ld not be sufficient to relate what
passages had been between the devil and her." But Jennet Mathie was a
stern, brave, high-hearted Scotch woman, and would not seal her sorrow
with a lie. "Nothing could prevail with her obdured and hardened heart,"
so she and all, save young Annabel, were burnt; and when she was bound to
the stake, the spectators saw after a while a black, pitchy ball foam out
of her mouth, which, after the fire was kindled, grew to the size of a
walnut, and flew out into sparks like squibs. This was the devil leaving
her. As for Bessie Weir, or Sopha, the devil left her when she was
executed, in the form of a raven; for so he owned and dishonoured his
chosen ones.

"The dumbe girl, Jennet Douglas, now speaks well, and knows Latine, which
she never learned, and discovers things past!" says Sinclair. But she
still followed her old trade. She had mesmeric visions, and was evidently
a "sensitive;" and some of the people believed in her, as inspired and
divine, and some came, perhaps mockingly, to test her. But they generally
got the worst off, and were glad to leave her alone again. One woman came
and asked her "'how she came to the knowledge of so many things,' but the
young wench shifted her, by asking the woman's name. She told her name.
Says the other, 'Are there any other in Glasgow of that name?' 'No!' sayes
the woman. 'Then,' said the girle, 'you are a witch!' Says the other,
'Then are you a devil!' The girl answers 'The devil doth not reveal
witches; but I know you to be one, and I know your practices too.' On
which the poor woman ran away in great confusion;" as, indeed, she
might--such an accusation as this being quite sufficient to sign her
death-warrant. To another woman who came to see and question her, she said
the same thing; taking her arm, and showing the landlord a secret mark
which she told him the woman had got from the devil. "The poor woman much
ashamed ran home, and a little while after she came out and told her
neighbours that what Jennet Douglas had said of her was true, and
earnestly entreated that they might show so much to the magistrates, that
she might be apprehended, otherwise the devil says she will make me kill
myself." The neighbours were wise enough to think her mad, as she was, and
took her home; but the next day she was found drowned in the Clyde; fear
and despair had killed her before the stake-wood had had time to root and
ripen. The dumb girl herself was afterwards c