Lex Rex in one hand, and the causes of God's wrath in the other, and this
in midst of rocks, and reels, and kirk stools, logs of wood, and spurs,
and covenants, acts of assembly, protestations, with this inscription,
'REBELLION IS THE MOTHER OF WITCHCRAFT.'"
But Episcopacy was abhorrent to the people generally. A contemporary
writer--a Presbyterian--candidly remarks, "I have known some profane
people that, if they committed an error over night, thought affronting a
curate to-morrow a testimony of their repentance." This religious
animosity had no doubt much to do with the belief that witchcraft was
common among the Episcopalian clergy. The Reverend James Kirkton (before
alluded to), a true son of the Kirk, writing at that time gravely relates,
amongst several similar accusations, that one Gideen Penman said grace at
the devil's table as his chaplain; that one Thomson, the curate of
Anstruther, was a "diabolic man," the wench who bore a lantern in front,
as he returned from a visit, "affirming that she saw something like a
black beast pass the bridge before him;" and that the hated Archbishop
Sharp, when assassinated, had "several strange things," and, in
particular, "parings of nails," about his person. Archbishop Sharp was
also charged with entertaining "the muckle black Deil" in his study at
midnight, and of being "levitated" and dancing in the air; and of
Archbishop Adamson, men of learning like James, nephew and companion of
Andrew Melville, believed that, as in the case of other witches, he had a
familiar in the form of a hare, which once ran before him down the
street.
It is a curious circumstance, as Pitcairn in his "Criminal Trials" points
out, that in almost all the confessions of Scottish witches, their
initiation and many of their gatherings were said to have taken place
within churches, or at least the surrounding ground, and a certain
derisive form of service was carried out. James VI. of Scotland and I. of
England was, in the matter of witches, undoubtedly the greatest royal
expert that ever lived. His famous dialogue, "Daemonologie," in which he
carefully classifies witches, describes their ceremonials, and details
their various characteristics, did much to encourage popular credulity and
the spirit of persecution. "Witches," he affirms, "ought to be put to
death, according to the laws of God, the civil and imperial law, and the
municipal law of all Christian nations; yea, to spare the life, and not
strike whom God bids strike, and so severely punish so odious a treason
against God, is not only unlawful, but, doubtless, as great a sin as was
Saul's sparing Agag." He even contended that, because the crime was
generally abominable, evidence in proof might be received which would be
rejected in other offences, and that the only means of escape to be
offered was through the ordeal. If we only remember that Luther said he
would burn every one of them, urging that there must be witches because
the Bible says, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," we shall wonder
less at the credulity of the witch-hunting king.
The principal witch cases and trials in Scotland may be said to date from
the conspiracy of devils to prevent James's union with the Princess Anne
of Denmark. "An overwhelming tempest at sea during the voyage of these
anti-papal, anti-diabolic, royal personages was the appointed means of
their destruction." To describe the trial of those who were implicated as
the human agents, even though it may be one of the most extraordinary and
weirdly fascinating stories in the annals of Scottish witchcraft, would be
beyond the scope of this article; it is fully related in an exceedingly
scarce black-letter pamphlet--"Newes from Scotland, declaring the damnable
Life of Doctor Fian, a notable Sorcerer, who was burned at Edenbrough in
Januarie last, 1591; which Doctor was Register to the Devill, that sundry
times preached at North-Baricke Kirke to a number of notorious Witches,
&c." It may be noted, however, that "Agnis Sampson, which was the elder
witch," at last confessed, "before the king's majestie and his councell,"
"that upon the night of Allhollon-Even, 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 in 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 handes 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 Geillis Duncane (another of those
charged) did goe before them, playing this reill or daunce uppon a small
trumpe, called a Jewe's trumpe, untill they entered into the Kerk of
North-Barrick.
"These confessions made the king in a wonderful admiration, and sent for
the saide Geillis 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 Agnis Sampson confessed that the divell being then at North
Barrick Kirke, attending their comming, in the habit or likenesse of a
man, and seeing that they tarried over long, hee at their comming enjoyned
them all to a penance ... and having made his ungodly exhortations,
wherein he did greatly inveigh against the King 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 demanded of the divell, why he did beare such
hatred to the king? who answered, by reason the king is the greatest
enemie hee hath in the world."
Spottiswoode also tells a fantastic story in connection with this Agnes
Sampson, Dr John Fian, Geillie Duncan, and others, meeting the devil at
North Berwick kirk, of black candles round about the pulpit, of the devil
calling the roll and preaching a sermon, and of the rifling of three
graves for magical cookery. Of Francis, Earl of Bothwell, who was accused
of being associated with Dr Fian in his magical conspiracy against the
king, and who was also imprisoned for having conspired the king's death by
sorcery, we have this note attached to a curious discourse, from Mr Robert
Bruce's Sermons, preached at Edinburgh, November 9th, 1589--"At the which
time the Earle Bothwell made his publicke repentance in the church." It
will not be forgotten that, in "Tam o' Shanter," Burns depicts a witches'
meeting in Alloway Kirk:--
"A winnock-bunker in the east,
There sat auld Nick, in shape o' beast;
A towzie tyke, black, grim, and large,
To gie them music was his charge:
He screw'd the pipes and gart them skirl,
Till roof and rafters a' did dirl.--
Coffins stood round like open presses,
That show'd the dead in their last dresses;
And by some devilish cantraip sleight
Each in its cauld hand held a light."
As typical of the evidence afforded by parochial inquisitions, and on
which death sentences were based, the following may be taken:--
"Isabel Roby.--She is indicted to have bidden her gudeman, when he went to
St. Fergus to buy cattle, that if he bought any before his home-coming, he
should go three times 'woodersonis' about them, and then take three
'ruggis' off a dry hillock, and fetch home to her. Also, that dwelling at
Ardmair, there came in a poor man craving alms, to whom she offered milk,
but he refused it, because, as he then presently said, she had three
folks' milk and her own in the pan; and when Elspet Mackay, then present,
wondered at it, he said, 'Marvel not, for she has thy farrow kye's milk
also in her pan.' Also, she is commonly seen in the form of a hare,
passing through the town, for as soon as the hare vanishes out of sight,
she appears."
"Margaret Rianch, in Green Cottis, was seen in the dawn of the day by
James Stevens embracing every nook of John Donaldson's house three times,
who continually thereafter was diseased, and at last died. She said to
John Ritchie, when he took a tack (a piece of ground) in the Green Cottis,
that his gear from that day forth should continually decay, and so it came
to pass. Also, she cast a number of stones in a tub, amongst water, which
thereafter was seen dancing. When she clips her sheep, she turns the bowl
of the shears three times in her mouth. Also, James Stevens saw her
meeting John Donaldson's 'hoggs' (sheep a year old) in the burn of the
Green Cottis, and casting the water out between her feet backward, in the
sheep's face, and so they all died."
These charges were considered sufficient by the Presbytery of Kincardine,
and were duly signed by "Mr Jhone Ros, Minister at Lumphanan."
The following, under date February 8th, 1719, will, however, more clearly
illustrate the manner in which an accused person was examined by Kirk
authority:--
"The said day, Mr William Innes, minister of Thurso, having interrogat
Margaret Nin-Gilbert, who was apprehended Fryday last, on suspicion of
witchcraft, as follows:--1_mo_, Being interrogat, If ever there was any
compact between her and the devil? Confessed, That as she was travelling
some time bygone, in ane evening, the devill met with her in the way in
the likeness of a man, and engaged her to take on with him, which she
consented to; and that she said she knew him to be the devil or he parted
with her. 2_do_, Being interrogat, If ever the devil appeared afterwards
to her? Confessed, That sometimes he appeared in the likeness of a great
black horse, and other times riding on a black horse, and that he appeared
sometimes in the likeness of a black cloud, and sometimes like a black
henn. 3_to_, Being interrogat, If she was in the house of William
Montgomerie, mason in the Burnside of Scrabster, especially on that night
when that house was dreadfully infested with severall catts, to that
degree that W. M. foresaid was obliged to use sword, durk, and ax in
beating and fraying away these catts? Confessed, That she was bodily
present yr, and that the said M. had broke her legg either by the durk or
ax, which legg since has fallen off from the other part of her body; and
that she was in the likeness of a feltered cat, night forsaid, in the said
house; and that Margaret Olsone was there in the likeness of a catt also,
who, being stronger than she, did cast her on Montgomerie's durk when her
legg was broken. 4_to_, Being interrogat, How she could be bodily present
and yet invisible? Declares, She might have been seene, but could give no
account by what means her body was rendered invisible. She declares, that
severall other women were present there that night in the other end of the
house. Being interrogat, How they came not to be seene, seeing they were
not there in the likeness of catts, as were others condescended on?
Declares, The devil did hide and conceall them by raising a dark mist or
fog to skreen them from being seen.... 6_to_, Being interrogat, What
brought her and her accomplices to Montgomerie's house? Answered, They
were doing no harm there. To which Mr Innes replyed, that the disturbing
and infesting a man's house with hideous noises, and cryes of catts, was a
great wrong done to him, having a natural tendency to fright the family
and children. The premisses are attested to be the ingenuous confession of
Margaret Nin-Gilbert, _alias_ Gilbertson, by William Innes, minister of
Thurso.... _Nota_, That upon a vulgar report of witches having the devil's
marks in their bodies, Margaret Olsone being tryed in the shoulders, where
there were severall small spots, some read, some blewish, after a needle
was driven in with great force almost to the eye, she felt it not. Mr
Innes and Mr Oswald, ministers, were witnesses to this." In another case
it is recorded that "Mr John Aird, minister, put a prin in the accused's
shoulder (where she carries the devill's mark) up to the heid, and no
bluid followed theiron, nor she shrinking thereat."
The foregoing "dittay," conjointly with the confessions of so many of the
accused, inevitably prompts the anxious question--how could it be that
these persons declared themselves guilty of an impossible offence when the
admission must have sealed their doom? The assumption that the victim
preferred being killed at once to living on, subject to suspicion, insult,
and ill-will, under the imputation of having dealt with the devil, cannot
here, any more than in the astounding cases recorded in connection with
Salem witchcraft, cover anything like the whole ground. There can be
little doubt now that the sufferers under nervous disturbances, the
subjects of abnormal conditions, found themselves in possession of strange
faculties, and thought themselves able to do new and wonderful things.
When urged to explain how it was, they perhaps could only suppose that it
was by some "evil spirit," and except where there was an intervening
agency to be named, the only supposition was that the intercourse between
the Evil Spirit and themselves was direct. It is impossible, as an
Edinburgh Reviewer has remarked, even now to witness the curious phenomena
of somnambulism and catalepsy without a keen sense of how natural and even
inevitable it was for similar subjects of the middle ages and in Puritan
times to believe themselves ensnared by Satan, and actually endowed with
his gifts, and to confess their calamity, as the only relief to their
scared and miserable minds. It would also seem as though some of these
unfortunate women credited themselves with certain powers because others
so credited them, and believed that they could perform deeds of witchcraft
because their neighbours declared they could.
But let us turn again to the Kirk Session Records, than which we can find
no better sources of information. During the years 1649-1650, for
instance, the witch fires seemed never to have ceased burning. In the
Lowlands one, John Kincaid, and another, George Cathie, were expert
searchers. In 1650 the Presbytery of Biggar called on the Presbytery of
Haddington, as well as the civil power, to secure Cathie's services
whenever they were required. In 1649 John Kincaid received from the
minister and elders of Stowe for the "broding of Margret Durham, 6lb." His
colleage Cathie once condemned as witches twelve people in
Crauford-Douglas on the evidence of a lunatic.
And here are a few significant extracts from the Tyninghame Kirk Session
Records:--"January 11, 1629.--This day James Fairlie preichit, the
minister being at Edinr., at comand of the presbiterie, to assist Mr Js.
Home, minister at Dunbar, anent the tryall of ane woman suspect of
witchcraft in the parish of Dunbar--viz., Issbell Yong, in Eist Barns."
She was accused of both inflicting and curing diseases, and was burnt for
witchcraft. "17 September 1649.--Janet Nicolson execut and brunt at Hails
for witchcraft. 25 November.--Item: According to the ordinance, he
intimate out of the pulpit if any had any delations against Agnes Raleigh,
in East Barns, suspect of witchcraft, and apprehendit there for that, they
come to the session of Dunbar upon Tysday, or the presbyterie on Thursday
next. On Monday the witches at Wittinghame brunt, being three in number. 9
December.--Intimation maid from the pulpit anent Patrick Yorston and
Christian Yorston, in Wittinghame, if any in this parish either knew or
have any delations against both or either of them, that they show it to
the kirk-session. 6 January 1650.--Some of our pepell confronted with some
witches in Prestonkirk parish. 13 January.--The minister demandit the
elders if they knew of any suspect of witchcraft, and shew them that they
were to search diligentlie such as are delated be the witches at
Prestonkirk parish, when the searchers cam. Upon Tysday ane man in
Wittinghame brunt for witchcraft. Upon Wednesday, the 23 of January, six
people at Staintoune parish brunt. 3 February.--Item: Reported that the
searchers of the witches were not yet returned from the southe, and in the
meantime that Agnes Kirkland and David Stewart shall be apprehendit. On
Thursday Agnes Kirkland and David Stewart, bothe of this parish, were
imprisoned. Wednesday.--I (the minister) went to Dunbar, being ordained
thairto, whair ten witches were execut.
"10 February.--This day the session sett doon orders aboot the watching of
those that are apprehendit for witchcraft nichtlie, appointing ane roll of
all the parishe to be taken up and six to watch everie nicht, and twa
everie day thair, tyme aboot in order, qlk accordinglie was done. Upon the
20 of February the searcher in Tranent cam and found the mark on those
that were suspect of witchcraft, and shortlie thairafter they confessit. 3
Mairch.--Item: Ordains the watch to be keipit preceisely, and ane elder to
watch everie nicht in turn with them, qlk they did, and promeisit to
continue. The minister shew his diligence in going to those suspect of
witchcraft, both in the day and nicht-time, in examining of them, and in
praying for them, both privatelie and publiklie, and performing all the
other duties recognisit or practised in such cases, qlk the session
heartilie and unanimouslie acknowledge and approved. Upon Tysday, the 1st
Mairch, the pepell given up be Agnes Kirkland and David Stewart, both in
this parish and Prestonkirk parish, confronted with them, and did pass
from some and stand by others. 29 Mairch.--Appoints the watch to be better
keipit, qlk they promeisit to do. 31 Mairch.--Item: Because the commission
anent the witches was not as yet come, it was thocht gude to have ane cair
of them still. The elders shew it was hard to get pepell to watch all the
day, albeit the watch was preceisly keipit all the nicht; and thairfor it
behoved them to tak something out of the box, or rather to borrow it, to
give to some wha had watched this eight days byegane--viz., Robert Nisbet
and George Ker, given to them 3lbs., and efter the burning of the witches.
7 April.--Item: The minister shew to the elders anent David Stewart and
Agnes Kirkland, that now the commission to put them to assize had come
eist to our hands, and that some that were appointed and put in the same
did meet heir on Setterday, and appointed all things to be done, and in
what manner; and Tysday next to be the day wherin to put them to an
assize; and thairfor to appoint the watch to be well observed this twa
nichts to come, and all the elders and honest men to be present on Tysday,
wherunto they consentit. 9, Tysday, 1650.--David Stewart and Agnes
Kirkland were execut. 14 April.--George Shorthous intromits with what
belongs to Agnes Kirkland; promeisit to the session 12lbs. out of Agnes
Kirkland's readiest gudes and gear, and find the box lykwys, if by any
means he culd." There is no necessity to add anything to the ghastly
simplicity of such sentences as these.
The expenses incurred in these matters by the Kirk cannot be considered
trifling. There are significant entries like the following: "21 July
1661.--Given for candle to watch the witch, 11s.;" but much fuller
statements are also given. In 1633 two poor victims, "William Coke and
Alison Dick, witches," were burned, as the Kirk Session Records testify,
on the sands at Kirkcaldy. And in connection with that event these were
the "Extraordinary Disbursements":--
_In primus_--To Mr John Millar when he went to
Prestoun for a man to try them, L2 7 0
To the man of Culross when he
went away the first time, 0 12 0
Item--For cales for the witches, 1 4 0
Item--For purchasing the commission, 0 3 0
Item--For one to go to Finmouth for the
Laird to sit upon their assize as
judge, 0 6 0
Item--For harden to be jumps to them, 3 10 0
Item--For making of them, 0 6 0
---------
Summa, Kirk's part, L17 10 0
---------
_In primus_--For 10 loads of coal to burn them, L3 6 8
Item--For a tar barrel, 0 14 0
Item--For towes, 0 6 0
Item--To him that brought the executioner, 2 18 0
Item--To the executioner for his pains, 8 14 0
Item--For his expenses here, 0 16 4
Item--For one to go to Finmouth for the Laird, 0 6 0
---------
Summa, Toun's part, L17 1 0
---------
The other items, the cost of which would bring the "Summa, Kirk's part,"
to L17, 10s., are not supplied.
The severity with which the witches were sometimes treated during
imprisonment is sufficiently indicated by the following entries, 1597:--
_Item._ To Alexander Reid, smyth, for twa pair
of scheckellis to the Witches in the
Stepill, xxxii_sh._
_Item._ To John Justice, for burning upon the
cheik of four seurerall personis
suspect of witchcraft and baneschit, xxvi_sh._ viii_d._
_Item._ Givin to Alexander Home, for macking of
joggis, stapillis, and lockis to the
witches, during the haill tyme forsaid, xlvi_sh._ viii_d._
Expense on witches, aucht-score, xlii_li._ xvii_sh._
iiii_d._
It could not be supposed that ministers, who were so zealous in attacking
witchcraft, would be permitted by the supernatural powers to go scot-free.
In the evidence given in the Mohra witch commission, held in Sweden in
1670, the minister of the district testified that having been suffering
from a painful headache, he could account for the unusual severity of the
attack only by supposing that the witches had celebrated one of their
infernal dances upon his head while asleep in bed; and one of them, in
accordance with this conjecture, acknowledged that the devil had sent her
with a sledgehammer to drive a nail into the temples of the obnoxious
clergyman, but the hardness of his skull mercifully saved him. And in
Scotland the Renfrewshire witches were charged with roasting the effigy of
a Rev. Mr Hardy, after having dipped it into a decoction composed of ale
and water; while, in 1622, one of the accusations against Margaret
Wallace, burnt for witchcraft, was "that being conveined before the Kirk
Session of Glasco 5 or 6 years since, by Mr Archibald Glen, minister at
Carmunnock, for killing Robert Muir, his good brother, by witchcraft; she,
to be revenged, laid on him ane uncouth sickness, whereof the said Mr
Archibald, sweating, died; to which it was answered, that in truth the
said Mr Archibald died of a consumption of his lights." In a curious
sheet, "Endorism, or a strange Relation of Dreamers or Spirits that
trouble the Minister's House of Kinross," we read how a minister was
molested in 1718. For some time "they could eat no meat but what was full
of pins"; "a stone thrown down the chimney wambled a space in the floor,
and then took a flight out at the window. Also there was thrown in the
fire the minister's Bible, which would not burn; but a plate and two
silver spoons thrown in, melted immediately; also what bread is fired,
were the meal never so fine, it's all made useless; and many other
things, which are both needless and sinful to mention. Now, is it not very
sad that such a good and godly family should be so molested, that employ
their time no other way but by praying, reading, and serious meditation,
while others, who are wicked livers all their lifetime, and avowedly serve
that wicked one, are never troubled."
And let it not be inferred that Kirk Sessions were, without exception,
quick to condemn. We find in the records of the Kirk Session at Eastwood
that a woman, who was delated for using charms at Hallow-even and who
confessed, was sentenced to be rebuked before the congregation; and in the
records of Lanark Presbytery (1630), that another woman, charged with
consulting with charmers and "burying a child's clothes betwixt three
lairds' lands for health," was saved by penitence from punishment. And
sometimes the consideration of cases, far more serious than these in the
eyes of the grave Kirk Session, was wisely postponed, and postponed for
ever, for we hear no more of the matter.