| ID | #1686564047 |
| Added | Mon, 12/06/2023 |
| Author | July N. |
| Sources | |
| Phenomena | |
| Status | Research
|
Initial data
In October 1654, it so happened that after a certain Alexander Agnew, a brave and sturdy beggar, later hanged in Dumfries for blasphemy, threatened to harm Gilbert Campbell's family for not receiving such alms as he demanded.
The said Gilbert was often hindered in carrying out his vocation, since all his working tools were broken, some were cut, and yet he could not know how this damage was done. This trouble lasted until about the middle of November; at this time the Devil came with new and extraordinary attacks, throwing stones at doors and windows and down through the chimney head. There were many of them and they were thrown with great force, but, according to God's providence, there was not one person from the family who suffered or would have suffered damage as a result.
This new and severe Nuisance forced Mr. Campbell to tell the parish priest and some other neighbors and friends about it, which he had hitherto endured secretly. However, despite this, his misfortune has increased; for soon after, he often found that his threads were cut like scissors, and his cane was broken; and not only that, but their robes are cut in the same way, even when they wore them, their coats, hats, stockings, shoes, but they could not understand how and with what. Only God was pleased to preserve their faces so that not the slightest harm would be done.
However, at night they wanted freedom to sleep, something was approaching and pulling off their bedclothes and underwear, leaving their bodies naked.
They've been putting up with it in secret until now.
Then their chests were opened, and all the things in them were scattered here and there. Similarly, the surviving parts of the working tools were taken away and hidden in the holes and openings of the house, where they could hardly be found. Whatever piece of cloth or household utensils was in any part of the house, it was taken away, and so cut and spoiled that the owners were forced to hastily remove everything and move it to rest in the neighboring house, and the head of the family himself was forced to abandon the exercise of his vocation, thanks to which only he kept my family.
And yet he decided to stay in the house for a while. At this time, some people, not very prudent, advised him to send his children to check what was going on. However, for 4 or 5 days after that, there were no noticeable attacks like before.
After the Devil set fire to this poor man's house twice, and the people in the family suffered many losses, such as cutting their coats, throwing pitts, pulling turf and feals from the roof and walls of the house, and stealing their clothes, and piercing their skin with pins, the Presbytery appointed a day for solemn humiliation, which seems to be it made some impression on Satan, because soon after that he found his voice.
On Monday, February 12, family members began to hear a Voice speaking to them, but could not understand exactly where it was coming from. Nevertheless, from evening to midnight, many vain conversations were conducted with the Devil, and many idle and impertinent questions arose without the proper fear of God that should have been in their souls under such a rare and extraordinary test.
The minister, having heard about this, went to the chamber on Tuesday, accompanied by several gentlemen, who, after the prayer was over, heard a Voice speaking from under the ground, from under the bed, in the local dialect, saying:
"Do you know the witches of Glenlus, I'll name them."
The Gilbert mentioned reported that one of them had been dead for a long time. The devil replied:
"True, she died a long time ago, but her Spirit lives with us in Peace."
The Minister responded by saying:
"The Lord will rebuke you, Satan, and silence you, we should not receive any information from you, no matter how famous any persons may be; you are only trying to seduce this Family, because the kingdom of Satan is not divided in itself."
Then the Devil and the minister had the most obscene quarrel, and both of them beat each other with the texts of Scripture; and the visit of the holy man did no good, as all their vexations returned, until poor Campbell again turned to the presbytery; this body ordered a solemn humiliation to be carried out throughout the Synod. This was in February, and Campbell's persecution gradually decreased until April, when it stopped altogether, and so it continued until August.
About this time, the Devil began with new attacks and, taking the finished meat that was in the house, hid it in the holes at the door jambs, and sometimes hid it under the bed, and sometimes among the bed and under the linnens, and finally carried it away completely, so that there was nothing left, except bread and water to live on.
After that, he applied his malice and cruelty to all members of the family, tiring them at night, moving and moving around the house, so that they had no rest from the noise that lasted the whole month of August after that. After that, the Devil got even worse and started with a terrible roar and terrifying voices, so that no one could sleep in the house at night, and sometimes bothered them by throwing stones.
Original news
During the 17th Century an incident linked to poltergeist like activity in Glenluce became was recorded and published by Glasgow’s first Professor of Mathematics and demonologist, George Sinclair (died 1696) in his 1685 work, ‘Satan’s Invisible World Discovered’. The story has of course been retold many times and the account below appeared in ‘The Devil In Britain And America’ by John Ashton (1896) (with some minor amendments to some spelling).
It happened in October 1654, that after one Alexander Agnew a bold and sturdy Beggar, who, afterwards, was hang’d at Dumfries, for Blasphemy, had threatened hurt to Gilbert Campbell’s family, because he had not gotten such an Alms as he required; the said Gilbert was oftentimes hindred in the exercise of his Calling, all his working Instruments being, some of them broken, some of them cut, and yet could not know by what means this hurt was done. Which piece of trouble did continue till about the middle of November; at which time the Devil came with new and extraordinary Assaults, by throwing of Stones in at Doors and Windows, and down through the Chimney head, which were of great quantity, and thrown with great force, yet by God’s good Providence, there was not one Person of the family hurt, or suffer’d damage thereby. This piece of new and sore Trouble did necessitate Mr. Campbell to reveal that to the Minister of the Parish, and to some other Neighbours and Friends, which, hitherto, he had endured secretly. Yet notwithstanding this, his Trouble was enlarged; for, not long after, he found oftentimes his Warp and Threads cut as with a pair of Scissors, and the Reed broken ; and not only this, but their Apparel cut after the same manner, even while they were wearing them, their Coats, Bonnets, Hose, Shoes, but could not discern how, or by what means. Only, it pleased God to preserve their Persons, that the least harm was not done. Yet in the Night-time they wanted liberty to Sleep, something coming and pulling their Bedclothes and Linnens off them, and leaving their Bodies naked.
Next, their Chests and Trunks were opened, and all things in them strewed here and there: Likewise the parts of the working Instruments that had escaped, were carried away, and hid in holes and bores of the House, where hardly they could be found again : Nay, whatever piece of Cloth or Household stuff was in any part of the House, it was carried away, and so cut and abused, that the Good-man was necessitated, with all haste and speed to remove, and to transport the rest to a Neighbour’s House, and he himself compell’d to quit the Exercise of his Calling, whereby only he maintained his Family. Yet he resolv’d to remain in the House for a season. During which time some Persons thereabout, not very judicious, counselled him to send his Children out of the Family, here and there, (to try whom the Trouble did most follow, assuring him that this Trouble was not against all the Family, but against some one Person or other in it) whom he too willingly obeyed. Yet for the space of 4 or 5 Days after, there were no remarkable assaults, as before.’
After the Devil had twice set this poor man’s house on fire, and the persons within the family suffering many losses, as the Cutting of their Coaths, the throwing of Peits, the pulling down of Turf and Feal from the Roof and Walls of the House, and the stealing of their Apparel, and the pricking of their Flesh and Skin with pins, the Presbytery set apart a day for a solemn humiliation, which seems to have had some effect upon Satan, for soon after he found a voice.
Upon Monday the I2th of February, the rest of the Family began to hear a Voice speak to them, but could not well know from whence it came. Yet, from Evening to Midnight, much vain Discourse was kept up with the Devil, and many idle and impertinent Questions proposed without that due Fear of God that should have been upon their Spirits, under so rare and extraordinary a Trial. The Minister hearing of this, went to the House upon the Tuesday, being accompanied with some Gentlemen, who, after Prayer was ended, heard a Voice speaking out of the Ground, from under a Bed, in the proper Country Dialect, saying, “Would you know the Witches of Glenluce, I will call them”, and so related four or five Persons Names, that went under an evil report. The said Gilbert informed the Company that one of them was dead long ago. The Devil answered, “It is true, she is dead long ago, yet her Spirit is living with us in the World”. The Minister reply’d, saying: “The Lord rebuke thee, Satan and put thee to silence we are not to receive any Information from thee, whatever Fame any Persons go under; thou art but seeking to seduce this Family, for Satan’s kingdom is not divided against itself”.
Then the Devil and the minister had a most unseemly wrangle, both battering each other with texts of Scripture ; and the holy man’s visit did no good, for all their annoyances returned, until poor Campbell again appealed to the Presbytery; which body ordered that a solemn humiliation should be kept through all the bounds of the Synod. This was in February, and Campbell’s persecutions gradually decreased till April, when they altogether ceased, and so continued till August.
‘About which time the Devil began with new Assaults, and taking the ready Meat that was in the House, did sometimes hide it, in holes by the Doorposts, and at other times did hide it under the Beds, and sometimes among the Bed cloaths, and under the Linnens, and at last did carry it quite away, till nothing was left there save Bread and Water to live by. After this he exercised his Malice and Cruelty against all the Persons of the Family, in wearying them in the Night time, with stirring and moving through the House, so that they had no rest for noise, which continued all the month of August after this manner. After which time the Devil grew yet worse, and began with terrible Roarings and terrifying Voices, so that no Person could sleep In the House In the Night-time, and sometimes did vex them with casting of Stones, striking them with Staves on their Beds, In the Night time, and upon the (?) of September about Midnight, he cryed out with a loud voice: I shall burn the House: and, about 3 or 4 nights after, he set one of the Beds on Fire, which was soon extinguished without any prejudice, except the Bed Itself, and so he continued to haunt them.’
As suggested above the haunting was blamed on the begger Alexander Agnew (known as the ‘Devil of Luce’) who is said to have brought about the events after cursing Campbell after his lack of charity. Agnew was hanged in Dumfries for blasphemy after saying ‘there was no God but salt, meal and water’.
Hypotheses
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