This man, Thomas Weir, was born at Clydesdale, near to Lanark, who had been a lieutenant in Ireland long since. What way he came to get some public command in the city of Edinburgh, in the years 1649 and 50, I know not: but it seems he has always been called Major Weir since that time. Many things might be narrated of him, which for brevity’s sake, I cannot meddle with, since I intend only to speak of his sorceries, and other things relating thereunto. It seems he had, before he was burnt, some charge over the waiters at the ports of the city, being, as it were, a check to them. Coming one day, as his custom was, he found some of them in a cellar, taking a cup of ale, neglecting their charge. After a gentle reproof, one of them replied, That some of their number being upon duty, the rest had retired to drink with their old friend Mr. Burn. At which he started back, and casting an eye upon him, repeated the word Burn four or five times: and going home, he never came abroad afterwards, till a few weeks after he had discovered his impieties. It was observed by some, that going to Liberton sometimes, he shunned to step over that water brook, which is ordinarily called Liberton-burn, but went about to shun it. Some have conjectured that he had advice to beware of a burn, or some other thing which this equivocal word might signify, as burn in a fire. If so, he has foreseen his day approaching. A year before he discovered himself, he took a sore sickness; during which time he spake to all who visited him like an angel, and came frequently abroad again.——This man taking some dreadful tortures of conscience, and the terrors of the Almighty being upon his spirit, confessed to several neighbours in his own house, and that most willingly, particular sins which he was guilty of, which bred amazement to all persons, they coming from a man of so high repute for religion and piety. He ended with this remarkable expression, “Before God, (says he) I have not told you the hundred part of what I can say more, and am guilty of.” These very same abominations he confessed before the judges likewise. But after this, he would never, till his dying hour confess any more, which might have been for the glorifying of God, and the edification of others, but remained stupid, having no confidence to look any man in the face, or to open his eyes.—When two of the magistrates came to his house in the night-time to carry him to prison, they asked, If he had any money to secure? He answered none. His sister said there was. Whereupon, to the value of five dollars, in parcels here and there, were found in several clouts. His sister advised the two magistrates to secure his staff especially; for she also went to prison. After he was secured in the tolbooth, the bailies returned, and went into a tavern near to Weir’s house in the West-bow, a street so called there. The money was put into a bag, and the clouts thrown into the fire, by the