The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

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

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Case Details

C/EGD/1861 Marioun Twedy

name of accused
Marioun Twedy
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1832
Case date start
17/5/1649
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

  • unorthodox religious practise (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Main accusation about cause of death of woman and child but other charges include charming animals and people. Demonic included as it was reported that the devil's mark had been found on her by Cathie the witch pricker - but no details.
additional persons
name involvement notes
Patrick Fleming Minister
Patrick Purdie Minister
Alexander Spittal Minister
William Thomson Minister
Hugh Gray Minister
Alexander Dickson Minister
George Cathie Witch-pricker
Andrew Watson Investigator
Michael Scott Commissioner
James Douglas Commissioner
James Cockburn Commissioner
William Lowes Commissioner
Robert Elliot Minister
Alexander Murray Commissioner
David Murray Commissioner
Andrew Hay Commissioner
Robert Hunter Commissioner
Richard Douglas Commissioner
Michael Scott Commissioner
James Douglas Commissioner
Alexander Spittal Commissioner
James Horseburgh Commissioner
John Lowes Commissioner
William Lowes Commissioner

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
It was recorded in by the presbytery that the devil's mark had been found on Twedy but no demonic details from her confession.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Accused of giving advice about cow giving blood. Told woman to take the blood three times withershins about her house then pour it into a hole in the ground.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Butter
  • Meal

Religious motif

  • Three
  • Cross
  • Prayer

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Healing humans
  • Healing animals
Notes
Accused of causing or predicting a child's accident. Later the mother of the child died and Twedy was blamed for both events by the husband. Accused of having grudge against this family as the man had refused to marry Twedy's daughter

Cause of witch's malice

  • Grudge

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Dairy
    • Animals
    • Buildings

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    Accused of causing a house to burn killing several beasts.

    Other charges

    • Charming
    Notes
    None

    Plea

    Claimed bewitched
    no
    Claimed possessed
    no
    Admitted lesser charges
    no
    No defence
    no
    Claimed natural causes
    no
    Notes
    Twedy confessed to charming
    Case Notes
    None
    references
    name notes
    None None GUNN pp. 50-51
    Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/3, 112v, 113v, 115r, 117v-118r, 122v, 126v, Entries record the presbytery investigation about accusations of charming and witchcraft. She refused to confess so presbytery took 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 examined the women (11/10/1649) and reported that he found marks on Coutts and Twedy.
    Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/4, 1r Entry records that trial to be held
    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.
    Committee of Estates PA11/8 fo. 190v. None