A Witch’s Prophecy Tradition Two Centuries Old

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 840, 7 December 1929, Page 22

A Witch’s Prophecy Tradition Two Centuries Old

■ OW a member of an old Scottish family, anxious to have an heir, carried out the instructions of a witch reputed to have

been burned at the stake more than 200 years ago, is revealed by the announcement of the birth of a son to Captain and Mrs. David H. Graeme, of Aberuthven, Perthshire, at Fluder House, Kingskerswell, South Devon. The announcement of the birth concludes with the strange statement (Dictum of Witch of Monzie). The picturesque tale of a simple belief in an old superstition was explained in simple words to a “Daily Mail” reporter by Captain Graeme, formerly of the Seaforth Highlanders. Captain Graeme, who is 55, married Agnes Dorothy, the daughter of the Rev. R. D. Cooke, the vicar- of Ipplepen, near Newton Abbot, in 1921, and has two daughters. He said. Cursed the People This is the legend of the witch of Monzie: Some time early in the 18th century a woman reputed to be the Witch of Monzie, in Perthshire, was burnt at the stake. While she was burning she cursed the people of Moiiize, who had ordered her fate. At that moment she saw a Grame

of Inchbraikie, who had come in an endeavour to save her.

She was wearing a necklace, and she managed to seize a stone from it in her mouth. She spat the stone at the Graeme, crying out that as long as the stone was kept in Inchbrakie, and a member of the family lived there an heir would be born to them. Property Sold Some 40 years ago it happened that the property was sold by the family, and the stone, which was set in a ring, went to a lawyer’s office in Edinburgh. Since that time no direct heir has been born. The last head of the family, my father’s first cousin, died childless a few years ago. My father is dead and my brother died without issue. Some little time ago I was able to acquire a small portion of the old property at Aberuthven, close to ■ Inchbrakie, on which is a house.

Lately I was able to obtain possession of the ring. Being Scottish, I have faith in these legends. I was anxious to have an heir, and so I took the stone to Aberuthven and there buried it under the floor of the house.

The legend has come true. A son and heir has been born to me. Both my wife and son are doing very well, I am glad to say. The stone is a kind of moonstone, described as a sapphire moonstone.