Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, 1563 - 1736

Goodare, Julian; Yeoman, Louise; Martin, Lauren; Miller, Joyce

Case Details

C/EGD/1862 Bessie Forrest

name of accused: Bessie Forrest
designated title: no information
Accused Reference: A/EGD/1833
Case date start: 20/10/1649
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

demonic (secondary characteristic)
demonic (primary characteristic)
Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
not enough information (secondary characteristic)

Characterisation Notes: Pact confessed but few other details about her practice

additional persons
name	involvement	notes
Alexander Spittal	Confession Witness
Alexander Trotter	Confession Witness
Andrew Watson	Confession Witness
Alexander Murray	Commissioner
Andrew Hay	Commissioner
Robert Hunter	Commissioner
Robert Douglas	Commissioner
Michael Scott	Commissioner
Alexander Spittal	Commissioner
James Williamson	Commissioner
James Horseburgh	Commissioner
John Lowes	Commissioner

linked trials
name	trial type	link	year	notes
Bessie Forrest	Mentioned in trial	T/JO/576	None
Bessie Forrest	Local Court	T/JO/577	1649

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes: None

Male large, black man

Demonic pacts

Anti-baptism
Sex
Devil's Mark right side of neck
Servant

witches meetings

Devil present

Notes: None

Meeting places

no information

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: None

Cause of witch's malice

no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

no information

weather modification

no information

Notes: None

Other charges

Charming

Notes: Named as witch and charmer by Janet Coutts

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 CH2/295/3, 129v	Mentioned in Janet Coutts confession and confessed herself.
Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/4, 1r	Note that trial to be held
Committee of Estates PA11/8 fo. 184r.	None