ANTIQUARIAN REPERTORY.
LETTER FROM JAMES IV. TO THE KING OF DENMARK.
In favour of Anthony Gawino, Earl of Little Egypt, &c. 1506.
(Referred to at page 161.)
Illustrissime, &c. Anthonius Gawino, ex Parva Egypto comes, et cætera ejus comitatus, gens afflicta et miseranda, dum Christianam orbem peregrinationes studio, Apostolicæ Sedis (ut refert) jussu, suorum more peregrinans, fines nostri regni dudum advenerat, atque in sortis suæ, et miseriarum hujus populi, refugium, nos pro humanitate imploraverat ut nostros limites sibi impune adire, res cunctas, et quam habet societatem libere circumagere liceret. Impetrat facile quæ postulat miserorum hominum dura fortuna. Ita aliquot menses bene et catholice, (sic accepimus,) bic versatus, ad te, Rex et Avuncule, in Daciam transitum paret. Sed oceanum transmissurus nostras literas exoravit, quibus celsitudinem tuam horum certiorum redderemus, simul et calamitatem ejus gentis Regiæ tuæ munincentiæ commendaremus. Ceterum errabundæ Egypti fata, moresque, et genus, eo tibi quam nobis credimus notiora, quo Egyptus tuo regno vicinior, et major hujusniodi hominum frequentia tuo diversatur imperio. IIlustrissime, &c.
(MS. Reg. 13. B. II.)
ACT OF THE LORDS OF COUNCIL.
Respecting John Faw, &c. Jun. 6. 1511.
(Referred to at page 161.)
The quhilk day anentis the complaintis gevin in be Jhone Faw and his brether, and Sebastiane Lowlaw, Egiptianis, to the Kingis Grace, ilkane pleinzeand vpoun vther of diverse faltis and Iniuris; And that It is aggreit amang thame to passe hame, and to haue the samyn decydit before the Duke of Egipt. The Lordis of Counsale being avisit with the pointis of the saidis compluiutis, and vnderstanding perfitlie the gret thiftis and scathis done be the saidis Egiptianis vpoun our soverane Lordis lieges, quhairuer thae cum or resortis; Ordanis letters to be direct to the provestis and bailies of Edinburgh, Sanct Johnstoun, Dundee, Monross, Aberdene, Sactandrois, Elgin, Forress, and Inuerness; And to the Schirefis of Edinburgh, Fif, Perth, Forfair, Kincardin, Aberdene, Elgyn and Foress, Banf, Crummarty, Inuerness, And all vtheris schirefis, stewartis, provestis, and bailies, quhair it happinnis the saidis Egiptianis to resort; To command and charge thame, be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat croces of the heid burgh of the schirefdomes, to depart furth of this realme, with their wifis, barnis, and companies, within xxx dayis efter thai be chargit therto, vnder the pane of deid; Notwithstanding ony vtheris letters, or privelegis, granted to thame be the Kingis Grace; Becaus his Grace, with avise of the lordis, lies dischargit the samyn for the causis forsaidis; with certificatioun and thai be fundin in this realme, the saidis xxx dayis being past, thai salbe tane and put to deid.
(MS. Act. Dom. Con. vol. 15. fol. 155.)
CONFESSIONS OF WITCHCRAFT.
[The following extracts form part of a series of depositions made before the Kirk Session of Perth, 1623, and are copied from the original MS. signed, as below, by the clerks of Session and Presbytery. They are chiefly interesting on account of the allusions they contain to several curious popular charms and superstitions. We have now before us a number of other original papers relating to the history of witchcraft, from which, perhaps, we may hereafter give some extracts of a more strange and striking description, if we find that these can be separated from the profane and revolting details—of which they contain more than enough to shock even such readers as have the most voracious appetite for the horrible.]
***** Item—Being askit if scho hed onye conversatione with the Farye Folk—Answerit, that ten yeiris syne, lying in her bed, scho wes taikin furth, quhidder be God or the Deuill scho knawis not.; wes caryit to ane hill side; the hill oppynit, and scho en-
