Charms and spells have been first taught to men and women in confederacy with the devil, many of which are received by tradition, and used by witches, and ignorant persons too. The virtue of curing must be from the devil’s active invisible application of them to such or such a disease, as the curing of an universal gout by this unintelligible charm. “Etter sheen etter sack, et ta leur etta pachk, wiper sicaan casemitter in shi, so leish en shi corne, orn heip twa till one eurcht mach a mainshore.” There is in some part of Galloway a charm for curing a disease called the Ling, in these words, “Catheri, Dumi, Chini, Brini.” Another there is which some use for effectuating that which others do by casting three knots, “far si far, fa sar fay u, far four na forty kay u, mack straik it a pain four hung creig weil mack smeoran bun bagie.” This language cannot be interpreted.—Besides this, there are prayers and aves among the Highlanders, wherein they think there lies great virtue, as in repeating the Lord’s prayer in Latin thus: “Paidder nuhter kish in sheali sanctishetter noman du, ta renada, ta langa tu, quidi bonum aicht in dearrich, an dingers, an dangis, a nipis a nopis, induraramis indaramis, indittimis indatamis, shechli sheclorum. _Amen._” Their AVE MARY runs thus: “Ave Mari crashi plena du na takamis pendicata tus onte willie yeramis, penedicata rucara shendri Esum Christum. _Amen._” At night, in the time of Popery, when folks went to bed, they believed the repetition of the following prayer was effectual to preserve them from danger, and the house too. “Who sains the house the night? They that sains it ilka night: Saint Bryde and her brate, Saint Colme and his hat, Saint Michael and his spear, Keep this house from the weir; From running thief; And burning thief; And from a’ ill Rea, That be the gate can gae; And from an ill wight, That be the gate can light. Nine reeds about the house; Keep it all the night. What is that, what I see So red, so bright, beyond the sea? ’Tis he was pierc’d through the hands, Through the feet, through the throat, Through the tongue; Through the liver and the lung. Well is them that well may Fast on Good-Friday.” Another prayer, used by the thieves and robbers on the Borders after meat, in order to stealing from their neighbours. “He that ordain’d us to be born, Send us more meat for the morn, Part of’t right and part of’t wrang: God let us never fast owre lang. God be thanked, and our Lady, All is done that we have ready.” A country-man in East Lothian used this grace always before and after meat. “Lord be bless’d for all his gifts, Defy the devil and all his shifts; God sent me mair silver. _Amen._”