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/1364 Margaret Finlasoun

name of accused
Margaret Finlasoun
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1352
Case date start
26/2/1650
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

  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
This one was all about neighbourhood disputes about land, buying, selling, child minding. She was implicated by two other witches

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
  • Shape changing
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Green threads. Someone found a pouch of thread and lead in their yard and assumed she had put it there to bewitch them. Mention of appeasement with ale.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Green

Shape-changing

  • Spirit She appeared at night, crushing a sleeping man

Ritual objects

  • Lead
  • Thread

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Transferring disease
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
She supposedly took away a mother's milk to fulfill a curse. She seemed to take her anger out on her near neighbours and servants who dissatisfied her.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Boats
    • Animals

    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 S, v8 pp. 211-235 A very complete pre-trial package of documents!