Biggar and the House of Fleming

THE WITCHES OF THE BIGGAR DISTRICT. 381
her than is contained in her confession, that it would have
been amply sufficient, in so frivolous a case, to have dismissed
her with an admonition to abstain from any absurd symbolism
in future, when she attempted to charm the water, or cure the
bestial in her neighbourhood ; but the Presbytery thought
otherwise, and therefore set themselves with the most restless
activity to'take the life of this poor woman. In the times to
which we refer, it was a practice observed by the Presbyteries
of the Scottish Kirk, to hold diets of visitation in each parish
within their bounds. The Lanark Presbytery, therefore, at
their meeting on the 11th June, instructed the visitors of
the Kirk of Coulter to be careful and diligent to find out every-
thing they possibly could against Mali M'Watt, and report the
result of their investigations at next meeting. On the ICth
of July, the Rev. John Currie of Coulter, and the Rev. George
Bennet of Quothquan, gave in a " process " which they had
drawn up, and which, after deliberation, it was agreed should
be delivered to the Commissary of Lanark for his revision.
At this diet of the Presbytery, James Brydon, a son of the
accused, was present, and became bound, under a penalty of
L. 100 Scots, that his mother, till Whitsunday next, would at
any time appear before the Presbytery when summoned. The
Commissary of Lanark, it appears, had requested to be furnished
with a copy of the proceedings instituted against Mali by the
Presbytery of Peebles, and therefore John Currie was instructed
to proceed to Peebles to procure one ; but he either did not go,
or was unsuccessful, for, on the 21st of January 1641, a com-
mittee consisting of the Rev. Richard Ingiis of Wiston, the
Rev. James Douglas of Douglas, and the Rev. George Bennet
of Quothquan, was appointed to hold a meeting at Coulter with
some members of the Presbytery of Peebles, but the result is
not stated.
In the meantime, it was resolved to apply to the Committee
of Estates for a Commission to try Mali for the crime of witch-
craft. The Commissary of Lanark, however, told the Presby-
tery that, in his opinion, Mali had been guilty, at the most, of
charming, and that such an offence did not infer the penalty
of death. The Presbytery were evidently chagrined and
annoyed by this decision ; but it did not deter them from the
prosecution of their bloodthirsty design. They instructed the