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/1727 Margaret Abernethy

name of accused
Margaret Abernethy
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1711
Case date start
15/7/1669
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)
  • refused charity (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Another trial (e/egd/584) described her as a poor woman who begged for alms.

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

  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
She was accused of providing raw enchanted flesh so that Geillis Burnet could kill her husband. She was supposedly paid a six pence and a pint of ale.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Flesh

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
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 3rd series, vol 3, p 45, 631. Records commission. P. 631 note that Mr Robert Preston is to be paid 10 merks per day for the time he was away from his own house.
Circuit Court Books JC10/2 fo. 15v-18r None