[Satan’s Invisible World Contents]
THough this be of too old a date, to comply with the title of our Stories, yet being a true copy of Record so Authentick, though not so fresh, it may haply not be amiss briefly to name some effects, kinds, and circumstances of her Sorcery; as her skill in Diseases, that the sickness of William Black was an Elf-shot. Her taking the sick Parties pains and sicknesses upon her self for a time, and then translating them to a third Person. Her usage of long Scriptural Prayers and Rhyms, containing the main points of Christianity, so that she may seem to have been not so much a white Witch, as an holy Woman. Her using of such Nonsensical Rhyms, for the instructing of ignorant people and teaching them to pray, as these two prayers, the Black and White Pater Noster in meeter, in set Forms to be used Morning and Evening, and at other times, when occasion offered.
White Pater Noster,
God was my Foster.
He fostered me
Under the Book of Palm Tree.
Saint Michael was my Dame,
He was born at Bethelem.
He was made of flesh and blood,
God send me my right food:
My right food, and dyne two,
That I may to yon Kirk go.
To read upon yon sweet Book,
Which the Mighty God of Heaven shoop,
Open, open, Heavens Yaits,
Steik, steik, Hells Yaits.
All Saints be the better,
That hear the White Prayer, Pater Noster.
The Black Pater Noster runs thus.
Four neuks in this house for haly Angels,
A post in the midst, that’s Christ Jesus,
Lucas, Marcas, Matthew, Joannes,
God be into this house, and all that belang us
But when she sought for an answer from the Devil upon any occasion, he appeared to her in the shape of a Dog, but the way of dismissing, and Conjuring him to goe was thus, I charge thee to depart on the law thou lives on,1 as she did, when she dismist him, after her consulting him about the old Lady Edmiston’s sickness. But the manner how she raised the Devil, was with these words, Elva come and speak to me; who came in the lickness of a Dog. Her sailing with her Cummers, and fellow witches in a Boat to a ship, is very remarkable, where the Devil caused her and them to drink good Wine and bear without money, she neither seing the Mariners, nor the Mariners her. And after all, the Devil raised a wind, whereby the ship perished. Her Baptizing, and using other Ceremonies upon a Cat, with other Witches, to hinder Queen Ann, from coming into Scotland. Her raising of a Spirit to conjure a Picture of wax for destroying of Mr. Iohn Moscrope.
But to be more particular, I shall give you her own confession to King James. Item fyled and convict of sameckle, that the Devil in mans lickness met her going out to the fields from her own house at Keith, betwixt five and six at even, being alone and commanded her to be at North-berwick Kirk the next night. To which place she came on horse-back, conveyed by her Good-son, called Iohn Couper, and lighted at the Kirk-yeard, or a little before she came to it, about eleven hours at even. They danced along the Kirk-yeard, Geilie Duncan playing on a Trump, and Iohn Fein mussiled led the Ring. The said Agnes and her daughter followed next. Besides, there were Kate Gray George Moilis his wife, Robert Grierson Katherin Duncan, Bessie Wright, Isabel Gilmore, Iohn Graymail, Duncan Buchanan, Thomas Barnhil and his wife, Gilbert Mackgill, Iohn Mackgill, Katharine Mackgill with the rest of their Cummers above an hundred Persons, whereof there were six men, and all the rest women. The women made first their courtesy to their Maister, and then the men. The men turning nine times Widder-shines about, and the Women six times. Iohn Fein blew up the Kirk doors, and blew in the lights, which were like Mickl black candles sticking round about the Pulpit.
The Devil started up himself in the Pulpit like a mickle black man, and calling the Row, every one answered Here, Mr. Robert Grierson being named, they all ran hirdie girdie, and were angry: for it was promised he should be called Robert the Comptroller, alias Rob the Rower, for expriming of his name.
The first thing he demanded was, if they kept all promise, and had been good servants, and what they had done since the last time, they had conveened. At his command they opened up three Graves, two within, and one out of the Kirk, and cutted off from the dead Corps, the Joints of their Fingers, Toes, and Niese, and parted them amongst them, and the said Agnes Sympson got for her part, a Winding-sheet, and two Joints. The Devil commanded them to keep the Joynts upon them while they were dry, and then to make a powder of them, to do evil withall. Then he commanded them to keep his commandments, which were to do all the evil and mischief they could. Before they departed, and were dismist, they behoved to kiss his Arse, with reverence to the Reader. He had on him, an gown, and an Coat, which were both black. And they that were assembled, part stood, and part sat. John Fein was ever nearest the Devil at his left Elbock, Graymail keeped the door.
That which is observable in John Fein is, that the Devil, appeared to him, not in black, but in white raiment, but proposed as Hellish a Covenant to him as those Fiends that appear in black. His Skimming on the sea in a boat, is remarkable, with those of his complices, and his foretelling the leak in the Queen’s Ship by the help of the Devil. His raising Winds with the rest, when the King sailed into Denmark, by casting a Cat into the sea, which the Devil delivered to them, and taught them to cry Hola, when they first cast it in. His raising a Mist, at the King’s return from Denmark, by getting Satan to cast a thing like a Footbal, (it appearing to John like a Wisp) into the sea, which made a Reek to arise, whereby the Kings Majestie might be cast upon the coast of England. His opening of locks by Sorcery as one by mere blowing into a Womans hand, while he sate by the fire. His embarquing in a boat with other Witches, and all of them sailing over sea, and entering within a Ship, and drinking Good Wine and Ale there, and sinking the Ship, when they had done, with the Persons in it. His kissing Satans Arse, (with reverence) again at another Conventicle. His being swiftly carried above in the Air in chasing of a Cat to catch her, to cast into the sea, thereby to raise winds, according to the prescription of Satan. His pretending to tell any man how long he should live, if he told him but the day of his birth.
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