gaelic prayerbook

ABDUA:1863

Religious book, prayer book

Gaelic prayer book, shown here with a key. See extract of letter in Thomson file: Letter from the Rev Mr Watson (F C) Langholm 1863: 'I told you that I possessed the 'Book of Power' wherewith a wizard or 'wise man' in the island of Lewis held in subjection a large district. It was taken from him by the factor in the year 1851 and given by the factor (John Mackenzie now at Wishaw distillery) to me. I said you should have it for your museum, so now I send it as a contribution to the history of superstition in the 19th century - the black and white yarn are both essential to its efficacy - the key was placed between certain pages and the yarn tightly wrapped around the whole. It then had power - the difficulty of our using it consists in not knowing where to place the key '.

Thomson, Mr Alexander; Watson, Reverand; Mackenzie, John

1800-1851

Europe, Scotland, Isle of Lewis, Lewis