Witchcraft and superstitious record in the south-western district of Scotland — John Shaqi
Witchcraft and superstitious record in the south-western district of ScotlandWood, J. Maxwell (John Maxwell)
History
Witchcraft and superstitious record in the south-western district of Scotland
Wood, J. Maxwell (John Maxwell)
Folklore -- Scotland; Witchcraft -- Scotland
In answer to the above "earnest cry and prayer" there appears the
following entry in the "Thessr's" account:--
"8th Jully, 1699.
"The sd day the magistrates and Counsell ordains the Thessr. to give the
petitioner the next week six shill Scots forby his weekly allowance."
Another document, which throws a curious side-light on Elspeth M'Ewen's
trial, is the sentence against one Janet Corbie, who advised Elspeth to
plead not guilty. It is as follows:--
"Kirkcudbright, -- day of July, 1698.
"The same day, it being most palpably and cleirly evident and made appear
to ye magistrates and Consell yt. Janet Corbie, dauter of Wm. Corbie,
hath been and as yet continues in a most scandlous carrige, abusing of her
neybors by scandlous expressions, whereffor there hath been fformer ffines
put upon her, and that she is a persoun yt leeves by pyckering and
stealing as is most justly suspect yrof, and yt she hath been endevouring
to harden Elspeth M'Keoun, wha is in ye laigh sellar as ane wich, in
endevouring to dissuad her to confess and that people sinned ther sowl wha
said she was a wich, and ffor her constant practis in abuse of ye Lord's
Day emploing herselff yrin ofthymes in stealing her neybors guids such as
unyuns and bowcaill and taking them to ye countrie and makin sale yr of,
and sevll oyr thing yt upon just grownds could be mayd appere so yt to
long she hath been suffered to resyde in this place; yrfor, and yt ye
place may be troubled with such a miscrent, and scandlous person nae
langer in tym coming, ye magistrates and consell out of a due sens of yr
dutie and of ye justice of her sentens, ordains the said Janet Corbie to
remain in prison while Munday morning neist att ten o'clock and then to be
taken ffurth of the tolboth by ye officers and wt tuck of drum to be
transported over the ferry bote, to be exported in all tyme coming from ye
sosiety or convercacioune of all guid Christians and indwellers in ye
place, and never to return yrto, prohibiting and discharging all
inhabitants, qur parents, relaciouns, or any oyrs wtin ye toun's bouns, to
harbor, reset, convers, commune with, or entertane the said Janet or
receve her to their society or company at any place or tyme in all tyme
coming, and yt under ye pain of fforty pounds Scots muney to be peyd by
ilk transgressor, toties quoties to ye toun's Thessr. atower whatever oyer
punishment the magistrets and consell sall think fit further to impose,
and ordains thir presents to be publish at ye Mercat Cross yt non may
pretend ignorans in tyme coming, and the magistrats ordane to see the
sentence put in execution."
_Extracts from Minute Book of the Kirk-Session of Kirkcudbright._(28)
"Janet M'Robert in Milnburn is delated to the Session for Witchcraft, the
signs and instances qrof (whereof) are afterwards recorded. The Session
therefor recommends to the Magistrates to apprehend and incarcerate her
till tryall be had of that matter."
"Feb. 6, 1701.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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