A Collection of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft and the Second Sight Part 1

A Collection of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft and the Second Sight.

by Unknown.

AN ORIGINAL ESSAY ON WITCHCRAFT.

If we wish to form a just estimate of the human character in its progress through the various stages of civilization, from ignorance and barbarism, to science and refinement, we must search into the natural causes that actuate the human mind. The life of man is prolonged to a remoter period, but subjected to more casualities, and greater vicissitudes of fortune, than most other animals. From these causes arises his anxious solicitude about futurity, and an eager desire to know his destiny; and thus man becomes the most superst.i.tious of all other creatures. In every nation there have been mult.i.tudes of oracles, augurs, soothsayers, diviners, fortune-tellers, witches, sorcerers, &c. whose business has been to communicate intelligence respecting futurity, to the rest of mankind.

If we attend to history, we shall find this theory sufficiently confirmed by experience. The most superst.i.tious part of the species are soldiers and sailors, who are more exposed to accidents than any other cla.s.s. History is full of the superst.i.tious observances of the Roman armies; their regard to omens; the entrails of victims; the flight of birds, &c. and there are thousands of brave sailors of the present day, who would not sail in the finest s.h.i.+p of the British navy, without a horse-shoe were nailed on the main-mast. This pa.s.sion of diving into futurity, naturally produced a number of '_dealers in destiny's dark council_,' who soon found it turn out a very lucrative profession. From knowing the secrets, it was naturally inferred, that they were the favourites of those powers who are supposed to have the future happiness of mankind at their disposal. This we apprehend is the real source of that power which the priesthood hath ever exercised over the human mind. Pleasure and pain are the two great principles of human action which has given rise to the good and evil principle common to all nations. Those who held communication and commerce with the evil principle, are witches, wizzards, sorcerers, &c. Although we have various laws and injunctions against witchcraft in scripture, yet we are still as much in the dark as ever, as no definition is given of it, nor is the particular actions which const.i.tute witchcraft enumerated, so as we can say wherein it consists. The story of the witch of Endor, is a case that throws more light on the subject than any other. But she appears to have acted more in the character of one of our second sighted seers, than one of our modern witches. According to our notions and ideas of witchcraft (as laid down by that _sapient_ monarch James VI.), it is a poor ignorant old woman, who, through misery or malice, gives herself to the devil, soul and body, and renounces her baptism; for which considerations Satan engages to a.s.sist her with his power to work a number of petty mischiefs on such as she has a spite at; and sometimes he advances a little of the '_needful_,' which, unfortunately for the poor _old hag_, turns out to be 'naething but _sklate stanes_,' and this most unaccountable contract is generally sealed by '_carnal copulation_!' And yet, after believing this, we call ourselves _rational creatures_, and other animals we term _brutes_!! Many people have wondered, how so exalted a personage as the devil formerly was in days of yore, should latterly have taken up with such low company as our modern witches. He who tempted the very fathers of the church in so many various ways; who kept the whole priesthood of the Catholic church constantly on the _alert_ with holy water, exorcisms, &c. only to keep him in _check_; who often attacked Luther and our other reformers, in very ungentlemanly disguises; and had even the audacity to insult our covenanted saints, by bellowing like a bull, grunting like a pig, or groaning like a dying man. These were pranks something worthier of a devil than the tricks played off by the witches. Our King James gives the reason, because 'the consumation of the world, and our deliverance drawing neere, makes Satan so rage the more in his instruments, knowing his kingdom to be so neere an end.' James was a little out in his reckoning here, 'the consumation of the world' not having taken place as yet, and the devil's kingdom turning out to be rather better established than his own. So far was it from being near an end, that it was on the increase, caused chiefly by the absurd and stupid laws that were enacted against it by himself and successors. The devil's kingdom is not to be destroyed by acts of parliament and burning of witches; these expedients have been tried in vain all over Europe and America, without effect; but now, when every person can bewitch with impunity, not a witch is to be found; and the devil, though left at large, has retreated to the Highlands and islands, where he is seldom seen, even by those who have the second sight. The true engines for battering the strong holds of Satan, and driving him and his imps into utter darkness, are science and philosophy; these are the weapons that have compelled him to retrograde movements, after lavis.h.i.+ng rivers of holy water in vain. Thus the terrific claws of the devil, when seen by the distempered eyes of ignorant bigotry, appear to us truly horrible, but when viewed through philosophical spectacles, look as harmless as the lamb-skin gloves of a fine lady.

These stories, however, convey a strong likeness of the times in which they were acted. In our day, it is almost impossible to believe, that human beings could give credit to such gross absurdities as we have laid before the public in this little work, were the evidence not indubitable. Far less, that judges, lawyers, and divines, should unite in murdering such numbers of poor ignorant helpless creatures, for such mad chimeras, when it is hard to say, whether the poor victim, or the insane judges, were under the greater delusion. These wonderful tales of the doings of the devil with the witches, are taken from their own confessions, and from their _delating_ of one another, as it is called. To us it does not appear improbable, but that too many of the poor deluded wretches actually imagined themselves to be witches. Nor will this appear so very surprizing, if we consider the circ.u.mstances of the case. At that period, any person who doubted of witchcraft, was looked upon as an athiest, and worse than mad; the whole country, from one end to the other, was continually ringing with tales of witches, devils, and fairies, with such other trash. Is it not then most likely, that people should dream about them? and is there any thing unnatural in supposing, that they should mistake these dreams for realities? as is evidently proved in several cases, and then confess, not the actions they really did, but the effects of their own disordered imagination.

Moreover, when confined for this imaginary crime, they were tortured in all manner of ways, deprived of sleep, flung into water, and _brodit,_ as they called it, being striped naked and searched for the devil's mark, in the most indecent manner. These confessions, after they were made, were nothing more than the wild ravings of a distempered imagination; and such a tissue of inconsistencies, as no person of the present day would listen to. An old woman in the Isle of Teree (as related by Mr Frazer, page 165), took in her head that she was in heaven no less, and had eat and drank there; and so firmly had the poor creature imbibed the notion, that it was with some difficulty she could be undeceived. A curious account of a pretended meeting with the devil, is given by a gentleman of Normandy, in the Memoirs of Literature for November 1711.

"The pretended meeting, about which those who believe they have been at it, relate so many extravagant things, is only in their imagination. I own, that some country people, especially shepherds, do now and then rub their skin with some narcotick grease or ointments, which cast them into a sound sleep, and fill their imagination with a thousand visions. When they are thus asleep, they fancy they see every thing that was told them concerning the devil's meeting, by their fathers, who were also shepherds, or wizards, if you will have me to call them so. Whereupon I will inform you of what I have been told by a country friend of mine, who pretended to have a mind to go to the devil's meeting with his own shepherd, who had the reputation of being a great sorcerer. Having frequently urged that shepherd to carry him thither, at last he obtained his desire. He went to him in the night at the appointed time. The shepherd immediately gave him something to grease himself withal. He took the grease as if he had a mind to rub his skin with it; but he desired that the shepherd's son, who was to go to the devil's meeting with his father, should anoint himself first. Which being done, that gentleman told the shepherd, that he should be glad to know what would become of the young man. Not long after, the young man fell fast asleep, and when he awaked, though he had not stirred from that place, he gave an account of every thing he thought he had seen at the devil's meeting; and even named several persons whom he pretended to have seen there. My friend perceived then, that what is commonly said of the devil's meeting was a mere fancy. I have told you this story, that you may impart it to your brethren, who being prepossest with popular errors about witchcraft, do frequently hang and burn poor wretches, whose crime does only consist in the weakness of their imagination."

A thousand more instances might be produced to show, that the devil hath no meetings any where, but in the perturbed brain of ignorant credulity. The history of superst.i.tion is however of great use; we there see its dangerous influence upon the peace and happiness of society--its degrading effects upon the character and manners of nations, in morality, literature, jurisprudence, and science.

Theology seems to have been particularly infected with this pestiferous contagion. The clergy were generally in the front rank of witch-hunters, and through their influence, the most of them were put to death. In places where the minister was inflamed with a _holy zeal_ against the devil and his emissaries, such as Pittenweem and Torryburn, the parish became a perfect hot-bed for the rearing of witches; and so plentiful a crop did it produce, that it appeared nothing else could thrive. But in places where the minister had some portion of humanity, and a little common sense, the devil very rarely set foot on his territories, and witchcraft was not to be found. Since the repeal of the statutes against witchcraft, several prosecutions have been inst.i.tuted against witches, who were convicted and punished; but it was bewitching silly ignorant people out of their money, goods, and common sense, by pretending a knowledge of futurity--a power of relieving maladies in man or beast--or procuring the affection of some favourite swain to a love-sick maiden. The dupes of these impostors do not altogether escape, as they are made the laughing stock of their neighbours; and by these means even this trade is now nearly annihilated. Happily for our times, the refulgent brightness of philosophy and science, hath dispelled these dark clouds of benighted superst.i.tion, and left us in possession only of our natural powers and faculties, which are quite enough.

EDITOR.

News from Scotland:

DECLARING THE d.a.m.nABLE LIFE OF DOCTOR FIAN, A _NOTABLE SORCERER_, WHO WAS _Burned at Edenbrough in Januarie last, 1591_.

WHICH DOCTOR WAS REGISTER TO THE DEVILL THAT SUNDRIE TIMES PREACHED AT NORTH BARRICKE KIRKE TO A NUMBER OF NOTORIOUS WITCHES.

WITH THE TRUE EXAMINATIONS OF THE SAID DOCTOR AND WITCHES, AS THEY UTTERED THEM IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SCOTTISH KING.

DISCOVERING

HOW THEY PRETENDED TO BEWITCH AND DROWNE HIS MAJESTIE IN THE SEA COMMING FROM DENMARKE; WITH SUCH OTHER WONDERFULL MATTERS AS THE LIKE HATH NOT BEIN HEARD AT ANIE TIME.

_Published according to the Scottish Copie._

PRINTED FOR WILLIAM WRIGHT.

EDINBURGH: RE-PRINTED FOR D. WEBSTER, 35, WEST COLLEGE STREET.

1820.

TO THE READER.

The manifold untruths which are spred abroad concerning the detestable actions and apprehension of those witches whereof this historie following truely entreateth, hath caused me to publish the same in print, and the rather for that sundrie written coppies are lately dispersed thereof, containing that the said witches were first discovered by meanes of a poore pedlar travelling to the towne of Trenent; and that by a wonderfull manner hee was in a moment conveyed at midnight from Scotland to Burdeux in France (being places of no small distance), into a merchant's sellar there; and after being sent from Burdeux into Scotland by certaine Scottish merchants to the King's Majestie, that he discovered those witches, and was the cause of their apprehension; with a number of matters miraculous and incredible: all which in truth are most false. Nevertheless, to satisfie a number of honest mindes, who are desirous to be informed of the veritie and truth of their confessions, which for certaintie is more stranger than the common reporte runneth, and yet with more truth. I have undertaken to publish this short Treatise which declareth the true discourse of all that happened, and as well what was pretended by those wicked and detestable witches against the King's Majestie; as also by what means they wrought the same.

All which examinations (gentle reader) I have here truly published as they were taken and uttered in the presence of the King's Majestie, praying thee to accept of it for veritie, the same being so true as cannot be reproved.

A

TRUE DISCOURSE

OF THE

APPREHENSION OF SUNDRIE WITCHES LATELY TAKEN IN SCOTLAND; WHEREOF SOME ARE EXECUTED, AND SOME ARE YET IMPRISONED.--WITH A PARTICULAR RECITALL OF THEIR EXAMINATIONS, TAKEN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING'S MAJESTIE.

G.o.d, by his omnipotent power, hath at all times, and daily dooth take such care, and is so vigilant for the weale and preservation of his owne, that thereby he disappointeth the wicked practices and evil intents of all such as by any means whatsoever seeke indirectly to conspire any thing contrary to his holy will: Yea, and by the same power he hath lately overthrowne and hindered the intentions and wicked dealings of a great number of unG.o.dly creatures, no better than devils; who suffering themselves to be allured and enticed by the Devil whom they served, and unto whom they were privately sworne, entered into the detestable art of witchcraft, which they studied and practised so long time, that in the ende they had seduced by their sorcerie a number of others to be as bad as themselves, dwelling in the bounds of Lowthen, which is a princ.i.p.all s.h.i.+re or part of Scotland, where the Kinges Majestie useth to make his cheifest residence or abode; and to the ende that their detestable wickednesse which they prively had pretended against the Kinges Majestie, the commonweale of that countrie, with the n.o.bilitie and subjects of the same, should come to light. G.o.d of his unspeakable goodness did reveale and laie it open in verie strange sorte, thereby to make known to the world that their actions were contrarie to the lawe of G.o.d and the naturall affection which we ought generally to beare one to another. The manner of the revealing whereof was as followeth.

Within the towne of Trenent, in the kingdome of Scotland, there dwelleth one David Seaton, who being deputie bailiffe in the said towne, had a maid called Geillies Duncane, who used secretlie to absent and lie forth of her maisters house every other night. This Geillies Duncane tooke in hand to helpe all such as were troubled or grieved with anie kinde of sickness or infirmitie, and in short s.p.a.ce did performe many matters most miraculous; which things, forasmuche as she began to do them upon a sodaine, having never done the like before, made her maister and others to be in great admiration, and wondered thereat: by meanes whereof the saide David Seaton had his maide in great suspition that shee did not those things by naturall and lawfull waies, but rather supposed it to be done by some extraordinarie and unlawfull meanes.

Whereupon her maister began to grow verie inquisitive, and examined her which way and by what meanes shee was able to performe matters of so great importance; whereat shee gave him no aunswere: nevertheless, her maister to the intent that hee might the better trie and finde out the truth of the same, did with the help of others torment her with the torture of the pilliwinkes upon her fingers, which is a griveous torture, and binding or wrinching her head with a cord or roape, which is a most cruel torment also, yet would shee not confess anie thing; whereupon they suspecting that shee had beene marked by the devill (as commonly witches are,) made diligent search about her, and found the enemies mark to be in her fore crag, or fore part of her throate; which being found, shee confessed that all her doings was done by the wicked allurements and entis.e.m.e.nts of the devil, and that shee did them by witchcraft.

After this her confession, shee was committed to prison, where shee continued a season, where immediately shee accused these persons following to bee notorious witches, and caused them forthwith to be apprehended, one after another, viz. Agnes Sampson, the eldest witche of them all, dwelling in Haddington; Agnes Tompson of Edenbrough; Doctor Fian, alias John Cuningham, master of the schoole at Saltpans in Lowthian, of whose life and strange acts you shall heare more largely in the end of this discourse.

These were by the saide Geillies Duncane accused, as also George Motts' wife, dwelling in Lowthian; Robert Grierson, skipper; and Jannet Blandilands; with the potters wife of Seaton; the smith at the Brigge Hallies, with innumerable others in those parts, and dwelling in those bounds aforesaid, of whom some are alreadie executed, the rest remaine in prison to receive the doome of judgement at the Kinges Majesties will and pleasure.

The saide Geillies Duncane also caused Ewphame Mecalrean to bee apprehended, who conspired and performed the death of her G.o.dfather, and who used her art upon a gentleman, being one of the Lordes and Justices of the Session, for bearing good-will to her daughter. Shee also caused to be apprehended one Barbara Naper, for bewitching to death Archbalde lait Earle of Angus, who languished to death by witchcraft, and yet the same was not suspected; but that he died of so strange a disease as the phisition knewe not how to cure or remedie the same. But of all other the said witches, these two last before recited, were reputed for as civil honest women as anie that dwelled within the cittie of Edenbrough, before they were apprehended. Many other besides were taken dwelling in Lieth, who are detayned in prison until his Majesties further will and pleasure be knowne; of whose wicked dooings you shall particularly heare, which was as followeth.

This aforesaide Agnes Sampson, which was the elder witche, was taken and brought to Haliriud House before the Kinges Majestie, and sundrie other of the n.o.bilitie of Scotland, where shee was straytly examined; but all the persuasions which the Kinges Majestie used to her, with the rest of his councell, might not provoke or induce her to confess any thing, but stoode stiffley in the deniall of all that was layde to her charge; whereupon they caused her to be conveyed away unto prison, there to receive such torture as hath been lately provided for witches in that countrie; and for as muche as by due examination of witchcraft and witches in Scotland, it hath lately beene founde that the devill dooth generally marke them with a privie marke, by reason the witches have confessed themselves, that the devill doth licke them with his tong in some privie part of their bodie, before he dooth receive them to bee his servants, which marke commonlie is given them under the haire in some part of their bodie, whereby it may not easily be found out or seene, although they bee searched; and generally so long as the marke is not seene to those which search them, so long the parties which have the marke will never confess anie thing. Therefore by special commandment this Agnes Sampson had all her haire shaven off, n each part of her bodie, and her head thrawane with a rope according to the custome of that countrie, being a payne most grieveous, which they continued almost an hower, during which time shee would not confess anie thing untill the divel's marke was founde upon her privities, then shee immediately confessed whatsoever was demaunded of her, and justifiying those persons aforesaide to be notorious witches.

_Item_, the said Agnes Sampson was after brought againe before the Kinges Majestie and his councell, and being examined of the meeting and detestable dealings of those witches, shee confessed, that upon the night of Allhallow Even last, shee was accompanied as well with the persons aforesaide, as also with a great many other witches, to the number of two hundreth, and that all they together went to sea, each one in a riddle or cive, and went into the same very substantially, with flaggons of wine, making merrie and drinking by the way in the same riddles or cives, to the Kirke of North Barrick in Lowthian, and that after they had landed, tooke hands on the lande and daunced this reill or short daunce, singing all with one voice,

_Commer goe ye before, commer goe ye, Gif ye will not goe before, commer let me._

At which time shee confessed, that this Geillies Duncane did goe before them playing this reill or daunce, uppon a small trumpe, called a Jewes trumpe, untill they entred into the Kirke of North Barricke.

These confessions made the Kinge in a wonderfull admiration, and sent for the saide Geillie Duncane, who upon the like trumpe did play the saide daunce before the Kinges Majestie, who in respect of the strangeness of these matters, tooke great delight to be present at their examinations.

_Item_, the said Agnes Sampson confessed, that the devill, being then at North Barricke Kirke attending their coming, in the habit or likeness of a man, and seeing that they tarried over long, hee at their coming enjoined them all to a pennance, which was, that they should kiss his b.u.t.tockes, in sign of duty to him; which being put over the pulpit bare, every one did as he had enjoined them: and having made his unG.o.dly exhortations, wherein he did greatly inveigh against the Kinge of Scotland, he received their oathes for their good and true service towards him, and departed; which done, they returned to sea, and so home again.

At which time the witches demaunded of the devill why he did beare such hatred to the Kinge? Who answered, by reason the Kinge is the greatest enemie hee hath in the world.[1] All which their confessions and depositions are still extant upon record.

[1] James, who boasted that he was born in 'the purest church on earth,' and whose courtiers called him 'the Childe of G.o.d,' was no doubt highly gratified at this declaration of the devil's hatred, 'because he was his greatest enemie on earth.' This was such a piece of flattery as suited the meridian of the monarch's intellects. ED.

_Item_, the saide Agnes Sampson confessed before the Kinges Majestie sundrie things, which were so miraculous and strange, as that his Majestie saide they were all extreme liars; whereat shee answered, shee would not wish his Majestie to suppose her words to be false, but rather to believe them, in that shee would discover such matters unto him as his Majestie should not anie way doubt of.

And thereupon taking his Majestie a little aside, shee declared unto him the verie wordes which pa.s.sed between the Kinges Majestie and his Queene at Upslo in Norway the first night of marriage, with the answere ech to other; whereat the Kinges Majestie wondered greatly, and swore by the living G.o.d, that he believed all the devills in h.e.l.l could not have discovered the same, acknowledging her words to be most true, and therefore gave the more credit to the rest that is before declared.

Touching this Agnes Sampson, shee is the onlie woman who by the devill's perswasion should have intended and put in execution the Kinges Majesties death in this manner.

Shee confessed that shee tooke a blacke toade, and did hang the same up by the heeles three daies, and collected and gathered the venome it dropped and fell from it in ane oister sh.e.l.l, and kept the same venome close covered, untill shee should obtaine anie part or peece of foule linnen cloth that had appertained to the Kinges Majestie, as s.h.i.+rt, handkercher, napkin, or anie other thing, which shee practised to obtaine by meanes of one John Kers, who being attendant in his Majesties chamber, desired him for old acquaintance between them, to help her to one or a peece of such a cloth as is aforesaide, which thing the saide John Kers denyed to helpe her to, saying he coulde not helpe her unto it.