THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT — CONCLUSION 221 



the power of the magician, or ventured again to 

 provoke his resentment. 



The northern tales had much to say of Michael's 

 Book of Might, from which he learned his art, and 

 of his burial-place, where it lay interred with him. 

 Dempster tells us that, in his boyhood, it used to 

 be said in Scotland that Scot's magical works were 

 still extant, but might not be touched for fear of 

 the powerful demons that waited on their opening.^ 

 This form of the legend belongs then to the latter 

 part of the sixteenth century. In the beginning of 

 the next age, and precisely in the year 1629, occurred 

 the traditional visit of Satchells to Burgh-under- 

 Bowness.^ This author declares that one named 

 Lancelot Scot showed him in that place something 

 taken from the works of the mighty magician : 



' He said the book which he gave me 

 Was of Sir Michael Scot's Historic ; 

 Which Historie was never yet read through, 

 Nor never will, for no man dare it do. 

 Young scholars have pick'd out some thing 

 From the contents, that dare not read within. 

 He carried me along the castle then, 

 And shew'd his written Book hanging on an iron pin. 

 His writing pen did seem to me to be 

 Of harden'd metal, like steel or accumie, 

 The volume of it did seem so large to me 

 As the Book of Martyrs and Turks Historie. 

 Then in the church he let me see 

 A stone where Mr. Michael Scot did lie. 

 I ask'd at him how that could appear : 

 Mr. Michael had been dead above five hundred year ? 

 He shew'd me none durst bury under that stone 

 More than he had been dead a few years agone, 

 For Mr. Michael's name does terrifie each one.' 



^ ' Et, ut puto, in Scotia libri ipsius dicebantur, me puero, extare, sed 

 sine horrore quodam non posse attingi ob malorum daemonum praestigias 

 quae, illis apertis, fiebant.' — Hist. Eccl. p. 495. 



2 Lay of the Last Minstrel, Note W. 



