The Witch-cult in Western Europe: A Study in AnthropologyMurray, Margaret Alice
Religion
The Witch-cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology
Murray, Margaret Alice
Ethnology; Witchcraft -- Great Britain
On the whole, the weight of evidence in England and Scotland is in favour
of Danaeus's statement that there was no fixed site, though this should be
taken as referring to the local meetings only, not to the Great Assemblies.
The Forfar witch-trials give much information: Helen Guthrie
'wes at a meitting in the church yeard of Forfar in the Holfe
therof.... Betwixt the oatseid and the bearseid [barleysowing], she
wes at ane other meitting at the Pavilione hollis.... This same year,
betwixt the oatseid and bearseid, she was at a thrid meiting in the
church yeard of Forfar in the holfe thereof, about the same tyme of
the night as at the [former] meitings, viz. at midnight.—About the
beginning of the last oat seid tyme, Isabell Syrie did cary hir
[Jonet Howat] to the Insch within the loch of Forfar, shoe saw at this
tyme, about threteen witches with the divill, and they daunced
togither.... About four wiekes after the forsaid meiting in the Insch,
the said Isabell Syrie caried hir to ane other meiting at
Muryknowes.—About three and a halfe yeares since, she [Elspet
Alexander] was at a meiting with the divill at Peterden, midway
betwixt Forfar and Dondie.... About four wiekes after this mieting at
Petterden, shoe was at ane second mieting at the Muryknowes ... shoe
was present at ane thrid mieting near Kerymure.'[442]
Isobel Gowdie's evidence is detailed as usual: 'The last tyme that owr
Coven met, we, and an vther Coven, wer dauncing at the Hill of Earlseat;
and befor that, betwixt Moynes and Bowgholl; and befor that we ves beyond
the Meikleburne; and the vther Coven being at the Downie-hillis we went
from beyond the Meikle-burne, and went besyd them, to the howssis at the
Wood-end of Inshoch.... Befor Candlemas, we went be-east Kinlosse.'[443]
The same facts were elicited from the Kinross-shire witches; Robert Wilson
'confessed ye had ane meeting with the Devill at the Stanriegate, bewest
the Cruick of Devon ... the Devil appointed them to meet at the Bents of
Balruddrie'.—Margaret Huggon confessed 'that ye was at another meeting
with Sathan at the Stanriegate, bewest the Cruik of Devon ... lykeways ye
confessed ye was at another meeting with Satan at the Heathrie Knowe
be-east the Cruik of Devon, where the Gallows stands ... a meeting at the
back of Knocktinnie at the Gaitside ... and another at the bents of
Newbiggin'.—Janet Brugh 'confessed that ye was at ane meeting at
Stanriegate ... ye confessed that about Yule last bypast ye was at ane
meeting with Sathan at Turfhills ... lykeways ye confessed that ye was at
the Bents of Balruddrie and Gibson's Craig, where Sathan was present at
them both'.—Christian Grieve 'freely confessed that ye was at ane meeting
with Sathan at the back of Andrew Dowie his house'.[444] The Somerset
witches (1664) varied in this respect. Those of Wincanton met in different
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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