When she came, she confessed her converse with the devil at Thomas Adamson's house, on the first day of January 1704; she was confronted with M'Grigor, and he accused her of the above mentioned attempt on him, which she then refused; on which she was imprisoned, and the two following days, she did with tears, and more than ordinary concern, make a free and large confession.
She said Beatrix Laing aforesaid, a confessing witch, had been dealing with her to engage in her service, which she refused; and that some time thereafter, this Beatrix came for her, and desired her to go along to her house; when she came there, they sat down at the fire, and she saw a man in black cloaths, with a hat on his head, sitting at the table; and Beatrix said to her, since you will not engage with me, here is a gentleman that will see you; whereupon he told her, he knew she was discontented with her lot, and if she would serve him, he promised she should want for nothing; to which she yielded to serve him, and he came forward and kissed her; and she said, he was fearsome like, and his eyes sparkled like candles, on which she knew he was the devil.
Again, she told, that being employed to spin in Thomas Adamson's house in Pittenweem, while she was lying awake in her bed in the night time, the devil appearing to her, where she did expressly renounce her baptism to the devil, by putting her hand on her head, and the other to her feet, the other maid lying in the bed with her being at the time asleep, as the maid declared before the session. About a fortnight after this, Beatrix Laing came to visit her, and asked her, if she had met with the gentleman? She answered she had, and also engaged with him, on which Beatrix said, I have then got my work wrought, and went away. And she confessed, she came to that meeting at M'Grigor's with the devil and several witches, viz. Beatrix Laing, Nicolas Lawson, Janet Corphat, Thomas Brown, and several others she knew not, designing to murder M'Grigor; but since the man awakened and prayed to God for himself, they could not do it. She confessed also converse with the devil at other times. All which is in her two confessions, signed by the magistrates, and transmitted to Edinburgh. Now, we desire to know what the author of this letter can quarrel in the magistrates or minister's conduct in this matter.
As for what he says 'about the magistrates and minister refounded the imprisoned womens' money seven-fold.' We find this author very charitable on other mens' purses, but when the magistrates and minister design to bestow their charity, they will choose more deserving objects. And the Lords of Her Majesty's privy counsel understands themselves better than to take their measures as to what is just from the daring prescriptions of this author.
What he says about Thomas Brown is also false, he was accused by the lad, and delated by three confessing witches, as being accessory to the attempt on M'Grigor. It is false he was starved, for his daughter brought him his diets punctually. Our author's fears of more murders are altogether groundless, and we appeal to all men of candour, whether this author's impudent and unjust accusation against magistrates and minister of murdering Thomas Brown, deserves not severer punishment than any thing he can charge them with.
He again tells us, "the bailies justified the murder, by denying Christian burial." The bailies gave no order thereabout. As for Thomas Brown, his son-in-law, with some others, buried him. Our author by his next may prove, that Janet Corphat, a woman that had so frequently and so solemnly confessed the renounciation of her baptism to the devil, deserved Christian burial.
THE END.