Counties > Renfrewshire > 1832-1833 - Historical and descriptive sketches of the towns and principal villages in the Upper Ward of Renfrewshire

38 SKETCH OF POLLOKSHAWS, &C.
glaur or saft clay, in order to tak awa the lyfe o' the frail Sir
George, and the sam wyld image was onner the bouster of
the neirdovveil Jock Stewart, in the bed strae.
The neist day, Househill and Auchinhude, wi some of the
Pollock lads, gade to the warlock's bigging, taking the wee
duramie wi them, and resolvit to make ane unco sicker tryal,
that it micht na be said that the tinklar lassock had brocht
onie thing hither.
Quharfor thay gart Jock licht the cruizie and hand it,
whyle Auchinhude and anither liftit, in his ain sicht, the
same clay effigie frae amang the strae aneth the cod — the wee
duminie a the tyme stanand at the winnock.
But the image brak sindrie in twa pieces ; it had bene
made three or four days a' the teir, and saebeius no hard
eneuch. Jock had naething to say for himsell, but he three-
pit that he kent nae wha had pat that thing thare, but he
jalousit the pliskies o' the tinklar cuttie.
Whanabee Jock was grippit bedein ; his wee sister at the
samen tyme was grippit, a bairn, gaun in her thirteen yier,
wha had harkit summat anentthe waxen effigie; this wean at
first was unco dour to reveil their kittle cantraips, and their
hidden and mirk mysteries. But the neist day the bairnly
thing grat, and confessit the image was made in Jock's
house afore the black gentleman, (as she cawit the Deil); but
when confrontit wi her brother she did not stick to her aiii
f confession. Upothe fynding of this second picture, Sir George
4 estit recoverit, and the pyne in his syde wure awa by de-
grees. Jock Stewart remainit, whatreck his wee sister's fause
clyping, dour and svveir ay and until he was examinit and
graipit for insensible marks, of quhilk, waesucks, he had great
plenty o' them.
The Yirl of Dundonald and Lord Ross grantit a warrant
for gripping Bessie Weir, Meg Jackson, and May Craig, as
complices in this reveil o' cantraips. The Lords of His
Majestie's Privie Council grantit a commission to Gauston
of that Ilk, the Laird of Bishoptoun and Greinock, Anderson
of Dovvhill, and ane Preston an advocate, Lord Ross, assessor,
Robert Martin, clerk, to try the same wyld witches and
warlocks.
Tliir gentilraen made a grit rippar, and rampauging, and
baekspeiring, and they frichit and cowit (and aiblins ettlit
the thumbikins) the onhappie bodies, and gart them tell sum-
mat touchand witchcraft.
Jock Stewart declarit that Bessie Weir, Meg Jackson,
May Craig, and himsell, held a meeting wi auld Satan—
that the muckie deil had ane of his feet cloven, his cleiding
was black, his owerlay was blew, his handcuffs war whyte, and
he hat buggers withoulen shune, aHd his voce was sture, how,