are read. It must also be remembered that these confessions were not
usually made in the connected form in which they stand recorded, but
were rather the result of leading questions put by the inquisitors,
such as: How old were you when the Devil first appeared to you? What
form did he assume? What parish were you in? What were you doing? &c.,
&c.

Melancholy and revolting as all this is, yet the tortures made use of
in Guernsey were far from possessing those refinements of cruelty and
that intensity of brutality which characterised the methods practiced
in some other countries. Let us take as a proof of this, the notable
case of Dr. Fian and his associates, who were tried at Edinburgh, in
the year 1591. The evidence was of the usual ridiculous kind, and a
confession--afterwards withdrawn--was extorted by the following
blood-curdling barbarities, as is quoted by Mr. C.K. Sharpe, in his
_Historical Account of the Belief in Witchcraft in Scotland_:--

The said Doctor was taken and imprisoned, and used with the
accustomed paine provided for those offences inflicted upon
the rest, as is aforesaid. First, by thrawing of his head
with a rope, whereat he would confesse nothing. Secondly, he
was perswaded by faire meanes to confesse his follies; but
that would prevaile as little. Lastly, hee was put to the
most severe and cruell paine in the world, called the
bootes, who, after he had received three strokes, being
inquired if he would confesse his damnable actes and wicked
life, his toong would not serve him to speak; in respect
whereof, the rest of the witches willed to search his toong,
under which was founde two pinnes thrust up into the heade,
whereupon the witches did say, now is the charme stinted,