James Brisbane was a minister in Kilmalcolm, aged twenty seven. He was new to the parish when the accusations of witchcraft emerged, and left for Stirling not long after the witch hunt had ended. He testified that he witnessed Christian Shaw exhibit the most extreme physical symptoms, where her eyes rolled, her tongue was drawn first down her throat, and then over her nose. At other times he said she uttered violent shrieks, before entering into a trance-like state. This would be contrasted by her leaping around the room singing traditional country tunes and songs, while those present struggle to restrain her.

Brisbane confirmed that the girl accused both Katherine Campbell and Agnes Naismith as being responsible for her physical symptoms and her erratic, some would say playful, behaviour. He also declared that the young girl claimed that the devil was going to devour her, while acknowledging that John and James Lindsay, Bishop and Curat respectively, had reputations in the area for being witches. Brisbane was also one of the witnesses who was present while the witch pricker carried out his duties. He confirmed that all of the accused were in possession of insensible marks on their bodies.