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/1781 John Lindsay

name of accused
John Lindsay (alias The Bishop)
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1764
Case date start
1687
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 possesion (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic possessions (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Complicated case involving numerous accusations of murdering children through magical strangulation and possession of several children. Much of the evidence was derived from the testimony of children who claimed to be possessed and tormented by witches. But there was great concern over the murdered children and a murdered minister. The record describes the physical torment of the possessed children in great detail. An extraordinary document!

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • Male black shawl and hood
  • Male black mane, black coat, blue cravat
  • Female Antiochia, gentle wife of the devil

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • Devil's Mark waist

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
  • Dancing
Notes
There were seven witches' meetings alleged in the Renfrew trials of 1697. The meetings were said to have taken place in 1696 for the murder of a minister and several infants and children and the tormenting of Christian Shaw and other young people. The participants supposedly danced, did image magic, met with the devil, and plotted bad things. The meetings were described by a few people who confessed and several children who claimed to have been present.

Meeting places

  • Kilpatrick
  • Kilmacolme Moor
  • christian Shaw's Yard
  • murdered minister, Mr. John Hardie Yard
  • murdered boy House

musical instruments

  • Pipe

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Shape changing
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Accused of participating in 6 meetings where wax images with pins were used to enact murder. The wax image was roasted to kill and torment people. One meeting to strangle a child took place at midnight in the kid's bedroom. Apparently physical charms made of bone, blood, and hair were found

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • 12:00

Shape-changing

  • Animal flew like a bird

Ritual objects

  • Wax/clay images
  • Bone
  • Hair
  • Blood (animal)

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Quarreling
Notes
The group was accused of murdering children by strangulation. Children were being murdered in this way by someone unknown. Possession signs were - thrashing, extraordinary strength, bite marks, welts, spitting pins and hair, vomit and more.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • 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
Part of the Renfrewshire cases of 1697 - one out of seven who made it to trial from the 28+ people who were accused.
references
name notes
Circuit Court Books JC10/4 fos. 1r-81r second pagination See also R. Boulton 'Compleat History of Magick, Sorcery and Witchcraft' London, 1716, Vol 2 pp. 51-165. This reference was not checked by the project.
Privy Council PC1/51 p. 136-9 None