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. 615
on, from vtlieris. Som of tliaiin apeirit in fadd-duii, fom in graiTe-grein, i'om in fea-grein, and fom in
yallow. The Nik-names tiiat the Divell gaw wnto ws wer, Pikell neirest the vind, thia
wes Margrct Wilfones nii<nam ; Beffie Wiljbiics niknam ves Throw the corn-yaird ; Elfpet
Nijhies niivnani ves Bessie Bald ; Jean 3Iuirtenis iiikuam, qulio ves Maiden, is Ower the dyk
WITH it ; Bejfie Hayes nikname is Able axd Stout.
I haw f'ein the Elf-arrowes maid. The Divell dights' them, and the Etf-lnyes quhytes- them. We
got ewerie on (of) ws fo many of tliaim from the Divell, to (hoot at men.' I my felf killed on Wil-
liam Bmcer, at Miltoun of Moynes. This griewis me mor than any thing that I ewer did. Margret
Brody killed an woman, waihing, at the Burn of Tarras. Beffie Wiljbn killed an man, at the Bujh
of iSlrut/ieiis. Beffie Hay killed on Biinbiir, at the Eaft end of the totmi of Forres, coming
owl at a gait. 3Iargrct Brodic Ihot at on David Blah. Mnrgret }Vi//bue killed on Alex'' Hucheon, in
Auldern. Janet Breadhead, now in prifon, killed Johne Falconer, in Park. Tlier were thrie killed
Eaft the cowntrie, at Candlmas lart : I killed on, Margret Brodie on, and Beffie Wiljbn on. I Ihot on
James Dik, in Connicavell ; 3Iargret Brodie killed on W'" Crukjliank; Margret Vilfon killed on Johne
Ley ; Janet Breadhead killed a fuyn,' alio llie killed an vtlier man at Burgie ; and Beffie Jfll/bn
killed on thair, namet W"' 3Ian. We killed an ox, and brought it to Be/pe Hayes hows, in Aulderne ;
and we did eat him thair. I iliot at the Laird of Park, as he ves crofling the Burn '" of Boath ; hot,
thankis to God now, that he preferwit him. Beffie Hay gaw me a great cuffe,'' becaus I milled him.
Margaret Brodie' (hot at Mr Harie Forbes, at the Standing-llanes, hot (lie miired ; and fpeirit,
' If Ihe fould (lioot again ?' And the Divell faid ' Not ! — For we wold nocht get his lyf at that tym.'
We intentit ' feuerall tymes for him, qulian he ves feik. Beffie Hay, JeaiiMairten, the Maiden,
Beffie Wil/bn, Margret Brodie, Elfpet Nijhie, fpows to Johne Muthow, and I myfelf met in Beffie
Wilfones hows, and maid an bag againll him. The bag wes maid of the fle(h, guttis, and gallis of
toadis, the liewer of a hear,^ pikles of corn, and pairingis of naillis of (ingeris and toes ; we Iteipit all
night among water. The Devell learned ws to fay thes wordis following, at the making of the bag : —
' He is lying in his bed — and he is feik and lair.
Let him ly in till that bedd monthes two and dayes thrie mair !
He fal ly in till his bed, he falbefeik and fair —
He fall lye in till his bedd luonethes two and dayes thrie mair I'
And quhan we haid faid thes wordis, we wer all on our kneyis, our hair abowt owr (howlderis and
eyes, holding wp our handis to the Divell, that it^ might deflroy the faid Mr Harie. It ves intentit
that ve, coming in to his chalmer, in the night tym, we fould fwing it on him. And becaus we pre-
vailed not at that tym, Beffie Hay vndertook and cam in to his chalmer to wilit him, being werie
intimat with him ; and (he brought in of the bag in hir handis, full of the oyll thairof, to haw fwowng
and caften dropis of it on him ; hot ther wer fom vther worthie perfons with him at that tym, by
quhich God prevented Beff'te Hay, that (lie got no harm don to him, bot fwang a litl of it on the
clothes of the bed qiihair he lay.
Johne Taylor and his wyff, Beffie and Margret Wilfones, and I, maid a pictur for the Laird of
Parkis main children.^" Johnne Taylor brought hom the clay in his plaid newk ; his wyiF lifted it ;
we powred in vater in a cowg " amongft it, and wrought it for,^- and maid a pictor of it, lyk a child, als
big as a pow. It ranted no mark of the imag of a bairn, eyes, nofe, mouth, litle lippies, and the hands
of it folded doun by its fydis. The vordis that we faid, quhan we maid it, ver thes : —
' Dresses. ^ Blocks them out. ^ See the Confession of Apr. 13, 1662, where Issobell tells iis they
were licntsed to sport, in this jnaiiner, when riding on straws through the air ; and that they had power to kill all
who did not sanctify themselves, &u. * A sow. ^ On good authority, Issobell and her master ought to
have known, that the Laird was out of their power while crossing a running stream. ** A smart slap, or blow.
' Tried ; essayed. ^ A hare's liver. ^ Viz. Their charmed bag. '" See the former Confessions.
" A sort of wooden dish. '* Sore ; extremely.