The Witch cult in Western Europe
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Margaret Alice Murray >> The Witch cult in Western Europe
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'Hare, hare, God send thee care.
I am in an hare's likeness just now,
But I shall be in a woman's likeness even now',
with the same variation of 'a black shot' or 'a black thraw' for a cat or a
crow. The Auldearne witches were also able to turn one another into
animals:
'If we, in the shape of an cat, an crow, an hare, or any other
likeness, &c., go to any of our neighbours houses, being Witches, we
will say, I (or we) conjure thee Go with us (or me). And presently
they become as we are, either cats, hares, crows, &c., and go with us
whither we would. When one of us or more are in the shape of cats, and
meet with any others our neighbours, we will say, Devil speed thee, Go
thou with me. And immediately they will turn in the shape of a cat,
and go with us.'[909]
The very simplicity of the method shows that the transformation was ritual;
the witch announced to her fellow that she herself was an animal, a fact
which the second witch would not have known otherwise; the second witch at
once became a similar animal and went with the first to perform the ritual
acts which were to follow. The witches were in their own estimation and in
the belief of all their comrades, to whom they communicated the fact,
actually animals, though to the uninitiated eye their natural forms
remained unchanged. This is probably the explanation of Marie
d'Aspilcouette's evidence, which de Lancre records in 1609:
'Elle a veu aussi les sorcieres insignes se changer en plusieurs
sortes de bestes, pour faire peur a ceux qu'elles rencontroient: Mais
celles qui se transformoyent ainsi, disoyent qu'elles n'estoyent
veritablement transformees, mais seulement qu'elles sembloyent l'estre
& neantmoins pendant qu'elles sont ainsi en apparences bestes, elles
ne parlent du tout point'.[910]
The best example of transformation by means of a magical object placed on
the person is from Northumberland (1673), where Ann Armstrong stated that
'Anne Forster come with a bridle, and bridled her and ridd upon her
crosse-leggd, till they come to [the] rest of her companions. And when she
light of her back, pulld the bridle of this informer's head, now in the
likenesse of a horse; but, when the bridle was taken of, she stood up in
her owne shape.... This informant was ridden upon by an inchanted bridle by
Michael Aynsly and Margaret his wife, Which inchanted bridle, when they
tooke it of from her head, she stood upp in her owne proper person.... Jane
Baites of Corbridge come in the forme of a gray catt with a bridle hanging
on her foote, and bridled her, and rid upon her in the name of the
devill.'[911] This is again a clear account of the witch herself and her
companions believing in the change of form caused by the magical object in
exactly the same way that the shamans believe in their own transformation
by similar means.
The Devil had naturally the same power as the witches, but in a greater
degree. The evidence of Marie Lamont quoted above shows that he transformed
them into animals by a gesture only. It seems possible that this was also
the case with Isobel Shyrie at Forfar (1661), who was called 'Horse' and
'the Devil's horse'. The name seems to have given rise to the idea that
'she was shod like a mare or a horse'; she was in fact the officer or
messenger who brought her companions to the meetings. She was never seen in
the form of a horse, her transformation being probably effected by the
Devil, in order that she might 'carry' the witches to and from the
meetings; Agnes Spark said that Isobel 'carried her away to Littlemiln,
[and] carried her back again to her own house'.[912]
There is also another method of transformation, which is the simplest. The
witches themselves, like their contemporaries, often believed that the
actual animals, which they saw, were human beings in animal form. Jeannette
de Belloc, aged twenty-four, in the Basses-Pyrenees (1609), described the
Sabbath as 'vne foire celebre de toutes sortes de choses, en laquelle
aucuns se promen[~e]t en leur propre forme, & d'autres sont transformez ne
scayt pourquoy, en animaux. Elle n'a iamais veu aucune d'elles se
trasformer en beste en sa presence, mais seulement certaines bestes courir
par le sabbat.'[913] Helen Guthrie of Forfar (1661) states the case with
even greater simplicity: 'The last summer except one, shee did sie John
Tailzeour somtymes in the shape of a todde, and somtymes in the shape of a
swyn, and that the said Johne Tailzeour in these shapes went wp and doune
among William Millne, miller at Hetherstakes, his cornes for the
destructioune of the same, because the said William hade taken the mylne
ouer his head; and that the diuell cam to her and pointed out Johne
Tailzeour in the forsaid shapes unto her, and told her that that wes Johne
Tailzeour.'[914]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 831: Forbes, ii, p. 33.]
[Footnote 832: _Examination of John Walsh._]
[Footnote 833: Pitcairn, i, pt. ii, p. 236.]
[Footnote 834: _Spalding Club Misc._, i, pp. 157-60.]
[Footnote 835: _Alse Gooderidge_, p. 27.]
[Footnote 836: From an unpublished trial in the Justiciary Court at
Edinburgh.]
[Footnote 837: Glanvil, pt. ii, pp. 136, 137, 152.]
[Footnote 838: Sharpe, p. 191.]
[Footnote 839: Forbes, ii, pp. 33.]
[Footnote 840: F. Hutchinson, _Hist. Essay_, p. 77.]
[Footnote 841: Giffard, p. 18.]
[Footnote 842: _Witches at Chelmsford_, pp. 24-32; Philobiblon Soc., viii.]
[Footnote 843: _Rehearsall_, par. 2-5.]
[Footnote 844: Also called Tissey. Compare the name of the magic cat given
to Frances More by Goodwife Weed, p. 219.]
[Footnote 845: In Ales Hunt's own confession (q. v.) the animals in
question are called _colts_. I would suggest that this is _cotes_, the
well-known provincialism for _cats_; but the recorder understood the word
as _colts_ and further improved it into _horses_.]
[Footnote 846: _Witches taken at St. Oses_, A 3, A 5, C 3 and 4, B 2, B 5
and C 1, B 3.]
[Footnote 847: Giffard, pp. 19, 27, 39.]
[Footnote 848: Potts, B 3.]
[Footnote 849: Fairfax, pp. 32, 33, 34, 79, 82.]
[Footnote 850: _Wonderfull Discouerie of Elisabeth Sawyer._]
[Footnote 851: Whitaker, p. 216.]
[Footnote 852: Howell, iv, 834 et seq.]
[Footnote 853: Davenport, pp. 1-12.]
[Footnote 854: Gibbons, p. 113.]
[Footnote 855: Gerish, _The Divel's Delusions_, p. 12.]
[Footnote 856: Glanvil, pt. ii, pp. 151, 157.]
[Footnote 857: Petto, p. 18.]
[Footnote 858: De Lancre, _L'Incredulite_, pp. 801, 803.]
[Footnote 859: La Martiniere, pp. 42-3 (ed. 1671).]
[Footnote 860: Imp = A slip, sapling, scion; hence applied to persons with
the meaning child, lad, boy.]
[Footnote 861: _Lawes against Witches_, p 7.]
[Footnote 862: Howell, iv, 855.]
[Footnote 863: Davenport, p. 12.]
[Footnote 864: Id., p. 1.]
[Footnote 865: _Witches at Chelmsford_, pp. 20, 29.]
[Footnote 866: _Examination of John Walsh._ His master was Sir Robert
Draiton.]
[Footnote 867: Giffard, p. C., see _Percy Soc._, viii.]
[Footnote 868: De Lancre, _L'Incredulite_, p. 803.]
[Footnote 869: Howell, iv, 834, 836.]
[Footnote 870: Davenport, p. 5.]
[Footnote 871: _Witches at Chelmsford_, p. 24. Philobiblon Soc., viii.]
[Footnote 872: _Witches taken at St. Oses_, p. C 4.]
[Footnote 873: _Alse Gooderidge_, pp. 26, 27.]
[Footnote 874: Howell, iv, 845, 853, 856.]
[Footnote 875: _Moore Rental_, Chetham Society, xii, p. 59.]
[Footnote 876: Scheffer, quoting Tornaeus.]
[Footnote 877: Davies, p. 231. For a similar practice in modern England,
see _Transactions of the Devonshire Association_, vi (1874), p. 201.]
[Footnote 878: _Witches at Chelmsford_, p. 34. Philobiblon Soc., viii.]
[Footnote 879: _Spalding Club Misc._, i, p. 129.]
[Footnote 880: Potts, H 3.]
[Footnote 881: Goodcole, _Wonderfull Discoverie_, p. C.]
[Footnote 882: J. Hutchinson, ii, p. 31; Howell, vi, 659.]
[Footnote 883: 'Nos sorciers tiennent la plus-part de ces Demons pour leurs
Dieux,' De Lancre, _Tableau_, p. 23.]
[Footnote 884: Moret, pp. 247 seq.]
[Footnote 885: Camden Soc., _Dame Alice Kyteler_, p. 3]
[Footnote 886: Boguet, pp. 69, 132.]
[Footnote 887: De Lancre, _Tableau_, pp. 67, 197.]
[Footnote 888: _Wonderfull Discoverie of Margaret and Phillip Flower_, E
3.]
[Footnote 889: Whitaker, p. 216.]
[Footnote 890: Gerish, _The Divel's Delusions_, p. 12.]
[Footnote 891: Pitcairn notes: 'Issobell, as usual, appears to have been
stopped short here by her interrogators, when she touched on such matters',
i.e. the fairies.]
[Footnote 892: Pitcairn, iii, pp. 606, 614.]
[Footnote 893: Taylor, p. 81.]
[Footnote 894: _Volsunga Saga_, Bks. I, II; Wm. Morris, _Collected Works_,
xii, pp. 32. 77.]
[Footnote 895: Pausanias, viii, 2, 3, 6, ed. Frazer. Cp. also the animal
names applied to priests and priestesses, e.g. the King-bees of Ephesus;
the Bee-priestesses of Demeter, of Delphi, of Proserpine, and of the Great
Mother; the Doves of Dodona; the Bears in the sacred dance of Artemis; the
Bulls at the feast of Poseidon at Ephesus; the Wolves at the Lupercalia,
&c.]
[Footnote 896: Remigius, pt. i, pp. 65, 67.]
[Footnote 897: Pitcairn, i, pt. ii, pp. 245-6.]
[Footnote 898: Boguet, pp. 120, 132-3.]
[Footnote 899: De Lancre, _Tableau_, p. 129.]
[Footnote 900: Fournier, p. 16.]
[Footnote 901: Monoyer, p. 30.]
[Footnote 902: Van Elven, v, p. 215.]
[Footnote 903: Boguet, p. 132.]
[Footnote 904: _Spalding Club Misc._, i, pp. 97, 114-15, 165; Bessie Thom,
p. 167. Spelling modernized.]
[Footnote 905: Goldsmid, p. 10.]
[Footnote 906: _Scottish Antiquary_, ix, pp. 50-2.]
[Footnote 907: Sharpe, pp. 132, 134.]
[Footnote 908: _Surtees Soc._, xl, pp. 191, 193, 194.]
[Footnote 909: Pitcairn, iii, pp. 607, 608, 611. Spelling modernized.]
[Footnote 910: De Lancre, _Tableau_, p. 128.]
[Footnote 911: _Surtees Soc._, xl, pp. 192, 194, 197.]
[Footnote 912: Kinloch, p. 129. Spelling modernized.]
[Footnote 913: De Lancre, _Tableau_, pp. 129, 130.]
[Footnote 914: Kinloch, p. 123.]
APPENDIX I
FAIRIES AND WITCHES
The dwarf race which at one time inhabited Europe has left few concrete
remains, but it has survived in innumerable stories of fairies and elves.
Nothing, however, is known of the religious beliefs and cults of these
early peoples, except the fact that every seven years they made a human
sacrifice to their god--'And aye at every seven years they pay the teind to
hell'--and that like the Khonds they stole children from the neighbouring
races and brought them up to be the victims.
That there was a strong connexion between witches and fairies has been
known to all students of fairy lore. I suggest that the cult of the fairy
or primitive race survived until less than three hundred years ago, and
that the people who practised it were known as witches. I have already
pointed out that many of the witch-beliefs and practices coincide with
those of an existing dwarf race, viz. the Lapps. The Devil and the witches
entered freely into the fairy mounds, the Devil is often spoken of as a
fairy man, and he consorts with the Queen of Elfhame; fairy gold which
turns to rubbish is commonly given by the Devil to the witches; and the
name Robin is almost a generic name for the Devil, either as a man or as
his substitute the familiar. The other name for the fairy Robin Goodfellow
is Puck, which derives through the Gaelic Bouca from the Slavic Bog, which
means God.
The evidence given below shows the close connexion between the fairies and
the witches, and shows also the witches' belief in the superiority of the
fairies to themselves in the matter of magic and healing powers.
1431. Joan of Arc. Not far from Domremy there is a certain tree that is
called the Ladies' Tree [Arbor Dominarum], others call it the Fairies' Tree
[Arbor Fatalium, gallice _des Faees_], beside which is a spring [which
cured fevers]. It is a great tree, a beech [fagus], from which comes the
may [unde venit mayum, gallice _le beau may_]. It belongs to Seigneur
Pierre de Bourlemont. Old people, not of her lineage, said that
fairy-ladies haunted there [conversabantur]. Had heard her godmother
Jeanne, wife of the Mayor, say she had seen fairy-women there. She herself
had never seen fairies at the tree that she knew of. She made garlands at
the tree, with other girls, for the image of the Blessed Mary of Domremy.
Sometimes with the other children she hung garlands on the tree, sometimes
they left them, sometimes they took them away. She had danced there with
the other children, but not since she was grown up. She had sung there more
than she had danced. She had heard that it was said 'Jeanne received her
mission at the tree of the fairy-ladies'.[915] The saints [Katharine and
Margaret] came and spoke to her at the spring beside the Fairies' tree, but
she would not say if they came to the tree itself.[916]
Denied having a mandrake, but knew there was one near the Fairies'
tree.[917]
My godmother, who saw the fairy-ladies, was held as a good woman, not a
diviner or a witch.[918]
Refused to say if she believed fairies to be evil spirits.[919]
She did not put chaplets on the Fairies' tree in honour of SS. Katharine
and Margaret.[920]
Had never done anything with, or knew anything of, those who came in the
air with the fairies [gallice _en l'erre avec les faees_]. Had heard they
came on Thursdays, but considered it witchcraft.[921]
4th Article of Accusation. Jeanne was not instructed in her youth in the
belief and primitive faith, but was imbued by certain old women in the use
of witchcraft, divination, and other superstitious works or magic arts;
many inhabitants of those villages have been noted from antiquity for the
aforesaid misdeeds. Jeanne herself has said that she had heard from her
godmother, and from many people, of visions and apparitions of Fairies, or
Fairy spirits [gallice _faees_]; by others also she has been taught and
imbued with wicked and pernicious errors of such spirits, insomuch that in
the trial before you she confessed that up to this time she did not know
that Fairies were evil spirits. Answer: As to the Fairy-ladies, she did not
know what it was. As to instruction she learnt to believe and was well and
duly taught to do what a good child should. As to her godmother she
referred to what she had said before.[922]
5th Article. Near the village of Domremy is a certain great, big, and
ancient tree called vulgarly The Charmed Fairy-tree of Bourlemont[923]
[l'arbre charmine faee de Bourlemont]; beside the tree is a spring; round
these gather, it is said, evil spirits called fairies, with whom those who
use witchcraft are accustomed to dance at night, going round the tree and
spring. Answer: as to the tree and spring, referred to her previous
answers; denied the rest.[924]
6th Article. Jeanne frequented the said tree and spring alone, chiefly at
night, sometimes in the day most often at the hour that divine service was
celebrated in church, in order to be alone; and dancing went round the
spring and tree; afterwards hung many garlands of various herbs and flowers
on the branches of the tree, made with her own hands, saying and singing
before and after, certain incantations and songs with certain invocations,
witchcrafts and other misdeeds; which [garlands] the following morning,
were not found. Answer: Referred for part to previous answers, denied the
rest.[925]
23rd Article. Her letters showed that she had consulted evil spirits.
Denied ever having done anything by inspiration of evil spirits.[926]
1566. John Walsh, of Netherberry, Dorset. He being demaunded how he knoweth
when anye man is bewytched: He sayth that he knew it partlye by the Feries,
and saith that ther be .iii. kindes of Feries, white, greene, and black.
Which when he is disposed to vse, hee speaketh with them vpon hyls, where
as there is great heapes of earth, as namely in Dorsetshire. And betwene
the houres of .xii. and one at noone, or at midnight he vseth them. Whereof
(he sayth) the blacke Feries be the woorst.[927]
1576. Bessie Dunlop of Lyne, Ayrshire. Thom Reid apperit in hir awin hous
to hir, about the xij hour of the day, quhair thair was sittand thre
tailzeouris, and hir awin gudeman; and he tuke hir apperoun and led hir to
the dure with him, and sche followit, and zeid [went] vp with him to the
kill end, quhair he forbaid hir to speik or feir for onye thing sche hard
or saw; and quhene thai had gane ane lytle pece fordwerd, sche saw twelf
persounes, aucht wemene and four men: The men wer cled in gentilmennis
clething, and the wemene had all plaiddis round about thame, and wer verrie
semelie lyke to se; and Thome was with thame: And demandit, Gif sche knew
ony of thame? Ansuerit, Nane, except Thom. Demandit, What thai said to hir?
Ansuerit, Thai baid hir sit down, and said, 'Welcum, Bessie, will thow go
with ws?' Bot sche ansuerit nocht; becaus Thom had forbidden hir. And
forder declarit, That sche knew nocht quhat purpois thai had amangis
thaime, onlie sche saw thair lippis move; and within a schort space thai
pairtit all away; and ane hiddeous vglie sowche of wind followit thame: and
sche lay seik quhill Thom came agane bak fra thame. [In the margin,
'Confessit and fylit.'] Item, Sche being demandit, Gif sche sperit at Thom
quhat persounes thai war? Ansuerit, That thai war the gude wychtis that
wynnit in the Court of Elfame; quha come thair to desyre hir to go with
thame: And forder, Thom desyrit hir to do the sam; quha ansuerit, 'Sche saw
na proffeit to gang thai kynd of gaittis, vnles sche kend quhairfor'. Thom
said, 'Seis thow nocht me, baith meit-worth, claith-worth, and gude aneuch
lyke in persoun, and [he] suld make hir far better nor euer sche was?' Sche
ansuerit, 'That sche duelt with hir awin husband and bairnis, and culd
nocht leif thame.' And swa Thom began to be verrie crabit [angry] with hir,
and said, 'Gif swa sche thocht, sche wald get lytill gude of him.' ...
Interrogat, Gif sche neuir askit the questioun at him, Quhairfoir he com to
hir mair [than] ane vthir bodye? Ansuerit, Remembring hir, quhen sche was
lyand in chyld-bed-lair, with ane of hir laiddis, that ane stout woman com
in to hir, and sat doun on the forme besyde hir, and askit ane drink at
hir, and sche gaif hir; quha alsua tauld hir, that that barne wald de, and
that hir husband suld mend of his seiknes. The said Bessie ansuerit, that
sche remembrit wele thairof; and Thom said, That was the Quene of Elfame
his maistres, quha had commandit him to wait vpoun hir, and to do hir gude.
Confessit and fylit.[928]
1588. Alesoun Peirsoun of Byrehill, Fifeshire. Was conuict for hanting and
repairing with the gude nichtbouris and Quene of Elfame, thir diuers
[3]eiris bypast, as scho had confesst be hir depositiounis, declaring that
scho could nocht say reddelie how lang scho wes with thame; and that scho
had friendis in that court quhilk wes of hir awin blude, quha had gude
acquentance of the Quene of Elphane.... And that scho saw nocht the Quene
thir sewin [3]eir: And that scho had mony guid friendis in that court, bot
wer all away now: And that scho wes sewin [3]eir ewill handlit in the Court
of Elfane and had kynd freindis thair, bot had na will to visseit thame
eftir the end.... In Grange-mure thair come ane man to hir, cled in grene
clothis, quha said to hir, Gif scho wald be faithfull, he wald do hir guid.
He gaid away thane, and apperit to hir att ane vthir tyme, ane lustie mane,
with mony mene and wemen with him: And that scho sanit hir and prayit, and
past with thame forder nor scho could tell; and saw with thame pypeing and
mirrynes and good scheir.[929]
1589. Beatrix Baonensis, in Lorraine. Etliche geben Spaeher, etliche Voegel
oder sonst nicht viel besonders, als da sein moechte gemuentzt Geld aus
Rindern Ledder, und wenn sie dergleichen nichts haben, so verschafft es
ihnen ihr Geist, auf dass sie staffirt seyn.[930]
1593. Another of my neighbours had his wife much troubled, and he went to
her [the white witch], and she told him his wife was haunted with a
fairie.[931]
1593. She had three or foure impes, some call them puckrels, one like a
grey cat, another like a weasel, another like a mouse.[932]
1597. Christian Livingston of Leith. Scho affermit that hir dochter was
tane away with the Farie-folk, and declarit to Gothrayis wyff, than being
with barne, that it was a man chyld scho was with; as it provit in deid:
And that all the knawlege scho had was be hir dochter, wha met with the
Fairie.[933]
1597. Isobell Strathaquhin and her daughter, of Aberdeen. Theye depone that
hir self confessis that quhat skill so ever scho hes, scho hed it of hir
mother; and hir mother learnit at ane elf man quha lay with hir.[934]
1597. Andro Man of Aberdeen. Thriescoir yeris sensyne or thairby, the
Devill, thy maister, com to thy motheris hous, in the liknes and scheap of
a woman, quhom thow callis the Quene of Elphen, and was delyverit of a
barne, as apperit to the their.... Thow confessis that be the space of
threttie twa yeris sensyn or thairby, thow begud to have carnall deall with
that devilische spreit, the Quene of Elphen, on quhom thow begat dyveris
bairnis, quhom thow hes sene sensyn.... Vpon the Ruidday in harvest, in
this present yeir, quhilk fell on ane Wedinsday, thow confessis and
affermis, thow saw Christsonday cum owt of the snaw in liknes of a staig,
and that the Quene of Elphen was their, and vtheris with hir, rydand vpon
quhyt haiknayes, and that thay com to the Binhill, and Binlocht, quhair
thay vse commonlie to convene, and that thay quha convenis with thame
kissis Christsonday and the Quene of Elphenis airss, as thow did thy selff.
Item, thow affermis that the elphis hes schapes and claythis lyk men, and
that thay will have fair coverit taiblis, and that thay ar bot schaddowis,
bot ar starker nor men, and that thay have playing and dansing quhen thay
pleas; and als that the quene is verray plesand, and wilbe auld and young
quhen scho pleissis; scho mackis any kyng quhom scho pleisis, and lyis with
any scho lykis.... The said Andro confessis that Chrystsonday rydis all the
tyme that he is in thair cumpanie, and hes carnall deall with thame; also,
that the men that cumis with thame, hes do with the Quene of Elfane.[935]
... Thou confesses that the devil thy master, whom thou terms Christsunday,
and supposes to be an angel and God's godson--albeit he has a thraw by God,
and sways to the Quene of Elphin--is raised by the speaking of the word
_Benedicite_. Suchlike thou affirms that the Queen of Elphin has a grip of
all the craft, but Christsunday is the goodman, and has all power under
God.[936]
1608. Lyons district. Ils dansent deux a deux, & par fois l'vn ca & l'autre
la; estans telles danses semblables a celles des Fees, vrais Diables
incorporez, qui regnoient il n'y a pas long temps.[937]
1615. Jonet Drever of Orkney. To be convict and giltie of the fostering of
ane bairne in the hill of Westray to the fary folk callit of hir our guid
nichtbouris. And in haveing carnall deall with hir. And haveing
conversation with the fary xxvj [3]eiris bygane. In respect of her awne
confessioun.[938]
1616. Katherine Caray of Orkney. At the doun going of the sun are great
number of fairie men mett her together with a maister man.[939]
1616. Elspeth Reoch of Orkney. Sho confest that quhen shoe wes ane young
las of twelf yeiris of age or therby and haid wandereit out of Caithnes
quher sho wes borne to Lochquhaber ye cam to Allane McKeldowies wyfe quha
wes your ant That she upon ane day being out of the loch in the contrey and
returning and being at the Loch syd awaiting quhen the boit sould fetch hir
in. That thair cam tua men to her ane cled in blak and the uther with ane
grein tartane plaid about him And that the man with the plaid said to her
she was ane prettie And he wald lerne her to ken and sie ony thing she
wald desyre.... And thairefter within tua yeir she bure her first bairne
And being delyverit in hir sisteris hous the blak man cam to her that first
came to hir in Lochquhaber And callit him selff ane farie man.... On yule
day she confest the devell quhilk she callis the farie man lay with her At
quhilk tyme he bade hir leave Orkney.[940]
1618. Joan Willimot of Leicester. This Examinate saith, That shee hath a
spirit which shee calleth Pretty, which was giuen vnto her by William Berry
of Langholme in Rutlandshire, whom she serued three yeares; and that her
Master when hee gaue it vnto her, willed her to open her mouth, and hee
would blow into her a Fairy which should doe her good; and that shee opened
her mouth, and he did blow into her mouth; and that presently after his
blowing, there came out of her mouth a Spirit, which stood vpon the ground
in the shape and forme of a Woman, which Spirit did aske of her her Soule,
which shee then promised vnto it.[941]
1633. Isobel Sinclair of Orkney. Sex times at the reathes of the year, shoe
hath bein controlled with the Phairie.[942]
1653. 'Yorkshire. There was (he saith) as I have heard the story credibly
reported in this Country a Man apprehended for suspicion of Witchcraft, he
was of that sort we call white Witches, which are such as do cures beyond
the ordinary reasons and deductions of our usual practitioners, and are
supposed (and most part of them truly) to do the same by ministration of
spirits (from whence under their noble favours, most Sciences at first
grow) and therefore are by good reason provided against by our Civil Laws,
as being ways full of danger and deceit, and scarce ever otherwise obtained
than by a devillish compact of the exchange of ones Soul to that assistant
spirit, for the honour of its Mountebankery. What this man did was with a
white powder which, he said, he received from the Fairies, and that going
to a Hill he knocked three times, and the Hill opened, and he had access
to, and conversed with a visible people; and offered, that if any Gentleman
present would either go himself in person, or send his servant, he would
conduct them thither, or shew them the place and persons from whom he had
his skill.' [Hotham's account ends here; Webster continues first in his own
words and then in inverted commas as if quoting, but gives no authority.]
To this I shall only add thus much, that the man was accused for invoking
and calling upon evil spirits, and was a very simple and illiterate person
to any mans judgment, and had been formerly very poor, but had gotten some
pretty little meanes to maintain himself, his Wife and diverse small
children, by his cures done with this white powder, of which there were
sufficient proofs, and the Judge asking him how he came by the powder, he
told a story to this effect. 'That one night before day was gone, as he was
going home from his labour, being very sad and full of heavy thoughts, not
knowing how to get meat and drink for his Wife and Children, he met a fair
Woman in fine cloaths, who asked him why he was so sad, and he told her it
was by reason of his poverty, to which she said, that if he would follow
her counsel she would help him to that which would serve to get him a good
living: to which he said he would consent with all his heart, so it were
not by unlawful ways: she told him it should not be by any such ways, but
by doing of good and curing of sick people; and so warning him strictly to
meet her there the next night at the same time, she departed from him, and
he went home. And the next night at the time appointed he duly waited, and
she (according to promise) came and told him that it was well he came so
duly, otherwise he had missed of that benefit, that she intended to do unto
him, and so bade him follow her and not be afraid. Thereupon she led him to
a little Hill and she knocked three times, and the Hill opened, and they
went in, and came to a fair hall, wherein was a Queen sitting in great
state, and many people about her, and the Gentlewoman that brought him,
presented him to the Queen, and she said he was welcom, and bid the
Gentlewoman give him some of the white powder, and teach him how to use it,
which she did, and gave him a little wood box full of the white powder, and
bad him give 2 or 3 grains of it to any that were sick, and it would heal
them, and so she brought him forth of the Hill, and so they parted. And
being asked by the Judge whether the place within the Hill, which he called
a Hall, were light or dark, he said indifferent, as it is with us in the
twilight; and being asked how he got more powder, he said when he wanted he
went to that Hill, and knocked three times, and said every time I am
coming, I am coming, whereupon it opened, and he going in was conducted by
the aforesaid Woman to the Queen, and so had more powder given him. This
was the plain and simple story (however it may be judged of) that he told
before the Judge, the whole Court, and the Jury, and there being no proof,
but what cures he had done to very many, the Jury did acquit him.[943]
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