Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Introductory Notes on the Texts
- 1 Robert Boyle’s notes on his interview with Lord Tarbat, 3 October 1678
- 2 ‘A Collection of Highland Rites and Customs’
- 3 Robert Kirk’s The Secret Commonwealth and his ‘A Short Treatise of the Scotish-Irish Charms and Spells’
- 4 James Garden’s letters to John Aubrey
- 5 Samuel Pepys’s collection of letters on second sight
- 6 John Fraser’s ∆ϵυτϵϱοσϰoπια
- 7 Edward Lhuyd’s and Robert Wodrow’s questionnaires and the responses of John Fraser and John MacLean
- Textual Notes
- Appendix: Quotations of biblical passages cited in the texts above
- Bibliography
- Glossary
- Index
3 - Robert Kirk’s The Secret Commonwealth and his ‘A Short Treatise of the Scotish-Irish Charms and Spells’
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 December 2023
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Introductory Notes on the Texts
- 1 Robert Boyle’s notes on his interview with Lord Tarbat, 3 October 1678
- 2 ‘A Collection of Highland Rites and Customs’
- 3 Robert Kirk’s The Secret Commonwealth and his ‘A Short Treatise of the Scotish-Irish Charms and Spells’
- 4 James Garden’s letters to John Aubrey
- 5 Samuel Pepys’s collection of letters on second sight
- 6 John Fraser’s ∆ϵυτϵϱοσϰoπια
- 7 Edward Lhuyd’s and Robert Wodrow’s questionnaires and the responses of John Fraser and John MacLean
- Textual Notes
- Appendix: Quotations of biblical passages cited in the texts above
- Bibliography
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
Being for the most part Singular to that Nation
A Subject not heir to fore discoursed of by any of our writers.
Done for the satisfaction of his friends by a modest inquirer, living among the Scotish-Irish.
1.6.9.2.
/verso/
——— This is a Rebellious people, which say to the seers see not; and to the prophets, prophesie not ‹unto us› right things but smooth things.
Isa. 30.9, 10.——— And the man, whose eyes were open, hath said.
numb. 24, 15.——— For now we see through a Glass, darkly, but then face to face:
1 Corrinth. 13.12.——— It doth not ‹yet› appear what we shall be; but we shall be like God, and see him as he is
1 John. 3.2.——— Shall the dead bee borne under the Waters, and the Inhabitants thereof.
Job. 26.5.———Then a spirit passed befor my face, the hair of my flesh stood up. it stood stil, but I could not discern the forme thereof: an Image was befor my Eyes.
Job. 4.15.16./p. 1/
AN ESSAY
off the Nature and actions of the Subterranean (and for the most part) Invisible people, heirtofor going under the names of ELVES. FAUNES. and FAIRIES: or the like, among the Low-Countrey Scots, and termed hubhrísgedh, caiben, lusbartan 7 siotbrudh among the Tramontaines or Scotish-Irish, as they are described by those who have the Second Sight: and now, to occasione further enquiry, collected & compared.
[With ane accompt of the Irish-Charmes. being part of a larger discourse, of the Ancient customs of the Scotish-Irish, their nature, habit, manner of warr, husbandry, the air & productiones of their Countrey &c.]
CHAP. I. of the Subterranean Inhabitants.
1. THESE sith,’s or Fairies, they call sluag[h] maith or the good people: (it would
seem, to prevent the dint of their ill attempts: for the Irish use to bless all they fear
harme of) and are said to be of a midle nature betwixt man and Angell (as were
dæmons thought to be of old); of intelligent studious /p. 2/ Spirits, and light changable
bodies (lik those called Astrall) somewhat of the nature of a condens’d cloud,
and best seen in twilight. These bodies be so plyable thorowgh the subtilty of the
spirits, that agitate them, that they can make them appeare or disappear at pleasure.
- Type
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- Information
- The Occult LaboratoryMagic, Science and Second Sight in Late Seventeenth-Century Scotland, pp. 77 - 117Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2001