The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Case Details

C/EGD/132 Christian Lewinstoun

name of accused
Christian Lewinstoun
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/121
Case date start
12/11/1597
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)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
She was part of a group of four women who appear to have been recognised folk healers who met, taught each other, cured for each other and generally worked together as professionals (the group includes c/egd/136, c/egd/133, c/egd/132, c/egd/131). There is no mention of the Devil.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Her daughter was taken away by the fairies and she learned witchcraft and taught it to Lewinstoun. She found a bunch of bewitched items in their wall and cast them into a fire. For knowledge of the sex of a baby, power received from the fairy-folk. She was consulted by Saidler for cures. She could heal named diseases

Counter strategies

  • Protective magic

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Group of fairies

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Thread
  • Hair
  • Nail trimmings
  • Herb

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Laying on
  • Removal bewitchment
  • Rec. healer
  • Healing humans
Notes
She supposedly worked with Christian Sadler. A man approached her 'as ane wyfe woman, haifing knaulege in the foirsaid airt [witchcraft].' ie she was a wise woman, or a healer.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Dairy

    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
    Books of Adjournal JC2/3 fo. 224-229 None
    Pitcairn v ii, p. 25-29 Almost same text as JC2/3