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/1855 Catharin Walker

name of accused
Catharin Walker
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1826
Case date start
11/4/1650
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

  • unorthodox religious practise (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by others (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
It appears that the accused was searched by John Kincaid and that devil's marks were found but Walker did not confess or admit to any pact. She appears to have confessed in prison to getting the marks from the devil in the shape of a cat, but that she had been apprehended before she could go further with the pact or causing harm.
  • Animal Devil cat
  • Animal Devil dog

Demonic pacts

  • Devil's Mark

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
Notes
Walker was asked about her practice of going to each corner of her house and saying the following: 'Here I cast a compass, there I cast a compass'. She said she believed it was a prayer.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Water
  • Foxtree Leaves

Religious motif

  • Prayer

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Poisoning
Notes
Witnesses reported Walker had kicked a man in the groin who then died. Others suffered after she had quarrelled with them. Also confessed to have caused the death of her own children by suffocation and poisoning with a drink of foxtree leaves.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • 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
None
references
name notes
Brechin Presbytery records CH2/40/1, f 82-3, 94v-95v. None