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/1848 Margaret Merchant

name of accused
Margaret Merchant (alias Marat)
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1821
Case date start
3/1/1650
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

  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (primary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Confessed that she met devil at Lucifer's Loch on the common moor. He told her how to steal milk from other people's cows.
  • Male

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • New name Jonat Archibald
  • Sex

witches meetings

  • Devil present
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • common moor of Brechin at Lucifer's loch Moor

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Blew in the face of one of her victims. Put divots of grass under her cogs.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Salt
  • Grass

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
Their landlord had told them to leave their house, which they were reluctant to do. New tenant blamed her and said she had come round to him and blown in his face. He took ill and later died. Disputes over business deals.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge
  • Failed business interaction

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Animals
    • Dairy

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    Witnessed accused Merchant of causing loss of animals and goods after some dispute.

    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
    Brechin Presbytery records CH2/40/1, f 84-86. Anderson, M, St Andrews undergraduate dissertation, 1976 (no references given). The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research.