a man, at the back of Broomhills'.[77] Among the Alloa
witches, tried in 1658, Margret Duchall 'did freelie confes hir paction
with the diwell, how he appeared first to hir in the liknes of a man in
broun cloathis, and ane blak hat'; while Kathren Renny said 'that he first
appeared to hir in the bodis medow in the liknes of a man with gray
cloathis and ane blew cap'.[78] The years 1661 and 1662 are notable in the
annals of Scotch witchcraft for the number of trials and the consequent
mass of evidence, including many descriptions of the Grand-master. At
Forfar, in 1661, Helen Guthrie said that at several meetings the devil was
present 'in the shape of a black iron-hued man'; Katherine Porter 'saw the
divill and he had ane blacke plaid about him'; when Issobell Smyth was
alone gathering heather, 'hee appeared to hir alone lik ane braw
gentleman'; and on another occasion 'like a light gentleman'.[79] Jonet
Watson of Dalkeith, also in 1661, said 'that the Deivill apeired vnto her
in the liknes of ane prettie boy, in grein clothes.... Shoe was at a
Meitting in Newtoun-dein with the Deavill, who had grein clothes vpone him,
and ane blak hatt vpone his head'.[80] In the same year an Edinburgh Coven
was tried: Jonet Ker was accused that 'as you wer comeing from Edr to the
park you mett with the devill at the bough in the liknes of a greavous
black man'; Helene Casso 'met with the devill in liknes of a man with
greine cloaths in the links of Dudingstone qr he wes gathering sticks
amongst the whines'; Isobel Ramsay 'mett with the devill in the Liknes of a
pleasant young man who said qr live you goodwyf and how does the minister
And as you wes goeing away he gave you a sexpence saying God bud him give
you that qch you wared and bought meall therwith As also you had ane uther
meiting wt the devill in yor awne house in the liknes of yor awne husband
as you wes lying in yor bed at qch tyme you engadged to be his servant';
Jonet Millar 'did meit wt the devill in liknes of ane young man in the hous
besyd the standing stane'.[81] The trials of the Auldearne witches in 1662
are fully reported as regards matters which interested the recorder;
unfortunately the appearance of the Devil was not one of these, therefore
Isobel Gowdie's description is abbreviated to the following: 'He was a
meikle black roch man. Sometimes he had boots and sometimes shoes on his
foot; but still [always] his foot are forked and cloven.'[82] At Crook of
Devon in Kin