nd Hebrew languages, were
the weapons of the borderers, or rather of their priests and cunning
men, against their aerial enemy[51]. The belief in ghosts, which has
been well termed the last lingering phantom of superstition, still
maintains its ground upon the borders.

[Footnote 51: One of the most noted apparitions is supposed to haunt
Spedlin's castle, near Lochmaben, the ancient baronial residence
of the Jardines of Applegirth. It is said, that, in exercise of his
territorial jurisdiction, one of the ancient lairds had imprisoned, in
the _Massy More_, or dungeon of the castle, a person named Porteous.
Being called suddenly to Edinburgh, the laird discovered, as he
entered the West Port, that he had brought along with him the key of
the dungeon. Struck with the utmost horror, he sent back his servant
to relieve the prisoner; but it was too late. The wretched being was
found lying upon the steps descending from the door of the vault,
starved to death. In the agonies of hunger, he had gnawed the flesh
from one of his arms. That his spectre should haunt the castle was a
natural consequence of such a tragedy. Indeed, its visits became so
frequent, that a clergyman of eminence was employed to exorcise it.
After a contest of twenty-four hours, the man of art prevailed so far
as to confine the goblin to the _Massy More_ of the castle, where its
shrieks and cries are still heard. A part, at least, of the spell,
depends upon the preservation of the ancient black-lettered bible,
employed by the exorcist. It was some years ago thought necessary
to have this bible re-bound; but, as soon as it was removed from the
castle, the spectre commenced his nocturnal orgies, with ten-fold
noise; and it is verily believed that he would have burst from his
confinement, had not the sacred volume been speedily replaced.

A Mass John Scott, minister of Peebles, is reported to have been the
last renowned exorciser, and to have lost his life in a contest with
an obstinate spirit. This was owing to the conceited rashness of a
young clergyman, who commenced the ceremony of laying the ghost before
the arrival of Mass John. It is the nature, it seems, of spirits
disembodied, as well as embodied, to increase in strength and
presumption, in proportion to the advantages which they may gain over
the opponent. The young clergyman losing courage, the horrors of the
scene were increased to such a degree, that, as Mass John approached
the house in which it