thief once that had stolen a pack-saddle, and I whipped him all the way back with it." "And anything more?" "There was a dog at a bothie that I killed, for he barked at me, and would not let me lie in the stack, but that is the truth (fenina), and all the ill I have done since I came to this place."
( To be continued. )
CHARMS AND SPELLS AT GRETNA.
Communicated by William George Black, F.S.A.Scot.
HE following curious passages have been transcribed by Mr. George Neilson, Solicitor, Glasgow, from the Kirk Session Records of the parish of Gretna, and will, I think, be interesting to Members of the Folk-Lore Society.
Graitney Kirk, Feb. 11, 1733.
Session met after Sermon.
ArmestrangIt was represented by some of the members that the Charms and Spells used at Watshill for Francis Armstrong, Labouring under distemper of mind, gave great offence, and 'twas worth while to enquire into the affair and publickly admonish the people of the evil of such a course that a timely stop may be put to such a practice.
1741, Aprile
24. Francis
Armstrong
was married
to Mar: Birrel.Several of the members gave account that in Barbara Armestrang's they burned Rowantree and Salt, they took three Locks of Francis's hair, three pieces of his shirt, three roots of wormwood, three of mugwort, three pieces of Rowantree, and boiled alltogether, anointed his Legs with the water and essayed to put three sups in his mouth, and meantime kept the door close, being told by Isabel Pott, at Cross, in Rockcliff, commonly called the Wise[1] Woman, that the person who had wronged
- ↑ Interlined as in original.
