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
On Sampson’s trial, some of the transactions first revealed in Fian’s
case came out in greater detail, particularly the night-meeting of
the sorcerers of the district with their grisly master at North
Berwick Kirk. What follows was the woman’s own confession before the
king: ‘The devil, in man’s likeness, met her going out in the fields
from her awn house in Keith, betwix five and sax at even, being her
alane, and commandit her to be at North Berwick Kirk the next nicht.
She passit there on horseback, convoyit by her good-son, called John
Couper, and lichtit at the kirk-yard: a little before she came to it,
about eleven hours at even, they dancit alangs the kirk-yard. Geilie
Duncan playit to them on ane trump. John Fian, missalit [masked], led
all the rest; the said Agnes and her daughter followit next; besides
thir, wee [little] Kate Gray, George Mowat’s wife, Robert Grierson,
Catherine Duncan, Bessie Wright, Isobel Gylour, John Ramsay’s wife,
Annie Richardson, Jonet Gaw, Nicol Murray’s wife tailor, Christian
Carrington _alias_ Lukit, Maisie Aitchison, Marion Paterson, Alexander
Whitelaw, Marion Nicholson, Marion Bailie, Jonet Nicholson, John
Graymeal, Isobel Lauder, Helen White, Margaret Thomson, Marion Shiel,
Helen Lauder, Archy Hennel’s wife, Duncan Buchanan, Marion Congleton,
Bessie Gullan, Bessie Brown the smith’s wife, Thomas Burnhill and his
wife, Gilbert M‘Gill, John M‘Gill, Catherine M’Gill, with the rest of
their complices, above ane hundred persons, whereof there was sax men,
and all the rest women. The women first made their homage, and next the
men. The men were turned nine times withershins about [contrary to the
direction of the sun], and the women sax times.’ Another account, from
Sampson’s confessions, states that the witches took hands and danced a
reel to Geilie Duncan’s music, singing in one voice:
‘Cummer, go ye before; cummer, go ye;
Gif ye will not go before, cummer, let me.’
Geilie Duncan, being sent for, came and played the very tune over
again, upon a Jew’s harp, before the king.
[Illustration: The Devil preaching to the Witches--From a contemporary
print.]
[Sidenote: 1590.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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