hirt of great efficacy, Andrew went then to Janet
Stewart, craving his health at her hands "for God's sake;" but we are not
told the result.

Janet Stewart was fylit for going to Bessie Inglis in the Kowgate, Bessie
being deidlie sick; when Janet took off her "mutche and sark" (cap and
shift), washed them in south-running water, and put them on her again at
midnight, wet as they were, saying three times, "In the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." She also "fyrit," or put a hot iron
into water, and burnt straw at the four corners of the bed, as Michael
Clarke, smith, had learnt her; and she healed women of the mysterious
child-bed disorder called wedonymph, by taking a garland of woodbine and
putting them through it, afterwards cutting it into nine pieces, which she
threw into the fire. This charm she said she had learnt from Mr. John
Damiet, an Italian, and a notorious enchanter. And she cured sundry
persons of the falling-evil by hanging a stone about their necks for five
nights, which stone she said she got from Lady Crawford.

Christian Sadler was "fylit and convict" for taking in hand to heal the
young Laird of Bargany, with a salve made of quicksilver, which she rubbed
into the patient, alleging that she learnt it of her father; but she did
the same by "unlessum" (unwholesome) means, said the dittay, she having no
such knowledge as would enable her to cure leprosy, which the most expert
men in medicine are not able to do. Robert Hunter, too, since deceased,
having a flaw in his face, she undertook to cure with a mixture of
quicksilver in a drink. She said the flaw was leprosy, but it was nothing
of the kind; and "God knows how the drink was composed," but the
gentleman died twelve hours after, "as was notourlie confessit of hirself,
and can nocht be denyit, quhairby scho was giltie of his death be hir
craft; ministering to him vnlessum things, quhairof he deit suddenlie." So
the four women were convicted and condemned, sentenced to be strangled at
a stake, then burnt, and all their goods forfeit to the crown. Only Bessie
Aiken got off by reason of her pregnancy; and after having suffered "lang
puneischment be famine and imprisonment," was finally banished the kingdom
for life.

In July, 1602, James Reid suffered for the same kind of offences--taking
three pennies and a piece of "creisch" (grease) from the bag of his master
the devill, whom he met on Bynnie-crags, and learning from him the art of
he