An Old Family Or The Setons Of Scotland And America Classic Reprint PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ...in 1891, which was kindly sent me bv Rev. Father Roche, there is an illustration of Seton Chapel. Among the contributors to the building of the church are the Duke of Norfolk, the Marquess of Bute, the Duchess Dowager of Buccleugh, Major-General Lord Ralph Kerr, C.B., and other distinguished people. There is only one of the name of Seton among the contributors, and he is an American. Witchcraft in Tranent. Tranent of all places in Scotland was the most notorious for its witcheries, sorceries, and necromancies. David Seton has been held up to just execration, savs one writer, as the man who " struck the spark that caused this appalling explosion of national insanitv." The celebrated case in which the "Scottish Solomon," as King James I. (of England) was called, took such a personal interest, and to which Burton alludes in the seventh volume of his History (p. 115), was that of a voung, comelv, and intelligent maid-servant in Seton's family named Gillis Duncan. Bv use of the pillhvinkis, or thumbscrews, a confession of witchcraft was forced from her bv this grim official, in the presence of five witnesses, after she was discovered one moonlight night (for she used to disappear out of the house mvsteriouslv) walking alone in the haunted churchvard of Tranent. She was then summoned to Holvrood by the king, and was required, while plaving a Jew's harp, to dance before the court " the reel she had performed for the devil and the witches in the kirk of North Berwick," 1590J WITCHCRAFT IN TRANENT. 215 a saltatory exercise with which, savs the chronicle, his Majesty was wonderfully pleased--which reminds one of Tam-o'Shanter's " Weel done, Cutty-Sark!" at the midnight revels of Kirk-Allowav. The Seton-thorn, ...