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/LA/2949 Magdalin Blair

name of accused
Magdalin Blair
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/LA/2807
Case date start
16/3/1658
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

  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
The record only has witness ratification of dittay items. Doesn't say what the dittay said or what the witnesses ratefied.

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

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
Notes
A woman found a lump of flesh in her bed in the shape of a hand and fell ill. The same woman hired a woman from Dunblane to cure her with a drink. A man cam to her for advice about the removal of a bewitchment. She told the man to grip the suspected witch's coat tail and drink ale with her and ask for his health 3 times for God's sake. She made bad predictions which came true.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Flesh

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Animal death
  • Removal bewitchment
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Healing humans
Notes
Prayed Malice on a man who made her pregnant and did nothing to help her. Blair claimed a woman stopped being nice to her after Blair had healed her husband.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Charming
  • Sorcery
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
Circuit Court Books JC10/1 fo. 240r-240v, 241r None
Process Notes JC26/26 bundle 3 'stirling witches', item 17 arraignment list
Process Notes JC26/26 bundle 3 'stirling witches', item 4, 5 witness statements taken by the bailies
Process Notes JC26/26 bundle 3 'stirling witches', item 11 charmes of the Stirling witches
Process Notes JC26/26 bundle 3 'stirling witches', item 22 witness list
Process Notes JC26/26 Stiriling Court Roll None