Chapter IV: Part 4

This man’s name was Sandie Hunter, who called himself Sandie Hamilton; and it seems was called Hattaraick by the devil, and so by others, as a nick-name. He was first a nolt-herd in East Lothian to a gentleman there. He was much given to charming and curing of men and beasts by words and spells. His charms sometimes succeeded, sometimes not. On a day herding his kine upon a hill-side in the summer-time, the devil came to him in the form of a mediciner, and said, “Sandie, you have too long followed my trade, and never acknowledged me for your master; you must now take on with me, and be my servant, and I will make you more perfect in your calling.” Whereupon the man gave up himself to the devil, and received his mark, with this new name. After this he grew very famous through the country, for his charming and curing of diseases in men and beasts, and turned a vagrant fellow, like a jockie, gaining meal and flesh, and money by his charms; such was the ignorance of many at that time. Whatever house he came to, none durst refuse Hattaraick an alms, rather for his ill than his good. One day he came to the yait of Samuelston, when some friends after dinner were going to horse. A young gentleman, brother to the lady, seeing him, switched him about the ears, saying, “You warlock carle, what have you to do here?” Whereupon the fellow goes away grumbling, and was overheard say, “You shall dear buy this ere it be long.” This was _damnum minatum_. The young gentleman conveyed his friends a far way off, and came home that way again, where he supped. After supper, taking his horse, and crossing Tyne water to go home, he rides through a shadow piece of a haugh, commonly called Allers, and the evening being somewhat dark, he met with some persons there that begat a dreadful consternation in him, which, for the most part, he would never reveal. This was _malum secutum_. When he came home, the servants observed terror and fear in his countenance. The next day he became distracted, and was bound for several days. His sister the Lady Samuelston hearing of it, was heard say, “Surely that knave Hattaraick is the cause of this trouble, call for him in all haste.” When he had come to her, “Sandie,” says she, “what is this you have done to my brother William?” “I told him,” says he, “I should make him repent his striking of me at the yait lately.” She giving the rogue fair words, and promising him his pock full of meal, with beef and cheese, persuaded the fellow to cure him again. He understood the business, “But I must first,” says he, “have one of his sarks.” Which was soon gotten. What pranks he played with it cannot be known. But within a short while the gentleman recovered his health. When Hattaraick came to receive his wages, he told the Lady, “Your brother William shall quickly go off the country, but shall never return.” She knowing the fellow’s prophecies to hold true, caused her brother to make a disposition to her of all his patrimony, to the defrauding of his young brother George. After that this warlock had abused the country for a long time, he was at last apprehended at Dunbar, and brought into Edinburgh, and burnt upon the Castle hill.——I have inserted this story, which I had from the gentleman’s own brother, a thing well known at that time through the country, not so much for any matter in it, as that it may be an occasion to me to speak a little of charms. The word charm or incantation comes from the Latin word _carmen_, signifying a verse, because the Roman soothsayers gave their charms in verse. It is only a strange composure of words to blind the understanding of people, pretending, by virtue of words, great matters may be brought to pass. But words of themselves, either spoken or written, (as these charms) have no force to bring any thing to pass. It is only the power of the almighty God. Charming is much practised by the Pope and the Romish church. Their whole forms of religion, both in private and in public, consisting of charms of all sorts. Pope Leo had a charm, which he said he had from an angel, who taught him, that whosoever carried that charm in write about him, and said every day three Pater Nosters, three Aves, and one Creed, shall not that day be conquered of his enemies, nor be in other danger, ghostly or bodily, but shall be protected by these holy names of Jesus Christ, written with the four Evangelists, and crosses between them, as † Jesus, † Christus, † Messias, † Sotar, † Emmanuel, &c. It is still a common practice among the Papists to carry charms about them to make them shot-free when they go to war; as also hath been found by experience in the late Irish wars, many of the idolatrous Irish being found with charms in their pockets, composed by the Popish clergy. They make their holy water by a charm or conjuration, thus: “I conjure thee, thou creator of water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that thou drive the devil out of every corner of this church and altar, so that he remain not within our precincts, which are just and holy.” This is used in the dedication of their churches. Thus, by holy water, they not only conjure the devil from their churches, but from dwelling houses, from meat and drink, from salt upon the table. They dedicate their bells in steeples, which have power to clear the air from devils. It is likewise a sort of charm which many witches have, namely, to cut the rowan tree between the two Beltan days. If any man or woman, horse, or cow, shall have a piece thereof upon them, no devils or fairy shall have power to meddle with them. An old woman whom I read of, used this charm when she went to bed,

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
The bed be blest that I lie on.

And another old woman taught her neighbour this charm, when the butter would not churn,

Come butter, come,
Come butter, come:
Peter stands at the gate
Waiting for a butter’d cake,
Come butter, come.

XVIII.—_The Ghost of Mrs. Breton._

Dr. Breton, late rector of Ludgate, at Deptford, lived formerly in Herefordshire, and married the daughter of Dr. Santer. This gentlewoman was a person of extraordinary piety, which she expressed, as in her life, so at her death. She had a maid that she had a great kindness for; who was married to a near neighbour, whose name, as I remember, was Alice. Not long after her death, as Alice was rocking her child in the evening, she was called from the craddle by one knocking at the door, which being opened, she was surprised at the sight of a gentlewoman, not to be distinguished from her late mistress, neither in person or in habit. She was in a morning gown, the same in appearance with that she had often seen her mistress wear. At first sight she expressed very great amazement, and said, “Were not my mistress dead, I should not question but you are she.” She replied, “I am the same that was your mistress;” and took her by the hand, which Alice affirmed was cold as stone.

She added, “That she had business of great importance to employ her in, and that she must go immediately a little way with her.” Alice trembled and beseeched her to excuse her, and entreated her very importunately to go to her master, who must needs be more fit to be employed. She answered, “That he who was her husband, was not at all concerned; but yet she had a desire rather to make use of him, and in order thereunto had several times been in his chamber, but he was still asleep; nor had she power to do more than once uncover his feet towards the awakening of him.” And the doctor said, “That he did hear a walking in his chamber in the night, which till now, he could give no account of.” Alice next objected, “That her husband was gone a journey, and she had no one to look to her child; that it was very apt to cry vehemently, and she feared if it awakened before her return, it would cry itself to death, or do itself mischief.” The apparition replied, “The child shall sleep till you return.”

Alice seeing there was no avoiding it, sorely against her will, followed her over a stile into a large field, who then said to her, “Observe how much of this field I measure with my feet.” And when she had taken a good large and leisurely compass, she said, “All this belongs to the poor, it being gotten from them by wrongful means,” and charged her to go and tell her brother, whose it was at that time, that he should give it up to the poor again, forthwith, as he loved her and his deceased mother. This brother was not the person who did this unjust act, but his father. She added, “That she was the more concerned, because her name was made use of at some writing that related to this land.” Alice asked her, how she should satisfy her brother that this was no cheat or delusion of her fancy. She replied, “Tell him this secret which he knows, that only himself and I are privy to, and he will believe you.” Alice having promised to her to go on this errand, she proceeded to give her good advice, and entertained her all the rest of the night with heavenly and divine discourse. When the twilight appeared, they heard the noise of horse-bells, whereupon the apparition said, “Alice, I must be seen by none but yourself;” and so she disappeared.—Immediately Alice in all haste runs home, being thoughtful for her child, but found it, as the apparition had said, asleep as she left it. When she had dressed it, and committed it to the care of a neighbour, away she went to her master the doctor, who amused at the account she gave him, sent her to his brother-in-law. He at first hearing her story and message, laughed at it heartily. But she had no sooner told him the secret, but he changed his countenance, and told her, he would give the poor their own, and accordingly he did it, and they now enjoy it.—This with more circumstances, many times has been related by Dr. Breton himself, who was well known to be a person of great goodness and sincerity. He gave a large narrative of this apparition of his wife to two of my friends, saith my author. First, to one Mrs. Nedham, and afterwards, a little before his death, to Dr. Witchcot.

XIX.—_Touching an Apothecary’s Servant that returned to the Shop after he had been dead._

This is a known passage, which happened in the year 1669, at Crossen in Silesia; that is a part in Germany, which long since was under the Polonians, but is now subject to the crown of Bohemia; the chief magistrate of that town at the time, was the princess Elizabeth Chalotta, a person famous in her generation. In the spring of the aforesaid year, one Christopher Monig, a native of Serbell, a town belonging to the princess of Anhalt, servant to an apothecary, died and was buried with the usual ceremonies of the Lutheran Church. A few days after his decease, a shape exactly like him in face, clothes, stature, mien, &c. appeared in the apothecary’s shop, where he would set himself down, and walk sometimes, and take boxes, pots, and glasses from the shelves, and set them again in other places, and sometimes try and examine the goodness of the medicines, weigh them in a pair of scales, pound the drugs with a mighty noise in the mortar: nay, serve the people that came with their bills to the shop, take their money, and lay it safe up in the counter; in a word, do all things that a journey-man in such cases used to do. He looked very ghostly upon these that had been his fellow servants, who were afraid to say any thing to him; and his master being sick at that time of the gout, he was often very troublesome to him, would take the bills that were brought to him out of his hand, snatch away the candle sometimes, and put it behind the stove. At last, he took a cloak that hung in the shop, put it on, and walked abroad, but minding no body on the streets; he entered into some of the citizens houses, and thrust himself into their company, especially of such as he had formerly known, yet saluted no body, nor spoke to any one, but to a maid servant whom he met with hard by the church-yard, and desired her to go home to his master’s house and dig in a ground chamber, where she would find inestimable treasure; but the maid, amazed at the sight of him, swooned; whereupon he lift her up, but left such a mark upon her flesh with lifting her, that it was to be seen for some time after; the maid having recovered herself, went home, but fell desperately sick upon it, and in her sickness, discovered what Monig had said to her, and accordingly they digged in the place she had named, but found nothing but one old decayed pot with an Hemarites, or blood-stone, in it. The princess hereupon caused the young man’s body to be digged up, which they found putrified, with purulent matter flowing from it: and the master being advised to remove the young man’s goods, linens, clothes, and things he left behind him when he died, out of the house, the spirit thereupon left the house, and was seen no more. And this some people now living will give their oath upon, who very well remember they saw him after his decease; and the thing being so notorious, there was instituted a public disputation about it in the academy of Leipsic, by Henry Couradus, who disputed for his doctor’s degree in the university. And this puts me in mind of an apothecary at Reichenback in Silesia, about fifteen years ago, who after his death, appeared to divers of his acquaintance, and cried out, That in his life time he had poisoned several men with his drugs; whereupon the magistrates of the town took up his body and burnt it; which being done, the spirit disappeared, and was seen no more.

XX.—_A wonderful Story of one Robert Churchman, inveigled in_ Quakerism, _written by_ Dr. John Templar.

Sir, your desiring to be acquainted with some passages concerning the Quakers in this town of Balsham, obligeth me to give you the following account: At my first settlement here in the ministry, I found them very busy in enticing my people to a compliance with their persuasions in religion; this design they did attempt to accomplish by dispersing their papers among them. Two of my parishioners I had a particular eye upon, namely, Robert Churchman and his wife, they being persons of a very good life, and a pleasant estate, I was under a fear, that their departure from the church might be a means to induce others to the same practice. The first in my discourses I had with him, did manifest a very strong inclination to the principles of the Quakers. The second was so far engaged, (meaning the said Robert’s wife) that the Quakers did commonly report, that a principle was begun in her.

As I was one day in conference with the said Robert Churchman, I desired him, that when any of their books came to hand, he would do me the kindness to bring them to me, that we might read them over together, assuring him of no unwillingness in me to hearken to whatsoever should appear reasonable. What I desired, he performed not long after; when I had received the paper into my hand, before I began to read, I suggested to him, that it would be convenient, that the person who had been, the cause of his seduction should be sent for, and hear what was replied to the contents, which he willingly consented to. When the Quaker was come, one branch of our discourse, was, Whether the scripture is to be owned as a rule, which the Quaker denied, asserting, That the rule was within them. After the expence of two or three hours discourse about this and other matters, I desired Robert Churchman to take notice, that the Quakers did not own the Scriptures for their rule, which before this conference I had intimated to him, but found him unwilling to believe it.——It pleased God so far to bless what was spoken, that the next time he met his brother Thomas Churchman, he told him of what had passed at my house, and that now he was assured, that the Quakers did not acknowledge the Scripture for their rule; and, for his part, he would not be of that religion, which doth disown the Scripture in that particular.——Not long after, the wife of the forementioned Quaker coming to his house to visit his wife, he met her at the door, and told her she should not come in, intimating that her visit would make division between them. After some parley, the Quaker’s wife spake to him in these words: “Thou wilt not believe except thou see a sign, and thou mayest see some such.” Within a few nights after, Robert Churchman had a violent storm upon the room where he lay, when it was very calm in all other parts of the town, and a voice within him, as he was in bed, spake to him, and bid him sing praises, telling him, That he should see the New Jerusalem, about which time a glimmering light appeared all about the room. Towards the morning, the voice commanded him to go out of his bed naked, with his wife and children. They all standing upon the floor, the spirit making use of his tongue, bid them to be down, and put their mouths in the dust; which they did accordingly. It likewise commanded him to go and call his brother and sister, that they might see the New Jerusalem, to whom he went naked about half a mile. When he delivered his message, that which spake within him charged him to denounce wrath against them, and declare that fire and brimstone would fall upon them, as it did upon Sodom and Gomorrah, if they did not obey, and so he returned into his own house, where upon the floor of a low room, he stood naked three or four hours. All that while he was acted in a very unusual manner. Sometimes the spirit within forced him to sing, sometimes to bark like a dog. When his brother and sister followed him, and were very importunate with him to resist it, it bid him kill them, making use of these words, “These mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring and slay before my face.” It made him to utter with great readiness many places of Scripture which he had no knowledge of before. The drift of what was spoken, was to persuade him to comply with the Quakers, and it named some who lived in the neighbouring towns. About three or four hours being thus spent, he came to himself, and was able to give a perfect account of what had befallen him.——Several nights after, the same trouble returned upon him. His wife was tortured with extraordinary pains. The children which lay in the room complained, that their mouths were stopped with wool as they were in bed. The disturbance was so great, that they had thoughts of leaving his house for a time, and made it his desire to be at me, in mine. I prevailed with him, not to be so sudden in his removal, but to make some further trial. It pleased God, upon a continuance with him in prayer every day in the house, that he was at last perfectly free from all molestation. The Quakers hearing of his condition, gave it out, that the power of God would come upon him again, and that the wound was but skinned over by the priest, which made me the more importunate with him to keep close to the public service of God, and have nothing to do with them or their writings.——Which direction he observed till November 1661, and perusing one of their books, a little after, on the 10th of that month his trouble returned. A voice within him began to speak after the former manner. The first sentence it uttered was, “Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted?” The design which he discerned that it did aim at, was this, To take him off from coming to the church (where he had been that day) and from hearing the word of God. It suggested several other Scriptures, in order to the persuading him to a compliance with the Quakers, and told him, “That it would strive with him as the angel did with Jacob.” Upon Wednesday at night, he was peremptory in his resisting of it. When it began to solicit him, he replied, “That he saw it was a spirit of delusion, which he would not obey.” Upon which the spirit pronounced these words, “Go ye cursed into everlasting fire;” and so left him with a very great heat in his body.

After this he was, in his own apprehension, in a very comfortable condition; and while he was considering what had happened, a voice within him spake to him, saying, That the spirit that was before upon him, was a spirit of delusion, but now the true Spirit of God was come unto him. Now Satan is turned into an angel of light. It acquainted him that the doctrine of the Trinity was true; and that God had an elect people; and that those whom the Father had elected, the Son had redeemed; and whom Christ redeemed, the Holy Ghost sanctifieth. And told him, “That the minister of the town would further instruct him about the truth of these things. Upon Thursday morning, about break of day, it set him upon his knees, as he was in bed, and bid him farewell.——The same day it came upon him in the fields, as he was going to and coming from the market, and pressed upon him to believe that it was the good spirit which he was acted with, which he still doubted of. One night that week, among many arguments, which it used to that purpose, it told him, “If he would not believe without a sign, he might have what he would.” Upon that Robert Churchman desired, “If it was a good spirit, that a wire candlestick which stood upon the cupboard, might be turned into brass,” which the spirit said he would do. Presently there was a very unsavoury smell in the room, like that of the snuff of a candle newly put out; but nothing else was done towards the fulfilling of the promise.——Upon the Lord’s day following, he being at church, it came upon him. When the chapters were named, he turned to them in his Bible, but was not able to read. When the psalms were sung, he could not pronounce a syllable. Upon Monday morning, his speech was wholly taken from him. When I came to him, and asked him how it was with him? He moved his head towards me, but was not able to speak. I waited an hour or two in the room, hoping that his speech might have returned unto him, and that I might have gained from him some account of his condition. But finding no alteration, I desired those who were present to join with me in prayer. As we were praying, his body with much violence was thrown out of the bed, and then with great vehemency he called me to hold my tongue. When prayer was done his tongue was bound as before, till at last he brake forth into these words, “Thine is the kingdom, thine is the kingdom,” which he repeated above a hundred times. Sometimes he was forced into extreme laughter, sometimes into singing. His hands were usually employed in beating his breast. All of us (there present) who stood by, could discern unusual heaving in his body. The distemper did continue towards the morning of the next day; and the voice within him signifying to him, it would leave him, bidding him to get upon his knees, in order to that end, which he did, and presently he had a perfect command of himself.—When I came to him, he gave me a sober account of all the passages of the day before, having a distinct remembrance of what the spirit forced him to do, and what was spoken to him by those who stood by. In particular, he told me he was compelled to give me that disturbance in prayer, which before I mentioned, the spirit using his limbs and tongue as it pleased, contrary to the inclination of his own thought and mind.—Upon the Thursday following the spirit began to rage after its former manner, as I was praying with him. It was very discernable how it wrought upon his body, forced him to grate his teeth, and draw his mouth awry. He told me, after I had done, that it bid him denounce woe against me. It pleased God, upon continuance in prayer with me, to release him out of his trouble, and so far make it advantageous to him and his wife, and some others who were so much biassed with the principles of the Quakers, that now they have a perfect dislike of that way, and do diligently attend upon the public service of God, in the parish church.—Sir, you may be confident of the truth of what is here related by your friend.

_Basham, Jan. 1, 1682._ JOHN TEMPLAR.

XXI.—_Touching Isabel Heriot._

This woman was born at Peaston, in the parish of Ormiston, and was for several years a very useful servant to the minister there, for all manner of out-house work. She was of a low stature, small and slender of body, of a black complexion, her head stood somewhat awry upon her neck; she was of a drolling and jeering humour, and would have spoken to persons of honour with great confidence.

After several years service, the minister began to dislike her, especially upon account of her not profiting in the knowledge of God, she having so much opportunity and occasion to know and learn; therefore she was put away, and went to other service for a long time; after which she returned to Ormiston town, and was sometimes haunting the minister’s house, but without his knowledge. She took sickness about the beginning of winter 1680; and about the time of her death, her face became extremely black. Within three or four nights after she was buried, one Isabel Murray, relict of William Craig the kirk officer, saw her apparition about twelve o’clock at night, and her white robes upon her, such as she was put into her coffin with, walking from the chapel toward the minister’s louping-on stone, where, according to her custom when she was alive, she halted a little while with her elbow leaning upon it. After this, she observed her to walk in at the minister’s back-yard towards the stable. We have only the bare testimony of this one woman for it. Within some few nights after, there was a throwing of stones over the minister’s house, and some thrown at the hall-door and windows. The stones were found in the close next morning, when they lighted; they fell softly for the most part. The minister coming in one night (against whom the devil’s malice chiefly was) at the back-door, and shutting it after him, had a great stone cast after him, which hit the door very smartly, and left a mark and impression behind it; this she did, or rather the devil, in imitation of a prank she had played while alive, for the minister having caused the other servants thrust her out at the same door, she threw a great stone at it with violence out of wrath and anger. The foresaid Isabel Murray coming out of the minister’s house one night, or going into it, was hit very sharply with a stone upon her back. The servant-man that keeped the horses, after he had been at his devotion, and was going into his bed in the stable, was by somewhat gripped by the heel, to his great amazement; he giving a great and loud cry, the mistress of the family and others came into the stable, and found the lad under a great affrightment: this night several clods and stones were thrown, but no person touched. One thing was remarkable, that an old horse comb, which had been wanting for several years, was thrown at the lad’s bed-stead with great violence, yet wronged nobody. The horses would have been found the next morning standing and lying disorderly, and sometimes all in a great sweat.——While the servant-man had been dressing the garden, he hath found several stones thrown at him, but was never touched, save by one, which hit him very favourably; the house was sometimes troubled within with some small noise and din.—One time there was a burning coal thrown under one of the beds. One of the family upon a night, had his night-cap taken of his head in the bed, and found the next morning full of cinders and ashes, lying under the chimney. If the devil could have done more, surely he would have done it. This is the most part of the trouble which the family met with, which continued for eight or nine weeks, not every night, but now and then; during which time, frequent and fervent prayers were sent up to God by those of the family, and others out of it, which wanted not success. There was much talking of this ghost, and things spoken rashly, and some out of malice did invent lies and untruths. One jeering, said, “Now let the minister and his brethren, with all their prayers, drive away the devil.” It is very remarkable, after that time, that there was no more trouble found about the family.—For what follows, we have only the simple word of the foresaid Isabel Murray, who, coming home from the church between the sermons, to the town of Ormiston, to visit her house and kail-yard, for fear of vagrant cows coming over the dyke, and going down her yard, she saw in the minister’s yard, being next adjacent, the apparition of Isabel Heriot, in that very habit she was laid in the coffin with. Never was an egg liker to another, than this apparition was like her face, her stature, her motion, her tongue, and behaviour. As like was the devil to her, as Apollo was to old Butes, whom Virgil excellently describes in the ninth book of his Eneids, bringing him down from heaven to wait upon Ascanius.

_Ascantiumque petit, forma tum vertiture oris
Antiquum in Butten—Ibut Apollo
Omnia longacvo similes, vocemque coloremque
Etrorines albos et saeva sonantibus arma._

Apollo went, and from the heaven descends,
And in old Butes’ form, to Ascanius bends.
In all points, like the old man still he went,
Whom then to wait on’s son, Æneas, sent;
Such his white hair, complexion, and his voice,
And dreadful arms, rattling with mighty noise.

Her face, said the woman, was black like the mouting foot, (one of her own expressions) the very colour which her face had when she died. She saw her walking under the fruit-trees, and over the beds where the seeds had been sown, bowing her body downward, as if she had been seeking somewhat off the ground, saying to herself, “A stane, a stane;” for so she pronounced the words; for she had gathered a considerable number of small stones in her lap, which the woman saw her throw down at a bush root, near to the foot of the yard. Some may apprehend that these were the stones which she frequently cast in the night-time. This woman seeing her, says, with very great confidence, “Wow! what’s thou doing here, Isabel Heriot? I charge thee, by the law thou lives on, to tell me.” See the like expression, page 16. She replies, or rather the foul fiend in her likeness, “I am even come again, because I wronged my master while I was his servant; for it was I that stealed his shekel.” This was a Jewish shekel of gold, (which, with some other things, had been stolen from him several years before,) “which I hid under the hearth stone in the kitchen, and then when I flitted, took it to the Canongate, and did offer to sell it to a French woman, who lodged where I served. She asked where I got it? I told her I found it between Leith and Edinburgh. One night,” says she, “I was riding home late from the town, and near the head of Fauside-brae, the horse stumbled, and I said, The devil raise thee; where upon the foul thief appeared presently to him, and threatened me if I would not grant to destroy my master the minister, he would throw me into a deep hole there, which I suppose is still yet remaining: or if I could not get power over my master, I should strive to destroy the schoolmaster.” It was very remarkable, that one of the minister’s servant women, had given to the schoolmaster’s servant woman some linens to make clean, among which there was a cross-cloth of strong linen, which could never be found, though diligent search was made for it, till one morning the master awakening, found it bound about his night-cap; which bred admiration both to himself and his wife; no more skaith was the devil or the witches able to do him. What way this was done, or for what end, it cannot be well known; but it is probable, that they designed to strangle and destroy him in the night-time, which is their usual time of working and doing mischief. This happened about the time, I suppose, that the devil had charged Isabel Heriot to destroy this honest man; yet within two days, a young child of his, of a year old, fell sick, which was quickly pulled away by death, none knowing the cause or nature of the disease.—But I proceed. She confessed likewise, how the devil met with her a second time, at Elphinston-mill, within a quarter of a mile of Ormiston, and told what the devil did to her.—And says she, “I was coming one night from Haddington-market with horse-corn, and met with the devil at Knockhills, who bid me destroy Thomas Anderson, who was riding with me; and because I refused; he threw the horse-corn off the horse.” This Thomas Anderson was a christian man. It is well remembered yet, that she went the next morning timeously, and brought home her oats, which had lain there all night. “And moreover,” says she, “I cheated my master when I went to the market to buy oats; for I made him believe I gave more money for the boll than I did. And do not you remember, Isabel Murray, that one night, you coming out of the minister’s house, got a sore knock on the back with a stone? It was I, but it was not for your own sake, but for your goodman’s sake, William Craig, who threw me one day into the Jawhole, and abused me.” She told this woman likewise, that she would fain have spoken with her master. After this conference, the woman began to be afraid, and came running home in haste.—During all this time, there was no person in the family that met with any hurt or skaith, or saw any thing, such, was the Lord’s kindness to them all. One Isabel Elliot a witch, confessed to the minister, that many nights his house and yard would have been beset with witches. The same woman asked the devil one time, Why they could not get amends of him? He told her, he was locked up.—This woman, Isabel Heriot, was never reputed a witch, nor delated by any for witchcraft; some jeeringly would have called her so. She was indeed ignorant of religion, notwithstanding of the many excellent opportunities she had for gaining knowledge. Next her riding and travelling from far places in the country, in the night as well as in the day time, and coming home late without fear, and her stunkard ill nature bred suspicion. If she had confessed a compact with the devil, before her death, it might have been a good ground; but this trouble happening to the family immediately after her death, and her apparition being seen, gave all occasion to say she was a witch. But these things do not infallible conclude. But what could her apparition be? It behoved to be either her real body, informed and acted by the devil, (for her soul could not be brought back) or only the devil taking upon him her shape and form, acting and imitating her to the life; which is more probable.

I have adventured to publish this without his knowledge, presuming so much upon his goodness, love of truth, and useful instruction to the world, though I should displease his own humour, whilst haply I may, upon this mature consideration, gratify some more noble principle in him. For I know nothing in the thing that can turn to his dishonour; for the best of men and families have suffered from the devil in extraordinary ways, and it has been their glory, that by their faith and courage, and confidence in the arm of God, they have overcome him. If I have erred in some circumstances, or in any other thing, I am to be excused, since I was not an eye-witness. And what I have written anent the apparition, was most part from the woman’s own mouth.

XXII.—_Anent a Magician at Antwerp._

Mr. Tindal, the first translator of the Bible into English after the Reformation, being at Antwerp, whilst the persecution was hot in England against the truth, he was told by some English merchant there, of a notable magician in that place, whose use was at feasts, or when they used to meet at supper, to bring to the table whatever wines or delicious fruit the company would desire, and set presently before them, with other amazing proofs of the power of the devil. Mr. Tindal perceiving what a snare this might be to some, desired that when they met together with him, he might be present without being known what he was. After they were met and at table, this wretched magician, after this manner, began to try his black art, but it would not do with him; for whilst he had wearied himself in observing his spells, charms, and incantations, and what the farthest that hellish skill and power could do to satisfy the company, he was at last enforced to this confession before them all, which he spake with great wrath and anger, “That there was one in the company that hindered his work, by reason of whom he could get nothing done at that time.”—I may add to this a strange providence of God.—Mr. John Craig, that was a minister to King James here in Scotland, being, when he was a young man, apprehended at Rome, for venting heresy, as they called it, was shut up in prison. In the mean time Paul the IV. dies. The banditti that night broke up all the prison doors, and set at liberty all the prisoners. Mr. John Craig escapes with an intention to go to Bononia. But fearing hurt there, he set his mind toward Milan. When he had travelled some days, declining the highways out of fear, he came into a forest, a wild and desert place, and being sore wearied, lay down among some bushes, at the side of a little river, to refresh himself. He lay there pensive and full of thought; for neither knew he in what place he was, nor had he means to carry him out of the way. In the mean time there came a dog fawning upon him, with a purse in his teeth with money, and lays it down before him; he, strucken with fear, rises up; but construing the same to proceed from God’s favourable providence, he accepted of it, and held on his way till he came to Vienna in Austria.

XXIII.—_Anent a great Doctor of Divinity that rose out of the Bier, and spake to all that were present._

It is written in the life of one Bruno, that a doctor of great note for learning and godliness, being dead, was brought to the church to be buried; and while they were in their popish devotions, and came to these words, _Responde de mihi_, the corps arose in the bier, and with an extremely terrible voice cried out, _Justo Die judicio accusatus sum_, “I am accused at the just judgement of God.” At which voice the people ran all out affrighted. On the morrow, when they came again to perform the obsequies, to the like words as before, the corpse arose again, and cried with a hideous voice, _Justo Die condemnatus sum_. “I am judged at the righteous judgement of God.” Whereupon the people ran away amazed. The third day almost all the city came together; and when they came to the same words as before, the corps rose again, and cried with a more doleful noise than before, _Justo Dei judicio condemnatus sum_. “I am condemned at the righteous judgment of God.” The consideration whereof, that a man reputed so upright, should yet by his own confession, be damned, caused Bruno and the rest of his companions to enter into the strict order of Carthusians. The author and relator makes this use of it: “If the voice of the dead man could affright them unto superstition, should not the warning of God affright unto true doctrine?”

XXIV.—_Some drunkards destroyed by the devil._

This hath been published in a sermon by a godly minister; but I must insert it here in its own proper place. On the 8th of February, saith my author, in the year 1578, a company of drunkards, whose names are recorded as followeth, Adam Gibbons, George Keepel, John Keysel, Peter Horsdroff, John Warner, Simon Heamkers, Jacob Hermons, and Hermon Frow. These eight drunkards, in contempt of the blessed sabbath, agreed to go to the tavern on the Lord’s day to be merry; and coming to the house of Anthony Hodge, an honest godly man, they called for burnt wine, sack, claret, and what not. The good man refusing to give them any, advised them to go to the church to hear the word of God; but they all, save Adam Gibbons, refused, saying they loathed that exercise. Whereupon the host departed; who being gone to church, they began to curse and ban, wishing he might break his neck ere he returned; and wishing the devil might break their own necks, if they went from hence till they had some wine.

Whereupon the devil, in the likeness of a youngman, appeared unto them, bringing in his hand a flagon of wine, and so drank unto them, saying, “Good fellows be merry, you shall have wine enough; you seem to be lusty lads, and I hope you will pay me well; who answering said, “They would either pay him or engage their neck for it. Yea, rather than fail, their bodies and souls.” Thus these men continued drinking and swilling so long, till they could hardly see one another. At last the devil, their host, told them, that now they must pay for all, at which their hearts waxed cold. But the devil bid them be of good cheer, for now they must drink fire and brimstone with him in the pit of hell for ever. At which the devil brake their necks asunder and destroyed them. Thus ended these drunkards their days; and this, by the way, may serve for a document to all drunkards for ever; and to persuade folk that the Lord has the devil for his executioner, when he pleases to execute his vengeance upon great sinners.

XXV.—_Touching one William Barton, a Warlock._

About thirty years ago, more or less, there was one William Barton apprehended for witchcraft. His confession was, first, that if he had twenty sons, he would advise them to shun the lust of uncleanness. “For,” said he, “I never saw a beautiful woman, maid, or wife, but I coveted them, which was the only cause that brought me to be the devil’s vassal. One day, going from my own house in Kirkliston to the Queen’s Ferry, I overtook, in Denny Muir, a young gentlewoman, as to appearance, beautiful and comely. I drew near to her, but she shunned my company; and when I insisted, she became angry and very nice. Said I, since we are both going one way, be pleased to accept of a convoy: at last, after much entreaty, she grew better natured; and at length we came to that familiarity, that she suffered me to embrace her, and to do that which Christian ears ought not to hear of. At this time I parted with her very joyfully. The next night she appeared to him in that very same place; and after that which should not be named, he became sensible that it was the devil. Here he renounced his baptism, and gave up himself to her service, and she called him her beloved, and gave him the new name of John Baptist, and received the mark. She likewise bestowed £15 Scots in name of tocher, and so parted.—When he had gone a little way off, she calls him back, and gave him a mark piece in good and sufficient money, which she had him spend at the Ferry, and desired him to keep entire and whole the £15, which he declared was real and true money. He confessed, that they never met together but they played their pranks. After this confession, he begged liberty to sleep a little, which the judges granted to him. When he had sleeped a short time, he awakened with a great laughter. The judges enquired the reason; he replied, being seriously urged, That the devil had come to him, and rebuked him with anger, and threatened him most furiously that he confessed, and bade him deny all, for he should be his warrant.——After this he turned obdured, and would never, to his dying hour, acknowledge any thing, for the devil had persuaded him, even from his first engaging, That no man should take his life; which promise he firmly believed to the very last. When they told him in the prison-house, that the fire was built, and the stake was up, and the executioner coming to bring him forth, he answered, he cared not for that; for, said he, “I shall not die this day.” But the executioner got presently orders to lead him forth; and he stepping in at the prison door, was in an instant shot to death, as they say, and never stirred again. In this strait, they appointed the executioner’s wife to strangle him, which she did willingly, a reward being promised to her. When the warlock heard this, that a woman was to put him to death, “O,” says he, “how hath the devil deceived me? Let none ever trust his promises.” All this was done at Kirkliston, before famous witnesses. The executioner’s name was Andrew Martin, and his wife’s name Margaret Hamilton, who, when her husband died, clapped her hands, and cried often, “Dool, for his parting, my dear Andrew Martin.” This Barton’s wife had been likewise taken with him, who declared, that she never knew him to be a warlock before; and he likewise declared, that he never knew her to have been a witch before. She confessed that malice against one of her neighbours moved her to engage in the devil’s service. She renounced her baptism, and did prostrate her body to the foul spirit, and received his mark, and got a new name from him; and was called Margaratus. She was asked, if ever she had any pleasure in his company? “Never much,” says she, “but one night going a dancing upon Pentlandhills, he went before us in the likeness of a rough tanny dog, playing on a pair of pipes; the spring he played, says she, was, “The silly bit kitchen gar cast it a pickle, and it will grow meikle. And coming down the hill, when we had done, which was the best sport, he carried the candle in his bottom, under his tail, which played ay wig wag, wig-wag.” She was burned with her husband.

There is one thing remarkable in the story, that he bestowed so much money upon the warlock, which proved good and sufficient coin. ’Tis seldom he is so liberal. But surely he would be more liberal, if the Lord would suffer him to steal, or make use of treasures lying hid in the ground, or in the bottom of the sea. If this liberty were granted, he might deceive the most part of men and women in the world with his gifts. The next relation shall be in confirmation of this.

XXVI.—_A wonderful and strange accident which fell out at Lyons in France._

A Lieutenant of a guard, called Jaquette, having supped one night in a rich merchant’s house, was passing home, and by the way, said, “I wonder what I have eaten and drunken at the merchant’s house: for I find myself so hot, that if I met with the devil’s dame this night, I could not forbear using of her.” Hereupon, a little after, he overtook a gentlewoman masked, whom he would needs usher home to her lodging, but discharged all his company except two. She brought him, to his apprehension, to a low house hard by the city wall, where there were only two rooms. After he had enjoyed her, he desired her, that, according to the custom of French Gentlemen, his two comrades might partake of the same pleasure; so she admitted them one after another. And when all was done, as they sat together, she told them, “If they knew well who she was, none of them would have ventured upon her.” Thereupon she whistled three times, and all evanished. The next morning the two comrades that had gone with Lieutenant Jaquette were found dead under the city wall, among the ordure and excrements, and Jaquette himself a little way off half dead; who was taken up, and coming to himself again, confessed all this, and presently died. This may verify the preceding relation.

XXVII.—_A Marvellous Prank played by the Devil at Hamelen, a Town in Germany._

This city was annoyed with rats and mice. It happened that a pied-coated piper came thither, who covenanted with the chief burghers for such a reward, if he could free them from the said vermin; nor would he demand it for a twelvemonth and a day after. The agreement being made, he began to play on the pipes, and all the rats and mice followed him to a great loch hard by, where they all perished; so that the town was infested no more. At the end of the year, the piper returned for his reward, the burghers put him off with slighting and neglect, offering him some small matter, which he refused. And staying some days in town, on a Sunday morning, at high mass, when most people were at church, he fell to play his pipes, and their children up and down followed him out of the town, to a great hill not far off, which rent in two, and let him and the children in, and so closed up again. This happened about two hundred and fifty years since. And in that town, they date their bills and bonds, and other instruments in law to this day, from the year of the going out of their children; besides, there is a great pillar of stone, erected at the foot of the said hill, where this story is engraven.

XXVIII.—_A relation of the strange Witchcraft discovered in the village of Monra in Swedeland._