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/179 Johnne Brughe

name of accused
Johnne Brughe
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/168
Case date start
12/7/1643
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)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
He seems to be a folk healer who was implicated by Katherine Mitchell and others for some reason.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
The prosecution inferred his pact from his healing activities. He jeopardized people's baptismal covenants, and lured others into a tacit pact.
  • Human Devil non-specific

Demonic pacts

  • tacit pact mediate packtione

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
Notes
Dug up two corpses at Muckhart.

Meeting places

  • in Glendovan Kirkyard
  • Muckhart Kirkyard
  • Rumbling Bridge

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
South running water, dug up corpses and used the flesh to harm people.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Elfshot

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Water
  • Stones
  • Branch
  • Elfshot
  • Wort
  • Watercress
  • Bannock
  • Corpse

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • St. Andrew's Day

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Transferring disease
  • Laying on
  • Removal bewitchment
  • Rec. healer
  • Healing humans
  • Healing animals
Notes
Was being paid in kind for healing animals and people.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge for being called a witch

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
He cured ale problems with verbal formula

Other charges

  • Charming
  • Sorcery
Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
Folk healer who was being paid pretty large sums in money and kind. Most of the accusations are for straight healing, except a few where he takes revenge for not being paid enough or on time.
references
name notes
SJC v3, p. 597-603 same as JC 2/8 p. 336-340. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 24/11/1643.
Books of Adjournal JC 2/8 p. 336-340 None
Process Notes JC26/13 bundle C None