[340]. By Andrew Bell in Cornhill, London.
[341]. Boswell. Tour to the Hebrides, p. 401.
[342]. Anderson’s Hist. Fam. of Fraser, p. 110.
[343]. Miscellanies, p. 189.
[344]. John Brand, in his Description of Orkney and Zetland, 1703, says, with reference to the population of the latter group of islands: ‘Not above forty or fifty years ago, almost every family had a Browny, or evil spirit so called, which served them, to whom they gave a sacrifice for his service; as, when they churned their milk, they took a part thereof, and sprinkled every corner of the house with it for Browny’s use; likewise, when they brewed, they had a stone, which they called Browny’s Stone, wherein there was a little hole, into which they poured some wort for a sacrifice to Browny. My informer, a minister in the country, told me that he had conversed with an old man, who, when young, used to brew, and sometimes read upon his Bible, to whom an old woman in the house said, that Browny was displeased with that book he read upon, which if he continued to do, they would get no more service of Browny. But he being better instructed from that book, which was Browny’s eyesore, and the object of his wrath, when he brewed he would not suffer any sacrifice to be given to Browny, whereupon the first and second brewings were spilt, and for no use; though the wort worked well, yet in a little time it left off working, and grew cold; but of the third browst or brewing he had ale very good, though he would not give any sacrifice to Browny, with whom they were no more troubled. I had also from the same informer, that a lady in Unst, now deceased, told him that when she first took up house, she refused to give a sacrifice to Browny; upon which the first and second brewings misgave, but the third was good, and Browny not being regarded nor rewarded, as formerly he had been, abandoned his wonted service. They also had stacks of corn called Browny’s Stacks, which, though they were not bound with straw-ropes, or any way fenced, as other stacks use to be, yet the greatest storm of wind was not able to blow any straw off them.
‘Now, I do not hear of any such appearances the devil makes in these isles, so great and many are the blessings which attend a Gospel dispensation.’
[345]. Harrington’s Nugæ Antiquæ, by Park, 2 vols. 1804, i. 369.
[346]. Memoirs of Sir Ewen Cameron of Locheil, 4to (Abbotsford Club), 1842, p. 24.
[347]. This investigation occurred in the year 1665.
[348]. Identical with Charles Hope of Hopetoun introduced under December 22, 1698.