Domestic annals of Scotland : $b from the revolution to the rebellion of 1745Chambers, Robert
History
Domestic annals of Scotland : $b from the revolution to the rebellion of 1745
Chambers, Robert
Scotland -- History -- 1689-1745
The devil’s doings at Bargarran having now effectually roused public
attention, the presbytery sent relays of their members to be present in
the house, and lend all possible spiritual help. One evening, Christian
was suddenly carried off with an unaccountable motion through the
chamber and hall, down the long winding stair, to the outer gate,
laughing wildly, while ‘her feet did not touch the ground, so far as
anybody was able to discern.’ She was brought back in a state of
rigidity, and declared when she recovered that she had felt as one
carried in a swing. On the ensuing evening, she was carried off in the
same manner, and borne to the top of the house; thence, as she stated,
by some men [Sidenote: 1697.] and women, down to the outer gate, where,
as formerly, she was found lying like one dead. The design of her
bearers, she said, was to throw her into the well, when the world would
believe she had drowned herself. On a third occasion, she moved in the
same unaccountable manner down to the cellar, when the minister, trying
to bring her up again, felt as if some one were pulling her back out of
his arms. On several occasions, she spoke of things which she had no
visible means of knowing, but which were found to be true, thus
manifesting one of the assigned proofs of possession, and of course
further confirming the general belief regarding her ailments and their
cause. She said that some one spoke over her head, and distinctly told
her those things.
The matter having been reported with full particulars to the Privy
Council, the commission before spoken of was issued, and on the 5th
February it came to Bargarran, under the presidency of Lord Blantyre,
who was the principal man in the parish. Catherine Campbell, Agnes
Naismith, a low man called Anderson, and his daughter Elizabeth,
Margaret Fulton, James Lindsay, and a Highland beggar-man, all of whom
had been described as among Christian’s tormentors, were brought forward
and confronted with her; when it was fully seen that, on any of these
persons touching her, she fell into fits, but not when she was touched
by any other person. It is stated that, even when she was muffled up,
she distinguished that it was the Highland beggar who touched her. The
list of the culprits, however, was not yet complete. There was a boy
called Thomas Lindsay, who for a half-penny would pronounce a charm, and
turn himself about _withershins_, or contrary to the direction of the
sun, and so stop a plough, and cause the horse to break the yoke. He was
taken up, and speedily confessed being in paction with the devil, and
bearing his marks. At the same time, Elizabeth Anderson confessed that
she had been at several meetings with the devil, and declared her father
and the Highland beggar to have been active instruments for tormenting
Christian Shaw. There had been one particular meeting of witches with
the devil in the orchard of Bargarran, where the plan for the affliction
of the child had been made up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account