Domestic Annals of Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution, Volume 1 (of 2)Chambers, Robert
History
Domestic Annals of Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution, Volume 1 (of 2)
Chambers, Robert
Scotland -- History -- 16th century; Scotland -- History -- 17th century
And richt sae, by the samen blude,
That reekit o’er the ruthful rood:
Furth of the flesh and of the bane,
And in the erd and in the stane,
I conjure ye in God’s name!’
In two or three cases, one is reminded of the doctrines of modern
mesmerism. Being called to see a sick boy at Prestonpans, she only
_graipit him_--that is, felt him over--and he was healed. Some cattle
she had cured by going up between them in their stalls, ‘straking
their backs and wames [stroking their backs and bellies], and saying
_Ave Maria_ oft ower.’ The thirty-fifth count charges her with ‘curing
Robert Kerse in Dalkeith, wha was heavily tormented with witchcraft and
disease laid on him by ane westland warlock, when he was in Dumfries;
whilk sickness she took upon herself, and keepit with great groaning
and torment till the morn; on whilk time there was ane great din heard
in the house; whilk sickness she cast off herself in the close, to the
effect ane cat or dog might have gotten the same; and, notwithstanding,
the same was laid upon Alexander Douglas in Dalkeith, wha dwined and
departed therewith, and the said Robert Kerse was made hale.’
[Sidenote: 1590.]
A curious affair is related as taking place at a gentleman’s house near
Edinburgh. ‘When she was sent for to heal the auld Lady Edmestone,
when she lay sick, before the said Agnes departit she tauld to the
gentlewomen that she should tell them that night whether the lady wald
heal or nocht; and appointit them to be in the garden after supper,
betwix five and sax at even. She passit to the garden to devise upon
her prayer, on what time she chargit the devil, calling him _Elva_, to
come and speak to her; wha came in ower the dyke, in likeness of ane
dog, and came sae near her, that she was afraid, and chargit him “on
the law that he lived on,” to come nae nearer, but to answer her; and
she demandit “whether the lady wald live or not.” He said: “Her days
were gane.” When he demandit: “Gif the gentlewomen her dochters, where
they were?” And she said: “That the gentlewomen said, that they were
to be there.” He answerit: “Ane of them sould be in peril, and that he
sould have ane of them.” She answerit: “It sould not be sae;” and sae
[he] departit frae her yowling. Frae this time till after supper, he
remainit in the wall [well]. When the gentlewomen came in, the dog came
out of the wall, and appearit to them; whereat they were affrayit. In
the meantime, ane of the said gentlewomen, the Lady Torsonce, ran to
the wall, being forcit and drawn by the devil, wha wald have drownit
her, were not the said Agnes and the rest of the gentlewomen gat ane
grip of her, and with all their forces drew her back again, whilk
made them all affrayit. The dog passit away thereafter with ane yowl.
Then she said to the gentlewomen that she could not help the lady, in
respect that her prayer stoppit, and that she was sorry for it....’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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