Satan's Invisible World Discovered
9781465676801
213 pages
Library of Alexandria
Overview
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.”
