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
1576. Bessie Dunlop of Lyne, Ayrshire. Thom Reid apperit in hir awin hous
to hir, about the xij hour of the day, quhair thair was sittand thre
tailzeouris, and hir awin gudeman; and he tuke hir apperoun and led hir to
the dure with him, and sche followit, and zeid [went] vp with him to the
kill end, quhair he forbaid hir to speik or feir for onye thing sche hard
or saw; and quhene thai had gane ane lytle pece fordwerd, sche saw twelf
persounes, aucht wemene and four men: The men wer cled in gentilmennis
clething, and the wemene had all plaiddis round about thame, and wer verrie
semelie lyke to se; and Thome was with thame: And demandit, Gif sche knew
ony of thame? Ansuerit, Nane, except Thom. Demandit, What thai said to hir?
Ansuerit, Thai baid hir sit down, and said, 'Welcum, Bessie, will thow go
with ws?' Bot sche ansuerit nocht; becaus Thom had forbidden hir. And
forder declarit, That sche knew nocht quhat purpois thai had amangis
thaime, onlie sche saw thair lippis move; and within a schort space thai
pairtit all away; and ane hiddeous vglie sowche of wind followit thame: and
sche lay seik quhill Thom came agane bak fra thame. [In the margin,
'Confessit and fylit.'] Item, Sche being demandit, Gif sche sperit at Thom
quhat persounes thai war? Ansuerit, That thai war the gude wychtis that
wynnit in the Court of Elfame; quha come thair to desyre hir to go with
thame: And forder, Thom desyrit hir to do the sam; quha ansuerit, 'Sche saw
na proffeit to gang thai kynd of gaittis, vnles sche kend quhairfor'. Thom
said, 'Seis thow nocht me, baith meit-worth, claith-worth, and gude aneuch
lyke in persoun, and [he] suld make hir far better nor euer sche was?' Sche
ansuerit, 'That sche duelt with hir awin husband and bairnis, and culd
nocht leif thame.' And swa Thom began to be verrie crabit [angry] with hir,
and said, 'Gif swa sche thocht, sche wald get lytill gude of him.' ...
Interrogat, Gif sche neuir askit the questioun at him, Quhairfoir he com to
hir mair [than] ane vthir bodye? Ansuerit, Remembring hir, quhen sche was
lyand in chyld-bed-lair, with ane of hir laiddis, that ane stout woman com
in to hir, and sat doun on the forme besyde hir, and askit ane drink at
hir, and sche gaif hir; quha alsua tauld hir, that that barne wald de, and
that hir husband suld mend of his seiknes. The said Bessie ansuerit, that
sche remembrit wele thairof; and Thom said, That was the Quene of Elfame
his maistres, quha had commandit him to wait vpoun hir, and to do hir gude.
Confessit and fylit.[928]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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