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/1316 Barbara Purdie

name of accused
Barbara Purdie
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1304
Case date start
9/6/1649
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
Named by Issobell Murray whose confession give details about activities. No details from Purdie's confession. Murray confessed to demonic pact but no details about Purdie's relationship with the devil.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
No details about Purdie's relationship with the devil but by her association with Murray and attendance at meetings then some form of pact implied by presbytery. Murray claimed the devil appeared as a man.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
Details in Issobell Murray's confession about meetings around the time of Pasche. Meetings were at the Butter dam, the loch and a house yard in Paiston. Murray confessed to demonic pact but there are no details about Purdie's confession.

Meeting places

  • no information

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
None

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
None
references
name notes
RPC 2nd series, viii, pp. 193. Mentioned in Issobel Murray's confession.
Haddington Presbytery records CH2/185/6, p. 54-5. Note the suspect imprisoned and request to be made for commission to try and judge.