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/1323 Margaret Dicksone

name of accused
Margaret Dicksone
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1311
Case date start
8/6/1649
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

  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (primary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Named by other witch but confessed to demonic pact and named others.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
She asked the devil for 'her reward' which he had promised. He refused and said she would it get when the others got theirs.
  • Male man wearing green clothes

Demonic pacts

  • Sex
  • Anti-baptism
  • Servant
  • New name Margaret
  • Devil's Mark nip under right arm

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
  • Dancing
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • Nisbot Dean bank head
  • None Moor
  • Gladsmuir Moor
  • Nisbot House

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
Notes
None

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Green

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Water

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Healing humans
Notes
Confessed that Issobell Johnstone had come to her to ask advice about curing her child using south running water. Dickson asked the 'devil' about this and he advised her in its us.

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. 191-2. Details in RPC of suspect's confession. No information about trial or commission.
Haddington Presbytery records CH2/185/6, p. 50. Note in records that her confession had been attested.
APS Vol 6, part 2, p 732-3. None
RPC 2nd S, v8 pp. 193-4 None