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/1226 Alesone Coline

name of accused
Alesone Coline
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1214
Case date start
15/7/1629
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

  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Denounced by Alexander Hammilton (c/egd/166). Accused of being part of a supposed plot to kill Sir George Home of Manderston and other justice officials working with him to investigate witches. The others includes James Mowat, writer to the Signet, a bailie and the minister's wife. Also suspected of being involved in a plot devised by Lady Samuelston to kill her husband.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
She supposedly had sex with the Devil behind some hills, and he had sex with every other woman there.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Sex

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • Duns Law Hilltop
  • Borthwick Hills Hilltop

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

Notes
Hammilton said she wanted the power to kill people from the Devil.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

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
She is described as being the same person as Alisone Nisbet (c/egd/170) by a modern hand in JC26/10, but I do not think they were the same. They are described as being from different places and the 'Coline' accusations differ from the 'Nisbet' ones.
references
name notes
RPC 2nd S, v3 p. 571 Commission of investigation.
Process Notes JC26/9 item 1 Alexander Hammilton document.
Process Notes JC26/10 'Jon Neil' bundle, item 1 None
Process Notes JC26/10 'John Smith and Alison Coline/Nisbet' bundle for her these references are pre-trial procedures calling witnesses and such like.