[II] True narrative of the sufferings and relief of a young girl. Edinburgh, printed by James Watson, 1698. [III] St. Matthew, c. 15, v. 22. [IV] Revelations, chap. 12. [V] Records of Privy Council, January 19. March 9. April 5. 1697. [VI] "Malefice" in the Scots law signifies an act or effect of witchcraft. [VII] This was an oblique and most scandalous menace. "Assizes of Error" were declared a grievance by the Estates of Parliament at the Revolution. [VIII] The order of Privy Council for recording the Commissioners' proceedings in the books of Justiciary was not complied with. I am therefore unable to give any further particulars of the catastrophe of these miserable persons, or of the criminal absurdity of those who committed them to the flames. [IX] Records of Circuit Court of Justiciary, holden at Dumfries May 3, 1709. [X] "Habit and repute" is a very dangerous doctrine of the law of Scotland, at that time in full force, by which a man might be hanged altho' hardly any charge were exhibited against him, but that he had a bad character. For instance, if a man was charged with stealing a pair of old shoes, value threepence, and with being "habit and repute" a thief, if the jury found such indictment proved, or such prisoner guilty, the Court would by law be bound to sentence the prisoner to be hanged; if my temerity may be pardoned, for supposing that any such thing exists as a precise established rule of criminal law in Scotland. [XI] It is no small disappointment to me that I cannot lay this trial before the reader. The Sheriff Court books of the county of Sutherland were carried off by the Sheriff Clerk about 1735. I am somewhat however consoled for my disappointment, by the politeness shown me by James Traill, Esq. of Hobbister, Advocate, Sheriff-depute of Caithness and Sutherland, who was so obliging as to make a laborious but ineffectual search to recover the books. [XII] Mackenzie's Criminal Trials, tit. _Witchcraft_. [XIII] Records of Justiciary, June 24. 1596. When Alison Balfour was accused of witchcraft, she was put in the caspie-claws, where she was kept forty-eight hours; her husband was put in heavy irons, _her son put in the boots, where he suffered fifty-seven strokes_, and her little daughter, of about seven years of age, put in the pilniewinks, in her presence, in order to make her confess.--She did confess.--She retracted her confession in the course of the trial; and publickly, at her execution, declared that the confession was extorted from her by the torments.--The mode of tormenting and executing those miserable women is further illustrated by the authentic account of the expence of burning a witch at Burncastle, near Lauder, A.D. 1649. [XIV] Fountainhall's Decisions, vol. 1. p. 60. October 9. 1679. END OF VOL. II. THE DEVILS OF LOUDUN. [COLLECTANEA ADAMANTÆA. XXI.] THE HISTORY OF THE Devils of Loudun,