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
'We went be-east Kinlosse, and ther we yoaked an plewghe of paddokis.
The Devill held the plewgh, and Johne Yownge in Mebestowne, our
Officer, did drywe the plewghe. Paddokis did draw the plewgh, as oxen;
qwickens wer sowmes, a riglen's horne wes a cowter, and an piece of an
riglen's horne wes an sok. We went two seuerall tymes abowt; and all
we of the Coven went still wp and downe with the plewghe, prayeing to
the Divell for the fruit of that land.'[418]
The greater number of meetings were occupied with business of a magical
character with the intention of harming certain specified persons; though
any other kind of business was also transacted. The North Berwick witches
opened the graves which the Devil indicated in order to obtain the means of
making charms with dead men's bones; on another occasion they attempted to
wreck a ship by magic.[419] The Lang Niddry witches (1608) went to the
house of Beigis Tod, where they drank, and there christened a cat.[420] The
Lancashire witches (1613) met at Malking Tower for two purposes; the first
was to give a name to the familiar of Alison Device, which could not be
done as she was not present, being then in prison; the second was to
arrange a scheme or plot for the release of Mother Demdike, the principal
witch of the community, then a prisoner in Lancaster Castle; the plot
involved the killing of the gaoler and governor, and the blowing up of the
castle.[421] In 1630 Alexander Hamilton was tried in Edinburgh,
'the said Alexr Hamiltoun haifing concaivet ane deidlie haitrent
agains umqle Elizabeth Lausone Lady Ormestoun younger becaus the said
Alexr being at her zet asking for almous she choisit him therfra
saying to him "away custroun carle ye will get nothing heir". The said
Alexr therupon in revenge therof accompaneit wt tua wemen mentionet in
his depostiones come to Saltoun woid quhair he raisit the devill and
quha appeirit to him and his associattis in the likenes of ane man
cled in gray and the said Alexr and his associattis haifing schawin to
him the caus of thair coming desyring him to schaw to thame be quhat
meanes thay micht be revendget upon the said Lady.'[422]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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