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/2005 Marion Watsone

name of accused
Marion Watsone
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1962
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

  • unorthodox religious practise (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (primary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None
additional persons
name involvement notes
Alexander Murray Commissioner
Adam Murray Commissioner
David Murray Commissioner
John Murray Commissioner
Andrew Hay Commissioner
Robert Hunter Commissioner
William Douglas Commissioner
Robert Douglas Commissioner
William Govan Commissioner
Tait George Commissioner
None None Commissioner
John Scott Commissioner
Michael Scott Commissioner
Alexander Spittal Commissioner
James Williamson Commissioner
James Horseburgh Commissioner
Robert Thomson Commissioner
John Lowes Commissioner

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • Male in green with black hat
  • Male young man in green

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
  • Food and drink
Notes
She described meeting around table where they ate meat and drank ale

Meeting places

  • Gallowberry Hill Hilltop

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Unorthodox religious practice
Notes
Several spoken verses recorded by another accused witch, which she claimed to have been used by Watsone. Watsone did not mention this herself.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Green

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • Prayer

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Removal bewitchment
Notes
Another witch described how Watsone charmed a forespoken person

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Charming
Notes
no details

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
Committee of Estates PA11/8 fo. 187v.-188r. None
Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/3, 129v. Entry records her confession.