Touching your third query, the objects of this knowledge, are not only sad and dismal; but also joyful and prosperous:  thus they foretell of happy marriages, good children, what kind of life men shall live, and in what condition they shall die:  and riches, honour, preferment, peace, plenty, and good weather.

      Query 7.

What way they pretend to have it ?  I am informed, that in the Isle of Sky, especially before the gospel came thither, several families had it by succession, descending from parents to children, and as yet there be many there that have it in that way; and the only way to be freed from it is, when a woman hath it herself, and is married to a man that hath it also; if in the very act of delivery, upon the first sight of the child’s head, it be baptized, the same is free from it; if not, he hath it all his life; by which, it seems, it is a thing troublesome and uneasy to them that have it, and such as they would fain be rid of.  And may satisfy your ninth query.  And for your farther contentment in this query, I heard of my father, that there was one John du beg Mac Grigor, a Reanach man born, very expert in this knowledge, and my father coming one day from Inverness, said by the way, that he would go into an ale-house on the road, which then would be about five miles off.  This John Mac Grigor being in his company, and taken up a slate stone at his foot, and looking to it, replied; nay, said he, you will not go in there, for there is but a matter of a gallon of ale in it even now, and ere we come to it, it will be all near drunken, and those who are drinking there, are strangers to us, and ere we be hardly past the house, they will discord among themselves:  which fell out so; ere we were two pair of butts past the house, those that were drinking there went by the ears, wounded and mischieved one another.  My father by this and several other things of this nature, turned curious of this faculty, and being very intimate with the man, told him he would fain learn it:  to which he answered, that indeed he could in three days time teach him if he pleased; but yet he would not advise him nor any man to learn it; for had he once learned, he would never be a minute of his life but he would see innumerable men and women night and day round about him; which perhaps he would think wearisome and unpleasant, for which reason my father would not have it.  But as skilful as this man was, yet he knew not what should be his own last end; which was hanging:  And I am informed, that most, if not all of them, though they can fore-see what shall happen to others:  yet they cannot foretell, much less prevent, what shall befal themselves.  I am also informed by one who came last summer from the Isle of Sky, that any person that pleases will get it taught him for a pound or two of tobacco.

As for your last query.  For my own part, I can hardly believe they can be justly presumed, much less truly godly.  As for this Mac Grigor, several report that he was a very civil discreet man, and some say he was of good deportment, and also unjustly hanged.  But Archibald Mackenyere will not deny himself, but once he was one of the most notorious thieves in all the Highlands:  but I am informed since I came to this knowledge which was by an accident too long here to relate, that he has turned honester than before.