THE SCENE: The passage below demonstrates the desperation of the typical medieval peasant, whereby a woman literally sells her soul to procure medicine for her daughter.
THE TEXT: Her doctor being sick, who first sent to Patrik Crystisone in Abirlaide, to come and cure her daughter, and refusing, went herself for him, who refuse to cure her, and within days thereafter came the DEVILL, in likeness of a man, to her house, calling himself a physician, and said to her, that he had good salves wherewith he would cure her daughter; and aggrieing with him for some of his salves, which he gave her, she gave him two English shillings. He then departed, and promised to come again within eight days, whilk accordingly he did; but before he went away the first tyme, she gave him milk and breade. Bot at the second coming, he stayed all night, and upon the morne early, in came the DIVELL and lay doun with her and had carnall copulatioun with her, his nature being cold. He desired her to renounce Christ and her baptism, and become his servant, which she did. And said, that her doctor had the wyte [blame] of all her wickedness.
- Confession of Manie Haliburton, 17th Century AD
