3 36 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
tion, which made many of that stamp court his converse. He never married, but
lived in a private lodging with his sister Grizel Weir. Many resorted to his house to
hear him pray, and join with him; but it was observed that he could not officiate in
any holy duty without the black staff or rod in his hand, and leaning upon it, which
made those who heard him pray admire his flood in prayer, his ready extemporary expression,
his heavenly gesture ; so that he was thought more angel than man, and was termed
by some of the holy sisters ordinarily Angelical Thomas.”’ This magical black staff
was no less marvellous a character than the Major himself. According to veracious
tradition, it was no uncommon thing for the neighbours to see it step in and tap at their
counters on some errand of its master, or running before him with a lantern as he went
out on nocturnal business, and gravely walked down the Lawnmarket behind his
mysterious link-boy.
The Major, in fact, had made a compact with the Devil, of which this was part payment
; but the foul fiend as usual overreached his dupe. He had enga.ged, it would seem,
to keep him scatheless from all dangers but one burn. The accidental naming of a Mr
Burn by the waiters of the Nether Bow Port, as he visited them in the course of his duty,
threw him into a fit of terror that lasted for weeks ; and the intervention of a water brook
called Libberton Burn in his way was sufficient to make him turn back. “A year before
he discovered himself, he took a sore sickness, during which he spake to all who visited
him like an angel.” !a He found it, however, impossible longer to withstand the dreadful
tortures of conscience ; and summoning some of his neighbours to his bedside, he made
voluntary confession of crimes, which needed no supernatural accessories to render them
more detestable. His confession seemed ao incredible, that the magistrates at first refused
to take him into custody ; but he was at length carried off to prison, and lodged in the
Tolbooth along with his sister-the partner, if not the victim, of one of his crimes. As
might have been expected, strange and supernatural appearances accompanied his seizure.
The staff was secured by his Bister’s advice, and carried to prison along with them. A
few dollars were also found, wrapped up in some rags, and on the latter being thrown into
the fire, they danced in circles about the flames in an unwonted manner, while ‘‘ another
clout, found with some hard thing in it, which they threw into the fire likewise, circled and
sparkled like gunpowder, and passing from the tunnel of the chimney, it gave a crack like
a little cannon, to the amazement of all that were present.” The money was no less
boisterous than its wrappers, and threatened to pull the bailie’s house about his ears, who
had taken it home with him. On being carried to prison, the Major sunk into a dogged
apathy, from which he never afterwards reviyed, furiously rejecting the ministrations of
the clergymen who visited him, and replying only to their urgent exhortations with the
despairing exclamation, Torment me not before the time ! ” adding, with somewhat more
philosophic foresight, according to another annalist, “ that now, since he was to go to the
Devil, he would not anger him.” * He was tried April 9, 1670, and confessed himself
guilty both of possible and impossible crimes. - There can be no doubt, indeed, that the
wretched hypocrite was driven desperate by the stings of conscience, and felt some relief
in giving the Devil a share of his misdeeds. He waa sentenced to be strangled and burnt,
’ Fraser’a Providential Passages. MS. Advocates’ Library. * Satan’s Invisible World Discovered, p. 146. a Ihid, p. 147. Law’s Memorials, p. 23.
