ilk Coeven";[1] and Ann spoke of "five coveys consisting of thirteen person in every covey."[2]
One of the earliest indications of the number, without a direct statement, is in the trial in 1567 of Bessie Dunlop of Lyne in Ayrshire. The "Devil," whom she called Thorn Reid, led her "to the kill-end, quhair sche saw twelf persounes, aucht wemene and four men. And Thome was with thame."[3] Here was clearly a coven of thirteen, including their chief. In this case as in many others the recorder has merely written down the evidence without realizing that it was important. At St. Osyth in Essex in 1582 there was a great trial of witches, obscured by an immense amount of evidence to prove their use of familiars; when the number of the accused is counted it is found to be thirteen.[4] In 1590 the witches of North Berwick held several meetings to compass the death of James VI.; at one of these meetings nine witches stood "in ane cumpany," and the others "to the nowmer of threttie persons in ane vthir cumpany"; that is, there were three covens present, each consisting of thirteen members.[5] In Aberdeen there was a great witch trial in 1596-7; and on counting up all the names which occur, the number is sixty-four. Of these seven are merely mentioned as witches known to the accused though not as taking part in the ceremonies, and five of the arrested number were acquitted; thus leaving fifty-two persons or four covens. Of these fifty-two, one was condemned and executed at the assize in 1596 and twelve in 1597, rnaking in all thirteen persons, or one coven, who were put to death.[6] In the Lancashire witch-trial of 1613 there is a grand total of fifty-two names, i.e. four covens;
