THE SCENE: Issobel Gowdie, a self-confessed witch, gives a full description of the strangely named demons which attended upon the strangely nicknamed witches in her coven.
THE TEXT: After that tyme there would meet sometimes a COVEN, sometimes more, sometimes less; but a Grand Meeting would be able the end of ilk Quarter. There is thirteen persons in ilk Coven; and ilk one of us has a SPIRIT to wait upon us, when we please to call upon him. I remember not all the spirits’ names, but there is one called “Swein,” which waits upon the said Magret Wilson in Auldern; he is ever clothed in green grass; and the said Margret Wilson has a nickname called, “Pikle Neirest the Wind.” The next spirit is called “Rorie”, who waits upon Bessie Wilson, in Aulderne; he is ever clothed in yallow; and her nickname is “Throw the Corne Yaird”. The third Spirit is called “The Roaring Lyon,” who waits upon Issobel Nicoll, in Locklow; and he is ever clothed in pea-green; her nickname is “Bessie Rule.” The fourth Spirit is called “Mak Hector,” who waits upon Jean Martein, dawghter to the said Margret Wilson; he is a young-like Devill, clothed ever in green. Jean Martein is MAIDEN to the Coven that I am of; and her nickname is “Over the Dyke With It,” Because the DIVILL always takes the Maiden in his hand next to him, when we dance Gillatrypes, he and she will say, “Over the dyke with it!” The name of the fifth Spirit is “Robert the Rule” and he is ever clothed in fadd-dus, and famous to be Commander of the rest of the Spirits; and he waits upon Margret Brodie, in Aulderne. The name of the sixth Spirit is called “Thief of Hell Wait Upon Her Self;” and he waits also on the said Bessie Wilson. The name of the seventh Spirit is called “The Red Reiver;” and his is my own Spirit, that waits on my self, and is ever clothed in black. The eight Spirit is called “Robert the Jackis,” ever clothed in dune, and feins to be aged. He is one glaiked gowked [foolish and silly] Spirit! The woman’s nickname that he waits on, is “Able and Stowt!” The ninth Spirit is called “Laing;” and the woman’s nickname that he waits upon is “Bessie Bauld”. There will be many other Divellis, waiting upon our Maister DIVELL; but he is bigger and more awful than the rest of the Divellis, and they all reverence him.
– Confessions of Issobell Gowdie, spouse to John Gilbert, in Lockloy, 17th Century AD
