e has been at my bed syd all this
night standing, and I could not get red of her: and behold the fruit of
it--my chylde is dead!'" This deposition was made September 10, 1661, and
surely Jennet Cock never escaped the consequences of such a cantrip as
this!

Marion Grinlaw[53] and Jean Howison, "the survivors of ten women and a man
who had been imprisoned at Musselburgh," petitioned the Council for their
release. "Some of the rest died of cold and hunger. They themselves had
lain in durance _forty weeks_, and were now in a state of extreme misery,
_although nothing could be brought against them_. Margaret Carvie and
Barbara Horniman, of Falkland, had in like manner been imprisoned at the
instance of the magistrates and parish minister, had lain six weeks in
jail, subjected to a great deal of torture by one who takes upon him the
trial of witches by pricking; and so great was their sufferings that life
was become a burden to them, notwithstanding that they declared their
innocence, and nothing to the contrary had been shown. The Council ordered
all these women to be liberated:" which was a marvellous outstep of
humanity, and one for which its previous acts could hardly have prepared
us. The next year it seems to have had a small side-blow of rationality.
It had become sensible of the vile inhumanity of John Kincaid, and threw
the wretch into prison, then issued a proclamation repudiating the seizure
of suspected persons, which had been made illegally, unauthorizedly, and
out of only envy and covetousness. Nevertheless, it took care to issue
twelve fresh commissions for trying witches, immediately after; being
chiefly anxious to keep all the business in its own hands, and shut the
door against any outside free lances. John Kincaid lay for nine weeks in
jail, then was liberated only on condition that he would prick no more
without warrant. He sent up a whining petition, setting forth that he was
an old man, and if confined longer might be brought to mortal sickness; so
to avert this terrible catastrophe, the old sinner had his liberty given
to him again: he ought to have had instead the doom of the murderer for
blood-money!

CLOWTS AND THE SERPENT.[54]

In the parish of Innerkip, on March 4, 1662, Marie Lamont, a "young Woman
of the adge of Eighteen Yeares," offered herself for voluntary confession.
She said that five years ago Kattrein Scot taught her to take kyes' milk.
She told her to go out in misty mornings with a