in, or Elfhame, is sometimes called the Devil, and it is
often impossible to distinguish between her and the Devil when the latter
appears as a woman. Whether she was the same as the French Reine du Sabbat
is equally difficult to determine. The greater part of the evidence
regarding the woman-devil is from Scotland.

In 1576 Bessie Dunlop's evidence shows that Thom Reid, who was to her what
the Devil was to witches, was under the orders of the Queen of Elfhame:

'Interrogat, Gif sche neuir askit the questioun at him, Quhairfoir he
com to hir mair [than] ane vthir bodye? Ansuerit, Remembring hir,
quhen sche was lyand in child-bed-lair, with ane of her laiddis, that
ane stout woman com in to hir, and sat doun on the forme besyde hir,
and askit ane drink at her, and sche gaif hir; quha alsua tauld hir,
that that barne wald de, and that hir husband suld mend of his
seiknes. The said Bessie ansuerit, that sche remembrit wele thairof;
and Thom said, That was the Quene of Elfame his maistres, quha had
commandit him to wait vpoun hir, and to do hir gude. Confessit and
fylit.'[119]

In 1588 Alison Peirson 'was conuict for hanting and repairing with the gude
nychtbouris and Quene of Elfame, thir diuers [3]eiris bypast, as scho had
confest be hir depositiounis, declaring that scho could nocht say reddelie
how lang scho wes with thame; and that scho had freindis in that court
quhilk wes of hir awin blude, quha had gude acquentence of the Quene of
Elphane. And that scho saw nocht the Quene thir seuin [3]eir.'[120] In 1597
at Aberdeen Andro Man was accused that

'thriescoir yeris sensyne or thairby, the Devill, thy maister, come to
thy motheris hous, in the liknes and scheap of a woman, quhom thow
callis the Quene of Elphen, and was delyverit of a barne, as apperit
to the their, thow confessis that be the space of threttie two yeris
sensyn or thairby, thow begud to have carnall deall with that
devilische spreit, the Quene of Elphen, on quhom thow begat dyveris
bairnis, quhom thow hes sene sensyn.... Thow confessis that the
Devill, thy maister, quhom thow termes Christsonday, and supponis to
be ane engell, and Goddis godsone, albeit he hes a thraw by God, and
swyis [sways] to the Quene of Elphen, is rasit be the speaking of the
word _Benedicite_.... Siclyk, thow affermis that the Quene of Elphen
hes a grip of all the craft,