he could not feel the pin when it was put into
either of the said marks, nor did the marks bleed when the pin was
taken out again. When she was asked where she thought the pins were put
in her, she pointed to a part of her body distant from the real place.
They were pins of three inches in length." [Pitcairn's "Records of
Justiciary."]

These common prickers became at last so numerous, that they were
considered nuisances. The judges refused to take their evidence, and in
1678 the privy council of Scotland condescended to hear the complaint
of an honest woman, who had been indecently exposed by one of them, and
expressed their opinion that common prickers were common cheats.

But such an opinion was not formed in high places before hundreds of
innocent persons had fallen victims. The Parliaments had encouraged the
delusion both in England and Scotland; and, by arming these fellows
with a sort of authority, had in a manner forced the magistrates and
ministers to receive their evidence. The fate of one poor old
gentleman, who fell a victim to the arts of Hopkins in 1646, deserves
to be recorded. Mr. Louis, a venerable clergyman, upwards of seventy
years of age, and who had been rector of Framlingham, in Suffolk, for
fifty years, excited suspicion that he was a wizard. Being a violent
royalist, he was likely to meet with no sympathy at that time; and even
his own parishioners, whom he had served so long and so faithfully,
turned their backs upon him as soon as he was accused. Placed under the
hands of Hopkins, who knew so well how to bring the refractory to
confession, the old man, the light of whose intellect had become
somewhat dimmed from age, confessed that he was a wizard. He said he
had two imps, that continually excited him to do evil; and that one
day, when he was walking on the sea-coast, one of them prompted him to
express a wish that a ship, whose sails were just visible in the
distance, might sink. He consented, and saw the vessel sink before his
eyes. He was, upon this confession, tried and condemned. On his trial
the flame of reason burned up as brightly as ever. He denied all that
had been alleged against him, and cross-examined Hopkins with great
tact and severity. After his condemnation, he begged that the funeral
service of the church might be read for him. The request was refused,
and he repeated it for himself from memory, as he was led to the
scaffold.

A poor woman in Scotland was executed upon evi