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/JO/2928 Jonet McBirnie

name of accused
Jonet McBirnie
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/JO/2805
Case date start
8/11/1649
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

  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Accused by Janet Coutts, who with George Cathie (pricker) named a large number of people who were later shown to be innocent. In McBirnie's case, however, some neighbours did accuse her of being the cause of some illness and death.
additional persons
name involvement notes
Robert Birnie Investigator
William Lockhart Investigator
Alexander Lindsay Investigator
George Cathie Witch-pricker
Gideon Fathie Investigator
Patrick Craig Investigator
James Cuningham Investigator
James Cuningham Investigator
James Veitch Investigator
William Morton Minister
John Home Investigator
John Wilson Investigator
John Veitch Investigator
Robert Sempill Investigator
Alexander Tenant Investigator
William Somerville Investigator
Richard Inglis Investigator
William Douglas Investigator

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

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

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
accused of causing William Brown (slaterer) to fall of a house and break his neck after she had exchanged evil words with him. After another falling out with a neighbour she cursed them and prayed that there might be 'blood boils'. Daughter later fell ill

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Animals

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    Other charges

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    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
    Lanark Presbytery Records CH2/234/1. No pagination