Bannatyne Club > Criminal trials in Scotland, from A.D. M.CCCC.LXXXVIII to A.D. M.DC.XXIV, embracing the entire reigns of James IV. and V., Mary Queen of Scots and James VI > Volume 3

APPENDIX. 607
Quhen we reafe the wind, we tak a rag of cloth, and weitts' it in water; and wc tak a beetle'' and
knokis the rage' on a ftone, and we fay thryfe ovver,
' I KNOK this rafTg wpon this ftane,
To raife the wind, in the Divellis name;
It I'all not lye* vntill I pleale againe I'
[Wiian] we wold lay the wind, we dry the ragg, and Jiiy (thryfe ower,)
' We lay the wind in the Divellis name,
[It fall not] ryle quhill we (or I) lyk to reafe it again I'
And if the wind will not lye inftantlie [after we fay this,] we call wpon owr Spirit, and fay to him,
' ThieffeI Thieffe 1 conjure the wind, and caws it to [lye ].'
We haw no power of rain, hot ve will reafe the wind quhan ve pleas. — He maid vs beliew [. . . .
] that ther wes no God befyd him.
As for Elf-arrow-heidis, the Divell ihapes them with his awin hand, [and fyne deliueris thame]
to Elf-boyes, who whytlis and dightis^ them with a Iharp thing lyk a paking ueidle; hot [quhan I
wes in Elf-land?] I faw them whytting and dighting them. Quhan I wes in the Elfes howflis, they
will haw werie them whytting and dighting; and the Divell giwes them to ws,
each of ws fo many, quhen Thes that dightis thaini ar litle ones, hollow, and bofs-
baked I** They fpeak gowftie" lyk. Quhen the Divell giwes them to ws, he fayes,
' Shoot thes in my name,
And they fall not goe heall hame I'
And quhan ve Ihoot thefe arrowes (we fay) —
' I SHOOT yon^ man in the Divellis name.
He fall nott win heall hame !
And this falbe alfwa trw ;
Thair fall not be an bitt of him on lieiw !'^
We haw no bow to fliootwith, but fpang'" them from of the naillis of our thowmbes. Som tymes
we will mifle ; hot if thay twitch," be it beaft, or man, or woman, it will kill, tho' they haid an jack'-
wpon them. Qwhen we goe in the (liape of an haire, we fay thryfe owr :
' I SALL goe intill ane haire.
With forrow, and fych, and meikle caire ;
And I fall goe in the Divellis nam,
Ay whill I com hom [againe !]'
And inftantlie we ftart in an hair. And when we wold be owt of that ihape, we vill fay :
' Haire, [haire, God fend the caire !]
I am in an hairis liknes jult now,
Bot I falbe in a womanis liknes ewin [now.]'
When we void goe in the liknes of an cat, we fay thryfe ower,
' I SALL goe [in till ane catt,]
[With fonow, and fych, and a blak]fhot I
And I fall goe in the Divellis nam.
Ay quhill I com hom again !'
' Wet. ^ A piece of flatted wood, somewhat resembling a cricket-bat, which washerwomen use for kuoekiiig
clothes, in cleansing them. ^ Itag. * Be allayed. •" Shapes and trims them as a carpenter, with edged-tools.
^ Boss also signifies hollow, or empty. Perhaps this expresses that these Elves were diminutive and hump-hacked
creatures resembling the trows or trolls of Fairy Superstition ; whose propensities are uniformly described as being
malignant, and hostile to mankind. ' Roughly ; crossly ; gruflly. ® Yonder. The preceding and following
rhymes are probably ■unique^ even in the history of Trials for Witchcraft, and show, in a very forcible manner, the
criminality of the bigoted, though learned and well-intentioned, individuals who dragged forward such wretches to
public trial and an ignominious death. " On life 5 alive* '" Jerk. ^' Touch. '^ A coat of
mail ; defensive armour.