INDEX.

A Abbey of Glenluce, 15, 61 Abbey of Holm-Cultram, 16 Abraham Crichton, Ghost of, 285 Abraham Crichton, Laying of ghost of, 287 Act against Witchcraft (1563), 66 Act for burying in Scots linen (1686), 220 Adder Beads, 55 Agnew, Sir Andrew, 245 Agnews of Galdenoch, 245 Aikieslak (Dalbeattie), 274 Aikendrum, 191 Alloway Kirk, 17 Annan River, 290 Auchabrick House (ghost legend), 250 Auchencairn, 300 Auchenmalg Barracks, 257 Auchensheen (Colvend), 185 Auchenstroan (Glencairn), 283 B Ballad—Prisoner of Spedlins, 291 Balmaghie, 46 Bard of Corrie, 213 “Bards of Galloway,” 166 Barnamon (Stoneykirk), 37 Barncorkerie, 154 Barr, 13 Beadle (Sexton), 241 Bee Folklore, 218 Bell of St. Ninian (Clog Rinny), 243 Bellknowe of Penninghame, 243 Bengairn, 172 Bess o’ Borgue, 17 Birns, 47 Bishop’s Castle (Kirkmaiden), 154 Bishopton Crofts (Whithorn), 254 Blackaddie (Sanquhar), 51 Black Art, 10, 16 “Black Clud’s Wyme,” 16 Black Esk, 296 Blackett Tower (legend of spectre), 294 Bladnoch, 64 Blew Spot, 213 Blink o’ an ill e’e, 26 “Bloody Bell,” 295 “Bloody Passage” (Drumlanrig), 282 “Bluidy Brae,” 73 Bodsbeck Ha’, 188 Bogha (Balmaclellan), 72 Bogle-Hole (Dalry), 267 Bonshaw Tower, 294 “Book of Galloway,” 62 Bower, Walter, Abbot of Inchcolm, 277 Boyd, Rev. Mr (Dalry, 1690), 34 Breath-blasting, 182 Brig o’ Ken, 18 Brishie (Minnigaff), 185 “Brocken” of Dumfries and Galloway, 7 Brocklock Burn, 42 Brownie, The, 186 Brownie o’ Blednoch, 149, 191 Brownie of Newabbey, 190 Buckland Burn, 270 Buckland Glen, Ghost of, 269 Buittle, 301 Burial without Coffins, 237 Burnfoot, 45 Burnes, William (father of Poet), funeral of, 234 C Caerlaverock Castle, 2, 10, 277 Cairn, 283 Cairnmon (Stoneykirk), 37 Cantrip Incantations, 58 Cardoness Castle, 151 Cardrain, Ghost of, 251 Carlin’s Cairn, 35 Carrick, 13 Carsphairn Parish (origin of), 55 Castle-Douglas, 63 Cassencarry, 262 Changelings, 182 Charles the Second, 36 Charms against Witchcraft, 54 Churchyard Superstitions, 239 Cere-cloth, 227 Clash, The (Kirkmaiden), 23 Claunch (Sorbie), 253 Clay Slap (Glenluce), 14 “Clog Rinny” (Bell of St. Ninian), 243 Closeburn, 49 Cocklick, 173 Coltran, Provost (Wigtown), Ghost of, 252 Comyn, John (murder of and ghostly legend), 276 Corbie, Janet, Sentence of, 80 Corrie (Dumfriesshire), 53 Craigdhu (Glasserton), 254 Craighlaw House (ghost legend), 257 Craik of Arbigland (family tragedy), 275 Crichton Family, 284 Crawick Mill, Witches of, 50 “Cromek’s Remains,” 10, 182 Cubbox (Balmaclellan), 72 Culloch, 173 Cumberland, 46 Cunningham, Allan, 9 D Dalry, 34, 35, 57, 263 Dalry Kirk, 17 “Daemonologie,” 67 Dead-bell, 212 Dead-bell (skellat), 241 Dead-days, 217 Dead-watch, 212 “Dear Meal Johnny,” 213 Death Customs and Funeral Ceremony, 216 Dede-chack, 212 Dede-drap, 212 Dede-nip, 212 Dede-spall, 212 Dee, The, 47 Deid-lichts, 213 Derry’s Howe (Kirkbean), 274 Devil’s Grace, 62 Devil of Glenluce, 252 “Devil-Raiser of Urr,” 106 Dinnans (Whithorn), 97 Douglas, Sir Wm., of Gelston, 62 Dream of the Abbot of Tungland, 16 Dribblings (Kirkmaiden), 24 “Droll Recollections of Whithorn” (Cannon), 165 Drumlane, 173 Drumlanrig Castle, 282 Drummore, 55 Drumrash, 269 Duncan, Henry, of Ruthwell, 235 Dunbars of Mochrum, 262 Dundrennan, 269 Dunnan Fort, 149 Dunreggan (Moniaive), 202 Dunskey Castle, 244 E Edinburgh Bibliographical Society publications (note on Jean Maxwell), 99 “Effigies Clericorum,” 142 Elf-cups, 55 Eliock, 284 Elspeth M‘Ewen— Suspected of Witchcraft, 72 Examined, 73 Prison Expenses, 73 Commission appointed for new trial, 74 Execution at Silver Craigs, Kirkcudbright, 77 Note of expenses of trial and execution, 78 Executioner’s petition, 80 Encoffining, or “kistin’,” 219 Eskdalemuir Parish, 296 Eskdale Moor (funeral adventures), 223 F Fairies and Brownies, 143 Fairies— Attitude towards mankind, 143 Capriciousness of, 144 Elf-shot wounds, 144 Explanation of fairy and brownie belief, 148, 149 “Fairy Rade,” 176 Fairy Park (Logan), 157 Feasting and dancing, 143 “Good neighbours,” 144 Kidnapping by, 145 Pageants, 143 Practices to counteract fairy influence, 146 Unreality of fairy fabric, 147 “Wee fouk,” 144 Fairy-lore in Galloway and Dumfriesshire (from West to East)— Dunnan Fort, 149 Kirkmaiden, 151 Barncorkerie, 154 Compass Stone (Port Logan), 156 Ringuinea, 157 Nick of the Balloch, 158 Curghie Glen, 158 Grennan, 158 Kirkbride, 158 Killumpha, 158 Slock-an-a-gowre, 158 Sorbie, 166 Kirkinner, 166 Longhill, 166 Dalry District, 169 Hazelfield (Auchencairn), 172 Nick of Lochenkit, 172 Dalbeattie, 172 Edingham Loch, 172 Long Wood (Lochanhead), 174 Dumfriesshire— Caerlaverock, 180 Auchencreath, 175 Dalswinton, 183 Closeburn, 182 Drumlanrig, 183 Sanquhar, 184 Kirkconnel, 184 Polveoch, 184 Kello Water, 184 Glen Aylmer, 184 Glen Wharry, 184 Bale Hill, 186 Annandale, 184 Lochmaben, 175 Burnswark, 184 Corrie, 185 Fin M‘Coul, 43 “Fire Spangs of Faustus,” 16 Funeral festivities (“Gallovidian Encyclopædia”), 232 Funeral refreshment (Draigie), 234 Funeral rites and customs, 236 Funeral “services,” 225 G Galdenoch Tower, 245 “Galloway Gossip,” 166 Galloway Mansion near Castle-Douglas, Ghostly story of, 273 “Galloway Register,” 26 “Galloway Traditions,” 26 Galloway, Western, Traditions of, 22 Gap’s Mill, Glencairn, 283 Garryhorn, 36 Gatehouse, 262 General Assembly (Condemnatory Acts), 68 “Gentle Shepherd” (extract from), 59 Ghost-lore and Haunted Houses, 244 Ghost Legends of the South-west of Scotland (arranged in their order, from West to East)— Dunskey Castle, 244 Galdenoch Tower, 245 “Lodnagappal Plantin’,” 248 High Ardwell, 248 Auchabrick House, 250 Cardrain House, 251 Tirally, 251 Glenluce, 252 Provost Coltran (Drummorall), 252 Packman’s Grave (Bladnoch), 253 Claunch, Sorbie, 254 Whithorn, 254 Craigdhu, Glasserton, 255 Church of Kirkmaiden, 256 Auchenmalg Barracks, 257 Craighlaw House, 257 Machermore Castle, 258 Creetown, 262 Kirkdale Bridge, 263 Glenlee, Dalry, 263 Bogle-Hole, Dalry, 267 Moor of Corsock, 267 Buckland Glen, 269 Ringcroft of Stocking, 272 Mansion House near Castle-Douglas, 273 Wood Forester’s, Dalbeattie, 274 Laird o’ Coul’s Ghost, 300, 344 Kirkbean— Murder Fall, 274 Derry’s How, 274 Farm-house, 274 Howlet’s Close, 275 Three Cross Roads, 275 Near Newabbey, 276 Minorite Friary, Dumfries (1306) and Caerlaverock Castle, (1358), 276 Solway legend of the passing of “Aul’ Lag,” 278 Coach legend of passing of William Duke of Queensberry (Drumlanrig), 281 Drumlanrig Castle, 282 Tynron Doon, 282 Glencairn— Auchenstroan, 283 Marwhirn, 283 Pentoot, 283 Gaps Mill, 283 Nut Wood, 283 Jarbruck Bridge, 283 Kirkland Bridge, 283 Sanquhar Castle, 283 Littlemark, Sanquhar, 284 Abraham Crichton’s Ghost, 285 Poldean, Wamphray, 287 Spedlins Tower, 288 Jardine Hall, 290 Knockhill, 293 Orchard, Hoddom, 294 Bonshaw Tower, 294 Blackett Tower, 294 Kirkconnel Hall, 295 Todshawhill, 296 Lowland Manor House, 298 Gilchristland, 50 Gilroanie, 270 “Girzie M‘Clegg,” 17 Glasserton, 165, 215 Glencairn, 283 “Glencairn Kate,” 17 Glencaple Quay, 199 Glenkens, 19 Glenkens, twenty years’ holidaying in (Blacklock), 265 Glenlee House (ghost narrative), 263 Glenluce, 13, 14 Greenmill (Caerlaverock), 209 Grennan, The, 25 Grierson, John, of Lag (funeral expenses of), 227 Grierson of Lag, Sir Robert (funeral expenses of), 229 Grierson of Lag, Sir Robert (funeral legend), 230 Grierson of Lag (Solway legend of his “passing”), 278 Grose’s “Antiquities of Scotland,” 289 “Gyre Carline,” 8 H Hallowmass, 2 Hallowmass Rade, 3 Hannayston, Witch of, 17 Harper’s “Rambles in Galloway,” 17 Hay of Park, 60 Heron, Robert (Journey through Western Scotland), 54 High Ardwall (white woman apparition), 248 Holm Glen (Dalry), 275 Howlet’s Close (Kirkbean), 275 “Hydrostatics,” Sinclair’s, 300 I “Il Penseroso” (extract from), 186 Inshanks Moor, 29 Irvings of Hoddom, 293 J James VI. of Scotland, 67 Jarbruck, 283 Jardine’s of Applegarth, 289 Jardine Hall, 290 “Jean o’ the Howff” (Rerwick), 45 “Jock o’ the Horn,” 182 K Kain Bairns, 7 “Keekafar” (Kirkmaiden), 155 Kells, 35 Kells Rhynns, 36 Keltonhill, 40 Kenmure (Stoneykirk), 157 Kenmure Castle (Dalry), 269 Killymingan (Kirkgunzeon), 105 Killumpha Farm (Kirkmaiden), 204 Kilmeny (Jas. Hogg), 146 Kincaid, John (Witch-pricker), 70 King’s Croft of Stocking, 63 Kirkdale Bridge, Ghost of, 263 Kirkdale House, 262 Kirkmaiden, 22, 29, 151 Kirkmaiden Church, 30 Kirkmaiden, Legend of, 256 Kirkmaiden Witches, 29, 32, 98 Kirk-session (Borgue) examination for alleged fairycraft, 159 Kirkpatricks of Closeburn, 214, 227, 231, 284 Kirkpatrick, Roger, 277 Kirkpatrick Sharpe, Charles, 288 Kirkwaugh (Bladnoch), pedlar’s ghost at, 253 Kippford, 274 Kirkennan Woods (Dalbeattie), 199 Kirkland Bridge (Glencairn), 283 Knockhill Mansion (tragedy at), 293 Knocknishy (Whithorn), 185 Knocksheen (Dalry), 17 L Lady Ashburton, 267 Laird o’ Coul’s Ghost, 344 Langhill Fairy, The, 166 Lapps or Finns, 149 Latewake, 223 Law’s Memorials, 287 “Lay of the last Minstrel” (extract from), 16 Liethin Hall, 187 Leswalt, 245 Levitical Law, 68 Library of Michael Scott (list of works), 16 Lichts before death, 209 Lindsay, James (Caerlaverock tragedy), 277 Little Cocklick (Urr), 101 Littlemark Farm, Sanquhar, Ghostly appearance at, 284 Locharbriggs Hill, 3 Lochar Moss, 8 Loch Doon, 36 “Lodnagappal Plantin,” Apparitions at, 248 Logan, 24, 25 Logan Mill, 31 Lord Crichton (6th), 284 Lord Glenlee, 263 Lords of Sanquhar, 284 Lord Stormonth, 227 Lotus Hill (Kirkgunzeon), 173 Loup o’ the Grennan, 151 Low Curghie (Kirkmaiden), 24 Luce, 13, 15 Luce Bay, 215 Lykewake, 223 M Machars of Galloway, 33 Machermore Castle, Legend of, 258 Maggie’s gate to Gallowa’, 13 Mainsriddel, 274 “Maggie o’ the Moss,” 6, 17, 21 “Mak’ Siccar” (tragedy, Dumfries), 278 Manor House in Lowlands (story of apparition), 298 Manxman’s Lake, 270 March Moon, 55 Marshall, Rev. Mr (Kirkmaiden), 97, 248 Marwhirn, 283 Millar, Mary (alleged witch), 74 Mary Queen of Scotland (Act against witchcraft), 66 Master of Logan (Allan Cunningham), 19 Maxwell of Carriel (Carzield), 227 Maxwell of Dalswinton, 188 Maxwells of Monreith (successors to M‘Cullochs), 214 Maxwell, Thomas (Laird of Coul), 301 Maxwell, Jean, trial of (for pretended witchcraft), 98 Maxwell, Jean (copy of title page of publication of trial), 110 Meg Elson (Kirkmaiden witch), 32 Meg Elson’s Elegy, 32 Meg Macmuldroch (Galloway witch), 62 Melrose Abbey, 16 Michael Scott of Balwearie, 15 Mochrum Parish (extravagant funeral expenditure), 226 Moffat Churchyard, 213 Monkland Shore, 44 Monreith House, 161 Moor of Corsock (ghost of headless piper), 267 Moor of the Genoch, 248 Moor Kirk of Luce, 13 Mort-cloth (use of), 239 Mountsallie (Rhinns), Witchcraft at, 57 Muirhead, Dr James, 107 Mull of Galloway, 149 Murder Fall (Kirkbean), 274 Myrton Mound (fairy legend), 161 M‘Cullochs of Myrton, 214 M‘Culloch, Sir Godfrey, 151 M‘Millan Cup, 195 M‘Milligan of Dalgarnock, 283 N “Necromancy,” 16 Newabbey, Witchcraft at, 10 Newabbey (ghost of lady in white), 276 Nicholas Grier (witch of Hannayston), 17 Nick o’ the Balloch, 13 “Nithsdale Minstrel” (poetical collection), 34 Nith, 51, 189 Nut Wood, Maxwelton (Moniaive), 283 Nicholson, Wm., poet (fairycraft examination, recollection by his mother), 159 O “Old Church life in Scotland” (Edgar), 237 Old Hall at Ecclefechan, Ghost at, 295 Old House of Park, 61 Old John Orr (Carlyle reminiscence), 293 Old Meg of Twynholm (reputed witch), 43 Old Red Cap (ghost of Blackett Tower), 294 Old Turnpike House, Dumfries, 231 Orchard, Hoddom (laying of ghost), 294 Osborne, “Maggie” (Wigtownshire witch), 11 P Packman’s Grave (Bladnoch), 258 Palmallet (Whithorn), 96 Palnackie, 199 “Passing Bell” (custom of ringing), 241 Passing Bell (reference in “Book of Galloway”), 243 Patiesthorn, Legend of, 269 “Pawky Auld Kimmer,” 65 Pentoot (Glencairn), 283 “Philosophy of the Devil,” 16 Picts, 148, 149 Poldean, Wamphray (ghost reference), 287 Portankill (fairy haunt), 149 Porteous, ghost of, at Spedlins Tower, 289 Portencockerie Bay (fairy haunt), 156 Port Logan, 31, 156 Portpatrick, Legend of, 245 Port-William, 254 Presbytery of Penpont (warning regarding burial festivity abuse), 234 Prestonmill, 274 “Pricking” of Witches, 70 “Prince of Darkness” (and witch revelry), 8 Privy Council Commissions (to try cases of witchcraft), 71 R Rab’s Howff (Rerwick), 45 Ray’s Itinerary (Dumfries), 242 Red Comyn, 277 Rerwick, 44 Rerwick Apparition, 272, 321 Rhinns, 25 Rhonehouse, 40 “Riddling in the Reek,” 166 “Ridden post by a witch,” 5 Ringdoo Point, 15 Ringcroft of Stocking, 272 Ringcroft of Stocking, site of, 300 Robert the Bruce, 36 “Robin Goodfellow,” 186 Roodmas, 176 Rotten Row (Whithorn), 33 S Sanquhar, 50 Sanquhar Castle (ghostly legends), 283 Sanquhar, History of (Simpson), 184, 285 Sanquhar Kirkyard, 240 “Satan’s Almanac,” 16 “Satan’s Invisible World,” 300 Scots Money, 227 Shaws of Craigenbay and Craigend, 35 Shawn (Stoneykirk), 185 Shennaton (Bladnoch), 64 Shinnel Water, 283 Shirmers, 269 Sin-eating, 218 Sir Chesney Shaw, 35 Sir Walter Scott, 16, 244 Slip Coffins, 237 Solway Firth, 8 “Soothsayers’ Creed,” 16 Spell-casting, 60 Spedlins Tower, Ghost of, 288 Spedlins Tower Bible, 291 St. Ninian, 39 Stake Moss, Sanquhar, 239 State and Church (action against witchcraft), 22 Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 151 Stoneykirk, 36, 248 Suicides, Burial of, 239 Surprising Story of the Devil of Glenluce, 299, 302 Sweetheart Abbey, 2, 10 T Tam o’ Shanter, 6, 17 Telfair, Alexander (Minister of Rerwick), 272 Three Cross Roads (Kirkbean), 275 Tirally (Kirkmaiden), 56 Tirally, Ghost at, 251 Todshawhill, Bogle of, 296 Tolbooth of Kirkcudbright, 108 Tongland, 16 Tower of Craigend, 35 Traditional Witchcraft described, 1 Train, Joseph (account of funeral superstitions), 236 True account of an apparition in Ringcroft, parish of Rerwick, 299, 321 Tynron, 49 Tynron Doon, Spectre of, 282 U “Unique Traditions of the West and South of Scotland” (Barbour), 35 Upper Nithsdale, 50 W “Warlock Feckets,” 55 “Walpurgis” (witch festivals), 8 Warnings, accounts of from— Caerlaverock, 209 Closeburn, 214 Corrie, 2 Craigdarroch, 214 Dumfries, 213 Glencairn, 210 Kirkmaiden (in Fernes), 214 Moniaive, 208 Tynron, 209 Waterside Hill (Dalry), 19 Water of Urr, 207 “Waulking” the dead, 219 Walter de Curry, 244 Well of the Co’ (Kirkmaiden), 150 White Loch of Myrton, 161 Whithorn, Old Manse, 254 Whinnieliggate, 40 Whithorn (similar legend to Tam o’ Shanter), 33 White Lady of Machermore, 258 “Witch Cake,” 9 “Witch Chronicle, The,” 16 Witches Gathering, 3 Witch Marks, 8, 70 Witch Narrative, 21 Witch Narrative (Southern Kirkcudbrightshire), 40 Witches Sabbath, 7 Witches’ Stairs (Crawick), 50 Witches’ Rocks (Portpatrick), 36 William, Duke of Queensberry (legend of ghostly coach), 281 Witchcraft, proceedings against, in Galloway— Kirkcudbright (Presbytery, 1662), 72 Kirkcudbright, 1671, 72 Dalry (Kirk-session, 1696), 72 Dalry (Kirk-session, 1697), 73 Kirkcudbright, 1698, 74 Kirkcudbright, 1698, 80 Kirkcudbright, 1701, 82, 86, 87 Twynholm, 1703, 87 Urr (parish of) 1656, 91 Kirkpatrick-Durham (parish of), 92 Carsphairn (parish of), 93 Minnigaff (parish of), 93 New Luce (parish of), 96 Whithorn (parish of), 96 Kirkmaiden (parish of), 97 Kirkcudbright, 1805, 97 Maxwell, Jean, trial of (pretended witchcraft), 98 Dumfriesshire (proceedings in)— Burgh of Dumfries, 1657, 111 Kirk-Session of Dumfries, 1658, 111 Dumfries (official information regarding the judicial burning of nine women), 112 Dumfries (attendance of clergy at the burning), 115 Dumfries (resolution against Janet Burnes, alleged witch), 115 Dumfries (warrant of execution against two alleged witches), 116 Dumfries (last trial for witchcraft in Scotland, Elspeth Rule), 117 Dumfries (Presbytery of—Southern district), 118 Caerlaverock, Kirk-session records, 118 Irongray, Kirk-session records, 120 Irongray Parish (traditional account of witch punishment), 122 Closeburn Parish, 124 Penpont Presbytery, 131 Glencairn Kirk-session records, 132 Glencairn, Case of Alexander Deuart, 133 Durisdeer, 138 Torthorwald, 140 Wood Foresters’, Dalbeattie (scene of murder and ghost appearance), 273 Warnings, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212 Wraiths— Seen at Balgreggan House, 205 "Buittle, 199 "Dalbeattie, 205 "Glencairn, 201 "Kirkmaiden, 204 "Moniaive, 202 Wraiths (account of from “Gallovidian Encyclopædia”), 202 Wylliehole, Witch of, 53 Y Yule, 278 Yule Candles, 219

Footnotes:

[1] The Well of the Co’, Kirkmaiden, once much celebrated for the healing and medicinal properties of its waters.

[2] These berries make excellent preserves.

[3] Heather after being burned.

[4] “Confessions of Isobell Goudie.”

[5] Dwining.

[6] Shall be.

[7] Stubble.

[8] Kiln.

[9] Sighing.

[10] A famous haunt of witches in the parish of Rerwick.

[11] Extract from King James’s Daemonologie concerning Sorcery and Witchcraft (1597):—

“The persons that give themselves to witchcraft are of two sorts, rich and of better accompt, poore and of baser degree. These two degrees answere to the passions in them, which the divell uses as means to entice them to his service: for such of them as are in great miserie and povertie, he allures to follow him, by promising unto them great riches and worldly commoditie. Such as though rich, yet burne in a desperate desire of revenge, he allures them by promises to get their turne satisfied to their heart’s contentment.”

[12] “The witch mark is sometimes like a blewspot, or a little tate, or reid spots, like flea-biting; sometimes also the flesh is sunk in, and hallow, and this is put in secret places, as among the hair of the head, or eyebrows, within the lips, under the armpits, et sic de ceteris.” Mr Robert, minister at Aberfoill, in his Secret Commonwealth, describes the witch’s mark—“A spot that I have seen as a small mole, horny, and brown-coloured; through which mark, when a large brass pin was thrust (both in buttock, nose, and rooff of the mouth) till it bowed and became crooked, the witches, both men and women nather felt a pain nor did bleed, nor knew the precise time when this was being done to them (their eyes only being covered).”—Law’s “Memorials,” ed. by C. Kirkpatrick Sharpe.

[13] The extreme penalty took two forms. The condemned were either in the first place strangled or, to use an old expression, “wirreit” and then burned; or, worse still, they were straightway burned quick (alive).

[14] Thessr = Treasurer.

[15] Printed in Dumfries by his brother, Robert Rae, 1718.

[16] The Parish of Glencairn, Rev. John Monteith.

[17] Coshogle mansion-house or keep, belonging to the Douglases, was situated on the hill overhanging the Enterkine burn, above the farm-house of the same name. A marriage stone, built into a cottage wall, is all that remains of the structure.

[18] Sir James Douglas of Parkhead, styled Lord Torthorwald as having married the heiress of that barony, was afterwards run through the body on the High Street of Edinburgh by a nephew of Captain James Stewart, and died without uttering one word. On clearing away the rubbish, which till lately covered the pavement of the Chapel at Holyrood House, his tombstone was found, with this mutilated inscription:—“Heir lyes ane nobil and potent Lord James Douglas—and Cairlell and Torthorall wha mariet Daime Elizabeth Cairlell, air and heretrix yr. of, wha was slaine in Edinburgh ye 14 day of July, in ye yeir God 1608.”—Law’s Memories.

[19] Another theory associates the fairies with the dwarfish Lapps or Finns who, driven out of their own country, settled in the outlying districts of Scotland.

[20] The mother of William Nicholson the poet, a native of Borgue, where her family had long been settled, and a woman of great intelligence, often told that in her day there lived a man belonging to Borgue parish whose mother and grandmother had been examined before the Kirk-Session regarding his having been carried away by the fairies.

[21] “Brownie” here synonymus with “Fairy.”

[22] Langhill (now Longhill), adjacent to the Rispain Roman Camp, about a mile from Whithorn on the Glasserton Road.

[23] Roodmass: The festival of the finding of the Holy Cross (May 3rd).

[24] “When the mother’s vigilance hinders the fairies from carrying her child away, or changing it, the touch of fairy hands and their unearthly breath make it wither away in every limb and lineament like a blighted ear of corn, saving the countenance, which unchangeably retains the sacred stamp of divinity. The way to cure a breath-blasted child is worthy of notice. The child is undressed and laid out in unbleached linen new from the loom. Water is brought from a blessed well, in the utmost silence, before sunrise, in a pitcher never before wet; in which the child is washed, and its clothes dipped by the fingers of a maiden. Its limbs, on the third morning’s experiment, plump up, and all its former vigour returns.”—Allan Cunningham, in “Cromek’s Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song.”

[25] The leaden figure of a man connected with a cascade, once a prominent feature of the gardens.

[26] Simpson’s History of Sanquhar.

[27] The “Brownie” of Scotland corresponds with the “Robin Goodfellow” of England.

[28] A communion cup, belonging to M‘Millan, the well-known ousted minister of Balmaghie, and founder of a variety of the species Covenanter. This cup was treasured by a zealous disciple in the parish of Kirkcowan, and long used as a test by which to ascertain the orthodoxy of suspected persons. If, on taking the precious relic into his hand, the person trembled, or gave other symptoms of agitation, he was denounced as having bowed the knee to Baal, and sacrificed at the altar of idolatry; and it required, through his future life, no common exertion in the good cause, to efface the stigma thus fixed upon him.—Note to original edition.

[29] Several striking examples of wraith appearance may be found in Wilson’s Folk-lore of Uppermost Nithsdale (1904).

[30] A wonderfully graphic account of a manifestation of “deid lichts” to a Dumfries lady occurs in the Dumfries and Galloway Monthly Magazine, 1822, p. 169.

[31] The dog.

[32]

[33] There seems to have been some variation in this usage. On the Borders, for example, the door was usually left wide open. (See Preparatory Note to “Young Bengie,” Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.)

[34] Bearing upon this last statement of Mr Dudgeon’s, the writer has been told of a comparatively recent instance in the parish of Anwoth.

[35] “In the second session of the first Parliament of James VII., held at Edinburgh, 1686, an Act was passed called the ‘Act for Burying in Scots Linen,’ in which it was ordained, for the encouragement of the linen manufactures within the kingdom, that no person whatsoever, of high or low degree, should be buried in any shirt, sheet, or anything else, except in plain linen or cloth, of Hards made and spun within the kingdom, and without lace or point. There was specially prohibited the use of Holland, or other linen cloth made in other kingdoms: and of silk, woollen, gold, or silver, or any other stuff than what was made of Hards spun and wrought within the kingdom, under the penalty of 300 pounds Scots for a nobleman, and 200 pounds for every other person for each offence. One-half of this penalty was to go to the informer, and the other half to the poor of the parish of where the body should be interred. And, for the better discovery of contraveners, it was ordained that every minister within the kingdom should keep an account and register of all persons buried in his parish. A certificate upon oath, in writing, duly attested by two “famous” persons, was to be delivered by one of the relatives to the minister within eight days, declaring that the deceased person had been shrouded in the manner prescribed; which certificate was to be recorded without charge. The penalty was to be sued for by the minister before any judge competent; and if he should prove negligent in pursuing the contraveners within six months after the interment, he himself was liable for the said fine.”—Life and Times of Rev. John Wightman, D.D., of Kirkmahoe.

[36] Scots money, equal to one-twelfth value of our present currency, abandoned after 1760.

[37] Cere-cloth—a cloth smeared with wax, put upon the body after a modified embalming, only used, on account of its expense, by the rich.

[38] “An old antiquarian friend, long since dead, told me that Sir Robert had grown so corpulent in his latter days that his body could not be decently carried down the winding stair for burial; and that accordingly a portion of the wall between the two windows looking on to the Plainstones had to be temporarily removed, and that through the wide vacancy thus created the coffin was lowered down. My informant, who was old enough to remember all about the taking down of the lodging in 1826, added that the appearance of the wall between the windows justified the tradition.”—Letter from Wm. M‘Dowall, Esq., author of the History of Dumfries, to Lieut.-Col. Alexander Fergusson, author of the Laird of Lag.

[39] A corrupt form of the Latin “dirige,” from a Catholic chant for the dead.

[40] A commonly used term for the dead bell is “skellat.”

[41] The bell here referred to was the old bell of St. Ninian, the “Clog Rinny” or bell of Saint Ninian, made of malleable iron coated with bronze, and which only measured 6½ inches in height. It is mentioned in the accounts of James IV.: “March 17, 1506, in Penyghame to ane man that bure Saint Ninian’s bell IX.s.” It was in existence at old Penninghame in 1684 when Symson wrote, one hundred and seventy years after. It is described and illustrated in Wilsons’ Prehistoric Annals of Scotland (1857).

[42] Curiously enough, a few years ago, workmen engaged in the Portpatrick water and drainage scheme stumbled upon a large cavernous space at the very place where the reputed sounds of the ghostly pipe music were heard.

[43] Lodnagappal (Celtic): The swamp of the horses.

[44] Patiesthorn, situated at the north end of Parton Mill, overlooking Drumrash and Skirmers and the Ken below Kenmure Castle. There is no house now—only Patiesthorn Wood.

[45] Captain John Garmory of the Bardsea, lost afterwards with all hands on the passage from Liverpool to the Water of Urr.

[46] Walter Bower, or Bowmaker, Abbot of Inchcolm.

[47] The account of these wonderful happenings was published in the form of a chapbook, and obtained a large circulation.

[48] The first appearance that Coul made was to Dr Menzies’ servant at a time he was watering his master’s horse. At some subsequent appearance, while the lad was upon the same business, whether Coul had done him any real harm, or that the lad had fallen from his horse through fear and contusion, is uncertain, but so it was that the lad was found dead on the road.