Thewitchessailedgallantlythroughthetempesttheyhadraised，andlandingonthecoastofScotland，tooktheirsievesintheirhands，andmarchedoninprocessiontothehauntedkirkofNorthBerwick，wherethedevilhadresolvedtoholdapreaching。GellieDuncan，themusicianoftheparty，trippedonbefore，playingonherJew’sharp，andsinging，“Cummer，goyebefore，Cummer，goye；
Gifyewillnotgobefore，Cummer，letme！“
Arrivedatthekirk，theypacedarounditwithershins，thatis，inreverseoftheapparentmotionofthesun。Dr。Fianthenblewintothekey-holeofthedoor，whichopenedimmediately，andallthewitchesentered。Asitwaspitchdark，Fianblewwithhismouthuponthecandles，whichimmediatelylighted，andthedevilwasseenoccupyingthepulpit。Hewasattiredinablackgownandhat，andthewitchessalutedhim，bycrying，“Allhail，master！“Hisbodywashard，likeiron；hisfaceterrible；hisnose，likethebeakofaneagle；hehadgreatburningeyes；hishandsandlegswerehairy；andhehadlongclawsuponhishandsandfeet，andspakewithanexceedinglygruffvoice。Beforecommencinghissermon，hecalledoverthenamesofhiscongregation，demandingwhethertheyhadbeengoodservants，andwhatsuccesshadattendedtheiroperationsagainstthelifeoftheKingandhisbride。
GrayMeill，acrazyoldwarlock，whoactedasbeadleordoorkeeper，wassillyenoughtoanswer，“thatnothingailedtheKingyet，Godbethanked；“uponwhichthedevil，inarage，steppeddownfromthepulpit，andboxedhisearsforhim。Hethenremounted，andcommencedthepreaching，commandingthemtobedutifulservantstohim，anddoalltheeviltheycould。EuphemiaMacalzeanandAgnesSampson，bolderthantherest，askedhimwhetherhehadbroughttheimageorpictureofKingJames，thattheymight，byprickingit，causepainsanddiseasestofalluponhim。“Thefatheroflies“spoketruthforonce，andconfessedthathehadforgottenit；uponwhichEuphemiaMacalzeanupbraidedhimloudlyforhiscarelessness。Thedevil，however，tookitallingoodpart，althoughAgnesSampsonandseveralotherwomenletloosetheirtonguesathimimmediately。Whentheyhaddonescolding，heinvitedthemalltoagrandentertainment。Anewlyburiedcorpsewasdugup，anddividedamongthem，whichwasalltheyhadinthewayofedibles。Hewasmoreliberalinthematterofdrink，andgavethemsomuchexcellentwinethattheysoonbecamejolly。
GellieDuncanthenplayedtheoldtuneuponhertrump，andthedevilhimselfledoffthedancewithEuphemiaMacalzean。Thustheykeptupthesporttillthecockcrew。
AgnesSampson，thewisewomanofKeith，asshewascalled，addedsomeotherparticularsinherconfession。Shestated，thatonapreviousoccasion，shehadraisedanawfultempestinthesea，bythrowingacatintoit，withfourjointsofmentiedtoitsfeet。Shesaidalso，thatontheirgrandattempttodrownKingJames，theydidnotmeetwiththedevilaftercruisingabout，butthathehadaccompaniedthemfromthefirst，andthatshehadseenhimdimlyinthedistance，rollinghimselfbeforethemoverthegreatwaves，inshapeandsizenotunlikeahugehaystack。Theymetwithaforeignshiprichlyladenwithwinesandothergoodthings，whichtheyboarded，andsunkaftertheyhaddrunkallthewine，andmadethemselvesquitemerry。
SomeofthesedisclosuresweretoomuchevenfortheabundantfaithofKingJames，andhemorethanonceexclaimed，thatthewitcheswereliketheirmaster，“extremelyars。“Buttheyconfessedmanyotherthingsofalesspreposterousnature，andofwhichtheywere，nodoubt，reallyguilty。AgnesSampsonsaidshewastohavetakentheKing’slifebyanointinghislinenwithastrongpoison。GellieDuncanusedtothreatenherneighboursbysayingshewouldsendthedevilafterthem；andmanypersonsofweakermindsthanusualwerefrightenedintofitsbyher，andrenderedsubjecttothemfortheremainderoftheirlives。Dr。Finnalsomadenoscrupleinaidingandabettingmurder，andwouldridanypersonofanenemybymeansofpoison，whocouldpayhimhisfeeforit。EuphemiaMacalzeanalsowasfarfrombeingpure。ThereisnodoubtthatshemeditatedtheKing’sdeath，andusedsuchmeanstocompassitasthesuperstitionoftheagedirected。ShewasadevotedpartizanofBothwell，whowasaccusedbymanyofthewitchesashavingconsultedthemontheperiodoftheKing’sdeath。Theywereallfoundguilty，andsentencedtobehangedandburned。BarbaraNapier，thoughfoundguiltyuponothercounts，wasacquitteduponthechargeofhavingbeenpresentatthegreatwitch-meetinginBerwickkirk。TheKingwashighlydispleased，andthreatenedtohavethejuryindictedforawilfulerroruponanassize。Theyaccordinglyreconsideredtheirverdict，andthrewthemselvesupontheKing’smercyforthefaulttheyhadcommitted。
Jameswassatisfied，andBarbaraNapierwashangedalongwithGellieDuncan，AgnesSampson，Dr。Fian，andfive-and-twentyothers。EuphemiaMacalzeanmetaharderfate。HerconnexionwiththeboldandobnoxiousBothwell，andhershareinpoisoningoneortwoindividualswhohadstoodinherway，werethoughtdeservingoftheseverestpunishmentthelawcouldinflict。Insteadoftheordinarysentence，directingthecriminaltobefirststrangledandthenburned，thewretchedwomanwasdoomed“tobeboundtoastake，andburnedinashes，quicktothedeath。“Thiscruelsentencewasexecutedonthe25thofJune1591。
ThesetrialshadthemostperniciousconsequencesalloverScotland。Thelairdsandministersintheirdistricts，armedwithduepowerfromtheprivycouncil，triedandcondemnedoldwomenafterthemostsummaryfashion。ThosewhostillclungtotheancientfaithofRomeweretheseverestsufferers，asitwasthought，afterthedisclosuresofthefierceenmitybornebythedeviltowardsaProtestantKingandhisProtestantwife，thatalltheCatholicswereleaguedwiththepowersofeviltoworkwoeontherealmofScotland。
Uponaverymoderatecalculation，itispresumedthatfromthepassingoftheactofQueenMarytilltheaccessionofJamestothethroneofEngland，aperiodofthirty-nineyears，theaveragenumberofexecutionsforwitchcraftinScotlandwastwohundredannually，orupwardsofseventeenthousandaltogether。Forthefirstnineyearsthenumberwasnotonequartersogreat；buttowardstheyears1590to1593，thenumbermusthavebeenmorethanfourhundred。Thecaselastcitedwasoneofanextraordinarycharacter。ThegeneralaspectofthetrialswillbebetterseenfromthatofIsabelGowdie，which，asitwouldbebothwearisomeanddisgustingtogothroughthemall，iscitedasafairspecimen，althoughittookplaceatadatesomewhatlaterthanthereignofJames。Thiswoman，weariedofherlifebythepersecutionsofherneighbours，voluntarilygaveherselfuptojustice，andmadeaconfession，embodyingthewholewitch-creedoftheperiod。Shewasundoubtedlyamonomaniacofthemostextraordinarykind。Shesaidthatshedeservedtobestretcheduponanironrack，andthathercrimescouldneverbeatonedfor，evenifsheweretobedrawnasunderbywildhorses。Shenamedalonglistofherassociates，includingnearlyfiftywomenandafewwarlocks。Theydugupthegravesofunchristenedinfants，whoselimbswereserviceableintheirenchantments。Whentheywantedtodestroythecropsofanenemy，theyyokedtoadstohisplough，andonthefollowingnightSatanhimselfploughedthelandwithhisteam，andblasteditfortheseason。Thewitcheshadpowertoassumealmostanyshape；buttheygenerallychoseeitherthatofacatorahare，oftenestthelatter。Isabelsaid，thatononeoccasion，whenshewasinthisdisguise，shewassorepressedbyapackofhounds，andhadaverynarrowescapewithherlife。Shereachedherowndooratlast，feelingthehotbreathofthepursuingdogsatherhaunches。Shemanaged，however，tohideherselfbehindachest，andgottimetopronouncethemagicwordsthatcouldalonerestorehertoherpropershape。Theywere:——
“Hare！hare！
Godsendtheecare！
Iaminahare’slikenessnow；
ButIshallbeawomane’ennow！
Hare！hare！
Godsendtheecare！“
Ifwitches，wheninthisshape，werebittenbythedogs，theyalwaysretainedthemarksintheirhumanform；butshehadneverheardthatanywitchhadbeenbittentodeath。Whenthedevilappointedanygeneralmeetingofthewitches，thecustomwasthattheyshouldproceedthroughtheairmountedonbroomsticks，oroncornorbean-straws，pronouncingastheywent:——
“Horseandpartook，horseandgo，Horseandpellats，ho！ho！ho！“
Theygenerallyleftbehindthemabroom，orathree-leggedstool，which，whenplacedintheirbedsanddulycharmed，assumedthehumanshapetilltheirreturn。Thiswasdonethattheneighhoursmightnotknowwhentheywereabsent。
Sheadded，thatthedevilfurnishedhisfavouritewitcheswithservantimpstoattenduponthem。Theseimpswerecalled“TheRoaringLion，““ThiefofHell，““Wait-upon-Herself，““RantingRoarer，“
“Care-for-Naught，“&c。andwereknownbytheirliveries，whichweregenerallyyellow，sad-dun，sea-green，pea-green，orgrass-green。Satannevercalledthewitchesbythenamestheyhadreceivedatbaptism；
neitherweretheyallowed，inhispresence，sotodesignateeachother。Suchabreachoftheinfernaletiquetteassuredlydrewdownhismostseveredispleasure。Butassomedesignationwasnecessary，here-baptizedthemintheirownbloodbythenamesof“Able-and-Stout，“
“Over-the-dike-with-it，““Raise-the-wind，““Pickle-nearest-the-wind，“
“Batter-them-down-Maggy，““Blow-Kale，“andsuchlike。Thedevilhimselfwasnotveryparticularwhatnametheycalledhimsothatitwasnot“BlackJohn。“Ifanywitchwasunthinkingenoughtoutterthesewords，hewouldrushoutuponher，andbeatandbuffetherunmercifully，ortearherfleshwithawool-card。Othernameshedidnotcareabout；andoncegaveinstructionstoanotedwarlockthatwheneverhewantedhisaid，hewastostrikethegroundthreetimesandexclaim，“Riseup，foulthief！“
Uponthisconfessionmanypersonswereexecuted。Sostrongwasthepopularfeeling，thatnooneonceaccusedofwitchcraftwasacquitted；
atleast，acquittalsdidnotaverageoneinahundredtrials。
Witch-finding，orwitch-prickingbecameatrade，andasetofmercenaryvagabondsroamedaboutthecountry，providedwithlongpinstorunintothefleshofsupposedcriminals。Itwasnounusualthingthen，norisitnow，thatinagedpersonsthereshouldbesomespotonthebodytotallydevoidoffeeling。Itwastheobjectofthewitchprickertodiscoverthisspot，andtheunhappywightwhodidnotbleedwhenprickeduponit，wasdoomedtothedeath。Ifnotimmediatelycastintoprison，herlifewasrenderedmiserablebythepersecutionofherneighbours。Itisrecordedofmanypoorwomen，thattheannoyancestheyenduredinthiswayweresoexcessive，thattheypreferreddeath。SirGeorgeMackenzie，theLordAdvocate，atthetimewhenwitch-trialsweresofrequent，andhimselfadevoutbelieverinthecrime，relates，inhis“CriminalLaw，“firstpublishedin1678，someremarkableinstancesofit。Hesays，“Iwent，whenIwasajustice-depute，toexaminesomewomenwhohadconfessedjudicially: