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falling into the fire with him, (let others search out the disparity) minds me of this passage. In Zetland a few years ago, ⟨judge⟩ having condemned an old woman and her daughter, called Helen Stewart, for witchcraft, sent them to be burned. The maid was so stupid, that she was thought to be possessed. When she had hung some little time on the gibbet, a black pitchy-like ball foamed out of her mouth; and after the fire was kindled, it grew to the bigness of a walnut, and then flew up like squibs into the air, which the judge, yet living, attests. It was taken to be a visable sign, that the devil was gone out of her. I shall not make application of this to Mr. Weir's staff.———I know from good hands, that if this man repented of any thing in prison, it was for causing a poor maid to be scourged, who affirmed, she had seen him commit bestiality going to Newmills to a solemn meeting. This poor woman lived about two years after his death, and heard of his fatal end. His incest with his own sister, was first when she was a young maid. The place where this abomination was committed, was cursed; for, contrary to nature, it remained always bare without grass. A reverend minister told me, (I mention this as from myself, not from the author of the letter) that Major Weir confessed so much to him, and told him, that the place lies off the road-way between Kirkcaldy and
