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/142 Bartie Patersoune

name of accused
Bartie Patersoune
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/131
Case date start
3/9/1607
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)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Food and drink
  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
His patients had to repeat words. He prescribed drinks and salves. Patient had to go on his knees three nights in a row, three times a night to ask Jesus for his health. He used Loch water from the Dow-Loche beside Drumlanrig. Lots of charms in the name of the 'father, son and holy ghost'. Pre-Reformation type religious ritual. The giving of remedies was done in the context of drinking ale at the pub, where a local woman was slandered for being a witch and causing an illness that Bartie healed. He told the man to ask for his health from the woman. JC26/5/2 has drawings of tables with Latin words laid out that I think Bartie used. This document has lots of drawings and weird symbols, he could have been accused of learned magical practices. He used letters and writings for healing. A remedy for all women involved grinding almonds mixing them with egg whites and putting on their face. For bleeding at the ???? -write letters on a knife and kill a beast. Lots of specific cures with specific letters and rituals

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Rowan
  • Elfshot

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Elfshot
  • Herb
  • Salt
  • Branch
  • Water
  • Shirt
  • Egg
  • Almond

Religious motif

  • Three
  • Prayer
  • Nine
  • Holy water

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Removal bewitchment
  • Poisoning
  • Rec. healer
  • Healing humans
  • Healing animals
Notes
Pretending to give medicine but really giving out poisonous drinks.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Charming
  • Poisoning
  • Murder
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 JC2/4 fo. 202 see also, possibly SharpeC K 'A Historical Account of the Belief in Witchcraft in Scotland' (Glasgow, 1884) p. 96 - Barbara Paterson, from Drumlanrig. This Paterson used water from Drumlanrig so likley the same person. Sharpe probably misread the original Bartie is definitely a man. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 18/12/1607.
Pitcairn v ii p. 535-536 The list of the assize was left out of Pitcairn.
Process Notes JC26/5/2/1 None
Process Notes JC26/5/2 very detailed description of his use of letters and charts, complete with diagrams!!
Process Notes JC26/5/3 long description of the case.
Process Notes JC26/5/4 a report from the Presbytery of Dalkeith