Att Edinburgh the Threttein day of June Jaj vijc and four years
A1704/6/11
A1704/6/11
Warrant
Warrand to the Lord Advocat to raise a proces at his instance Against Witches in Pitten-Weem
Anent the petition given in and presented to the Lords of Her Majesties Privie Councill By the Magistrats and Town Councill of Pittenweem, and Minister and Kirksession thereof Shewing That Where there being at present a great many malefices committed upon the person of Patrick Mortoun son to Patrick Mortoun Smith in Pittenweem by severall Witches now in prison there Wherof the greatest pairt have allready confest to them there guilt in tormenting the said Patrick, and of there compact with the Divell, and renunceing there Baptisme. They humbly crave liberty to give there Lordships the following Representation of the matter of fact, To effect there Lordships may grant a Commission to such as there Lordships think fitt, to take tryall of the persons who have confessed, and others against whom there are not only presumptions of guilt, But lykewayes a clear probation ready to be adduced. The matter of fact in short is as followes, In the begining of March last, The said Patrick Mortoun about Sixteen years of age and free of any known vice being imployed by his father to make some nails to a shape belonging to one of the Merchants in Pittenweem, When he was working in his fathers Smiddy One Beatrix Lang who is one of these who have confessed desired him to make some nails for her, which he modestly refused In regaird he had been already imployed to make the nails for the shipe which were in heast and could not abide any delay. Upon which answer Beatrix did shew agreat deall of discontent and went away threatning to be revenged which did some what frighten him Because He knew she was under a bad fame and reputed for a Witch of a Long tyme, The nixt day when he was passing the door of her house he observed a timber vessell with some Watter and a fire wall in it at the door, which made him apprehend, That it was a Charme laid for him, and the effects of her threatning. And immediately he was seised with such a weakness in his Limbs, That he could hardly stand or walk, And continued in a languishing condition till the first of May Last, And the Phisitians were imployed for his recovery yet no means they could use for his recovery had any effect, But still grew worse haveing no appetite and his bodie strangely emaciated. About the begining of May his case altered to the worse by haveing such strange and unusuall fitts as did astonish all onlookers His belly at some tymes was distented to a great hight at other times his breast and his back Were so distended, That the bones of his back and breast did ryse to a prodigious hight and suddenly fell, And in the mean time his breathing was lyke to the blowing of a Bellowes att other times his body became rigide and inflexable in so much that nether his arms nor legs could be bowed or moved by any Strength tho frequently tryed and all his senses benumned, And yet his pulse in good order, Att some times his head quit about or to his Shouldiers, and no Strength able to turn it back or repone it And was many time in griveous agonies, and sometimes in att other times his tongue drawn back in his throat Especiallie when his was telling who were his tormenters, And when either the Magistrats or Minister, Did bring in any of these women whom he had discovered to be his Tormentors, before they came within the door, he cryed out his Tormenters were present and named them, And tho severalls present did cover his face and caused several women touch him, besides these he discovered to be his Tormentors by turns, Yet when these did touch him upon whom he made no complaint no effect followed. But upon the approach and Touch of these who he complained of his Agones encreased and cryed out his Tormentors were present. The poor man hes been in this condition since the begining of May Last, and continues to be so haveing very short Intervalls, and his condition is much about the same with that of Bargarrans Daughter in the West. There are seven Imprisoned Viz Beatrix Laing, Isobell Adam, Nicolas Lawson and Janet Cerfitt, Thomas Broun, Margaret Wallace, and Margaret Jack; The first four of these have confessed there being guilty of a Compact with the Divill, Renunceing there Baptisme, and tormenting the said Patrick Mortoun, upon ane Examination by the Petitioners, The Magistrats and Minister in the Tolbooth of Pittenweem, And the other three are not only loaded by presumptions, But fyled by the Confitents as not only guilty of Witch-Craft, But Lykewayes of the Malefices upon the said Patrick Mortoun. And seeing there is here in the discoveries allready made as to four of the imprisoned, a plaine Confession of there being guilty of Witchcraft, and of the malifices above represented upon the said Patrick Mortoun, And that constat de Corpore delicti And Lykewayes that the rest are loaded with presumptions, and delated by the confitents as guilty with themselves of Witchcraft and tormenting of the said Patrick As also seeing it would be a great deall of Expence to bring soe many witnesses as will be necessary to prove the different and distinct points, That falls under probation, for convicting of the foirnamed persons, And that the matter will be made more clear and evident by cognition and tryall upon the place then if the same were cognosed here before the Lords of Justiciarie And Therefore Craveing there Lordships In consideration of the premisses To Grant warrand and Commission to such Gentlemen and others, That live in and about the place as there Lordships shall think fitt, To take cognition and tryall in this matter, and to determine therein by a Justiciary power from there Lordships as hes been frequently done in such cases. As the said petitione bears. The Lords of Her Majesties privie Councill Haveing considered the above petition given into them By the Magistrats and Town Councill of Pitenweem, and the Minister and Kirk session therof, And the samen being read in there presence The saids Lords Doe hereby Recommend to Sir James Steuart her Majesties Advocat, To raise aproces at his Instance and prosecute the same, to the finall and thereof before the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesties Justiciary against the persons therein mentioned as guilty of Witch Craft, And upon ane Informer and Information therof, To be given into his Lordship for that effect, And Recommends to the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesties Thesaurie, To order such a soume as there Lordships shall think fitt, To be payed for carrying on the said proces, and mentaining parties and witnesses dureing the dependance thereof.
Att Edinburgh the Threttein day of June Jaj vijc and four years
A1704/6/11
Warrant
Warrand to the Lord Advocat to raise a proces at his instance Against Witches in Pitten-Weem
Anent the petition given in and presented to the Lords of Her Majesties Privie Councill By the Magistrats and Town Councill of Pittenweem, and Minister and Kirksession thereof Shewing That Where there being at present a great many malefices committed upon the person of Patrick Mortoun son to Patrick Mortoun Smith in Pittenweem by severall Witches now in prison there Wherof the greatest pairt have allready confest to them there guilt in tormenting the said Patrick, and of there compact with the Divell, and renunceing there Baptisme. They humbly crave liberty to give there Lordships the following Representation of the matter of fact, To effect there Lordships may grant a Commission to such as there Lordships think fitt, to take tryall of the persons who have confessed, and others against whom there are not only presumptions of guilt, But lykewayes a clear probation ready to be adduced. The matter of fact in short is as followes, In the begining of March last, The said Patrick Mortoun about Sixteen years of age and free of any known vice being imployed by his father to make some nails to a shape belonging to one of the Merchants in Pittenweem, When he was working in his fathers Smiddy One Beatrix Lang who is one of these who have confessed desired him to make some nails for her, which he modestly refused In regaird he had been already imployed to make the nails for the shipe which were in heast and could not abide any delay. Upon which answer Beatrix did shew agreat deall of discontent and went away threatning to be revenged which did some what frighten him Because He knew she was under a bad fame and reputed for a Witch of a Long tyme, The nixt day when he was passing the door of her house he observed a timber vessell with some Watter and a fire wall in it at the door, which made him apprehend, That it was a Charme laid for him, and the effects of her threatning. And immediately he was seised with such a weakness in his Limbs, That he could hardly stand or walk, And continued in a languishing condition till the first of May Last, And the Phisitians were imployed for his recovery yet no means they could use for his recovery had any effect, But still grew worse haveing no appetite and his bodie strangely emaciated. About the begining of May his case altered to the worse by haveing such strange and unusuall fitts as did astonish all onlookers His belly at some tymes was distented to a great hight at other times his breast and his back Were so distended, That the bones of his back and breast did ryse to a prodigious hight and suddenly fell, And in the mean time his breathing was lyke to the blowing of a Bellowes att other times his body became rigide and inflexable in so much that nether his arms nor legs could be bowed or moved by any Strength tho frequently tryed and all his senses benumned, And yet his pulse in good order, Att some times his head quit about or to his Shouldiers, and no Strength able to turn it back or repone it And was many time in griveous agonies, and sometimes in att other times his tongue drawn back in his throat Especiallie when his was telling who were his tormenters, And when either the Magistrats or Minister, Did bring in any of these women whom he had discovered to be his Tormentors, before they came within the door, he cryed out his Tormenters were present and named them, And tho severalls present did cover his face and caused several women touch him, besides these he discovered to be his Tormentors by turns, Yet when these did touch him upon whom he made no complaint no effect followed. But upon the approach and Touch of these who he complained of his Agones encreased and cryed out his Tormentors were present. The poor man hes been in this condition since the begining of May Last, and continues to be so haveing very short Intervalls, and his condition is much about the same with that of Bargarrans Daughter in the West. There are seven Imprisoned Viz Beatrix Laing, Isobell Adam, Nicolas Lawson and Janet Cerfitt, Thomas Broun, Margaret Wallace, and Margaret Jack; The first four of these have confessed there being guilty of a Compact with the Divill, Renunceing there Baptisme, and tormenting the said Patrick Mortoun, upon ane Examination by the Petitioners, The Magistrats and Minister in the Tolbooth of Pittenweem, And the other three are not only loaded by presumptions, But fyled by the Confitents as not only guilty of Witch-Craft, But Lykewayes of the Malefices upon the said Patrick Mortoun. And seeing there is here in the discoveries allready made as to four of the imprisoned, a plaine Confession of there being guilty of Witchcraft, and of the malifices above represented upon the said Patrick Mortoun, And that constat de Corpore delicti And Lykewayes that the rest are loaded with presumptions, and delated by the confitents as guilty with themselves of Witchcraft and tormenting of the said Patrick As also seeing it would be a great deall of Expence to bring soe many witnesses as will be necessary to prove the different and distinct points, That falls under probation, for convicting of the foirnamed persons, And that the matter will be made more clear and evident by cognition and tryall upon the place then if the same were cognosed here before the Lords of Justiciarie And Therefore Craveing there Lordships In consideration of the premisses To Grant warrand and Commission to such Gentlemen and others, That live in and about the place as there Lordships shall think fitt, To take cognition and tryall in this matter, and to determine therein by a Justiciary power from there Lordships as hes been frequently done in such cases. As the said petitione bears. The Lords of Her Majesties privie Councill Haveing considered the above petition given into them By the Magistrats and Town Councill of Pitenweem, and the Minister and Kirk session therof, And the samen being read in there presence The saids Lords Doe hereby Recommend to Sir James Steuart her Majesties Advocat, To raise aproces at his Instance and prosecute the same, to the finall and thereof before the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesties Justiciary against the persons therein mentioned as guilty of Witch Craft, And upon ane Informer and Information therof, To be given into his Lordship for that effect, And Recommends to the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesties Thesaurie, To order such a soume as there Lordships shall think fitt, To be payed for carrying on the said proces, and mentaining parties and witnesses dureing the dependance thereof.
