died a Roman death during his imprisonment in Leith; and the Buccleuch, whom I believe to be here meant, was slain in a nocturnal scuffle by the Kerrs, his hereditary enemies.  Besides, they were both attached to the cause of Queen Mary, and to the ancient religion; and were thence, probably, considered as more immediately obnoxious to the assaults of the powers of darkness.[B] The indictment of Alison Pearson notices her intercourse with the Archbishop of St Andrews, and contains some particulars, worthy of notice, regarding the court of Elfland.  It runs thus:  “28th May, 1586.  Alison Pearson, in Byrehill, convicted of witchcraft, and of consulting with evil spirits, in the form of one Mr William Simpsone, her cosin, who she affirmed was a gritt schollar, and doctor of medicine, that healed her of her diseases when she was twelve years of age; having lost the power of her syde, and having a familiaritie with him for divers years, dealing with charms, and abuseing the common people by her arts of witchcraft, thir divers years by-past.

[Footnote A: 

  For oght the kirk culd him forbid,
  He sped him sone, and gat the thrid;
  Ane carling of the quene of Phareis,
  That ewill win geir to elpliyne careis;
  Through all Brade Abane scho has bene,
  On horsbak on Hallow ewin;
  And ay in seiking certayne nightis,
  As scho sayis with sur silly wychirs: 
  And names out nybours sex or sewin,
  That we belevit had bene in heawin;
  Scho said scho saw theme weill aneugh,
  And speciallie gude auld Balcleuch,
  The secretar, and sundrie uther: 
  Ane William Symsone, her mother brother,
  Whom fra scho has resavit a buike
  For ony herb scho likes to luke;
  It will instruct her how to tak it,
  In saws and sillubs how to mak it;
  With stones that meikle mair can doe,
  In leich craft, where scho lays them toe: 
  A thousand maladeis scho hes mendit;
  Now being tane, and apprehendit,
  Scho being in the bischopis cure,
  And keipit in his castle sure,
  Without respect of worldlie glamer,
  He past into the witches chalmer.
      Scottish Poems of XVI.  Century, Edin. 1801,
      Vol.  II, p. 320.]

[Footnote B:  Buccleuch was a violent enemy to the English, by whom his lands had been repeatedly plundered (See Introduction, p. xxvi), and a great advocate for the marriage betwixt Mary and the dauphin, 1549.  According to John Knox, he had recourse even to threats, in urging the parliament to agree to the French match.  “The laird of Buccleuch,” says the Reformer, “a bloody man, with many Gods wounds, swore, they that would not consent should do worse.”]