206 Notes and Sketches. 



devised plot ! She was remorselessly led into the " fire- 

 house " in presence of the seven brothers Watt, where 

 the minister held forth to her " at some length " on " the 

 blasphemy, devilish tricks, and mischievous pranks" of 

 which she had been guilty ; when, sad to say, in place 

 of becoming penitence, Tibbie " discovered " such a 

 " surprising boldness and impudence, obdurateness, and 

 obstinacy," that the minister was restrained from hand- 

 ing her over to the civil magistrate only by the entreaty 

 of the family, whose servant she had been for a con- 

 siderable time. He contented himself, however, with 

 seeing her " inarch off, bag and baggage, before he left 

 that place." 



What the Session did was to pass a set of formal re- 

 solutions, wherein they found that " this vile, base, and 

 impudent woman " had gone on " in a course of horrid 

 blasphemy ;" had " prescribed charms and suspicious 

 things," disturbing that " sober and orderly family" by 

 her imposture, frightening them " to the great prejudice 

 of their health, yea, to the endangering of their lives ;" 

 doing what she could to set the brothers by the ears, 

 and moreover, venting as revelations from God " most 

 false, malicious, and black calumnies against several 

 persons of an untainted character and reputation." In 

 regard the case of " this wicked wretch" was " altogether 

 very complex and of a singular nature," the Session re- 

 served it as it stood for the advice of the Presbytery. 



The lapse of a little time seems to have shed new 

 light on the matter, and brought the demure Geordie 

 Watt into the foreground in another guise. Some ten 

 months thereafter it was recorded that Isobel Mortimer 

 had been before the Presbytery, and by them convicted 

 " of the sin and scandal of fornication with George Watt 

 in Bridgend, as also of acting the part of a ghost and 

 blaspheming the holy name of God." She was ordered 

 to appear in sackcloth before the congregation ; and 

 threatened at first to be contumacious ; but by and 

 by promised to satisfy discipline, and entered on the 



