THE MOST SECRET OF SECRET SOCIETIES.
ANCIENT SCOTTISH HORSEMEN. By SUPEKIN-TESTDENT JOHN Oi'.D, F.S.A. (Scot.). At the trial of five young men on a charge of cruelty- to a horse at Dundee recently questions were put to the -witnesses by the Prosecutor-Fiscal for tho purpose of ascertaining whether _the accused were members of the Horsemen's Society, but the witnesses were unable to enlighten him or even to establish the fact that such a society existed. The Horsemen’s Society is better known amongst ploughmen as the “Horseman’s Word,” and is probably the most secret of all secret societies in this country, owing to the fact that there is no record of its meetings kept. It has no executive or other officials to manage its affairs, nor does any document exist giving the number of its members. In the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Elgin at one time—and that not so very long ago- —the member ; ship must have amounted to several thousands. Membership being strictly confined to operative horsemen and country blacksmiths, tho political agitator has «o far been unable to make use of the society for his own ends. An Early “Exposure.” Although the society probably dates back to the time when farm servants were chattel slaves, bought and sold with the land, little has been either written or printed concerning it, and the bothy songs, which touch upon almost every matter relating to the daily life of the Scottish farm servant, do not even hint at the existence of such a society. In
Scene: London club. Pageboy going tho round in search of a member, calls: “Mr MacGregor! Mr MacGregor 1” A
nose appears from the recesses of an armchair, and a voice from its vicinity asks: ■‘"Vat is der Kcrischtian. name!”
the early “seventies” of the last century a farmer in the neighbourhood of Insch, Aberdeenshire, published a. pamphlet purporting to be an exposure of the “Horseman’s Word,” and the late Lieutenantcolonel Anderson, in his “History of Strath bogie,” published about 30 years ago, tells us that Throughout the north-eastern counties there exists among farm servants a secret society, with extraordinary pretensions to antiquity, called the “Horsemen,” whose mysteries are as carefully guarded as the Freemasons’, and restricted to those who gain their livelihood by the care and management of horses. Small farmers who assist to labour their own land may be allowed into membership, but the more affluent and probably the better-educated are jealously excluded. Its presumed object is to impart useful and necessary instruction in the management of horses and in the virtue of herbs and simples, and it is maintained that Rarey's tricks in horse-taming were the common property of the “Horsemen.” Although many farmers entertain a prejudice against members of the society, it is admitted that a “Horseman” is always very capable in managing his team and will often be asked by the uninitiated to break in a stubborn animal, or to act the part of veterinary surgeon. The “Horsemen” hold their meeting at night, and in the clear moonlight engage in some sort of circus performance, with horses purloined for the occasion from their masters’ stables. There is, however, said to be an inner circle in the society, where black art and all the spells and charms of the Dark Ages are still the subjects of study, and whose votaries can resist horses, deprive lcye of their milk, bewitch meal mills and churjis, and smite cattle with mysterious sickness, and cast an unholy glamour over “weak womankind.” From details given by those who profess to have seen some of these occult manifestations, one is inclined to think that the would-be sorcerers had exercised hypnotic influence both on men and animals. This mysterious power is known amongst the .Red Indians and some of the jungle tribes of Hindustan, and perhaps these disciples of diablerie were also acquainted with it long before the days of Mesmer. Although unaware of its nature or origin (and who is?), they naturally ascribed 'it to the influence of the evil power whose aid they sought. Colonel Anderson either overlooks or did not know that members of one trade—tne blacksmiths—were eligible for membership in the “Horsemen,” owing to their having, as part of their occupation, to shoe the farmers’ horses. The shoeing of a young horse for the first time is a very dangerous job. The “Millers.” The inner circle to which he refers is not hr reality part of the “Horsemen,” but is a different body altogether—namely, the “Millers,” who taught their members nothing but evil. In his “Hydrostatics,” published in 1671, and also in another book entitled Satan s Invisible World Discovered,” published a few years later, Mr George Sinclair, Professor of Philosophy in the College of Glasgow, in relating the story of “The Devil of Glenluce,” savs : About the middle of November the foul-fiend came on with new and extraordinary assaults by throwing stones in at the doors and windows, and down the chimney head, which were of great quantity, and thrown with force;"yet, by God’s providence, there was no one person in the family that was hurt. Phenomena of this kind, it was alleged, was not uncommon at farmhouses in Aberdeenshire during the first half of the last century, and members of the “Millers” society claimed the* power to 'raise and stop such proceedings at will. Upwards of 40 years ago I was initiated into the “Horsemen’s” society, and 1 attended several of their meetings for the purpose of collecting folk-lore. After the leading members had consumed a considerable quantity of whisky their tongues were loosened, and I have heard them discussing the mysteries of the “Millers” society, of which some of them were also members. So far as I could learn, there was nothing in their senseless and mischievous tricks that could be attributed to the supernatural. Lately, when reading in the newspapers reports of “ghostlv manifestations and supposed spirit rapping*,” it occurred to me that some member of the “Millers” society was at work and that history was simply repeating itself, as witness the case of the "Devil of Glenluce,” referred to by Professor Sinclair, and similar stories related by other writers of the seventeenth century. To return to the “Horsemen’s” society or guild. About half a century ago it was divided into two schools or divisions, known amongst ploughmen as the “Marshall’ and “Johnston” Horsemen respectively. The former was looked upon as the most important and influential, and young men were not admitted to its membership until they attained the age of 18 years. On the other hand, lads of 16 were admitted to the “Johnston” branch, which, it was alleged, only possessed some of the minor secrets. So far as I could ascertain, the oath and ritual of both branches were very much alike. Midnight Initiations.—General meetings take place only when new members are to be admitted, and the modus operandi is as follows:—A few of the leading members arrange a date and place of meeting, which is usually held about midnight in some farmer’s barn. Members and candidates are verbally warned to be present, and each candidate is instructed to bring with him a bottle of whisky, a loaf of bread, and, in some cases, a inr of jam, which are consumed bv those in attendance after the initiation
ceremony is over. Two or more “known and proved” “Horsemen” act as sponsors to each candidate, and each candidate is sworn and initiated separately. Having taken the obligation, I am not at liberty to disclose the secrets of the society. Suffice it to say that in some parts the oath resembles, in a marked degree that of the Freemasons. A “Horseman” who fulfils his obligation will never wilfully ill-treat a horse. On the other hand, I have known a member of tile society to appropriate some of his master’s corn to feed his team when he thouglit the animals were not receiving sufficient nourishment; and it is alleged by some that a number of farmers gave short supplies not only to their horses, but also to their. servants. In many cases the food supplied to the farm servants was of the very poorest quality, but if the skim milk and oatmeal cakes were fairly good a complaint was seldom made. V\ ith regard to the allegations that the “Horsemen” deprived the farmers’ cows of their milk, bewitched the churns, etc., it should be remembered that occasionally the milk was kept several davs before being skimmed, so that the last particle of fatty matter, could be extracted from it (there were no machines for separating j milk in those days), and by the time it j reached the servants’ table in the form of | skim milk it was undrinkable. If. follow- j ing upon repeated complaints and no improvement, the farmer’s best milch cow ] suddenly went dry or the good wife's churn became “bewitched” and the butter would not come, there would be a strong suspicion on the part of the farmer that a member of the Horsemen’s society had been at work. Rut here again let me sav that such tricks were neither taught nor practised by the “Horsemen” as such, hut were part of the secrets given along with the “Miller’s Word.” and farmers and others may rest assured that the Horsemen’s society is a protection and not a menace to their horses.—Glasgow Weekly Herald.
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Otago Witness, Issue 3489, 25 January 1921, Page 59
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1,564THE MOST SECRET OF SECRET SOCIETIES. Otago Witness, Issue 3489, 25 January 1921, Page 59
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