not a few supposed witches were
fastened to a stake on South Leith sands, and allowed to remain there
until the tide terminated their miseries.

Of James VI., and the witches who persecuted him, we have treated in
chapter XXIV.; but it may be further mentioned that in his time an
unprecedented number of reputed witches were put to death in
Edinburgh. His brutish judges displayed unwonted activity in bringing
men and women to an untimely end, because they knew their zeal brought
them into royal favour. A time, however, came when the nation could no
longer suffer the barbarities of bygone periods to be continued.
Accordingly, in 1608 a complaint was made to the Scottish Privy
Council against persons in power for so torturing the hapless women
that they died amid smoke and flame, blaspheming the Most High, and
uttering imprecations against their fellow-creatures.

In the Antiquarian Museum of Edinburgh are a few relics of
superstitious times. They consist of small figures, representing human
beings, which were found in the crevice of a rock at Arthur Seat, and
are, no doubt, figures formed for magical purposes. In the Museum are
also to be seen implements of torture, to be more particularly noticed
in chapter LXIII. Edinburgh and Leith, like every large town, had
professional witch-finders. Royal commissions were issued to
magistrates and ministers of the Church, giving them power to search
for, torture, and put to death, either by fire or water, every one
guilty of witchcraft. Rich and poor were suspected. Even nobles were
accused of witchcraft; and the wife of a senator of the College of
Justice, in Edinburgh, did not escape a witch's fate. As indicative of
the belief in witchcraft in high quarters about the middle of last
century, we find that, when the Bill for the repeal of the Act against
witches was introduced into Parliament, in 1735, it was opposed by
persons from whom better sense might have been expected. Notably among
them is named a judge of our Supreme Law Court in Scotland. Let us
look back, however, to years antecedent to 1735, and see how it fared
with witches in Edinburgh and elsewhere.

Near the latter end of the sixteenth century, Janet Stewart, belonging
to Edinburgh, Christian Levingstone, Bessie Aitken, residing in Leith,
and Christina Sadler of Blackhouse, were noted witches, who did much
mischief to persons and property.

James Reid was instructed by the devil how to heal infirm people by
the