o her: he had forbidden her to do so. The last time she met
him before her arrest he told her of the evil that was to come, but
buoyed her up with false hopes, assuring her that she would be well
treated, and eventually cleared. Poor Bessie Dunlop! After being cruelly
tortured, her not very strong brain was utterly disorganized, and she
confessed whatever they chose to tax her with, rambling through her wild
dreamy narrative with strange facility of imagination, and with more
coherence and likelihood, than are to be found in those who came after
her. Adjudged as "confessit and fylit," she was "convict and brynt" on the
Castle Hill of Edinburgh--a mournful commentary on her elfin friend's
brave words and promises.

ALISON PEARSON AND THE FAIRY FOLK.[3]

On the 28th of May, 1588, Alesoun Peirsoun, in Byrehill, was haled before
a just judge and sapient jury on the charge of witchcraft, and seven
years' consorting with the fairy folk. This Alesoun Peirsoun, or, as we
should now write it, Alison Pearson, had a certain cousin, one William
Simpson, a clever doctor, who had been educated in Egypt; taken there by a
man of Egypt, "ane gyant," who, it is to be supposed, taught him many of
the secrets of nature then hidden from the vulgar world. During his
absence, his father, who was smith to king's majesty, died for opening of
"ane preist-buik and luking vpoune it:" which showed the tendency of the
family. When Mr. William came back he found Alison afflicted with many
diseases, powerless in hand and foot, and otherwise evilly holden; and he
cured her, being a skilful man and a kindly, and ever after obtained
unlimited influence over the brain and imagination of his crazed cousin.
He abused this influence by taking her with him to fairy land, and
introducing her to the "gude wychtis," whose company he had affected for
many years. In especial was she much linked with the Queen of Elfame, who
might have helped her, had she been so minded. One day being sick in
Grange Muir, she lay down there alone, when a man in green suddenly
appeared to her and said that if she would be faithful he would do her
good. She cried for help, and then charged him in God's name, and by the
law he lived on, that if he came in God's name and for the welfare of her
soul, he would tell her. He passed away on this, and soon after a lusty
man, and many other men and women came to her, and she passed away with
them further than she could tell; but not before