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
"The very next Lord's day, 8th May, this Jonet being in her father's barn
about ane hour alone, some little time before sunset, she came to the door
of the barn to read, and while she was reading, about the 49th verse of
Jeremiah, the like bloud did cover all that place which she was reading,
viz., from the 46th verse to the 54th, as I remember, so thick as it
marred all the print and made it unintelligible, nor did she ever perceive
it fall down upon the book, or observe it till it did cover and spread
over all that place; and it is to be remarked, she was standing within the
door, the thatch of the barn being over her head and over the book that
she was reading on, and that the bloud covered the print in the very time
wherein she was reading, it spread over that part of it.
"The very next Sabbath thereafter, 15th of May, while she is again in that
same barn, reading the 14th chap. of Revelations, the like bloud fell on
the book, and covered all the chapter from the 9th verse to the end of the
chapter, in the very act of the reading it, and which, she said, that she
perceived it not, but about half ane inches distance from the book before
it fell down upon it.
"The relater heirof is Maister Henry Maxwell, of Dalswinton, who dwells
within two miles of the place where she dwells; saw the Bible, and the
bloud upon all the three places of that Bible, which is still extant.
"It is not bloud, for it is as tough as glew, and will not be scrapped off
by a knife as bloud will; but it is so like bloud as none can discern any
difference by the colour."
After this course of vision and bloody showers, Mrs Frazer, it would
appear, fell under the suspicion of dealing with evil, in the place of
good, spirits. For in the year 1691 she was called before the Presbytery
and confessed: "That she pretended to prophecying and seeing of visions,
and that she had sinned greatly in being deluded by Satin, causing her
prophecie and see things future. Her book was appointed to be examined by
two of the Presbytery; and on her second appearance she acknowledged that
she was possessed by some evil spirit, and humbly besought the prayer of
the ministers and of all others; upon which the further examination of
herself and the witnesses was delayed. Nothing more is heard of her."(48)
_Records of Penpont Presbytery, 1706._
From January to March in the year 1706 the Presbytery of Penpont was
occupied with the case of the Rev. Peter Rae, minister of Kirkbride. Mr
Rae was slandered by a woman who alleged that he called her a "witch," and
when sick said to her, "They say you have my health, so give it again if
you have it," and also called her to come near hand him, and when she came
he presently bled her on the "forrit" (forehead).
It was proved that Mr Rae did call her a witch, and did in his illness
endeavour to draw blood from her brow, for which he was rebuked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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