The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Case Details

C/EGD/1859 Thomas Shanks

name of accused
Thomas Shanks (alias 'Willie')
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1830
Case date start
23/3/1643
Given case date
no information
Case commission
no information
case complaint
no information
case correspondence
no information
case chronicle
no information
other details
no information

characterisation

  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (primary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Accused of charming in 1643 but later accusation involved demonic pact
additional persons
name involvement notes
Robert Thomson Confession Witness
Theodore Hay Confession Witness
John Horseburgh Confession Witness
James Horseburgh Confession Witness
Thomas Crawford Confession Witness
Thomas Williamson Confession Witness
James Horseburgh Commissioner
Alexander Murray Commissioner
Andrew Hay Commissioner
Robert Hunter Commissioner
Robert Douglas Commissioner
Michael Scott Commissioner
Alexander Spittal Commissioner
James Williamson Commissioner
John Lowes Commissioner

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • Male little man, in blue, blue hat, black staff

Demonic pacts

  • Servant
  • Head and foot
  • Anti-baptism
  • Want nothing
  • New name Willie
  • Devil's Mark on right hand

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • Gallowberry Hill Hilltop

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
None

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

Notes
No details about how he used his charming.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Charming
Notes
Presbytery accepted that he was guilty of charming and witchcraft in 1643 and ordered him to make public satisfaction.

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
None
references
name notes
None None Gunn, C B 'The Book of Stobo Church' (Peebles, 1907), p 50-1. The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research.
Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/2, 156v, r Note that accused suspected of witchcraft and minister ordered to make inquiries in the parish. Later told to make public satisfaction in the kirks of Manor, Stobo, Lyne, Eddleston, Innerleithen and Peebles.
Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/3, 129r, 130v. Later entry details his confession of demonic pact.
Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/4, 1r Entry records local trial
Committee of Estates PA11/8 fo. 184r. None