Chapter V: Part 5

The news of this witchcraft coming to the king’s ear, his Majesty was pleased to appoint commissioners, some of the clergy, and some of the laity, to make a journey to the town aforesaid, and to examine the whole business; and accordingly the examination was ordered to be on the 13th of August; and the commissioners met on the 12th instant, in the said village, at the parson’s house, to whom both the minister and several people of fashion, complained with tears in their eyes, of the miserable condition they were in; and therefore begged of them to think of some way, whereby they might be delivered from that calamity. They gave the commissioners very strange instances of the devil’s tyranny among them; how by the help of witches, he had drawn some hundreds of children to him, and made them subject to his power; how he hath been seen to go in a visible shape through the country, and appeared daily to the people; how he had wrought upon the poorer sort, by presenting them with meat and drink, and this way allured them to himself, with other circumstances to be mentioned hereafter. The inhabitants of the village added, with great lamentations, That though their children had told all, and themselves had sought God very earnestly by prayer, yet they were carried away by him. And therefore begged of the lords commissioners to root out this hellish crew, that they might regain their former rest and quietness; and the rather because the children, which used to be carried away in the country or district of Elsdale, since some witches had been burnt there, remained unmolested.—That day, _i. e._ the 13th of August, being the last humiliation day instituted by authority for the removing of this judgment, the commissioners went to church, where there appeared a considerable assembly both of young and old. The children could read most of them, and sing psalms, and so could the women, though not with any great zeal and fervour. There were preached two sermons that day, in which the miserable case of those people that suffered themselves to be deluded by the devil, was laid open; and these sermons were at last concluded with very fervent prayers.—The public worship being over, all the people of the town were called together in the parson’s house, near three thousand of them. Silence being commanded, the king’s commission was read publicly in the hearing of them all, and they were charged, under very great penalties, to conceal nothing of what they knew, and to say nothing but truth; those especially who were guilty, that the children might be delivered from the clutches of the devil. They all promised obedience; the guilty feignedly, but the guiltless weeping and crying bitterly.

On the 14th of August, the commissioners met again, consulting how they might withstand this dangerous flood. After long deliberation, an order also coming from his Majesty, they resolved to execute such as the matter of fact could be proven upon. Examination being made, there were no less than threescore and ten in the village aforesaid, three-and-twenty of which confessing their crimes, were condemned to die; one pretending she was with child, and the rest denying and pleading not guilty, were sent to Fahluna, where most of them were afterwards executed.—Fifteen children, who likewise confessed that they were engaged in this witchery, died as the rest; thirty-six of them between 9 and 16 years of age, who had been less guilty, were forced to run the gantlop. Twenty more, who had no great inclination, yet had been seduced to those hellish enterprizes, because they were very young, were condemned to be lashed with rods upon their hands for three Sundays together at the church door; and the aforesaid thirty-six were also doomed to be lashed this way once a-week for a whole year together. The number of the seduced children were about three hundred.—On the 25th of August, execution was done upon the notoriously guilty; the day being bright and glorious, and the sun shining, and some thousands of people being present at the spectacle. The order and method observed in the examination was thus:—First, The commissioners and neighbouring justices went to prayer; this done, the witches, who had most of them children with them, which they had either seduced, or attempted to seduce, some 7 years of age, nay, from 4 to 16 years, were set before them. Some of the children complained lamentably of the misery and mischief they were forced sometimes to suffer off the devil and the witches.—The children being asked, Whether they were sure that they were at any time carried away by the devil? They all declared they were, begging of the commissioners, that they might be freed from that intolerable slavery.—Hereupon the witches themselves were asked, Whether the confessions of these children were true? and admonished to confess the truth, that they might turn away from the devil unto the living God. At first, most of them did very stiffly, and without shedding the least tear, deny it, though much against their will and inclination. After this the children were examined every one by themselves, to see whether their confession did agree or not; and the commissioners found that all of them, except some very little ones, who could not tell all the circumstances, did punctually agree in their confession of particulars.—In the mean while, the commissioners that were of the clergy, examined the witches, but could not bring them to any confession, all continuing stedfast in their denials, till at last some of them burst out into tears, and their confession agreed with what the children said; and they expressed their abhorrence of the fact, and begged pardon. Adding, that the devil, whom they called Locyta, had stopped the mouths of some of them, so loath was he to part with his prey, and had stopped the ears of others. And being now gone from them, they could no longer conceal it; for they had now perceived his treachery.—The confession which the witches made in Elsdale to the judges there, agreed with the confession they made at Monra; and the chief things they confessed consisted in these three points; First, Whither they used to go. Secondly, What kind of place it was they went to, called by them Blockula, where there the witches and the devil used to meet. Thirdly, What evil and mischief they had either done, or designed there.—First, Of their journey to Blockula. The contents of their confession.——We of the province of Elsdale, do confess, that we used to go to a gravel-pit, which lies hard by a cross-way, and there we put on a vest over our heads, and then danced round, and after this ran to the cross-way, and called the devil thrice, first with a still voice, the second time somewhat louder, and the third time very loud with these words, “Antecessor, come and carry us to Blockula.” Whereupon immediately he used to appear, but in different habits; but for the most part, we saw him in a grey coat and red and blue stockings. He had a red beard, a high crowned hat, with linen of divers colours wrapt about it, and long garters upon his stockings. It is very remarkable, that the devil never appears to the witches with a sword at his side. Then he asked us, Whether we would serve him with soul and body? If we were content to do so, he set us on a beast which he hath there ready, and carried us over churches and high walls; and after all, we came to a green meadow where Blockula lies. We must procure some scrapings of altars, and filings of church clocks, and then he gave us a horn, with salve in it, wherewith we do anoint ourselves, and a saddle, with a hammer, and a wooden nail, thereby to fix the saddle; whereupon we call upon the devil, and away we go.—Those that were of the town of Monra made in a manner the same declaration. Being asked, Whether they were sure of a real personal transportation, and whether they were awake when it was done? They all answered in the affirmative; and that the devil sometimes laid something down in the place that was very like them. But one of them confessed, that he did only take away her strength, and her body lay still upon the ground; yet sometimes he took away her body with him.—Being asked how they could go with their bodies through chimnies, and broken panes of glass? They said, That the devil did first remove all that might hinder them in their flight, and so they had room enough to go.—Others were asked, How they were able to carry so many children with them? They answered, That when the children were asleep, they came into the chamber and laid hold of the children, which straightway did awake, and asked them, Whether they would go to a feast with them? To which some answered, Yes; others, No; yet they were all forced to go. They only gave the children a shirt, a coat, and doublet, which was either red or blue; and so they set them upon a beast of the devil’s providing, and then they rode away.—The children confessed the same thing; and some added, that because they had very fine clothes put upon them, they were very willing to go.—Some of the children concealed it from their parents, but others discovered it to them presently. The witches declared moreover, that till of late they had never power to carry away children, but only this year and the last; and the devil did at that time force them to it: That heretofore it was sufficient to carry but one of their children, or a stranger’s child with them, which happened seldom; but now he did plague them and whip them, if they did not procure him many children, insomuch that they had no peace nor quiet for him: And whereas that formerly one journey a week would serve their turn from their own town to the place aforesaid, now they were forced to run to other towns and places for children; and that they brought with them, some 15, some 16 children every night.—For the journey, they said, they made use of all sorts of instruments, of beasts, and of men, of spits and posts, according as they had opportunity. If they ride upon goats, and have many children with them, that all may have room, they stick a spit into the backside of the goat, and then are anointed with the aforesaid ointment. What the manner of their journey is, God alone knows. This much was made out, that if the children did at any time name the names of those, either men or women, that had been with them, or had carried them away, they were again carried by force, either to Blockula or the cross-way, and there beaten, insomuch that some of them died of it; and this some of the witches confessed; and added, that now they were exceedingly troubled and tortured in their minds for it. The children thus used looked mighty black, wan and beaten. The marks of the whips the judges could not perceive on them, except on one boy, who had some wounds and holes in his back, that were given him with thorns; but the witches said, they would quickly vanish.

After this usage, the children are exceeding weak; and if any be carried over night, they cannot recover themselves the next day, and they often fall into fits; the coming of which, they know by an extraordinary paleness that seizes on the children: and when a fit comes upon them, they lean upon their mother’s arms, who sits up with them, sometimes all night, and when they observe the paleness, shake the children, but to no purpose.—They observe further, that their children’s breasts grow cold at such times, and they take sometimes a burning candle, and stick it in their hair, which yet is not burned by it. They swoon upon this paleness; which swoon lasteth sometimes half an hour, sometimes an hour, sometimes two hours; and when the children come to themselves again, they mourn and lament, and groan most miserably, and beg to be eased. This the old men declared upon oath before the judges, and called the inhabitants of the town to witness as persons that had most of them experience of the strange symptoms of their children.—A little girl of Elsdale confessed, that naming the name of Jesus, as she was carried away, she fell suddenly upon the ground, and got a great hole in her side, which the devil presently healed up again, and away he carried her. And to this day, the girl confessed, she had exceeding great pain in her side. Another boy confessed, too, that one day he was carried away with his mistress; and to perform the journey, he took his father’s horse out of the meadow, where it was feeding, and upon his return, she let the horse go in her own. The next morning the boy’s father sought for the horse, and not finding it, gave it over for lost; but the boy told him the whole story, and so the father fetcht the horse back again, and this one of the witches confessed.

We come next to the place where they used to assemble, called Blockula, and what they did there. They unanimously confessed, that Blockula is situated in a large meadow, like a plain sea, wherein you can see no end. The place or house they met at, had before it a great gate, painted with many divers colours on it. Through this gate they went into a little meadow distant from the other, where the beasts went which they used to ride on: But the men whom they made use of in their journey, stood in the house by the gate, in a slumbering posture, sleeping over against the wall.—In a huge large room of this house, they said, there stood a very large long table, at which the witches did sit down; and that hard by this room was another chamber, where there ere some lovely and delicate beds.—The first thing they said they must do at Blockula was, that they must deny all, and devote themselves body and soul to the devil, and promise to serve him faithfully, and confirm it with an oath. Hereupon they cut their fingers, and write their name in his book. They added, That he caused them to be baptized, too, by such priests as he had there, and made them to confirm their baptism with dreadful oaths and imprecations. Hereupon the devil gave them a purse, wherein there were filings of clocks, with a big stone tied to it, which they threw into the water, and then were forced to speak these words. “As these filings of the clock do never return to the clock from which they were taken, so may my soul never return to heaven.” To which they added blasphemy, and other oaths and curses.—The mark of their cut finger is not found in all of them. But a girl who had been slashed over her finger, declared, That because she would not stretch out her finger, the devil in anger had so cruelly wounded it.—After this, they sat down to table, and those that the devil esteemed most, were placed nearest to him; but the children must stand at the door, where he himself gives them meat and drink.—The diet they used to have there, was, they said, broth with colworts and bacon in them, oat meal bread spread with butter, milk and cheese. And they added, that sometimes it tasted very well, and sometimes very ill. After meals they went to dancing; and in the mean time, swore and cursed most dreadfully; and afterwards went to fighting one with another. Those of Elsdale confessed, That the devil used to play upon a harp before them; and afterwards to go with them he loved best into a chamber, where he committed venerous acts with them. And this indeed all confessed, that he had carnal knowledge of them; and that the devil had sons and daughters by them, which he did marry together, and they did couple, and brought forth toads and serpents.—One day the devil seemed to be dead, whereupon there were great lamentation at Blockula; but he soon awakened again. If he hath a mind to be merry with them, he lets them all ride upon spits before them, and he takes afterwards the spits, and beats them black and blue, and then laughs at them. And he bids them believe that the day of judgment will come speedily, and therefore sets them at work to build a great house of stone, promising, that in that house he will preserve them from God’s fury, and cause them to enjoy the greatest delights and pleasures; but while they work exceeding hard at it, there falls a greater part of the wall down again, whereby some of the witches are commonly hurt, which makes him laugh; but presently he cures them again.—They said, they had seen sometimes a very great devil like a dragon, with fire round about him, and bound with an iron chain; and the devil that converses with them tells, that if any confess any thing, he will set that great devil loose upon them, whereby all Swedeland shall come to a great danger. They added, that the devil had a church there, such another as in the town of Monra. When the commissioners were coming, he told the witches they should not fear them, for he would certainly kill them all. And they confessed, that some of them had attempted to murder the commissioners, but had not been able to effect it.—Some of the children talked much of a white angel, which used to forbid them what the devil had bid them to do; and told them, that those things should not last long; what had been done, had been but permitted, because of the sin and wickedness of the people and their parents; and that the carrying away of the children should be made manifest. And they added, that this white angel would place himself sometimes at the door, betwixt the witches and the children; and that when they came to Blockula, he pulled the children back, but the witches went in.—We come, in the next place, to shew the mischief and evil which the witches promised to do to men and beasts. They confessed, that they were to promise the devil, that they would do all that’s ill; and that the devil taught them to milk, which was after this manner: They used to stick a knife in the wall, and hang a kind of label on it, which they drew and stroaked; and as long as this lasted, the persons they had power over were miserably plagued, and the beasts were milked that way, till sometimes they died.—A woman confessed, that the devil gave her a wooden knife; wherewith, going into houses, she had power to kill any thing she touched with it; yet there were few that would confess, that they had hurt any man or woman. Being asked, whether they had murdered any children? that they confessed, they had indeed tormented many, but did not know whether any of them died of these plagues.—And added, that the devil had shewed them several places where he had power to do mischief.—The minister of Elsdale declared that one night these witches were, to his thinking, on the crown of his head; and that from thence he had a long continued pain of the head.—One of the witches confessed, that the devil had sent her to torment that minister; and that she was ordered to use a nail, and strike it into his head, but it would not enter deep, and hence became that head-ach. The minister said also, that one night he felt a pain, as it were torn with an instrument that they clean flax with, or a flax-comb; and when he awakened, he heard some body scratching and scraping at the window, but could see nobody; and one of the witches confessed, that she was the person that did it, being sent by the devil.—The minister of Monra declared also, that one night one of these witches came into his house, and did so violently take him by the throat, that he thought he should have been choaked; and awakening, he saw the person that did it, but could not know her; and that for some weeks he was not able to speak, or perform divine service.—An old woman of Elsdale confessed, that the devil had helped her to make a nail, which she struck into a boy’s knee, of which stroke the boy remained lame a long time. And she added, that before she was burned or executed by the hand of justice, the boy would recover.—They confessed also, that the devil gives them a beast, about the shape and bigness of a cat, which they call a carrier; and he gives them a bird, too, as big as a raven, but white: And these creatures they can send any where; and wherever they come, they take away all sorts of victuals they can get, as butter, cheese, milk, bacon, and all sorts of seeds, whatever they can find, and carry it to the witches. What the bird brings, they may keep for themselves: but what the carrier brings, they must reserve for the devil, and that is brought to Blockula, where he gives them of it as much as he thinks fit.—They added, that the carriers filled themselves so full oftentimes, that they are forced to spew by the way, which spewing is found in several gardens, where colworts grow, and not far from the houses of the witches. It is of a yellow colour like gold, and is called the butter of the witches.—The lords commissioners were indeed very earnest, and took great pains to persuade them to shew some of their tricks, but to no purpose; for they did all unanimously confess, that since they had confessed all, they found that all their witchcraft was gone and the devil at this time appeared very terrible, with claws on his hands and feet, with horns on his head, and a long tail behind, and shewed them a pit burning with a hand out; but the devil did thrust the person down again with an iron fork; and suggested to the witches, that if they continued in their confession, he should deal with them in the same manner.

The above relation is taken from the public register, where all this is related with more circumstances. At this time, through all the country, there are prayers weekly in all the churches, to the end that ALMIGHTY GOD would pull down the devil’s power, and deliver those poor creatures which have hitherto groaned under it.—The lord Lyonbergh, envoy extraordinary for the king of Sweden, confirmed this at London, March 8, 1682, and gave it under his hand, that the matter of fact mentioned here is true.

XXIX.—_Touching an Apparition seen at Gladsmuir, with some other Gleanings._

I find among some of my notes, written in the year 1666, that Richard Chaplain and his father George, both of them merchants in Haddington, coming home late from Edinburgh upon a Saturday night, being the 4th of November 1666, and riding off the muir at a place called the Two-mile-cross, within two miles of their own home, saw four men in grey clothes, and blue bonnets, standing round about a dead corpse, lying swaddled in a winding sheet. Their dog was so feared, that he durst not go forward, but came running back among their horses feet. The one brother is yet living, a sober and christian man, who can attest this. If I have varied, it is only in some small circumstance, which doth not alter the thing itself. It is the more remarkable, because it was about twenty days before Rullian Green.

There was one Alice Duke, an English woman, that was taken anno 1664, and confessed before the judges, that after their meetings, all the witches make very low obeisance to the devil, who appeared in black clothes, and a little band. He bids them welcome at their coming, and brings them wine, beer, cakes, and meal, or the like. He sits at the higher end, and usually Anne Bishop sits next him; they eat, drink, dance, and have music. At their parting they used to say, “Merry met, merry part.” And that before they are carried to their meetings, their foreheads are anointed with greenish oil, that they have from the devil: They for the most part, are carried in the air. As they pass, they say, “Thout, tout, a tout, tout, throughout and about.” Passing back they say, “Rentum, tormentum,” and another word which she does not remember.

I read of an old gentleman, an excellent justice of the peace in England, who did always dispute against the immortality of the soul, and its distinction from the body, and of the existence of the spirits. No reason could convince him but palpable experience. He being a bold man, did venture very far, and fearing nothing, used all magical ceremonies he could to raise the devil, or a spirit, and had a most earnest desire to meet with one, but never could do it. But while his servant was one night drawing off his boots in the hall, some invisible hand gave him such a clap upon the back, that it made the hall ring again. He immediately went to the field, to try if any spirit had called him to converse with him; but found none. When neither rhyme nor reason could persuade him that there were spirits, says the gentleman that debated with him, “Well, well, do you remember the clap you received upon your back one night?” “Yes,” said he. “Assure yourself,” said the other, “that goblin will be the first that will welcome you into the other world.” Upon this his countenance changed most sensibly, and was more confounded with this than with all the philosophical or rational arguments that could have been brought against him.

There was one Julian Cox, an English woman, apprehended for witchcraft. The first that deponed against her was a huntsman, who swore, That he was going out with a pack of hounds to hunt a hare. Did start one not far from Julian Cox her house. The dogs hunted her very close, and the third ring haunted her in vie, till at last the huntsman perceiving the hare almost spent, and making towards a great bush, he ran on the other side of the bush to take her up, and preserve her from the dogs. But as soon as he laid hands on her, it proved to be Julian Cox, who had her hands grovelling on the ground, and her globs (as he exprest it) upward. He knowing her, was so frighted, that his hair in his head stood on end. She was out of breath, so that she could not speak. The dogs came up and smelt her, but did no more. The narrative, saith my author, hath the most authentic confirmation that human affairs are capable of, sense, and the sacredness of an oath.

XXX.—_Anent one Spalding in Dalkeith._

About the time that the Earl of Traquair was his late Majesty’s commissioner in Scotland, it happened at Dalkeith, where he resided, that one Spalding, a town’s man, killed his neighbour, one Sadler. The murderer fled, and absented himself for a year and more; yet sometimes came home in the night-time, finding that no man pursued him. After he had been wearied of this way of living, he resolved to cast himself on the commissioner’s mercy. He coming one day near to the town of Dalkeith in a coach, Spalding came in a most humble manner, and prostrate himself before him, and begged mercy. The commissioner inquired what the business was? The servants told him, he was such a man that had killed his neighbour a town’s man. Thereupon he appointed him to be conveyed to prison, where he lay for a year and more. At last an assize found him guilty, and appointed him to be hanged. When he heard his sentence, he cried out, “Oh! must I die like a dog! why was I not sentenced to lose my head?” After he came to the scaffold, and prayer was ended, he goes up the ladder, and the rope being put about his neck, he cries with a loud voice in the audience of all, “Lord (says he) let never this soul of mine depart from this body, till it be reconciled with thee.” And having said this, the executioner threw him off the ladder. When he had hung the ordinary time, sufficient to take away a man’s life, he was cut down, and his body put into a bier, and carried to the tolbooth to be woon. When they had opened the lid of the bier, the man bangs up upon his bottom, and his eyes staring in his head, and foaming at the mouth, he made a noise, and roared like a bull, striking about him with his fists, to the great consternation of all. The magistrates hearing of it, gave orders that he should be strangled better. The executioner fell to work, and putting the rope about his neck, stood upon his breast and strained his neck so hard, that it was no bigger about than his wrist. And he continuing after this manner for a sufficient time, was carried to the grave, and covered with earth. Notwithstanding of all this, he made such a rumbling and tumbling in it, that the very earth was raised, and the mules were so heaved up, that they could hardly keep them down. After this, his house at the east end of the town (as I am informed) was frequented with a ghost, which made it stand empty for a long time. Whether any have dwelt in it since, I know not. This I have from a very creditable person, who, being a scholar there at that time, was an eye and ear witness, who is yet alive.

XXXI.—_Of the Devil of Mascon in France._

Anno 1612, one Monsieur Perreaud, a Protestant minister there, being from his own house one night, and his wife being in bed, she was much troubled with noise and din in the house: the next night she felt somewhat that pulled the blankets from the bed, and the same night all the pewter vessels and brass candlesticks were thrown about the room. The minister coming home, was told this, who carefully searched every corner of the house before he went to bed, and secured all the doors and windows, to prevent suspicion of imposture. He was scarce well in bed, when he heard a strange noise in the kitchen, like the rolling of a great iron bullet, beating against a partition of wainscot; upon this the minister went to the room, but found nothing. The next morning he made it known to the elders of the church, and a public notary, one Francis Torneus, who sat up every night till midnight, but they heard nothing till September 20; at which time, about nine o’clock at night, in the presence of all who were there, the devil began to whistle three or four times with a loud and shrill voice, (though somewhat hoarse) which seemed to be about three or four steps from them, singing a little tune of five notes, which birds are taught to whistle; and after he often repeated this word, “Minister, minister;” to which Mr. Perreaud said, “Yes, indeed I am a minister, and a servant of the living God, before whose Majesty thou tremblest.” Said the other, “I know nothing to the contrary.” “I have no need of thy testimony,” says he. This being done, he says over with a loud voice, the Lord’s prayer, the creed, the ten commandments, and the morning and evening prayers, and sings the eightieth and first Psalm. He told the minister, that his father had been poisoned, and named the man that did it. He told him, that as he came by his elder brother’s house that night, he saluted him, and asked, If he had any service to command him with to Mascon to his brother? and told, they were very kind to him, and remembered their love to the minister. It was told him afterwards by those who were present, that a fellow of strange shape came riding on a very lean horse, hanging down his head, spake to that purpose. At another time the devil began to mock God, and all religion, and said over the doxology, but skipped over the second person, and made a foul, horrible, and detestable equivocation upon the third person. He also earnestly desired them to send for Mr. Du Chaffin, the Popish priest of St. Steven’s parish, to whom he would confess himself; and withal he desired him to bring some holy water along with him; for that, said he, he will presently send me a packing. That great mastiff, said he, dare not bark at me, (this was a great house-dog) because I have made the sign of the cross upon his head.—Then he fell a scoffing and jeering, and told how he did fall off the ladder into the ditch among the frogs, while the Savoys were scaling the walls of Geneva, and did most exactly imitate their croaking. At another time, he told them, with a lamentable voice, That he had a mind to make his latter will and testament, and bid the maid call for Mr. Tornus the public notary, and declared to him what legacies he would leave; and to one person he said, he would bequeath 500l.; but he answered, “I will have none of thy money, thy money perish with thee.”—At another time, while he was speaking, a man who was present rushed into the place whence the voice seemed to come, and searched it strictly, but found nothing except a small bottle, which he brought forth; at which the devil fell a laughing, and said to him, “I was told long since thou wast a fool; and I see now thou art one, indeed, to believe that I am in the bottle; I should be a greater fool myself to go into it, for so I might be catched by stopping the mouth of the bottle with one’s finger.”—At another time, the minister said to him, “Go thou cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” To whom he replied, “Thou liest, I am not cursed; I hope yet for salvation through the death and passion of Jesus Christ.”

The devil threatened the minister, that he would pull him out of his bed by his feet, and pull the blankets off him. He answered, “I will lay me down and sleep, for the Lord only maketh me to dwell in safety; thou canst have no power over me, but what is given thee from above. Whereupon he said, “It is well for thee, it is good for thee.” And at last he confessed, that he could not prevail against the family, because they did too much call on the name of God. And indeed it was observed, that as often as they kneeled down to prayer, the devil left talking, and often said, “While you are at your prayers, I’ll go and take a turn in the street. But no sooner was prayer ended, but he began as before, which course he continued till the 25th of November; at which time he spake these last words, “Alas, alas, I shall speak no more.”—The minister told Mr. Du Moulin, that a grave divine once coming to his house, and hearing the devil speak profanely, rebuked him sharply for it. Whereupon the devil answered, “Minister, you are holy and zealous in this company, but you were not so when you were singing such a bawdy song in such a tavern.” And having said this; he sung the same bawdy song over before them all. The divine said, “It is true, Satan, I have been licentious in my younger years, yet God of his mercy hath given me repentance and pardon for it; but for thy part, thou art hardened in sin, and shall never get repentance nor pardon.” On this the devil said, “O poor Hugonets, (those of the reformed religion) you shall suffer much within a few years. O what mischief is intended against you!”

A popish officer that belonged to a court of justice, being a lawyer, came out of curiosity to the minister’s house, to ask some questions concerning many matters. The minister forbade him, but he would not forbear. And after the devil had resolved him many things, anent absent friends, private business, news, and state affairs, and questions in law, he says to him, “Now, Sir, I have told you all you demanded; I must tell you next what you demanded not, that at this very same time such a man (whom he named) is taking a word of your wife at home.” And then he discovered many secrets and foul practices of the lawyer. And at last says, “Now, Sir, let me correct you for being so bold as to question with the devil: you should have taken the minister’s counsel.” Then upon a sudden the whole company saw the lawyer drawn by the arm into the midst of the room, where the devil whirled him about, and gave him many turns with great swiftness, touching the ground only with his toe, and then threw him down upon the floor with great violence; and being taken up, and carried to his house, he lay sick, and was a long time distracted.—The last ten or twelve days the devil threw stones about the minister’s house continually, from morning to evening, and of so large a size, some of them being of two or three pound weight. One of those days the public notary Mr. Tornus, had a great stone thrown at him, which falling at his feet, he took it up and marked it with a coal, and threw it into the backside of the house, but presently the devil threw it at him again; when he took it up, he found it very hot, thinking it had been in hell since he handled it last. The next day, upon the 22d of December, the devil went quiet away; and to-morrow after, was seen a great viper going out of the minister’s house, which the neighbours about seized with a pair of pinchers, and carried it all over the town crying, “Here is the devil that’s come out of the minister’s house.” It was found by an apothecary to be a true natural viper, a serpent rarely seen in those countries. Compare this with the twentieth and first relation, and you will find a notable proof of the wonderful kindness and mercy of God to those religious ministers and their families.

XXXII.—_Anent Margaret Wilson._

This is a true narrative of what happened to her one night, while some persons were attending her: for what passed other nights I cannot relate, since I want information. They say the gentleman, her uncle, in the parish of Gallashiels, came on Sunday after sermon to the minister there, Mr. Wilkie, and told him, that the devil was at his house; “for,” said he, “there is an odd knocking about the bed where my niece lies.” Whereupon the minister went along with him, and found it so; she rising from her bed, sat down to supper, and from below there was such a knocking up, as bred fear to all present. This knocking was just under her chair, where it was not possible for any mortal to knock up. Supper being ended, they went all to prayer; and rising from her place, went and kneeled down in another place, and there also a knocking was heard below her, even during the time of prayer. When she was put to bed, many persons attending, she fell into a deep sleep; then her body was so lifted up, that many strong men were not able to keep it down. Sometimes her body would have made such a motion in the bed, as if something had been gripping her by the feet, and pulling her up and down. In the mean while, they heard a loud noise scratching upon the feather-bed, as with long nails. And likewise the minister affirms, that he heard a loud risping at her heart, such as risping irons make upon wood and timber. When she awaked, she told them of many things the devil had spoken to her, offering her gifts and presents: she was hardly persuaded to pray; nay could not, even when the words were put in her mouth. The minister desired her to enter into a personal covenant with God, which he drew up; but finding one composed already to his hand, in that little treatise called the Christian’s Great Interest, he made her subscribe it. When she had done this, the devil persuaded her with many arguments to break it. This was the method the devil observed ordinarily every night, during her long trouble. That same night about twelve o’clock, the minister took her uncle out to his own garden, to take a turn or two, and began to bear upon him, the sense of this sore affliction which was upon the family; and exhorted him to reflect upon his ways, and consider if he had done any thing that had provoked the Lord against him; and particularly he charged him with one thing, whereof there was a loud report. He solemnly protested, and that with dreadful imprecations, that he was innocent of that particular which was said of him, and absolutely denied it. She confessed that she had seen the devil as in a man’s likeness; but especially once going to church, when he forbade her to go and hear sermon. After much trouble of this kind, and much noise and talking, the young woman, being but 12 years of age, came to Edinburgh, and tarried with a friend there; and from thence she went to Leith, where she served a mistress. At last she went to Easter Duddingston, it seems, and married there a husband, with whom she lived some years at Magdalen Pans, where she died. I do not hear that ever she was molested after. If all the particulars of this business were truly collected, they would amount to a far longer relation than I have set down.

XXXIII.—_A short information anent Janet Douglas._

When I was at Glasgow in summer 1675, I was desirous to see the dumb girl, whom you mention in your first relation. At my first incoming, she declined to entertain discourse, but by friendly expressions, and giving her some money, I gained her. I first enquired anent her parentage. “I do not remember,” says she, “of my parents, but only that I was called by the name of Janet Douglas by all people who knew me. I was keeped when I was very young, by a poor woman that proved cruel to me, by beating and abusing me; whereupon I deserted the woman’s house, and went a begging.” I inquired next how she became dumb. She told me, by reason of a sore swelling she took in her throat and tongue; but afterwards by the application of Album Græcum, “which I thought,” said she, “was revealed to me, I recovered my speech.” “I asked her, how she came to the knowledge of witches and their practices. She answered, That she had it only by a vision, and knew all things as well as if she had been personally present with them; but had no revelation or information from the voice of any spirit; nor had she any communication with the devil, or any spirit of that kind; only,” says she, “the devil was represented to me, when he was in company with any of the witches, in that same shape and habit he was seen by them.”—She told me, she was altogether ignorant of the principles of religion, but had some smattering knowledge of the Lord’s prayer, which she had heard the witches repeat, it seems, by her vision, in presence of the devil; and at his desire, which she observed, they added to the word _art_, the letter _w_, which made it run, “Our Father which wart in heaven;” and made the third petition thus, “As on earth so it may in heaven;” by which means the devil made the application of the prayer to himself.——I remember, that one day there was a woman in the town who had the curiosity to give her a visit, who asked her, How she came to the knowledge of so many things? But the young wench shifted her, by asking the woman’s name. She told her name. Says the other, “Are there any other in Glasgow of that name?” No, says the woman. Then, said the girl, “You are a witch.” Says the other, “Then you are a devil.” The girl answers, “The devil doth not reveal witches; but I know you to be one, and I know your practices too.” Hereupon the woman run away in great confusion, being indeed a person suspected of witchcraft, and had been sometimes imprisoned on that account.—Another woman, whose name was Campbell, had the curiosity likewise to come and see her, and began to ask some questions at her. The wench shifting to give her an answer, says, “I pray you tell me where you were yesternight, and what you were doing? And withall,” says she, “let me see your arm.” She refusing, the landlord laid hold upon the woman, with some others in the house, and forced her to make bare her arm, where Janet Douglas shewed them an invisible mark, which she had gotten from the devil. The poor woman, much ashamed, ran home. A little time after, she came out and told her neighbours, that what Janet Douglas said of her was true; and earnestly entreated them that they would shew so much to the magistrates, that she might be apprehended, “otherwise the devil,” says she, “will make me kill myself.” But the neighbours judging her to be under a fit of distraction, carried her home to her house; but early next morning the woman was found drowned in Clyde.—The girl likewise told me at Glasgow, being then under no restraint, that it was revealed to her she would be carried before the great council at Edinburgh, imprisoned there, and scourged through the town. All which came to pass.—For about a year after, she was apprehended and imprisoned in the tolbooth of the Canongate, and was brought before the council, but nothing being found against her, she was dismissed; but thereafter, for several crimes committed within the town of Edinburgh, she was taken again, and imprisoned, scourged, and sent away to some foreign plantation; since which time I have not heard of her.——There are several other remarkable passages concerning her, which I cannot inform you of, which others perhaps may do; therefore I shall abruptly break off, and say no more, but that I am your affectionate friend. This information I have from a discreet understanding gentleman, who was one of my scholars at Glasgow several years ago.

XXXIV.—_Touching Helen Elliot, burnt at Culross._

FOR MR. SINCLAIR. _Edin. Oct. 8. 1684._