(Q112914291)
Statements
29 January 1706Julian
0 references
She confessed that they were good spirits, but did not refer to them as fairies, and they told her the world would be destroyed. Witnesses claimed she used charms, including a belt which had a tourner (a copper coin, not legal tender after 1707) and 3 pickles of wheat in it but she denied this. The spirits showed her a vision of the day of judgement, when the heavens were as thunder and fire. (English)
Unusual case to characterise. Fairies included as she mentioned spirits although she denied they were fairies. This is also a late case so quite unusual. The presbytery seem to have been most concerned with her blasphemy, which for a time they felt were delusions. However, after she escaped from prison the charges against her refer to devilrie, blasphemy and other particulars of witchcraft.BlasphemyBrown confessed that the spirits came to her at any time and conversed with her.They were not visible, but she could feel them and they lay with her 'carnally as men and women do'. She told the presbytery the spirits were God because they could cure sickness, that they were her maker and were the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. She also said she was married to them and that the spirits would take her to Heaven. Later described how when she was younger 3 young, pretty men came to her mother's house and offered the family a piece of paper (?some form of contract) which she took and thereafter always knew more than other people.Claimed that her spirits had caused the death of a man after Brown had quarrelled with his wife. Also confessed that she had cast water over a sick child and the child had recovered. Denied that she had quarrelled with a woman who hit her after shearing.Main accusation according to presbytery was blasphemy and devilish delusions which later became devilry, blasphemy and witchcraft. (English)
Devil type: Spirit, Described as "non-visible spirits" (English)