Thomas Weir. Major Weir's House in the West Bow, Edinburgh Major Thomas Weir (Carluke, South Lanarkshire 1599 - Edinburgh 1670) was a Scottish soldier and presumed occultist, executed for witchcraft.
Weir was a Covenanter who professed a particularly strict form of Presbyterianism. His spoken prayers earned him a reputation for religiosity which attracted visitors to his home in Edinburgh. Major Weir - Edinburgh Notes. 1670: Major Thomas Weir, a Puritan with a double life. April 11th, 2008 Headsman On this date in 1670, a 70-year-old upstanding Edinburgher went to the stake for confessing — unbidden — to witchcraft.
The “Wizard of West Bow” had had a distinguished military career and an exactingly pious public life among Edinburgh’s strictest Presbyterians. So it came as something of a surprise when, after being struck by an illness, he up and copped to a lifelong sexual relationship with his sister Jean … and a lifetime of hitherto unknown black arts, powered by a Satanic walking-staff. He was so far from being suspect that town elders at first thought him daft. Only when Jean backed his story with the sort of details to give vapors to the “Bowhead Saints” neighborhood did things get serious.
So on this day, the dumbfounded city worthies had to tote one of their own to the area around Edinburgh’s modern Pilrig Street and have him strangled and burnt at the stake. The interpretive framework we begin with for witch hunts is — well, a “witch hunt.” Major Weir - The Wizard of West Bow - Edinburgh - Streenge. The Wizard of West Bow Major Thomas Weir was a familiar figure in the Edinburgh of the early 17th century.
Initially for all the right reasons. Weir lived in West Bow, a narrow street that winds its way down from Edinburgh castle to the Grassmarket. He shared a house with his sister who, according to different accounts, was either named Jean or Grizel. HISTORY- MAJOR THOMAS WEIR. Major Thomas Weir was born in 1599 and lived in Edinburgh's West Bow, a ‘Z’ shaped street between the Castle and the Grassmarket.
He was a frequent attendee of his local Protestant prayer meetings and a respected pillar of the community. The Major fell sick however, and became compelled, in his feverish state of mind to divulge his secret life to his fellow worshippers. He admitted crimes against man and God that included depravity, necromancy and other supernatural activities that resulted from his witchcraft. Weir, Thomas (DNB00) WEIR, THOMAS (1600?
–1670), reputed sorcerer, son of a Lanarkshire proprietor in Clydesdale, was born about 1600. He served as captain-lieutenant in Colonel Robert Home's regiment in Ire- land in 1641, and also for some time as major in the Earl of Lanark's regiment; and on 3 March 1647 presented a petition to the estates for the payment of a sum of 600 merks due to him for these services. In 1649–50 he was promoted to the command of the city guard of Edinburgh. Overview of Major Thomas Weir. Scottish Legends, Prophecies and Folklore. Legends The Saltire - St.
Andrew's Cross The Fian Warriors There is an ancient legend that an army of sleeping warriors is waiting in a cave in the Eildon Hills until the day comes when all Gaeldom shall rise against its oppressors. Sir Walter Scott related the following story in his "Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft". Prophecies. Major Weir Scottish Clans Tartans Kilts Crests and Gifts. Major Weir - The Wizard of the West Bow The narrow winding streets and dark cavernous closes of Edinburgh can feel eerie enough at night as you walk alone.
But listen out for the wrap of a cane on the cobbles and look out for a dark shadowy figure for it may be the ghost of Major Weir -The Wizard of the West Bow! Major Thomas Weir was born in 1599 and had a significant military career as a covenanting soldier. Scot Sites eBooks - Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland. The following is from Volume V of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland: Historical, Traditionary, & Imaginative revised by Alexander Leighton, One of the Original Editors and Contributors: By John Howell [A legend, similar to that here given, was current in Glasgow a number of years ago, and for ages before.
The hero's name was Bob Dragon, whose income, when alive, was said to have been one guinea a minute. His coachman and horses were said, as those of the major, to want the heads. The most curious trait of the Glasgow goblin horses, was that they went down to the river to drink, although they had no heads. Ch 38: The West Bow - Old and New Edinburgh by James Grant - Volume II. Head,” and without the aid of which he could perform nothing, was cast in also, and it was remarked by the spectators that it gave extraordinary twistings and dthings, and was as long in burning as the major himself.
The place where he perished was at Greenside, on the sloping bank, whereon, in 1846, was erected the new church, so called. If this man was not mad, he certainly was a singular paradox in human nature, and one of a TRINITY CHURCH AND HOSPITAL, AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. (From Curdon of Rothiemas Map.) 57, Halkerston’s Wynd ; 58, Leith Wynd ; 6. St. Part 2 Ch 9: The West Bow and Suburbs - Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time by Daniel Wilson. THE WEST BOW AND SUBURBS. 335 perties, which would seem to imply that these sacred legends were not always effectual in guarding the thresholds over which they were inscribed as charms against the approach of evil.
A low vaulted passage immediately adjoining it leads through the tall tenement to a narrow court behind, and a solitary and desolate abode, once the unhallowed dwellingplace of the notorious Major Weir. The wizard had cast his spell over the neighbouring stair, for old citizens who have ceased to tempt such giddy steeps, f i r m that those who asceuded it of yore felt as if they were going down. 3 36 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. tion, which made many of that stamp court his converse. He never married, but lived in a private lodging with his sister Grizel Weir.
Historical Witches and Witchtrials in Scotland. WIER-L [WIER] the Weir witch of Edinburgh. The Dode C Scrawls: Major Weir'd. The Ballad of Major Weir - David McGleave. View topic - Major's Weir's Strange Confession. Strange phenomena... Oh hullo, it's yersel... Ye'd best come in... Whit d'ye mean, of course ah'm gled tae see ye, ah wis jist in the middle o somethin that's aw...
Sit yersel doon by the fire, jist clear a space wid ye, pit that stuff oan the flair, ah'll be wi ye as suin as ah've fixed ma face... Ah'm sorry aboot the mess, ah've eh, ah've no gotten roond tae daein ma hoosework this mornin... Ah ken, afore ye stairt oan me, ah've been awfy bad. Of course ah've no been shut up aw this time. Ah wis trauchlin alang this day past yin o the weirs oan the Water, an ma mynd wanderit back tae aw the weirs ah've kent ower the years. The sister oan the ither haun wis a richt droll doll, she aye wis, she yaist tae spin awsorts o unco tales, supposedly stories fae her past an her upbringin in the aulden days, an here's the queer thing, she thocht she wis a witch...
Oh hing oan a meenit, ah can see whit ye're thinkin. Naw naw, they're no the Weirs ah'm talkin aboot. An so he did.