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._