Theirdeeds，whetherofgoodorill，wereenshrinedinsong，andtookagreaterholdupontheimaginationbecause“versehadsanctifiedthem。“ButitwasnottillthereligiousreformersbeganthepracticeofstrainingScripturetotheseverestextremes，thatthearmofthelawwascalledupontopunishwitchcraftasacrimeperse。WhatPopeInnocentVIII。haddoneforGermanyandFrance，thepreachersoftheReformationdidfortheScottishpeople。Witchcraft，insteadofbeingamerearticleoffaith，becameenrolledinthestatutebook；andallgoodsubjectsandtrueChristianswerecalledupontotakearmsagainstit。TheninthParliamentofQueenMarypassedanactin1563，whichdecreedthepunishmentofdeathagainstwitchesandconsulterswithwitches，andimmediatelythewholebulkofthepeopleweresmittenwithanepidemicfearofthedevilandhismortalagents。
　　Personsinthehighestranksoflifesharedandencouragedthedelusionofthevulgar。Manywerethemselvesaccusedofwitchcraft；
　　andnobleladieswereshowntohavedabbledinmysticarts，andprovedtotheworldthat，iftheywerenotwitches，itwasnotforwantofthewill。
　　Amongthedameswhobecamenotoriousforendeavouringtoeffecttheirwickedendsbythedevil’said，maybementionedthecelebratedLadyBuccleugh，ofBranxholme，familiartoallthereadersofSirWalterScott；theCountessofLothian，theCountessofAngus，theCountessofAthol，LadyKerr，theCountessofHuntley，EuphemiaMacalzeanthedaughterofLordCliftonhall，andLadyFowlis。AmongthecelebratedoftheothersexwhowereaccusedofwizzardismwasSirLewisBallantyne，theLordJusticeClerkforScotland，who，ifwemaybelieveScotofScotstarvet，“dealtbycuriositywithawarlockcalledRichardGrahame，“andprayedhimtoraisethedevil。Thewarlockconsented，andraisedhiminpropriapersona，intheyardofhishouseintheCanongate，“atsightofwhomtheLordJusticeClerkwassoterrifiedthathetooksicknessandthereofdied。“Bysuchidlereportsasthesedidtheenviousruinthereputationofthosetheyhated，thoughitwouldappearinthiscasethatSirLewishadbeenfoolenoughtomaketheattemptofwhichhewasaccused，andthatthesuccessoftheexperimentwastheonlyapocryphalpartofthestory。
　　TheenemiesofJohnKnoxinventedasimilartale，whichfoundreadycredenceamongtheRomanCatholics；gladtoattachanystigmatothatgrandscourgeofthevicesoftheirchurch。ItwasreportedthatheandhissecretarywentintothechurchyardofSt。Andrew’swiththeintenttoraise“somesanctes；“butthat，byamistakeintheirconjurations，theyraisedthegreatfiendhimself，insteadofthesaintstheywishedtoconsult。ThepopularrumouraddedthatKnox’ssecretarywassofrightenedatthegreathorns，goggleeyes，andlongtailofSatan，thathewentmad，andshortlyafterwardsdied。Knoxhimselfwasbuiltofsternerstuff，andwasnottobefrightened。
　　ThefirstnamethatoccursintherecordsoftheHighCourtofJusticiaryofpersonstriedorexecutedforwitchcraftisthatofJanetBowman，in1572，nineyearsafterthepassingoftheactofMary。Noparticularsofhercrimesaregiven，andagainsthernamethereonlystandthewords，“convictandbrynt。“Itisnot，however，tobeinferredthat，inthisinterval，notrialsorexecutionstookplace；foritappearsontheauthorityofdocumentsofunquestionedauthenticityintheAdvocates’LibraryatEdinburgh，[ForeignQuarterlyReview，vol。vi。page41。]thatthePrivyCouncilmadeapracticeofgrantingcommissionstoresidentgentlemenandministers，ineverypartofScotland，toexamine，try，andexecutewitcheswithintheirownparishes。Norecordsofthosewhosufferedfromthesentenceofthesetribunalshavebeenpreserved；butifpopulartraditionmaybebelieved，eventotheamountofone-fourthofitsassertions，theirnumberwasfearful。Aftertheyear1572，theentriesofexecutionsforwitchcraftintherecordsoftheHighCourtbecomemorefrequent，butdonotaveragemorethanoneperannum；anotherproofthattrialsforthisoffencewereingeneralentrustedtothelocalmagistracy。Thelatterappeartohaveorderedwitchestothestakewithaslittlecompunction，andafterassummaryamode，asmodernjusticesofthepeaceorderapoachertothestocks。
　　AsJamesVI。advancedinmanhood，hetookgreatinterestinthewitchtrials。Oneofthemespecially，thatofGellieDuncan，Dr。Fian，andtheiraccomplices，intheyear1591，engrossedhiswholeattention，andnodoubtsuggestedinsomedegree，thefamousworkonDemonologywhichhewroteshortlyafterwards。Asthesewitcheshadmadeanattemptuponhisownlife，itisnotsurprising，withhishabits，thatheshouldhavewatchedthecaseclosely，orbecomestrengthenedinhisprejudiceandsuperstitionbyitssingulardetails。NoothertrialthatcouldbeselectedwouldgivesofairanideaofthedelusionsoftheScottishpeopleasthis。Whetherweconsiderthenumberofvictims，theabsurdityoftheevidence，andtherealvillanyofsomeofthepersonsimplicated，itisequallyextraordinary。
　　GellieDuncan，theprimewitchintheseproceedings，wasservanttotheDeputyBailiffofTranent，asmalltowninHadingtonshire，abouttenmilesfromEdinburgh。Thoughneitheroldnoruglyaswitchesusuallywere，butyoungandgood-looking，herneighbours，fromsomesuspiciouspartsofherbehaviour，hadlongconsideredherawitch。Shehad，itappears，somepretensionstothehealingart。Somecureswhichsheeffectedweresosudden，thattheworthyBailiff，hermaster，who，likehisneighbours，mistrustedher，consideredthemnolessthanmiraculous。Inordertodiscoverthetruth，heputhertothetorture；butsheobstinatelyrefusedtoconfessthatshehaddealingswiththedevil。ItwasthepopularbeliefthatnowitchwouldconfessaslongasthemarkwhichSatanhadputuponherremainedundiscovereduponherbody。SomebodypresentremindedthetorturingBailieofthisfact，andonexamination，thedevil’smarkwasfounduponthethroatofpoorGellie。Shewasputtothetortureagain，andherfortitudegivingwayundertheextremityofheranguish，sheconfessedthatshewasindeedawitch——thatshehadsoldhersoultothedevil，andeffectedallhercuresbyhisaid。Thiswassomethingnewinthewitchcreed，accordingtowhich，thedevildelightedmoreinlayingdiseaseson，thanintakingthemoff；butGellieDuncanfarednobetteronthataccount。Thetorturewasstillapplied，untilshehadnamedallheraccomplices，amongwhomwereoneCunningham，areputedwizard，knownbythenameofDr。Fian，agraveandmatron-likewitch，namedAgnesSampson，EuphemiaMacalzean，thedaughterofLordCliftonhall，alreadymentioned，andnearlyfortyotherpersons，someofwhomwerethewivesofrespectableindividualsinthecityofEdinburgh。Everyoneofthesepersonswasarrested，andthewholerealmofScotlandthrownintocommotionbytheextraordinarynatureofthedisclosureswhichwereanticipated。
　　Abouttwoyearsprevioustothistime，Jameshadsuddenlylefthiskingdom，andproceededgallantlytoDenmark，tofetchoverhisbride，thePrincessofDenmark，whohadbeendetainedbycontraryweatherintheharbourofUpslo。AfterremainingforsomemonthsinCopenhagen，hesetsailwithhisyoungbride，andarrivedsafelyinLeith，onthe1stofMay1590，havingexperiencedamostboisterouspassage，andbeennearlywrecked。AssoonasthearrestofGellieDuncanandFianbecameknowninScotland，itwasreportedbyeverybodywhopretendedtobewell-informedthatthesewitchesandtheirassociateshad，bythedevil’smeans，raisedthestormswhichhadendangeredthelivesoftheKingandQueen。Gellie，inhertorture，hadconfessedthatsuchwasthefact，andthewholekingdomwaitedaghastandopen-mouthedforthecorroborationabouttobefurnishedbythetrial。
　　AgnesSampson，the“graveandmatron-like“witchimplicatedbyGellieDuncan，wasputtothehorribletortureofthepilliewinkis。
　　Shelaidbareallthesecretsofthesisterhoodbeforeshehadsufferedanhour，andconfessedthatGellieDuncan，Dr。Fian，MarionLineup，EuphemiaMacalzean，herself，andupwardsoftwohundredwitchesandwarlocks，usedtoassembleatmidnightinthekirkofNorthBerwick，wheretheymetthedevil；thattheyhadplottedtheretoattempttheKing’slife；thattheywereincitedtothisbytheoldfiendhimself，whohadassertedwithathunderingoaththatJameswasthegreatestenemyheeverhad，andthattherewouldbenopeaceforthedevil’schildrenuponearthuntilheweregotridof；thatthedevilupontheseoccasionsalwayslikedtohavealittlemusic，andthatGellieDuncanusedtoplayareelbeforehimonatrumporJew’sharp，towhichallthewitchesdanced。
　　Jameswashighlyflatteredattheideathatthedevilshouldhavesaidthathewasthegreatestenemyheeverhad。HesentforGellieDuncantothepalace，andmadeherplaybeforehimthesamereelwhichshehadplayedatthewitches’danceinthekirk。
　　Dr。Fian，orratherCunningham，apettyschoolmasteratTranent，wasputtothetortureamongtherest。Hewasamanwhohadledaninfamouslife，wasacompounderofanddealerinpoisons，andapretendertomagic。Thoughnotguiltyofthepreposterouscrimeslaidtohischarge，thereisnodoubtthathewasasorcererinwill，thoughnotindeed，andthathedeservedallthemiseryheendured。
　　Whenputontherack，hewouldconfessnothing，andheldoutsolongunmoved，thattheseveretortureofthebootswasresolvedupon。Heenduredthistillexhaustednaturecouldbearnolonger，whenInsensibilitykindlysteppedintohisaid。Whenitwasseenthathewasutterlypowerless，andthathistonguecleavedtotheroofofhismouth，hewasreleased。Restorativeswereadministered；andduringthefirstfaintgleamofreturningconsciousness，hewasprevailedupontosign，erehewellknewwhathewasabout，afullconfession，instrictaccordancewiththoseofGellieDuncanandAgnesSampson。Hewasthenremandedtohisprison，fromwhich，aftertwodays，hemanaged，somehoworother，toescape。Hewassoonrecaptured，andbroughtbeforetheCourtofJusticiary，Jameshimselfbeingpresent。Fiannowdeniedallthecircumstancesofthewrittenconfessionwhichhehadsigned；whereupontheKing，enragedathis“stubbornwilfulness，“
　　orderedhimoncemoretothetorture。Hisfingernailswererivenoutwithpincers，andlongneedlesthrustuptotheeyeintothequick；
　　butstillhedidnotwince。Hewasthenconsignedagaintotheboots，inwhich，toquoteapamphletpublishedatthetime，[NewsfromScotland，declaringthedamnablelifeofDr。Fian。]hecontinued“solong，andabodesomanyblowsinthem，thathislegswerecrushedandbeatentogetherassmallasmightbe，andthebonesandfleshsobruised，thatthebloodandmarrowspoutedforthingreatabundance，wherebytheyweremadeunserviceableforever。“
　　Theastonishingsimilarityoftheconfessionsofallthepersonsimplicatedintheseproceedingshasoftenbeenremarked。ItwouldappearthattheyactuallyendeavouredtocausetheKing’sdeathbytheirspellsandsorceries。Fian，whowasacquaintedwithalltheusualtricksofhisprofession，deceivedthemwithpretendedapparitions，sothatmanyofthemwerereallyconvincedthattheyhadseenthedevil。Thesumoftheirconfessionswastothefollowingeffect:-
　　Satan，whowas，ofcourse，agreatfoeofthereformedreligion，wasalarmedthatKingJamesshouldmarryaProtestantprincess。Toaverttheconsequencestotherealmsofevil，hehaddeterminedtoputanendtotheKingandhisbridebyraisingastormontheirvoyagehome。Satan，firstofall，sentathickmistoverthewaters，inthehopethattheKing’svesselmightbestrandedonthecoastamidthedarkness。Thisfailing，Dr。Fian，who，fromhissuperiorscholarship，wasadvancedtothedignityofthedevil’ssecretary，wascommandedtosummonallthewitchestomeettheirmaster，eachonesailingonasieveonthehighseas。
　　OnAll-hallowmasEve，theyassembledtothenumberofupwardsoftwohundred，includingGellieDuncan，AgnesSampson，EuphemiaMacalzean，oneBarbaraNapier，andseveralwarlocks；andeachembarkinginariddle，orsieve，theysailed“overtheoceanverysubstantially。“Aftercruisingaboutforsometime，theymetwiththefiend，bearinginhisclawsacat，whichhadbeenpreviouslydrawnninetimesthroughthefire。Thishedeliveredtooneofthewarlocks，tellinghimtocastitintothesea，andcry“Hola！“Thiswasdonewithallsolemnity，andimmediatelytheoceanbecameconvulsed——thewatershissedloudly，andthewavesrosemountainshigh，“Twistingtheirarmstothedun-colouredheaven。“