Destruction by fire was
not the only means of laying the unholy spirit that "walked" to the hurt
of its fellow-creatures. When a suicide was buried, or when one who was
a reputed witch, warlock, or were-wolf, or who had been cursed by his
parents or by the church, was laid in the grave, it was always well to
take the precaution of driving a stake through the body. Such a stake
(in Russia an aspen) driven at one blow bereft the evil thing of all its
power. Only in the reign of George IV was the custom in the case of
suicides abolished. If the precaution had not been taken at burial, in
all probability when the vampire had already done some harm, the corpse
was exhumed and the ghastly ceremony gone through. And always, so it was
declared, the body of the vampire was found with fresh cheeks and open,
staring eyes, well nourished by the blood of his victims. In such
condition was found the vampire of Melrose, whose tale is also told by
William of Newburgh.
Many a holy man has chanted the Psalms under the arches of Melrose
Abbey, but the vampire priest had never lived aught but a worldly,
carnal life. He held a post that suited him well, as chaplain to a
certain illustrious lady whose property lay near the Eildons, and who,
so long as her Mess John performed his duties as family priest, paid no
heed to his mode of occupying his time when these were performed.
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