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/1924 Janet Fraser

name of accused
Janet Fraser
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1889
Case date start
22/7/1691
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)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
  • white magic (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
White magic as primary as prophecies seem to have concerned the presbytery the most. Demonic pact mentioned but no detailed description of it and demonic possession used by Fraser in her defence.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Accused of having sinned and having been deluded by the Devil and of having made paction with him. No descriptions of the Devil.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Paction
  • Possession

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
Accused of having pretended to 'a spirit of prophesy and revelation of things to come'. Confessed that she had visions, later confessed that she was possessed by an evil spirit and wanted ministers to commiserate with her miserable and deluded condition and that they would entreat God by earnest prayer that she may see the evil of her ways and obtain repentence.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Prophesy

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Prophesy
Notes
Presbytery minutes note that she had a written book of her pretended prophecies.

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
yes
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
Appealed for ministers to pray for her and help save her from the Devil's delusion.
Case Notes
None
references
name notes
None None Edinburgh Magazine and Literary Miscellany, (Dumfries, 1909), Vol 2 p. 103-104. The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research.
Penpoint Presbytery records CH2/298/1, pp. 5, 9, 14. Records ongoing discussion of her case at presbytery level. Last entry referred case back to kirk session but no further details.