Witchcraft--What power they have to harme the Magistrate, and upon
what respects they have any power in prison--And to what end may or
will the Devill appeare to them therein--Upon what respects the
Devill appeares in sundry shapes to sundry of them at any time._
PHI.--But who dare take upon him to punish them, if no man can be
sure to be free from their unnatural invasions?
EPI.--Wee ought not the more of that restraine from vertue, that the
way whereby we clime thereunto be straight and perillous; but,
besides that, as there is no kinde of persons so subject to receive
harme of them, as these that are of infirme and weake faith, so have
they so small power over none, as over such as zealously and
earnestly pursue them.
PHI.--Then they are like the pest which smites these sickarest that
flies it farthest?
EPI.--It is even so with them, for neither is it able to them to use
any false cure upon a patient, except the patient first beleeve in
their power, and so hazard the tinsell of his owne soule, nor yet can
they have lesse power to hurt any, nor such as contemne most their
doings, so being it comes of faith, and not of any vaine arrogancie
in themselves.
PHI.--But what is their power against the Magistrate?
EPI.--Lesse or greater, according as he deales with them; for if hee
be slothfull towards them, God is very able to make them instruments
to waken and punish his sloth; but if he be the contrary, hee,
according to the just law of God, and allowable law of all nations,
will be diligent in examining and punishing of them, God will not
permit their master to trouble or hinder so good a worke.
PHI.--But fra they be once in hands and firmance, have they any
further power in their craft?
EPI.--That is according to the forme of their detention; if they be
but apprehended and deteined by any private person, upon other
private respects, their power no doubt, either in escaping, or in
doing hurt, is no lesse nor ever it was before; but if, on the other
part, their apprehending and detention be by the lawfull magistrate,
upon the just respects of their guiltinesse in that craft, their
power is then no greater than before that ever they medled with their
master; for where God begins justly to strike by his lawfull
lieutenants, it is not in the devil's power to defraud or bereave him
of the office, or effect of his powerful and revenging scepter.
PHI.--But will never their master come to visite them fra they be
once apprehended and put in firmance?
EPI.--That is according to the estate that these miserable wretches
are in, for if they be obstinate in still denying, he will not spare,
when hee findes time to speake with them, either if he finde them in
any comfort, to fill them more and more with the vaine hope of some
manner of reliefe, or else if he finde them in a deepe despaire, by
all meanes to augment the same, and to perswade them by some
extraordinarie meanes to put themselves downe, which very commonly
they doe; but if they be penitent and confesse, God will not permit
him to trouble them any more with his presence and allurements.
PHI.--It is not good using his counsell I see then; but I would
earnestly know, when he appeares to them in prison, what formes uses
he then to take?
EPI.--Divers formes, even as hee uses to doe at other times unto
them; but ordinarily in such a forme as they agree upon among
themselves; or, if they be but prentises, according to the qualitie
of their circles or conjurations: yet to these capped creatures he
appeares as he pleases, and as he findes meetest for their humours;
for even at their publicke conventions, hee appeares to divers of
them in divers formes, as we have found by the difference of their
confessions in that point; for he deluding them with vaine
impressions in the aire, makes himselfe to seeme more terrible to the
grosser sort, that they may thereby be mooved to feare and reverence
him the more, and lesse monstrous and uncouth like againe to the
craftier sort, lest otherwise they might sturre and skunner at his
uglinesse.
PHI.--How can he then be felt, as they confesse they have done, if
his body be but of aire?
EPI.--I heare little of that amongst their confessions, yet may he
make himselfe palpable, either by assuming any dead bodie, and using
the ministerie thereof, or else by deluding as well their sense of
feeling as seeing, which is not impossible to him to doe, since all
our senses, as wee are so weake, and even by ordinarie sicknesses,
will be oftentimes deluded.
PHI.--But I would speere one word further yet concerning his
appearing to them in prison, which is this, may any other that
chances to be present at that time in the prison see him as well as
they?
EPI.--Sometimes they will, and sometimes not, as it pleases God.
_Of the Tryall and Punishment of Witches--What sort of Accusation
ought to be admitted against them--What is the cause of the
increasing so farre of their number in this age._
PHI.--Then to make an end of our conference, since I see it drawes
late, what forme of punishment thinke yee merit these witches?
EPI.--They ought to be put to death according to the law of God, the
civill and imperial law, and municipall law of all Christian nations.
PHI.--But what kinde of death I pray you?
EPI.--It is commonly used by fire, but that is an indifferent thing
to be used in every countrey, according to the law or custome
thereof.
PHI.--But ought no sexe, age, nor ranke, to be exempted?
EPI.--None at all, (being so used by the lawfull magistrate), for it
is the highest point of idolatry wherein no exception is admitted by
the law of God.
PHI.--Then barnes may not be spared?
EPI.--Yea, not a haire the lesse of my conclusion, for they are not
that capable of reason as to practise such things; and for any being
in company, and not reveiling thereof, their less and ignorant age
will no doubt excuse them.
PHI.--I see ye condemne them all that are of the counsell of such
craftes.
EPI.--No doubt the consulters, trusters in, overseers, interteiners,
or stirrers up of these craftes folkes, are equally guiltie with
themselves that are the practisers.
PHI.--Whether may the prince then, or supreme magistrate, spare or
oversee any that are guilty of that craft, upon some great respects
knowen to him?
EPI.--The prince or magistrate, for further trials cause, may
continue the punishing of them such a certaine space as he thinkes
convenient, but in the end to spare the life, and not to strike when
God bids strike, and so severely punish in so odious a fault and
treason against God, it is not onely unlawfull, but doubtlesse no
lesse sinne in that magistrate, nor it was in Saules sparing of Agag;
and so comparable to the sinne of witchcraft itselfe, as Samuel
alledged at that time.
PHI.--Surely then, I think since this crime ought to be so severely
punished, judges ought to beware to condemne any but such as they are
sure are guiltie, neither should the clattering report of a carling
serve in so weightie a case.
EPI.--Judges ought indeede to beware whom they condemne, for it is as
great a crime (as Solomon saith), to condemne the innocent as to let
the guilty escape free, neither ought the report of any one infamous
person be admitted for a sufficient proof which can stand of no law.
PHI.--And what may a number of guilty persons confessions worke
against one that is accused?
EPI.--The assise must serve for interpretour of our law in that
respect, but in my opinion, since in a matter of treason against the
prince, barnes or wives, or never so diffamed persons, may of our
law serve for sufficient witnesses and proofes, I thinke surely that
by a farre greater reason such witnesses may be sufficient in matters
of high treason against God; for who but witches can be prooves, and
so witnesses of the doings of witches?
PHI.--Indeed, I trow they will be loath to put any honest man upon
their counsell; but what if they accuse folke to have been present at
their imaginar conventions in the spirit, when their bodies lye
senseless, as ye have said?
EPI.--I thinke they are not a haire the less guiltie; for the divell
durst never have borrowed their shadow or similitude to that turne,
if their consent had not beene at it; and the consent in these turnes
is death of the lawe.
PHI.--Then Samuel was a witch, for the divell resembled his shape,
and played his person in giving response to Saul.
EPI.--Samuel was dead as well before that, and so none could slaunder
him with medling in that unlawful arte; for the cause why, as I take
it, that God will not permit Satan to use the shapes of similitudes
of any innocent persons at such unlawfull times is, that God will not
permit that any innocent persons shall be slandered with that vile
defection, for then the divell would finde waies anew to calumniate
the best; and this we have in proofe by them that are carried with
the _pharie_, who never see the shadowes of any in that court but of
them that thereafter are tryed to have beene brethren and sisters of
that craft. And this was likewise prooved by the confession of a
young lasse troubled with spirits, laid on her by witchcraft; that
although she saw the shapes of divers men and women troubling her,
and naming the persons whom these shadowes represent; yet never one
of them are founde to be innocent, but all clearely tryed to be most
guiltie, and the most part of them confessing the same. And, besides
that, I thinke it hath beene seldome heard tell of, that any whom
persons guiltie of that crime accused, as having knowen them to be
their marrows by eye-sight, and not by hearesay, but such as were so
accused of witchcraft, could not be clearely tried upon them, were at
the least publikely knowen to be of a very evill life and reputation;
so jealous is God of the fame of them that are innocent in such
causes. And, besides that, there are two other good helps that may be
used for their triall; the one is, the finding of their marke, and
the trying the insensibleness thereof; the other is their fleeting on
the water, for as in a secret murther, if the dead carkasse be at any
time thereafter handled by the murtherer, it will gush out of bloud,
as if the bloud were crying to the heaven for revenge of the
murtherer, God having appointed that secret supernaturall signe for
triall of that secret unnatural crime, so it appeares that God hath
appointed (for a supernatural signe of the monstrous impietie of
witches), that the water shall refuse to receive them in her bosome
that have shaken off them the sacred water of baptisme, and wilfully
refused the benefitie thereof. No, not so much as their eyes are able
to shed teares (threaten and torture them as ye please), while first
they repent, (God not permitting them to dissemble their obstinacie
in so horrible a crime) albeit the women kind especially, be able
otherwayes to shed teares at every light occasion when they will,
yea, although it were dissemblingly like the crocodiles.
PHI.--Well, wee have made this conference to last as long as leisure
would permit; and to conclude then, since I am to take my leave of
you, I pray God to purge this countrey of these divellish practises,
for they were never so rife in these parts as they are now.
EPI.--I pray God that so be too; but the causes are over manifest
that make them to be so rife; for the great wickedness of the people
on the one hand, procures this horrible defection, whereby God justly
punisheth sinne by a greater iniquitie; and on the other part, the
consummation of the world and our deliverance drawing neere, makes
Satan to rage the more in his instruments, knowing his kingdome to be
so neere an end.--And so farewell for this time.
THE END
AN
ANSWER
OF A
LETTER
FROM A
Gentleman in Fife,
TO
A NOBLEMAN,
CONTAINING A
BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE BARBAROUS AND ILLEGAL
TREATMENT THESE POOR WOMEN ACCUSED OF
WITCHCRAFT MET WITH FROM THE BAILLIES OF
PITTENWEEM AND OTHERS--WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS
THEREON.
To which is added,
_An Account of the Horrid and Barbarous Murder,
in a Letter from a Gentleman in Fife to his Friend
in Edinburgh, February 5th, 1705._
PRINTED IN THE YEAR 1705.
The two following Tracts give an account of the witches of Pittenweem
in 1705. The first is a concise relation of facts, in which the
minister and magistrates are placed in no very favourable point of
view. The second is an answer to the first, and seems chiefly
intended to obviate the charges that are preferred against the
minister and baillies, but in our opinion with no great success, as
the principal facts are admitted, and the only defence set up is,
that the women were in reality witches. We have given this author's
story in his own words, with such of his remarks as bear upon the
narrative of the other pamphlet, which is all that is necessary at
the present day.
EDITOR.
AN
ANSWER
OF
A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN IN FIFE, &c.
MY LORD,
I reckon myself very much honoured by your Lordship's letter,
desiring me to write you an account of that horrible murder committed
in Pittenweem. I doubt not, but by this time, your Lordship has seen
the gentleman's letter to his friend thereanent; I refer you to it,
the author thereof being so well informed, and so ingenous, that I'll
assure you, there is nothing in it but what is generally talked and
believed to be true.
All I can contribute to your Lordship's further information, shall be
by way of a brief narrative of the minister and baillies
unwarrantable imprisoning, and barbarous treating of the poor women.
I need not write your Lordship a character of Patrick Morton, being
now sufficiently known for a cheat.
It was upon his accusation allennarly the minister and baillies
imprisoned these poor women, and set a guard of drunken fellows about
them, who by pinching and pricking some of them with pins and
elsions, kept them from sleep for several days and nights together,
the marks whereof were seen by severals a month thereafter. This
cruel usage made some of them learn to be so wise as acknowledge
every question that was asked them; whereby they found the minister
and baillies well pleased, and themselves better treated.
Notwithstanding of all this, some of the more foolish continued, as
the minister said, hardened in the devil's service, such as White,
Jack, Wallace, Patrick, and others; all which, save the first, were
ordered to the stocks, where they lay for several weeks.
All this while Patrick Morton's melancholly fancy (to give it no
harsher term), being too much encouraged by severals, and
particularly by the minister's reading to him the case of
Barrgarran's daughter, continued roving after a wonderful manner,
accusing for his tormentors some of the most considerable mens' wives
in the town, but such as the minister and baillies durst not venture
to imprison.--By this your Lordship may see, it was only the weakest
that went to the walls.
My Lord Rothes, accompanied with several gentlemen of good sense and
reputation, came to Pittenweem, where finding these poor womens'
confessions no wise satisfying, and Patrick Morton a cheat, informed
the privy council thereof, who sent an order to send Patrick over to
them. This turn being given, and Patrick finding that things were not
likely to go so favourably with him as he before fancied, began to
draw to his breeches, and in a short time recovered his former
health, in which he still continues. By this time the baillies began
to be as earnest in emptying their prisons, as ever they were forward
in filling them; so after a long and serious deliberation, they set
them at liberty: but that their last step might be as illegal as
their first, obliged each of them to pay the town-officer the sum of
8 lib. Scots; to pay which, some of them were forced to sell some
linnen they had reserved for their dead shirts and wynding sheets.
I beg your Lordship's further patience a little to read these few
following observations: _Obs. 1st_, The baillies and minister sent
and brought several of these women from places without their
jurisdiction--one from Anstruther, and another from the country at
six miles distance.
_Obs. 2d_, What good could the minister propose to Patrick Morton by
reading to him the book intituled the case of Barrgarran's daughter?
_Obs. 3d_, After so much injustice done to these poor women, the
baillies and minister obliged them to pay the town-officer eight
pound Scots, is worthy of your Lordship and the rest of the Lords of
the privy council's considerations; and it would be the height of
charity to fall on a method to oblige the minister and baillies to
refound it seven-fold.
_Obs. 4th_, One Thomas Brown, the only man accused by Patrick Morton,
and imprisoned by the minister and baillies, after a great deal of
hunger and hardship, died in prison, so as this poor woman's murder
was not the first, neither will it be the last, unless by severe
punishments prevented.
_Obs. 5th_, The baillies in a manner justified these two murthers, by
not allowing them Christian burial, but burying them like dogs,
scarce covering them from the ravens.
_Obs. 6th_, You may wonder why all along I should say the minister
and baillies? The reason is, because during all this narrative he
exercised more of the civil authority than any of the baillies, and
so continues to do, as you may see by the following late instance.
The baillies of Pittenweem being conveened before the Lords of Privy
Council on the 14th or 15th of February, I am informed gave in to
them a subscribed account of the murther; and to justify themselves,
assert they had imprisoned several of the murtherers before they left
Pittenweem. It is very true they did so, but they were not long from
the town when the minister set them at liberty. This, I think, is
exercising the office of a civil magistrate: perhaps the minister may
say he did it by the magistrates' order left behind them; then I
think the magistrates were mightily in the wrong to give in to the
Lords of the privy council an account they knew to be false.
My Lord, this is not the tenth part of what may be said upon this
subject, I hope some other person will be more particular.
I am,
My LORD,
Your Lordship's
Most humble servant.
AN
ACCOUNT
OF AN
HORRID AND BARBAROUS MURDER,
IN A
_Letter from a Gentleman in Fife to his Friend in Edinburgh_.
I doubt not of your being exceedingly surprized with this short and
just account I give you of a most barbarous murder committed in
Pittenweem the 30th of January last. One Peter Morton, a blacksmith
in that town, after a long sickness, pretended that witches were
tormenting him--that he did see them and know them--and, from time to
time, as he declared such and such women to be witches, they were by
order of the magistrates and minister of Pittenweem, apprehended as
such, to a very considerable number, and put into prison. This man,
by his odd postures and fits, which seemed to be very surprizing at
first, wrought himself into such a credit with the people of that
place, that unless the Earl of Rothes, our sheriff, had discovered
his villany, and discouraged that practice, God knows how fatal it
might have proved to many honest families of good credit and
respect. Sir, however, at first many were deceived, yet now all men
of sense are ashamed for giving any credit to such a person; but how
hard it is to root out bad principles once espoused by the rabble,
and how dangerous a thing it is to be at their mercy, will appear by
the tragical account I give you of one of these poor women, Janet
Corphat.
After she was committed prisoner to the tolbooth, upon a suspicion of
her being a witch, she was well guarded with a number of men, who, by
pinching her, and pricking her with pins, kept her from sleep many
days and nights, threatening her with present death, unless she would
confess herself guilty of witchcraft; which at last she did. This
report spreading abroad, made people curious to converse with her
upon the subject, who found themselves exceedingly disappointed. The
Viscount of Primrose being in Fife occasionally, inclined to satisfy
his curiosity in this matter, the Earl of Kellie, my Lord Lyon, the
Laird of Scotstarvat, and the Laird of Randerston, were with his
Lordship in Pittenweem. Three of the number went to the tolbooth and
discoursed with her, to whom she said, that all that she had
confessed, either of herself or her neighbours, were lies, and cried
out, _God forgive the minister_, and said, that he had beat her one
day with his staff when she was telling him the truth. They asked her
how she came to say any thing that was not true; she cryed out,
_alas, alas, I behoved to say so, to please the minister and
baillies_; and, in the mean time, she begged for Christ's sake not
to tell that she had said so, else she would be murdered. Another
time, when the Laird of Glenagies and Mr Bruce of Kinross, were
telling her, she needed not deny what they were asking her, for she
had confessed as much as would infallibly burn her; she cried out,
_God forbid!_ and to one of the two she said, that from which he
might rationally conclude, she insinuate she had assurance from the
minister her life should not be taken.
A little before harvest, Mr Ker of Kippilaw, a writer to the signet,
being in Pittenweem, Mr Robert Cook, advocate, went with him to
prison to see this poor woman; Mr Cook, among other questions, asked
her, if she had not renounced her baptism to the devil; she answered,
she never renounced her baptism but to the minister. These were her
words, what she meant by them I know not. The minister having got
account of this from Mr Cook, he sent for her, and in presence of Mr
Cook and Mr Ker in the church, he threatened her very severely, and
commanded the keeper to put her into some prison by herself under the
steeple, least (as he said) she should pervert those who had
confessed. The keeper put her into a prison in which was a low
window, out of which it was obvious that any body could make an
escape; and, accordingly, she made her escape that night.
Next day when they missed her, they made a very slight search for
her, and promised ten pound Scots to any body that would bring her
back. Mr Gordon, minister at Leuchars, hearing she was in his
parish, eight miles distant from Pittenweem, caused apprehend her,
and sent her prisoner, under custody of two men, on the 30th of
January, to Mr Cowper, minister of Pittenweem, without giving any
notice to the magistrates of the place. When she came to Mr Cowper,
she asked him if he had any thing to say to her? he answered, No. She
could get lodging in no house but with one Nicolas Lawson, one of the
women that had been called witches.--Some say a baillie put her
there.