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MAGUS

67 Whilst I stayed at Cragidarroch, they had a child about three quarters old which my wife gave suck to. He fell into a violent fever which threatened to take away his life, in everyone’s apprehension that saw him …Wherefore I came about midnight and looked a little at the child who was in great trouble. Having thus viewed him for some time, I went out to the garden to beg his life from God. I went it he upper end of a long walk where there was a summer house or scat with a hedge about it and there I chose to offer up my supplications. When I had for some time earnestly pleaded for his life, the terror of Satan fell upon me in such as way I immediately concluded the enemy was at hand and wanted to fright me from my prayers (for I was not ignorant of his devices) wherefore I resolved I would continue the duty. On my doing so I heard a noise on the other side of the hedge and it seemed to me like the groaning of an aged man. It continued for some time, yet I knew nobody could be there; for on the other side of the hedge where I heard the groaning was a great stank or pool. I nothing doubted but it was Satan and I guessed his designs but still I went on to beg the child’s life. At length he roared and made a noise like a bull, and that very loud. From all this, I concluded that I had been provoking God some way or other in the duty and that he was angry with me and had let the enemy loose on me, and might give him leave to tear me in pieces. This made me entreat of God to show me wherefore he contended and beg he would rebuke Satan; but the enemy continued to make a noise like a bull and seemed to be roaring about the hedge, towards the door of the summer-seat, bellowing as he came along. Upon this, I got up from my knees and tuned my face towards the way I thought the enemy was coming and looked to God still that he might rebuke him. After that he made a noise like a mastiff-dog in great trouble. This was not so terrible to me as the other. I got some courage and having a stick in my hand I resolved to stand still to see if he appeared to me in any shape but instead of that he went past into a place hard by, full of nettles, and there groaned as formerly. I heard him very distinctly and composedly, yet I thought I would go in and consider what could be the meaning of this dispensation. Accordingly, I came in and whispered to my wife that I had been somewhat frightened. The old Christian woman that sat by, overhearing me, drew a bow at a venture and pierced between the joints of the harness, telling me to take care lest I had provoked God by the want of submission and being too much set upon the child being spared. No sooner had she spoken thus than I was convinced of my fault, yet could not think of the child’s dying. I inclined once more to venture out – yea tried it a second time – but Satan, I then thought, was just ready to

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