons in the

,

aire ? As God by v i sions dre a m e s and extasies, , ,

revealed what was to come and what was his w ill ,

unto h i s servants used hee not the like meanes to

,

fo re wa rn e his slaves O f things to come ? Yea even ,

as God loved c le a n e n e sse hated vice and i m pu ri t ie

, ,

and appointed punishments therefore used he not ,

the like (though fa ls ly I grant and but in eschew

, ,

ing the l esse inconvenience to dra w them upon a ,

greater) yet dissimula ted he not I say so farre as

, , ,

t o appoint his priests to kee pe their bodies cleane

and u n de le d before their as ki ng responses of him ?

,

And fained he not God to be a pro t e c t o u r of every

,

vertue and a j ust revenger o f the contrarie ? Th i s

,

reason then mooves me that as he is that same di

,

vell a n d as crafty now as he was then so will he

, ,

not spare as pert ly i n these actions that I have

spoken of concern ing the w itches persons ; but fur

ther witches oft times con fesse not only his con
, ,

v e e n in in the church with them but his occupy

g ,

ing of the pulpit Yea their forme of adoration to

,

be t h e kissing of his hinder pa r ts which though it , ,

seeme r id iculous yet may it likewise be tre w see

, ,

ing we reade that in C a l iente he appear ed in forme

o f a goat bucke - hath pu b like ly that unhonest h o
,

mage done unto him by every o n e O f the people .

So ambiti ous is he and greedy o f honour (which

, ,

procured his fa ll) that he will even imitate God in

that part where it is said that Mo yse s could see ,
"
but the h i nder p a r t: g Godf or the b rags mm e y
h is
 E X T RA C T S F ROM DA E MO NO LOGI E . 437

Wa t t a re wa ges p os si b le wh er eby th e
th e i tc h es W
zr r e dis ta n t 9
m wy tr a ns or t th e msel ves to
p p la c es
.

A nd wh a t a re i mp oss ib le a nd m eer e illu s io n s

P a n B t b y wha t way say th ey or t h i

u , ke yee n

i t pos sible they , ca n co m e to these u n la wfu c o n

i
v ent o n s P
E FL T here is the thing which I e st e em e thei r
sen ses to be del u de d in and thou gh they lie not in
,

con fessing o f i t be ca u se they t h in ke i t to b e tre w

, ,

y et not to be so in s u bs tance or effect fo r they say ,

that by divers m eanes they m ay c o n v e e n e ei ther t o ,

the adoring o f their m aster or to the p u t ting in ,

practise an y service o f his co mm it ted u nto their

charge ; one way is n a t u ra ll which is n a t u ra l l rid ,

ing going or sailing a t what ho u r e t heir m as ter

, , ,

co m es a n d advertises the m and this way m ay be

easily b e lee v ed another way is som ewhat m ore
s trange and y e t i t is possible to bee trew which is
, , ,

b y being caried by the force o f the spirit which is ,

their co n du c t e r either above the earth or above

, ,

the sea swiftly the place where t hey a re to m ee t ;

,

which I am perswaded to b e e likewise possible in ,

re spe ct that as H abakk u k was carried by the angel

,

in that form e to the den wh e r e D aniel lay so I ,

t h in ke the divell will b e re a die t o i m itate God a s

well in that as in other things ; which is mu ch m ore

T h e D a e m o n o l o gi e i s wri tt b y w f dia l
en ay o o
gu e , in wh i h c

P h il om a th e s a nd E pis t em o n re a so n t h e m a tter .
48 E X T RA C T S F RO M DA E MO NO LO GI E .

pos sible to hi m t o doe be ing a spi ri t th en to a

, ,

m igh ty wind b e ing b u t a n a t u ra ll m eteo re to tr ans

,
'

por t from one pl ace to ano ther a solide body as is ,

comm only and daily seene in practise ; b u t in this

violen t form e they cannot be caried b u t a shor t
bo u nds agreeing with the space tha t they m ay re
,

t ain their b re a th to r if it were longe r th e ir bre ath

,
\

co u ld no t rem ain u nex ting u ish e d t h ei r body be ing ,

caried in s u ch a violent and forcible m anner as by

exam ple if one fa ll o ff a s m al l height h is li fe is b u t
, ,

in pe ri ll according to the hard or so ft li ghting b u t

,

if one fall fro m an high and s ta y rocke his breath ,

w il l be forci bl y banish ed fro m the body be fore he

can win to t h e earth as is o ft sce n e by ex pe rience ;
,

a n d in this t ran s porting t hey say th em selves th a t ,

they are inv i sibl e to an y other e x cept a m ongst ,

th e ms el ves w h ic h m ay also be possible in my opi

,

nion ; fo r if the devil] m ay for m e wha t kinde o f

i m pressions he p l ease s in the aire wh y m ay h e not ,

farre e a s i li e r thicken and obsc u re so the aire tha t

is ne x t abo u t them by contracting it s t ra i t e t oge
,
i

th e r t h a t t h e be am es o f an y othe r m an s ey e s c a n
,

not pierce th row t h e sa m e to see t hem ? Bu t the

t hird way o f t heir c o m m in g to th e ir conven tion s is
th a t wher ein I t h in k e the m del u ded ; fo r som e o f
the m say tha t be ing t ransfor m ed in the li ken e sse
,

o f a little beas t or fo ul e t he y will co me and pierce

,

thro u gh wha t soe ver ho u se or ch u rc h t h o ug h a l l ,

or dina r ie passages be close d by wha tsoe ver open ,

the aire m ay enter in a t ; and som e say that their ,

bo dies ly ing s till as in an ex t asie th e ir spi ri t s will

, ,

be r avished o u t o f their bodie s a n d carie d to s u ch,

 E XT RA C T S F RO M DA E MONO LOGI E . 49

pl ace s ; a nd verifying th ereof wi ll gi ve e vide n t

fo r ,

tokens as well by wi tnesses th at have sc e n e their

,

bod y ly ing senseless in the m ean ti m e as by n a m ,

ing persons with who m they m et an d giving tokens ,

what p u rpose was a m ongst the m who m otherwise ,

'

they co u ld no t have known fo r this fo rm e o f jo u r

ne in
y g the y a i rm e to u se m ost whe n the y are ,

transported fro m one co u n t rey to another .

P H I B u t the reasons that m oove m e t o t h in ke

.

that these are m eere ill u sions,are these r s t fo r ,

them tha t are transfor m e d in li ke n e sse o f beasts or

fo u les can enter thro u gh so n arrow passages a l
, ,

tho u gh I m ay easily b e le e v e that the divell co u ld

by his work m anship u po n the aire m ake th e m a p ,

pe are to be in s u ch for m es either to the m selves o r

, ,

to others ; y et h o w can he contract a solide bod y

within so little roo m ? I thin k it is dire ctly con trary
to its e lfe ; fo r to be m a de so little and y e t not di ,

m inished ; to be so straitl y drawn together and y e t ,

fe e l e no paine I t h i n ke it is so con trary t o the q u a

,

li t ie o f a n a t u ra l l bodie and so li ke t o the little

,

trans u bstantiate god in the P apis t s m asse that I ,

can never b e le e ve it So to have a q ua n t i t ie is so

.
,

proper to a solide bod y tha t as a l l philosophe rs

,

concl u de it cannot b e a ny m ore witho u t one then

, ,

a spirit can have one ; fo r when P e t er ca m e o u t o f

the prison and the do o re s all lo cked it was not by
, ,

any con tra cting o f his bod y in so little roo m e b u t ,

b y the givi ng place o f the doo re thou gh u nespi e d ,

by the gay lors ; and y et is there no co m parison ,

when this is done bet wi x t the power o f God and

,

o f t h e div e l A s to th e ir forme o f e xtasie a n d spi

. .

E
50 E X T RA C T S F RO M D AE MONO LO GI E .

ri t u a ll tra n spo rting i t is ce rta ine t h e sou l e s goin g

,

o u t o f th e body is t h e on el y den ition o f na t u r a ll

,

ti m and who a re once d e ad God forbid we ,

s hou ld t hi n k e tha t it shou ld lie in t he po wer o f a ll

t h e di v els i n hell t o r estor e t he m to the i r life again ,

a l th o u gh h e c a n p u t his o w n e s ir i t i n a d e ad bod y
p ,

for tha t is the of ce properly be l onging to God ;

a n d be sides tha t t he so ul e once part ing fro m t h e
, ,

bo dy can no t wande r any longer in the worl d b u t

, ,

to t h e o wn e r esting place mu st it go e imm e diatel y ,

abidin g the conju nc tion o f the body again at t h e

la tt er day A n d what C h ri st or t h e prophe ts did
.

m ir ac u lo u sly in this ca se i t ca n in no C hr istian ,

m an s opinio n be m ade co mm on with the di v el A s

.

fo r any toke n s that they giv e fo r pro vi ng o f this ,

i t is v e ry possible t o t h e div e l s craft to pe r swade

the m to t hese m ean es ; fo r he bein g a spirit m ay ,

h e no t so r avish t heir tho u gh ts and d u ll their ,

se nses t ha t their bod y ly ing as d e ad

,
he m ay o h ,

ec t t o their spi ri ts as it we r e in a dre a m e a n d re

j , ,

presen t s u ch form es o f pe rso n s o f pl ac e s and oth e r , ,

cir c um sta nces as he please s to ill u de the m wi th

,

Ye a tha t h e m ay de ceive the m wi th t he gr eater

,

e i c a ci e m ay he n o t a t the sam e in s t an t by fello w

, , ,

an gels o f h is ill u de s u ch o t h e r pe r sons so in tha t

,

s am e fas hion with whom hee m akes the m to b e

,

l ee v e th a t they m e tte t ha t a ll their reports a n d

,

toke n s thou gh se verally e xa m in e d m ay every o ne

, ,

agree wit h an o ther ? A nd t hat wh a tsoe v e r actions ,

e ithe r i n h u rti n g m e n or be as t s or wh atsoe v e r othe r

,

thing tha t th e y fa lsly im agin e at that tim e to h a v e

don e, m a y by h im ae lfe or h is m a rro wes a t th a t
 E x r na c r s F RO
'
M D A E MO NO LO GI E . 51

sa m e ti m e b e don e i ndeed ; so a s if t hey Wou ld

give fo r a to ken o f t h e i r be ing ravish e d a t t h e dea th
o f s u c h a pe rso n wi thi n so sho rt a space t h e rea ft er ,

who m they b e le ev e to h ave poison e d or witched a t

t hat inst ant m igh t h e no t a t tha t sa m e ho u re have
,

sm itten t ha t sa m e pe rson by the pe r m ission o f

,

God to the farthe r decei v ing o f th e m and to

, ,

m oove o thers to b e lee ve t h e m A nd t h is is s u rel y

the l ike lyen t way and m os t acco rdi ng to reason
, ,

which my ju dge m en t ca n nde o u t in this a nd

wha tsoe ver o the r u nna t u ral poi n t s o f t he ir co nfe s
sio n .

Wi tches a c t io ns t owa r ds oth ers Why ther e a re m o r e

Mt a s er Wh a t a the su re st r emed
y gf th e ka n
r r es

do n e by t hem .

P a n F o n so o r n
y oun o
pi n io n i n t his se e m s to

ca ry m os t re ason with it ; a nd since e have end e d

y
then the actions belongi ng p roperly to their o wn e
pe rson s say forward no w to t he ir ac tion s u se d t o
,

wards oth e rs .

E r 1 I n their ac tions u se d to wards o t h e rs t hre e

.
,

things ou ght to b e conside red ; rst the m ann e r ,

o f th e ir cons u lting th e r e u po n ; ne xt the ir part a s ,

ins tru m e n ts ; and las t their m as te r s pa rt who

, ,

pu t s t h e sam e in e x ec u tion As to the ir con su l ta tions

.

the re u pon they u se th e m ofte st in t he ch u rc hes

, ,

wh ere they c o n vee ne fo r adoring ; a t whi ch tim e

2
52 n x r na c r s F RO
' '
M DA E MO NO LOGI E .

th e i r m as ter en q u irin g a t th em wha t the y w o u ld b e

at every one o f t hem propones u nto hi m wha t
,

wicked t u rn e t hey wo u ld have done eit h er fo r o h ,

t aining o f riches or fo r re v e n gi n g the m u po n a n

,
y
w ho m t hey have m alice at who granting their de
m a u n d as no do u bt willingly he will since it is t o
, ,

doe e vi ll h e e teacheth the m the m eanes whereby

,

they m ay doe the sam e A s fo r li ttle t ri ing t u rnes

.

that wo m en have adoe with he c a u seth the m t o ,

j o y nt dead corps e s and to m a ke,

powders thereo f ,

m ix ing s u ch other t hings theream ongs t as he giv e s

u n to the m .

P i t t B u t be fore y e go e fu rther perm it m e I , ,

pray y o u t o interr u pt y o u one word which y e hav e

, ,

p u t m e in m em orie o f by speakin g o f wo m en
What can be the ca u se that there are t we n t ie wo
m e n given to that craft where t here is o n e m an ?
E P 1 T h e re ason is e a s ie fo r as tha t se x e i s
.
,

fr ail er than m an is so is i t easier t o b e i n tr a ppe d

,

in these grosse snares o f th e divell as was over ,

well pro o v e d to b e tre w by the se rpe nt s deceivin g

,

o f E v e a t t he begin n ing which m akes hi m the h o

,

m elier with that se x e se n si n e .

P m Re t u r n e now where y e left

. .

E PI
. T O so m e o th ers a t these ti m es he teacheth
how t o m ake pic tu res o f w a x e or clay that by the ,

roa sting t hereof the pe rsons that th e y he are t h e

,

n a m e o f m ay b e con tin u all y m el t ed or dried away

b y co n ti nu a l l sic kn e sse T o so m e he gives s u ch

.

s tones or po n de rs as will helpe to c u re or cast on

disease s ; and to som e hee te acheth kindes o f u n
co u th poy son s wh ich m edi ciners u nde rs tan d n o t ;
,
 e na c r s F RO M n a m ro n o ro c m . 53

no t that a ny o f th e se m e an e s which h e t ea c h t h
th em (ex c e p t t he poy so n s wh ic h are co m po se d o f
,

things n a t u ra l l) c a n o f the m se lves h el pe an y t hi ng

,

to the se t u rn es t ha t they are e m ploy ed in b u t onely ,

bein g God s a pe as w e ll in t hat as i n all other

, ,

things E ven as Go d by his sac ra m ents wh ich are

.
,
'

e a rt hl y o f the m sel v e s w o r kes a heavenl y e e c t

, ,

t ho u gh no wa y e s by any coopera tion in t h em a n d

as C h ris t by clay and spettle wro u gh t toge t her ,

open ed th e ey es of the b l i nde m a n s u ppose there was ,

n o ver t u e i n t ha t w hich he o u t wardl y applie d so ,

the divel will have his o u t ward m ea nes to b e sh e we s

as i t were o f his doing which hath no part or c c
,

o pe r at i on i n his t u rnes wi th hi m how fa rre t hat ,

ever t he ignoran t s b e ab u se d in the co n tr arie A n d .

as to the effe ct s o f these t wo fo rm er parts to wi t , ,

t h e cons u l ta tions a nd the o u t ward m e an es they are ,

so wo n de rfu ll as I dare no t al l e dge any o f t h e m

,

wi tho u t jo yn in g a s u f ci en t reason o f t h e po ssib ili ti e

the reof ; fo r leaving a ll the s m a l l t rie s a m ong
wives and to speake o f the pri n c ipa ll po ints o f t heir
,

cr aft fo r t he c o mmon t rie s thereo f they can do e

, ,

witho u t converting wel l enou gh by the m se lves

these pri nc ipa ll poin ts I say are th e sethey ca n
,

, ,

m ake m en or wo m en to lov e or hat e o ther which ,

m a y be v e ry possible to the divel to e ffe c t u ate see ,

ing he be ing a s u bt ile spiri t k n owes we ll eno u gh

,

how to pe rswade the corru p te d affe c ti on o f the m

wh o m God wi ll pe rm i t hi m to dea l with t h ey ca n ,

la y t h e sick nesse o f one u pon another which l ike ,

.

wi se is ve ry possible u n to h im ; fo r sin ce b y God s

pe rm iss ion h e laide sic kne sse u pon J o b wh y m a y ,

3
54 E X T R ACTS F RO M DA E MO NO LOGI E .

he no t farre e a s ili e r
lay it upon any other ? F o r a s
a n o ld ra c ti t ia n hee knowes well enough what
p ,

h umour domin es m o st in any of us a n d as a s iri t

p ,

h e can s u b til lie waken up the same making it pec ,

cant or to abo und as hee t h in ke s m e e t for trou

, ,
l ,

bling o f us when God will so permit h im And fo r

, .

the taking o ff o f it no dou bt he will be glad to

,

lieve such of present pai ne as he may t h in ke by

these meanes t o perswade to be catched in his ever
l asting snares and fetters They can bewitch and
.

take the life of men or women by roasting o f the ,

pictures as I spake of before which likewise i s

, ,

v e ri e possible to their master to performe ; for a i

t hough that instrument o f w a x e have no vertue i n

that turne doin g yet may he not very wel l even by

, ,

t h e same measure that his conj ured sla ves melts

that w a x e at the re may he not I say at these
, , ,

same times s u b t ily as a spirit so weaken and seat

, ,

ter the spirits of life of the patient as may make ,

h i m on the one part for fa i n t n esse to sweat out

, ,

the humour of his bodie and on the other part for

, ,

the n o t concurrence of these spirits which causes ,

h i s digestion so debilitate h is s t o m a c ke that this

, ,

h umour ra dica l l contin ua lly sweati ng out on the ,

o n e part and no new good s u c k e being put in the

,

plac e t hereof for lacke o f di gesti on on the other

, ,

he at last shall van ish away even as his picture ,

will doe at the re P A n d that knavish a n d cunning

w o rke m a n by tr oubling him onely at sometimes
, ,

m akes a proportion so n ee re betwixt the w orking

o f the o n e and the other that both sh all end as it
,

were at o n e time They can raise storm es and

.
 n xu s er s F ROM n a n mo n o m c m .

te mpes ts i nthe aire either upon sea o r land though

'

, ,

n o t univers a l ly but in such a partic u lar place and

,

prescr ibed bounds as God will permit t h e m so t o

'

trouble W h ich likewi se is very easy to be dis

.
.

m e t eo re s, in respect of the s u dde n and v iolent ra is q .

in g thereof together with the short indurin g o f t h e

,

same And this is like wise very possible to their

.

master to doe hee having such a f ni ti e with the

,

aire as being a spi rit and having such power of

, ,

the forming and mooving thereof ; for in the Scrip .

ture that stile of the

, g th e a we is
gl ve n

,
'

unto him They can make folkes to become phren

.

t i cq u e or m a n ia c q u e which l i kew i se i s very possible

,

to their master to doe since th ey are but n a t u ra ll ,

sicknesses and so he may lay on these kindes as

,

well as any others They can make spirits either

.

t o follo w and trouble persons or haunt ce rtaine ,

'

hou ses and a ra y oftentimes the inha bitants a s

, ,

hath been kn o wn e to be done by our witches at this

time And likewise they can make some to bee
.
,

possessed with spirits and so to become very de ,

m o n ia c q u e s a n d this last sort is very possible like

w ise t o th e divel their master to do e since he may ,

easily send his o w n e angels to trouble in what forme

he pleases any who m God will permit him so t o
u se .

P u n But will Go d
permit these wicked in st ru
ments by the power o f the de vi ll the ir maste r t o
, ,

trouble by any of these meanes any tha t b e l ee ve in

E FL N O doubt , fo r th ere a re t hr ee kindes of

56 e a a crs F RO M DAE MONO LOGI E .

fo lke s who v od will pe rm it so t o b e or

t ro u b l ed ; t h e wicked for their ho rrible sinne s , to

pu ni sh them in the like m e a su re ; th e go dly t h a t

wea k ne sse in faith t o wa k en them u p the faste r by

,

su c h a n uncou th fum e ; and even some o f the best ,

that their pa tien c e may be tried before the world ,

F o r wh y m a y n o t Go d u se any

a s Job s w a s .

o th er adversiti es
P a m Who the n may be free from these devi lish
prac tis es P
E PI F NO man ough t to presume so farre as t o
-

promise any im pu n it i e to h im se lfe ; fo r God hath

befor e all beginnings prw rdina t e d as well the pa r
,

t ic u la r so rt s of plagues as o f b e ne t e s for every

, ,

m a n which in the o w n e t ime he o rda ine s them t o

,

be v is ited with ; and ye t ough t we not to be t h e

m ore a fra ide fo r that of any thin g that the div ell
,

a nd his wic k ed instruments can doe against us fo r ,

w e da il y gh t agains t the divell in a hundre t h

o ther w a es ; and ther efo re as a valia nt
y ,

a ffra ie s no m o re bein g at the combate nor sta yes,

fro m his pu rpo se fo r t h e ru mm s i h ing s ho t of a

c anon , no r the sm a ll cl a c ke of
a pi st ol e t suppose ,

h e be n o t cer taine what may light upon him eve n

so ought we boldly t o goe forward in ghti ng

a ga ins t t h e di vell , witho ut any gre at t e rro u r fo r

th ese h is rarest w ea po n s no r for the ordi na ry,

,

wh e rw f w e have dail y the pro o fe

.

P H1 . Is it n o t lawful] then, by the helpe o f

 E x rn s c r s
'
FR OM DA E MO NO LO GI E i 57

some other wi t ch to cure the di sease that is casten

,

on by that craft
E FL NO wa ye s l a wfu l l for it i s an axiome of ,

theo logie that we are not t o do e evil that good

, ,

maie come of i t .

P HI . H O W then may these d i seases be lawfully

cur e d
E F L O nly by earnest prayer unto God by ,

amendment o f their lives and by sharpe pursuing ,

every one according to his calling of these in str u

,

ments o f Satan whose punishment to the death

,

will be a sa l u t a rie sacrice for the patient And .

th i s is not onely the l a wfu l l way but likewise the ,

m ost sure fo r by the dev i l s meanes ca n n ever the

dentll b e ca s ten ou t as C hr ist sayth and when such

,

a cure i s u sed i t may well serve for a short time

, ,

but at the last it will do u b t le sly t en d to the utter

perdition of the patient both in body and so u le , .

Wha t sort of F a l/res le a s t

os t su bject to r e
a re or m

c ei v e ha r m by Wztc h c r cy t Wh a t p owe r th ey h a ve
''

to ha r m e th e M a
g is tra te a nd u on wh a t r es e c ts
p p
th ey h a ve a ny p ow er i n p r i s o nAnd to wha t end
,

sha
p es to su n dr
y of t h em a t a n
y t i m e .

P HI .
B UT wh o
dare take upon him to punish
them if no man can be sure to be free from their
,

unnatural invasions ?
E l mWee ou ght n o t the m o re o f that restra ine
 58 n xr ns c r s F RO M DA E MO NOLO GI E .

fro m vertue that the wa y whe reby we cli me there

,

unto b e stra i ght and pe ri llo u s ; but besides that , ,

as t here is no kinde of persons so subj ect t o re ce ive

harme of t hem as these that are of in rm e and
,

we a k e faith so have they so small power ov er none

, ,

as ove r such as z ealously and earnestly pursue

them
P H 1 Then they are like the pest which smites
.

these sic ka re st that ies it farthest

E F L 1 t is even so wi t h them fo r n e ither is it ,

a b le t o t he m t o use any fal se cu re upon a patie nt ,

e x c ept t h e patient r st b e le e v e in their power and ,

so hazard the ti n se ll of his owh e soule nor yet can ,

the y have lesse po we r t o h urt any n o r such as co n ,

mmn e most their doings so being it comes o f faith

, ,

a nd not of any vaine a r ro a n cie in them selves

g
P i n B ut what is their power agains t the Ma
.

gi st ra t e
E rr .
Lesse
greater ac cording as he deales
or ,

with them ; for i f hee be sl o t h fu ll towards them ,

God is very able to make them instrum ents t o

w aken a nd punish his sl oth ; but if he be the co n
t ra ry hee according to the j ust la w o f Go d and
, , ,

a l lowable law of all na tions will be dil i gent in ex

,

and punish ing o f them Go d will n o t per ,

mit their maste r to trouble o r hinder so good a

wo rke .

P a n But fra they be once in hands and r

m ance, have they any further power in their c fhft ?
E l mThat is according to t h e forme of th e ir
detention if they be but apprehended and det e i n
ed b any privat e pe so po other pri vate re
y r n u n ,
 EX T R ACTS F RO M m ow e rs . 59

s e c t s,
p their power no doubt eithe r in or ,

in doing hurt is no lesse no r ever it wa s b e tb re ;

,

but if o n the other part the ir a ppreh ending a nd

, ,

detention b e by t he la wfull m a gistrate upon t h e ,

j ust respects o f th eir guil t i ne s se in that craft their ,

power is then no greater than before that ever the y

medl ed with their master ; for wh ere God
j u stly to strike by his la wfu ll lieutenants it is not ,

in the devil s power to defraud o r be reave him o f

the ofce o r e ec t o f h is powerful and revenging

'

sce pter .

P a nBut will never their master come to visit e

them fra they be once apprehe nded a nd put in
rm a ne e
E FL Tha t is accor ding to th e estate that the se
miserable wretc hes are in fo r if they be obsti nate ,

in still denying he will n o t spare when hee n des

, ,

time t o spe ake with them either if he nde them

in a ny comfort t o ll them mo re and more with t h e

,

vaine ho pe o f some man ne r of re l ie fe or else if he ,

nde t hem in a decpc de sp a ire by all meanes t o ,

augment t he same and t o perswade them by som e ,

e x t r a o rdin a rie meanes to p u t themselves down e,

which very comm only they doe but if they b e

penitent a n d confesse God wi ll n o t permit him to ,

troub le th em any more with his presenc e and a 1 .

l ur e m e n t s .

P HL I t good using his co unsel l I see

is no t

then ; b u t I wou ld earn estly know, when he a p a

peares t o the m in prison what forme s uses he then

.
,

t o take ?

E rr - Di vers formes, even a s h ee u se s to doe a t

.
60 E XT R ACTS F R O M DA E MONOLOG I E .

other times unto them ; but ordi narily in such a

fa m e as they agree upon among themselves ; o r,
if they be but pren t i se s according to the q u a li ti e
,

of their c ircles or conj ura t io n s yet t o these capped

creatures he a ppe a re s as h e pleases and as he n des ,

m eetest for their humours for even at their pub

licke conventions hee a ppe a re s t o divers o f them
,

in divers formes as we have found by the di fference

,

o f their confes sions in that point ; for he deluding

them with vaine impressions in the aire makes ,

h i m se lfe to seeme more terrible to the grosser sort ,

that they may thereby be mooved to feare and re

v e re n c e him the more and lesse monstrous and u n
,

couth like a ga i n e t o the craftier sort lest other wise ,

they might st u rre and s ku n n e r at his u gl in e s se .

P a n How can he then be felt as they confesse ,

they have done if h is body b e but of aire P

,

E F L I heare little of that amongst their con

fessions yet may he make h im se lfe palpable eith e r
, ,

by assuming any dead bodi e and us ing the m i ni

,

s t e ri e thereof or else by deluding as well thei r sense

,

o f feeling as seeing which is not impossible t o h im

,

to doe si nce all our senses as wee are so w e a ke

, , ,

a n d even by ordinari e si cknesses will be oftentimes ,

deluded .

P a mBut I would Speere one word further yet

concerni ng his appearing to them in prison wh ich is ,

this may any oth er that chances to be present at

,

that time in the prison see him as well as they P

E r1
. Sometimes they will and so metimes no t,
,

a s it pleases Go d .
 nxr a a c r s F RO M DA E MO N O LOGI E . 61

W c hes Wh
(f th e T ry/ a ll a nd P u n i sh m en t f
( t i at

Accu s a tio n oug h t to b e dm i tt ed a

g a ins t
f

s or t o a

P HI .
T H E N
make an end o f o u r conference
to
since I see it dra we s la te what forme o f punishment
,

t h in ke yee merit these witches P

E l mThey ought t o be put t o death ac cording

t o the law o f God the c i vill and imperial law and
, ,

m u n ici pa ll law of all C hristian nations .

P H I But what kinde of death I pray yo u

.

E r r I t is commonly used by re but that is

.
,
'

an in di e re n t thing t o be used in every c o u n tre y ,

a c cording to the law or c u st o m e thereo f .

P HI But ought no sexe age nor ranke t o be

.
, , ,

exempted P
E F L None at all (being so used by the l a wfu l l
,

magistrat e) for it is the highest point o f idolatry

,

wherein n o exception is admitted by the law of

P Then barnes may not be spared P

HI .

E FL Yea not a haire the lesse of my concl u

,

sion for they are not that capable of reason as to

,

practise such things ; and for any being in com

pany and not r e ve ilin g thereof their less and ig
, ,

no ra n t age wi ll no doubt excuse them .

P H I I see ye c o n de m n e the m all that are o f

.

the counsel ] o f such c ra ft e s .

EPI NO doubt the consulters trusters in over

.
, ,

seers in t ert e in ers o r stirrers up o f these cra ft e s

, ,

F
62 n x r ns c r s F ROM DA E MO NO LO GI E .

folkes are equally

, g ilut i e wi th themselves tha t are
the practi sers
V
.

P HL
V
h e t h er m a y the
prince then or su preme ,

m agi strate spare or oversee any that are gu ilty of

,

that craft upon some great respects kn o we n to

,

him P
E PIw The prince o r magistrate for fu rther ,

t rials cau se may continue the punish in g o f them

,

such a certa ine space as he t h inke s convenien t ,

but in the end to spare the li fe and no t to str ike ,

when God bids strike and so se verely p u nish in,

so odious a fault a n d treason a gainst God it is ,

not onely u n la wfu ll b u t do u b t le sse no lesse sinne

,

in that m agistrate nor it was in Sa u lc s sparing of

,

A gag ; and so co mparable to the sh i ne o f witch

craft i t s e lfe as Sa muel a lledged at tha t time
, .

P i n Surely then I think since this cri me ,

ought t o be so severely punished j udges ought to ,

beware to c o n de m n e a n y b u t such as th ey are su re

are gu ilt ie neith er shou ld t h e clat tering report o f
,

a carl ing serve in so w e igh t ie a case .

E P 1 ; J u dge s ough t in de e de t o b e wa re whom they

.
-

c o n de m n e for it is as great a crim e (as Solomon

,

saith ) to c o nde m n e the innocent as to le t t h e guilty

,

escape free n either ought the report of any on e

,

infamou s person b e admitted for a s c ient proof

which can stand O f no law .

P H 1 And what may a number of guilty pe r

. .

son s confessions w o rke against one th at is accu sed ?

E l mThe assise m u st serve for int erpre t o u r o f
o u r law in that respect but in my opinion since
, ,

in a matter o f treason against th e prince barnes ,

 n x r m c rs
'
F R OM DAE MONO LOGI E . 68

hr wives or never so di ffa m e d persons m a y of o u r

, ,

law serv e for suffi cient witnesses and pro o fe s I ,

t h i n k e s urely that by a farre greater reason such

witne sses may be su fcient in matters Of high trea

so n against God ; for wh o but witches can be
n o o ve s and so witnesses of the doi ngs of w itches
?
I ,

P i n Indeed I tro wthey will be loath to put

,

any hones t m a n upon th eir coun sell ; but what if

th ey accuse folke to ha ve been pres ent at the ir i m a
i n a r c o nvention s in the Spi rit wh e n their bodies
g ,

lye sensele ss as ye ha ve said

E F L I t h i n ke they are n o t a haire the less
,

u il t ie ; for th e divell durst never have borrowe d

g
their shadow or si m ilitud e to that turne if their ,

consent had no t b eene at it ; a nd the consent in

t he se turne s is death of the la we .

P H I T hen Sam uel wa s a witch for t he divell

.
,

re sembl ed hi s s h a e , and pla ed h is erson i n gi v mg

p y p
response to Saul
E PI
.

. Samu el was dead as well be fore that and ,

so non e co u l d sl a u nde r him with medling in that

unlawful arte ; for the cause w h y as I take it that , ,

Go d will not permit Satan to use the shapes of si

m ili t u de s of any inno c ent pe rson s at such u n la wfu l l
times is that God wi ll not permit that any in no
,

cent perso ns shall be slande red with that w i le de fe c

ti on for then th e divell would nde wa ie s anew to
,

Ca lumniate the best and this We hav e i n pro o fe by

t hem th at are carried with t he h a r ie who neve r
p ,

se e th e sh a do w es of any in that cou rt b u t Of the m

t h a t t h ereaft e r are t r e d to have bee n e brethren and

y
sisters o f th a t craft A n d this wa s likewise prosv e a
.

6
)
N
61 v
e na c r s FROM D AE MONO LO GI E .

by the confession of a young lasse troubled with

spirits laid on her by witchcraft ; that al though s h e
,

saw the shapes of divers men a n d women troubling

her and naming the persons whom these sh a do we s
,

represent yet never o n e of them are fo u n de to be

innocent but all clear e t rye d t o be most gu il ti e
, ,

and the most part o f them confessing the same .

And besides that I t h i nk e it hath beene sel do m e

, ,

heard tell of that any whom persons guil t ie of that

,

crime accused as having k no we n them to be their

,

marrows by eye sight and not by h ea re sa y but

-
, ,

such as were so accu sed o f witc hcraft could not be ,

c l e a re l tr i a l upon them were at the le ast u b li k el

y p , y
k n o we n t o be of a very e v il l life and reputation so

j ealous is God of the fame of them that a re inno

cent i n such causes And besides that there a re .
, ,

two other good helps that may be u sed for their

trial ] the o n e is the ndin g of their marke and
, ,

the trying the inse nsibleness thereof ; th e other is

their eeting on the water fo r as in a s ecret m u r ,

ther if the dead c a rka s se be at any time thereafter

,

handled by the murtherer it will gush o u t o f b lo u d , ,

as if the b lo u d were crying to the h eaven for re

ven ge o f the murtherer God havi ng appointed th at ,

secret supern atural] signe fo r t ria ll o f that secret

u nnatu ral crime so it a ppe a re s that Go d hath a p
,

pointed (fo r a supern atural signe o f the monstrous

i m pie t i e o f witch e s) that the water shall refuse to
,

r eceive them in her bosome that have s haken o

them the sacred water o f baptism e and wilfuy ,

fused the b e n e t ie thereof No not so much as .

,

their eyes are able t o sh ed teares (threaten a nd t o r

 E X T R ACTS F RO M DA E MO NO LO GI E . 65

ture them as ye please ) while rst they repent

, ,

G o d n o t permitting them to di ssemble their o h

(
s t i n a c ie i n so horrible a crime) albeit the wome n

kind especi ally be able o th e r wa ye s to shed teares

,

at every light occasion whe n they will yea a l , ,

though it were d issemblingly like the crocodiles .

P H I Well w e e have made this conference t o

.
,

last as long as leisure would permit ; and to con

elude then since I am to tak e my leave o f you I
, ,

pray Go d t o purge this co u n t re y of these di v e ll ish

practise s for they were never so rife i n these parts
,

as they are now .

E r r I pray God that so be t o o but the causes

are over manifest that make them to be so rife ; for
the great wickedness of the people on the o n e hand ,

procures th i s horrible defection whereby God u st ly

,

u ni sh e t h sinne by a grea ter i n i u it ie ; and o n the

p q
other part the consummation o f the world and o u r
,

deli verance drawing n ee re makes Satan to rage the

,

more in his instru ments knowing his ki ngdo m e to

be so n ee re an en d A n d so farewell fo r this time
,

T HE E ND
 AN

A NS WE R
OF A

LE T T E B
F RO M
'
I
A

dm t i ema n i n a rm,
TO

A N O B LE MA N ,

C O NT AI NIN G A

B R I E F A CC OU NT OF T H E BAR BA ROU S A N D I LL E G AL
T RE AT M E NT TH E S E P OO R WOM E N A CC U S E D O F
WI T C H C R A FT M E T WI T H F ROM T H E B AI LLI E S 0 F

P LT T E N WE E M A N D O T H E B WI T H SO LE O BSE R
V A T I O N S T H ERE O N .

To which is added ,

An Ac co u n t qf th e H or rid

a nd B a rba ro us M
ur de r ,
in a Le tter om a Gent le ma n i n F ife to h is F r ie nd

i n E di nb u rg h , F eb ru a ry 5th , 1 70 5 .

P RI N T E D I N THE YE AR 1 705 .
 following T ra cts giv e a n a ccount o f the
T H E t wo
i

wit ch es o f Pittenweem in 1 705 .The rst is a co n

ci se rela tion o f facts in wh ich the minister a n d ma
,
.

view The second is an a nswer to the rst and

.
,

seems chiey intended to obvia te the ch a rges that

are preferred t h e m in is te r a n d baillies b u t
,

i n our opi ni on with n o great success as the prin ci

,

pal facts are admitte d an dthe only defence set up

,

is th a t the women were in real ity witch es We

, .

hav e giv en this author s story in his o wn wo rds ,

wit h su ch o f his rema rks as bear upon the narrative

o f the oth er pamphl et whi c h i s a ll that is necessary
,

a t the present day .

E D I T OR .
 AN

AN S WE R
OF

A LE T T E R F R O MA GE NT LE MA N IN
FIF E , 8w .

M LO RD
y ,

I RE C K O N myself very much honoured by your

Lordship s letter desiring me to write yo u an a c

count o f that horrible murder committed in P i tten

weem I doubt not b u t by this time your Lord
.
, ,

as seen the gen t leman s letter to hi s friend

.

thereanent ; I refer yo u to it the author thereof ,

being so well informed and so i n ge n o u s that I ll

, ,

assure you there is nothing i n it b u t what is gene

,

ral ly ta lked and believed to be true .

All I can contri bute to your Lordship s fu rther

information sh a ll h e by way of a brief n arrative

,

o f the minister and bail lies u n wa rra n ta b l e i m ri

'

p
soning and barbarous treating of the poor women
, .

I need not write your Lo rdship a character o f

Patrick Morton being n o w su fciently known fo r
,

a cheat
It w a s upon his accusation a lle n na rly the mini
st er and bail lies imprisoned these poor women and ,

set a gu a rd o f drunken fellows abou t them , who

70 ANSWE R . OF A LRI T RR .

b y pin c h i ng and prickingsome ofthem w i th pins and

c l si o n s kept the m from sleep for several days a n d
,

nights together the m a rks whereof were seen by

,

severa ls a month thereafter T h is cruel u sage m a de .

som e of them learn t o be so wise as acknowledge

every question that wa s asked them ; whereby they
found the minister and ba il lies well pleased and ,

Notwithstanding o f all this so m e o f the more ,

foolish continued as the minister said hardened i n

, ,

the devil s service such as White Jack Wallace

, , , ,

Patrick and others ; a ll wh i ch save the rst were

, ,

,

ordered to the stocks where th e y la y fo r several

,

All th is
while Patrick M o rton s m e la n ch o lly fan cy

o give it no h a rsher term ) being o o m u ch e n

(t t ,

c o u ra e d b
g y seve r al s a nd
m ti,c u la rl
y by the mi
nist e r s readi ng to hi m t he c a se Of Ba rrga rr an s
'

da u gh t er, co ntin u ed rovi ng a ft e r a wo nderful m a n

ne r accu sing fo r h i s tormentors s ome of t h e mos t
,

con sidera b le me ns wives in the town but s m h as

,

the minister and baillies du rst no t venture t o

so n B y this yo ur Lo rd ship m a y see , it was only
the we akest tha t went to th e wa ll s .

tie me n of
good sens e and reputati o n came t o P it ,

t e n wee m w here ndin these poo r wome ns co nfe s

, g
si o n s no wise sa t isfying and Patric k Mor ton a ,

cheat informed the privy council t h e feo f w h o sent

, ,
'

an o rde r to sen d Pa trick o ver no them Th is a i m .

bei ng give n a nd Patrick nd ing t h a t th ings we re

,

n o t l ikely t o
go so fav oura bly wit h him a s h e Mor e
 AN SWE R OF A L a m a s . 71
i

fa ncie d, b e ga n to dra w t o hi s b rea c h e s, and in a

sha f t time Rec ove red h is former in which h e
s til l c ontinu es By th is ti me the b a i llie s b e gan t o
.
,

be as earnest in emptying their prisons a s e ver ,

th ey w er e fe r wa r d in lli ng them so aft er a long

a nd se rious de lib eratio n they set th e m at li b erty
,

but t hat the ir last ste p might be a s ill egal as their

rs t ob lig ed each of them to pay t he town O f ce r
,
-

t h e sum of S li b Sco ts ; t o pay which , so m e of the m

.

were forc ed to sell some linnen they had reserv ed

fo r their d ea d shirts a nd wyn din g sheet s .

I b eg you r Lordshi p s further patien ce a li ttle t o

read these few fo llowin g Observatio ns Ob s l a t .

,

The bailli es and m i ni ster sent and bro ught severa l

o f t h ese wo me n from plac e s wi t ou t their
h
tionone from An struther a nd anoth er frdm t h e ,

co untry at six miles distance .

06 8 2d Wh a t good co ul d the minister propose

.
,

t o P atrick M orton by reading to him the book in .

tit u led th e case o f Ba rrga rr a n s daughter ?

Ob s 8d A fter so much inj us tice do ne to these

. ,

o r wom en the baillies a nd minister obliged the m

pp ,

t o pay the town O fc e r eight pound Scots is wo n ,

-
,

thy of your Lordship and the rest of the Lords o f

t he council s cons id e ration s and it would be
'

the height of charity to fall on a me th od to o bl ige

the m inister and baillies to refoun d it se ve a o l d .

0 68 4th O n e Thomas Brown the onl y man a c

.
, ,

c u se d by Patrick Morton and i mprisoned by th e ,

minister and baillies a fter a great dea l of hunger

,

and hardship ,died in prisen so as this poor wo ,

m a n s murder w a s no t the rst neither will it b e

the la st u n less by severe punishments prev ented

, .
'
72 A N S WE R or A L E TT ER .

O b s 5th ,
. The in a manner jus ti ed these
t wo murthers by n o t al lowin g them Christian b u
,
.

rial but burying them like dogs sc arce covering

, ,

them from the ravens .

Ob s 6th Yo u may wonder wh y all along I

.
,

sh ould say the minister and baillies ? The reason

is because during all this n arrative he exercised
,

m ore of th e civi l authority than any of the bail lies ,

a n d so cont inues t o do as yo u may see by the fo l ,

lowi ng la te instance .

The baillies of Pittenweem being c o n v ee n e d b e

fore th e Lords O f Privy Council o n the 1 4th o r
1 5th o f February I am in formed gave in t o them
,

a subscribed account of the murther and to j usti fy

themselves assert they had impri soned several o f
,

the murtherers before they left Pi ttenweem It is .

very true they did so but th ey were not long from ,

the town when the minister set them at libe rty

'
.

This I think i s e x e rc isin g the of ce o f a civil ma

, ,

g i st ra t e : perhaps the minister may say he did it

by the magistrates order left behind them ; then I
think the m agistrates were m ightily in the wr ong
to give in to the Lords of t h e privy council an a o
c ount they knew to be false .

My Lord t his is n o t the tenth part of what may

,
'

be said u po n this subj ect I hope some other per son ,

will be more particular .

I am ,

My LO R D ,

Mm t humble e an t
s rv .
 AN

A C C O U NT
OF AN

HO RR I D A ND BA RBA R O U S MU R DE R ,

m a

a Gentlema n i n F w h is F r ien d i n .

I DO UB T n o t o f your being exceedingly surpriz ed

with this shor t and j ust account I give yo u o f a
mo s t barbarous murder committed in Pittenweem
the 3 ot h o f January last O n e Peter Morton a
.
,

blacksmith i n that town a fter a long sickness pre

tended that witches were tormenting himthat he
, ,

did see them and know themand from time t o ,

time as he declared such and such women to be

,

witches they were by order o f the magistrates and

,

minister o f Pittenweem apprehended a s such t o a

, ,

very consider a ble number and put into prison

, .

This man by his odd pos tures and ts wh ich

, ,

seemed to be very surprising at rst wrought ,

himself into such a credit with the pe ople o f th a t

place that unless the E arl of Rothes o u r sh e ri
, ,
'

had discovered his vi llany and di scouraged that

,

pra c tice , God knows h o w fata l it migh t ha ve proved

G
 74 L E TT ER .

to many honest famil ies of good credi t and respec t .

Sir however at rst many were deceived yet now

, , ,

a ll men o f sens e are ashamed for gi vin g any credit

to such a person ; but h o w hard it is to root out

bad principles once espo used by the rabble and ,

h o w dan gerous a thin g it is to be at their mercy ,

w ill appear by the tragical account I give o u of

y
one of these poor women Jan et C o rph a t , .

After she was committed prisoner to the to lbooth ,

u pon a suspicion of her being a witch she was ,

well guarded with a number of men w h o by pinch , ,

ing her and pricki ng her with pins kept h er from

, ,

slee p man y days and n ights threaten ing her with ,

present death unles s she would confess herself

,

gu ilty of wi tchcraft ; which at last she did This .

report spreading abroad made people curious to

,

converse with her upon the subj ect who found ,

themselves exceedin gly di s appointed The V is .

count of Primrose bein g in Fife occa sionally i n ,

c l i n e d to sati sfy his curiosity in this matter the ,

E arl o f Kellie my Lord Lyon the Laird of Scots

, ,

t a rv a t and the Laird of R a n ders t o n were with h is

, ,

Lord sh ip in Pittenweem Three of the number .

went t o the tol b oo th a nd discoursed w i th her to ,

w hom she said th at a ll that she had confessed

, ,

e i ther of herself or her neighbours were lies and , ,

cri ed out Godf org i ve th e m i n is ter and said that

, , ,

he h a d bea t her one day with his staff when she

w a s tellin g him the tru th They asked her h o w
.

she came to say any th ing that was not tru e ; she
c r e d out a la s a l a s I b eh a ve d to s a y so to p lea s e
y , , , ,

t h e mi n ister a nd b a i ll ies and in the m ean time

, , ,
 L E TT ER . 75

sh e begged for C hrist s sake n o t to t ell that she h a d

said so else she would be murdered Another

,
.

time when the Laird o f Gle n a gie s and Mr Bruce

,

o f Kinross were tell i ng her ,

she ne eded not deny ,

w h at they were aski ng her for she had confessed ,

as much as would infallibly burn her ; she cried

o ut ,Go d ! and to one o f the two she said ,

that from which he m ight rationally conclude sh e ,

in sinuate she h ad assurance from the minister her

life should n o t be taken .
t

A little before ha rvest Mr Ker of K ippila w a , ,

writer to the signet being in Pittenweem Mr, ,

Robert Cook advocate went with h i m to p rison to

, ,

see th is po b r woman Mr Coo k among other ques ,

tions asked her if she had nOt renounced her bap

, ,
.

t ism to the devil she an swered she never r e n o u n ,

c e d her ba ptism but to the minister These were .

her words what she meant by them I know not

, .

The minister having got accoun t of this fro m Mr

'

Cook he sent for her and in presence of Mr Cook

, ,

and Mr Ker in the ch u rch he threatened her very ,

severely and commanded the kee per to put her in

,

to some pri son by herself under the steeple, least (as

he said ) she should pervert those who had confes s
ed The keeper put her i nto a pri son i n which was
.

a l o w wi ndow out of which i t was obvious that any

,

body coul d m a ke an esca pe ; and accordingly she , ,

made her escape that ni ght .

Next day when they missed her they made a ,

ver y slight search for h er and pro mi sed ten po u nd,

Scots to any body that wo u ld b ri n g h e r back 1 Mr .

Gordon mini ster at Leuch ars h ea ring she was i n

, ,

2
76 T ER

LE T .

his parish eight miles di stant from Pitte nweem

, ,

sed appre he nd her and sent h er prisoner under

, ,

custody of t wo men on the 3 oth of Ja nuary t o Mr

, ,

Cowper minis ter o f Pittenweem without giving

, ,

any noti ce in the magistrates o f the place When .

she ca me t o Mr Cowper she ask ed him if he had,

any thin g t o sa y to her ? he answered No She , .

cou ld get lodging in n o house but with o n e Nicolas

Lawson o n e o f the women that h a d been called
,

witches Some say a baillie put her there .

The ra bble hearing s h e wa s in town went to Mr ,

C o wper and asked him what they should do with

h e r ? he to ld th e m he w as not concerned they ,

might do what they please d with her They to ok .

e n co u r a e m en t fr o m thi s t o fa ll u pon the poor woman

g ,

those of the minister s family going along with them ,

as I hear ; th e y fell upon the poor creat ure imme

dia t e ly and beat her unmerc ifully tyin g her so
, ,
'

hard with a rope that she wa s almost strangled ;

,

they dragged her through the streets and alongst ,

the shore by the heels A bail lie hearing o f a

, .
,

rabble n ear his stair came o u t upon them which

, ,

made them immediately disappear But the magis . .

trates though met together not ta king care to put

, ,

her into c los e cust ody fo r her safety the rabble ,

gat hered again immediately and stret ch ed a rope ,

betwixt a ship and the shore t o a grea t height to , ,

which they tied her fast ; after which the y swinged

h er t o and fro, from o n e side t o another in the ,

m ean time th rowing st one s at her from a ll cor ners ,

u ntil they w e re wea ry ; then they lo osed her and ,

wi t h a m ighty swing threw her u po n t h e h a rd

 LE T T E R. 77
~

W 5,bo u t being rea dy in the m ea n t i m e tB

a ll a
'

r ecei ve her with stones a n d sta ves wit h which the y ,

bea t her m o st cr u elly H er da u ghter , in t h e tim e

.

o f her m other s a go n y tho u gh she knew o f it

, ,

u sed h er a fter th e sa m e m a nner being i n a ho u se , ,

in grea t concern a n d terror o u t o f n a t u r a l a ffe cti on

,

fo r her m other (a bo u t w h ic h t h e a u thor w a s m is

,

informe d in the rs t edition ) They la id a hea vy .

door u po n her with which th ey prest h er so sore

, ,

th a t sh e c ri e d o u t to let her u p fo r Christ s sa ke

,

,

a n d she wo u ld tell t he tr u th B u t w h en they did.

le t her u p wh a t she sa id c ou ld not sa tis fy them

, ,

a n d t herefore they a ga in l a id on t h e door a n d wi t h

, ,
'

a h ea v weight o f sto n es o n it pre st her t o de a th

y ,
.

a n d to be s u re it w a s so they ca lled a m a n wi t h a

horse a n d a sledge a n d m a de h im drive a ver her

,

Co rpse ba ckwa rd a nd forw a rd severa l ti m es When .

they were su re she wa s killed ou tright they dra g ,

.

ged her m isera ble ca rca se to Nicola s L a wson s

hou se where they rst fou n d her

, .

There wa s a m otion m a de to trea t Nicola s L a w .

son a fter the sa m e m a nner i m m edia tely ; b u t so m e

o f the m bein g wea ried with three ho u rs spo rt as ,

they ca lled it sa id it wou ld be better to del a y her

,

fo r a n other da y s di vertisem ent a n d so they a l l

went o ff .

It is sa id th a t Mr Cowper in a letter to Mr ,

Gordon ga ve so m e rise to a ll this ; a n d Mr C o w

, .

per to vindica te hi m sel f wrote to Mr Gordon

, , ,

whose ret u r n sa ys if he were not going to E din

,

bu rgh he wou ld give h im a dou ble o f his letter

, .

3
78 L E T T ER .

I s tra n ge h e se nt h i m no t t he prin cipa l I n t h e

t s .

po stscri pt h e a ssures h im , he sh a ll co nc e a l it to
,

T isce rta in th a t Mr Cowpe r prea ching t h e
, ,

L ord s da y i mm edi a te ly a fte r i n Pittenwee m too k

, ,

no n o tice o f t he m u rde r which a t l ea st m a k e s hi m

,

g u ilty o f sin f u l sil e nce N either

. d i d Mr Go rdon ,

i n his l e tter t o Mr Co wpe r m a ke a ny regret fo r

,

i t ; a n d this w e constr u e t o b e a j u stifyi ng o f t h e

h orrid wi c k e dne ss in both .

We a r e pe rswa de d the gov e rn me nt wi ll exa m in e

thi s a ffa i r t o t h e botto m , a nd la y li t tl e st ress u po n
wha t t h e m a gi stra tes or m i n is ter o f Pittenwee m

we l l known , tha t e i th e r o f them co u ld ha ve qu a s h .

e d t h e ra bbl e a nd pre vent ed t ha t m u rder

, if th ey ,

ha d a p pea re d ze a lo us a ga inst it .

I a m so n y l h a ve no be tter n e ws to t el l yo u ,
'

Go d de liv er u s fro m tho se principle s tha t ten d t o

1 am,

SI R,
Your h u m ble se rva nt.
 J U ST RE P RO O F

FA LS E RE PO RT S A ND U NJ U S T C ALU MNIE S '

I N THE

A BO UT the m o nth o f Ma rch la st yea r , o n e Be a .

t rix La in g, a wo m a n o f v e ry b a d fa m e , who h a d

form erly be en u n de r pro cess fo r cha rm s, a n d

refusin g to be r e co nciled
her to wa s
de b a rre d fro m t he Lo rd s ta ble ca m e t o o ne P a

trick Mo rto n a bla ck sm ith d e siring hi m t o m a ke

, ,

so m e na i ls which he re fu sed to do beca u se o th e r

, ,

wise em plo yed a t tha t ti m e U pon which sh e wen t

.

o m u tter ing som e threa t e ning exp ressio ns

'

A .

little a ft er t he sa id Pa trick Morto n with a no th e r

, ,

person in co m pa ny , som e sh by th e sa id
B ea tr ix L a ing s door t he y sa w a vessel with wa ter

,

pla c ed a t the do o r wi th a b u rni n g co a l i n it U p

, :

o n w hi ch he w a s prese ntly stru cken with a n i m

pre s sio n th a t it wa s a ch a rm desig ned a ga inst h im,

a nd u po n thi s a little a fte r he si ckene d I n thi s .

sic knes s he la n uish ed for a lon ti m e ; p hy sic ia n s

g g
80 A JU ST n nrno o r .

tha t sa w h im cou ld n o t u nder sta nd h is di ste mpe r

, ,

yet trie d v a riou s m e di ci nes till a t length hi s tro u

,

som e
u n u s u a l ts which m a d e th em give o v e r
, H e fo r . .

bore a ll th is while a ny a c c u sa ti on o f the person

who m he a ll a lon g su spe cted fo r h is trou ble a t lea s t ,

h e m a de n o m ention o f it to the m inister wh o fre ,

qu ently visited h im while u nder it B u t h is tro u ble .

still increa sing he a t len gth bega n to dro p som e

,

a pprehensi ons o f th e ca u se o f it U pon which B e a

.

trix L a ing wa s ca lled a n d by the m a gistra tes in

, ,

the sa id Pa trick Morto n s fa th er s ho u se e xa m ined

,

o wn ed th a t she h a d pla ced tha t vesse l wit h wa ter

, ,

a n d th e co a l in it there ; b u t a t tha t ti m e wo u ld
,

give no a cco u nt o f the rea son o f it Being di sm is . .

sed by the m a gistrates , s he went ho m e a n d th a t ,

sa m e night when she w a s c ha ll e n ged b y K a th a rine

,

Ma rsh a l in her o wn hou se before Nicola s L a wson

, , ,

a bo u t the la d s trou ble she a nswered th a t he m igh t

, ,

b M e his own ill tongu e fo r w h a t h a d be fa llen h i m ,

a n d th a t it wa s a n evil spirit th a t w a s tro u bling

h im ; whi c h w a s in her fa ce m a inta i n ed by the sa id

e rso ns n ext da in presence o f the m a gistra t es
p y , .

Then the b o y bega n to com pla i n o f her tor m ent i n g

h im a nd fell into grievou s ts o f trou ble u pon h er
,
.

en tering the ho u se U po n a ll which she being

.

i m prison ed a ft er som e ti m e did a c kno wledge t o

,

m a gistra tes a n d m ini ster in presen ce o f m a ny wit

,

n e sse s witho u t threa t or tort u re o f whi c h we sh a ll

, ( ,

spea k m ore a fterw a rds) tha t she wa s displea se d with

P a tri c k M orto nfo r his refu sin g to m a ke som e na i ls
 A 1 037
. n e r no o r . 81

tha t sh e de si gne d t o be a venge d u po n h im fo r it ;

a n d th a t she u sed th a t cha r m o f the co a l in the w a .

t e r a ga inst hi m ; a n d th a t she reno u n ce d h e r b a p .

t ism entere d i n to a com pa ct wi t h t h e de vi l so m e

,

t welve yea rs be fore ; condesce ndi ng u po n tim e ,

pl a ce a nd her ind u cem ents to enga ge i n hi s

,

vice ; a n d tha t sh e w ith N ichola s L a wson h a d

, ,

m a de a wa x pict u re to tor m e nt h im a nd p u t ,

in it ; which t h e sa id Nico la s like wis e co nfes sed a f

t e r wa rds a nd so j u s ti ed t h e boy s a c co u nt o f t h e

,

After th is the bo y s tr o u ble

increa se d i n ,

whic h there were ma ny s tra n ge th i ngs ; rst h i s

belly fo r som e ti m e th en his brea s t fre q u en tly
, , ,

hea ved Up to a a nd i ns ta n t ly
'

we nt o a ga i n b y a blo win g a t the m ou th li ke a

,

bello ws ; fre qu ently he cried o u t tha t su ch perso ns

a s he na m ed we re
pinc hin
g b i m in hi s a rm s b rea s t, ,

or som e other pla ces o f h is body his h a nds lying ,

a ll the while a bove t he clothes a t a di st a nce fro m ,

o ne a nother in the v iew o f m a ny o f t h e spe cta to r s ;

,

a n d when they looked t h e p la ces o f whi c h he c o m

pla ined they sa w di sti nc tly the p ri nt o f na i ls

, .

Aga in he w a s frequ en tly ca st into s wooning ts,

,

pi nchi ng t he m ore sensible pa r ts o f h is b ody; o f

which h e c o m a ine d a ft er wa rds when h e ca m e o u t
o f the ts tho u gh he too k no notice o f th e m no r
, ,

fe lt them in the ti m e while he wa s in these t s

,
.

T h e strongest wh o essa ye d to li ft hi s hea d from t he

pillow were not a ble to m o ve it tho u gh bo th his
, ,

fe et a nd h ea d wer e perfe ctl y free o f t h e b ed, w hich

82 A m sr n n r no o r .

Wa s exa c t ly tri ed : Yea , som eti m es whi le the tru nk

o f h is body a n d his hea d were th u s rigid a n d co u ld

no t be ra i sed from the pillow his legs were loose , ,

a nd a n
y ight m ove them a s they plea sed
m
'
Som e .

ti m e s t h e se ts were n o t so grea t a s a t other ti m es ,

a n d then or when h e wa s fa llin i n or com i n g o u t

, g ,

o f the m sever a l persons lift ed h im with li ttle dif

,

cu l ty b u t w h en he w a s in the depth o f the t the ,

strongest th a t essa yed it cou ld not r a ise h im u p .

Aga in whe n a ny o f the women whom he a cc u se d

,

to u ch e d h im a n d som etim es o n their com ing into

,

t h e room he fell into grievou s t s o f trou ble a n d ,

crie d o u t th a t su c h a person wa s tor m en ting h im

, ,

co nde sce ndi ng o n th e ir na m es ; a n d this he did very

fre q u en t ly before m u ltitu des o f peo ple o f differen t
,

ra nks ,rea dy to a ttest the sa m e And co m m on ly .

su ch ca re w a s ta ken t o prevent his h a vin g a n y no

tice either o f the wom ens entry or which o f the m

,

wa s there th a t there w a s no pl a ce left fo r a ny r a

,

ti on a l s u spi cion o f t ri c k or chea t in the m a tter He .

w a s ca r efu lly hoodwi n k ed with se ve ra l plies o f cloth

- the wom en
were brou ght in with the u t m ost
secrecyinn ocent persons present in the roo m la i d
th eir h a nds on h im b u t yet h e never shewed t h e
,

lea st con c ern sa ve when the a ccu sed persons tou ch

,

ed him Severa l ti m es ge ntle m en th a t see m ed

.

lou s th a t there wa s so m ewh a t o f a n i m post u re in

th e ca s e were a l lowed a n d i n vited to m a ke t he
,

nicest tria l a n d fou nd it hold Severa l pitifu l c h

, .

vils h a ve be en u sed a bo u t this a n d oth er inst a n ces ,

o f th e boy s trou ble

which proceed eith er from
,

 A JU ST R P E ROO F . 83

or g ro ss in a dvertency in n o t observ ing the se vera l

va ri a tions o f the boy s ca se whic h h a d they been

,

considered they wou ld h a ve been so fa r from giving

,

an c o u n ten a nce t o the concl u sion a i m ed a t by these

y
obj ectors th a t they wou ld strongly h a ve en force d
,

a conviction o f so m ething preter n a t u ra l in the ca se -

.

The a u thor then proceeds to give a n a ccou nt of

J a net C o rph a t the wom a n wh o w a s m u rdered She
, .

w a s a per son o f very b a d fa m e who o f a long ti m e ,

w a s rep u ted a witch frequ ently u sed ch a rm s a n d

, ,

w a s wont co m m only to threa ten per sons wh o di s

obliged her a n d s u ch consequ ences som eti m es fo l
,

lowed a s m a de her th e terror o f m a ny both o f the

, ,

to wn a n d cou ntry which m ight be veried by pa r

,

t ic u l a r i n sta nces if it were necessa ry

, She w a s n o t .

a t rst del a ted by P a trick Morto n thou gh a ft er ,

w a rds he com pl a i n ed o f her a s one o f his t orm e n

tors b u t she with severa l others being in com pa ny
, ,

wi th t h e devi l whereo f Isa bel Ada m w a s o n e in

, ,

p u rs u a nce o f a qu a rrel whic h Bea trix L a ing fo r ,

m erly m entioned h a d w ith o n e Al ex a nder MGri

,

go r a sher in th e town m a de a n a tte m pt to m u r

, ,

der the sa id MGrigo r i n bed which w a s preven t

ed by his a w a kening a n d w restlin g a ga inst them .

This a tte m pt w a s a ckn owledged by Isa bel Ada m ,

o f whose c on fessio n a m ore fu ll a ccou nt sh a ll be

given a fterw a rds wh o h a d bee n ta ken u p o n tha t
,

m a n s dela ti on a n d so m e other i n form a tions a ga i nst

,

her a n d not o n th e la d s As likewise the sa id

,

.
,

J a net wa s a cc u se d by N icol a s La w son a n other pe r ,

s o n prese n t a t th a t a tte m pt ; a n d Nico la s a cc u se d

h er o f bein g a t a noth er m eetin g in th e Loa n o f P it ~

84 A JU ST s s rs o o r .

t e n wee m ; a t bo th which m eetin gs they confe ssed

the dev il wa s pre se n t All w h ich she herse lf a fter .

rem a r k a bl e Aft er sh e h a d o bs ti n a tely

so m e w hi le
d e ni ed a nd with a su bti l i ty be yond wh a t m igh t be
,

e xpect e d from o ne o f her edu c a tion sh ifte d a ll ,

e s t io ns pu t to her she wi t h Isobel Ad a m a fore

q n , ,

sa i d be in g bro u gh t to t h e ho u se where th e torm ent

,

e d la d la a n d he discovering h er a t her en try into

y ,

th e ro o m notwith st a n ding the u tm ost pre ca u tion

,

w a s u sed to concea l it fro m h im a n d h e fa l li ng into ,

grievou s ts o f trou ble did cry o u t o f her a s on e

,

o f his torm en to rs ; a t which she w a s so st u nned ,

th a t in st a n tly sh e fell a trem bling The m a gi stra te s .

a n d m inist er observ in g her in s u ch a con fu sion ,

a sked if she wa s willing t o co m m u n e with them ,

in refe ren ce t o the m a tters whereof sh e h a d be e n

a ccu sed ; she decl a r ing hersel f willi ng went with ,

th em t o a no ther pla ce a n d whe n desi red t o b e in

,

e nu o u s she a ga in fell a tr em blin g a n d sa i d sh e

g , ,

wou ld co n fess a ll b u t wa s a fra id t h e devil wou ld

,

t ea r th e sou l o u t o f her body if sh e di d a n d sa i d, ,

if you wi ll pra y a n d ca u se a ll good folk pra y for

,

m e I wi ll con fess a n d she then desir ed th e m ini

, ,
.

st e r to pra y ; a nd a fter pra yer con fe ssed she wa s

, ,

bo d il y present a t both t he m eeti n gs a foresa id wi th

th e d ev il a n d the witches a nd ga ve a cifcu m sta n t ia t
,

a cc o u nt o f th e r e n o u nc ia tio n o f h er ba pti sm n a m ing ,

t im e pl a ce a n d ind u ce m e nts whic h le d her to it ,

a n d th e sh a pe th e d e vil a ppe a re d to her ih
, ,

Sh e .

l i k e wi se tol d t h e rea so n o f the ir a tt em t t o mu rder

p
 A JU ST a ne s o o r . 85

MG ig

r or th a t h e di d no t hire a hou se which
w a s,
belon ge d to Bea trix La ing .

Aga in o n a Th u rsda y a ft er she h a d bee n hea r

, ,

i n g serm o n she desi red to spea k with th e m ini ster

, ,

a n d sent one to a cq u a int h i m with t hi s desire on

which h e went to her a n d she before severa l wi t

, ,
.

nesses renewed her fo rm er con fession a n d conde

, ,

scended on a ll the pe rsons the other con fessing

witches h a d a cc u sed a s being present a t the two
,

foresa id m ee t ings ; a dding with a l tha t there were ,

others p resent who m she knew not This co nfe s .

si on she renewed be fore th e presbytery in presence ,

of a grea t m a ny co u ntry ge n tle m a n a n d other ,

specta t ors ; a s likewise in the fa ce o f a n u m erou s

congrega tion o n the Lord s da y
.

It is own ed th a t whe n Be a trix L a i n g a n d Nico

,

l a s L a wson were rst i m prisoned , they were ill u sed

by som e o f th e g u a rd withou t the knowledge o f

,

m a gistra tes or m inister o f which th e wom en m a de

,

co m pl a int to the m inis te r whereof he presently a c ,

q u a inted the m a gistra tes wh o with th e m in ister, , ,

we n t t o th e prison a nd threa tened the gua rd if they

,

offered the lea st dist u rba nce t o perso n s in c u stody .

And the m inister o n th e Lord s da y therea fter

,

took occa sion i n se rm on to discover the wickedness

o f th a t pra ctice a s being a ga inst the light o f n a t u re
, ,

Script u re a n d the j u st l a ws o f the la nd After this

, .
,

we hea rd o f no m ore dist u r b a nces th ey m e t with .

N o w it w a s not till a fter this preca u tion u sed to

,

prevent their trou ble th a t J a net C o rph a t wa s i m

,

priso n ed ; a n d from th e tim e o f her im priso n m ent

, ,

till t h e tim e th a t she co n fessed which wa s so m e t e n ,

H
 86 A JU S T RE P ROO F .

ortwelve days she wa s n o t in company with the

,

rest nor w i th the gu a rd save one or two days but

, , ,

wa s a lo n e in a sepa rate prison , and nothing to di s

turb her .

No w it is remarkable tha t neithe r o f these per

, ,

s ons wh o were ill used of which Janet C o r h a t wa s

p ,

n one di d ev er make any acknowledgement to these

,

persons wh o u sed them ill n o r till so me days after ,

th ey we re quite freed of thi s trouble A n d when .

they did confess it wa s to ma gistra tes and mini ster

, ,

w h o m they o wned to be carefu l to preserve th em

from such abuses no r did magistrates o r minister
e v er use any threatening to extort a confess ion o r ,

any other argu ment bu t what the gospel requires ,

to be made use of to bring im penitent sinners t o a

con fession o f their sins .

The author of the l etter te lls us she was put in ,

a lo w priso n o u t of which it w a s obvious tha t any

,

body could make an es cape and accordingly she ,

m ade her e scape that night Here are but two as .

se r tio n s and both of them false fo r the prison w a s

, ,

the second story and her escape was by breaking

,

an old iron grate in the window ; no r was it that

n ight after that she broke the prison, for it was on

Friday these gentle men di scoursed her and on the ,

L ord s day at night she broke th e pr ison 1

.
'

1' We sh o u l d lik e t o kno w wha t th rea te n in g s the p

gos el re
q u ires m i ni s ters t o m a ke use o f t o su h i m pe ni ten t c sinn e rs a s

will n o t co n fe ss si n th e y c ou ld n ot co m m it E D
s . .

t p v b i s v e y fa i ly b y w ilfu ll y pe r ver t
1 T h i s ju s re ro er g e n r r

i ng h i ppo n t s l a n gua ge a priso n wi th lo w win do w h e

s o ne

, a ,

m ke
a s l w prison
a o We very m uch suspec t th e m iniste r
.

h im sel f h a d a h a n d in thi s pa m phl et .

 A ms r n n r a oo r . 82

Here follows the author o f the J ust R eproofs

wa y o f telling the story o f the barbarous and cruel

murder o f Janet C o rph a t She came to town under
.

cloud o f night with two men and went straight to an

,

inn where her da ugh te r wa s serving A fter some stay .

the re the t wo men b rough t her t o the minister s
,

house who was visiting a sick ch ild of one James

,

C ook a present bailie where his serv ant came to

, ,

him with Mr Gordon s lett er ; and as soon as he

,

h ad peru sed it b e bid his servant go te ll them he

, ,

wo uld h ave nothing t o do with her but since they ,

ha d brought her to t he town let them ta ke her to ,

the magi strates which answer two men then pre ,

sent have attested unde r their hands O n this the

, .
,

men brought her to Bailie Cook s house where the ,

m inister was and the men meeting him coming

,

down sta ir s pressed him to take her o ff their b a n ds

, ,

which he refused to de but ca l led the two next

,

magistrates and advised them instantly to set her

,

o ff sa fe out of the town O n which the two bailies

.

sent for their ofcer immediately and the minister ,

went o f straight to his own house and saw no a p ,

e a ra n c e of a rabble nor did hear of it til l the

p , ,

rabble had gone a considerable length and a fter

a little he he a rd that the woman wa s go t safe out
,

of their han ds and the rabble dissipate and he

, ,

knew nothing of her death till the next morning .

When the ofcer came to the magistrat es they , ,

on deliberation amon g themselves resolved t o i m ,

prison her ti ll the next morn ing ; and accord in gly

o rdered their o fcer to do it A n d as the ofcer
.

wa s executing the magistrates orders the rabble

2
88 s J UST RE P RO OF .

gathered upon them attacked the of ce r a nd took

, ,

t h e wom an from h i m with which it is said he did

, , ,

n o t acquai nt the magi s tr ates that they might h ave ,

taken other measures for the woman s sa fety

.

This rabble did n o t ow from the inclinations o f

the people of the place which is evident from the ,

peaceable and safe residence t wo confessing witch es

had for two months time in the place since they
were set at liberty but from an unhappy occasiona l
,

concourse of a great many strangers some E nglish ,

men some from O rkney and other parts wh o wer e

, , ,

forward in it and have since taken guilt o n them

,

by their ight .

A s to th e assertion with regard t o those o f

'
Mr Cowper s family going along with the rabble ,

Mr Cowper u rged to have his servan ts ex a mined

among the rst and they have declared befor e the
,

magistrate s that they stole out i n a clandestine

,

way that their master m ight not know of it and he

, ,

indee d knew nothing of it and they returned very ,

quickly and made n o stay nor do any o f the wit

nes ses examined insinuate any accusation of th eir
havi ng the least acces sion to any inj ury she met
with nor were they any other way concerned than
, ,

by looking on a short while with som e hundreds of

other spectators .

Aga i n it is sa id
,
that they rst found her at
,

Nicolas Lawson s house and that she was killed

,
!
o u t r i ght when they dragged her there again
- is ,

i ll grounded as the rest of our author s assertions

for they found her not at Nicolas Lawson s house ,

and some of t h e persons examin ed have declared,

 AJ u s r na r n oo r . 89

that a fter she

brought to that door she aro s e
wa s ,

a nd put o n head c lo a th s and called t o Nicolas ,

Lawson t o let her in which if she had done sh e , ,

in all appearance h a d met with n o more disturbance

b u t a ft e r t hi s w e hear th a t so m e f w qf w m b blc
,

The author o f t h e Second Let t er a c c u ses the mi

nister o f encouraging Patrick Morton in carrying o n
the cheat by reading to him t h e case o f B a rga rra n s
,

daughter In answer to which we shall give a

.
,

short but candid account o f matter o f fact In the

, , .

month o f May l a s t the minister with a preach e r

, , ,

a n d a great many other people attending all night ,

in the room where Patrick Morton lay and h e 1y ,

.

ing meanwhile in a swooning t whi ch wa s then ,

tried by exqu isite pinching the minister and pro ,

~

b a t io n e r falling into some discourse about Bargar

ran s daughter took o u t the book, and fo r their

,

own sa t isfactio n read only two se ntences and stopt

, , .

Sev e ral weeks after when the mini ster wa s aga i n

,

a t t e mdi ng in the night time the lad be ing in sensibl e, ,

the min ister for his own diversio n read the pre
, ,

face and some part o f the process a ga i nst the

, ,

witches but had no reaso n t o think h e h eard a ny

,

thing but on t h e contrary And it is t o be o h

, .

se rved w h en the committee o f t h e privy council

,

did a cc urately e xamine t h e b o y in reference t o this

story h e still declared he never heard any thing o f
,

B a rga rra n s daugh ter s case read

.

What he says of th eir obliging the m to pa y

ei ght pound Sco t s to t h e town o f ce r; is in m a ny -

w a y s fa ls e I t is fa lse th at the y we re ordered by

.
90 A J U ST a s r no o r .

the magistrates to pay s u ch a w in It is fa l se t h a t .

they paid all al i ke I t is also untruth that any of

.

them gave what th ey had provided for the i r wind

ing sheets Nicolas Lawson on e o f the confe ssing
.
,

witches her husban d voluntarily gave a small piece

,

o f unbleach ed linen to the o fcer fo r his fees ; and

this is a l l the ground fo r the story of their winding

The au thor o f the Just R eproof then proceeds to

give an account of Mrs White and I so b el Adam .

The woman brought from A n st ru t her was a Mrs -

White an inhabitant of Pittenw e em wh o through

, , ,

fear of being apprehended ed thither to her da u gh ,

ter s house This woman whose cause is now warm

.
,

ly espoused by some wi th no a dvantage to their re ,

putation and wh o is n o w insi st ing agai nst the m a

,

g i st ra te s in a process for wrongous imprisonment ,

h as been for many years a person of very bad fame .

Some eighteen years a go she pursued a woman b e ,

fore the session in Mr Bruce the late E pi scopa l

,

incumbents time for ca l ling her a witch and suc

, ,

c u m b i n g in the probation Mr Bruce urged her to .

be reconciled with the woman s he obstinately re ,

fused usi ng most U nchri sti an and revengeful ex

,

p ressions which are t,o be seen in the sess ion r e gis -

t er . Since the revolution she desired admi ssion t o ,

t h e Sacrament o f the Lord s Supper; which wa s

then denied her because she still refused to be

,

r econci led to that woman Her scandalous car .

r i a e in refusing to coh a bit with her husband to

g
this day wh o is a sober hones t m a n, is generally
,

known This woman being acc used by the b o y as

.
 A JUST RE P R OO F .
91

o ne o f his tormentors and delated by t wo confess

,
.

ing wi tches and other presumptions o f her guilt

, ,

the magistrates o n e mo rning sent their o fcer t o

the magistrates of Anstru ther desiring them o n ,

these gro un ds t o send Mrs White to them and the ,

grounds o f her imprisonment were sent i n w rite to

her in her daughter Mrs Lindsay s house ; and she
,

being brou ght t o Pittenweem the two women which ,

delated her were confronted with her in presence

, ,

o f the magistrates a gre at many gentlemen and

,

mini sters where they did accu se her to her face

, ,

and charged her particularly with being at a meet

ing in the Loan wi t h the d e vil and the witches ,

and gave some binding tokens to convince her By .

a ll which it appears how little ground there is to

,

accuse the magi strates fo r invadi ng their neighbours

j urisdiction or load the minis t er with any concern
,

ment in the matter .

As to the other instance of o n e brought t o Pit

t e n w e e m at six m iles distance this was the young ,

woman I sobel Adam About the middle of May .

,

o n e Alexander MGrigo r delated her for an attempt

t o murder him in his own house in the ni ght ti me -

,

wi th several o thers whom he kne w not ; and there

bein g some surmises of other presumptions of w i tch
her the minister hearing she was c c
,
'

the t o wn ca ll e d for her and advised

, ,

h e r before h er father if innocent to take proper

, , ,

meas u res for her o wn vindication which she under ,

took to do a n d pro triise d to return for that end o n

,

a d vertisement which h er father en gaged to give

, .

T he noise abo u t her st ill increa sing h er father wa s ,

9% A J U ST a a r a oo r .

desi red according t o p romise t o ca l l her to the

, ,

place which h e declined growing jea l o us of her

, ,

guilt ; on which the m inister a dvertise d her b ut in ,

c ase sh e r efused a letter w a s sent to b e delivere d

,

to the gen tleman o n whose ground she l ived desi r ,

in g him t o send her So soon as the a dvertisement

.

w a s given she came voluntarily t o her father s

,

ho use in Pitte nweem a n d so there was n o oc casion

,

When she came she confessed h e r converse wi t h

,

the devil a t Tho m as Adamson s hou se on th e rst ,

da y o f Jan uary 1 70 4 ; sh e was co n fro nted with

MGrigo r and b e accu sed her o f the above m en

,

t i o n e d attempt on him which she then refused

, on

which she wa s im prisoned and the t wo fol lowing ,

days she did wi t h t e ars a nd more than ordi nary

, ,

concern m ak e a free a n d large confession

,

She sa i d Beatrix Laing aforesaid a confess ing ,

witch had b een d ealin g with her t o engage in her

,

se rv ice which sh e refu sed and that some ti me

,

therea fter this Beatrix came for her and desired

, ,

h er t o go along to her hou se whe n she came there,

they sat down at t h e re and she saw a man in ,

bla ck clo a th s with a hat o n his head sitting at

, ,

the table and Beatrix said t o h er since yo u will ,

no t engage wi th m e h ere is a gentl ema n tha t wi ll

,

fee yo u ; wher eu pon he told her he kn ew s h e wa s ,

dis co ntente d with her lot and if she wo uld ser ve ,

h im he promis ed sh e sh ou ld want fo r n othing ; to

,

whic h she yielde d to se rve h i m a nd he c ame for ,

w ard a nd m h er a nd sh e sa i d he wa s fea rsom e ,

li ke a nd h is eyes spa r kled like candl e s on whic h

, ,

she knew he wa s the devil .

 A J UST RE P R OOF .
93

A gain , she told that being employe d t o

, in
Thom a s Adamson s house i n Pittenweem W hile
,

she was lying awake in her bed in the night time ,

the devil appearing to her where she did expressly ,

renounce her baptis m t o the devil by putting her ,

hand on her head and the other to her feet the

, ,

other maid lying in the bed with her being at the

ti me asleep as the maid declared before the session

, .

About a fortnight after this Beat rix Laing came ,

t o visit her and asked her if she had met with t h e

, ,

gentleman ? She answered she had and als o e n ,

gaged with him o n which Beatrix said I have the n

, ,

got my work wrought and went away And she , .

confessed she came to that meeting at MGri go r s

,

with the devil and several witches viz Beatrix ,

.

Laing Ni c olas Lawson Janet C o rph a t Thomas

, , ,

Brown and several others she knew not designing

, ,

to murder MGri go r ; but since the man awakened

and prayed to God for himself they could not do ,

it She confessed also converse with the devil at

.

other times All wh ich is i n her two confessions

.
,

signed by the magistrates and transmi tted to E din ,

burgh Now we desire to know what the author

.
,

o f this letter can quarrel in the magistrates o r mi .

n i st e r s conduct in this matter

.

As for what he sa ys about the magistrate s and

minister refounded the imprisoned womens money

seven fold
- We nd this author very cha ritable
.

o n other mens p u rses but when the magistrates

and minist er desig n t o bes tow their charity they ,

will choose more deserving obj ects And the Lords .

o f Her Majesty s privy counsel understands them

94 A J U ST a nra o o r .

selves bet ter than to take th e ir m ea su res as to what

is j ust from t he daring pre script ie n s of this an the r .

Wha t he says abou t Thom as Brown is also false ,

h e wa s accused by the lad and de lated by three ,

confe ss ing witches as be ing acce ssory to the a t

,

tempt o n MGrigo r It is fal se he was starved fo r

,

his daughter brou ght him his diets punctu a lly .

O u r author s fears o f m ore m urders are alto gether

gr oundless a nd we appea l to all men of candour

, ,

whether this author s impud e nt and unj ust accusa
tion again st magis trates and mi nister o f m urderi ng
Thomas Brown de serves no t severer punis hment
, .

than any thing he can charge them w ith .

He again te lls u s the bai li es j usti ed the mur

,

der by denying Christian b u rial
, The bailies .

gave n o order thereabout As for Thomas Brown .

,

his son in law with some others buried h im O ur

- -
, , .

au thor by h is next may prove th at Janet C o rph a t , ,

a woman that had so freq uently and so solemnly

confessed the re n o u n c ia t io n of her baptism to the
devil deserved Chris t ian burial
, .

THE
 CO P Y
OF THE

INDICT M E NT O F T HE WKT C H E S A T BO B RO WST OUNE SS

T H E P RE C E PT F O B S U MM ONIN G T H E J URY A N D
.

WITN E SS E S - WIT H T H E WA RR ANT F O R T H E I R

E X E C U TI O N .

A NN A P LE T n o ms o n s , widow in Bo rro w sto wn e s ,

Margaret Pringle relict o f the dec ea st J o hn

,

Campbel l sive wright there St e

-
, .

Yee and ilk ane o f yo w ar in dytt e d and a c c w se d

, ,

that where notwithstanding be the law of God

, , ,

a rti c u la rl ie sett down in the 2 0 cha p t er of Leviti

p
cus and eighteen chap of D e w tro n o m ie and be
,
.
,

the lawe s and actes of parliament of thi s kin gdo m e ,

and constant pra c t iq ; thereof pa rt ic u la rli e be t h e

,

7 3 act 2 9 pa rlia m m t Q M a rie the crym e of witch

, .
,

cr aft is decl a ir e d to b e ane h o rreid abominable and ,

ca pit a l l crym e punishable with the pain es o f death

,

and e o n sc a tio wn of mo vea b les Never the less it .

is o f v e ri ti e th at y o u have c o m i t t e d and a r gwyltie

, ,

o f the sa i d cryme of witchcraft in swa far ye have ,

e n tere d in a c t io wn with the de v ill the ne mi e of

p e ,
 96 wi r c n n s or Bo nno ws r o v n n s s .

your sa l va t io wn and have re n o wn c e d o u r Blis sed

,

Lord and Savior and your b a pt izm e and have

, ,

given your se lffe s both soulles and bodies to the

,

devil and have bein se ve ra ll m e t t in gs with the

,

de vill and s wn drie wyth witches in diverse places ;

,

and pa rt ic u la rlie ye the said A n n a pl e T h o m so n e

,

h a d a metting with the de v ill the tym e o f your

w e ido wh o o d b e fo e r yo w w a s m a rie d to your last
,

h usband in your c wm ing betwixt Linlithgow and

,

Bo rro w st o wn es where the devil in the lykn e s of

, ,

ane black m a n told yow that you wis ane poore

, ,

puddled bodie and had ane e v il l lyiff a nd dii c u l

, ,

tie to w in throw the world ; and pro m e se d if? yee ,

w ald fo ll o we him and go alongst with him yow

, ,

should never want b o t have ane better lyiff and

, ,

a b o w t f v e w e kes t h e re ft e r the de v ill a i re d to

y ppe ,

yow when yo w wi s goeing t o the coal hill a b o wt -

sevin a clock in the morning Having renewed his .

form er t e n t a t io wn yo u did c o n de sc h e n d thereto

, ,

and declared yo wrse lff content t o follow him and ,

b e c wm his servant ; w h e re wpo n the de v ill threw

o w t o the ro wn d and had carnal co wl a t io wn
y g , p
with yo w ; a nd ye and each persone of yow wis at
, ,

sev eral m e t tin gs with the de v il l i n the Linkes of

B o rro wsto wn e s s and in the h o wss of yow Bessie
,

V i c ka r and ye did s at t a nd drink with t he devil ]

, ,

and with o n another and with witches in hir h o wss

,

in the n ight t ym e ; and the de v il l and the said Wm

Craw b ro wgh t the ale which ye drank extendin g ,

to a b o wt sevin ga l lons from the h o w ss of E lizabeth

,

Hamilton ; and yo w the sa i d A n n a pl e had

ot her metting a b o wt fyv e w ekes a go when you wis ,
 wrr c n n s or BO RR O WST O U N E SS .
97

goeing to the coal hil l of Grange and he i nv e it t e d

-
,
'

o w to g o a l o n ge s t and drink w ith him in the

y
Grange pannes ; a n d yow the said Margaret Prin
-

g il have bein ane witch thir many y e e re s bygane ;

hath r e n o wn c id yo wr baptisme and b e c wm the ,

de vi ll s servant and p ro m e i s to follow him ; and

the de v ill had carn a ll c o pwl a ti o wn with yow and ,

tuik you by the right hand whereby it was fo r , ,

e ight dayes
g
, re vo w s li e pained but hav i ng it twit
c hed of n e w a ga i ne it i m e di a t l ie b ec a m h a il l : and
,

yow the said M a rgaret Hamilton has be in the de

vil l s servant these eight or n yn e yeres bygane ;

and he a ppe re d and conversed with yow at the

toun well of B o rro w st o wn e s and several tymes in
-
,

o w r awin h o ws s and drank se v e ra ll c h o en s o f

y , pp
ale with you and thereafter had carnall c o p wl a
,

t io wn w i th yow ; and the de v il l gave yow ane f v e

y
merk pe ic e of gold wh ilk a lyt t il efter b e c a m ane
,

sk la i t t stone ; and o w the said Margaret Ham il

y
t o n relict of James P o l l wa rt has bein ane witch
, , ,

and the devil s servan t t h e rt ie yeres si nce haith

re n o w n c id o w r b a t i z m e as said is and has had

y p ,

c arnall co w l a t io w n with the dc v i ll in the l kn e s

p y
o f ane man bot he removed from yow in the l kn e s
, y
of ane black do wg and ye and ilk ane of yow wi s ,

at ane metting wi th the de v ill and w t h e r witches at

the Croce of Mu r e sta i n e above K inn e il upon the ,

t h re t t e in of O ctober last where yow a l l danced

, ,

a n d the de v il l acted the i e r and where yow e u

py p ,

devored to have di st ro ye d Andro w Mitchell so n s ,

t o John Mitchell elder in D ean of K in n e ill

,

, .
 P '

l ece t
p q ra Wi tch es , a nd th e Wi t d 2 18 8 119
n es s e s a m
3
s er s, 1 679 .

Cochran of B a rb b a c h la y R ic hard E l ,

p h in sto wn o f S a i n de la n ds of Hi lde r

stown , C o rn wa l of B o n h a rd R obert H a ,

m i lton of D e ch m o n t b a il lz i e of the re a llit i e o f

, g
Bo rro w st o w nes Sir John H a rper a dvo c a t Mr
, ,

William Dunda s and Mr John P re sto w n e a dv o

,

'
cats c ommissioners of ju st ic ia ri e spe c i a llie con
, ,

s t it w t e n o m i n a t and a
, , ppo yn t e d by the lordes o ff
his majestie s most h o n o w ra b le priv ie c o wn se ll for

the tryal l and jwdgi n g o f the pe rs o n e s after n a m it ;

T o our l o v i tt s messengers macers , ,

and ofcers of c o wr t o wr shirriffs in that pair t

, ,

s e c ia ll ie c o n s ti t w te
j
c o n u n e t l ie and s e v e r a lli e
p, ,

r e i tt in For sa m e i kill a i s the day of

g g :

is a ppo yn t e d by w s for the trying and j udging o ff

A n a b il l Thom son widow in Bo rro w st o wn e s Mar ,

garet Pri n gle relict of t h e dec ist John Campbell

siv e w ri ght ther Margaret Hamilton relict of the
-
,

dec e i st James P o l l wa r t ther Wm Craw indweller , .

ther Bessie V ic ca r relict of the dece i st James Pen

,

n ie indweller ther and Margarett Hamilton relict

,

o f the de c e i s t T h omas Mitch e ll wh o are a ppre h e n

,

dit and impriso ned in the t o l b u it h of Bo rro wsto w

n e s as suspe ct gwi lt of the ab o minable cryme of
, y
w itchcraft by entering into pa b t io wn wi th the de
,

vill re n wn c in g their baptism and c o m it tin g of ma

,
 w r o n g s or m a a o wsr o rm n s s. 99

2W 8 Wh e re fo ir nescessary it is that the sai des ,

persons shoul d be su m m o n de d to w n de rlye the lawe

fo r the samen a nd t hat witne ss a nd a ssyss e rs should
,

be cited against th e m to the effe ct and under the

, ,

pai n es efter s pe ci e t H E R E F O I R th i s precept se in

.
, ,

we c h a i rge you passe a n d i n owr so v e ra ig n e lordes

,

n ame and authori ty and o w rs comand and c h a irge

, ,

the sai des pe rso n e s above c o m plea n e d upon to ,

co m e i r b e fo ir w s or any three o f us (who are by

p ,

o u r said c o m m i ss io wn de c l a i re d to be a quor u m ) ;

w ithin th e said t o lb u i th o f Bo rro wsto w n es t h e nyne ,

teen day of December n ix t in the howr o f c a wse , ,

ther to w n de rlye the lawe for the c rym e s above ,

s e c i e t and that under the paines contained in the

p ,

n e w acts of pa rliament : And si c kl i k summon

y , ,

wa irn e and c h a i rge ane a s sy se o f honest and famous

pe rso n e s not exceeding th e number of fo rt ie v e

,
-
,

t o git h e r with such witnesses who best kno w the

v e ri t i e of the e r so n e s above co m l e a n e d upon ther

p p
w i l t to co m e i r b e fo i r u s day and place
g y nes , p ,

fo ir sa i d in the howr of c a w s e the p e rso n e s of 3

, ,

witness to bear l e a ll and soothfast witnessing i n the

,

remiss and the in q u e i st to passe u pon the a s sy se

p ,

each persone under the paine o f tru e h undret h

,

merks according to j ustice ais ye will answer to u s

, ,

t h e r w po n : the wh ilk to doe commits to ou con

y ,
,

u n c t l ie and se v e ra lie our fw l l power

j , be thir our ,

lettres, de ly ve ri n g them be you de wllie e xe c u t and

i n do r se t a ga i ne to the b e ire r Given under our .

hands at Bo rr o wst o wn e s the t we n t ie n yn t day of

,
-

T his word i s i nterlin e d , a nd r

th e wo d i n qu e ist scored o u t .
1 00 w rr c n a s o r BO RRO WS T OUN E SS .

November ane , t h o u sa n de six hunder a n d se v en t ie

n ne e i rs
y y .

(S i c S u b s crib t u r
) R H A M I L T ON
.
,

J COR NWA LL
.
,

RICH E LP H E N ST O NE
.
,

W DU NDAS . .

Ane Li s t of the P ersa ne s to b e wa rn e d to p a s se

u on th e Ass se r J u d in e W ch e s i n
p y j b g g t h i t

Robert B a lle n di n elder in Northbank ,

Alex Brown in Bo n h a rd
.
,

John I rwyn e there ,

James Lamb there ,

George Storie in Mure edge -

,

T homas Knox wiver in L it t ill C a rridi n ,

John Meldru m ther ,

Geo rge Yo wn g in Mu rra yes ,

John Brown oversm an ther ,

George Smyth ther ,

John Ro b e rt so n e in Bo n h a rd pann s -
,

John D a v ie so n e ther ,

John Pool ] ther .

George Bennet ,

James C a s sill e s elder skipper , ,

 w rr c n s s or BO R RO WS T O U NE es . 1 01

Al ex D rysda i ll
. kippe r s ,

James Ha rdie glover ,

Al ex Ra ndie baxter
.

R ichard Carss ,

James Hamilton elde r ,

James H wt to n baxter ,

A ndrew Ham ilton ,

Thom as Downie ,

James Mwn gi ll wiver ,

R o b Downie
. .

George Gib in K in n e il Carss ,

Alex Gib in I n n e ra v e n
.
,

John Glen ther

James Dobbie in Nether Kinn eil

Patrick Hardie ther ,

John Dick in Wo o dh e id ,

J o hn Wil son in O ver K in ne il ,

James Thomson ther ,

James Lithgo w in Ba lde rs to wn ,

John Ha rdie maltman in B u rrow stown

, ,

James l h o m so n ther
'
.

B a rr o n e of P oll m on t .

James Burn of C le r kst o u n ,

Ja mes Mo nt e t h of Myi n hal l

-
,

A lex Whyte in Hill

.
,

P a trick B a llanden o f Parkend,

1 02 WI TCH E S or BO RRO WST O U NE SS .

John Ma ir sc h e l l in Wh yt eside ,

A ndrew J o h n s t o w n i n P o ll m o n t ,

David Bal landen in R edding ,

James Gaff ther ,

George Mu re h e i d ther ,

William c hat of R uch haugh -

,

John Grin to wn in Gi ll st o wn Lo a n fo o t e ,

Henry Taylor in Wh y t e side ,

John P u rga t o f Br u c h to wn Crag .

Or der a nd Wa rra nd f o r B u r n i ng th e Wi tch es g "

F O R SA ME I K LEas A n n a b il Thomson widdo w in

B o rro w st o wn es Margaret Pringle relict of the de
,

c e a s t John Campbell ther Margaret H a m ilt o w n

,

reli ct of the dec ea s t James P o ll wa rt ther Will iam ,

Craw indweller ther Bessie Wic k e r relict of the

,

de c e a s t James Pennie ther and Margaret Hamil

,

town relict of the dec ea st Thomas Mitchell ther ,

prisoners in the t o lb u i t h of Bo r ro w sto wn e s are ,

fou nd gu ilt i e be ane a s sy s e of the abominable

,

cryme of witchcraft com m i tted be them in maner ,

mentioned i n their di t t a ye s and are decerned and

,

adj udged be us under s u b sc ryv e r s (commissioners

o f j usticia ry s e c i a l lie a o n t e d to th i s e ffect) to
p pp y
be taken to the west end of B o rro wsto wn e s the ,

ordinar place of exec ution th e r upon Tuesday the ,

t w e n t i e th ird day o f December current betwixt

-
,

two and four a clock in t h e e fte rn oon and ther to ,

 w rr a s OF BO RROWST O UN E S S . 1 03

be wirried at a st e a c k till they be dead and there ,

efter to have their bodies burnt to ashes These .

t h e re fo ir req ui re and command the b a yli e principal

o ff the re a l it ie of Bo rrhw sto wn e s and his de u t t s

g , p ,

t o see the said se n t a n e e and doom put to dew exe

c u t io n in a l l poyn ts , as yee wi ll be answerable .

Given under our hands at Bo rro w st o wn e s the n yn

t ee n t h day Of Decem b er 1 679 ye irs .

W DU NDAS
.
,

RICH E LPHINST O N E
.

WA S ANDI LAND S
.
,

J COR NWAL L
.
,

J H AM I L T O N
. .
 T RI AL
OF

I S OBE L E L L I O T , A ND NI NE O T H ER
WO ME N .

Records q u s tici a r
y,Se
p temb er 1 3 , 1 678 .

I n 1 678 , I E lliot and nine other women were

SO b e l

tried for wit ch craft in one day The articles O f i n

.

di c t m e n t against all of them were pretty much the

same Those exhib i ted a gai nst I sobel E lliot were
.

as follows That about two years ago she stai d at

home from the ki r k at the desire of her mistress ,

wh o was a witch when the devi l h a d a meeting with

,

the prisoner her mistress and two other witches

, ,

that he kissed the prisoner baptized her on the face

,

wi th a n te emof h is h a n d lik e a de w ing and offered

,

to li e with her but forbore beca u se she was w i th

,

ch ild that after she was kirked the devil Often met
her and had ca rna l cop u la ti on with her The pri
, .

so n e r and the other nine m i serable women under

went all the legal forms incident to thei r u nhappy

situation among that deluded and barbarous people .

They had been prosecuted by his Maj esty s A dv o

.

cate ; t h e y ju dic ia l ly acknowledged their guilt were ,

convicted by the j ury condemned b y the j udges

, ,

and burned by the executioner ) r ha vi ng h a d ,

-
_

owm a l co u la tio n wi th th e de v il !
p
 THE

C O N F ESSI O N S
OF

H E LE N TA YL O R I N E YE MO U T H ,

A ND

ME NI E H AL YB UR T ON I N D I RL T ON ,

A C C U SE D OF WI T C H C R A F T , 1 649 .

WIT H THE

D E C L A RA T I O N
OF

J O HN KINCAID P R I C K E R
, .

C O PI E D F RO M TH E O RI GI NA Lfx

 THE

C O NFE SSI O U N

X0 3

HE L E NE T A I LZ E A R .

J UL 8 , 1 649 ,
v

BE IN G the Sabb a th day; Mr Samu el De wgla s ,

preaching at E ym o u t h after sermon Helen Tail

, ,

z e a r de s re d to speik with the sa id Mr Sam u el l

y ,

w h o com ing to h ir t h ei r being al so present Sa m uel

,

Lauder and G eo rge Halliday she confessed these ,

p a rt icu la ri s v iz r s t at C a n dil m a s hygo m two

,
.
,

e irs scho cam into so b e ll Br own s h o u s qubair

y , I ,

the di vill was si tting in the li knes O f a ge n t il l man

at the t a b il l drinking with I so b e l l Brown who took ,

h i r in his armes without any moir spe ikin g at that

t ym e .

S eco ndl ie ,Scho dec la irs that after shee cam to

,

I so b e ll Brown s h o u s w h a ir the div ill

w a s in the same li kn e ss as befor and l a yd his ,

hand upon h ir head and sayd you sall b e on of

, ,

myn e so long as you live An d that he gave hir

.

two do lle ri s and when shoe cam home they w

,
er

butt twa sta nes .

1 08 CO N F E SSION or H E L E N TAYLO R .

T h i rdli e , Shee dec l a i rs ,

that shee w a s at ane
meiting with I so b e ll Brown Al i son Cairns Ma rga
, , p

ret Dobson and Beatrix Young and that thai went

, ,

a ll along to William B urn e t t is h o u s b e lying sick , ,

and that coming to the bous Margaret Dobson was

,

in the li knes of ane black hen and went in at the ,

chimley head and Beatrix Young in the liknes of

,

a li t ill fo a ll and that hi rse lf w a s in the liknes of

,

ane lit ill q u h e lp ; I so b e ll Brown wes in hir owi a

li knes w i th a long ta i l d c o u rt sh a w u pon hir head
,

and Allison Cairns wes i n hir o win liknes ; and that

I so b e ll Brown desired her t o go into W illi am Bur
nettis bot sh ee re fu isse d q u h a i ru po n I so b e ll Brown
,

did s tryk her on the ba c k .

F ou rtl ie Shee dec la irs that M

,
a r io u n Ro b iss o n

we s ane witch and that shee was William B u r n i t s

death .

(Signed ) Mr S AM UE L DOU G LAS , Mi n is te r

S L AU D ER
. .

G H ALLI D A Y
. .
 THE

D E P O SI T I O N
OF

ME NI E H A L I BU RT O U N .

Al Di rlto u n , J u ne, 1 649 .

C O MP E I R I T Menie Hal li burton pri sso n e r withi n

,

t h e C astle s u spect of the cryme of witchcr aft de

, ,

l a i t i t gu i lt ie be Agnes C l erk so n lait su fferer for the

,

sa i d cryme as also be Patri k Wa t so n e spouse to ,

the sa i d Menie w h o lyke wi sse su ffe ri t t h a irfo i r

, ,

and c o n fess it that a u c h te in ye ir syne o r t h a i rb y

, , ,

hir dochter bei ng seik scho rst sent for Patri k

,

C h rys ti so n in A b e rle di e t o cum and cure hir doch

,

ter and he re fu i si ng went h irse lf for him w h o re

, , ,

fused to cure hir ; and within " 5

days after
came the de vill in likn es of a man into hir h o u s ,

call ing himself a ph y si tio n and said to her that

, ,

he had good salves (and n a m e li e o ylispe k) w h a i r ,

with he would cure hir dochter and a ggre in g with

h i m for some O f his salves q u hilk he gave hir shee ,

gave h i m two Ingli s shil lings He then departed

.
,

and promised to come a ga ne within eight da yi s ,

whil k a cco rdi ngli e he did h o t o r he went away the

,

K
110 D E POSITION or M ANI E HALI B UR T O N .

rst t ym e shee gave him mi lk and breid and P a

,

trik Wa t so n e com in g in he sent for a pynt of a le

,

b o t at his second coming he st a yit all night and ,

upon the morn e airli e (P a tric k being fu rth ) in ,

the di v il l and lay doun with hir scho being yi t t in ,

bed and had ca rn al co pu la tio u n with hir h is n a

, ,

ture being cald He de syri t hir t o re nu n c e Chryst

.

and h ir baptisme and become his servant q u hilk

, ,

scho did And sa yis that hir dochter had the

.
,

w yte O f all hir wi ckit wissi ng a n d sh e had ,

nevi r beene bo rne .

Th i s deposition was renewed in a ll the pa rt ic u

lars by the said Meni e in the foresaid place on
, ,

Sunday t h e rst o f July 1 649 before Alexander , ,

L ev ings to n of Sa l t coa t ts James Borthwick cham,

b erla ne James L a wde r John Stalker baillie Wm

, , , .

Dal zell, and Mr J ohn MGh ie mi nister at Dirl

,

tou n .

(Signe d) J . M A K GH I E .

A L EX L E V I . N GST O UN,

JA . Bo a a mx .

J A ME s LA U DE It.

J OH N S TALK ER .

W D A LZ E L L
. .

W A L T ER M A R SH ALL . .
 TH E

D EC L AR AT I O N

OF

J O HN KINCAID .

J ONE , 1 649 .

T HE whilk da y , in pre sen ce of A lex L e vi ng .

ston of Sa l tco a t t i s J a me s Borthwick c h a l m e rla i n

,

o f D irl t o u n ,
John Sta l ker bail lie t h a iro f James ,

F o irm a n in Drem Mr James A c h ie so n in North

,

Berwick and William D a lzel l notar Patrick Wat

, ,

so n i n West Fenton and Menie H a l ib u rt o u n his

,

s o u s b r u i t t e d and long suspect of witchcraft

p , of ,

th a ir a wi n will umcomp ellit he iring that I John

,

Kincaid u nder su b sc ryv a n d we s in the toune O f

D ir lt o u n e and had some sk ill a n d dexterity in try
,

ing O f the di villi s marke in the pe rso n is of such as

wer suspect to be w itches came t o the broad hall
,

in the Castell of D ir l t o u n e and desyre d me the

,

said John Kincaid to u se my tryal l of thame as I

had done o n u th e ri s whilk when I had done I
, ,

found the div il lis marke upon th e bak syde of the

said Pat rik Wa t so n e a lit t ill u nder the point o f
,

his left s houlder and upon the l eft syde o f the said
,
1 12 D E C L A R ATI ON OF J O H N K I N CAID .

Meni e H a lyb u rt o u n hir neck a li t t ill above her left

shoul der w h a iro f thay w e r not sensible neither
, ,

cam furth t h a iro f any b lo o de after I had t ryed the

sa min as e x a ct lie as ever I did any u t h e rs Thi s .

I t es ti e t o be o f v e ri ti e upon my credit and con

science I n wi t n es q u h a i ro f I have su b sc ryv it thir
.
,

rese n t is with my hand day and place forsaid b e

p , ,

foix ther witnesses abov e spe c i e t .

J K . .

A L E X L E V I N GST O U N, wi tn ess
. .

J A. B O R THWIC K , wi tness .

JO HN S TAL K ER w i t ess , n .

J A M E S F O R M AN wi tn ess , .

J A A C H E SO NE wi tness
.
,
.

\V D A LZ E L L
.
,
 TH E

T R I A L
OF

WI LLI A M C O K E A ND A LI SO N DI CK
F OR

W I T C H C R AF T .

K i r laa hly , A D 1 686

. . .

S ep te mb er 6th , 1 638 .

THEwhic h da y Oom pe a re d Aliso n Dick c hal

, ,

le n ge d u pon some spe eches utte red by her aga i nst

William Coke, te ndi ng t o wi mh cra fg de nie d the u

sa myne .

l . ()0 d Al ex a nd er Savage, Andrew Nicol ,

a n d George Til lie ,

w h o being ad m itt e d and

sworn , de po n e d as fo ll o ws : The said A le xa nder

Sa v age, t h at he hea rd the said A li son Di ck say

t o h e r h u sband Wi llia m Coke , Thou ha s put
down many ships ; it had been gude for the
people o f K irka ldie that t hey h a d k nit a sto ne
,

a bout thy nec k a nd dro wned the e

.
1 l 4s T R IAL O F WI LLIA M co n :

2 . A nd rew Nicol deponed that he h eard the said ,

Al ison say to him Thou has gott en the wo ,

man s song laid as thou promised thou art
,

over long livi ng it had been gude for the wo

-

men o f K i rka l dy that thou had been dead long

,

si nce I shall cause all the world wonder upon

.

thee .

3 . George Tillie deponed that he heard her say to ,

h im It had been gude fo r the women of Kir k

,

aldy to put him to death ; and that he had d i ed

,

seven years since .

Al so
compeared Jean Adamson Kathrine Spens , ,

Marion Meason I sobel Murison Alison K e llo c h

, , ,

wh o being admitted and sworn deponed as follows ,

4e . Jean A da mson depone d that she heard Alison ,

Dick say to her husband Wil liam Coke Thief ,

Thief ! W hat is this that I have been doing 5

keeping the thretty years from meikl e evil do .

i ng Many pretty men has thou putten down

.

both in ships a n d boa ts thou has gotten the

W oman s song l a i d now Let honest men pud

.

dl e and work as they like if they please not ,

thee well they shall not hav e meikle to the fore

,

when they die .

5 . K athrine Spens deponed that she heard her say ,

t o him Common thi ef I have hindered thee

, ,

from many ill turns doi ng both t o ships and ,

6 Marion Meason depo ned that she heard her say , ,

Common thief m a ny ill turn hav e I hinder

,
 r AN D ALI SO N n i c x. 115

2
'

ed thee from doing thir thre tty years ; mo ny

I ships and boats has thou put down and when
I would have halden the strin g t o have sa ved

o n e man thou wald not
,
.

7 . Isobel Murison deponed that she heard h e r say ,

t o him ,
Thi e f thief I have ke e pe d thee from
, ,

doing many ill turnes Thou h a s n o w la i d th e

.

Septem b er 2 4th , 1 63 3 .

8 . C ompeared Janet All an relict of u m quhil e ,

Joh n Duncan sher deponed that Ali son Dick

, ,

came in upon a certain time to her house when ,

she w a s lying in of a bairn and craved some ,

sour ba kes ; and she denying to give her any ,

the said Alison said your bai rns shall beg yet,
,

( as they do ) And
. her husb a nd being angry

at her reproved her ; and she abused hi m i n

,

la nguage ; and when he strak her sh e said that , ,

she should cause him rue it ; and she hoped t o

the po w a rt s bigg in his hai r ; and wi t hin
half a year he wa s caste n away a n d his boat , ,

and perish ed .

9 . Janet Sa n de rs daughter i n law t o the said W11

,
- - .

liam Coke and Al ison Dick deponed that Wil , ,

.

liam Coke came in t o her a n d she being weep ,

i n g he demanded the cause of it she answered

, , ,

it w a s for her husband The sa i d Wil liam sa i d

.
,

What ai ls thee Thou wilt get thy gu dm a n

agai n but ye wi ll get him both naked an d bare ;
,

a nd whereas there wa s n o word o f hi m ib r a

116 TR IAL or WI LLIA M c om ;

lo ng time before he came b orne within t wo da ys

,

therea ft er , n a k e d and bare a s h e sa id ; the sh ip

wh erein h e wa s being cast en a way .

Jean Adamson deponed that when h er gu d ,

m a n saile d w ith David Robe rts on t h e said D a~ ,

v id ha ving sent him h m e with a ship t o c o me

for S c otland ther e w a s a lon g t ime tha t there

,

wa s n o word o f that ship ; so th a t David Ro

hertson coming home and the other ship n o t ,

come n o r no word from her, h e said he would

,

n ever see her The sai d Al ison Dick came in

.

to her (s h e wi th h e r bairn s be in g
,

a n d said Wh a t a ils ye Jean to we ep ? She a n

,

s we re d W e have all good cause t o weep fo r my

,

h usband whom w e will ne ver see more The

, .

s aid Al is o n said ho ld your to ngue , your gud ,

m a n a nd all t h e c ompa n y a re we ll e nou gh ; t hey

a re in No rway loading thei r sh ip with timber t o

c om e home they will be here sh o rt l y A n d so

, .

it fell o u t in ev ery point as she sa i d .

5, l l Kathri n e Spens de poned that Willia m C oke

.
,

ca m e i n to h a a ft er tha t hi s wife had spoken

,

s o much e vil t o him and said Kathrine my, , ,

w ife has spoken meikle ill of m e this day but ,

I said not hin g to h er again If I ha d spoken .

t wo Words to h e r t h e last t h u e sh e w a s in the

s tee le sh e wou ld n ev er ha ve gotten o u t o f it
p , .

Minute s of 2 4th Sept embe r ord a i ns M , r James

Mi ller t o ride t o Prest e n fo r t h e m a n tha t tries

th e witch es . T he expe nce to be b y th e
 An n :A LI SO N m ax . 117

S ep te mb er 8 th ,

19 Compeared Isobel Hay spouse to A lexander

.
,

La w agai nst Al i son Dick w h o being sworn

, , ,

deponed that she having come in to her house

, ,

h er husband being newly sa i led she craved ,

some m o n e y o f her which she refused and boast

, ,

ed her The said Al ison said I t shall gang w a i l:

.
,

geats ; and that same voyage her husband had ,

great loss And thereaft er the said Al ison came

.
,

in to her house she being fu rth and took her, ,

sister by the hand and since that ti me the , ,

m aiden h a d never been in her right Wits

1 3 William Bervi e declared that Robert Wh y t

.
,

having once stricken William Coke Ali son Dick ,

his wife came to the said Robert and said

, , ,

Wherefore have ye stricken my husband I

shall cau se yo u rue it The said R obert reply .

ing What sayest thou ? I shall give yo u as

,

muchyou witch She answered Witches .

,

take the wit and the grace from you a n d that

same night he was bereft of his wits
,
.

1 4 Janet Wh y t daughter to t h e said Robert

.
, ,

compearing afrmed the said di ttay to be true

,

upon her oath And added that she went to .

,

the said Alison and rep roved her laying the, ,

wy t of her father s sickness upon her Let him .

pay me then and he will be be t t er ; but if h e

,

pay me not he will be worse ; for there is

,

none that does me wrong but I go to my go d ,

and c ompl a ins upon them, a nd withi n 2 4 hours

118 T R I AL or WI LL I A Mc o m :

I will get amends of them The sa i d J anet .

Wh yt declared that Al ison Dick said to her

,

servant Agnes Fairlie I have gotten a grip of

, ,

your gu dwife s thigh I s hall get a grip of h a

leg next ; th e said Janet having burnt her thigh

before with lint : and therea fter she has taken
such a pain in her leg that sh e can ge t no re
,

medy fo r it Whilk the said Agnes F a i rli e de

.

poned upon he r great oath to be true

15. A lison Dick herself declared that David Pa ,
.

t e rson , sk ipper having str uck W i lliam C oke

,

her h us band and drawn him by t h e feet and

, ,

compelled h im t o be ar his gear a boar d t he said ,

Wil liam cur sed the said David a n d th a t v o y ,

a ge h e wa s taken by t he D u nkirkers Al so, .

a t anot her time th er eafter he compelled h im

,

t o h e a r h i s gear aboard

and a captain s who
,

w a s with h im and when th e captain would

,

h ave paid him the said David would n o t su ffer

,

him ; but he himself gave him what he liked .

T h e sa i d William cursed t h e said David very

vehemen tly ; and at that time he him self pe
rish e d h is ship
, a n d all his company
,
except ,

two or three Also she declared t hat when his

.
,

o wn son sailed in David W h t s ship and gave

y ,

n o t his father his b o n n a l li e the sa i d William,

said What ? I s he sai led and given me n o

, ,

thing ? Th e devil b e with h im if ev e r he come

h ome ag ain he sh a l l co m e home naked a n d
,

ba re ; and so it fell o u t Fo r John Wh yt, .

H is ta m well cu p.
 L
A ND A I S N O m ax . 119

wh o had tha t ship t o Nor way and ,

anot h er wherein him self w a s declared that , ,

they had very foul weather ; and the ship

wherein the said you ng William Coke w a s ,

perished and he saved all the men in the ship

wh e rein h e w a s hi m se l A n d a lb e it t h e st o rm
in cre as ed t wo da ys before the perishi ng o f the
sa id shi
p and s
,i x days aft er yet the t wo hours
,

spa c e in which they were t h e men it ,

wa s so c a lm in t h a t pa rt of th e t h a t t h ey
rowe d fro m o n e ship t o t h e other wit h t wo
o a rs ,and the sea wa s all tro ubles ome about
them And the said William Co ke the youn ger
.
,

w a s th e rs t m a n th a t came a shipboa rd .

me nded by Mr James Si mson m inist er when , , ,

and how she fell i n coven ant with the devil

,

She ans wered her husband mony times u rged

,

her and she yi e lded on ly two or three years

,

since The manner was thusH e gave her

.
,

soul and body q u ic k and quidder full t o the

,

devil and bade her do so B ut she in her

, .

h e art sa id God guide me

, A n d th en she sa i d
.

t o h im I sh all do any thing that ye hid me :

,

a nd so she gave herself t o the d e v il in the fore

hour s at even free ly withou t compu lsio n b e

, , ,

fore Mr James Si mso n m i nis ter William Ten

, ,

nent baill ie R obe rt French town clerk Mr

, , ,
-
,

Jo hn Ma lco lm e , sc hoo lmas ter, Willia m Cra ig;

 1 20 T R IA L or WILLIA M com

and me the said Mr James Mill er writer here

, ,

o f
.

1 6 T he
. which day compeared C hristian R on al d
,

so n agai nst A lison Di ck wh o in her presence

, , ,

be ing sworn deponed that she having set a n

, ,

house t o the said Al ison and when the gu dm a n ,

cam e home he wa s angry and said he would , ,

not have the dev i l to dwell above him in the

c l a ss ; and he went and struck up the door ,

and p u t forth the chimney that she put i n it .

A n d thereafter Alison came to the sai d Chris

,

tian and chopped u pon her shoulder and said

, ,

t o her Christie your u dm a n is going t o sa il

, g , ,

and he has ane stock among his hands but ere ,

long his stock shall be as short as mine And

, .

so it fell out for he was casten away in David

,

Wh y t s ship and saved noth ing

,
.

Compeared Merjo ry Marshall a gainst Al i son ,

Dick w h o bein g sworn deponed that Al ison

, , ,

havi ng brought her gu dm a n s c lo a t h s once from

the Castl e haven she offered her 1 2d for her

-
,

labour wh o would not have it ; and she said to

,

her, A lison there is not many of them She

, .

3 P rob a b l y Ra v en scra ig Ca stl e , at t h e ea s t en d o f P a th

h ea d . ED .
 A ND ALI SO N nc . 1 921

swe re d,they sh all be fewer t h e ne x t time ;

d the next voyage he was cast away in Dav id
Wh yt s shi p
.

18 . Compeared als o Kathrine Wi l son wh o being ,

sworn deponed that she and Janet Wh yt b e

, ,

ing sliding toge t her Alison Dick came to them

, ,

a n d asked sil ver from Jan et Wh t wh o wo u l d

y ,

give her none but ed her company into the

,

gave her a piece bread and Janet Wh yt

'

sh e ,

ba de her give her a plack also a n d she should ,

pay her again And when she go t it she said

.
, ,

Is this all that she gives me If she had given

me a gre a t it woul d have vanta ged her a thou
,

sand pu n ds This is your doing evil tidi ngs

.
,

come upon you And she went down the closs

.
,

and pissed at their meal cellar door ; and after -

that they had never meal in that cellar (they

, ,

being meal makers ) An d thereafter they .

bought a horse at 40 lib and the horse never .

,

carr i ed a load to them but two but died i n the ,

b a t ts , to dea th so that every body said

,

that he was witched

Oc tob e r 2 9th .

19 . E u
ph e n Boswell being swo rn , deponed that ,

her gu dm a n being to sail t o theE ast country ,

loaden wi th sa l t the said Al ison Dick having

,

born some of the salt aboard she came t o her ,

and craved money from her who gave her meat , ,

but would give her no money say i ng to her , ,

A lison , my gu dm a n has paid you himself a n d ,

 1 2% T RI A L o r w i L LLA n CO K E
there fore, I wi ll gi ve yo u Sh e re .

pli ed Wi ll ye give me not hin g

,

it will be better sharp (cheaper) sold

bough t : a nd so it fell o u t fo r the ship sa il ed ,

u po n the m o m , a n d t h e da y after tha t, she

sav ed by another shi p that wa s n ea r by the m .

20 T h o ma s Mus ta rd bei n g s worn depon e d that

.
, ,

J am es Wi lson going on ce to sail , Ali son Dick

came t o him and desyre d sil v er fro m jii m he
, ,
J

wo ul d give h e r no ne ; s h e a h u se d hi m with lan

g uage ,a n d he stru ck h er ; she m id to him that ,

that han d should do him little good that v o y

age ; and within t wo days a fter hi s hand swell ,

ed a s gre a t a s a pin t st o a g s o t ha t h e co u ld ge t
-

l i ttle o r n othing do ne with it T h e next time .

r

a l so when h e w a s to sai l the said Al i so n went

,

betwixt him and the boa t ; and he said Yo u ,

same wi t ch thi ef is betwixt me and the

boat I m ust have blo od o f her ; and he went
,

a n d struck he r and bled h er and she c u rsed

, ,

hi m and banne d h im ; a n d that s ame voyage ,

he being in Caithness st anding upon the shore

,

c l e i t h i n g a tow and a boy with h i m the sea

, ,

ca me and took him away and he died ; and the ,

D esires Mr R o b ert Douglas

t o go t o the Arch
bish op wi th thi s process to ge t h is a pprobati on,

thereto w ho takes u po n him to do th e same

,
.

Wh o p rea c h e d r t
t h e thm o us co on a i on se m on of r C h a rl es I I .

a r
t Sc on e , J a nu a y l st 1 651 .
 m ALI SO N m en . 15
23

Mi n u te
of N ov em b er 1 9th given fo r a load o f
5s . .

coal s to A liso n Di ck 1 4sfor her entertain . ?

ment t his w ee k bygo ne bein g this da y wit h , ,

h e r h u sband Willi am Coke burnt for witch ,

c ra ft .

I n the m i n u te of 1 7th D ecem b er , th er e is a

p a rli

I n
p r i m is Mr James
.
- MiToll e r; when
he went to P r es t o wn e for
a man to try them 47 8 2 7
I tem T o the m a n o f Cul ross
.
,

(the executioner) when he

went a wa y the rst time ,

1 28 .
0 12
I tem F o r co a l for th e witches
s
,

2 4s .
1 4i
I te m I n purchasing the commis
sion 9 3
I tem For one t o go t o F in m o u t h
,

for the laird t o sit upon

their assise as j udge 0 6
I te m For harden t o h e j umps to
,

the m 3 10
! ta m
,

F o r mak i ng of them O 8 ,

Summa for the k irk s part

9 17
. 1 Scots .
1 24 T RI A L or WI LL I A M CO K E , a c .

I n
p r i m is .
F
ten loads of coals t o
or

burn them 5 merks 3 6 8

I tem For a tar barrel 1 48
, ,

. 0 1 4: 0 , .

I te m For t o w e s 0 , 60
I ta m To hi m that brought the
executioner 2 18 0
I tem To the executi o ner for
,

h is pai ns 8 14 0
I tem F o r his expenses here 0 1 6 4
,

I tem F o r one to go to Fin

,

m outh fo r the laird 0 60 ,

Summ a town s part,

9 17
. 1 0 Scots
.

Both ,
3 4! 1 1 0
Mai r fd
r Marga rit B a nbom a the ti me sch e wa s 1 11

C ount gi n outbe: A lexan der Lo u ddo n in Lyl

stoun in ye ye i r of God 1 649 ye iri s, fo r Mar
,

grit Do ll mo u n e i n B urn ca ste ll .

Item in ye rst to Wm C u rrie and

, , .

Andre w G ray for t h e wa t ch ing o f

hir ye spa ce of 3 0 da ys i nde ilk

day xxx sh inde

, xh b lib Sc otts
Item mair t o J o n K inked ib r ro d
din g o f her * v i lib Scotts
9

Mair fo r meat and drink a n d wyne to

hi m and his man alib S c otts
Mair for cloth to hir i ijlib Scotts
Mair for twa tare treis x1 sh Scotts
I tem m a i r fo r twa treis and ye ma ,

king o f them t o the wa rkm e n i ijlib Scotts

Item to ye hangman in H a dingt o u n ,

and fe t c h in o f him t h ri e do llo res

,

for his pen s is,

Item mair for meit and drink and

wyn e fo r his interti nge

See hi s dec la ra tion, pg a e 111.

1 26 E XP E NS E o r BU R NI N G A wrr c n .

I tem m air fer ane m a n and t wa hot ss ,

N
!
fo r ye fe tc h e in g of him and ta,

Mair t o hir for meit and drink ilk ane

da y, sh the space o f xxx dayes ,

13

I t em mai r to ye twa of cers fo r yr e

ilk day sex sh illin e aught pennes,
is x lib Scott s
S u mm a I s sc 0 1 r xn lib sh
GH I LBE RT L A U D ER .

U M L A U DE
. B
. B I LZ A U RS
.

T akin of this a bove writte n so n m e t we nt i e-sea v e n

ha m ha d of her ain .

27 :
 MI N U T E S
A ND

P RO C E E D I NGS O F T H E SE SSI O N

OF

T O RRYB U RN , IN FIFE S H I RE ,

C O N C E RNI NG

WI T H THE

C O N F E SSI O N

OF

L I LLI A S A D I E .

T AKE N FROM T H E S E SS I ON RE CO RDS

 MI NU T E S, dcc .

S E D ERU NT , WM H UT T
. ON , WM
DA LG LI SH WM RE I D
.
, .
,

J O HN MI T CH E LL DA V ID iso s H Y G EO T I LLO C H
, , .
,

WI T H TH E M INI ST ER .

T ession being called p ro r e n a ta upon a a

HE s , ,
.

grant rumo ur that Jean Bize t wife t o James Ta

, ,

pla i ned of
some parti cul ar of the de v il s in y

st ru m e n t s in that tr ouble that she lay under Where .

u pon the m i nister ordered th e o tli cer to cite the

said Jean Bizet also Lil ia s Adie and Janet Whyte

, ,

w hom she was said t o complain of ; and also to cite

Mary Wilson who is sa i d to have taken the ch a rm
,

by st r oki ng up her head and also he ordered the ,

ofcer t o cite T a n o c hie s dau ghter wi th James

T a no c h i e James Whyte and his wife Helen A n

, ,

de rso n and Mary Nielson who are said to k now

, ,

somethin g of the circ u mstances of th at affair .

l mo , Jean Bizet bei ng called co mpeared no t upon , ,

which the of cer is ordered t o cite her t o t h e

2do , There being a public report that Janet Whyte

should have th reatened Jame s T a no c hie s

1 80 M I N UT E S or TH E K I R K S E S SION -

with a m ischief but particularly his wife b efore

, ,

this befell ; the said Janet w a s ca lled and i n ,

t e rro ga t e if ever she threatened James Tano

,

chie s wi fe she declare s that she never threa t
, ,

ened any such thing nor thought so More , .

over she said that T am es his wife would not

, ,

say so otherwi se she would lay down her head

,

u pon a scaffold She said that she was not at

.
,

h e r si n ce sh e to o k tha t di stemper a nd saw h er ,

no t sin ce , b u t sa w h er o n the Mon da y be fore ,

and her husband s daughte r a n d Jean Arc hi

,

bald ii i C ulross ; but upon the morrow the wo

declared that Jea n B ize t was in a disre m per

,

u po n T ue sda y the 1 3 th day o f Jun e, in H ele n

Ande rs o n s h o n se , betwix t 9 a nd 1 0 a t
'

3 1170 ,That she dra n k not a gi ll in th at h o us e b a t ,

be fo re sh e came t o Hele n s hou se she wa s a b o n t

ha l f an hou r i n Ma ry W i ls o n s
.

'

he bean i her say Agne s beware le s t Li li as

, ,

2d, Sb e sa id to M ar
y N iels o n , L ilia s A die thi n ks
m u se me a s sh e u se d o u r si st er
y .

3 tio , She u po n Mary Wilson but no ne ,

sa w the said Mary ; as she went home she cry ,

her han ds N ote .

She g t a con siderabl e
o s el ep

em, A s sh e w e n t h o m e , h e h a di l et b e r go, a nd sh e
 o r re na r n u s x .
13 1

no t on ly went fre ely b u t did run vio le ntly , ,

Wit hout st um bling in t he l ea st t he br ead t h of ,

Torry Park and h e ha d di ffic ulty to ov erta ke

,

h er n o t wi th sta n dmg the re wa s bo th a dyk e

,

He declared that he he a rd that th e ne x t da y

,

sh e wa s n o b etter .

He decla re d tha t o n t h e Mo nday be fore

, ,

Jane t Whyt e said t o him before J a me s A lex ,

ander in D m that she w o u l d m a ke Jea n

ru n -
,
'

Biz et for ethink wh at she h a d do ne to h e r in n ot

paying h e r t wo barrel s of a le which sh e sold h er ,

o n thi s purpose she could no t get t h e ma ltma n

payed .

Stio Helen A nderson being ca l led dec lared tha t

, , ,

Jean Biz et wa s in he r h ouse out of Ma ry WiL ,

so n s about 5 or 6 at night the foresa id da y

, ,

and she seemed to b e stra ngely di stempered .

a y Her eyes rai sed a nd could drink none

, , .

3m in A t e r sh e h a d se e ed from 6 to near 9
, p ,

a n d whe n she awaked sh e c rye d by Go d h e i s

, ,

y C h r i st ke s gn ng to ta k e
i to ta k e m e 'b
gv n
g .

me ! 0 h er ble w do u b le t ! O a I
y, M
M a ry Wilso n ! repeati ng Chr is t keep m e Upon
which H el e n said to he r husband did y , o u e va

se e her in this condition ? He answered neve r ,

in my life but she is t o o much ta ken up with

,

tha t co m pa ny but let m e to h er I shall di ng

, ,

t he de uil o u t o f h e r F o r this she appeals t o

.

James T a n o c h i e a nd his so n Sh e and Ja mes ,

Wh yt e de c la re s b o th , th at t he y a re c le a t to do
1 32 M IN U T E S or TH E K I R K S E SS I O N-

Agn es Henderson wi fe to James Whyt e c al led , , ,

compeared declared that she w a s sent for to J ames

, ,

T a no c h ie s wife the d a y foresaid wh o w a s in a grea t

,

trouble and never saw h e r in t he like 2d That

, .
,

she sle e pt a while and when she awoke s h e crye d

, , ,

0 Go d ! 0 C h ri s t ! th er e s Lily co m in
'

g to ta ke me ,

sh e is co m i n Sh e
that Jean w a s in Mary
! dds,

a
g
Wilson s before she came to Helen An derson s

,

a n d she said that she desired her t o go home

,
for ,

Lilly will take you and the child b oth She hea rd .

her say to Mary Wilson it was n o t to yo u that ,

sh e di d evi l but to yo ur sister what aileth her at

, ,

me I n ever did her any i ll And as sh e went

,
.

hom e she seemed rai sed but went and spak very
, ,

w ell and she went w i th her she he a rd her spea k

, ,

ofte n of Lilly by the way that she was coming to ,

take her And she adds that as she came rst

.
,

into the Ne w m iln that she looked and spoke a s,

heartsomely as ever she saw her and seemed no w a y ,

disordered a n d hav ing carried one of James

Whyte s children from the Ne wm iln to James s

house A n d on the next day being Wednesday

.
, , ,

she went to see how Sh e wa s a n d found her com ,

lain ing o f a sore head and in a swea t and she

p , ,

s eemed not right ; and she says she is cl ear t o de ,

pone what she has declared .

Mary Nielso n being called in said tha t when , ,

Jean Bizet came to her mistress Helen A nde rson

her hou se she w a s not within but she wa s wi thin
, ,

w hen she a woke o u t o f her sleep 2d She heard .

,

her say 0 God ! 0 C h rist J esu s keep m e !

, She
 0 E T o s nYE u s N . 133

h ea rd h er 0 keep m e ! keep m e ! th er e she i s

say ,

co m i n , Lilly Adi e wi t h h e r b lew do u b let !

g o, 0 M
M ar
y Wil son ! 0 a ry Wels on ! 5 t M
o , She said , as

she went away o u t of the house, she did no ill t o

o u b u t to y o ur sister She is clear to d e pone all
y ,
.

this .

'

Jean Biz et being call ed in dec la r e s t h a t o n the , ,

foresaid Tuesday she came t o the Ne wm il n in the

,

forenoon carrying James Whyte s son on her ba c k

,

from the C ra igm iln and James Whyte was with ,

her 2d She came rst to Helen Anderson her

.
,

house and her husband being upon business she

, ,

went to Helen T illo c h her house She went .

to Mary Wilson s house where Lott Nicol with , ,

I sobel H a rla y were dr inking in the room next to

,

the door and she went by them to the room, where

,
'

Mary Wilson lled a pint of ale and desired her to

drink of it She took a drink but did not drink
.
,

beyond a gill of it ; and Helen T ill o c h and Jean ,

T ill oc h came in and drank the rest with many

, ,

others 450 She co u ld scarcely have been a quar

.
,

ter of an hour there and that Sh e returned t o Helen

,

Anderson her house immediately .

Mary Wilson called said when Jean Bi z et came , ,

to her house she called for a choppin of ale and

, ,

stayed unti l that w a s drunk and another was ll ,

ed and a part of that w a s drunk 3 d There was

,
.
,

none but Helen T il lo c h and Jean Bizet and her ,

self at the drinking o f that ale 3 1550 E u ph a n

,
.
,

Nicol came in and she took a d rink of it 41 0 She

, . 4
,

declares that Jean T illo c h was n o t within the door

,

then 5to Robert Nicol and C atharine Mitchell

.
, ,

M
 134 M I NUTE S OF TH E K I RK S E SSI O N
-

and Mar gar e t Nico l sister t o Robert Nicol were

, ,

dr inking a t the re side 6t o, She decl a res that

- .
,

sh e se e m ee d no ways d iso rdered with drin k, nor

an oth e r wa y 7 1w Sh e went up to her o n Th u rs

y .
,
.

day afternoon and she found her lying on h e r bed

, ,

and straked her head a n d whether she was im me ,

dia t e ly the better o f it or not she kne w n o t ; bu t, ,

she left h e r sitti n g at t he r e si de wi th her chil d on -

her knee .

Jean Biz et says Jean T illo c h was really th ere

, .

261 She says it w a s Friday afternoon before sh e

,

se ttled .

T or ry b zm z, 9 9th J u ly , 1 70 4 A er P . ra er
y , Se
.

der u n t , Mi i n s te r a nd E lder s .

L illia s A die be ing accused of witchcr aft by Jean

Neil son w h o is dreadft
, tormen t ed the said ,

L ill ia s w a s incarcerate by Bai lie Williamson about

ten of the nigh t upon t he 28 th of July .

L illi a s being exhorted to declare the truth and ,

no thi ng but tru t h she replied what I am t o say

, ,

sha l l be as tru e a s th e sun is in t he rm a m e n t .

Bei n g interroga te if she was in compact with the

devil she replied I am in co mpact wi t h the de
, ,

vi l a n d have been so S ince b efo re the second burn

,

ing of the witches in this place She further de

elat ed tha t the rst time she met with the de vi l
,

w a s at th e Gollet between T o rryb u rn and New

,

milne in the harv est before the sun set where he

, , ,
 or r o n a r s nn n . 1 35

tryst ed to meet h er the day after which tryst she ,

kept and the devil took her t o a stook side and

, ,

cau sed her renounce her baptism the ceremony he

used w a s he put one hand on the crown o f her
,

head and the other on the soles o f her feet with

, ,

her own consent and caused her say all was the
,

dev il s bet wixt the crown of her head and the soles

of her feet ; and there the devil lay with her car
nally ; and that his sk in was c o ld and his colour ,

black and pale he had a hat on his head and his

, ,

feet was cloven like the feet of a stirk as she o h ,

served when he went from her .

The next time she saw h i m wa s at a meeting at

the Ba rn ro ds to which she was summoned by
,

Grissel Ander so n i n Ne wm ilne abou t Martinmas, ,

'

their num b er was about twenty o r thirty whereof ,

non e are now living but hersel f She adds , it w a s .

a m o o n J igh t n ight a n d they danced some time b e

,

fore t he devil came on a po nny with a ha t o n his ,

head and they cla pt their ha nds and c rye d the r e

, ,

ou r P r i nce , the r e o u r P r i n ce with whom they

,

danced about an hour .

The next time was at a meeting at the back of

Patrick Sands his hou se in V a lle y e ld where the
, ,

devil cam e with a cap which covered his ears and

n eck they had no moonl ight Being in t errogate .

if they had any li ght she repl i ed she go t light

, ,

from da rkness and could not tell what that li ght

,

w a s but sh e h e ard them say it came from darkness

, ,

and went to darkness and said it is not so bright

, ,

as a candle the low thereof being blue yet it gave

, ,

such a light as they could discern others faces .

136 M IN U T E S o r T H E K I R K S E SSI O N -

There they abode about an hour and danced as ,

formerly ; she k new none at the meeting but E ls

peth Williamson whom she saw at the close of
,

t h e m e e t i n g coming down by the dyke side ; and -

s h e said , she w a s al so at another meeting in t h e

Haugh of Torry where t h e y were furnish ed wi t h
,

t h e former light a nd she saw E lspeth Williamso n

,

there al so .

J u ly 3 1 8 i , 1 70 4 4 A e r P
. ra
y er , Sede ru n t, Mimi

L il lia s A dieadhered t o her former con fe ssion ,

and added there were m any meetin gs she wa s n o t

,

witness to and wa s at many o f which she coul d

,

give no pa rticular account ; and yo u will get more

news after this Being interrogate if she knew any
.

more witches in the place she replied Agnes Cur , ,

rie is a wi tch but sh e is a bold woman and will

, ,

ee upon me if I should dela t e her .

B eing interrogate if t h e devil had a sword she ,

repl ie d she believed he d urst not u se a sword ; and

,

called him a v illain that promised her many good

things when she engaged with him but never gave ,

her any thing but mise ry a n d poverty .

The last meeting ever she was at was 1 4 days ,

after the Sacrament in the month o f August 1 70 1

, ,

u pon the minister s glebe where the tent stood thei r

number wa s 1 6or 1 8 whereof Agnes C urrie was ,

one She added that she made an apology to t h e

.
,
 or ro a m m u nn . i 3?
meeting because she could no t wai t upo n them a l l
,

the time being obliged t o go t o Bo rro wsto u n ess

,

that morning s tide She added that she hea rd

.
,

J ean Neilso n wa s pos sessed wit h a devil and t rou ,

bled with a t o f distemper but declared sh e never

,

wronged her though the dev il may do it i n h er

,

likeness .

E lspeth Wi lliamson being called came in to th e ,

prison where the session sate and being in terrogate ,

if Lillia s Adi e had any envy at h er, she a nswered,

sh e knew no envy she h a d at her Lillia s being .

interrogate if E l speth Williamson w a s guilty o f

witchcraft she replied she is as guilty as I am
, , ,

and my guilt is as sure a s God is in heave n .

The n ext ti me she saw the devil was abou t ha l f

a year a go as she went to C u lr oss she sa w h im at
, ,

the west end o f the coal fold - .

Upon the affair o f Janet Whyte J am es A lex ,

der be ing called c ompeared and declared that

, ,

he never heard Janet Whyte threaten J ean Bizet

in the least .

James White called declared a t a n te but adds

, , ,

that upon Fri day wa s e ight days the 2 1 8 t of July , ,

he heard a great screeching whe n he was in the

C ra igm il n e upon the bleaching green ben eath the ,

said m ilne and heard a second sc reec h muc h

,

greater and clapping of hands and laughing about

, ,

twel ve of the night in the green on the other side

,

o f the bu rn ; and it was observed by the bleacher s

t o be all pa st e re d t hough there wa s no c loth a t the

'

bu rn nor bleachers that night A lso on the se

, .
,

cond o f A u gu st 1 704, Li llia s decl a red before wit

138 M I N UT E S or TH E K I R K S E SSI O N -

n esses that Grissel A nderson invited her t o h e r

,

house on that Lammas day the morning j ust before ,

the last burning of the witches Grissel desired her .

t o come and speak with a man there accordingly

she went in there about day break wh ere there w a s -
,

a n umber of wi tches some laughing som e stand

, ,

ing others sitting but she came immediately away

, , ,

being to go t o L a m m a s fa ir and several of them

were taken shortly after and Grissel Anderson ,

among the rest w h o was burnt and some of the m

, ,

taken that very week She adds that E u ph a n

_
.
,

St i rt warned her t o the meeting at the Ba rn ro d

and th e said E u ph a n was burnt afterward though ,

sh e h a d bee n no longer a witch than a month b e

for e her death She added that she knew few of
.
,

them that were at those meetings especially the ,

young sort becau se they were masked like gentle

,

women ; and i f A gnes Currie s heart would fall

she coul d tell as much as any being in the mi dst ,

o f the meeting where she saw h e r face by the blue

,

l o w near Patrick Sands

At T or ry b u rn , Aug u s t 1 9th , l 70 4 A . er P ra
y e r,

E lspeth Willi amson declared that shortly after ,

the last communion there came a wom a n to her

,

door and bade her go east the way whom she fol
, ,

lowed the length o f the church yard and leaned -

,

upon the dyke and saw a b o u ro c h of women some

, ,
 o r r o na Ym mN . 1 39

with blac k heads were sitting where the t ent st ood

, .

The woman t hat cal led her went straight to the ,

m ee ti ng a nd fel l down upo n her knees whereat

'

, ,

she wo ndered , and hearke ned if t h e re was any read

ing Singing of psalms among them and when she ,

heard none she thought she was m the wrong

,

place and did not think the woman would h av e

,

taken her to the devil s meeting She thought the

.

woman w a s Mary Wilson but is not certai n and ,

about ten at night some ti me aft er a young lass

, ,

came t o her door and desired her to go westward

,

a little whom she followed but knew not the la ss

, , ,

she went so fast west t h e town before her and was ,

o t the length of the Gollet or she came to the w est

g
end of th e town ; and when she was com e west near
the Gollet she saw a meeting o f women and some
,

men and she stood at a little distan c e from them

, ,

and sa w them go through ot her for the space o f

nea r an hour and removed insensib ly east ward from
,

her upon which she stol e away

, .

L il lia s Ad ie confe ssed that after she ente red in

,
.

to compact with Satan he appeare d to her some ,

h undred of times and that the devil himself sum

,

moued her t o that meeting wh ich was on the glebe ,

he com i ng into her h o u se like a shadow and went ,

away like a sh a dow and added tha t she saw E ls ,

peth Wi lliamson a n d A gnes Currie both there ,

o nly Agnes was ne a rer the meetin g than E lspeth ,

w h o w a s leaning o n the church yard dik e with her -

elbow She added that the devil bade her attend

.
,

many meetings that she could not attend for age ,

and sic kness ; and t hough he appe ared n o t t o her

1 40 M I N UT E S o r r a n x m xs ns s ro x

t o h er lik e a shado w , so th a t no ne co uld se e him

she renounced h er bapti sm , the de vil r st spo k e

the words and sh e repea te d the m after him a nd
, ,

that as he Went away she di d no t he ar h is feet o n

the stubble .

Aug u s t 2 0th 1 70 4 .
A er P ra
yer, S eder wn t,

It is t o be m inded , that Lillie s Adie appe ared

before the congregation o n the Lord s day and ,

being ca l led up by the m inister and asked if she

Wa s guilty o f witchcra ft she confessed freely that
,

she wa s a n d h a d entered expressly into covena nt

,

with Sa tan a nd renoun c ed her ba ptism the dev il

, ,

putting o n e hand o n the crown of her head and ,

the other under the so les of her feet and she gave ,

ov er all to the devil that was betwixt his t wo ha nds ,

a n d sh e wa s come hither to confess h e r sins , and

t o ge t h e r re nounc e d ba ptism back a gain S he a l .

so desired all tha t had power with Go d to p ray for

h er ; to t h is the ministe r a nd elders a nd whole ,

I t be ing re po r t ed tha t A gn es C u rrie sho u ld

,

hav e delat ed Be ssie Cal la nder a n d Mary Wi lso n,

gui lty o f witc hcr aft ; Agnes being ca l led compea r ,

ed and decla r ed th a t Rober t Cur rie t old her 1318

,

pe t h Willi a m so n told him that Be ssi e Ca lla nder

 o r r o a nr s u a n . 1 411

George Stewart solemnly swor n , purged of ma

,

lice and partial counsel aged 2 7 years married , , ,

deponed that A gnes C urrie said to him I ll tel l

, ,

you but you must not let any of your folk kno w
,

of it ; he replied I believe in Christ I hope the

, ,

dev il hath no power over me Ha ha said she .

, , ,

the devil hath done wrong to many and h e may ,

wrong your friends or goods E lspeth Williamson .

told R obert Currie and Robert C u rrie told me

, ,

that Bessie Callander and Mary Wilson a re guilty ,

of witchcraft And this is truth as he shall a n

.
,

swer C a a sa sci en t ia
. .

James Paton solemnly sworn purged o f malice

, ,

and partial counsel aged between 2 2 and 23 years

, ,

depones he was not requiring any thing of her by

,

wa y of confession of persons names t o which sh e

assented i n the mean time but Agnes C urrie said ,

t o him there are t wo witches in N e w m il n e and

, ,

o n e of them is at the Bridgend upon which I r e

plied you must tell me for I have a sister there
, ,
.

A gnes replied her name begins with a B George

, ,

Marshall replied is that o u r Bessie she answered

, , ,

you are right enough it s Bessie Callander As to,
.

the other person she would not tell her name at

,

rst but said she i s b e east your house but after

, ,
-
,

ow ned the person to be Mary Wilson but desired ,

him not to divulge it to your mother or sister least ,

the se persons do you ill This is the truth as h e

shall ans wer C a a 9a s c i en t ia
.
,

. . .

S ic eu b e cri bi tu r J A P ATON , . .
1 42 M INUT E S or ra n K IR K S E SSI O N
-

Ge orge Mar shall sworn , p urged we a t supra

, , .
,

aged 3 9 yea r s married decla re d , a t W e , a nd

, ,

added that she said ye are h u sban dmen dev ulge

, , ,

it n o t le a st yo ur bea s t s ge t wrang ; a nd said to

,

Alexander Dry sdale you go to sea you have need, ,

t o take head ; a nd she said the other lived lee eas t ,

James Paton s house b u t h e going away heard n o t
, ,

h e r name A n d t his is t h e t ruth as he shal l a n

.
,

swer Ca usa s ci en tist

. .

S i c w b a cr b i tu r, G M . .

A gnes C urrie assented to this in session ; and

that R ober t Currie t o l d h e r that E lspeth W illi am

so n told him these things ; and t hat Mary Carmi e

chael in Linlithgo w is a witc h , .

Robert Cur rie ca lled compeared and d e clared , ,

that El spet h Wi llia mson dela t ed to him Be ssie

C allan der Mary Wil son and Mary Carmic hael
, , ,

as witches wh ich t he sai d E l speth referre d to the

,

probation o f the witc h .

T h e foresaid day Li llia s Adie sa id to the mini

,
.

ster, that the devil wa s angry that sh e went t o

chu rch and said that she might do as well at home
, ,
.

Being in te rrogate if he was angry like she said , ,

that he n ev er looked pleasant like And clos ed .

-

A ug us t 2 9 a , 1 70s

decl ared some hours before her

L illi a s A di e ,

d e ath in audie n ce of the min ister precentor Ge orge

, , ,

P ringle and John Paterson that what she had

, ,

said o f E lspe th Wil liamson and Agnes C urrie ,

 o r T O RRYBU RK . 1 43

wa s astrue a s the Gospel and adde d it is as true ,

a s t h e sun shines o n th a t oor a n d dim as m e es

y y ,

are I see that

, .

It being reported that William Wilson knew

som e thing o f Ag nes Currie that was witchcr aft as ,

als o Janet Glass they were called and the said

, ,

Will iam declared that about 24 years ago Helen

, ,

Joh n ston having overlaid her child the night a fter

it wa s baptiz ed a n d the next day h e was lamenting
,

the woman s case Agnes Currie said to h i m if I

, ,

had been h er c u mmer I co u l d h a v e advised h e r to

,

take heed t o her chil d and also tha t the said Wil ,

l ia m wa s desi re d so m e t im e a go to bring so me sly k

t o a ho use that b e l a nge d t o A gn w a nd h e a n swer ,

e d t h a t hi s mare w a s in the yoke a ll da and c o uld

,, y
n o t ; A gnes said she could n o t help it a nd that ,

same day his ma re died in a stan k .

Janet Glass declar ed that sh e came on ce into

,

A gnes C a r ri e s house having something to do with

'

A gnes w h o in the time w a s baking brea d and

, ,

broke three several bannocks lying in three several ,

places and gave it t o the said Janet a nd she with

, ,

eating the same fell in a fe ver .

T a rry b w 3 d of Sep ta m b er , 1 70 4 A e r P

- ra
n, y er,
'
.

A gnes C u rrie being c a ll e il compeared and co n , ,

T hin c la y or m u d .
1 44 M INUT E S OF T H E K I R K S E SSION
-

fronted with Janet Glass Janet declared that ,

a bout twelve years a o

g she brought h er cloth t o,

her house and Agnes was bak ing bread and she
, ,

broke three several bannoc ks that were in three se

veral places a nd gave her a piece of every bannock ,
,

a nd im m e diately sh e took the fever ; and she adds ,

that she gave her a little piece o f every bannock ,

and it was all one sort of bread Janet declares .

that sh e is ready t o swear it ; also adds Helen ,

L a wson wa s so u sed .

Helen Lawson b ei n g ca lled declared that a long , ,

time ago Agn es Currie broke three severa l ban

,

n o o ks and gave her a piece of every one but she

, ,

would n o t take the th ird and adds that she ,

is ready to swea r it .

E lspeth Williamson bein g brough t in and l n ,

t e rro ga t e if she was a witch she answered that she , ,

would not deny that .

N B L ill ia s Adie was buried within the sea

. .

m ark at Torryburn .

William Cose being cal led compe ared and , ,

own ed that on Sabbath morni ng an no 1 70 4 it

, ,

bein g moon l ight he saw Bessie Mic kl ejo h n or the

-
, ,

devil in her stead in James C h a lm e r s s bark then

, ,

lyin g in Leith and he doubts n o t but she saw

,

him a n d adds that she had a green plai d about

,

h er head as he offered to depone

, The se ssion .

considering th at the devil appeared in h er likeness ,

i t wa s n o proof against her they j udged it n o t n e ,

H er gra ve is still t o b e se e n a t th e west en d o f th e town ,

ma r
ked wi h t a la rge sto ne E D .
 r o r r o s a v s us u . 1 45

ce ssa r
y regard
tothat matter and thought Will i am ,

C o s e sh o u ld not be troubled it appearing he had

_
,

not spok en it from m a l ice n o r accused h e r o f witc h ,

M a /rch 3 0 th , 1 709 .

Margaret H um ble called declared that Hele n , ,

Key said that when she heard Mr Logan sp eak

,

against the witches she thought that he was daft, ,

and she had up her stool to go out of the kirk

Al so declared that Helen Key threatened t o strike
,

Mary Neilson .

Jean Pearson declared that she heard Helen ,

Key say that she would strike Mary Neilson The

, .

said Helen Key confessed what all the witnesses

declared .

A s to the affair of Helen Key Mary Neilson ,

called declared that she heard Helen Key say

, , ,

that she thought Mr Logan w a s not wi se when he

was speaking against the Witches and she had one
un seemly expressi on that is not decent to be put
on the records ; and when Margaret Humble r e
b u ke d her she answered i t was not Margaret
, ,

Humble s part t o speak in Mr Logan s favours

T h e Re v e re n d A lla n L o ga n , t h e m in is te r ,
is s ti ll f m o u s
a

a ll o v e r th e t y f r h i ki ll i n di co e i
co u n r o s s s v r n
g wi tc h e s ; a nd
us e d, wh e n dm i i t i n g t h e Sa cra m n t t o
a n s er e , sa y , Yo u wi tc h
wi f e get u p fro m t h e ta b le f th e L d w h e o or ,

n so m e u nh a ppy
o ld w o m a n w o u ld h a v e ri se n , i m a g ini n g sh e w a s p o in t e d a t , a n d

i t w a s w e ll if i t di d n o t a ft erwa rds ost h r h e r

c e li fe . D aft or

n ot , h e wa s ce rta i nly a m o st w re tch ed fa n tic a of t h e wo rst

de scri p ti E D
on .

N
1 46 M IN U T E S or TH E K I R K S E SSI O N
-
, r e .

but sh e would n o t expres s what Mr Logan said o f

Margar et Humble to her .

T h e se ssio n ha ving found h er co nv i ct ed of pro .

phane irreverent languag e against the ministe r a nd

h is doctri ne without any sh a dow of provocation
, ,

and o f gro ss lyi ng and prevaricating both in pri ,

v ate a n d befor e the sessio n a n d of threatening to

,

str ike a perso n be cause she had re po rted her i m

pudent Godless a n d scandalous language there

, , ,

fore they appoint her to sit be for e t h e congregation

,

t h e nex t Lor d s da y a nd t o b e reb u ked

, . the

T H E E ND .


AE T T E P O Z KO HI A ;

OR A

B RI E F D I S C O U RS E
C O NC ER NIN G THE

B R 3

C OMM ON L Y S O CALL E D .

By the R everend Mr JO HN FR AZ ER Deceased , ,

late Minister o f T e re e and Co ll and Dean of ,

the Isles ;

A ND

by M r AN D R E W S YMS ON , wi th a

Acco u n t of th e Au tho r
'

E DINB URG H
Printed by Mr AND RE W SYMSO N Anno Domini ,

MDC C V I I .
 T O TH E

R I GH T H O N OU R AB L E ,

Un i ver sa y Lea /m e d, and my very S img u la r Good

Lo rd GE O R GE , E a r l of C ro ma r t ie , Vi s cmm t

P ri vy Co unc il,

Th i s fo llo wing Discourse e n tit ul ed A n g u m

, an
,

&c writte n by the R ev e rend Mr John Fraz er late

.
,

Mi nister of T e ree and Coll and Dean o f the Isl es

, ,

is with all due respect and reverence dedicated by

, ,

the pri nter and publish e r hereof his ,

Lordship s most humble

An d obedient servant in all duty ,

A N D RE W SYMSON .
 THE

P U B LI S H ER T O TH E RE AD ER .

T HE R everend author of the en suing Discour

having married my near ki nswoman a n d be i ng i n ,

this city in November 1 7 0 0 in order t o the settling

,

o f some of his affairs As w e were discoursing o f

.

several thi ngs relating to the Highlands and West

ern I sles of Scotland we came to speak of the Se
,

cond Sight repor t ed t o be so common in these

,

parts ; he told me that as to the thi ng itself it wa s

, ,

m o st certain a n d undeniable and that he could ,

g i ve many i nstances of it ; as al so that he had ,

written a short D i scourse u pon that subj ect This .

he promised to transmit to me accord ingly o n his ,

return home aft er a tedious and troublesome voy

,

age both by sea and land he sent me that Dis

, ,

co urse w ritten with h i s own hand desiring me t o

, ,

publ i sh the same a fter some of his friends here had

perused it : which being done I at my own con , ,

v e n ie n c put i t to the press but before it was

y , ,

ni shed I recei ved an account that the author was

,

dead whereu pon I forbore the publi shing of it till

, ,

I should get an account of several passages concern

ing himself and family designing to prex the same
,

t o the Di sco urse itself, which I c onceived wo u ld be

 r o rm ; RE ADE R .
1 51

c ep table to his friends and not di spleasi ng to the

a c ,

r eader . A n d therefore I di spa tched a letter to one

of hi s near es t relations ,and tha t was best acq uaint
'

'

ed w ith him a n d with t h e pa ssa ge s o f his li fe that

, ,

I m ight thereby be the better informed In .

swer whereunto I received a paper containi ng se

,

veral memoirs from which I have collected the fol:

,

lowi ng account .

Mr Joh n Frazer the author o f thi s Di scourse

, ,

wa s bo rn i n the Isle of Mul l in the year of o ur ,

Lord one thousand si x hundred and forty seven - .

His father Mr F e rc h a rd Frazer was born in the

, ,

north of Scotland near St r a t h a rig about the year

, ,

1 60 6 ,
and l i neall y desce n ded of the family of my

Lord Lovat but medi ately o f the family of Tober

, ,

o n e of the Lairds of the name of Frazer .

After he had taken his degrees at the Unive rsity ,

and appli ed hi msel f to the study of Di vin ity he ,

w a s called by the b i shop of the i sles (there b eing

t hen few learned men able to preach in the Iri sh
tongue) to be mi ni ster of the Isles of T e re e and
C 0 11 (to which charge the de a n ry of the Isles was
,

a n n e xt ) . He was the rst master of arts that ,

prea ched constantly th ere as m in ister of the parish ,

there being then there one E wen MLe a n who

,

w a s appoin t ed to catech ise and convene the people ,

t here bei ng few or none as said i s able to serve , ,

the cure ; but being t h ere he was very d ili gent in ,

h i s m ini sterial function in teaching and instructi ng

them leaving them far better than he found them ;
,
'

fo r at hi s fi rst coming there were but three heri

,

t a b l e gen tl e m en of th e na m e o f MLea n th a t co u ld
1 52 r o T HE BE A DE R .

Fraz er s erved as m i ni ster o f the Isles o f T e ree a nd

Co ll which we re conj oin e d in one parish may b e
, ,

c oll e cted fr om his epi taph writ ten by his so n ou r , ,

E pita ph i u m Mgi a s tri F e rch a rdi Frazer Decan i

I n su la ru m ; q ui ob iit 1 4 die F e b ru a rii A nn e Do
mini 1 680 . A e ta tis 7 4 .

et bland a s ; miti s gravis a t q , . b e nignu s ;

Doctus et E lo q u ii de t er ri ta te u ens
P i
a v co v es C hr isti pe ndens m ys t e ria verbi
E xemplum vita pra ab u it ips e
L u x fu e ra t populi l u st ri s bis qui n q .

Sa c ra do c en s sa no to m u ne r e functus obit
, .

Hic requiem tumulo corpu s capit inde re gressu ,

Spiritus ad Domi n u m qui dedit ante o l a t , ,

v .

Mr Johannes F ra z e ru s dee ann s in su la ru m , .

H is mother s name w a s Jane t ML ea n daughter

,

t o La u c hl a n ML e a n of C a ll an anc ient family of

,

tha t name and cl an His fa t h er as he w a s careful

.
,

t o instruct others so he did not neglect h i s son

, ,

o u r author but having tted him for the Univer

,

si ty he sent hi m to the College of Gla s gow and

, ,

commi tted hi m to th e ca re of Mr Willi am Blair ,

o n e of the regents there wh o advanced him t o t h e ,

degre e o f mas ter o f arts betwe en the twenty four th

,
-

a n d twe nty ft h yea r o f hi s age

-
Fro m th en ce he .

W ent to the I sle o f Mull a nd wa s cha plai n to Si r ,

A llan MLea n of D u art

T h e re a e r viz March
.
, .

4t h 1 67 7 he wa s m arr ied t o Mary Sy m so n, t he

,

o nly surv ivi ng daugh t er o f Mr Matthia s Syme on ,

 ro r u m RE AD E R . 1 53

T wo three years before his father s death
or ,

being cano n ically ordai ned pr esbyter ) he w a s a d

( ,

m i t t e d t o his father s charge in regar d his fa ther

, ,

partly by age and partly by sic kness was ren der

, ,

ed very unt to serve the cure of these two i slands ,

T ere e and 0 0 11 as al so of I co l m kil n which was

, ,

also a nn e xt to it and at a greater distance how

,

ever such was h is care and di li gence in the work

,

of the m i nis t ry that by the blessing of God upon

, ,

h i s endeavou rs b e conver t ed to the true Protestan t

,

faith 2 4 fam ilies in the I sle of C oll (the laird h im

: ,

self being then rin g leader) that were deluded by

-
,

Father O D o n a ld and others h i s father not being

,

able to oversee his ock by reason of his foresai d ,

con dition .

His father dy ing in the year 1 680 he serve d ,

the cure ther eafter by constant and diligent pre a ch

,

i n g ba ptizing marrying visiting the sick a n d ex

, , , ,

e rci sin all o t her duties i ncumbent on hi m but at

g
length because his principles would not allow a ll
,

the demands of the Synod of Argyle h i s charge ,

w a s declared vacant and h i s stipend taken from

,

him notwithstand ing whereof there be ing no mi ,

n ister sent t o o ve r se e these islands he went about ,

the exercise o f his ministry as formerly being sup ,

.

plied by the charity and benevolence of his pari sh

io n e rs who had an entire kindness for him ; but
,

h is stipend as said is was taken from him and be

, ,
.

stowed some other way And thus he continued .

till about a month b efore h is death which w a s on ,

th e 25t h day of A ugust 1 702 in which he Chang ,

.

ed t his troubleso me life fo r a be tte r leaving b e ,

 1 54 r o T H E RE AD E R .

h ind hi m a deso i at e poor wi do w with sev era l ch ild

,

ren bot h sons a n d daughters a s also a so rro wful

, ,

people wh o were n o w w h olly d epr iv e d o f a spir it

'

u a l past or a n d o f s uc h a o ne a s wa s e ve r w a ua
, y yq s

l i ed for that charge for he was no t only a good

and lea rned m m but wa s master o f th e ir language
, ,

being born and bred up in the Isles underst oo d ,

thei r hum o urs conditions a n d manners of life and

, , ,

bei n g a Wi se and sagacious person complaisant and , ,

o f a win ning de a rt m e n t ; a ll which good u a l i ca

p q
tions h e wa s endowed wi th as a ll wh ic h were a o
,

quai nt ed with him can sufci ently testify

, .

A s for t h e subj ect of the following Discourse ,

( commonly ca lled the Second Sight though I think

)
it might be more fi tly called the First Sight (b e ,

cause it for t h e most part sees things before they

a re ) I shall not underta k e to defend all the notions
,

that he has o f it and whether the y wil l agree with

,

true philosophy but shall refer that to ot hers o f a

,

higher reach and deeper understanding than I ever

d u rst pretend to but this I wi ll say in h i s defence ,

that considering the place where it was written

, ,

even among the remote Isles uerve cu m i n p ut ri d

, ,

where h e wanted the converse of learn ed men and ,

the bene t of books two ne cessary q u alications

,

for one that writes on such an abstru se subj ect ; I

h umbly conceive that the great clerks of this age
, ,

wh o have the benet of books and converse shou ld ,

no t superci liousl y underval ue him that wants them .

However althou gh I shall not pretend to mai nt a i n

,

a ll that he writes as t o the c au ses &c of this Se

, , .

cond Sight n o r do I bel ieve a ll th e stories tha t I

,
 TO T H E RE A DER . 1 55

ha ve h ea rd concerni ng i t yet the thi ng i tself or , ,

th a t there is a thin g as is commonl y c alled the

S e co nd Si ght I do rmly bel ieve b ei ng induce d
, ,

thereto by the re lations t h at I have received from

persons o f kn o wn integri ty and such a s I suppose ,

are wiser than to be imposed upon and hones t er ,

than t o impose fables instead of truths upon othe rs ,

.

Am ong the rela tions that I have been to ld concern

in g th is sub jec t I shall only single out one or two
, ,

and then I shall conclude .

A noble peer of this na tion being one morn ing in

his bed chamber and attended by several pe rsons
-
, ,

when his servant had put a new coat upon h i s Lord ,

a gentleman standin g by prese ntly c ry d out for ,

,

God s sake my Lord put o ff th at c oat and being
, ,

asked the rea son he repl i ed that he saw a whinger

, ,

o r poi nard stick in the breast of it The noble

, .

peer est eemi ng this as a m ere fancy replied this , ,

co a t is hon estly come by and I see no reason why ,

I may not w e ar it The gent lem an still entrea t ed

.

,

and earnestly craved that i t might b e put o ff u p ,

o n whi ch deba te the noble peer s lady being not far

o ff came i n a nd be ing inform ed o f the wh ole affai r

, , ,

intreated her Lord to comply wi th t h e gentle man s

des ire wh ich he did ; me an time one of t h e servant s

,

sta ndi ng by des ired t h e lady to give it him and h e

, ,

would wear it She gra nt ed his r equ est who pu t

.
,

i t o n a nd ere night he was stabbed b y a po ina r d,

,

in th at v e ry place wh ich the gentle m a n h a d po int

ed to in the morning Thi s relati o n I h a d from a .

very ingen u o us a nd u nderstanding gen tle man wh o ,

wa s gra nd ch ild to the said noble peer

- .
 1 56 T O T HE RE A D ER .

I shal l add another strange story which I had ,

from a reverend min i ster of the gos pel and my in

timate acquaintance Tis thu s I n the ye ar 1 665;
.
,

.

Al exander Wood eldest son to t h e Laird of N e

,

ther Benholm in Angus having ended his pre n t i

, ,

ship with a merchant in E dinburgh told Mr James ,

Walker that (in the year 1 662 or

, he had
bee n empl oyed by his m a ster to go to the Lewis to
make u p herring ; and being there and hav ing a ,

good ta ck of herring thei r salt and casks were a ll

,

made u se of and then they bei ng idle h e b egan t o

, ,

fret that his master had delayed so long t o supply

them ; and bein g one day drin king in a country
house and complaining he went t o the door of the
, ,

house and there foll owed him a country man wh o

, ,

said to him If you will gi ve me a small hire I ll

, ,

tell you what is become of the ship you are looking

for ; and without more ado h e set his foot upo n ,

the gentleman s foot in wh i ch t ime he saw the ship

,

in a great storm ready to pe ri sh and the seamen

, ,

ca sting out thei r lading to l ighten the sh ip ; but

w hen the country m a n s foot was o ff h i s he sa w no
th ing The sh ip a t that time was about 1 00 miles
.

from them and about 48 hours thereafter she

, ,

came into the same harbour and h a d been in the ,

same condition he sa w her in at that time the coun .

try man s foot wa s on his foot It would be tedious .

to add any more stories that I have had from per

sons o f undoubted veracity and therefore, Reader ,

I shall only subscribe myself

Your humble servant in a l l duty ,

A ND RE W SYM SON .
 SH O R T A D V E R T I SE ME NT
TO TH E

RE A D E R .

Co n a rE o n s
'
R E AD ER ,

Yo u
may be surprised t o meet with such an
abstruse theme (handled in specie by few or none) ,

from the pen of a pe rson in my circumstances ly ,

ing at a great distance from the U niversities and

centre of the kingdom and consequently may be
,

j ustly supposed to want that ordinary help of books

and conference with the learn ed , that others may

In the r s t place believe that I am so far from

,

affecting vain sing u larity (a hateful v1 ce l n the

,

schools as well as the pulpit) that nothing of that

,

kind moved me to treat of the subj ect of the follow

ing Discourses B ut for my own satisfaction I drew
.

up the follo wing heads and did not resolve at the

,

rst t o expose them to public view (j ustly fearing ,

the censure of presumption ) but I was by the ,

persuasion of some serious friends prevail ed with ,

t o commit myself t o the favourable j udgment o f the

o
1 58 A DV ER TI S E M E NT TO TH E RE A D ER .

learn ed (who might sooner commend my endea

,

v o u rs th an censure m
y faili ngs) rather
, than sup
press such a ne subj ec t which probably might be
,

m ore ful ly and largely tre ate d of by others aft er

the perusal o f this Discourse Take this pamphlet
.

then in the rude dr es s that I co uld give ; at least

it may excite thy thoughts if not to approve of
,

what is here deduce d yet to propone o f thine own

,

a more sati sfying method o f explaining this remark

able phenomenon which is the genuine design and
,

SI R,

Your humble serv ant ,

The A U THO R .
 AE T T E P O E K O H I A

o n,

A BR I E F D I SC O U R SE

C O NC ER N I N G THE

S E C O N D S I G H T,
C a lled

Co mmo n ly so .

MAN Y have undertaken t o treat o f the nature

and operation of Spirits ; as also of the v ario u s
manners o f divination among the Gentiles (and but ,

t o o much used among Christians ) likewise o f the

,

perturbation and deception of the fancy caused by ,

melancholy a n d very many speak in ordi nary dis

courses o f this called the Second Sight and the ,

consequences of it but none that I know handle it

,

That such repr esentations are made t o the eyes

l
o f men a nd women is to me out o f all doubt and
, ,

that effects follow answerable thereto as little ques

,

t io n a b l e
. But I have found so many doubt the
ma tter o f fact ; which I take t o be the reason that
16
0 A D I SCO UR S E or

so littl e has been written of it, that I think it n e

c e s sa r
y t o sa
y something briey that may put
, the
e x i st e n c
y of it beyond all sc ruple If I should in .

sert all the clear instanc es that I have had of thi s

m atter it would be tedious and unnecessary t hem
, ,

fore I w ill content myself and I hope will satisfy

,

the reader with four or ve instances as follows

, , .

The rst instance is by a servant o f my own wh o ,

had the trust o f my barn and nightly lay in the

,

same O n e day he told me he wo ul d n o t any longer

.

lie there because nightly he h a d see n a dead corps

,

in his wind ing sheets strai ghted beside him parti ,

c u l a rl at the south side of the barn About an

y .

half year thereafter a young man that had form er

,

ly been my servant fell dangerously sick and ex

, ,

ec t i n death would needs be carried near my

p g ,

house ; and shortly thereaft er he died and was laid ,

up a night before he was buried in th e same indi

vidual barn and pl ace that was foretold ; and i m

m ediately the servant that foretold this came to me

a n d minded me of the prediction whi ch was clear ,

ly o u t of my m ind till he spoke of it .

The seco nd instan ce is after this manner I was .

resolv e d to pay a visit to an E ngl ish gentleman ,

Sir Wil liam Sa c h e ve rill who had a commission

,

from the E nglish Court of Admira l t y to give his ,

best trial to nd out gold or money or any other ,

thing o f not e in one of the ships of t h e Spanish

,

arm ada that was blown up in the b a y of Topper

,

Mory in the Sound of Mull A n d having c o n de

,
.
o

scended u pon the number of men that were to go

with me o n e of th e n umber wa s a handsome b o y
,
 TH E S E C O ND s rc n r . 1 61

that waited upon my o wn person ; and abo u t an ,

hour before I made sail a woman that wa s also , ,

o n e of my o wn servants spoke to o n e o f the se a

, s

men and bade him dissu ade me to take that b o y

,

along with me or if I di d I should n o t bring h im

, ,

back al ive ; the seaman answered he had n o t co n ,

.

de n c e to tell me such unwarrantable t rie s I .

took my voyage and sailed the length o f Topper

,

Mory and havi ng stayed two or three nights with

that liberal and ingenuous gentleman w h o himself ,

had collected many observations of the Second Sight

in the Isl e o f Man and compared hi s notes and
,

mine together I then took leave o f him In t h e

, .

mean time my b o y grew sick of a vehement bloody

,

u x the winds turu d cross that I could neither

, ,

sail no r ro w t h e b o y died with me the ele v enth

night from his decumbiture
,

the next morning the

,

wind made fair a n d the seam a n t o whom the mat

,

ter wa s foretold related the whole story when he

,

saw it veried I carried the boy s corps aboard
.

with me and after my arrival and his burial I

, , ,

called suddenly for the woman and a sked at her ,

what warrant she had t o foretell the boy s death
she said that sh e h a d n o other warrant but that
, ,

she saw two days before I took my voyage the

, ,

boy walking with m e in the elds sewed up in h is ,

winding sheets from top to toe and that she h a d ,

never seen this in others but she found that they ,

shortly thereafter died and therefore concluded

th at he would di e too a n d that shortly , .

The third instance was thus Dunc an Campbell, .

bro ther german t o Archiba ld C ampbell o f I n vera,

-
1 62 A D ISCO UR S E on

a gentleman o f singular pi ety and considera ble

knowledge especially i n Divinity told me a strange
, ,

thing of himself That he w a s at a time in Kin

.

tyre having then some employment there and one

, ,

morning walking in the elds he saw a dozen of ,

men carrying a bier and kne w them a l l but o n e

, ,

and when h e looked again all was vanished The , .

very next day the same compa ny came the sa m e

,

way ca rrying a bier and he going to meet them

, , ,

found that they were but eleven in number and ,

that himself was the twelfth tho ugh he did no t n o ,

tice it before ; and it is to be observed that th is ,

gentleman never saw any thing of this kind before

or after ti ll his dying day Moreover that he was
, .
,

of suc h solid j udgment and devote conversation ,

that his report deserves an unquestionable credit .

The fourth instance I h a d to my great grief, ,

from one John MDo n a ld a servant of L a u c hl a n

,

ML e a n of Coll who was then newly returned

,

from Holland having the c harge of a captain

,
.

This gentleman came one aft ernoon abroa d to his

past time in t h e elds and this Joh n MDo n a l d
-
,

meets him and saw his clothes shinin g like the

,

skins of shes and his periwig all wet though in

, ,

deed the day was very fair ; whereupon he told

privately even then to one of Coll s gentlemen
, , ,

that he feared he should be drowned This gen . .

t l e m a n was Charles ML e a n who gave me account

,

of it The event followed abo ut a year thereafte r

. ,

for the Lai rd o f Coll was dro wn ed in the water of

Lochy in Lochaber I ex amined both Charles .

MLea n and John MDo na ld, and fou nd th at th e

,
 T H E S E CO ND src n r . 1 63

predictio n wa s a s he told me ; and th e said MDm

n a l d coul d produce no other warrant than that he ,

found such signs frequently before to forgo the li ke

events This man indeed wa s known to have many
.

visions of this kind but he was none o f the strictes t

,

The fth instance is stran ge and yet of cert ai n ,

truth and known to the whole inhabitants of the

,

Island of B ig ly i ng in the latitude of 56degrees

,

2 0 minutes ; and long itude 1 41 degrees There was .

a tenant in this island a native that was a follower of

, ,

the Captain of C la nr a n n o ld that lived in a to wn ,

ca l led Kildonan the year of God eighty v e who

,
-
,

told publicly to the whole inhabita nts upon the ,

Lord s day after divine service pe rformed by

, ,

Father O Ra i n t h e n priest of that place that they

, . ,

should all it ou t of that Isle and plant themselves ,

some where else ; bem use that people of strange

and di fferent habi ts and arms were to come to the
, ,

Isle and to use all acts of hostility as killi ng

, , ,

burning tirl ing and deforcing of women ; nally

, , ,

to discharge a l l that the hands of an enemy cou ld

do ; but what they were or whence they came he , ,

could not tell At the rst there was n o regard

.

had to his words ; but frequently thereafter he ,

begged of them to notice what he said other wise ,

they should repent it when they could not help it ;

,

whic h took such an impression upon some o f his

near acq uaintance as t hat severals of the m trans
,

ported themselves and their families even then ; ,

some to the I sle of C a n n a y some to the Isle o f ,

R um F ou rtee n day s b e fore the en emy c ame

.
1 64 A D I S C OU RS E or

thith er u nder the comma n d

,
of o ne Mja or Fergu .

so n and Captain Pottinger ,

whilst there wa s no

ed In the month o f June 1 689 this man fell

. ,

sick and F a ther O Ra in came t o see him in o rder

,

,

t o give him the benet of absolution and extreme

un ction attended with several inha bitants o f th e
,

I sle who in the rst place narrowly questioned

, , ,

him before his frien ds and begged of him t o re

,

c ant his former folly and his vain prediction ; t o

whom he answered that they should nd very

,

shortly the truth o f what he had spoken and so he ,

died And within 1 4 or 1 5 days thereafter I was

.
,

eye witness (being then prisoner with Capta i n Pot

tinger) to the truth of what he did fo re t e l ; and
,

being before hand well instructed o f all that h e

-
,

said I did admir e t o see i t particula rly veri ed

, ,

especially that of t h e different habits and arms some ,

b eing clad with red coats so me with white coats

,

a n d grenadier caps some armed with sword and

,

pike and som e with sword and m usket Thou gh

,
.

I could give many more proofs as unquestionable ,

as these yet I t hink what is said is su fcient t o

, ,

prove t h e bei ng of such a thing as the same in

hand and I cannot but wonder that men of kno w ,

ledge and experience should be so shy to be lieve

that the re may be vi sions of this kind administer ed
by good or b a d angels ; th e re being nothing more
certain than that go od angel s suggeste d vi sions t o
,

the pro phe ts o f t he Lord before t he coming o f

,

Christ in t h e esh and partic ula rl y t o the apos tle

,

St Joh n , a fter t h e a scen sie n o f o ur Lord ; likev se

 r n s ss c o nn s rc n r
'
. 165

that evil angels presente d visions as well as audi ble ,

voices to the 450 false prophets o f Ahab ; the 400

,

pro phets of the G roves is as little t o be doubted ;

,

it being as easy if n o t easier t o work upon the

, ,

sight as well as upon the hearing We kn ow bu t

, .

t o o well that necromancers and magicians them

,

selves have not only seen the shapes and forms of

,

things but li kewise have al lowed others to see the

,

same wh o ha d no ski ll of their art A pre ce de n t

, .

for which is the Witch of E ndor

, .

I remember abou t 23 years a go there was an

, ,

o l d woman in my parish in the Isle of T e re e

, ,

whom I heard wa s accustomed to give responses ,

and likewise averred that she had died and been

,

in heaven but allowed to come bac k again And

, .

because she could not come to church I was at the ,

pains to give her a visit attended with two or three

,

of the most intelligent of my parish I questioned .

her rst whether she said she was in heaven ; and

she freely confessed she was and t h at she had seen ,

Jesus Christ but not God the Father or the Holy

, ,

Ghost that she was kindly entertained with meat

and d ri nk and that she had see n her daughter
,

there who died about a year before that her

,

daughter told her thou gh she was allowed to go

,

there that she b ehooved to come back and serve

,

out her pre n t is h ip on earth but would shortly be ,

called for and remai n there for ever She could

,
.

very hardly be put out of this opinion till I e u ,

quire d more narrowly of her children if she fell at ,

any time in a syncope ; which they told me she did ,

and continued for a whole night so that they ,

1 66 a n rs c o c n sn o r

th o u h t th a t sh e wa s tru l y dea d ; a nd
is t h e t his
g
ti me sh e a lleged sh e wa s in hea ven The d evil .

t o o k a n a dv a n t a e in t h e e c st a s t o r ese n t to he r
g y p
fanc y a map of heaven a s if it had bee n a rich,

earthly ki ngdom abounding with meat drink

, , ,

gold and silver By the bless ing of Go d I pre

, .
,

vaile d with h e r to be persuad ed that this w a s but

a visio n pres ented t o her fancy by t h e devi l the ,

father of lies ; and that she might deprehend the

falsehood of it from thi s one h ea d that she ima ,

g i n e d her body w a s there as wel l as her soul

,
and ,

t hat she did eat and drink and was warmed while, , ,

as her o wn chi ldr en and the neighbours th a t watch

,
.

ed her did see and did h a ndle her body several

, ,

tim es th at night so that it could not be with her

,

i n hea ven . I did further ex amine h er what w a r

rant she had for the respon ses she gave w h ich were ,

fou nd very often true even in future contingent

,

events She freel y confessed that h er father upon

.
,

h i s death b ed ta ught her a charm compi led o f bar

, ,

barous words and some unin t elligi ble terms which

, ,

h a d t h e virtue when repeated to present some fe w

, , ,

hours after the proposi tion of a question the nu ,

swer of the same in live i mages before her eyes ,

or upon the wall ; but t he images were not tract

able which she found by putti ng t o o her hand but
, ,

could nd nothing I do n o t th ink t t o insert the

.

charm kno wing that severals might be inclined t o

,

make an unwarrantable trial of it This poor wo .

m a n w a s got recl a imed and was taught fully th e

,

danger and vanity o f her practice a nd died pea ce ,

ably about a year after in ex treme old age ,

.
 TH E S E CON D s rc n r . 1 67

I kno w assuredl y that Janet Dougl as that wa s

, ,

r st a du m b ie yet spoke thereafter w ho had given

, ,

ma ny responses by signs and words and for e told

many future events being examined by M
,

, r Gray ,

o n e o f the minist rs o f the city o f Glasgo w denied

e ,

any e xplic it o r implici t pa ction a n d declared freely

, ,

th a t t he answers o f the questions proponed to h er

were represented by a vision in lively images re ,

pre se nting the persons concerned and acting th e ,

thing before her eyes This Mr Gray exchanged

, .

sever al disco urses i n write with Sir James Turner ,

concerning her .

By t his time you may see that this theme de

,

serves the consideration o f t h e learned : F i r s t to ,

enquire how much of this m a y come from a natural

constitution and tempe rament when confounded ,

with a a t u o u s or melancholic diste m per ; and what

i nuence an ex t er nal agent namely an angel good
, , ,

o r bad may have upon the organ of the eye and

,

the fancy and h o w far t h e medium between the

,

o rgan of the eye and an obj e ct v isible may be dis ,

posed fo r their purpose namely the air and light ;

, ,

a n d what co nn exion may b e found betwixt the re

presentation s made t o the eye o r fancy and the ,

futur e c ontingent events that experience teaches

do follow th ereupon : as for example a man is seen ,

bl ee din g o r sewed up i n
,
'

wh o
i s sho rtly to be wounded ,

A s fo r the r st, a ll the le arned phys icians o f t h e

w orld know t o o well by e xpe rience what great la
b o ur th ey h a ve t o cure t h e deceptio n s o f the fancy ,

e s pec ial ly in hypoc hondr ia c diseases ; m y, patients

1 68 a D I SCO U B SE o n

cannot b e pe rsuaded but they see men wo me n , ,

fowls and four footed beasts walking abroad o r

,
-
,

in their chambers Seldom it is that a man pas ses

.
,

any grea t and turbulent fever wi thout the trouble ,

of some such representations I t is memorable .

,

that a gentleman that had been a grea t procient

,

in ph y sio himself imagin ed at length that there was

,

a quick frog in his belly ; and after he had travel

led over a good part of Ita ly and consulted with ,

t h e doctors of Padua yet co u ld not be cured or

, ,

dissuaded He came at length to the learned phy

.

s i c ia n P l a t e ru s i n Bazil who told him that a frog

, , ,

by certain experience is known not to live above

three years so that h is distemper continuing longer
,

than three years could not be caused by the frog

, ,

that could n o t live so long Moreover that his .

,

stomach would strangle the frog and that the frog ,

could not live any conside ra ble time o u t of its own

element the water ; so that the properest and m o st

,

specic medicines being ma de use of it were a ,

shame for h i m to be so o bstin a te A t last h e w a s .

persuaded and hi s fancy satised T his story is

, .

n o less renowned of what befe ll A ndre as O si a n der ,

a man learn ed in most languages When h e was .

a young m a n , and being troubled with a qu artan

ague a little before th e t he could no t be per

,

su a de d that he w a s in the house at all but that he ,

wa s in a wood and mu c h moles ted with wild beasts

,

and serpen ts o f all kinds ; neither could he be pre

vail e d wit h th at thi s w a s fa l se till F a ci u s Cardanu s
,

w a s called fo r t o h im w h o cured him for t he tith e

, ,

so that he kn e w h i s friends that were sitti ng beside

 TH E Si tc o m) S ta n r
-
. 1 69

b in], and t h e cha m be r to be his o wn chamber ; h u t

after P aci u s had le ft hi m he was troubled wi th th e ,

a n d di s temper ev en till t he agu e had

m e , :

q u iet him I have m yse lf se en a neigh b our o f my

to o John MP h a le that
.

o wn , a nd my

, ,

li ve d t o the a ge o f fo m tse o re years a m a n t hat wa s ,

truly very by n ature ; and though hi s

t h e sea t o f h is ju d me n t
g
to u ched ; a nd as h e grew weake r ,

m e m by old age wi thou t any r e ma rkable di stem

,

e r I ma de frequ e nt visits to him O ne day as I

p ,
.

w a s c om in g a wa y fro m h im he told m e be b e d ,

som et hing o f conseq u enc e t o a sk at m e and desir , .

e d a ll m re m o v e ex c e pt hi s wi fe a nd a ne t he s g e a ,

t le m a n , t h a t Wa s a frie nd of his . T h is done , Si r,

'

h e , I de sn e t o kn o w b w h a t wa rra n t o r
'
sa s
y y
m iss io n so m a n y of m y frie n ds, t ha t a re de a d l o ng
a o , a r e a l la vre d t e co m e a nd di s cou r se with me
g ,

a nd drin k b e fo n m e , a nd
y e t a re n o t so c i vil a s
gi ve
n st i ng of i? I told him , t h a t it wa s o nl
y th e

me a

h m fre q u ent
'

t rmrh le a f hi s fa nc y , a nd of

th e worl d to ca me and hi s frie n ds tha t we re gone

b e re him ; a a d h e re plie d to me ve r
y sm a rtl y,

Si r, ysa h e , ! pe rc eiv e it is the wo rk o f t h e nc ,

s
y
fo r sin ce I ca n ne t se e yourself, (fo r only by you r
v ca ce I kn o w yo u ) ho w co n ld I see the m ? I t was
w rit a h e sa w t h e m t h e v e r m ea n t im e
y
o t h e rs w e re in the h ou se wi th h im , a ndasked se v el

ra l
q u est io ns a t th e m, b u t go t no answe r A nd, .

fo r a ll th i s, t h e s ea tfo f his w it was a s en ti re a s e ve r ;

mo eo r ver ; thi s t u m ble le ft h im '

a lit tle hd b re o he

Q
 ]70 A m s c o u n ss or

Many such illusions are reported of erem ite s,

caused m erely by the confusion of the brains bred ,

by the ir fasting and unwholesome food wh i ch I ,

shall not trouble the reader with .

If you wi ll ask h dw cometh this to pass take ,

notice of the following method which I humbly ,

offer to your consideration Advert in the r st

.
,

place th at v i sible ideas or speci e s are emit t ed from

, , ,

every visible obj ect to the organ of the eye ; r e pre

senting the gure and colour of the obj ect a n d ,

bearing al ong w i th i t the propo rtion of the distance ,

for sure the objects enter not the eye nor the in ,

t e rja c e n t distant trac t of ground and a third thing

different from the eye and th e obj ect and the dis ,

tant ground must inform the eye These species

, .

are conveyed to the brain by the optic nerve and ,

are laid up in the magazine o f the memory other ,

wise we should not remember the obj ect any longer

than it i s i n our presence and a remembering o f
these obj ects is nothing else but the fancies review
ing or more properly the soul of man by the fancy
, ,

reviewing of these intentional species formerly re

c e i ve d from the visible obj ect unto the organ of the

eye and reconducted unto the seat of the memory

,
.

Now when the brain is in a serene temper these

, ,

species are in t heir integrity and keep their r a n k

,

and le as they were received but when the brain

is lled with gross and a t u o u s vapours and the ,

spirits and humour enraged th e se ideas are some

,

times multip lied as a n army by mist ; sometimes

,

m agnied ,
sometimes misplaced sometimes con
,

founded by other species o f different obj ects per ,

 T H E S E CO N D s rc n r .

ha ps by half and half so that the fancy has two for

,

one one bigger than two of itself and sometimes

, ,

the half of one and t h e half o f another represented ,

i n one ; and this deception is not only incident to

the fancy but even to the external senses partien
, ,

l a rly the seeing and hearing ; for the visus or see ,

i ng is nothing e lse b u t t h e transition o f the i n te n

,
J

'

t io n a l species t h ro u h t h e crystall ine humour to the

g
retiform coat of the eye and j udged by the com,

mon sense and conveyed by the optic nerve to the

,

Of this we have a clear demonstrati on fro m the

representation of external obj ects through a cry
stal in glass u pon any lucid smooth and solid re
, , ,

ec ta nt placed be fore the glass in a dark chamber

, ,

wh ich is one of the noblest experiments in the whole

Now if these species formerly received and laid

,

up in the brain wi ll be reversed back from the same

,

to the retiform coat and crystall ine h umour as for

merly these i s in effect a l i vely see ing and percep
,

tion of the obj ect represented by these species as ,

if de n ovo the obj ect had been placed before the

, ,

eye ; for the organ of the eye had no more of it

before than n o w it has ; j ust so with the hearing
'

, ,

it i s noth ing else but the receiving of the aud ible

species to that part of t h e ear that is accommodated
fo r hearing so that when the species are retracted
,

from the brain to their proper organs for example , ,

th e ear and the eye hearing and seeing are per

,
.

fe c t e d as if the obj ects had been present to inu

,

ence the organs de no vo And it is no t t o be thought

.
 m x m s c ov x sn o r

an

Wm
fa n d
m a int a in s t hi s
t rih u t es his o wn
versio n o f the
re

vi si on o f tr ees wil d bea sts

, ,

t ial ins trument s , fro m t h e th umb t n t h e seven th

'

ye ar o f his a ge , to t h e of th e obje cts he had

s een form erly , no w re t ra c t e d to th e o rgan o f the

e e , a nd c ti es Averroes an auth o r of grea ter re

y

no wn !h r t h e same opinio n See Ca r d . de m b

"And i t seems trul y to b e founde d u pon relev ant

piping and singing which he had for merly hea r d ,

but w ere n o w through the plethor y o f h is head

, ,

fo rced o u t o f the bra i n to the organ o f the ea r ,

the same n erv es by which th ey w e re re

c e i v e d fo rmer ly ; and wh y may n o t t h e sa me h e

fa l l t h e visibl e @ ec ie s as we ll as the au dible ? wh ich

see m s t n be c o n r m e d b y the optic exper im en t '

ak e a s h eet of painted pa pe r a n d x it in your

'

wi n dow kic ki ng stea dfas tly to i t fo r a co nsidera h le

. ,

t ime , m so m e fe w mi nutes then c lose ,

o n n e es ve ry st ra i t ; a n d pl a ce a she et o f c le an
y .

y
pa pe r b efor e your eye s a n d ope n your e y es su d ,

they we re in t h e sh eet with the l ive ly co

lour s This cf t h e e e s h co nsent
-

y y
'
-
.
,

c a use s a com pr es s io n of the w ho le brai n w hic h ,

 TH E S E COND sm n r .

n c e s ba ck the vis ible species of the pa i nted sheet

to the organ o f the eye through the opti c nerve , ,

whi ch will presently van i sh if the re ec t a n t did not ,

help to preserve them You may see then h o w .

much of th ese representations may be within our

s elves ,
abstracting from any extern al agent or ob .

je c t without the eye to inuence the same,

.

The second thing that comes under consi deration

is the i nuence and operation of external agents
, ,

namely an angel good or bad It is no t to be

, , .

denied but good angel s may help and dispose all

,

o ur faculties excite elevate and set them upon

, , ,

edge and action ; likewise tha t evil angel s may ,

perturb confound and h u rt o u r external and i n

, , ,

t ernal senses (when permitted) particularly by stir

,

ring the spirits h umours and vapours which of

, . ,

themselves when so stirred help to make many

, ,

shapes and representation s either regu lar o r irre ,

gu lar (as has been formerly observed ) and withal

, ,

they can colorate ex t ernal obj ects far beyond any

painter i nsensibly to the beholder r ep en te 0401 3 25
, ,
.

ca n do a c t i va a ss i vs and that they can alter the

p
med i um interposed between our senses and the o h
ec t s by making it gro sser or thinner opaque or
j , ,

luc id is a thing not to be question e d For a clear

,
.

proof of this I ho pe any rat ional man w ill allow me .

That even the evil angels who were created i n ,

a degree above us must have a more pe rie t ra t ing

,

w i t than ours is and having experienced from their

,

creation to this very day and can be present to

, ,

every experiment found out or that is committed ,

t o writing by the art o f man ; and withal, being

m . 1 m sc orm sn o r a

materia l facult y it o b e o b li t erate d ) I , sa

y an
y ma l
1

a nd b eyo nd wh a t t h e a rt o f ma n is a b le to do ; b ut:
i t i s, th at

so can make one object more

ed than a no t h ery th a t
smoke m a y e ngm ss th e
a ny

a clo ud nem o v e d o n o r o t h e face o f the

'

su n ; giv e way t o th e b ea m s o f it t o illu m ina t e t h e

'

a i r o r t o ecl ipse its light

, that V apours a n d c xbs
,
-

the m o div e rs e an i nstan t which is

gur e s , a l1 in

,

e b sc rva b l a in ho t summe r da ys es pecial ly in t h e

,

end o f t h e cm i kna r da yg fo r yo u ma y rea di ly se e

ab out dl m e or fo m in t h e a it e rnw m th e sa m e h ills
vidi n g they a re si t ua e d at a con si de rable dis
(p ro .

t a nc e fro m yo u ) t o b e o f diverse sha e s fo rm s a nd

p , ,

gu rx m si ns w v r de y o m m e sh a pw
a no the r; fo r e xa mp le fro m a glo b e t o a py m m idg
, ,

from a p yrm ni d l to a q u a dr a n gu la r figure 8m

'

, .

A H which o u r o rdin ary multiplyin g magnifying , ,

physic ia ns ca n a dm inis t e r such as ma

y
pro v o ke s m a n t o m a dne s s a n d r a ge yea , t o fan tas ,

t ic or hypoch o n driac ts ; so al so m edicines tha t

h umours , ar

m a ti c h u mo ur .

Ho w m u ch m o re can di e pn n oe o f the a ir do,

W ins re t in ue r who is bet t er m u lti t he n a t t e
s u
 T HE s n c ox n s t e m . 1 375

of th e ele m e n ts a nd th e ir com pou nds ; w ho is b e tt er

'

see n i n t h e na t u re a f r m
La nt s; mi ne ra ls, st e a m ,

s ta t e m d h ygo ne circ u m s ta nc e s ; I sa
y i
,n a ll t h e sel,
h e is b e tt er
g
se e n tha n an
y am
m a nd oa n a c c o m mo b

date them to h is pu rpose be yond th e greatest

t u o se s .

Let u s th e refore consi der that an e vil a n ge l b e ;

,

ing perm itt ed ther e u nto ca n m us te r i n o u r b ra in

,

t h e lat e nt intention al species of external abs e n t 611+

n e t o the fancy in t h e
j e c t s and
, can pre sent the sar

methods best tting his purpose and not only so in

time of our sleep (for then indeed the fanc y s t ic ks

,

wit h more ten acity to what it apprehends) !mt al so ,

whe n we a re n o t s le epi ng he can deduce the se ,

spec ies by rm in g them out of the rooms o r c e lls

of the bra i n t o the organ o f the eye and e a r a nd
, ,
'

so o f ne ce ss it y a man e i ther si t ti ng or in t he ,

h igh wa y wi ll h e a r a nd 36e sti ch thi ngs a s the se

,

do rep resent ; a nd seeing tha t na t u ra lly i t

ma y be done as wo u ld appear from w h a t i s s ho ve
,

spoken from the streng th and fo rc e o f m e dicine s to

opera te upon the spiri ts a nd hum o ur s o f man t o
w o rk st ra n ge th in gs wh y m a y no t a go o d o r b a d
,

a ngel excite nature to it

 1 76 Am s c o u a sn o r

these r epresentations w i th the fu ture conti ngent

events that are observed to follow them as for ex ,
.

ample a second sighted man sees a winding sheet

,

upon his neighbour o r blood running down his

,

face shoulders or arms he concludes that he must

, , ,

di e or be wounded in the face shoulders or arms

, , , .

If you wil l ask what warrant he has for th i s he ,

will tell he has found by experience th at whenever

, ,

he sa w the like o f this that he found death o r ,

wounds to follow Q u a e rztu r then what connex

'

.
, ,

io n can this representation have wit h an effect or

contingent event not yet existant ? For answer to
th i s Go d w h o knoweth all things no doubt i m
, , ,

part eth much of the foreknowledge of th in gs no t ,

only t o good angels but also evil angels for rea

, ,

sons well known t o h imself particularly that they ,

might give some true signs and so have way t o ,

deceive in many things bes ides ; and though the

si gns foretold shoul d surely come to pass it does ,

not i nfer that the doctri ne of evi l angels and their ,

lies that they would suggest to mankind should be ,

credited Th is is clear from the 1 3 t h o f Deutero

.

n ow y 1 2 and 3 verses If there ari se among you

, , , , ,

a prophet or a dreamer of dreams and giveth thee

, ,

a sign or a wonder a n d the sign or the wonder

,

come to pass whereof he spake unto th ee saying , ,

let u s go after other gods (which thou h a s not ,

known) and let u s serve them ; thou shalt not

,

hearken to the words of that prophet or that ,

dreamer of dream s for the Lord your God proveth

,

you to kno w whether you love the Lord y our God

, , ,

with all your heart , and wi t h all your soul An d .

 T H E sa c o nn S I GHT . a m

t he Lo r d s c o mm m i ds i i just wi t h Go d t o

; I sa
y t s

toth es e spiri ts in o rd er t o conrm t heir lie s ; to

:

appoint signs before ha nd; wh ich b y GOCP S

appoin t me nt may co me yo pa ss a ns werable to the
, ,

be con c lude d that A ha b s fa ls e proph e t s i n n um

, ,

b er 400 have o ften foret old truth ; a n d th i s pu r

,

o i n t i ne n t

o se l by G od s a that they might b
p y pp e ,

the bette r believed and more easily persuade t o lay

,

s iege t o Ra mo th Gile a d ; a nd it is hard t o c q nc e iv e

that Aha b sho uld give them so m uch cre dit o r they ,
'

thems el ves so co n de nt if t h ey ha d ,
'

not ha d man y tr uths s ug es te d to them a nd Ima de ,

r oof o f t h e same t o A ha b It is o t fo r no u ght

p n .

th at we a re co tn m a nde d to try t h e spirits and t h at ,

ra the r b y t heir doctrines tha n their Sign s and wo n ,

.

ders 0 ! fa ir a nd smo o th pretences The refore,

, . .

suppose th es e evil angels to know a contin ge nt fu

ture event eith er by a revelat io n or n atural o r
, ,

moral c a u ses t he y may in the meth od foresaid

, ,

make the representation of t hem to t he eyes o r ears

as fo r example an angel good or bad nds tha t
, , ,

either t he l ungs heart stomach li ver o r bra i n

, , , , ,

a re under such a consumptio n as may agains t such ,

a ti m e kill a man or that he kno ws t h e secre t ca n .

t ri va n c e o f a potent party that is r esolved t o Wou nd

o r kill him or that it i s revealed t o h im i t s ho uld
,

b e so (whic h ma y very well be, as ha s been a b o ve

 1 78 A m s c o nn s n o r

note d ) he can easil y rep resent these befor e h and

, ,

th o ugh the event should follow b u t a considerable

time thereafter ; he has no more to do than to re

verse the species o f these things from a man s brain
to the organ o f the eye .

Here ariseth a question from what has just been ,

said whether it be more probable that good angels

,

make this representation (because men having th i s

second sight a re found to tell truth and to be i n ,

nocent in their lives and free of any pacti on either

, ,

implicit or explicit l ikewi se free of any fraud u lent

,

desi gn and sound enough in the necessa ry articles

,

of their salvation) or that it be done by evil angel s

,

for the trial of men and women juggling with their ,

fancy and external organs and so h a ve a patent,

w a y to tell lies among some truths For ans wer to .

this questi on I shall not be ready positiv e ly to de

,

termine these th ings but I humbly conceive t h at

, ,

as the representations are oft done by evil angels ,

so likewise i t i s probable that i t may b e done by

good angels I cannot b e so uncharitable to sev e
.

ral men that I have known to be of considerable

sense and pious and good conversation as to con
, ,

c l u de them to be given o v er to be deluded co nti

n u a ll by an evil angel Moreover I conceive that
y ,

th ere are many good Christians if they would a d ,

vert well that have some secret tokens and si gns of

,

notable alterati ons to come suggest ed t o them be

,
.

fore hand ; a n d that these signs some o f them are ,

'

common to them with others as dream ing which , ,

are often ob served to be compl etely fullled and ,

t hat some of the sign s and warnings are pec ul iar to

 TH E S E COND s re n r . 1 79

some persons which fai l no t to answer to the things

,

sign ied ; as for example I have certai nly known

,

a man that when he found an unvoluntary motion

,

in such a member of his body particularly his right,

hand or r ight eye that was sure that some matter

,

of joy would shortly come t o h i s hearing ; and that

if he found the same motion in the left eye or hand ,

it infallibly grief And that which is more

won derfu l the thing t o come signi ed by these
,

si gns and warn ings ke e pe d an exact proportion with

the continuance or vehemency of the motion if
the motion continued long so did the j oy or the
,

grief ; if the motion was snell or vehement so was ,

the matter of grief or j oy ; and nding that this

m a n was both a good man and o f a right pe n e t ra t
,

ing wit and had art enough i t moved me to u se

, ,

freedom with several other good men that had

knowledge and sense enough t o examine circum
stances to a hai r I found very many to acknow
.

l e dge the very same th ing yet sign i fi ed by differ

,

ent si gns (wh ich shows they are not s ig n a n a tu

,

r a l la
/
,
but ex i ns ti tu to ) which puts me in mind of
,

Dr Brown s observati on to the same purpose in

,

h i s inquiry into vulgar errors where he concludes ,

several presentations to be acted in us by our tute

lary angels that have the charge of us at the ti me .

Mark this though the signs be different in them

,

selves yet to each p a rticular person h i s own sig n

, ,

is still sign i c a tiv e o f the same t hing and why

might not this of the second sight be counted '

amongst one of these I likewise humbly concei ve ,

that Go d mi ght compense the want of many other

 1 86 A D I SC OUR S E or

topoor men by gi ving them this m inor sor t

,

t I would advise all of them

sight to exam ine them se lv e s , ,

to God that no ev il an gel

a b Use thei r se nses b e ca u se ,

the devil sti ll stri ves t o imita te wh at God or h is ,

good angels co mmunica tes t o h is o wn chi ldren I

, .

know that the common opinion o f some

and divin e s will be obj ected and that is that a n , ,

g els
, good o r bad may condense
,
the air g u ra t e ,

a nd colorate the same and make it o f what gure

,

or shape t hey please so th at this representa tion is

,

made by extern al o b j ects in effect emitting visible

specie s t o th e eye and con sequently tha t it is n o t ,

the reversion o f
th o u gh a s I h ave
'

b a d angels can al ter t he m ediu m in a st ran ge Wa y ,

and can work great al teration on the ele m ent s and

t h eir compounds I think it very i m p robab l e that
,

an y created po wer can bri ng the a i r t o that sol i dity ,

and actu a l ly condense it color ate and gu ra te it , , ,

as t o represent a man by a beast or Peter by Pa u l , ,

espec ia ll y a t such a distance as from o n e side b f a

cham b er to t h e other The mi racles don e by the
.

ma gi cians o f E gypt is th ei r A chi llean argum e n t ;

'

b ut in Sh or t I sa y that wh a t wa s done by
, , ma:
i cia ti s o f E y t h a s neit her been a de l usion o f t h e
g gp ,

sen ses (as some wo ul d have it ) mu ch less t hht t h e

,
'

de vil coul d pro du Ce t h e cre a t h re s dc ne w o f Co n

de nse d a ir a nd t h a t fo r t h e fo llo wi rg reas ons :

, t

F i rs t thence it W ou ld followthat Moses a nd A aron

,

Rma delu ded a s We ll a s t h e E gypt ia ns ; b u t t h e

a
 T HE S E COND SI GH T . 1 81

fo llow, tha t the fa s h ioning a n d fra m ing o f Ada m s

body o f cla y wa s b u t a m ea n a c t o f crea tion in

,

com pa rison o f these crea t u res if they shoul d b e ,

fa s hi on e d a n d fra m ed o f con d ense a i r which is n a ,

p

t u ra ll y a u id elem ent n o t so ea s ily stigm a ti z e d a s

,

t h e ea rth. I do no t de ny b u t the devil ca n s n a t ch

a nd th a t in se n sibly t o the beholders by pressi ng ,

th eir optic nerves a s Fra n cisc u s V a le si u s h a s o h

,

se r ved i n his Sa c r a P h ilo s op h a a n d I concl u de ,

wit h Abra ha m C o nl e y (no contem ptible a u thor)

,

th a t the m a gici a ns o f E gypt were a fter this m a n

ner served by the devil to i m ita t e God s power in
,

the h a nds o f Moses a n d Aa ro n M a rk n a lly if .

, ,

it wer e with in the sphere o f a ngeli ca l power to ta ke

bodies o f con dense a ir wh a t n eeded the m a ss u m e
,

s u ch m a teria l a n d ea rthly bodi es a s these a ngels

tha t ca m e to Abra h a m a nd Lot a ss u m ed ? whose
bodies co u ld be to u c hed a n d h a n dled a n d whose ,

bodi e s were not fou nd t o yield to the to u ch a s the ,

m ost condensed a ir m u st do ; a n d it is very c onsist

ing with rea son th a t the a ngels good o r b a d shou ld
, , ,

ra ther a ssu m e bodies o f the ele m ent o f the e a rth ,

which i s a grea t dea l m ore ea s ily brou ght to the

g u re a n d fa shion o f a bo dy th a n the a i r Som e
, .

c u riou s spirits perh a ps m a y desire to know whe

, ,

ther this second sight be heredita ry or propa ga ble

from fa ther to so n ; a n d I thi n k n o wonder th a t
som e wo u ld think so beca u se the sa n a tive gi ft o f
,

the king s evil is linea lly tra d u ced to the n a t u ra l
he irs o f t h e cro wn o f E ngl a nd ; a n d there is a whole
B
1 82 m sm
'

a or :

tic u h r di m wh ic b gift m pro pa ga t ed fro m re

'

fa t her to t h e so n ; ne it h er is it dim i ni sh ed or n t
g
m a t te d by t he m o ra lit
y or im m ora li ty o f t h e per

lo sdph e r phy sicia n Fra nci scu s V a le si n s, wh o

a nd ,

lived in th a t ki ngdo m , a nd ha d tim e a n d oppo rm .

n it to exa m i ne the tr u th o f th is a ffa ir I n sho rt

y .
,

I a nswer th a t it is no t propa ga b ie from fa t he r t o

,

so n ne ither p ecu li a r t o m y
,
fa mi ly a n d
aS I ha ve o b se r v e d ma n y h o n e st m e n , free o f a ll

sc a nda l th a t e ver I co u ld lea rn t o lt a ve it ; 80 1 ,

ha v e obse rv e d m a n y vic iou s pers o ns to h a v e it wh o

fm e t o ld tr u th o ft e no u gh

.

Perh a ps it m a y b e do u bt e d wha t sho u ld m a ke

this seco nd sight m ore fr equen t h ere t ha n in t h e
h ea rt o f t h e kingdom I a ns wer, th a t it is t h e la c k
o f obs erv a t ion a nd inq u iry t h a t it sho uzld no t b e

fo u nd there a s well a s h ere S ecw ndo , t h a t it pa sses

~

u n der a gre a t odi u m a n d di sgra ce with t h e m ost o f

m e n which c a u ses those t ha t se e it co ncea l it

, , .

T h i rdly I con fess tha t cre d u lity a n d

,

g ive oc c a sio n t o evil spi rits t o j u

ggle m o re fre u en t
q e

ly tha n otherwise they wo u ld h a ve d o ne B u t s ure

,
.

it is th a t m e n o f little lea rn ing a nd edu ca tio n m a y

,

b e rec o m pe n se d by nota ble pres e nta ti o ns no t so ,

obvio u s to oth e rs o f grea te r pa rts I t e rne m b e r o f .

a noblem a n in Spa in th a t wa s d ea f a nd d u m b fro m

,

his in fa n cy a n d ye t wa s ta u ght by a m onk to spea k,

,

a n d u n der sta nd wh a t wa s s poke n to h im only b y ,

o bservi n g the m oti o n o f his l ips tha t spoke to him .

S ir K en e l rn Di gby sa w hi m a s h e te lls in hi s T res

,
a
 T H E sn c o m ) s m m ' . 1 88

t ise of Bo d ie s, a nd
the m onk th a t ta u gh t hi m wa s ,

a cou sin o f Fra ncisc u s V a l e si u s T h is wa s m ore.

t h a n ordi n a ry sa ga city a n d docility a n d it is fo u n d , ,

th a t m a ny d u m b persons fo re t e l m a ny t h ings b efore

h a n d a nd it i s a h a rd m ea s u re to concl u de a ll t o
,

b e fro m e vil spirits In ne a s I not ed b e fore a s

.
, ,

qu estio nles s S a ta n m a y a n d oft e n does dece ive

, ,

a fte r th is m a n n er so it is a s s u re it m a be a llo w
, y ,

e d th a t goo d a n gels m a y fore wa r n t h is w a y a s well

, ,

a s by ot h er si gns a n d toke ns a s Dr Bro wn obse r ves

, .

I t is ob served t ha t those who h a ve the se co n d

,

sight h a ve this representa ti o n a t a ny ti m e o f t h e

,

da y b u t ind e ed m ore ordi na rily in the m ornin g

,

a n d evening a n d with ca ndle light

, .

The design o f these wea k conceptions on th is

s u bli m e the m e is not to i m pose u po n a ny m a n,
,

freely lea ving every m a n to follo w his o wn j u dg

m ent i n thi n gs th a t offe n d not c h u rc h or sta te b u t ,

t h a t ot h ers o f grea t er ca pa city m a y be sti m u l a ted

to prosec u t e the sa m e in a bet t er m ethod h u m bly ,

su b m itting m ysel f to the j u dgm ent o f m betters

y ,

t o whose h a nds pe rh a ps t h is pa m p h l e t m a y co m e .

F I NI S .

E nm nu n e n ,

i d b y Th m
P r nte o as We bster .
 r it
Un ive s y o f C a if n a l or i
SO UT HE RN RE GI O NAL LI BRARY FAC I LITY
Re t u rn i ri l
t h s m a te a t o t h e b a ry li r

DEc o g m

1U .
'

06
OCT Z r .

RED Di
M
.

R
F