The month after this trial, Bessie Roy, nurreych (nurse) to the Leslies of
Balquhain, was "dilatit" for sorcery generally, and specially for being "a
common awa-taker of women's milk." She took away poor Bessie Steel's, when
she came to ask alms, and only restored it again when she was afraid of
getting into trouble for the fault. She was also accused of having, "by
the space of tual yeiris syne or thairby," past to the field with other
women to pluck lint, but instead of following her lawful occupation, she
had made "ane compas (circle) in the eird, and ane hoill in the middis
thairof;" out of which hole came, first, a great worm which crept over
the boundary, then a little worm, which crept over it also, and last of
all another great worm, "quhill could nocht pas owre the compas, nor cum
out of the hoill, but fell doune and deit." Which enchantment or sorcery
being interpreted meant, by the first worm, William King, who should live;
by the second small worm, the unborn babe, of which no one yet knew the
coming life; and by the third large worm the gude wyffe herself, who
should die as soon as she was delivered. Notwithstanding the gravity and
circumstantiality of these charges, Bessie Roy marvellously escaped the
allotted doom, and was pronounced innocent. "Quhairvpoune the said Bessie
askit act and instrument." Two women tried the day before, Jonet Grant and
Jonet Clark, were less fortunate. Charged with laming men and women by
their devilish arts--whereof was no attempt at proof--they were convicted
and burnt; as also was Meg Dow, in April of the same year, for the
"crewell murdreissing of twa young infant bairns," by magic.
And now we come to a very singular group of trials, opened out by that
clumsy, superstitious pedant, whose name stands accursed for vice and
cruel cowardice and the utmost selfishness of fear--James VI. of Scotland.
If anything were wanting to complete one's abhorrence of Carr's patron and
Raleigh's murderer--one's contempt of the upholder of the divine right of
kings in his own self-adoration as God's vicegerent upon earth--it would
be his part in the witch delusion of the sixteenth century. Whatever of
blood-stained folly belonged specially to the Scottish trials of this
time--and hereafter--owed its original impulse to him; and every groan of
the tortured wretches driven to their fearful doom, and every tear of the
survivors left blighted and desolate to drag out their weary days in
mingled grief and terror, lie on his memory with shame and condemnation
ineffaceable for all time.