The Islandmagee Witches, A Narrative by Samuel McSkimin

THE ISLANDMAGEE WITCHES

A NARRATIVE of the Sufferings of a Young Girl called MARY DUNBAR, Who was strangely molested by Spirits and Witches, at Mr. James Hattridge’shouse, ISLANDMAGEE, NEAR CARRICKFERGUS,

In the County of Antrim and Province of Ulster in Ireland, and in some other places to which she was removed during the time of her disorder, as also of the aforesaid Mr. Hattridge’shouse being Haunted with Spirits in the latter end of 1710 and the beginning of 1711.

THE ISLANDMAGEE WITCHES

In thebeginningofSept.,1710, Mrs AnnHattridge,widowofthe late Rev.John Hattridge,Presbyterianminister in Islandmagee,beingsitting at herson’s (Mr Jas. Hattridge’s)kitchen fire, there were agreatmany small stonesthrown at her,butdidher noharm,thoughtheyhitheronthebackandshoulders. In ashort time after, she was frequentlytroubled in herbedbysomethingwhichinvisiblythrewagreatmanystones, turf, &c. at thebed,whichcouldmakethecurtainsopena little with theforceoftheblow, andwouldsometimesdrawthecurtainsfromoneendofthebed to theother,and at other times shewouldfind, as shethought,somebodygoingoverherfromonesideofthebed to theother,thedoorsandwindows at the same time beingcloseshut,and after the strictest search nothingcouldbefoundwhichmight in the least occasionanydisturbance.Anight or two after, thepillows were pulledfromunderherhead,andthecoveringandblankets pulledoffthebedwhereshe lay;uponwhichshetooka little girl,who was in thehouse, andmadeher lie besideher in theroom,yetnotwithstanding,theclothes were oftenpulled offher at night time.Shethenapprehendedthat it mightbea cat whichpulledoffthe clothes,anddesiredthegirl to lightacandleand search theroom,whichshedidbut nothing was found.Howeverduringthe time thecandle was lighted,there was no disturbance,but as soon as it was putout it was as great as before,uponwhichshe left the roomandwent to anotherwherehersonanddaughter lay;being afraid to

stay in herownanylonger.Somedays after there was a cat found in thehouse,whichthey killed, as theysupposed,andthrewheroutofthehouse;andgoinga little after to lookfor her,couldneverfindherdeadoralive.There was little remarkableforseveraldays after, unless it were thathercanewouldbetakenaway,andbemissingseveraldaystogether; untilaboutthe11th of Dec.,1710,whentheaforesaid Mrs Hattridge was sitting at the kitchen fire, in theevening,beforedaylightgoing,a little boy (as sheandtheservants supposed), came in and sat downbesideher,having an oldblackbonnetonhishead, with shortblackhair,ahalf-wornblanketabouthim,trailingonthegroundbehindhim,anda tornblackvestunder it. He seemed to beabout ten ortwelveyearsold,buthe still covered his face, holdinghis arm with apieceoftheblanketbefore it.Shedesired to see his face, buthetooknonoticeofher.Thensheaskedhimseveralquestions,viz, if he was cold,or hungry? if hewouldhaveany meat? wherehe came from,andwherehe was going? to whichhemadenoanswer,butgettingupdancedverynimbly,leapinghigherthanusual, andthen ran outofthehouse, as far as theendofthegarden,andsometimesintothecow house,theservantsrunning after him to see wherehewouldgo,butsoonlostsightofhim; butwhentheyreturned,hewouldbeclose after them in thehouse,whichhedidabovea dozenof times; at last the little girlseeingher master’s dogcomingin, said “now my masteris coming,he will takeacourse with thistroublesomecreature,”uponwhichhe immediatelywentaway,andtroubledthemnomore till themonthof Feb.,1711.Upon Sunday,the11th,old Mrs Hattridge(therebeingnosermonthatday in themeetinghouse), was reading Mr Wedderburn’ssermonsonthecovenant,andhaving laidit byfora little while,therebeingnobody in theroom with her at the time,it was suddenlytakenaway, uponwhichshesearchedtheroom,diligently,but to nopurpose. On the12th Feb.,the apparitionformerlymentioned, came to thehouse,and after havingbrokeaquarryofglass in thekitchenwindow,onthesideofthehousenextthegarden,hethrust in his arm, with thebook in hishandopen,andenteredintoaconference with thegirlofthehouse, called MargaretSpear,theparticularsofwhich areas follows.

Apparition—“Do youwantabook?”

Girl “No.”

Apparition—“How came you tolie? forthis

AlexanderWedderburn, David’sTestamentOpened Up in FourtySermons... (Edinburgh, 1705).

MargaretSpear,aservant in theHaltridgehouseholdandwitness to manyofthereported supernaturalincidents.

is thebookwhichtheoldgentlewomanwantedyesterday.”

Girl—“How came youby it?”

Apparition—“I wentdownquietly to theparlourwhenyou were all in thekitchen,and found it lyinguponashelf with aBibleandpairofspectacles.”

Girl—“How came it thatyoudidnottaketheBibletoo?”

Apparition—“It was tooheavy to carry.”

Girl “Will yougive it back?for mymistress can’twant it anylonger.”

Apparition—“No,sheshallneverget it again.”

Girl “Can you read it?”

Apparition—“Yes.”

Girl—“Whotaughtyou?”

Apparition—“Thedeviltaught me.”

Girl—“TheLordbless me fromthee!thouhastgot illlear (i.e.learning).”

Apparition—“Aye,blessyourselftwenty times, butthatshallnotsaveyou.”

Girl—“What will youdo to us (Mr Hattridge’sson,abouteightyearsofage, waswith her at the time), uponwhich it pulledoutasword,andthrust itin at thewindow,and said it wouldkill all in thehouse with thatsword; at whichthechildsaid,“Meg, let usgointothe roomandbarthedoor,for fear it shouldkillus,whichtheydid.Then itjeered at them, saying,“nowyouthinkyou’re safe enough,but I’ll get in yet.”

Girl—“Whatway?for we havethe street doorshut.”

Apparition—“Ican come in bythe least hole in thehouse,likea cat oramouse,forthe devil can make me anythingIplease.”

Girl—“Godbless me fromthee!forthou art noearthlycreature if you can dothat,upon which it tookupastoneofconsiderablebignessandthrew itin at theparlourwindow, whichupon trial couldnotbeputout at the same place,andthenwent away fora little time.”

A little after, thegirlandoneofthechildren came outoftheparlour to the kitchen,andlookingout saw theapparitioncatchingaturkeycock,whichhethrewoverhis shoulder,holdinghimbythe tail, andthecockmakingagreatsplutter with his feet, the bookbeforementioned was, as theythought,spurredoutontheloopoftheblankethehad abouthim;buthetakingnonotice, ran alongthesideofthehouse,andleaped with the cockonhisbackovera wall at the west endofthegarden,leapingagreatdealhigherthan the wall.Thegirlthinkingthisa

goodopportunity to getthebook,told Mrs Hattridge,uponwhichshe with thegirlanda little boywent to thegarden,andgotthebook,withoutanyharmdone toit; at the same time theylookedaboutthegarden,andfieldsadjoining,butcould see nobody.There was nootherpersonaboutthehouse at that time, only little children.A little after, thegirlwent to thewindow in theparlour,andlookingoutofthecasement saw theapparitionagain with theturkey-cocklyingon its backbeforehim,heendeavouring to gethissworddrawn to kill it, as sheapprehended,butthecockgot away. It thenlookedforthebook in theloop oftheblanket,andmissing it, as sheapprehended,threw away theblanket,and ran nimbly upanddownuponthe search for it.A little after, it came back with aclub,andbrokethe glass in thesidewindowoftheparlour,andthenwent to theendwindowthroughwhich thegirl was looking,andpulledoffthecasementglass,notleavingonewholequarry init, and leftit lyingonthesouthsideofthegarden.A little after, thegirlventured to lookout ofthebrokenwindowand saw it as it was diggingneartheendofthehouse with the sword.Sheaskedwhat it was doing? He answered,makingagrave.

Girl—“Forwhom?”

Apparition—“Foracorpsewhich will comeoutofthishouseverysoon.”

Girl—“Who will it be?”

Apparition—“I won’t tell youthatyet. Is your master at home?”

Girl “Yes.”

Apparition—“How can you lie? he is abroad,and is deadfourteendaysago.”

Girl “Of whatsicknessdidhedie?”

Apparition—“I won’t tell youthat.”

After this it wentoverthehedge, as it hadbeenabirdflying.Somepersonsofthe neighbourhood came in immediately after, andbeingtold,madeadiligentsearch,but nothingcouldbe seen.Thus it continued,fromeight in themorning till three in the afternoon,throwingagreatmanystones,turf, &c. in at thewindows, to thegreatterrorof thosewho were in thehouse,who all thiswhiledurstnotgoout to acquainttheir neighbours,therebeingnone in thehousebutold Mrs Hattridge,thegirl,andthechildren.

TuesdayandWednesdayfollowingnothingremarkablehappened. On Thursday morningthebedclothes were takenand laidin aheap at the

backof Mrs Hattridge’sbed,andonbeingputonthebedagainbysomeofthefamily,they were immediatelytakenoffandfoldedup, with aboxbelonging to Mrs Hattridge in the middleofthem,andputunderalargetablewhich was in theroom.They laid them in order uponthebedagain,andthey were takenoffathird time, andmadeup in theshapeofa corpse, as near as suchathingcouldbe,layingthecoveringundermost, with theblankets andbolsterabovethem, with thesheetsspreadover all;andthis it did as often as thebed was madeupforeightdays,which was as long as theoldgentlewomanlived.Uponthe noisethismademany in theneighbourhoodresorted to thehouseandtookparticularnoise, lest theremightbea trickinit.They were obliged to ownthat it was donebysome invisibleagent. Mr Sinclair,thePresbyterianministeroftheplace, with John Main and ReynoldLeaths, two ofhiselders, staid all day in thehouse,andseeingthegreatdisorder ofthefamily,resolved to stay thenight,having with themsomeotherpiousChristiansand neighbourswhospentthenight in prayerandotherreligiousduties. Old Mrs Hattridge was desired to go to bed in theroomwhich was haunted,whichshedid,butgot little orno rest. Abouttwelveo’clockshe cried outsuddenly,andmadeaverygreatmoan Mr Sinclair askedherwhatmadeher so uneasy?Shetoldhimsomething was stuckintoherbacklikea knife,thepainofwhichshe was notable to bear. In themorningshe left thatroomand went to another,being afraid to stay init anylonger.Shelived till thatdaysen’night,the violentpainneverleavingthatpartofherbackwhere it first seized her,anduponthe22nd inst.,abouttwelveo’clock,shedepartedthis life forabetter,meekly,and in amost heavenly frame.Duringthe time ofherillness,theclothes were ofteneverydaytakenoff thebedwhere Mr Hattridgeused tolie, andmadeup in theresemblanceofacorpse. Althoughtheysometimesputatableandchairsuponthebed to keepthemon,yetthey would all betakenoffsuddenlywithoutanynoise,andmadeup as before-mentioned,but were nevermovedwhilstanybody was in theroom.Theeveningbeforeshediedthey were takenoffthebedwheresheused tolie, andfolded with agreatdealofnicety,and laidin a chestabove stairs, wherethey were found after agreatdealof search.

Uponthispartoftherelationthefollowingremarks may bemade:-1st—That theapparition

at first was thought to beabeggarboy,wantingsomething to eat, buthissudden disappearancesurprisedthespectators,andchangedtheirminds.

2nd—Thatthegirlwhodiscoursed so long with it when it appearedthesecond time was duringthewhole timein aterror.

3rd—Thatold Mrs Hattridgeheardthegirland it discourse,yetcouldnot see it, thoughthegirlpointed to theplacewhere it was.

4th—Thatthoughtheapparitiontoldtruth as to Mr Hattridgebeingabroad,yet itliedin sayinghe was dead,forhis wife gota letter fromhim,and inless thanamonth after, hereturned safe fromDublin.

5th—Thatthediggingofthegraveandmakingthebedclothes in theshapeofa corpse was lookingupon as apresageofdeath.

6th—Thatnotwithstandingthedisturbance in theoldgentlewoman’sroom,yet sheneverneglectedherhoursofdevotion init, andbeingdesired to retire to another,she would say it was notgood to giveplace to thedevil;andwhenshe was afraid tolieinit, shewent as long as she was ableandprayed init withoutanydisturbance,continuing init an hourormore at a time.

7th—That in the time ofhersicknessshewouldoftenenquireforher grandchildrenandothers in thefamily,andwhensheheardthey werewell, would say it was agreat mercy thosedevilsgotnopoweroverthem.Shewouldoften raise herself in thebedandlookearnestly to thefootandbackof it andsigh,andthen lie downagain, which, with whatfollowed after herdeath,gavesomeground to suspectshehad seen some apparitionsorwitches,thoughshedidnotdiscover it for fear ofaffrightingthe family.I cannothere, in justice,omit totell theseriousChristianthatpiousandvirtuousinclinations early discoveredthemselves in thisgentlewoman;andduringhermarriageandwidowhood shebehavedherselfChristianly,prudently,andexemplary, so thatshe, as much as any in herstation,deservedthenameofamotherof Israel, byengaging,bothbyadviceand example,thosesheconversed with to fear andserveGod.She was aconstantattenderupon publicordinances,afrequentanddevoutcommunicant,charitable,andtender in her walk andconversation.

After thedeathandburialof Mrs Hattridge,there was nodisturbanceforthe spaceofsome[d]ays,viz, till the27th February,whena sister

ofyoung Mr Hattridge’sandone, MissMary Dunbar,hercousin-german, came to bear hercompany in heraffliction, after thedeathofhermother-in lawtill herhusbandwould comehome,who was at that timein Dublin.Thatnightbeforetheywent to bedanew mantandsomeheadclothes were takenoutofatrunkand scattered throughthehouse, theirheaddressesthrownoutofdoors,andthesleevesofthe said mant,whichthey were making, were suddenlysnatchedfromthem,andfoundoutofdoorsbesmeared with dirt. At the time they were searchingforthe said mant,theyfoundlyingontheparlourfloor an apronthat was lying in acloselockedroom two daysbefore. It was rolledclosetogether and tied hard with thestringofthe same with fivestrangekindofknotsuponthem.They beingsurprised at it (knowingthata little beforethere was nosuchthing to be seen in the parlournorcouldhavebeen laid therebyanythingvisible,thedoorsandwindowsbeing closeshut);nonewouldventure to loosetheknots till theaforesaid MissMary Dunbar offered to do it, and,havingloosedthem,foundaflannel cap whichbelonged to old Mrs Hattridge,wrappedup in themiddleof it.The cap hadbeentaken away before,andfour days after broughtagain,andthe lasttime hadbeen ten days away.Whenshe saw the cap she was frightened,andthrew it, with theapron, to Mrs Hattridge. It was thoughtbysome there was acharm in theknotsdesignedforsome in thefamily,byreasonofwhatfollowed afterwards.Thenextday,beingthe28th February,abouteight in themorning,theclothes were takenoffthebed as formerly,andaboutnine, after they were againput in order, Miss Mary Dunbar, as she was goingupstairs with onealong with her to see if anything in the room was putoutoforder,beingwithinthreestepsofthetopofthe stairs, was suddenly seized with apain in thethigh,whichmadeher fall downand cry outveryviolently.Upon herbeingbroughtdown stairs shesoon after recoveredforaboutsevenoreightminutes, and was then seized with alikepain as before,butdidnotcontinued in the same place, beingsometimes in herhead,sometimes in herbackandbreast, &c.Shecontinuedtaking thesepainseverysevenoreightminutesandsometimes in a lesstime byhalf, till about threeo’clock in theafternoon,aboutwhich time she fell intoa fit quitedifferentfromthe former. After shehadstruggledverymuch,shouting

violently at the time, shecalmed,and lay as if shehadbeen in aswoon, in whichshe was heard to say thesewords—“So and so.” After sherecovered,beingaskedwhatshe said and to whomshe was speaking,she said there was awoman with adirtybiggy(which is the headclotheswhichthe farmer’s wives wear in Scotland)andadirty face, came to the bedside,who said—“Howdoyoudo, Mary Dunbar?”Shewouldbebynomeans persuadedbutthatthosewho werewith her in theroom saw the said woman as well as she had, after whichshe fell intoseveral fits ofalikekind,andtoldthemshe saw theaforesaid woman in threeseveral fits.She was oftenheardentreatingGod to preserveher,and saying—“Fie, fie uponyouforawickedwoman.Itrust in Godyoushallneverget advantageagainst me.Your master afflicted Job,butGodpreservedhim.Ibelievethat Godwhopreservedhim,andthechildrenof Israel in the Red Sea, is able to deliver me fromthee.Itrust in Christyou will getyourreward,” &c.Thosethat were presentwhen sherecoveredaskedheragainwhoshe was speaking to;sheanswered“thewoman with thedirtybiggyandseveralothers with her were in thebedandthreatened to killher.” Beingasked if sheknewanyofthemshe said shehadnever seen anyofthem in all her life exceptwhatshe saw in her fits, but said sheheardthemnamingoneanother,oneofthem they called JanetMean,andanotherJanetCarson;but after herrecoveringoutofthenext fit, she said shewould tell nomorewhatthey said ordid,fortheyhadthreatened to take away her lifeif shewouldmakeanymorediscoveries.Afterwardsher fits were more violentandfrequentthanbefore,andshe was oftenheardspeaking to thosewhotormented her,thoughinvisible to bystanders.Shewouldoften, at the same time, beputtingup petitions to Godforher safety.

The1st dayofMarch,aboutfour in themorning, after herrecoveryoutofthree different fits, shenamedJanetCarson to beoneofhertormentors.Adaughterofhers beingpresent, was verymuchconcerned to hearhermothernamed,uponwhichshewent to the Rev. Mr RobertSinclair,andtoldhimsheknewnotwhat to dofor Mary Dunbarand namedhermotherfora witch. He advisedher to goand tell hermother,andhehimself wouldgoandspeak to her,whichhedid,anddesiredthe said JanetCarson to step down to thehouse, it beingbuta

little distance,and, as aneighbour,visit Mary Dunbar,andmake trial whethershewould knowherornot.Sheexcusedherselfbysayingshe was weak,andnotable;butbeing earnestlydesired, was prevailedupon,andwentaccordingly.Uponthishewentdown to thehousewhere MissMary Dunbar was;andwhilsthe was talking to her,shetoldhim there was agreatterror came uponher,andagreatheat. At this time JanetCarson was coming to thehouse,andbeforeshe saw her,orknewofhercoming,she was in thisterror, andbegan to stare andlookabouther afteran unusualmanner,andwhenevershe came to theroomdoorwhereshe lay she called out,“There’sJanetCarson!”andduringher stay in theroom was in thegreatestagonyimaginable,threestrong men being scarcely able to holdher in thebed.She said thatJanetCarsoncouldhardlybeprevailedupon to prayfor her,sayingshehaddonehernowrong,but was at last prevailedupon to pray to Godfor herrecovery. It isto beremarkedthat Mary Dunbarnever saw the said Carsonbefore havingbeen an absolutestranger in thispartofthecountry,neverhavingbeenwithin fifteen miles oftheplacebefore;yetbeforethe said Carson was seen byher,except in her fits, shedescribedher to bealow set woman, well favoured;whichdescriptionexactly agrees to herperson.Thatnighttherebeinga fire puton in theparlour,and all the companybeingaccidentlyoutoftheroom,theclothes were takenoffthebed,andthrust intothegrate,andagreatpartofthemburnedbeforeanynotice was takenoftheirbeing in the fire.A little after, aservantgoingup stairs, astoneofapoundandahalfweight was thrown at her with greatforce:the fall of it occasionedagreatnoise,which was heardby thecompanybelow.Thegirlthought it was thrownfromacorneroftheroom,which was immediatelysearchedverynarrowly, as theydid also below stairs, yetnothingcouldbe seen thatmighthaveoccasioned it.The same nightagreatmanystonesandturf were thrownintothekitchen,whilstaminister was prayingItheroomwherethegirl was.Upon the same dayshegavethefollowingdescriptionoftheperson,that first appeared to her and still continued to beoneofhergreatesttormentors,viz,shehadadirtybiggyuponher head,her face swarthy,alargerollingeye,verythicklips,and lame ofafoot,prettythick, andofalowstature;andthatthere was ayoung

woman with her,who was muchhandsomer,aboutthe same stature,and also lame ofa leg: thatthese were often in bed with her,andwhenshe was in hergreatestpainwould lie laughing at her,anddivertingthemselves at herexpense.Some in theneighbourhoodbeing present,thought it proper to sendforoneJanetListon,who was marriedto William Sellor, andherdaughterElizabethSellor,who were ofthe same stature,andhad all themarks given in theabovedescription,which was accordinglydonethe same day.JanetListon absolutelyrefused,saying if thedevilhadtakenthehealthfromthat lass, thedevilgiveher healthagain,andthedevilbe with themaltogether! with severalotherhorribleexpressions oflikenature.(The said Listonhadbeenforagreatmanyyearsunderthereputeofa witch,andherdaughterforsome time.)ThenextdaybeingthesecondofMarch, Mr William Fenton,herlandlord, was desired to usehisinterest with her to bringher to see thegirl, with herdaughter,whichheanda few othersdid with somedifficulty.The neighbourhoodhearingof it, agreatmanypersonsofbothsexesresorted to Mr Hattridge’s, at which time the Rev. Mr DavidRobb,theordinary(orcurate)oftheplace, andthe Rev. Mr RobertSinclair,aforesaid, were present,whoorderedthatthewomen shouldbebrought in onebyoneintotheroomwhere Mary Dunbar was, which was done accordingly;andabovethirtywent in one after another,butthegirl was notthe least moved all the time, declaringshe saw nonetherewho were hertormentors. Last of all JanetListon came, and as soon as she came to thedoor,she called outaloud,that was she! andduringthe time shecontinued in theroom,remained in a fit as formerly, in verygreat pain, in whichshecould scarce beheldbythree menin thebed, to thegreatsurpriseofthe company,someofwhomtrembledandothers cried out with fear to see themiserable condition in whichthegirl was; at the same time JanetListonprayed to God to sendher herhealth. All beingremoved,theministerstookJanetListon,andherdaughterElizabeth Sellor, to theparlour,andexaminedthemuponthe articles oftheChristianreligion,and desiredthem to repeatthe creed andtheLord’sprayerwhichtheycouldnotdodistinctly; norgiveanysatisfactoryanswers to thequestionsput to them. After thatE.Sellor was takenintotheroom,whenthegirl fell intoalike fit, an accusedheralso,and after she was

removed was easy.Thentheypersuadedthegirl to turnher face to the wall, withoutletting herknowanydesigntheyhad,andplacedthree men beforethebed,thatshemightnot discoveranybody’scomingintotheroom;notwithstandingwhich, Eliza Sellorbeing brought in again to theroom,she fell into as violenta fit as before,and was immediately eased uponSellor’sbeingremoved.A little after bothmotheranddaughter were conveyed intotheroomathird time, andmade to touchthegirl,andupontheirentrance was as before,but was immediately eased upontheirremoval.Theministersputseveralquestions to them,butgotnosatisfactoryanswers.AmongstotherstheyaskedSellorwhatshe apprehended to bethereasonofthegirl’sbeing seized after so extraordinaryamanner upontheirgoingintotheroom,morethanwhenanyotherwent in.Sellormadeanswer, “PerhapsGod was at that time punishingthegirlforthesinsmorethan at another time;” andhermotheranswered to the same purpose. At nighther fits changed to fainting fits, in whichshe lay aconsiderable time withoutanymotion.Shegave an accountbeforeshe tookthose fits, thatshefoundaheavysulphurous smell, which was also discernible to thosepresent,insomuch as awoman in theneighbourhoodwho came to see herswooned with the same.Thegirlgave an accountthatwhilstshe was in these fits shefoundherbody as it were all pricked with pins,andaburningheat at herbreast, as if she were a-roasting. Shealways called for water whensherecovered,anddrankeagerly all shegot,butupon heressaying to eat ordrinkanything else, herthroatwouldbecontracted,andher teeth set, andappeared in dangerofbeingchocked,andthroughtheviolenceofthepainshe struggled with herhandsand feet, as if shehadbeen in thepangsofonestrangling,and was notable to makethe least noise. It is remarkablethatuponherbeingtakenoutorinto theroomwhereshelay,thatexactlyuponthedoorthresholdshe fell down in theposture ofonethathadbeendeadforsome time; all thepartsofherbodybeingfrigidand stiff, and ofthree times greaterweightthan at other times whennot in a fit.

Uponthe3rd ofMarch, it was thoughtconvenient to takeherup stairs to anotherroomwherethere was less disturbance,andwhenshe was withinthreestepsofthe top,beingthe same placewhereshe was first seized,she fell

down as dead,and was carried bythreestrongmen,who with difficulty were able to supporther to thebedwheretheydesigned tolay her,becauseofthegreatweightshe was when in those fits; at other times anyofthemcould carry her as achild,shebeingbutthen aslendergirlof fifteen orsixteenyearsofage.Whenshe was above,shetookthe fits oftenerthanwhenbelow, so it was resolved to carry herdownagain;andwhenshe was on the samestep where first seized,she fell down as before.There was little remarkablethat night,excepthertaking two draughtsofbeer,which was the first sustenanceshetook (except water) fromthe time she was first seized (which was onthe28th February),and sleptaboutfourorfivehours after it.

March the4th,beingSunday,sheoftenhavingnamedoneCatherine to beone ofhertormentors,sayingshe was alargedarkcolouredwoman:mostpartofthewomenof thatname in IslandMagee, came to thegirl,butshe was not in the least disturbed till one CatherineM’Calmond cameafterall.She was an ignorantirreligiouswoman,of an ill fame, andhadbeendesired to comeseveral times byherneighbours,but was unwilling to come till that time.Uponhergoingintotheroom,she fell into as extraordinarya fit as any before, James Blythe, James M’Alexander, Mrs Wilson,andJanet Martin beingpresent; anduponherrecoveryshechargedher with beingoneofhertormentors. It was remarked thatwhenM’Calmond was in theroom,thegirlgrasped at her with greateagerness,but it was observedthatshe was pulledback as it were bysomeexternalpower,though invisible;whereuponshedesiredtheymightputthewickedwoman away;butM’Calmond actuallyrefused to go,unlessthe rest ofthewomenwent also. It was observed,thata quarterof an hourbeforeM’Calmondwent to thehouse, Mr RobertSinclair,going to the house,bythe way heardagreatsound as it were in the air, goingtowardsthehouse,upon whichhestopped,andheardthenoisecontinued as it were likeahorse,butmoredulland melancholy. Wm.Brown at the same time going to thehouse,heardthe same noise.The girlhadmanyfainting fits comingonsuddenlyandgoing as suddenlyoff till seven at night andwhenshe was in those fits shewouldbeoftenreasoning with hertormentors,and desiringthem tolet heralone,andprayingthatGodwoulddeliverherfromthem. It will notbe amiss to takenotice

hereoftheseremarkablethings.

1st.Thatwhilstshe was in her fits, sheneitherheardnor saw anypersonthat was in thechamber with her,butdirectedherdiscourse as it were to someotherswho were only seen byherself.

2.Thatwhilst Mr Sinclair was praying in themorning,JanetM’Alexander saw acloth,likethelowerendofapetticoat,turninground in themiddleofthefloor,abouta foothighfromtheground,whichfrightenedherverymuch,seeingnothingthatcould cause it.Aboutthree in theafternoon, Mr William Fenton, Mr Hatley,RobertHolmes, and James Blythe,went to CatherineM’Calmond’s to search forcharmsorpictures,and two ofthemwent to the walls of an oldhousewhich was near it,to search there. Mr Sinclair was at the time standing at hisownhouse,which was withinview,and saw distinctly all thatpassed.Whilehe was looking,oneofthemwentback to M’Calmond’s houseandtheother staid to makefurthersearch,andheapprehendedhe saw awomango backwards to thehouse;but to besurer,tookoutaperspectiveglass,and was fully convincedby it that it was awoman,thoughuponenquiry,there was nowomanthere seen bythem.Aboutseven at night Mr Sinclairbeing in thehousewent to prayers,andupon risingandsingingthe142ndpsalm,thegirl was seized with a fit, butdifferingfromthose shehadbefore, in this,thather teeth were so fast shutthat it waswith somedifficultythey openedthem with akeythat was forced in betwixtthemandhertongue was doubled in her throat. After singingandexplainingthepsalm Mr Sinclairaskedher if she saw anything in her fits, shetoldhimshe saw Kitty,andthe lame woman,JanetListon,andthatthey came intothebeduponher; asalso two otherwomenwhichthey called Janet Main and Latimer. Shenosoonerrecoveredoutofone fit, butshe fell immediatelyintoanother, with her teeth shutandhertonguedoubled as before;insomuchthatthey were obligedabovetwenty times duringprayer to forceopenhermouthandpulldownhertongue. It was remarked, thatwhenhertongue was broughtback,shesighed,andgaveasudden start and immediatelyrecovered.Uponherbeingaskedwhat was thereasonof it, she said she thoughtshefoundapain init liketheprickingofapin. After prayer was overshetook lightfainting fits frequently till twelveo’clock.Shethen fell asleep,andslept till break

ofday,anduponwakingtookadraughtofbeer,whichshecouldnotdo all thedaybefore.

Monday, March 5th,therebeingawarrantgivenbytheMayorofCarrickfergus to apprehendJanetCarson,CatherineM’Calmond,JanetListon,and Eliza Sellor,they were accordinglyapprehendedabout tenin themorning;andwhilstthe two first were coming to thehouse,HughDonaldson,who was at that time lyingonthebedtaking care ofthegirl, called out“Lordbless me! I feel somethingstirringunder my shoulder!”and pressingdownhisshoulder to feel it moredistinctly,hefound it as it were, pressinghis shoulder. Mr Sinclair,who was sittingby at that time, puthishand in betwixthisshoulders andthebed,andfoundamoving, as did also thegirl,anddesired to betakenoutofthe bed,whichtheydidthatmoment,andmade search bytakingouttheclothesandfeather bed,andthere was something seen a little largerthanamouse,which flew alongthefloor fromthebed to theclothes;andonputtingtheclothesuponthebedagain, it was seen as before,flyingintoacorneroftheroom,anddisappeared.A little after, JanetCarsonand CatherineM’Calmond were brought to thehouse in custody,andwhenthey came nearthe house,thegirl said she was much afraid;and it was discernible to thebystanders,forshe began to trembleand sweat;but as soon as they came in at thedoorshe fell intoaviolent fit, anddesiredforChrist’ssake to takethemaway,whichtheydidimmediately,andshe was immediately easy.Thewomen were sent to Carrickfergus,andbytheMayor committed tojail, andfivepersonsboundover to prosecute. After theywentshe was pretty easy till aboutfive at night,whenshehadsomelightfainting fits nowandthen;butthe burningheat in herbreast left herfromthe time they were committed.Thesulphurous smellstill continued. At the time ofhertakingthe fits, therewentthreesoldiersthatday fromCarrickfergus to see thegirl;shedesiredtheymightdigaboutthedoorthreshold,for shedoubtedthere was acharmabout it, thatmadeher fall deaduponhergoingover,which theydid,though it hadbeensearchedbefore,andupontheircuttingthethresholdand diggingabout it andunder it, there was foundaverygreat smell ofsulphur.A little after shewent in andoutofthedoorwithoutanytrouble.About six at night Mr Sinclairwent to pray;henosoonerbegan,butshe fell intoaviolent fit as be-

fore, with her teeth shut,andhertonguedrawnback,whichcontinuedduringprayer.When it was over, Mr Sinclairaskedher if she saw anything?Shetoldhimshe saw herthey called Main,andtheonethey called Latimer, who came uponher in thebedandputtheir hands to hermouth,uponwhichher teeth were closedandhertonguepulledback;and gavethefollowingdescriptionofthem,viz.,Janet Main was awomanofamiddlestature, something ill coloured, with very little eyesofabrowncolour,shortnosed,outmouthed, marked with the small pox,longvizaged, with a mark uponherbreast;and Latimer was a tall blackwoman,very ill coloured.Theytoldher at that time shewouldnotgooutofthe door as shehaddonebefore,andthatsheshouldnothear Mr Sinclair’sprayers,forthey signifiednothing:thattheyservedabetter master, and if shewoulddo as theybidhershe wouldsoonbe well.Shegotupandendeavoured to gooverthedoorthresholdshe fell as deadupon it as sheused to dobefore it was dug. After thatthere was a strict enquirymade in severalplacesofthecountryforthe said women,andnotice was giventhatthere was oneJanet Latimer in the Irish QuarterofCarrickfergus,awomanthathadbeenlongunder an ill fame, whohadthemarksgiven in theabovedescription.There was likewisenotice giventhatthere was oneJanet Main in theparishofBroadIsland, an ignorantwomanofa malicioustemper,whohad all themarksgiven in theabovedescription.

March 6th,therebeingawarrantsignedbyaJusticeof Peace, to apprehend all suspectedpersons,andbringthem to beconfronted with thegirl. James Blytheandsome otherswent to BroadIsland to apprehendthe said JanetMain,butbeforetheyreturned, Janet Latimer came to Mrs Hattridge’s,wherethegirl was, havingbeenpersuaded to come byherneighbours,ratherthanbetakenbyaconstable with aguard.There were none in the house at the time thateitherknewheroranythingofhercoming. No soonerhadshe enteredthedoorbut Mary Dunbar called out“There’s Latimer!” and fell intoaviolent fit. There were agreatmanypresent at the time amongwhom were Mr DavidRobb, Mr CharlesLennon, Mr Hatley,and Mr HughWilson.A little while after, James Blythe broughtJanet Main to thehouse,andherhusband with her,withoutgivingthegirlany noticeofherbeingbrought,andmadeseveralother

womengo in beforeherwhomthegirlhadneverseen,butshe was nevermoved at anyof them till sheappeared;butthen fell intoavery ill fit, in whichshe was speechless, all the aforesaidpersonsbeingpresent;and,uponherbeingremoved, was easyas before. Mr Robbtookthewomenaside,andexaminedthem as to theirknowledgeoftheChristian religion,butgotnosatisfactoryaccountfromthem;hemadethemrepeattheLord’s prayer,andbelief,whichtheydid,butconfusedly;andthenmadeahandsomediscourse uponthedangerofwitchcraft,andthenecessityofrepentance, in order to obtaineternal life. It was thenresolved to take in Janet Main asecond time, thatherhusbandmightbe better satisfied. He went in a little beforeher,andfoundthegirlvery easy;butwhenever sheentered,she fell ill as before;andwhenshe was removed,declared to herhusbandthat Janet Main was oneofhercruellesttormentors;andthat Latimer hadthreatened to destroy her if shewoulddiscoverthem as shedonethe rest.Aboutfour in theafternoon, Main and Latimer were takenbyaconstablebeforetheMayorofCarrickfergus,andcommitted to jail, and Mr Lennonand Mr HughWilsonbound to prosecute. After that time thegirl was easy,andslept till eight in themorning,andhadno fit thatnight.

Nextmorning, March 7th,shearose,andabout six in themorning ate a little breadandbeerwithoutanytrouble,which was the first time shehadpower to eat fromthe 28th February,which was thedayshe fell ill, exceptthethirdpartof an egg,whichshe took at twice, butnevercomplainedofhungerduringthat time.About two hours after, whileJohnCampbell was praying, Mrs Hatley saw something fly in betwixtthehanging andthebackofthebedwherethegirllay,uponwhichshegotupandputbythecurtain, and saw somethingaboutthebignessofher two fists.A little after thebedclothes were takenoffabove stairs, andmadeup in theshapeofacorpse;andupontheirbeingputright again, Mrs Hatley wentandstoodoppositethedoor,which was open,whereshehadthe bed in view,and saw theclothescomeoffthebed as onehadaholdofthembythecorner, thoughnobody was in theroom.About ten o’clock,MargaretSpearandoneofthechildren were lookingup stairs, and saw aboyofeightornineyearsofage as to appearance standinguponthe samestep ofthe stairs wherethegirl first seized, with apiece

of an oldcoveringabouthim,which was thrownby as useless.Theygaveimmediate notice,and search was made,butnobodycouldbefound.A little after, Mrs Hatley’scloak was rolledroundabundleofwheat straw, and laidin theparlourfloor.Thegirlcontinued well till four in theafternoon,whenshe fell into fits quitedifferentfromtheformer, in whichshe was as it were in aswoon,andwouldbeoftenturneduponherbed with her face under,towardstheholster; all partsofherbody as stiff as onesomedaysdead, with a greatweightuponher,insomuchthat it tookthewholestrengthofa manto raise herhead fromthebolster, to preventherbeingsmothered,whichshewouldhavebeen if not relieved.

March 8th,she fell intoseveralofthese fits, and in theintervalsbeingasked whatshe saw, shegave an accountthatshe saw onewhomthey called mistress, and anotherthat was blindof an eye,whohadastringofblackbeadsaboutherneck,that came intothefootofthebeduponher.There was nodisturbance in thehousethatday,andthe girlsleptmostofthenight.

March 9th, in themorningshehadseveral fits oflikenature,beingturned as before in thebed, with agreatweightuponher, so thatone was obliged toliein thebed with their arm underher to preventherbeingsmothered. It was remarkedthat, after Main and Latimer were put injail, theyneverfoundthesulphurous smell;andthat in her intervals,shewouldgo in andoutoftheroomwithouttrouble,and eat frequently.Thegirl was pretty well thatday,exceptthat intime ofprayershehadalong fit. Her hands were so fast shutthattheycould scarce beopened, with hertonguedoubled in herthroat,andher teeth fast closed.There were severalstonesthrownthroughthehouse,some as if theyhad beentakenoutofa lime wall, butcoulddiscovernoplacefromwhencetheycouldhave beentaken. In themorningthere were sevenknots at equaldistancesupononeofthe children’sgown laces, as manyupon Mrs Hattridge’sapronstrings,andthreeupona youngboy’scravat, all ofwhich were thrown into the fire, theysupposingthere was a charm in them.Aboutthree in theafternoon Mr Campbell’sbox in whichhekeptsome papers, was taken,andthegirl’scloakrolledabout it, and laidin theparlourfloor. At night, after Mr Campbellhadprayed,heaskedher if shehadheardhim:sheanswered,she was mightysorry

shedidnot,forshe was in a fit all the time.Thatnightagreatnoise was heard in the kitchen,andabove stairs;apot lid was thrownintothebedwhere Mrs Hattridgelay,and theythroughtheyheardglass, as it were, thrownthroughthekitchen.She rested well that night.

Nextday, March 10th,she was very easy. Mr Sinclair, Mr Stannus, Mr Robert Donaldson,and Mr HughDonaldson,havinggone to thehouse to bearherandthe family company,askedherseveralquestions,particularlywhatsheheardthemsaying in her fits; ofwhichshegavethefollowingaccount:viz.,beforeanyofthem were apprehended,they said,they were makingagreatdealoffraisingabouther,butbefore it were longsomeof themthatattendedherwouldbe as ill as she was.Thentheydissuadedherfromlistening to anyreligiousduty, as prayer, &c.;thattheyservedabetter master, and if shewoulddo as theywoulddesireher,shewouldsoonbe well. At another time, they were tellingone anotherwhattheyhad leftin bed with theirhusbands;one said she left abesom:another thatshehad left a little straw, whichshehadmadea-purpose.Janet Main askedherthey called mistress,if shedrankmuchwinethatnight;she said shewouldhavedrankmore if shehadbeen to gohome to Johnny,butshe was come to thishouse first.They said they wouldneverleavethehousewhilethere was anybody init, andtheywouldmake everybodyleave it. It was remarkedthatshenever saw anyofthemsincethey were committed tojail.There were someturfthrown at thechildren,who werewith the maid above stairs, buttheycouldnotdiscoverfromwhencethey came.There was little remarkablethatday;there was agreatnoiseheardabove stairs at night.Thegirl rested very well all night.

March 11th,beingSunday,shehadadesire to go to sermon,themeeting-house beingwithinmusketshotofthehouse.Shejoined in psalmsand in prayer,but in the beginningofsermon fell intoa fit, uponwhichshe was takenout,butrecoveringshe desired to go in again,whichshedid,butsoon fell intoanother,uponwhichshe was taken home,andhad fits veryoftenthatday,such as shehadwhenshe was first seized,makinga greatstruggle at first, andthenfallingquiet, as if she was in aswoon;yetthosewho were presentheardhercallingout in alowand scarcely audiblevoice; after sherecovered,she affirmed she saw thewomanblindof an eye,which was sunk in herhead,who was an ill

colouredwoman,andanothershe called Mrs Ann, with astampedapronuponher,anda goodhead-dress,ablackandwhitemanteau,a redface, andreddishcolouredhair. After sermonthere was awomanoftheneighbouringparishbrought to her,who was blindof an eye,which was sunk in herhead,butshe was notmoved,butdeclaredshehadnevergiven heranydisturbance.There were severalotherswho were blindof an eye in theisland, which came to her,butshe said it was noneofthemwhichhaddisturbedher.Aboutnine at night,there was aturfthrownintothebeduponSheela M’Gee, with greatforce,which bruisedhermuch.Aboutthe same time there was anotherthrown at MargaretSpear,which struckheronthemouthandnose till theybled.There were manymorethrown,butdidno harm.Abouttwelve at night,John Smith heardthedooroftheroom,wherehe lay with Mr Campbell, fly open,thoughheshut it whenhewent to bed;and at the same time hearda noise, as of cats. He aroseandshutthedoor,and as heapprehended, saw two persons standingbetwixthimandthelightofthewindow, as hewent to bed,whichputhim in a greatfright. Mrs Stannus,who was lying with a Mrs Jameson in thekitchen,muchabout the same time heardsomethingstrikeaboveonehundredstrokes, as shethought,uponthe backofachair,whichfrightedher;uponwhichshe called James Blythe,whoaroseand lightedacandle,butcould see nothing. At the same time Sheela M’Gee hadthrown at her thebottomof an oldlanthorn.

March 12th,abouteight in themorningthere were severalstonesthrown at peoplebothwithinandwithoutdoors,oneofwhichweighedaboveapoundandahalf. Thegirlputsomelonghairsoutofhermouththenightbefore,and twice thatmorning.She hadseveral fits thatmorning,and in theintervalsgavethefollowingdescriptionofthose whotormentedher.Shewhomtheother called Mrs Ann, was awomanofamiddlestature, areddish face,red haired,marked with the small pox,her teeth unevenly set, with rough arms andcoarsehands;sheworesometimesaplainmuslinapron,sometimesone furbelowed,sometimesastampedone,andamantofblackandwhitemixture, at other times oneofabrownishcolour.Theotherwoman,whomshehadneverheardnamed, was a little woman,herhairofadarkbrown,oneofhereyessunk in herhead,andthe same sideof

her face drawntogetherbythe small pox,herfingerscrooked in at theends,andastringof blackbeadsaboutherneck, in averyordinaryhabit,whotoldher in her last fit thatthe MayorofCarrickfergus was coming to examineher,butsheshouldhavebut little power to answeror to speak to him.Abouttwelve at noon,theMayor,andseveralotherperson with him, came to thehouse, at which time she was very well, butsoon after fell intoseveral fits. In theintervalheaskedherseveralquestions, to all thewhichsheanswereddistinctly; after whichshe was sworn. He thenaskedher if the six women in custody,viz.,Janet Carson,JanetListon,ElizabethSellor,JanetMain,CatherineM’Calmond,andJanet Latimer, were hertormentors?She said they were, buttheyneverhadappeared to hersince they were takenintocustody.TheMayorthenasked if there were anyothersthat tormentedher?she said there were two,ofwhomshegavethedescription as before related. He thenaskedherwhyshe called Janet Latimer, Elizabeth Latimer? shethentold himsheknewnoneoftheirnames,noreverhad seen anyofthembut in her fits, till they were brought to her,andthensheknewthemtoo well, but was suresheheardoneofthem called Elspy,andtoldhimsheheardthemoften say theywoulddestroyher if shewould discoverthem;andtheytoldher,theywouldneverleaveoff, till theyputthewhole family outofthehouse.Shehadseveral fits duringherexaminations,but as soon as sherecovered shebegandirectlywhereshe left off.TheMayordesired Mr Robb to pray,butshe was in a fit duringthewhole time. After prayersherecovered,andshehadnotheardanyof it exceptthe first words,whichshe was muchconcerned at.Shehadseveral fits thatnight till 9,andfrom12 at night till nextmorning, with hertonguedoubleddown, &c.

Thatmorning,Tuesday, March 13th, it was thought fit bysomeofherrelations to takeheroutoftheIsland to Mr Stannus’s in the Parish ofLarne;theyaccordingly left Mr Hattridge’s to go to theboat,havingalong mileto gobyland,and two by water, and every two orthreeperchesshewentshe fell intoa fit. It was concludedsheshouldride behindaman,andhaveoneof each side to supporther.Shetookseveral fits upon horseback,and came to theground in spiteof all theycoulddo to holdherup. After she was putintotheboat,she scarce everrecoveredoutofa fit till shelanded at Mr

Stannus’s,which was from tentill twelve at noon.Shehadthreeorfour fits after her landingbeforeshecouldgive an accountofanything. As soon as sherecovered,shetold thatJanet Main andthewomanthat was blindof an eye werewith her all the time she was uponthe water, andthattheyappeared to her in her last fit, sinceshelanded.She was desired to take care ofwhatshesaid,forJanet Main was injail, and so couldgiveherno trouble,neverthelessshe was positivethatshe waswith her.About twoin theafternoon, shedesired Mr Ogilvy to prayforher,andduringprayershe was in a fit.Shetook fits veryoftenthatnight,sometimesstandinguponherheadand feet at the same time, with her bellyuplikeabow,and at theendofthe fit lay likeonedead,withoutmotion, at the same time was heardtalking with alowvoiceand with hereyesopen,stedfastlylooking sometimes to oneplaceandsometimes to another,yet saw noneofthecompanythat was aboutherduringher fits.There was diligentenquirymadethroughthecountryfor Mrs Annandthewomanblindof an eye,buthitherto to nopurpose.There were greatnumbers ofwomenfrom all partsofthecountry came to see her,andsomeblindof an eye,butshe hadnodisturbanceupontheircoming to see her.The same daythere was an accountgiven to onethat was in theScotchQuarterofCarrickfergus,who was blindof an eye, with someothermarksgiven in thedescription;uponwhich James Blytheandsomeotherswent to her,andtoldhershemustgo to thegirl.Shetoldthemshe was veryunable,havingbeen longsick,andbut lately recovered;however,bythestrengthofGod,shewouldbe with her in themorning;andweptbitterly. In themeantime, as he was lookingoutofthedoor,he saw awomanthathad all themarksofthedescriptionexactly.She was goingalongthe street smokingapipeoftobacco,uponwhichhewentstraight to herandchallengedher, at whichshe fell intoagreatrage,andcursedandsworehorribly;uponwhichhetoldher if shewouldnotgowillinglyhewouldtakeherbyforce,havingawarrant to empowerhim to takeup all suspectedpersons;but it being late at nighthe let her stay till morning. Mr Blythehadnever seen herbefore,norhadanyaccountofher,havingonly seen herthus accidently.Shehadtheexactmarksgiven,viz., was a little woman,haddarkbrownhair, shehadoneeyesunk in herhead, with the same sideofher face drawntogether,

andherfingersdrawntogetherandcrooked at theends,havingbeen all occasionedby failing in the fire, whereshe was burned to thatdegreeheredescribed;hername was Janet Millar.

March 14th,beforeeight in themorningshehada fit, anduponherrecovery said thatJanet Main appeared to her,and was in thebed with her in her fit. It beingthought bysomethatthe said Janetmighthavebeenenlarged,theythought it proper to write a letterto theMayorofCarrickfergus,givinghim an accountofherappearing,anddesiring him, if shehadbeenenlarged,shemightagainbeconfined;uponwhichtheMayorsentfor thejailor to enquireinto it, and,uponenquiry,foundthatthe said Janet Main andJanet Liston were takenoutof jail onthe13th, in themorning, to thejailor’shouse,andthat Janet Main hadherboltsstruckoff to spin to hisuse,whilsttheothercardedforher with herboltson;andthatthey were remandedfor jail abouteight at night,andbolted,and broughtoutagainnextmorningaboutseven to spin as before.Aboutnine in themorninga womanblindof an eyefromLarne,andabout ten thewomanfromCarrickfergus,which James Blythehadbeeninformedof,andhadbeenwith, came to see thegirl,butshe was not in the least movedupontheirapproach,buttoldthemshe was underagreatconcern theyhadbeenput to thetroubleofcoming so far, anddesiredthathercousinwouldgive thewomanthat came fromCarrickfergussomething to eat anddrink.Thewoman was underthegreatconcernforbeingsuspectedofwitchcraft.AboutelevenJanet Millar came fromCarrickfergus,herneighbourshavingpromised to James Blythethatsheshouldbe with herthatmorning.Whenshe came withinaquarterofa mile ofthehouse,shebegan to sweat andtremble, as shehadbeen in agreatterror,anduponherentrance fell into an extraordinary ill fit, insomuchthatshecould scarce bekept in thebedbythree men.Upon herbeingremoved to thebarn,she was eased,andtheyaskedher if she was positiveshe was thewomanwhotormentedher?She said sheknewhertoo well, andhad seen hertoo often, to doubtshe was thewomanwhohaddisturbedherandofwhomshehadgiventhe marks.A little after Mr OgilvyandseveralpersonsfromLarne came to see herbehaviour when Millar was present,andhadherbrought in asecond time, and it hadthe same effect as before,uponwhich Millar was again carried intothebarn,and Mr Ogilvyaskedher

severalquestions, as to herChristianfaith,withoutreceivinganysatisfactoryanswer. He thenaskedherwhatshethought was thereasonofthegirl’sbeing so ill whenshe approachedher,andnot so whenothers came nearher,andwhat was thereasonshehad so exactlydescribedher,havingnever seen hernorheardofherbut in her fits? Sheanswered after asurlymanner, “I believethedevil’s in the lass.”There were somepresentwhohada mind to makeathird trial, andtake in Janet Millar withoutherknowledge,oranywho were present with her,whichaccordinglytheydid,whichhadalike effect, uponwhichshe was sent to Carrickfergus,andthereput injail.TheConstableandJohn Millar, whotook her to Carrickfergus,searchedherhouse,andfoundaballofhair,madeup as they apprehended with rootsofherbs,andsomecombustible matter, with aneedlefiveinches longthrough it, all whichtheythrewintothe fire andburned. It was observedthegirl’s tongue was neverdrawnback in herthroat after Millar’s imprisonment.

But to return to Mrs Hattridge’s. March 14th, Mrs Hattridgebeingundera terroruponaccountofthedisturbances in thehouse,prevailed with aschoolmasterwho dweltnearthem to bringhisscholarsandkeepschool in theparlour,whichhedid,and havingshutthedoor, intwo hours time there were seventeenstonesthrownagainstthe door,which were thrown with suchforcethatthey all madegreatimpressions init. After theyhad left theroom at twelveo’clock,wheretheyhada fire, agirlgoingintotheroom, foundaridinghoodof Mrs Hattridge’slyinguponthe fire, andagreatpartof it burnt.

March 15th,thegirlhadmany fits, and in theintervalstoldthatthewomanwho theother called Mrs Annappeared to her,andtoldhershehaddiscovered all, andgotthem secured,butsheshouldneverknowhername,and said shewouldneverleaveher till she wouldbeherdeath,andgavethe same descriptionofher as before.Aboutthree in the afternoonshehadasevere fit, anduponrecoverytoldthat Mrs Annhadbeen with her,and thatshe was turnedintoaspider,andwent away in thatshape.JohnGetty,merchant in Larne saw somethinglikeaspide at the same time;being at that time with thegirl,he endeavoured to catch it, butcouldnot.Soon after she, in another fit, sawMrs Anncome as beforeandgooff as aspider, at which time John Getty saw oneonthebed,whichhe thoughthe

catched,butupongoing to the fire to throw it into it, foundhehad it not.About ten at night shehadseveral fits, anduponrecovery saidMrs Ann waswith her,and lay uponher breast,andwentoff in theshapeofa fly.The said Getty said hefoundsomething at that time strikehim in therightthigh,thoughthere was nothingvisiblydid it that time. Mary Dunbar said that Mrs Annthentoldhersheshouldnot so easily getherdiscovered as she haddonethe rest, butdesiredher totell herageandsheshouldsoonbebetter;she answeredshedidnotknow,and if shedidshewouldnot tell her.The same daythere was a greatmanystonesthrown at Mrs Hattridge’s,andwhenthegirlswentoutofthekitchen about two minutes to thedoorofthehouse,theirbedclothes were takenandthrowninto the fire, wheretheyfoundthemwhentheyreturned.

Friday, March 16th,she was easy,havingbutsomelight fits thatday.

Saturday,the17th,shehadmany fits, andgave an accountthat Mrs Ann was still with her,andthreatened to destroyher,andtoldhersheshouldneverdiscoverherby name.Soon after she fell intoanother fit, anduponrecovery called out“her arm!”as ifit were acuttingoff;uponwhichtheytookholdofher arm, andlookinguponwhereshe complainedofthepain,theyfoundablackwoollenstring, with eightknotsupon it,tied roundher arm, which was immediatelycutoff,andthepain ceased.Abouttwelve at noon she fell intoanother fit anduponrecoveringcomplainedofherthigh,aboutwhich was foundher fillet, which was a little beforeuponherhead, with sevenknotsupon it, and as soon as removedshe was eased.About twoin theafternoonshe was sittingbetwixt Mr Ogilvyand Mr Stannus,andcomplainedofher arm, aboutwhich was tied abluestring with fiveknotsupon it, and was eased uponcutting it off.A little after shehadanother fit, anduponrecoverycomplainedherbackand waistwere sorelypained. Mr Skevington, ministerofLarne,andseveralothers, were there with her,andfoundawhiteinklestring tied abouther waistwith nineknotsupon it, anda little before was three times roundher neck,and as soon as it was takenfromabouthershegot ease.Aboutnine at nightshehad another fit, anduponrecoverycomplainedofherright arm, aboutwhich was foundawhite woollenstring with fiveknots;and in theintervalsgave an accountthat Mrs Anntoldher if shegother

[26] discoveredshewouldsendsomeofherfriends,whowouldhandleherworsethanshehad done.

Sunday,the18th, in themorning,shehada fit;and after recoverytoldthat Mrs Annhadputhair,feathers,andpinsdownherthroat,whichshe said wouldcloakher,and toldher if theydidnot,shewouldputpenknivesdownnext,thatwoulddestroyherbefore ten o’clocknextday.Shehadagreatpain in herstomachafterwards, tilltwoin the afternoon,andthen fell avomiting,andthrewupsomehair,apartofwhichappeared to be horse-hair,bythecoarsenessof it, and at several times thatnight,fivelargepins, with woolandfeathers.She was very ill at night,fallingintoone fit after another with little intermission.

The20th shehadmany ill fits, andabout two andthree in theafternoon described Mrs Ann as formerly, with addition,thatshe was amiddle-agedwoman.There was agreatenquirymade in severalplacesofthecountryforonebearingthemarksgiven, and at last there was noticegivenofoneMargaretMitchell, in theparishofKilroot,who had all themarksgiven in thedescription.She was summonedthenightbeforeby James BlytheandJohnSmith,whowent to see whethershehadthemarksdescribed,beforethey wouldgiveherthetrouble to go to thegirl,butfindingthem to agree, were verypressing to haveher to go as ofherself,andnot to betaken with aconstableandaguard,whichshe compliedwith,but with greatreluctancy.Beforeshe came nearthehouse,a fear came uponthegirl,butnot so greatatrembling as before,whenanyofthe rest came, having beenpersuaded to usesomethingby way ofapreventative,byaScotchgentleman,who hadbeentroubledhimselfbywitches,whichhe said wouldpreventherfallingintoa fit uponherapproach.WhenMargaretMitchell came intotheroomwhereshe was, she discovered with herwithoutfallingintoa fit;andthough in greatterror,accusedherof beingoneofhergreatesttormentors. Mr Ogilvydesiredher to becautiousofwhatshedid, in accusinganypersonof so greata crime.Thegirltoldhim,thatsheshouldanswer to God, at thegreatdayofappearance,she was thepersonwhowentunderthenameof Mrs Annamongsthertormentors. It was agreedbythegirl’srelations tolet MargaretMitchell go at liberty, to see if shewouldtroubleheranymore;andwhenshe was goneabout an hour,she fell intoa fit, andpointed with herfinger to thefoot

ofthebed,and was heardspeaking,andprayingthatGodwoulddeliverherfromherand all the same, desiringshewould let heralone;yet at the same time saw noneofthosethat were abouther. After sherecoveredshe said MargaretMitchell was in theplacewhereshe pointed with herfinger,andshetoldhershewouldtormenther till nextmorning at ten, andnolonger, if shewouldnotprosecuteher,and if shemadeanyfurtherdiscoveryofher, shewouldtormenthermoreandmore. In a little she fell intoanother fit;whenrecovered, said thatMargaretMitchell still threatenedher,and said shewouldmakeBlytheand Smith’spictures,androastthemlikelarksbeforea fire, and ere it were longsomeofthem shouldbe as ill, andworsethanshe was.Shegotupagreatmanyfeathersbyvomiting, and after sherecoveredvomitedupabutton,whichshe said Mitchellput in hermouth,and after another fit anotherbuttonofthe same kind,which James Blythecomparing with his vestbuttons,found to bethe same sort,andfoundhewanted two ofthem,whichhe was surehehadbeforeshe fell intothese fits. At the same time shevomitedfourlargepins, two ofwhich were rusted,andagreatmanyfeathers.

But to return to Mr Hattridge’s,andgive an accountofthedisordersthere. Fromthe15thto the20th there were agreatmanystonesthrown,bothbydayandby night, at thepeople in thehouse,andmanyofthem were sorehurtbythem. At other times there were greatnoises in severalpartsofthehouse,andeven in theroomwherethewhole family lay,havinggotseveraloftheirbeds in oneroomfortheirgreatersecurity,being afraid tolie at adistancefromoneanother in thehouse.Manyoftheneighbourhood came everynight to stay with them in theirtrouble,andsomeofthem sat up all night,havinga candleburningbythem;yet,notwithstandingtheir care, thekeysoftheroomswouldhave beentaken away forseveraldays,andthekeyofthebarnoften.They also oftenhearda scratchingupontheboards in theroom,andonthebedpostswheretheylay, as it were one’snails,and at other times astrikingupontheboards,andbackofthechairs, after whichtheywouldhavefoundthekeysthrown in upononeofthebedsoruponthefloor; theirwearingapparelwouldhavebeentakenaway,andnotfound in severaldays,andthen sometimesfound in thehagyardcovered with straw, and at other times broughtbackand laid uponthefloor.Thechil-

dren’sgown-laces, cravats,andshirts,strangelyknotted.Oneofthemhadhisshirtknotted at thecornerswhilstuponhisback as he layin bed.

The21st, MargaretMitchell was brought to thegirlasecond time (the preservativewhichshehadfromtheScotchgentlemanbeing laid by)anduponher appearingshe fell intoa fit, as formerlytoldwhentheothersapproached,butrecovered as soon as Mitchell was removed,andpersisted in affirmingthatshe was thepersonwho wentunderthenameof Mrs Ann,uponwhichshe was takenintocustodybyJohnLogan, constableofBroadIsland,whoputher in bolts at Ballycarry,abouteleven at night. Mary Dunbarvomitedupalinenthread,aboutseveno’clock, with sevenknotsupon it;those that waited uponher,seeingoneendof it appear,pulledtheotheroutofherthroat.She hadasevere fit a little before, with greatpain in all partsofherbody. It was remarkedthat after MargaretMitchell was put in irons,which was at eleven at night,thegirl was eased, havingonlyapain in herstomach,occasionedbysomefeathersthat were init, whichshe vomitedthatnight, after whichshe was in perfecthealth till the24th instant.

Fromthe20thto the24th thedisturbanceincreasedmuch at Mr Hattridge’s. Theclothes were oftenpulledoffthebeds,andsometimesmadeup in theshapeofa corpse, at other times thrownintothe fire.Sometimesthey were pulledoutofthebed whilstthechildren were lying init.Thoughseveralpeople were sittingbythem,andhada candleburning in theroom,yettheywould see theclothescomingoff,andendeavour to holdthemon,butcouldnot,nor see at the same time anythingthatcouldoccasiontheir comingoff.Sometimesthechildren,andotherswhowouldbelying with them,wouldbe struckontheheads;theysometimesapprehendedthestrokes were givenbyastick, at other times with an iron,whichtheyjudged to bethekeysthat were oftenwanting.Upon Sundaymorning Mrs Hattridgehadablackhoodandapairofglovestakenaway,when she was dressing to go to sermontherebeingnobody at that time with her.Whensermon was overtheyheardseveralgreat cries above stairs, butcould see nothing.There was the same dayastonewhichweighedtwelvepounds laidin thechildren’sbed,andthemop whichhadbeenupon it takenoff,and laid under it. In the same nightthere was agreat knockingheard in the

[29] rooms,and all thingsthatcouldbeknotted,hadagreatnumberofknotsputuponthem. Mrs Hattridge’shood was found in abed in thekitchen,apairofblanketsbeingnicely foldedup in theshapeofachild,andtheblackhoodput as it were upontheheadof it.The girlwho saw it first was frighted,and called outthere was somebody in thebed.

But to return to thegirl. March 24th, as she was sittinguponthebedside,there beingseveralpresent,she was ofasuddenpulledthroughthebedbackwards,and so to the floor,thoughthere was nothing seen bythepersonspresentthatcouldhavedone it; in whichshe lay foraconsiderable timein alamentablecondition,havingagreatpain in all partsofherbody. After sherecovered,she said Janet Main pulledherthroughthebed,and threatenedthatshewouldtakeheroutofthecasement,anddrownher in the well.Soon after shehadanother fit, anddeclaredwhenrecovered,thatJanet Main andJanetListon appeared to her;thatJanet Main threatenedshewoulddestroyher,and at the time putpins andfeathersdownherthroat,thoughshedid all shecould to preventher.She said further, thatJanetListondidnottouchher,but flattered her to giveherconsentthattheyshould takeheroutofthecasementintothegarden,which if shewouldtheywouldquicklydo, wheresheshould see thefinestplay,andhearthe sweetest musicthatevershe saw or heard in her life. It was remarkedbythebystanders,that in the time ofher fit, she was praying to God to bedeliveredfromthem,andshetrustedhewoulddo it.A little after she recovered,shevomitedupaconsiderablequantityoffeathers,and six corkerpins,and after themsomemorefeathers.There were two pairofthepinslinkedtogether with their pointsoutwards.Shehadseveralothersevere fits till four in theafternoon, in whichshe was lifted up to thebed-tester, though James Blythdid all hecould to holdherdown.Upon enquiry it was foundthatJanet Main andJanetListon were enlargedabouthalf an hour after twelveo’clock,andtheirboltsstruckoff,onpurpose to find if theywould at that time troublethegirl.Thegirl rested very well thatnight,butwantedthepowerofhertongue in themorning.She was otherwisevery well, as shesignifiedbysigns.

At ten thatmorning(the25th)shehadastrongapprehension, as she said afterwards,that if she read the2ndchapterofJob,shewould

havethepowerofhertongue,uponwhichshemadesignsforaBible,andreadingoverthe chapter to the9th verse,shespoke,andpraisedGodforthe same.Thatdayshe was very well, andonlyhadapain in herstomach;andabout two orthreeo’clock,vomitedup at twice somewool,whichshe said Janet Main hadput in hermouththedaybefore,andhad beenonherstomachsincethat time.

The26th,she was pretty well, exceptingapain in herstomach;andabout tenin themorningvomitedupapinwhichhad lainin herstomachsincethe24th. It was observedshecouldgivenoaccounthowthesethings were putdownherthroat,onlyshe was sensiblehertormentorsputthem in hermouth,andthey were forceddownherthroat, butbywhatmeansshecouldnot tell.Thegirlcontinued in verygoodhealth till the29th, andwalked to see theministeroftheplace,andseveralothers in Larne.

But to return to Mr Hattridge’s.Thedisturbancecontinuedfromthe24thto the 29th,therehavingbeenagreatmanystonesandturfthrownbothwithinandwithoutdoors, with whichseveral were hurt;everything in oraboutthehousestrangelyknotted,viz.,the horsesandcowsbinding;people’sgarters in aminute’s time after havingbeentakenfrom theirlegs;theservants’bedclothestakenoff in thekitchenandthrownintothe fire;anda ridinghoodof Mary Lock’s,which was madeuselessbythe fire.WhenMargaretSpear was in bed with thechildrenshe felt agreatweight, as ofonegoingoverherfromoneside ofthebed to theother,whichshehad felt several times before; at the same time bothher stockings were knotted,andacandleput in oneofthem;thepillowstakenfromunderthe childrenandthrown at her with greatforce;severalturfandclodsthrown at her,which hurther,andoneofthembledhermouthandnose;theythenpulledtheclothesoffthebed, whichshedid all shecoulddo to prevent,bypullingagainstthem; at the same time finding as it were the feet ofsomebodythrustingagainsther feet till theyhadgotthemoff.

But to return to Mary Dunbar.The29th of March shecontinued well till about twoin theafternoon(beinguponherjourney to Carrickfergus in order to prosecute at the Assizes theeightwomen in custody)she fell intoasevere fit in whichshe fell to the groundfrombehind James Blythe, after shehadrodeabout twomiles,in whichshelost thepowerofhertongue; so upon

herrecoveryshecouldnot tell anything.She fell after that so oftenintothemthatthey could carry hernofather, so tookherintoJohnBurns’s,whereshe staid all night. At nine thatnight,sheapprehendedthat if shewould read the14th chapterofJohn to the6th verse, shewouldgetherpowerofhertongue,whichshedid,andspokeaccordingly.Shethen toldthecompany,that in her fits upontheroad,a man with lightbrownhair,a little curling at theends,mixed with somegreyhairs,appeared to her;hehad an oldbrownbonnetupon hishead,browncolouredclothesmuchworn,longvisaged,andof an ordinary size; asalso an oldwoman,marked with the small pox,ofadarkcomplexion, in ordinaryclothes,ofa middle size;andayoungwoman,ofabouttwentyyearsofage, as shethought,ofamiddle stature,herclothesprettygood,andofalightcolour.Theseappeared to herupontheroad, andtoldhershe was going to prosecuteagainstthe rest at the Assizes;butsheshouldnot havethepower to speak in courtagainstanyofthem;andtoldhertheywouldtormenther worsethanshehadbeenyet.Shehadtheuseofhertongueabout an hour,thenshe fell into a fit, andlost it again.

The30th instant, it was borne in uponher, if sheshould read the6th chapterof Genesisand5th verse,sheshouldspeak,whichhappenedaccordingly,about six in the morning.The same day,beingupontheroadwithin twomiles ofCarrickfergus,she fell intoasevere fit, andwhenrecoveredwantedthepowerofhertongue,andcontinued so till one in theafternoon,whenshehadthepowerofhertongueagain,anddiscoursedsensibly to severalclergymenandothergentlementhat came to see her,andgavethemgreat satisfaction in relation to hertrouble.Aboutthree in theafternoonshehadseveralfainting fits, and was dumb till four in themorningofthe31st, at which time shehadseveral fits, anduponrecoveringmadesignsforaBible,andlookeduponExodusthe3rd and13th chapters,andspokefornear an hour,andtoldthecompanythatthethreepersonsbefore described werewith her in her fits, andtoldhersheshouldnotbeable to discoverthem, as shehaddonethe rest, andshouldnotbeable to speakonewordfromfive in themorning till four at night.Aboutfouro’clockshehadafainting fit, andlostthepowerofher tongue. At six o’clockthe trial came on;thegirl was in thecourt,andtookseveralfainting fits, but was all

[32]

thewhiledumb,thoughshehadherhearingvery well, except in her fits, whensheneither heardnor saw anybodythat waswith her.Theevidenceswornuponthis trial were—John Smith,John Blair, James Blythe,the Rev. Mr Wm.Ogilvy,the Rev Mr Skeffington, Mr Wm.Fenton, Mr Wm.Hatley, Mr Chas.Lennon,JohnWilson,HughWilson, Mr Hugh Donaldson, James Hill, MrJames Hattridge, Mrs Hattridge,the Rev. Mr. Patrick Adair, the Rev. Mr. James Cobham, Patrick Ferguson, James Edmonston, Mr Jameson. After a long trial, from six in themorning tilltwoin theafternoon,neithercounselnorattorney employedagainsttheprisoners,thejurybrought in theirverdict,thatJanetListon, ElizabethSellor,JanetCarson,CatherineM’Calmond,JanetMain,Janet Latimer, Jean Millar, andMargaretMitchell, were guiltyofexercisingwitchcraftonthebodyof Mary Dunbar,and were sentenced to beimprisonedtwelvemonths,and to bepilloriedfour times.Abouthalf an hour after three,thegirlsignedforaBible,andlookinguponthe40th Psalm and13th verse,shespoke,andgave an accountthatthethreepersonsbefore described lay heavyuponher,andthreatenedherthattheywouldputpenknivesdownher throat.AboutfivetheytookhorseforCastlereagh, in thecountyofDown,whereher motherlived.Theygothomethatnight,havingonlythreeorfour fits upontheroad.

The first ofAprilshe was very ill, andhadseveralviolentfainting fits, andput outofhermouthseveralpins,andaconsiderablenumberoffeathers,and in theintervals declaredthey were putintohermouthbyhertormentors.Fromthat timeto the7th shehad manyfainting fits, andputupduringthat timeto thenumberoftwentypinsanda considerablenumberoffeathers.

Fromthe29th March to the1st ofAprilthedisturbancecontinued at Mrs Hattridge’s,thebedclothesbeingmadeup in theshapeofacorpse, with greatnoises,such as scratching,knocking,laughing, &c.

The2ndofApril,MargaretSpear,being in thekitchenalone, saw abolster with her master’s nightgownabout it comingverysoftlyoutoftheroomintothekitchen.She at first thought it was aboy,butbeing afraid ran intoaroomwherethere were tailors working,andtoldthem,who came immediatelyoutand saw it standingagainstthe wall. Thenoisecontinuedfromthe

3rd to the8th, with thethrowingofstones, &c. It was observed, if theyflourishedasword wherethenoise was, itleft offforsome time.

Fromthe8thto the13th, it changedfromknocking to whistlinglouderthan usuallya man can do; it whistledseveraltunesverydistinctly, as theJollyBatchelors,and Old Wife beyondthe Fire, &c.,andthosepresentthought it was nearthem;and it often struckthechildrenupontheheadswhen in bed.Whentheyoffered to huntthedogs toit,it hissed as theydid;andwhentheysmacked to chase it,it smacked as theydid.The10th, Mary Twinanfoundlikeonegoingoverher in thebedseveral times; it pulledJohnSpire verystronglybythehat,when it was onhishead,several times, yetheandthecompany could see nothing,thoughthere was acandleburningbythem. As the said JohnSpire was sittingonthechildren’sbedside,ofasuddentheclothes were takenoffthebed,androlled abouthishead,andseveralthingsthrown at him.Sometime sit wouldmakeanoiselike ducks,sometimesclap,sometimesdrawthecurtainsof Mr Hattridge’sbedbackwardsand forwards,andthenmakethebedshaketerribly.

The8th ofAprilthe man appeared to Mary Dunbaragain,andthreatened to kill her, if shediscoveredhim.The10th, Wm.Sellor,husband to JanetListon,whohad all the marksgiven,hearinghe was going to beapprehended,fled,but was givenupfour miles offhisownhouse,and carried to thegirl,whodidnotaccusehimfor fear ofhis threatenings; so he was let go.

The12th shehad fits, anddeclaredSellorappeared to her with abutcher’s knife,thebladeofwhich was broken,andweldedtogether, with whichhethreatened to destroyher,andwoundedherundertherightshoulder;theplacebeinglookedthere was a visible mark.Noticehereofcoming to herfriends in theIsland,thehighconstable apprehendedSellor,who was tried at the Assizes after andfoundguilty. It was observed, whentheywent to takeSellor,there was adrinkinghornthrown at JohnBrown,whichhit him in theneck. At Mr Hattridge’s,whichhousehasneverbeensincedisturbed,Robert M’Killock saw twomen rundowntowardsSellor’shouse,whenthehighconstable was there,andmount two blackhorses,andridefromthehouse,thoughnone with thehigh constableobserved it.

MANUSCRIPT.

DR. WM. TISDALL’S ACCOUNT OF THE TRIAL OF

EIGHT REPUTED WITCHES

At Carrickfergus, March 31st, 1711.

(Copied from the Hibernian Magazine, for Jan., 1775. Page 52.)

Ireceivedyours last week,forwhichIownmyselfmuchobliged to you,anddoheresend yousomething in return,whichperhapsyou may think as well worthreading, as Idid writingfromthenoteswhichImyselftookfromthemouthsoftheswornwitnesses.

WhatIheresendyou, is an accountofthe trial ofeightsupposedwitches, accusedoftormentingayounggentlewoman,one Miss Dunbar.Imustherepromise to you,thatthere was nolawyer to managethe trial, so thattheevidencenotbeingproduced in anyorder,thecircumstanceof time andplace were so perplexedandconfused,that were therenot so manyglaring matters of fact whichpiercedthrough so manycloudsthatcould beraised, men mighthavegone away withouthavingdiscoveredtruth,or satisfied their curiosities. So that to giveyouthemostperfectimageI can ofthiswhole matter, Ichoose thefollowingmethod:

1st. To giveabriefcharacterof all thewitnessesproduced,thepartyafflicted, andthepersonsaccused as hertormentors,orthesupposedwitches.

2nd.I will let youknow in whatmannerthesupposedwitches were discovered bythe afflicted person.

3rd.What facts appearedmostextraordinaryandpreternaturalthroughthe courseoftheevidence.

4th. If Ihave time, I will giveyou two orthreeof my ownremarksuponthe whole.

1st.Thechiefevidencesproducedonthis trial were six personsofgoodrepute forunderstandingandintegrity,andseeminglyofgoodfashionandsubstance,andthe mostconsiderablepersons in theneighbourhoodwherethe facts happened.

Theparty afflicted was ayounggirl,agedabouteighteenyears, with an open andinnocentcountenance:she was averyintelligentyounggentlewoman.Idiscoursed with her after the trial, andreceivedverysatisfactoryandreasonableanswersfromher:she was an utterstranger in thatcountrywhereshe was afflicted,andonly came thereonavisit to arelation.Sheneitherknew,or was knownbyanyofthepersonsaccused; as was confessedbytheaccused,andmotherofthe afflicted.

Thesupposedwitches were eight in number, six ofthem with suchvarietyof ill looks,that hadthe afflicted knownthembefore, it mighthavegivengrounds to suspectshehad singledthemoutforhertormentors,evenfromtheirdiabolicalappearances;theseventh was not so disagreeable,buthadasedateandcomposedcountenance.Theeighth was a younggirlofaboutseventeen,who seemed byhercountenance to havemoreofthe LancashirethanScotch witch;shehada fair complexionandaverygood face;and so was representedbythe afflicted beforeshe was discovered.

2nd.Thesupposedwitches were discoveredbythe afflictedafter thismanner. Uponthedeathofone Mrs Hattridge,who (as is generallybelievedbytheneighbourhood) was bewitched to death,there was an apronwhichhadbeenmissingsome time before, broughtback, tied with nineknots;the afflicted was the first whofound it, anduntied all theknotswithoutthe least fear orsuspicionofwitchcraft; after which, in theevening,she was seized with violent fits;andonrecovering, cried outthataknife was runthroughher thigh,thatshe was mostgrievously afflicted bythreewomen,whomshedescribed with the greatestparticularityimaginable;butcouldthengivenoaccountoftheirnames.She was then seized with asecond fit aboutmidnight;and in hervision,thereappeared to her (as shedeclaredwhenshe came outofher fit) sevenoreightwomen,whoconversedtogether, and calledeach other,somebytheirChristiannamesandsomebytheirsurnames.The descriptionthe afflicted gaveofthem,together with someoftheirnames, were so very particular,thatseveralofthem were guessed at, andsentfromdifferentparts to the afflicted,whomshediscoveredfrommanyotherwomenwho were brought with them.She was constantlymore afflictedas theyapproachedthehouse;particularlythere was one Latimer, whohadbeensentfromCarrickfergusprivatelyby Mr Adair,thedissenting teacher;whenshe came intothehousewherethe afflicted was, viz., in Islandmagee,none ofthemsuspectedher,butthe afflicted fell intoa fit as she came nearthehouse,and recoveringwhenthewoman was in thechamber,the first wordsshe said were, “O Latimer,Latimer!!!” (which was hername)andherdescriptionagreedmostexactly to the person. After thismanner were all the rest discoveredand at one time shesingledoutone ofhertormentorsfromamongstthirty,whomtheybrought to see if theycoulddeceiveher either in thenameordescriptionoftheaccusedperson.

All this was sworn to bypersonswho were present, as havingheard it fromthe afflicted, as sherecoveredfromherseveral fits.Thesupposed

witches were called to thebar to comparethem with thedescriptiongivenbythe afflicted at several times;and itis really inconceivable to imaginehowexactlythey all agreed to the descriptionsgiven:though it was confessedtheyneverhad seen theafflicted,northe afflicted them.Oneparticular,which seemed mostextraordinary, was this: in her fits she hadoftenhertonguethrustintoherwindpipe, in suchamannerthatshe was like to choke, andtheroot seemed to bepulledupintohermouth.Uponherrecoveryfromthese fits, she complainedextremelyofone, Main (I thinkhername was) whohad twisted hertongue; andshetoldthemshehadtoreherthroatandtorturedherviolentlybyreasonofher crookedfingersand swelled knuckles.Thewoman was called to thebaruponthis evidence,andordered to showherhand; it was really amazing to see theexactagreement betwixtthedescriptionofthe afflicted andthehandofthesupposedtormentor: all the joints were distorted,andthetendonsshrivelledup, as the afflicted haddescribed.

3rd.What facts appearedmostextraordinaryuponthe trial.

It was swornbysomeoftheevidences,that in someofher fits threestrong men were scarce able to holdherdown;thatshewouldmutter to herself,andspeaksomewords distinctly,and tell everythingshehad said in herconversation with thewitches,andhow she came to say suchandsuchthings,whichshespokewhen in her fits.

2nd.Oneofthe men whoheldherwhen in a fit, sworeshehadnothingvisible onher arms, whenhetookholdofthem,andthat all in theroom saw someworstedyarn tied roundher wrist, which was putoninvisibly;there was uponthisstringsevendouble knotsandonesingleone.

3rd.She cried out in oneofher fits thatshe was grievouslytormented with a painaboutherknee;uponwhichthewomen in theroomlooked at herknee,andfounda fillet tied fast about it;hermotherswore to the fillet, that it was the same she was given herthatmorningandhad seen ittied aboutherhead;this fillet had also sevendoubleknots andonesingleone.

Her mother was advisedbyaPopishpriest to useacountercharmbywriting somewordsoutofthe first chapterof St John,andtying it with an inklethree times round herneck,knotted each time.

Thischarmthegirlherselfdeclined,buthermother, in oneofthe times ofher beingafflicted,used it.She was in aviolent fit uponthebed,helddownbyaman,and recoveringa little, complainedgrievouslyofapain in herback,andabouthermiddle; immediatelythecompanyobservedtheindividualinkle,whichhadbeen tied

aboutherneck, tied roundhermiddle with sevendoubleknotsandasingleone:this was sworn to byseveral.The man whoheldthe afflicted was askedbythejudge ifit were possibleshecould reach theinkleaboutherneckwhilstheheldher? He said it was not, byvirtueofhisoath,hehaving all that time herhands fast down.

5th.There was agreatquantityofthingsproduced in court,andsworn to be whatshehadvomitedoutofherthroat.Ihadthem all inmy hand,andfoundthere was a greatquantityoffeathers,cottonyarn,pins,and two largewaistcoatbuttons: at least as much as would fill my hand;theygaveevidence to thecourttheyhad seen thesevery thingscomeoutofhermouth,andreceivedthemintotheirhands as shethrewthemup.

6th.The afflicted duringoneofher fits, was observedbyseveralpersons to slideoffthebed in an unaccountablemanner,and to be laid gentlyontheground, as if supportedanddrawninvisibly.Uponherrecovery,shetoldthemtheseveralpersonswho haddrawnher in thatmanner, with an intention, as theytoldher,ofbearingheroutofthe window,whenopen;butthat,reflecting at the time, andcallinguponGod in hermind, they let herdroponthefloor.

7th.Theafflicted,recoveringfroma fit, toldthepersonspresent,thather tormentorsdeclaredsheshouldnothavepower to gooverthethresholdofthechamber door.Theevidencedeclaredtheyhadseveral times attempted tolead heroutofthedoor, andthatshe was as oftenthrowninto fits as theyhadbroughther to the said threshold;that to pursuetheexperimentfurther,theyhad raised the said threshold,uponwhichthey were immediatelystruck with so stronga smell ofbrimstone,thatthestenchspreadthroughthe wholehouse,and afflicted several to thatdegree,thattheygrew sick in thestomach,and were muchdisordered.

These were theprincipal facts sworn toin thecourt; to whichmostofthe evidencegavetheirjointtestimony.

It seems thesupposedtormentorshadtoldtheafflicted,thedaybeforethe trial, thatsheshouldhavenopower to giveevidence in court.She was accordingly,that morningbeforethe trial, struckdumb,and so continued in thecourt,duringthewhole trial, buthadnoviolent fit.

I saw her in thecourt cast hereyesabout in a wild distractedmanner,and it was thenthoughtshe was recoveringfroma fit, and it was hopedwouldgive in herown evidence.Iobserved as they raised herup,shesunkintothe arms ofapersonwhoheldher, closedhereyes,and seemed perfectlysenselessandmotionless.Iwent to see her after the trial, shetold me sheknewnot

whereshe was whenshe was in court,thatshehadbeen afflictedall that time bythree persons,ofwhomshegaveaparticulardescriptionoftheirproportions,habits,hair, features,andcomplexion.She said shehadnever seen theseperson till thedaybeforethe trial.

When all thewitnesses were examineduponoath to theprecedent facts, the Judgeorderedtheprisoners at thebar to offerwhattheycould to thecourt in theirown defence.They all, in general,positivelydeniedthe facts chargedagainstthem.Oneof them, with theworstlook,andgenerallythemostsuspected, called thegreatGodof heavenand earth to witnessshe was injured.Thecharacterof each person was inquired into:someofthem were ofageneral ill fame, uponwhichenquiry seemed ratherdue to their ill looks. It appeareduponoathmostofthemreceivedthecommunion,someofthem very lately;thatsomeofthemhadbeenlaborious,industriouspeople,hadfrequentlybeen known to pray in their families, bothpubliclyandprivately;mostofthemcould say the Lord’sprayer(which itis generally said theylearned in prison),theybeingeveryone Presbyterians.

Whentheyhadendedtheirdefence,JudgeUptonsummeduptheevidence with greatexactnessandperspicuity,notwithstandingtheconfusedmanner in which it was offered. He seemed entirelyofopinionthatthejurycouldnotbringthem in guiltyuponthe soletestimonyofthe afflicted person’svisionaryimages. He said hecouldnotdoubtbut thewhole matter was preternaturalanddiabolical,butconceived,thathadtheperson accusedbeen really witchesand in compact with thedevil, it couldhardlyhavebeen presumedtheyshouldbesuchconstantattendantsupondivineserviceboth in publicand private.

Mr JusticeM’Cartneyspoke to thejury after JudgeUptonhadended. He seemed to addnothing to whatJudgeUptonhadsaid,butdifferedfromhim in opinion, andthoughtthejurymight,fromtheevidence,bringthem in guilty,whichthey accordinglydid.

4th.TheremarkswhichIthink fit to makeuponthewhole affairareas follows:--

1st.I am ofopinionthattheseextraordinary facts, proveduponoath, in the courseoftheevidence, were all preternatural;not to beperformedbythecommoncourse ofsecondcauses,norsolublebyanyhumanreason.

2nd.OurChristian faith beingfoundedchieflyuponmiraculousand preternatural effects, wroughtbytheimmediatepowerofGod,andconstantlyappealed to byChristhimself as miraculous,andwroughtforthatgreatend,Itakethisfora propositiongenerallytrue,that all preternaturaloperationswroughtsincetheceasingof miracles

FortheconsummationofChrist’sdivinemission,andestablishmentofourfaith, may reasonablybepresumed to bediabolical;and also whenthesepreternatural effectsare wroughtforbadends,orevensuch asare unaccountable, as tormentingthisinnocent person &c.,theymustbediabolical.

3rd.Thetormentedpersonbeingseveral miles distantfromthesupposed tormentorsduringher fits, itis evidentthe afflicted was notpersonally,butvisionarily, affected, if bythem.Thathadtheimagesrepresented to theimaginationofthe afflicted beenofpersonsdeceased, itis probablythiswouldnothavepassedforwitchcraft,butfor apparitionsofspirits;nor isitto bedoubtedbutthedevil may as well representtheone as theother.Thisbeingpremised,the main questionuponwhichthewholemusttend to provethesupposedwitchesguiltyofthese facts, mustbethis: Can thedevilrepresentthe imagesofinnocentpersons to demoniacs,orpersonsunderdiabolicalpossessions,or in such fits as this afflicted is supposed to havehad?

Thenatureofthethingdothnot seem capableofademonstration,whetherthe devil can orcannotrepresenttheimagesofinnocentpersons;butIpresume to say,there are muchmoreconvincingreasons to believethathecan,thanthathecannot,and consequentlythattheprisonersoughtrather to beacquittedthancondemned.

1st.Thedevilhasrepresented an angeloflight,andwhyhe may not as well representtheimagesofinnocentpersons, asan angeloflight,Icannotapprehend.

2nd. He hasrepresentedtheimageofasaint in Heaven,viz.,thatofSamuel to Saul,bythemediationofthe witch ofEndor;andwhythedevil,who can representthe imageofasaint in Heaven,cannotthatof an innocentpersononearth,Icannotconceive.

3rd.Thedevilhastormentedinnocentpersonswhilstliving, as in the case of Job,andevenofthis afflicted woman;and it seems an argumentafortiori,thathewho couldtorment an innocentperson may also representtheimageof an innocentperson to be tormented. If it besaid, itis not to bepresumedthatGodwouldpermitthedevil to raise theimagesofinnocentpersons to theimaginationoftheafflicted, as in this case;thesure consequenceofsuchrepresentationsbeing to haveinnocentsarraigned,accused,losetheir reputations,andperhapstheirlives; itmay be with equalforceretorted,thatGodwould notpermitthedevil to tortureor afflictan innocentperson, as this afflicted girl is supposed to be,and as Jobmostundoubtedly was afflicted bythedevil,both with thelossofhis health,fortune,andreputation; so thatuponthewhole,Icannot see howthejurycould, uponthenatureofthe

evidence,bring in thepersonsaccusedguilty: in whichverdictthey seemed tometo have acted inconsistently:becausetheperson afflicted was presumedbytheminnocent,and at the same time allowed to betormentedbythedevil. If it beobjected, as was hinted in court,thatthedevilcouldrepresenttheimagesofdepartedpersons as in the case of Samuel,butnotoftheliving,Idesireanyreason may beassignedforhisagency in the onceandhisimpotency in theother. It seems pastdispute with me, thathe mayin theone as well as in theother;andthe facts in this trial amount to ademonstrationonthatpoint.

JudgeUpton,who, with greatjudgementremarkedthatthepurportofthewhole evidence was notsufficient to findthemguilty,advancedthispopularargument to thejury, which seemed rathercalculated to influencethem(who seemed predeterminedagainstthe witches)thanfromanyforcewhich was in theargument itself;hetoldthemhecouldnot well imaginethatpersonsutterlyabandoned to thedevil,andwhohadrenouncedGod (as hepresumed to bethe case of all real witches)could retain so muchtheformofreligion, as to frequentthereligiousworshipofGod,bothprivatelyandpublicly, as theaccused were proveduponoath to havedone.Butthisargument seemed tome bynomeansconclusive. NeitherdoI see whya real witch may nothavepermission to personatea real saint, as well as thedevilhasbeenpermitted to personate an angeloflight;orwhyaperson in contract with thedevil may notbeguiltyofthisworsehypocrisy,whichgivesherapostacyadeeper dye; if, as awitch,she was deprivedofherpowerofpraying,andreceivingthesacrament visibly,shemustbedeprivedofthispowereitherbythedevilorbyGodhimself. It cannot besupposedthatthedevilwouldhinderherfromthebasestandvilest acts ofhypocrisy,or thatGodwouldinterposemiraculously to deprivethis wretch ofhernaturalfaculties,any morethanhedothotherprofligatesinnerswhoreceiveunworthily,and eat anddrinktheir owndamnation.Butuponpresumptionthatwitches were deprivedofthispowerof hypocriticalprayingandreceiving,yet it couldnotacquitthesepersons,becausethedevil mighthavemadethiscontract with themsincethereceivingthesacrament,andentering intothem, as hediduntoJudas,immediately after.

I am quite tired writing,andtherefore, as this is theonlycopyIhavemadeof the trial, Ishallbepleased to think itis grateful to you.Idesireyou may give my service to theProvost,and Dr Ellwood,and let them read it.–I am, dear Sir,

Your most obedient servant, William Tisdall Belfast, April 4th, 1711.

1.Ann Haltridge(d.1711), widow of Rev John Haltridge(d.1697), Scottish-born Presbyterian minister of Islandmageefrom 1674. She resided at KnoweheadHouse, Islandmagee, with her son, James Haltridge, and his family. James was absent for most of the supernatural disturbances. Biographical details throughout are derived from Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil.

2.Alexander Wedderburn, David’s Testament Opened Up in FourtySermons ... (Edinburgh, 1705).

3.Margaret Spear, a servant in the Haltridgehousehold and witness to many of the reported supernatural incidents.

4.The lowest underneath.

5.Robert Sinclair (d.1731), Presbyterian minister at Islandmageefrom 1704 until his death.

6.John Main or Man, a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church at Islandmagee.

7.Reynold or Randal Leaths, a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church at Islandmagee.

8.A week later.

9.22 February 1711.

10.Mary Dunbar (d.1711), aged eighteen in 1711. A member of a gentry family of Castlereagh, County Down. A cousin of James Haltridge.

11.A first cousin.

12.Mantua, a type of dress popular in the late 17th and 18th century. In Scotland, it consisted of a tight bodice and loose skirt with loose petticoats quilted underneath for warmth.

13.Janet Mean or Main, wife of Andrew Ferguson of Broadisland, County Antrim. Considered an irreligious woman with an unkempt appearance and scarred by smallpox. Dunbar accused her of being a ringleader in her bewitching.

14.Janet Carson of Islandmagee, maintained her innocence throughout the trial.

15.Janet Liston of Islandmagee. By 1711, she had a reputation for witchcraft and was noted to have been a ‘lame woman’.

16. William Sellorof Islandmagee, husband of Janet Liston. Convicted and probably executed for bewitching Mary Dunbar in Spring 1711 after his wife and daughter had been found guilty of witchcraft.

17.Elizabeth Sellorof Islandmagee, seventeen-year-old daughter of William Sellorand Janet Liston. Described as being small and pretty but ‘lame of leg’.

18.David Robb, Church of Ireland minister of St John’s parish, Islandmagee.

19.Catherine McCalmondof Islandmagee, had a reputation of ‘ill-fame’ at the time of the trial.

20.James Blythe of Bank-Head, Larne. Played a leading role in the investigation and acted as a witness for the prosecution in the trial.

21. James McAlexander, Mrs Wilson, and Janet Martin, neighbours at Islandmageewho helped with the investigation.

22.William Brown, Ruling Elder at IslandmageePresbyterian Church and wealthy neighbour.

23.Probably James McAlexander’s wife.

24.William Fenton, Janet Liston and William Sellor’slandlord and a Ruling Elder at IslandmageePresbyterian Church.

25.William Hatley, helped in the investigation and search of McCalmond’shouse. His wife’s cloak was believed to have been bewitched.

26.Robert Holmes (d.1724), wealthy Ruling Elder at IslandmageePresbyterian Church.

27.Psalms 142.

28.Catherine McCalmond.

29.Janet Latimer of Irish Quarter, Carrickfergus. Had an immoral reputation amongst her neighbours.

30.Edward Clements (d.1733) of Straid, CoountyAntrim. Whig Mayor of Carrickfergus, County Antrim in 1710-11. He was appointed Justice of the Peace by virtue of his mayoral office and decided to instigate a full investigation into Dunbar’s accusations. His two brothers had also acted as Mayor of Carrickfergus.

31.Hugh Donaldson of Islandmagee, came to the house to keep the family company and later acted as deponent and witness for the prosecution.

32.Smallpox is a contagious, potentially fatal disease caused by the variola virus and distinguished by fever, a rash, and pustules on the skin, which eventually scab over to leave pitted, deep scars. In the early eighteenth-century, smallpox was one of the most lethal epidemic diseases in Britain and Ireland, with the young especially vulnerable: Deborah Brunton, ‘Smallpox Inoculation and Demographic Trends in Eighteenthcentury Scotland’ in, Medical History, 36:4 (1992), pp 403-10, 422-4; idem, ‘The Problems of Implementation: the Failure and Success of Public Vaccination in Ireland, 1840-73’ in, Greta Jones, Elizabeth Jones (eds), Medicine, Disease and the State in Ireland, 1650-1940 (Cork, 1999), pp 139-40.

33.At that time, this part of the town contained two streets of thatched houses: Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil, p. 91.

34.Broadisland(also known as Templecorran), County Antrim.

35.Irish JPs represented the bottom level of the judiciary and formed a central part of local law enforcement. They were Protestant, male and came predominantly from the ranks of the gentry. The warrant was probably signed by Edward Clements: Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil, p. 60.

36.Charles Lennon or Lennan, member of the local gentry, deponent and prosecution witness.

37.Hugh Wilson of Islandmagee, deponent and prosecution witness.

38.The inability to say the Lord’s Prayer was regarded as a legal proof of witchcraft because as agents of the Devil witches were widely believed to be unable to fully convey in speech the word of God as laid down in the Scriptures.

39.John Campbell, a neighbour who was staying at the Haltridgehouse.

40.Printing error, read: Bolster.

41. James Stannusof Larne, visited Islandmageewith his wife and allowed Mary Dunbar to stay in their home before the trial. The Stannusfamily were possibly relatives of Dunbar: Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil, p. 119.

42.Robert Donaldson, arrived at the Haltridgehouse with Hugh Donaldson.

43.Margaret Mitchell of Kilroot, County Antrim. Known as ‘Mrs Ann’ to the other suspected witches.

44.Sheila McGee, a neighbour at Islandmageewho had been staying the night at the Haltridgehouse.

45.John Smith, helped Blythe with the investigation at Islandmagee, acted as deponent and prosecution witness.

46.A lantern.

47.Larne, County Antrim.

48.William Ogilvie (d.1712), Presbyterian minister of Larne. Acted as witness for the prosecution.

49.Carrickfergus in 1711 was surrounded by walls punctured by four gates, the Key, West, North and East or Scotch gates. The latter opened onto a suburb called the Scotch Quarter which housed the town’s fishermen, most of whom were of Scottish descent: Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil, p. 91.

50.Janet Millar of Scotch Quarter, Carrickfergus. Badly scarred from smallpox and surviving a fire accident.

51.Let out of jail.

52.The implication being that when the iron “bolts” and chains used to restrain the women were removed this allowed them to resume their attack on Dunbar in spirit or spectral form. Iron was widely believed to deflect or counter the effects of harmful magic.

53.John Getty of Larne, County Antrim, a merchant.

54.William Skeffington (1659-1741), Church of Ireland curate at Larne, County Antrim. Acted as witness for prosecution.

55.Kilroot, County Antrim, was a small parish that lay to the north of Carrickfergus and was mostly inhabited by Presbyterians of Scottish descent.

56.This charm was a form of protective or apotropaic magic provided by a magical specialist, possibly a charmer who specialised in healing natural affliction in animals and humans but sometimes treated ailments thought to have a supernatural cause. It is more likely however to have been supplied by a commercial magical practitioner (sometimes referred to as cunning-folk or wise men or women) who provided numerous magical services for a small fee but often specialised in the detection, countering and curing of witchcraft. For Cunning-folk: Owen Davies, Popular Magic: Cunning-folk in English History (London, 2003, repr. 2007); Sneddon, Witchcraft and Magic in Ireland, chapters 3 and 7.

57.A window.

58.Lost the ability to speak.

59.In Job 2, in the Old Testament, God allows Satan to physically afflict Job’s body with boils in order to test his faith.

60.Mary Lock, a neighbour.

61.John Burns, owned a house that lay between Larne and Carrickfergus.

62.John 14:1-6.

63.Genesis 6:5 KJV: ‘And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.’

64.John Wilson of Islandmagee, deponent and prosecution witness.

65.James Hill, deponent and prosecution witness.

66.Patrick Adair (d.1717), Presbyterian minister of Carrickfergus from 1702.

67.James Cobham (1678-1759), Presbyterian minister of Broadislandfrom 1700.

68.Patrick Ferguson, deponent and prosecution witness.

69. James Edmonston, deponent and prosecution witness.

70.A pillory is a wooden apparatus for punishment by public humiliation. Prisoners placed their head and/or hands through holes in the wood and were displayed to the public.

71.Psalms 40:13 KJV : ‘Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.’

72.Mary Twinan, a neighbour of Liston.

73.The correct pagination for this letter as published in the Hibernian Magazine in 1775 is, pp 47-51 (see introduction). Although this letter is written from a sceptical perspective and influenced by Tisdall’sHigh-Church Tory politics, it provides the most complete version of events on the day of the trial. For further discussion of Tisdall’sletter: Sneddon: Representing Magic, pp 31, 36-37.

74.In other words, William Tisdallattended the trial at Carrickfergus assizes on 31 March 1711.

75.This was a very lengthy criminal Assize trial by the standards of the day (it lasted eight hours) and involved large number of witnesses and defendants which may account for the alleged shortcomings of the two Assize Judges trying the case. For more on criminal trial procedure in early eighteenth-century Ireland: Garnham, Courts, Crime and the Criminal Law in Ireland. See also, Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil, pp 139-152.

76.Well dressed, wealthy and of high social status.

77.It is unclear what Scottish trial (or type of Scottish witch) Tisdallis referring to as around 2, 500 women and men were put to death for the crime in Scotland between 1563 and 1736. For an overview of Scottish witch-hunting: Brian Levack, Witchhunting in Scotland: Law, Politics and Religion (Abingdon, 2008). Tisdallhowever is almost certainly referring to the women involved in the Lancashire witch trials of 1612. Among the nineteen people accused of witchcraft were the elderly Elizabeth Southernes(“Old Demdike”) who died in jail while awaiting trial. Her daughter Elizabeth Device, along with her children Alizonand James Device and seven others, were found guilty at Lancaster assizes and hanged on 20 August 1612. For the Lancaster trial: Phillip C. Almond, The Lancaster Witches: A Chronicle of Sorcery and Death on Pendle Hill (London, 2012).

78.A ‘fillet’ is a band of fabric or ribbon used for decorative purposes or to keep hair up or a headdress in place.

79.The ‘Popish priest’ was possibly Roman Catholic clergyman, Edmond Moore, whose early eighteenth-century clerical charges covered the wider Larne area: J. O’Laverty, An Historical Account of Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern (5 vols, Dublin, 1878-95), iii, 109-10. A similar type of counter or protective charm was used in another possession case in early eighteenth-century England: Anon., The Tryalof Richard Hathaway Upon an Information for Being a Cheat and Imposter … (London, 1702), pp 15-16. For written, protective charms and charming in Ireland: Barbara Hillers, Ciarán ÓGealbháin, Ilona Tuomiand John Carey (eds.), Charms, Charmers and Charming in Ireland: From the Medieval to the Modern (Melksham, 2019); Andrew Sneddon, ‘Gender, Folklore and Magical Healing in Ireland, 1852–1922’ in Jyoti Atwal, Ciara Breathnach and Sarah Ann Buckley (eds.), Gender and History: Ireland 1852–1922 (Routledge India, forthcoming); idem, Witchcraft and Magic in Ireland (Basingstoke, 2015), pp 48-50.

80.Linen tape used in trimmings, or the yard and thread from which they had been woven.

81.Anthony Upton (d.1718), Tory Judge of the Common Pleas, directed the jury to acquit the accused: Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil, pp 148-9.

82.James McCartney (d.1727) Whig Justice of the Queen’s Bench, directed the jury to convict the accused. McCartney was the eldest son of prominent merchant and surveyor of Belfast, George McCartney: Sneddon, Possessed by the Devil, p.149.

83.In 1 Samuel 28 in the Old Testament, the “Witch of Endor” is said to have raised the spirit of the prophet Samuel.

84.Benjamin Pratt (1669-1721), Provost of Trinity College, Dublin (1710-1717) and Church of Ireland Dean of Down in the Diocese of Down and Connor from 1717 until his death in 1721. He was a Tory in politics and friend of Jonathan Swift: George P. Mayhew, ‘Jonathan Swift’s ‘Prefermts of Ireland,’ 1713-1714,” Huntington Library Quarterly, 30:4 (1967), p. 300.

85.Dr John Elwood, Tory Vice Provost of Trinity College, Dublin: Mayhew, ‘Prefermts of Ireland’, p. 300.