A Collection of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft and the Second Sight Part 9

iiij lib xiiii sh

Item mair for meit and drink and wyne for his intertinge

iii lib Scotts

Item mair fer ane man and twa horss, for ye fetcheing of him, and taking of him hame agane

xl sh Scotts

Mair to hir for meit and drink ilk ane day, iiij sh the s.p.a.ce of x.x.x dayes, is

vi lib Scotts

Item mair to ye twa officers for yr fie ilk day s.e.x s.h.i.+lline aught pennes, is

x lib Scotts

Summa is iiij scoir xii lib xiiij sh

GHILBERT LAUDER.

UM. LAUDER BILZAURS.

Takin of this above written soume twentie-seaven pundis Scotis qlk the said umql Margrit Dinham had of her ain.

92: 14: -- 27: --: -- ---------- 65: 14: --

MINUTES

AND

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SESSION

OF

TORRYBURN, IN FIFEs.h.i.+RE,

CONCERNING

_WITCHCRAFT_.

WITH THE

CONFESSION

OF

LILLIAS ADIE.

TAKEN FROM THE SESSION RECORDS

MINUTES, &c.

_Torry, June 30th, 1704._

SEDERUNT, WM. HUTTON, WM. DALGLISH, WM. REID, JOHN MITCh.e.l.l, DAVID CURRY, GEO. TILLOCH, WITH THE MINISTER.

The session being called, _pro re nata_, upon a flagrant rumour, that Jean Bizet, wife to James Tanochie, had been molested by Satan, and had complained of some particular person of the devil's instruments in that trouble that she lay under. Whereupon the minister ordered the officer to cite the said Jean Bizet, also Lilias Adie and Janet Whyte, whom she was said to complain of; and also to cite Mary Wilson, who is said to have taken the charm by stroking up her head; and also, he ordered the officer to cite Tanochie's daughter, with James Tanochie, James Whyte and his wife, Helen Anderson, and Mary Nielson, who are said to know something of the circ.u.mstances of that affair.

_1mo_, Jean Bizet being called, compeared not, upon which the officer is ordered to cite her to the next.

_2do_, There being a public report that Janet Whyte should have threatened James Tanochie's family with a mischief, but particularly his wife, before this befell; the said Janet was called, and interrogate, if ever she threatened James Tanochie's wife, she declares, that she never threatened any such thing, nor thought so. Moreover, she said, that James his wife would not say so, otherwise she would lay down her head upon a scaffold. She said, that she was not at her since she took that distemper, and saw her not since, but saw her on the Monday before, and her husband's daughter, and Jean Archibald in Culross; but upon the morrow the woman was troubled. James White being called, declared, that Jean Bizet was in a distemper upon Tuesday the 13th day of June, in Helen Anderson's house, betwixt 9 and 10 at night, and seemed drunk.

_3tio_, That she drank not a gill in that house, but before she came to Helen's house, she was about half an hour in Mary Wilson's.

_4to_, She seemed to be strangely distempered, and he heard her say, Agnes, beware lest Lilias Adie come upon you and your child.

_2d_, She said to Mary Nielson, Lilias Adie thinks to use me as she used your sister.

_3tio_, She complained upon Mary Wilson, but none saw the said Mary; as she went home, she cryed, _now, now, Jenny, I'll be felled now, there three blew doublets_, frequently, and wringing her hands. _Note_--She got a considerable sleep in Helen Anderson's.

_5to_, As she went home, he had let her go, and she not only went freely, but did run violently, without stumbling in the least, the breadth of Torry Park, and he had difficulty to overtake her, notwithstanding there was both a d.y.k.e and furrows in the way.

_6to_, He declared, that he heard that the next day she was no better.

_7no_, He declared, that on the Monday before, Janet Whyte said to him, before James Alexander in Drumfin, that she would make Jean Bizet forethink what she had done to her in not paying her two barrels of ale which she sold her, on this purpose she could not get the maltman payed.

_3tio_, Helen Anderson being called, declared, that Jean Bizet was in her house, out of Mary Wilson's, about 5 or 6 at night the foresaid day, and she seemed to be strangely distempered. _2dly_, Her eyes raised, and could drink none. _3tio_, Ater she had sleeped from 6 to near 9, and when she awaked, she cryed, _by G.o.d he is going to take me! by Christ he is going to take me! O Lilly with her blew doublet! O Mary, Mary Wilson!_ repeating _Christ keep me!_ Upon which Helen said to her husband, did you ever see her in this condition? He answered, never in my life, but she is too much taken up with that company, but let me to her, I shall ding the devil out of her. For this she appeals to James Tanochie and his son, She and James Whyte declares both, that they are clear to depone the same.

Agnes Henderson, wife to James Whyte, called, compeared, declared, that she was sent for to James Tanochie's wife the day foresaid, who was in a great trouble, and never saw her in the like. _2d_, That she sleept a while, and when she awoke, she cryed, _O G.o.d! O Christ!

there is Lily coming to take me, and three blew doublets! O Mary Wilson keep me, she is coming!_ She adds, that Jean was in Mary Wilson's before she came to Helen Anderson's, and she said, that she desired her to go home, for Lilly will take you and the child both.

She heard her say to Mary Wilson, it was not to you that she did evil, but to your sister, what aileth her at me, I never did her any ill. And as she went home, she seemed raised, but went and spak very well, and she went with her, she heard her speak often of Lilly by the way, that she was coming to take her. And she adds, that as she came first into the Newmiln, that she looked and spoke as heartsomely as ever she saw her, and seemed no way disordered; and having carried one of James Whyte's children from the Newmiln to James's house. And, on the next day, being Wednesday, she went to see how she was, and found her complaining of a sore head, and in a sweat, and she seemed not right; and she says, she is clear to depone what she has declared.

Mary Nielson being called in, said, that when Jean Bizet came to her mistress Helen Anderson her house, she was not within, but she was within when she awoke out of her sleep. _2d_, She heard her say, _O G.o.d! O Christ Jesus keep me!_ _3tio_, She heard her say, _O keep me!

keep me! there she is coming, Lilly Adie with her blew doublet!_ _4to_, _O Mary Wilson! O Mary Wilson!_ _5to_, She said, as she went away out of the house, she did no ill to you, but to your sister. She is clear to depone all this.

Jean Bizet being called in, declares, that on the foresaid Tuesday, she came to the Newmiln in the forenoon, carrying James Whyte's son on her back from the Craigmiln, and James Whyte was with her. _2d_, She came first to Helen Anderson her house, and her husband being upon business, she went to Helen Tilloch her house. _3tio_, She went to Mary Wilson's house, where Lott Nicol, with Isobel Harlay, were drinking in the room next to the door, and she went by them to the room, where Mary Wilson filled a pint of ale and desired her to drink of it. She took a drink, but did not drink beyond a gill of it; and Helen Tilloch, and Jean Tilloch, came in and drank the rest, with many others. _4to_, She could scarcely have been a quarter of an hour there, and that she returned to Helen Anderson her house immediately.

Mary Wilson called, said, when Jean Bizet came to her house, she called for a choppin of ale, and stayed until that was drunk, and another was filled, and a part of that was drunk. _2d_, There was none but Helen Tilloch and Jean Bizet, and herself, at the drinking of that ale. _3tio_, Euphan Nicol came in, and she took a drink of it. _4to_, She declares, that Jean Tilloch was not within the door then. _5to_, Robert Nicol and Catharine Mitch.e.l.l, and Margaret Nicol, sister to Robert Nicol, were drinking at the fire-side. _6to_, She declares, that she seemeed no ways disordered with drink, nor any other way. _7no_, She went up to her on Thursday afternoon, and she found her lying on her bed, and straked her head, and whether she was immediately the better of it, or not, she knew not; but she left her sitting at the fire-side with her child on her knee.