The Mysteries of All Nations: Rise and Progress of Superstition, Laws Against and Trials of Witches, Ancient and Modern Delusions Together with Strange Customs, Fables, and TalesGrant, James (Archaeologist)
History
The Mysteries of All Nations: Rise and Progress of Superstition, Laws Against and Trials of Witches, Ancient and Modern Delusions Together with Strange Customs, Fables, and Tales
Grant, James (Archaeologist)
Occultism; Superstition; Trials (Witchcraft)
The three women mentioned occupied good places in society. Agnes
Sampsoun was known as the wise wife of Keith; she, too, had knowledge
of the healing art. In her confession she said that, after her
husband's death, the devil appeared to her and offered her great
riches if she would abandon all that was good, and serve him, the
lover of evil. At times Satan appeared as a man, but more frequently
like a black dog. On one occasion, when she was attending Lady
Edmestoune, who was unwell, the devil came to her at night in the
shape of a dog, and informed her that the lady would die. He then
inquired where the lady's daughters were, for he wanted to have one of
them. The witch, however, protested against such an outrage as the
carrying away of a dying lady's daughter, and the dog went away
howling into a well in the garden. At a later hour that night, when
the young ladies were walking in the orchard, the evil one, disguised
as before, rushed at them, seized one of them, and attempted to drag
her into the well. Agnes, seeing this, laid hold of the lady, and sent
the dog away howling. On another occasion Agnes and other witches
wanted assistance from Satan at the bridge of Faulstruther, and, to
secure this, they threw a cord into the river while some magical words
were being repeated. Presently the devil seized the end of the cord
that was in the water, and they drew him to land. After an assurance
from them that they had been good servants to him, he gave them a
charm by which they could perform wonderful works.
Euphame Mackalzeane was the daughter of Lord Cliftounhall. It would
appear that when this lady bore her first child, she consulted Agnes
Sampsoun as to how she could best get rid of her pains, which she
dreaded much. Agnes, willing to relieve the amiable lady of every pang
nature was prone to, transferred the pains to a dog. Time passed on,
and another child was about to be brought into the world by Euphame
Mackalzeane. Agnes was again called in, and the pains were conveyed to
a cat.
Barbara Napier was of a respectable family also, but nearly all the
other associates in their guilt were in poverty. Satan, like human
beings on earth, made more of the rich than of the poor; for while he
assigned exalted places to Dr. Fian and the ladies of birth, he
appointed a poor peasant, called Grey Meal, to be doorkeeper at the
witches' meetings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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