| references |
| name |
notes |
|
Committee of Estates
PA11/8 fo. 184r.
|
None |
|
Haddington Presbytery records
CH2/185/6, p 110.
|
Note in Haddington presbytery records information circulated from presbytery of Jedburgh (is this right as it seems that she was in Peebles presbytery?) that Jennet Coutts (confessing witch) told the commissioners that George Cathie from Tranent had asked her to name innocent people as guilty of witchcraft in return for him prolonging her life.
Later notes about Cathie being questioned about his work as a pricker. |
|
Peebles Presbytery records
CH2/295/3, 115v,122v, 126v, 128v
|
Records the investigation by presbytery into accusations against the suspect. She refused to confess, so presbytery take advice from Agnes Stuart (local woman who had also been in trouble with the church for her behaviour although nothing to do with witchcraft) about getting a pricker who had been used in other areas. Cathie then examined the women (11/10/1649) and reported that he found marks on Coutts and Twedy. |
|
Peebles Presbytery records
CH2/295,4, 1r, 7r, 11v.
|
Note that trial to be held in Peebles. Later references refer to her naming other people. The presbytery express their concern about this and feel that under the circumstances what she was saying was not trustworthy. Although they noted that some investigations were to be made locally they did not list names and there is no later reference to any people being questioned. |
|
Biggar Presbytery records
CH2/35/1, 296, 298-9.
|
Entries in Biggar presbytery (28/11/1649-29/12/1649) about JC's naming of several people - who were not listed by name - as witches in this presbytery. The ministers were asked to interview her and bring her to Biggar to confront those she had named. There is a distinct note of scepticism about her statements/depositions in these entries. The presbytery note they were contradictory and had a variety of names, dates, places, times etc. They prayed with her and read passages of the bible and eventually, in tears, she said she had made up a lot of false testimony. She cleared 48 people whom she had previously named as guilty. |
|
Jedburgh Presbytery records
CH2/198/3.
|
Note in presbytery records about Janet Coutts and George Cathie (pricker). No direct reference or involvement of Jedburgh ministers or indication that she had named people from Jedburgh presbytery. |
|
Committee of Estates
PA11/9 fo. 2v.-3r.
|
None |
