Satan's Invisible World Discovered

Relation 1.
Touching the troubles which Sir
George Maxwell of Pollock met with from the
Devil and his Haggs.

Sir,

Pollock, 24th June, 1684.

I send you herewith the true account, my father caused me write from his own mouth, which is the surest relation I can give, either of his own trouble, or what concerns Janet Douglas, first discoverer of these pictures. There fell out some less material circumstances in the family, during her abode there, whereby it fully appeared, That she knew what was done in distant places, and understood languages. For instance, when a chapter in the Greek New Testament was read, she made us understand by signs what the purposes were, (for at that time she was dumb, whether really or counterfeitly, it is hard to determine,) and did exactly give an account to myself, what we did at two miles distant from the place where she was, without any information given to her which I knew of. I rest your affectionate friend, John Maxwell.

Upon the 14th of October 1676, my father was surprized at Glasgow, in the night time, with a hot and fiery distemper; and coming home the next day, he was fixed to his bed. The physician, fearing a pleurisy and a fever, opened a vein, and the application of medicaments being made, the fiery heat was abated; he remaining for seven weeks together under a great pain, chiefly in his right side, though not fixed to his bed. There had come to Pollock-town a young dumb girl, but from whence was not known, who had remained there for four weeks before, but seldom frequenting Sir George Maxwell's house, till at length she came to some more familiarity and converse with his two daughters. And, having observed Sir George sick and weak in his body, she signified unto them, That there was a woman, whose son had broke his fruit-yard, that did prick him in the sides.

And seeing this woman one day in the hall of Pollock amongst a great many other company, she assured his daughter, that this was the woman; and the day following, she told the gentleman, That this woman (whose name was Janet Mathie, relict of John Stewart, under-miller in Shaw mill) had formed a wax picture with pins in the side, which was to be found in her house, in a hole behind the fire, offering to bring it unto them, providing she were accompanied with men to protect her from violence. At first they hardly understood her, till she went to one of the gentlewoman's closets, and bringing thence a little bee-wax, she plied it before the fire, shewing the dimensions and quantity of the picture. The gentlewoman regarded not the information, because they thought it fabulous; yet his two servants, Laurence Pollock, and Andrew Martin, knowing how much the girl loved their master, and knowing that his life was in hazard, if this picture were not found, resolved at all adventures to try whether the information were true or false; and therefore going along with her to the said Janet Mathie's house, one of them planted himself on the one side of the fire, and the other on the other side, while in the mean time, the little girl coming quickly by Laurence Pollock, putteth her hand in the hole behind the fire, and then slips into Andrew Martin beneath his cloak, the waxen effigy, which had two pins in it, one in each side, but that in the right side, so long as to pierce through to the other; that in the left was not so long, nor so deeply thrust in. This picture being brought to Pollock, Sir George's son, without acquainting his father, apprehended Janet Mathie, procuring the next day the Lord Ross's order for conveying her to prison. She, being interrogated touching the picture, after several subterfuges, alleged, It was the deed of the "dumb girl."

It was also enquired, whether Sir George or his Lady had given her at any time provocation to this malice? But it was well known, they had been courteous to her: and, upon her complaints, had rebuked some for spreading bad reports upon her name, as not appearing sufficiently well-founded to a conviction. Only upon the 14th of October, above specified, before Sir George went to Glasgow, he had called before him a servant in Pollock-town, that had broken his orchard in harvest last, who confessed the fact, and that Hugh Stewart, a son of Janet Mathie's, was his accomplice. But a by-stander declared, That he was not now in Pollock land, but in the Darnly. To whom Sir George replied, I hope my fingers may reach him in Darnly. This was all which could be thought a provocation to Mathie. No harm being done in the meantime to her son, whom Sir George to this hour doth not so much as know by the face, but hath suffered him all the time of his sickness to live in his mother's house, even since her imprisonment. In the meantime Mathie remaining obstinate, was searched for insensible marks before the Sheriff-depute of Renfrew, and many famous witnesses, at Paisley, and very many found upon her.

After the finding of the picture of wax foresaid, there was some abatement of Sir George's sickness, but not to any observable degree, so low was he brought. But upon the 4th of January following, his sickness recurred with that violence, that for four or five days, his friends and relations had no great confidence of his life. But they were more amazed on the 7th of January, being the Sabbath-day, when they had an express from the dumb girl, who was at Pollock-town, but could not get over the water to the house, the river being so swelled at that time, signifying, That John Stewart, Mathie's eldest son, had four days since formed an effigy of clay, for taking away Sir George's life. And when she was called for, she declared, it was in his house, beneath the bolster, among the bedstraw.

The next day following, James Dunlop of Househill, and Ludowick Stewart of Achinhood, with some of Sir George's servants, went to Stewart's house, taking the little girl with them, resolving to make a very exact trial, that it might not be said, that the dumb girl had brought any thing hither. Wherefore they caused John Stewart himself to light a candle and hold it, while Ludowick Stewart, and another did, in his sight, lift the clay effigy from among the bedstraw, beneath the bolster (the little girl all the while standing at a distance from the place), but the picture having been made only three or four days before, and not sufficiently hard, did break into two pieces. In it were three pins, one in each side, and one in the breast. Stewart had nothing to say for himself, but that he knew not who had put that thing there. He was instantly apprehended, and so was a little sister of his, lately entered into the fourteenth year of her age, named Annabil Stewart, who was said to have whispered before somewhat of the waxen effigy. This poor creature proved thereafter, through God's favour, a key to the detection of making both the pictures.

At first she was very obstinate, but the next day she confessed, "That being present in her brother's house the 4th of January, while the clay picture was formed, the Black Gentleman being present, (which was the name she gave the devil) together with Bessie Weir, Marjory Craig, Margaret Jackson, and her brother John." But when confronted with her brother, she did not with confidence adhere to her confession. Upon the finding of this picture Sir George did very observably recover in his health, and all the pain, which was in his side did, by degrees, wear away.

John Stewart remained, notwithstanding his sister's confession, above measure obstinate, until he was searched the next day for insensible marks, whereof he had great plenty. At the finding whereof, he was so confounded, that immediately he confessed his paction with the devil, and almost all the other heads exprest in his judicial confession after-written; and declared, "That his accomplices who formed the effigy with him were the same his sister had named." She also came to a free and full confession of her paction with the devil, and her accession to the forming both of the waxen pictures in her mother's house, and of the clay one in her brother's house.

Upon information of the premises, the Earl of Dundonald and the Lord Ross, granted a warrant for apprehending Bessie Weir, Margaret Jackson, and Marjory Craig, who had been fellow sisters in the aforesaid sorcery.

Margaret Jackson, a woman aged about fourscore of years, after a day or two, confessed paction with the devil, and her accession to the making of both the pictures, and condescended upon the complices above named. Many insensible marks were found on her body.

Upon the 17th of January last, a third portrait of clay was found under Janet Mathie's bolster in the prison house of Paisley, which the dumb girl had given information of. But it seemed to be the picture of some woman, and probably of some of the family of Pollock. For Annabil Stewart did freely declare, "That their malice was against the whole family of Pollock." For turning to young Pollock and his Lady, she said, "and against you also." This portrait was found before four famous witnesses.

The Lords of his Majesty's privy council, being informed of these pictures and effigies, the depositions of three confessing Witches being sent, did grant a commission for their trial, and also for the trial of the other three that were obstinate. And in regard of the singularity of the case, they ordered the process to be very solemn, commissioning for the trial some judicious gentlemen in the country, viz. Sir Patrick Gauston of Gauston, James Brisbond of Bishoptoun, Sir John Shaw younger of Greenock, and John Anderson younger of Dovehill....