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/1025 Bessie Wright

name of accused
Bessie Wright
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1014
Case date start
26/4/1626
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)
  • folk healing (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
The main accusations appear to relate to healing rituals and advice that did not work and the patients died rather than death as a result of maleficium. No demonic features.

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
This case has some interesting details about the herbs and other ingredients that she used in salves. These included rippell grasse (ripple grass or robwort plantain), waffron leaf(?), plantain feather(?), finglie (?finkle or fennel), and hyssop(?). She denied she had used foxtree leaves (foxglove). She also claimed that she had her skill from the possession of a book, that had belonged to her father and grandfather. She said it was a 1000 years old but as she could not read it her son, Adam Bell, would read out bits to her. The book was taken from her during the ministry of William Couper who was minister between 1595 and 1612.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Salve
  • Drink
  • Herb
  • Book

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Rec. healer
  • Healing humans
Notes
Main accusations were about healing rituals which did not work but one witness (male) seems to have had a number of grudges (ale spoilt, pains in his limbs, social insult). Said she could cure the bairn bed (?childbirth), gravel, the liver and migraine.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Ale

    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
    In 1626 she promised the presbytery she would refrain from using her cures, especially in the burgh of Perth. The 1628 accusations were in part a result of her infringement of this promise.
    references
    name notes
    RPC 2nd S, v2 p. 623-4 None
    Perth Presbytery Minutes CH2/299/2, pp. 253, 255-6, 317, 320-4, 326-7, 331-6, 341-2, 346-8. Vol 2 is a transcription of vol 1. There are several entries from 1626-1628 giving details about accusations, imprisonment, Bessie Wright's statements, applications for trial etc. One entry refers to more details in the kirk session minutes of Perth.