arm, then casting it into the devil's mouth with
the awful word "Maikpeblis!" "The Queen of Elphen has a grip of all the
craft," says the dittay, "but Christsonday is the gudeman, and has all
power under God; and thow kens sundry deid men in their company, and the
king that died at Flodden, and Thomas Rhymer is there." And as the queen
had been seen in Andrew's company in a rather beautiful and poetic manner,
the whole affair was settled, and no man's mind was left in doubt of the
old creature's guilt. For, Andrew was told, "Upon Rood-day in harvest, in
this present year, whilk fell on a Wednesday, thow saw Christsonday come
out of the snaw in the likeness of a staig (young male horse), and the
Queen of Elphen was there, and others with her, riding upon white
hackneys." "The elves have shapes and claithes like men, and will have
fair covered tables, and they are but shadows, but are starker (stronger)
nor men, and they have playing and dancing when they please; the queen is
very pleasant, and will be auld and young when she pleases; she makes any
king whom she pleases.... The elves will make thee appear to be in a fair
chalmer, and yet thow wilt find thyself in a moss on the moor. They will
appear to have candles, and licht, and swords, whilk will be nothing else
but dead grass and straes." So Andrew's doom was sealed, for all that he
denied his guilt, and he was convicted and burnt like the rest.

Marjory Mutch came to her end because, having a deadly hatred against
William Smith, she bewitched his oxen, as they were ploughing, so that
they all ran "wood" or mad that instant, broke the plough, and two of them
plunged up over the hills to Deer, and two ran up Ithan side, and could
never be taken or apprehended again. She was notorious for bewitching
cattle; and that she was a witch, and good for nothing but burning, a
gentleman proved to the satisfaction of all present, for he found a soft
spot on her which he pricked without causing any pain; a test that ought
to have been eminently satisfactory and conclusive--but was not; for she
was "clenged"--cleansed, or acquitted.

Ellen Gray, convicted of many of the ordinary crimes of witchcraft, did
away with all chance of mercy for herself when, on being taken, she looked
over her shoulder, saying, "Is there no mon following me?" and Agnes
Wobster was a witch because in a great snow she took fire out of a "cauld
frosty dyke," and carried the same to her house. They were both b