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Document 890 7951
Document 890 7951
July 18.
From Ross-shire, a new batch of witches was reported, in the
persons of ‘John Glass in Spittal; Donald M‘Kulkie in Drumnamerk;
Agnes Desk in Kilraine; Agnes Wrath there; Margaret Monro in
Milntown; Barbara Monro, spouse to John Glass aforesaid; Margaret
Monro, his mother; Christian Gilash in Gilkovie; Barbara Rassa in
Milntown; Mary Keill in Ferintosh; Mary Glass in Newton; and Erick
Shayme.’ All being ‘alleged guilty of the diabolical crimes and charms
of witchcraft,’ it was most desirable that they should be brought to a
trial, ‘that the persons guilty may receive condign punishment, and
others may be deterred from committing such crimes and malefices
in time coming;’ but the distance was great, and travelling expensive;
so it was determined to issue a commission to Robertson of Inshes
and several other gentlemen of the district, for doing justice on the
offenders.
The proceedings of Mr Robertson and his associates were duly
reported in November, and a committee was appointed by the Privy
Council to consider it, that they might afterwards give their opinion,
‘whether the sentence mentioned in the said report should be put in
execution as pronounced or not.’ On the 2d of January 1700, the
committee, composed of the judges Rankeillor and Halcraig,
reported that Margaret Monro and Agnes Wrath had made
confession—for them they recommended some arbitrary
punishment. Against John Glass in Spittal, 1699.
and Mary Keill in Ferintosh, it was their
opinion that nothing had been proved. The Council consequently
assoilzied these persons from the sentence which had been passed
upon them by the local commissioners, and ordered their liberation
from the jail of Fortrose. As to the other persons, they adopted the
proposal of an arbitrary punishment, remitting to the committee to
appoint what they thought proper.[253] This is the first appearance of
an inclination in the central authorities to take mild views of
witchcraft.[254] We are not yet, however, come to the last instance of
its capital punishment.
On the 20th of November 1702, Margaret Myles was hanged at
Edinburgh for witchcraft. According to a contemporary account: ‘The
day being come, she was taken from the prison to the place of
execution. Mr George Andrew, one of the preachers of this city,
earnestly exhorted her, and desired her to pray; but her heart was so
obdured, that she answered she could not; for, as she confessed, she
was in covenant with the devil, who had made her renounce her
baptism. After which, Mr Andrew said: “Since your heart is so
hardened that you cannot pray, will you say the Lord’s Prayer after
me?” He began it, saying: “Our Father which art in heaven;” but she
answered: “Our Father which wart in heaven;” and by no means
would she say otherways, only she desired he might pray for her. He
told her: “How could she bid him pray for her, since she would not
pray for herself.” Then he sung two verses of the 51st Psalm, during
which time she seemed penitent; but when he desired her to say: “I
renounce the devil,” she said: “I unce the devil;” for by no means
would she say distinctly that she renounced the devil, and adhered
unto her baptism, but that she unced the devil, and hered unto her
baptism. The only sign of repentance she gave was after the napkin
had covered her face, for then she said: “Lord, take me out of the
devil’s hands, and put me in God’s.”’[255]