[Satan’s Invisible World Contents]
AN ANSWER of a LETTER from a GENTLEMAN in Fife to a NOBLEMAN, containing a brief Account of the Barbarous and illegal Treatment, these poor Women accused of Witchcraft, met with from the Baillies of Pittenweem and others, with some few Observations thereon. To which is added – An Account of the horrid and Barbarous Murder, in a Letter from a Gentleman in Fife, to his Friend in Edinburgh, February 5th. 1705. Printed in the year 1705.
MY LORD,
I Reckon my self very much honoured by your Lordships Letter, desiring me to write you an Account of that horrible Murder committed in Pittenweem; I doubt not, but by this time, your Lordship has seen the Gentleman’s Letter to his Friend thereanent: I refer you to it, the Author thereof being so well inform’d, and so ingenuous, that I’ll assure you there is nothing in it, but what is generally talk’d, and believed to be true.
All I can contribute to your Lordship’s further Information, shall be by way of a brief Narrative of the Baillies’ and Minister’s unwarrantable imprisoning, and barbarous treating of the Poor Women.
I need not write your Lordship a Character of Patrick Morton, being now sufficiently known for a Cheat.
It was upon his Accusation allennarly the Minister and Baillies imprisoned these poor Women, and set a Guard of drunken Fellows about them, who by pinching and Pricking some of them with Pins and Elsions, kept them from sleep for several Days and Nights together; the Marks whereof were seen by severals a month thereafter; this cruel Usage made some of them learn to be so wise, as acknowledge every Question that was ask’d them; whereby they found the Minister and Baillies well pleas’d, and themselves better treated.
Nothwithstanding of all this, some of the more Foolish, continued, as the Minister said, hardened in the Devil’s Service, such as White, Jack, Wallace, Patrick, and others: All which, save the first, were ordered to the Stocks, where they lay for several Weeks.
All this, while Patrick Morton’s melancholly Fancy (to give it no harsher Term) being too much encouraged by severals, and particularly by the Minister’s reading to him the Case of Barrengarran’s Daughter, continued roving after a wonderful manner, accusing for his Tormenters, some of the most considerable Mens Wives in the Town, but such as the Minister and Baillies durst not venture to imprison. By this your Lordship may see, it was only the weakest that went to the Walls.
My Lord Rothes accompanied with several Gentlemen of good sense and Reputation, came to Pittenweem, where finding these poor Women’s Confessions nowise satisfying, and Patrick Morton a Cheat, informed the Privy Council thereof, who sent an Order to send Patrick over to them.
This Turn being given; and Patrick finding, that things were not likely to go so favourably with him as he before fancied, began to draw to his Breeches; and in a short time recovered his former Health, in which he still continues. By this time the Baillies began to be as earnest emptying their Prisons, as ever they were forward in filling them: So after a long and serious Deliberation, they set them at Liberty: But that there last Step might be as illegal as there first, obliged each of them to pay the Town-Officer, the Sum of 8 lib. Scots: To pay which, some of them were forced to sell some Linnen they had reserved for their Dead-Shirts and Wynding-Sheets.
I beg your Lordships further Patience a little to read these few following Observations. Obs. 1st. The Baillies and Minister sent and brought severals of these Women from Places without their Jurisdiction; one from Anstruther, and another from the Country at 6 Miles distance.
Obs. 2d. What Good could the Minister propose to Patrick Mortoun by reading to him the Book Intituled, The Case of Barrangarran’s Daughter.
Observ. 3d After so much Unjustice done these poor Women, the Baillies and Ministers obliged them to pay the Town-Officer eight Pounds Scots, is worthy of your Lordships, and the rest of the Lords of the Privy Council’s Considerations: And it would be the height of Charity, to fall on a method to oblige the Minister and Baillies to refound it seven-fold.
Obs. 4th. One Thomas Brown the only Man accused by Patrick Mortoun, and imprison’d by the Minister and Baillies, after a great deal of hunger and hardship, died in Prison. So as this poor Womans Murther was not the first, neither will it be the last, unless by severe Punishments prevented.
Obs. 5th. The Baillies in a manner justified these two Murthers by their not allowing them Christian Burial, but burrying them like dogs, scarce covered them from the ravens.
Obs. 6th. You may wonder why all along I should say the Minister and Baillies? The reason is, because during all this Narrative he exercis’d more of the Civil Authority than any of the Baillies, and so continues to do, as you may see by this following late Instance.
The Baillies of Pittenweem being conveen’d before the Lords of Privy-Council on the 14th or 15th of February, I am inform’d, give in to them a subscrived Account of the Murther; and to justify themselves, assert they had imprison’d severals of the Murtherers before they left Pittenweem. It is very true they did so, but they were not long from the Town, when the Minister set them at liberty: This I think is exercising the Office of a Civil Magistrate. Perhaps the Minister may say, he did it by the Magistrat’s Order left behind them; then I think the Magistrats were mightily in the wrong to give in to the Lords of the Privy-Council an Account they knew to be false.
My Lord, This is not the tenth part of what may be said upon this Subject; I hope some other Person will be more particular.
I am,
——————–MY LORD,
Your Lordships most humble Servant.
