mother presenting my grandfather with his first grandson, he bade her
slip it on her finger, as the mother of an heir. Nearly forty years
after, when I was a young girl, I well remember my mother's horror and
dismay when my cousin Patrick--the head of the family--after his
majority, opened at our house a box of papers which, during the
family's absence abroad, had been left in my mother's care; for there
was the ring in which the stone was set--no longer guarded within the
walls of Inchbrakie. A few years after this the first acres of the old
Barony of Inchbrakie and Aberuthven were sold; now there is not one of
them left.

"The ring is still retained among the family papers--such, at least, as
were left after the burning of the castle by Cromwell. It is a
moonstone sapphire, set in two brilliants of different shape. There is
a curious bluish enamel on part of the gold, which is embossed half-way
round. There is also a charm, which is said to have belonged to Kate
M'Niven. It is a slight iron chain with a black heart, having two
cross bones in gold on the back, bearing the words 'cruelle death' on
it, and attached to it a death's-head in the shape of a serpent's head
with curious enamel."

The first statute in Scotland against witchcraft was passed in the year
1563, during the reign of Queen Mary, and is here inserted as a sample
of the simple and concise enactments which were passed in these days:--

"Queen Marie--Ninth Parliment
IV. of June, 1563.
73. Anentis Witchcraftes.

Item--For sa meikle as the Queen's Majesty, and the three estates in
this present Parliament, being informed that the heavie and abominable
superstition used by divers of the lieges of this realm, by using of
witchcrafts, sorcerie, and necromancie, and credence given thereto in
times by-gone, against the law of God; and for avoiding and
away-putting of all such vain superstition in times to come, it is
statute, and ordained by the Queen's Majesty, and the three estates
aforesaid--that no manner of persone or persones, of what-sum-ever
estait, degree, or condition they be of, take upon hand in onie times
hereafter to use onie manner of witchcraft, sorcerie, or necromancie,
nor give themselves forth to have onie such craft or knowledge thereof,
their-throw abusan the people; nor that onie persone seek onie help,
response, or consultation at onie such users or abusers foresaid, of
witchcraft, sorcerie, or necromancie, under the