Witchcraft and Superstitious Record Witchcraft and Superstitious Record IN THE South-Western District of Scotland Witchcraft Witch Trials Fairy Lore Brownie Lore Wraiths Warnings Death Customs Funeral Ceremony Ghost Lore Haunted Houses BY J. MAXWELL WOOD, M.B. _Author of "Smuggling in the Solway and Around the Galloway Sea-board"_ _Editor of "The Gallovidian," 1900-1911_ _Illustrated from Special Drawings by John Copland, Esq., Dundrenna_ DUMFRIES: J. MAXWELL & SON 1911 "For she's gathered witch dew in the Kells kirkyard, In the mirk how of the moon, And fed hersel' wi' th' wild witch milk With a red-hot burning spoon." --_M'Lehan._ [Illustration] _To_ Alison Jean Maxwell Wood _A "witch" of my most intimate acquaintance_ PREFACE. Throughout Dumfriesshire and Galloway remnants of old-world customs still linger, suggesting a remoter time, when superstitious practice and belief held all-important sway in the daily round and task of the people. In gathering together the available material bearing upon such matters, more particularly in the direction of witchcraft, fairy-lore, death warnings, funeral ceremony and ghost story, the author trusts that by recording the results of his gleanings much as they have been received, and without at all attempting to subject them to higher analysis or criticism, a truer aspect and reflection of the influence of superstition upon the social life of those older days, may be all the more adequately presented. 112 GEORGE STREET, EDINBURGH, August 9th, 1911. CONTENTS. _Page._ CHAPTER I. Traditional Witchcraft Described 1 CHAPTER II. Witch Narrative 21 CHAPTER III. Witchcraft Trials and Persecution 66 CHAPTER IV. Fairies and Brownies 142 CHAPTER V. Wraiths and Warnings 198 CHAPTER VI. Death Customs and Funeral Ceremony 216 CHAPTER VII. Ghost Lore and Haunted Houses 244 APPENDIX. (_a_) Surprising Story of the Devil of Glenluce 302 (_b_) A True Relation of an Apparition which Infested the house of Andrew Mackie, Ringcroft of Stocking, Parish of Rerwick, etc. 321 (_c_) The Laird o' Coul's Ghost 344 ILLUSTRATIONS. _Page._ The Witches' Ride 4 "And Perish'd Mony a Bonny Boat" 12