of Heresy-Monstrelet's Account of the Persecution against the Waldenses, under Pretext of Witchcraft-Florimond's Testimony concerning the Increase of Witches in his own Time-Bull of Pope Innocent VIII.--Various Prosecutions in foreign Countries under this severe Law-Prosecutions in Labourt, by the Inquisitor De Lancre and his Colleague-Lycanthropy-Witches in Spain-In Sweden-And particularly those apprehended at Mohra. 169

LETTER VIII.

The Effects of the Witch Superstition are to be traced in the Laws of a Kingdom-Usually punished in England as a Crime connected with Politics-Attempt at Murder for Witchcraft not in itself capital-Trials of Persons of Rank for Witchcraft, connected with State CrimesStatutes of Henry VIII.-How Witchcraft was regarded by the three leading Sects of Religion in the Sixteenth Century; first, by the Catholics; secor, oy the Calvinists; third, by the Church of England and Lutherans-Impostures unwarily countenanced by individual Catholic Priests, and also by some Puritanic Clergymen-Statute of 1562, and some Cases upon it-Case of Dugdale-Case of the Witches of Warbois, and Execution of the Family of Samuel-That of Jane Wenham, in which some Church of England Clergymen insisted on the Prosecution-Hutchison's Rebuke to them-James the First's Opinion of Witchcraft-His celebrated Statute, 1 Jac. I.--Canon passed by the Convocation against Possession-Case of Mr. Fairfax's Children-Lancashire Witches in 1613-Another Discovery in 1634-Webster's Account of the Manner in which the Imposture was managed-Superiority of the Calvinists is followed by a severe Prosecution of Witches-Executions in Suffolk, &c. to a dreadful Extent-Hopkins, the pretended Witchfinder, the Cause of these Cruelties-His brutal Practices-His Letter-Execution of Mr. Lowis-Hopkins punishedRestoration of Charles-Trial of Coxe-of Dunny and Callender before Lord Hales-Royal Society and Progress of Knowledge--Somersetshire Witches-Opinions of the Populace-A Woman swum for Witchcraft at Oakly-Murder at Tring-Act against Witchcraft abolished, and the Belief in the Crime becomes forgotten-Witch Trials in New-England-Dame Glover's Trial-Affliction of the Parvises, and frightful Increase of the Prosecutions-Suddenly put a Stop to-The Penitence of those concerned in them. 192

LETTER IX.

Scottish Trials-Earl of Mar-Lady Glammis-William BartonWitches of Auldearne-Their Rites and Charms-Their Transformation into Hares-Satan's Severity towards them-Their Crimes-Sir George Mackenzie's Opinion of Witchcraft-Instances of Confessions made by the Accused, in Despair, and to avoid future Annoyance and Persecution-Examination by Pricking-The Mode of judicial Procedure against Witches, and Nature of the Evidence admissible, opened a Door to Accusers, and left the Accused no Chance of Escape-The Superstition of the Scottish Clergy in King James VI.'s Time led them, like their Sovereign, to encourage Witch-Prosecutions-Case of Bessie Graham-Supposed Conspiracy to shipwreck James in his Voyage to Denmark-Meetings of the Witches, and Rites performed to accomplish their Purpose-Trial of Margaret Barclay in 1618-Case

of Major Weir-Sir John Clerk among the first who declined acting as Commissioner on the Trial of a Witch-Paisley and Pittenweem Witches-A Prosecution in Caithness prevented by the Interference of the King's Advocate in 1718-The last Sentence of Death for Witchcraft pronounced in Scotland in 1722-Remains of the Witch Superstition-Case of supposed Witchcraft, related from the Author's own Knowledge, which took Place so late as 1800. 241

LETTER X.

Other mystic Arts independent of Witchcraft-Astrology-Its Influence during the 16th and 17th Centuries-Base Ignorance of those who practised it-Lilly's History of his Life and Times--Astrologer's Society-Dr. Lamb--Dr. Forman--Establishment of the Royal Society -Partridge-Connexion of Astrologers with elementary Spirits-Dr. Dun-Irish Superstition of the Banshie-Similar Superstition in the Highlands-Brownie-Ghosts-Belief of ancient Philosophers on that Subject-Inquiry into the Respect due to such Tales in modern Times -Evidence of a Ghost against a Murderer-Ghost of Sir George Villiers-Story of Earl St. Vincent-of a British General Officer-of an Apparition in France-of the second Lord Lyttelton-of Bill Jonesof Jarvis Matcham-Trial of two Highlanders for the Murder of Sergeant Davis, discovered by a Ghost-Disturbances at Woodstock, Anno 1649-Imposture called the Stockwell Ghost-Similar Case in Scotland-Ghost appearing to an Exciseman-Story of a disturbed House discovered by the Firmness of the Proprietor-Apparition at Plymouth-A Club of Philosophers-Ghost Adventure of a Farmer Trick upon a veteran Soldier-Ghost Stories recommended by the Skill of the Authors who compose them-Mrs. Veal's Ghost-Dunton's Apparition Evidence-Effect of appropriate Scenery to encourage a Tendency to Superstition-Differs at distant Periods of LifeNight at Glammis Castle about 1791--Visit to Dunvegan in 1814. 290

LETTERS

ON

DEMONOLOGY AND WITCHCRAFT.

To J. G. LOCKHART, Esq.

LETTER I.

Origin of the general Opinions respecting Demonology among Mankind The Belief in the Immortality of the Soul is the main Inducement to credit its occasional Reappearance-The philosophical Objections to the Apparition of an abstract Spirit little understood by the Vulgar and Ignorant-The Situations of excited Passion incident to Humanity, which teach Men to wish or apprehend supernatural ApparitionsThey are often presented by the sleeping Sense-Story of Somnambulism--The Influence of Credulity contagious, so that Individuals will trust the Evidence of others in despite of their own SensesExamples from the Historia Verdadera of Bernal Dias del Castillo, and from the Works of Patrick Walker-The apparent Evidence of Intercourse with the supernatural World is sometimes owing to a depraved State of the bodily Organs-Difference between this Disorder and Insanity, in which the Organs retain their Tone, though that of the Mind is lost-Rebellion of the Senses of a Lunatic against the Current of his Reveries-Narratives of a contrary Nature, in which the Evidence of the Eyes overbore the Conviction of the Understanding-Example of a London Man of Pleasure-Of Nicolai, the German Bookseller and Philosopher-Of a Patient of Dr. GregoryOf an eminent Scottish Lawyer deceased-Of this same fallacious Disorder are other Instances, which have but sudden and momentary Endurance-Apparition of Maupertuis--Of a late illustrious modern Poet-The Cases quoted chiefly relating to false Impressions on the visual Nerve, those upon the Ear next considered-Delusions of the Touch chiefly experienced in Sleep-Delusions of the Taste-and of the Smelling-Sum of the Argument.

You have asked of me, my dear friend, that I should assist the Family Library, with the history of a dark chapter in human nature, which the increasing civilization of all well-instructed countries has now almost blotted out, though the subject attracted no

B

ordinary degree of consideration in the older times of their history.

Among much reading of my early days, it is no doubt true that I travelled a good deal in the twilight regions of superstitious disquisitions. Many hours have I lost, "I would their debt were less!"—in examining old, as well as more recent narratives of this character, and even in looking into some of the criminal trials so frequent in early days, upon a subject which our fathers considered as matter of the last importance. And, of late years, the very curious extracts published by Mr. Pitcairn, from the criminal Records of Scotland, are, besides their historical value, of a nature so much calculated to illustrate the credulity of our ancestors on such subjects, that, by perusing them, I have been induced more recently to recall what I had read and thought upon the subject at a former period.

As, however, my information is only miscellaneous, and I make no pretensions, either to combat the systems of those by whom I am anticipated in consideration of the subject, or to erect any new one of my own, my purpose is, after a general account of Demonology and Witchcraft, to confine myself to narratives of remarkable cases, and to the observations which naturally and easily arise out of them ;-in the confidence that such a plan is, at the present time of day, more likely to suit the pages of a popular miscellany, than an attempt to reduce the contents of many hundred tomes, from the largest to the smallest size, into an abridgment, which, however compressed, must remain greatly too large for the reader's powers of patience.

A few general remarks on the nature of Demonology, and the original cause of the almost universal belief in communication between mortals and beings of a power superior to themselves, and of a nature not to be comprehended by human organs, are a necessary introduction to the subject.