Throughout Dumfriesshire and Galloway remnants of Old World customs still linger, suggesting a remoter time, when superstitious practice and belief held all-important sway in the daily round and task of the people.
The author trusts that by recording the results of his gleanings as they were received, and without attempting to subject them to higher analysis or criticism, a truer aspect and reflection of the influence superstition upon the social life of those older days, may be all the more adequately presented.
Found in this work are topics dealing with witchcraft and superstition such as witchcraft, fairy lore, wraiths, death customs, ghost lore, witch trials, brownie lore, warnings, funeral ceremony, and haunted houses.
Little is heard of witchcraft in Scotland before the latter half of the 1 6th century, but in the year 1563, in the reign of Mary, Queen of Scotland, a strenuous Act directed against the practice of witchcraft became law, and was most rigorously enforced.
As this has been described as the law under which all the subsequent witch trials took place its significant phraseology may in part be quoted :
"The Estates enact that nae person tike upon hand to use ony matter of witchcrafts, sor.'ery or necromancy, nor give themselves furth to have ony sic craft or knowledge thereof; also that nae person seek ony help, response, or consultation at ony sic users or abusers of witchcraft under the pain of death."