elief until Isobel gave him "droggis," when his speech and health
returned as of old. Isobel had been the dancer immediately after Thomas
Lees at the Fish Cross, "and because the dewill playit not so melodiously
and well as thow cravit, thow took his instrument out of his mouth, then
tuik him on the chafts (chops) therewith, and playit thyself theiron to
the haill company." What further evidence could possibly be required to
prove that Isobel Cockie was a witch, and one that "might not be suffered
to live"?

Other trials did Aberdeen entertain that year on this same wise and
Christian count. There was that of Andrew Man, a poor old fellow specially
patronized by the Queen of Fairy who sixty years ago had come to his
mother's house, where she was delivered of a bairn just like an ordinary
woman, and no devil or Queen of Elfin at all. Andrew was then but a boy,
but he remembered it all well, and how he carried water for her, and was
promised by her that he should know all things, and should be able to cure
all sorts of sickness except the "stand deid;" and that he should be "well
entertainit," but should seek his meat ere he died, as Thomas Rhymer had
done in years long past. Twenty-eight years after this the queen came
again, and caused one of his cattle to die on a hillock called the
Elf-hillock, but promised to do him good afterwards; and it was then that
their guilty albeit poetic and loving intercourse began. Andrew was told
in his dittay that he could cure "the falling sickness, the bairn-bed, and
all other sorts of sickness that ever fell to man or beast, except the
_stand-deid_, by baptizing them, reabling them in the auld
corunschbald,[14] and striking of the gudis on the face, with ane foot in
thy hand, and by saying their words, 'Gif thou wilt live, live; and gif
thow wilt die, die,' with sundry other orisons, sic as Sanct John and the
three silly brethren, whilk thow canst say when thow please, and by
giving of black wool and salt as a remeid for all diseases, and for
causing a man prosper, so that his blude should never be drawn." Once,
Andrew Man, by putting a patient nine times through a hasp of unwatered
yarn, and a cat as many times backwards through the same hasp, cured the
patient by killing the cat. This was logical, and quite easy to be
understood. Andrew's devil whom he affirmed to be an angel, and whose name
was Christsonday, was raised by saying Benedicite, and laid again by
putting a dog under his