Relation XXI. – Touching Isabel Heriot, pp.144-154.

[Satan’s Invisible World Contents]

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 jearing humour, and would have spoken to Persons of Honor with great confidence. 

After several years service, the Minister began to dislike her, especially upon the 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 Ormistoun town, and was sometimes haunting the Ministers house, but without his knowledge. She took sickness about the beginning of Winter 1680. and about the time of her death, her face became extreamly black. Within three or four nights after she was buried, one Isabel Murray Relick of William Craig the Kirk-Officer, saw her Apparition about twelve a clock at night, in her White Robes upon her, such as she was put into her Coffin with, walking from the Chappel towards the Ministers Louping-on-Stone, where (according to her custome 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 Ministers back-yait, toward the Stable. We have onely the bare testimony of this one Woman for it. Within some few nights after, there was a throwing of stones over the Ministers house, and some thrown at the Hall-door and Windows. The stones were found in the Closs the next morning. When they lighted, they fell softly for the most part. The Minister coming in one night, (against whom the Devils 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 plaid, while she was 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 Ministers 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 Mistris of the Family and others came into the Stable, and found the Lad under a great afrightment. This night several clods and stones were thrown, but no person touched. One thing remarkable was, that an old Horse-comb which had been a wanting for several years, was thrown at the Lads Bed stead with great violence; yet wronged no Body. The Horses would have been found the next Morning standing and lying disorderly, and sometimes all in a great sweat. 

While this 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 off his Head in the Bed, and found the next morning full of Sinders 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 jearingly said, now let the Minister, and his brethren with all their Prayers, drive away the Devil. ‘Tis very remarkable, that after that time 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 Sermons to the Town of Ormistoun, to visit her house, and Kail-yeard, for fear vagrant Cows had come over the Dyke; and going down her yeard, she saw in the Ministers yeard, being next adjacent, the Apparition of Isabel Heriot, in that same very habit she was laid into her Coffin with. Never was one Egg liker to another than this Apparition was like to her, as to 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 descrives in the 9. Book of his Æneiods, bringing him down from Heaven, to wait upon Ascanius. 

Ascaniumoue petit, forma tum vertitur oris 

Antiquum in Buten. — Ibat Apollo 

Omnia longævo similis, vocemque coloremque 

Et crines albos, & sæva sonantibus arma. 

–

Apollo went, and from the Heaven descends, 

And in old Butes forme, 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, ratling with mighty noise. 

Her face (said the Woman) was black like the mouten soot, (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 sowen, bowing her body downward, as if she had been seeking somewhat off the ground, and saying to her self, 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 yeard. 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! Whats thou doing here, Isabel Heriot? I charge thee by the Law thou lives on, to tell me? See the like expression, page 24. She replyes, 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 stealled his Shekel, (This was a Jewish Shekel of Gold, which with some other things, had been stollen from him several years before) which I hid under the Hearth-stone in the Kitching and then when I flited took it into the Canongate, and did offer to sell it to a French Woman who lodged where I served, who askt 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, whereupon the Foul Thief appeared presently to me and threatned 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 yet remaining, or if I could not get power over my Master, I should strive to destroy the School-Master. It was very remarkable, that one of the Ministers servant-women, had given to the School-Masters servant-woman some Linnings to make clean among which there was a Cross-Cloath of strong Linning, which could never be found, though diligent search was made for it, till one morning the Master awakening, found it bound round 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 somewhat probable, that they designed to strangle and destroy him in the night time, which is their usual time in working and doing of 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 confest likewise, how the Devil met with her, a second time at Elfiston mill, within a quarter of a mile of Ormiston, and told what the Devil did to her. 

And (says she) I was coming home one night from Hadington Mercat with Horse-Corn, and met with the Devil at Knokhills, who bad 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 remembred yet, that she went the next morning timously, and brought home her Oats, which had layen there all the night. And moreover says she, I cheated my Master when I went to the Mercat 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 Ministers house, got a sore knock upon the back with a stone? It was I, but it was not for your own sake, but for your Good-mans sake Willy Craig, who threw me one day into the Jaw-hole, and abused me. She told this Woman likewise, that she would fain have spoken a word with her Master. After this conference, the Woman began to be feared; 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 anything, such was the Lords kindness to them all. One Isabel Elliot a Witch, confest to the Minister, that many nights his house and yeard would have been beset with Witches. The same woman askt the Devil one time, why they could not get a mends of him? He told her, he was locked up. 

This Woman Isabel Heriot, was never reputed a Witch, nor delated by anie, for Witch-craft. Some jearingly would have called her so. She was indeed ignorant of Religion, notwithstanding of the excellent opportunities she had for gaining of knowledge. Next her riding and travelling from far places in the countrey, in the night, as well as in the day time and coming home late without fear, and her stunkard and ill Nature bred suspicion. If she had confest 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 infallibly conclude. But what could her Apparition be? It behoved, either to be her reall 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, and love of Truth, and useful instruction of the World, though I should displease his own humour, whilst haply I may, upon his better 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 wayes, 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 womans own mouth.