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/1224 Katherine Wilson

name of accused
Katherine Wilson
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1212
Case date start
22/6/1630
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)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
She was implicated by Alexander Hammiltoun and persued by James Mowat, Sheriff clerk of Berwick. She was accused of participating in a supposed conspiracy to kill Sir George Home of Manderston, and many other justice officials in the area. The depositions against her were declared by the PC to be falsifications by Mowat. That said, numerous neighbourhood witnesses came forward to testify to quarrels and curses followed by misfortunes.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
It was alleged in her dittay that she had sex with the Devil behind the hills, and that he had sex with every other woman at the meeting.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Sex

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • Coldinghame Law Hilltop
  • Bessie Sleigh's House
  • Borthwick Hill Hilltop
  • Duns Law Hilltop

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
She was accused of being part of a conspiracy to kill Manderston by putting a dead bird in his barn and by leaving a dead hand in his path. Investigators supposedly destroyed some material evidence, including a wax image of Mowat, by burning. The fire was described as unnaturally big.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Bird (dead)
  • Hand (dead)
  • Wax/clay images

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
lots of quarrels followed by illnesses following disputes over land, rent, and other daily dealings. She seems particularly quarrlesome.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage
  • Weather modification

    • Damage to property

    • no information

    weather modification

    • Tempest
    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
    RPC 2nd S, v3 p. 571, 582, 584 Commissions of investigation.
    RPC 2nd S v4, p 265-266 p. 333 James Mowat was released on caution.
    Process Notes JC26/10 'John Neil' bundle, item 1 None