met the devil in her way from the city. The devil gave her a kiss, received her homage, and imprinted on her upper lip and on her right breast the mark which he is wont to bestow upon his favourites. This seal of the devil is a little sign upon the skin, which renders it insensible, as we are assured by all the demonographical civilians of those times.

The devil ordered Michelle Chaudron to bewitch two young girls. She obeyed her master punctually. The parents of the two girls accused her of dealing with the devil. The girls, being confronted with the criminal, declared, that they felt a contimual prickling in some parts of their bodies, and that they were possessed. Physicians were called, at least men who passed for physicians in those days. They visited the girls. They sought for the seal of the devil on the body of Michelle, which seal is' called, in the verbal process, the Satanical mark. Into one of these marks they plunged a long needle. which was already no small torture. Blood issued from the wound, and Michelle testified by her cries that the part was not insensible. The judges not finding sufficient proof that Michelle Chaudron was a witch, ordered her to be tortured, which infallibly produced the proof they wanted. The poor wretch, overcome by torment, confessed at last every thing they desired.

The physicians sought again for the satanical mark, and found it in a little black spot on one of her thighs. Into this they plunged their needle. The poor creature, exhausted and almost expiring with the pain of the torture, was insensible to the needle, and did not cry out. She was instantly condemned to be burnt; but, the world beginning at this time to be a little more civilized, she was previously strangled.

At this period every tribunal in Europe resounded with such judgments, and fire and faggot were universally employed against witchcraft as well as heresy. It is said above 100,000 witches have been condemned to die by christian tribunals. Voltaire.

John Young, who was serjeant in Lord Ancram's regiment of foot, and was executed at Edinburgh, Dec. 8, 1750, in the afternoon, pursuant to the sentence of the High Court of Justiciary, pronounced against him on a remit made to that court by the lords of session; before whom a full proof was deduced of Young's having vended false notes of the royal bank of Scotland, knowing them to be so forged and fabricated.

This unhappy man had amused himself before trial with the hopes of being acquitted; and after sentence with those of obtaining a pardon; for which great interest was used by the officers of the army, &c. though all to no purpose; the hurt done to public credit by such destructive practices rendering it necessary that an example should be made to deter others from committing the like in time coming. Indeed this unfortunate man complained bitterly of his hard fate, in being made the only sacrifice to justice, while two others, rather more culpable, they being the very engravers and fabricators of the notes, found means to save themselves by. immediately turning evidences against him, who did not scruple to accuse them of perjury, though with what truth I cannot determine.

Young, however, on the day, nay, at the very time of execution, betook himself to a very unusual expedient to save his life for a time, seeing then ail his hopes of pardon entirely baffled; the magistrates appointed to witness the ceremony having assembled about two o'clock, at the prison-door, accompanied

by

by the proper officers, the guard, and an infinite multitude of spectators; they, attended by two clergymen, went up to the prisoner, and having read over to him his sentence, and asked his objections to the executing the same, Young answered, that he had none: but observing that the sentence appointed the execution to be performed betwixt the hours of two and four in the afternoon, that suggested a thought to him, that if he could preserve his life till past four, the magistrates could not afterwards execute him. Accordingly he desired leave to retire a short time with the two reve rend ministers, for spiritual consolation, which being granted, they returned with him to the iron room, where he had been confined since under sentence; and after talking a little with them, he begged they would allow him to spend a few minutes in private devotion, which seeming reasonable, they withdrew, and he ushered the clergymen to the outer door of his apartment, which shutting be hind them, he retired to the inner room, the iron. door of which he also immediately bolted.

Soon after the officers of justice, surprized at his delay, endeavoured to open his door, which to their great surprize, they found bolted: then they knocked and desired him to come out. No, said he, in this place I am resolved to defend my life to the utmost of my power.

On this the door was attempted to be forced, but it, as is said, being of iron, in vain were the most violent endeavours used for that purpose.

This extraordinary accident was immediately rumoured about. My Lord Provost was sent for, and accordingly appeared in person. The city clock was stopped, and surprize and expectation appeared in every face. A considerable time being

spent

spent to no purpose in forcing the door, that attempt was given over, and the only possible method of getting in was found to be by breaking up the floor of the room over the head of the prisoner, which at length was, in about two hours, effectuated; and a passage being opened, a gun was presented to him, the prisoner, in order to terrify him, and compel him to open the door; but this did not frighten him in the least; for he said, that as he had lived, so he desired to die, as a soldier. The fellow, however, who held the gun, being a little remiss, Young making a leap up, laid hold of the muzzle, and pulled it down, threatening, upon getting possession of the piece, to shoot the first man that dared to enter; but happily the gun was unloaded, which prevented so fatal a catastrophe. Rewards were then offered to such of the city guards as would go down and seize him; and at length, after several refusing, one fellow had the courage to go down, whom Young welcomed with a violent blow on the breast from the butt of his gun, that laid the soldier on the ground. Had Young been armed with a sword, it is likely the fate of the first adventurer would have stopped the attempts of a second; but he having only an empty musket, and the passage being wide, three or four more jumped in at once, and at length, after a violent struggle, overpowered and bound the unhappy victim; who still refusing to walk, the door was opened, and he dragged headlong down stairs, in a most deplorable condition. When he was brought out, he asked if it was yet four o'clock (as indeed it then was) but being answered, that he should be hanged were it past eight, he immediately composed himself to suffer that so much dreaded death. Still however, did he refuse being accessa

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ry to his own murder (as he was pleased to term it) by walking as usual to the place of execution: he was then forced upon a cart, where the hangman sat by him, holding the end of the rope, which was immediately put about his neck, and he was in this manner dragged to the Grass-market, amidst thousands of amazed spectators; where again refusing to ascend the scaffold, he was carried up by the guard, and after about fifteen minutes, being near half an hour past four, and just almost dark, he was hanged by the neck till he was dead.

This poor man had served in the army many years, with reputation: was beloved by his officers, being never before convicted of the least offence, and was said to have been recommended to the first vacant colours in his corps.

The extraordinary manner of his exit, the strenuous efforts to preserve his life, and the unhappy success that attended them, made him an object truly worthy of compassion; and it is indeed doubted if so unusual a case has occurred in the present age.

He was a middle-aged man, very tall, aud remark, ably well looked. See BEHEADING

FELO DE SE. See SUICIDE.

FELONY. See ARRESTS FOR FELONY.

FELONIES, SINGLE.

The principal crimes called single felonies punishable by transportation, whipping, imprisonment, the pillory, or hard labour in the house of correction, are as follow

Grand Larceny, which comprehends every species of theft above the value of one shilling, not otherwise distinguished.

Re.