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/1268 Marion Layland

name of accused
Marion Layland (alias Ritchart)
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1256
Case date start
17/3/1633
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

  • unorthodox religious practise (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • refused charity (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Not only was she refused alms followed by a curse, but she also refused to give others alms and then cursed people who did give others alms.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • Male Black man

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
Notes
Her son found her in the house with another witch and the Devil.

Meeting places

  • abandoned old house House

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Protective magic used to increase people's fishing catch - she washed the unsuccessfull fisherman's cat's feet with the fishing bait water and threw the water out to sea after him. She removed a bewitchment from someone. To remove a forspeaking, she took a cup of water, put big salt into it and then spit into it.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Protective

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Water
  • Cat
  • Salt water
  • Salt
  • Spit

Religious motif

  • Nine
  • Three

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Male impotence
  • Laying on
  • Removal bewitchment
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Healing humans
Notes
Took away wet nurse's milk in revenge for a quarrel. Used water to undo forspeaking (ie bewitchment). Took away cow's milk. Revenge after someone stole Marion's kale. She struck a man in the back and he lost the power to do his duty towards his wife.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge
  • Revenge for being called a witch
  • Refusal of alms

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Animals
    • Dairy

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    Other charges

    • Sorcery
    • Divination
    • Charming
    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, v5 pp. 544-548, 551-555 None
    Abbotsford Club Miscellany p. 18-31 some overlap with the RPC.