Two years afterwards, on March the 10th, 1607, Isobel Grierson, "spous to
John Bull," came into court with anything but clean hands. She was accused
of having visited Adam Clarke and his wife--they lying decently in bed,
their servant being in the other bed beside them--not as an honest woman,
but in the form of a cat, being accompanied by other cats which made a
great and fearful noise. Whereat Adam Clarke, his wife, and servant were
so affrighted they were almost mad. At the same time arrived the devil in
the shape of a black man, and came to the servant girl then standing on
the floor, and drew her up and down the house in a fearful manner, first
taking the curtche (cap) off her head and casting it into the fire,
whereby the poor woman had a sickness which lasted six weeks. Isobel
killed William Burnet by casting a cutting of plaid in at his door, after
which the devil, for the space of half a year, perpetually appeared to
him as a naked child, holding an enchanted picture in his hand, and
standing before the fire; but sometimes he appeared as Isobel herself,
who, when William Burnet called to her by name, would vanish away. So she
haunted and harried him till he pined away and died. She bewitched Mr.
Brown, of Prestonpans, by throwing an enchanted "tailzie" (cut or piece)
of beef at his door, sending the devil to distress him for half a year,
appearing to him herself in the form of an infant bairn, and so hardly
treating him, that Brown died as Burnet had done. Then she bewitched
Robert Peddan, who got no good from any remedy, and knew not what ailed
him, until he suddenly remembered that he and Isobel had had a quarrel
about nine shillings which he owed her and would not pay; so he went to
her and paid her, asking humbly for his health again; which came. Robert
Peddan deposed, too, that, being once at his house, she wanted her cat,
whereupon she opened his window, put out her hand, and drew the cat in: at
which time was working a brewing of good sound ale, which all turned to
"gutter dirt." Another time she or her spirit went at night to his house
and drew Margaret Donaldson, his wife, out of her bed, and flung her
violently against the floor; whereat the wife was very ill and sore
troubled, and cried out on her. Isobel, hearing of this, went to the
neighbours, and said they were to bring her and Margaret together again;
which they did; and Margaret had her health for nine or ten days. But Meg,
not leaving off calling out against her, Isobel went to her, "and spak to
hir mony devillisch and horribill words," saying, "The faggot of hell
lycht on the, and hell's cauldron may thow seith in!" So Meg was sick
again after this; and as a poor beggarwoman coming to the door to ask
meat told her she was bewitched, for that she had the right stamp of it,
the case grew serious, and Margaret cried out more loudly than before.
Then Isobel went again to her house with a creil on her back, and said
passionately, "Away, theiff! I sall haif thy hairt for bruitting of me sae
falslie;" which so frightened Meg that she took to her bed, and Isobel was
arrested, tried, convicted, and burnt.