Act, 12 March 1705, Edinburgh

Att the palace of Holyrudehouse the first day of May J^aj vij^c and fyve years

A1705/5/3

A1705/5/3¹

Act

Act and protection to Bettie Laing

Anent the Supplication Given in and presented to his Grace her Majesties high Commissioner and the Lords of her Majesties Privie Counsell By Bettie Laing Spous to William Brown Tayleor and late Thesaurer of the town of Pittenweem, Humbly Shewing that the petitioner haveing mett with most cruell and unchristian treatment in the town of Pittenweem wpon no other ground them bare affected of one Peter Mortoun a young man in the said town, who being under a naturall disease which had some Strange effects upon his body, pretended that ye petitioner and other persons he named wer witches and tormented him; Upon this very insufficient ground the petitioner was thrown into the Tollbooth of Pittenweem by the Minister and Magistrats therof, And because She would not confess that She was a witch and in compact with the divell, was tortoured by keeper her awake without Stop for fyve dayes and nights together, And by continuall pricking her with instruments in the Shoulders, back and thighs that the blood guished out in great abundance, So that her lyfe was a burden to her, And they urging her to continuallie to confess, the petitioner expressed severall things as they directed her to be ride of the present torture; And because She afterwards avowed, and publictly told that what she had said to them of her having Seen the divell etc was lyes and wntruths, They putt her in the Stocks for Severall dayes, And then carried her to the theifs holl, And from that they transported her to a dark dungeon, wher She was allowed no maner of Light, nor humane converse And in this condition She lay for fyve moneths together, And at Last haveing found means to get out of the said dungeon, She wandered about in Strange places in the extremity of hunger and cold, tho, she thanked God, She had a competency at home, But dared not come near her own house, because of the fury and rage of the people: And the petitioner being willing to wndergoe any legall tryall upon the said cryme, wherof she was accused, and for deneying of which She had been So inhumanely treated; She confidently presumed his Grace and their lordships would grant her the comon benefite of protection to her person till she wer legally convict of crymes rendering her undeserving of it, And this She was necessitat to demand of ther lordships, For that she haveing lately returned to her oun house at Pittenweem expecting to have Lived Safely and quyetly with her husband, The rable their So menaced and threatned² to treat her as they had done Janet Corfat a litle befor (notwithstanding of the notice ther lordships had taken of the Said treatment) that She was forced under cloud of night to leave her own house, otherwayes she, may nor her freinds in the place wer in Safety of ther lyves, Therfor craving it might please ther lordships to take the premisses under consideration And to ordaine the Magistrats of the burgh of Pittenweem and all other civill Magistrats and Judges within whose territories or Jurisdiction She Should be for the tyme to protect and defend the persone of the petitioner from the insults fury and rage of all persons whatsoever, wnder such pains as ther lordships Should think fitt to appoynt, She being Still willing to undergoe what legall tryalls could be brought against her, As the said petition bears; His Grace her Majesties high Commissioner and the Lords of her Majesties Privie Councell having considered the petition given in to them by Bettie Laing, And the Samen being read in their presence, His Grace and the saids Lords Declaires the petitioner to be under the protection of the Government; And therfor his Grace and the saids Lords Appoynts and Ordains the Magistrats of Pittenweem to mantaine and defend the petitioner against any tumults and mobbs, insults and violence that may fall wpon or be attempted against her, as they will be answerable, Untill that she be legally convict befor the Judge ordinar of the cryme laid to her Charge; And Nominats and Appoynts the Earles of Craufurd and Bellcarres and Lord Enstruther to be a Committie to inquyre into and take tryall of the murder committed at Pittenweem upon the person of Janet Cornfoot, And the haill other Steps and proceedings anent witches and witchcraft in that town; And recommends to the said Committie to meet at Pittenweem upon Wednesday being the nynth day of May instant, And declairs any two a Quorum; With power to the said Committie to call for what persone or persons they Shall think fitt to their assistance, And for that further Information and tryall taking of the said matter, with power to the said Committie to choise ther own Clerk, and report.